The band is back together.
The two biggest issues surrounding the 49ers since the end of last season have been Brock Purdy’s arm and Nick Bosa’s contract.
The arm is fine, as Purdy demonstrated during his first practice at boot camp when he fired a couple of 45-yard shots across the field. The 49ers believe they have their long-term quarterback in the young man who will make his first NFL Week 1 start.
And on the other hand, the 49ers feel safer knowing Bosa is happy, healthy and wealthy.
The 49ers and Bosa agreed at just the right time on a five-year, $170 million contract extension so he can take on the quarterback on Sunday when the 49ers open the season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Here are five 49ers to watch as the regular season opens:
5, WR Deebo Samuel
This is wide receiver Deebo Samuel’s first opportunity to turn the page on what he described as a “terrible” season.
A year ago, Samuel, fresh from a contract situation that left him significantly distracted, was out of shape and unable to provide the 49ers with the same big-play skills that made him an All-Pro in 2021. His yards per reception fell from 18.2 to 11.3.
Samuel had a strong training camp and gained the respect of his teammates by being named one of the 49ers’ six captains. He seems particularly motivated to have a great season.
And it all starts against a team that is struggling to find competent play at the cornerback positions.
4, CB Deommodore Lenoir
Injuries led the 49ers to play second-year cornerback Deommodore Lenoir for most of last season. And although he gave up a lot of catches and yards in the regular season, he proved to be a strength for the team in the playoffs.
The Steelers will have more three-receiver sets than in the past with Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and Allen Robinson. Pickens, in particular, is an outside threat and can build on his solid rookie season.
Pittsburgh want to use their running game to place deep shots upfield, so Lenoir faces the challenge of helping out with running support while making sure he doesn’t trail any Steelers receivers for a big play.
3, QB Brock Purdy
The comparison is striking.
The Steelers have high hopes this season and expect quarterback Kenny Pickett to make a big jump in performance. Pickett was the first quarterback selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.
On the other hand, the 49ers also have high expectations for their own second-year quarterback.
Purdy played the final six games of the regular season, but that was enough to surpass Pickett as the top rookie quarterback of last season.
Now the tricky part begins: repeating or surpassing what he accomplished as he quickly rose from #3 on the depth chart due to injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Purdy has returned to full strength following offseason elbow surgery, and his plan of attack will be to find the open man in the team’s deep group of playmakers and play the ball with precision for big yards after catching.
2, DE Drake Jackson
Everyone knows what Bosa can do.
While much of the Steelers’ attention will be on containing Bosa, the 49ers will need second-year player Drake Jackson to perform on the other side. And he should have a chance to get close to quarterback Kenny Pickett since he regularly has one-on-one duels.
The 49ers invested a second-round pick in Jackson in the 2022 NFL Draft. He got off to a promising start with three sacks in his first five games.
Then he fizzled out. Unable to maintain his strength, Jackson played five of the 49ers’ final six weeks, including all three postseason games.
Jackson has worked hard in the offseason to compete. And now they need him to produce after the 49ers didn’t re-sign defensive ends Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu in free agency.
1, RT Colton McKivitz
With all the talk about Purdy and Bosa and the names you know by heart, the Steelers could be looking at 49ers right tackle Colton McKivitz as the match that gives them a chance at breakthrough success.
McKivitz takes over from Mike McGlinchey, who signed a lucrative contract with the Denver Broncos in the offseason. His first assignment is to face Steelers edge rusher TJ Watt.
“This is a great start,” McKivitz said. “I’m looking forward to competing against the best they have to offer.”
Watt is coming off his least productive NFL season. He missed seven games with a torn pectoral muscle and managed just 5.5 sacks in 10 games.
He recorded an NFL-best 37.5 sacks in 30 games in 2020-21 and was named the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
McKivitz obviously won’t be facing Watt the entire game, but there will be times when he’ll be left alone to block the Steelers’ biggest threat.
“One thing you can see is he never stops making plays,” McKivitz said. “That’s the big thing. He has lots of tools in his back pocket. The key is to get your hands on him and make sure he doesn’t pocket the edge.”
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