San Francisco 49ers: Linebackers showing early promise in coverage

There are doubts over NaVorro Bowman and Malcolm Smith’s play in coverage, but both have impressed for the San Francisco 49ers in OTAs and minicamp.

The San Francisco 49ers’ front seven has the talent to become one of the better units in the league, but there are legitimate concerns over how some of their linebackers perform in coverage. It is not a worry that should apply to rookie Reuben Foster, who demonstrated his skills as a pass defender at Alabama, proving athletic enough to cover running backs, tight ends and even wide receivers on occasion.

But for NaVorro Bowman and Malcolm Smith, coverage is a big question-mark coming into the 2017 season. Bowman actually showed improvements in coverage from 2015 in the four games he played in 2016 but, coming off a season-ending Achilles injury, there will be legitimate doubts over athleticism.

Meanwhile, Smith — one of the 49ers’ many acquisitions in free agency — was criticized for his play in coverage for the Oakland Raiders last year, which saw him allow six touchdowns and a passer rating of 113 when targeted, per Pro Football Focus. But in OTAs and minicamp, both Bowman and Smith have reportedly shown signs of promise in that area of the game.

In the final OTA practice, per Chris Biderman of The Niners Wire, Smith picked off Brian Hoyer on a tip drill in which Bowman was involved. According to Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee, Smith also got himself in position to stop Jeremy Kerley after a catch on a crossing route and would have decleated the receiver in a live game situation.

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Bowman stopped Pierre Garcon before he reached the end zone, and broke up a pass intended for Kerley in the back of the endzone.

On the first day of mandatory minicamp, per Biderman, Bowman again impressed and snagged an interception of a pass meant for tight end George Kittle on a tipped ball by Ahkello Witherspoon.

The 49ers are still a long way from testing the coverage abilities of Bowman and Smith in anything close to a real game situation, and it is always important not to read too much into these early offseason practices.

But if Bowman and Smith carry the form they have shown in OTAs and minicamp into training camp and the preseason, then the 49ers can afford to be very encouraged. Bowman, Smith and Foster are the most likely starting trio for the 49ers, though Ahmad Brooks, Eli Harold and Ray-Ray Armstrong may compete for playing time.

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Foster’s athleticism should ease the burden on his more experienced colleagues. But if Bowman and Smith can at least be decent in coverage, then that will have a significant impact on how this defense performs in 2017. The signs, at least for now, are positive.