Week 1 of 49ers OTAs: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The San Francisco 49ers opened their Organized Team Activities (OTAs) this week, and there was plenty to be excited about. The team’s offense looked sharp, the defense was flying around, and there were several standout performances from individual players. However, there were also some concerns that emerged, particularly on the injury front. Here’s a look at some of the good and not-so-good from Week 1 of 49ers OTAs:
The Good: Trey Lance looks like the real deal
The 49ers’ offense has been the subject of much discussion this offseason, as the team tries to figure out how to replace Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback. Trey Lance, the team’s first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, is the favorite to win the starting job, and he looked like the real deal in his first OTA practice. Lance was accurate with his passes, showed good mobility, and made several impressive throws. He also looked comfortable running the team’s offense, which is a good sign for the 49ers.
The Not-So-Good: Injuries
The 49ers had a few injury concerns during their first week of OTAs. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who is coming off a breakout season, missed practice with a hamstring injury. Running back Trey Sermon, who is expected to play a bigger role in the offense this season, also missed practice with an ankle injury. And cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, who is one of the team’s best cover corners, left practice early with a hamstring injury.
While these injuries are not considered serious, they are still a concern for the 49ers. The team has a long history of injuries, and they can’t afford to lose any key players for an extended period of time.
The Ugly: Jimmy Garoppolo’s future
Jimmy Garoppolo’s future with the 49ers remains up in the air. The team is reportedly trying to trade Garoppolo, but there has been little interest from other teams. Garoppolo is due to make $27 million in 2022, which is a lot of money for a backup quarterback. However, the 49ers are reluctant to release Garoppolo, as they don’t want to hurt their chances of winning a Super Bowl.
The Garoppolo situation is a distraction for the 49ers, and it needs to be resolved soon. If the team can’t trade Garoppolo, they need to decide whether to keep him as a backup or release him.
Overall
The 49ers had a solid first week of OTAs. The offense looked sharp, the defense was flying around, and Trey Lance looked like the real deal. However, the team’s injury concerns are a concern, and the Jimmy Garoppolo situation remains a distraction. Overall, it was a good start for the 49ers, but there are still some things that need to be addressed.
