Five 49ers with the most to Prove in 2020

The 49ers should win 12 games and the NFC West next season. But to win the Super Bowl, some of their best players will have to play even better than they did in 2019.

The 49ers should win 12 games and the NFC West next season. But to win the Super Bowl, some of their best players will have to play even better than they did in 2019.

Here are the five 49ers with the most to prove in 2020.

1. Arik Armstead

Armstead led the 49ers in sacks last season -- he had 10. The 49ers need him to repeat that performance or improve on it next season, because they traded DeForest Buckner to the Colts. The defensive line should experience a drop off. Armstead needs to pick up the slack.

Will he? Or will he record only five or six sacks? Before 2019, his career high for sacks in a season was 3. Is Armstead a one-year wonder? If he is, the 49ers are in trouble.

Fortunately for them, they still have a quality group of pass rushers around Armstead, even though they lost Buckner.

2. Nick Bosa

Speaking of those quality pass rushers.

Bosa arguably is the 49ers’ best remaining pass rusher, even though he recorded “only” nine sacks last season. He’s extremely strong and polished for a 22-year-old defensive end.

But he also benefited last season from playing on the deepest, most-talented defensive line in the NFL. Buckner demanded lots of double teams from opposing offensive lines. Now, they’ll double team Bosa more frequently. How will he handle the extra attention?

Last season, Bosa’s productivity dropped when Dee Ford was injured. Bosa recorded seven sacks during the first six games when Ford was relatively healthy, then recorded just two sacks the rest of the regular season as Ford’s injuries piled up and he missed games. Then in the playoffs, when Ford returned after time off, Bosa recorded three sacks in four games.

Bosa clearly benefited from Ford. How much did Bosa benefit from Buckner? We’ll find out.

3. Richard Sherman

Sherman certainly played well the past two seasons for the 49ers -- he intercepted three passes and gave up only three touchdown catches. But teams rarely even tested him. They didn’t need to. They simply could pick on the other cornerback, Ahkello Witherspoon.

Now, Witherspoon is a backup. And his replacement, Emmanuel Moseley, is solid and confident. Not a playmaker or a shutdown corner, but an upgrade over Witherspoon. And arguably as good as Sherman.

So in the playoffs last season, teams finally tested Sherman. And he gave up a long catch to Davante Adams in the NFC Championship game, and another long catch to Sammy Watkins in the Super Bowl.

Now Sherman is 32. Teams don’t seem to fear him anymore. For the first time in his career, offenses could look to isolate and target him next season. We’ll see how he responds.

4. Trent Williams

Williams is the best left tackle in the NFL when healthy.

But he’s not always healthy. He hasn’t played a full 16-game season since 2013, and he sat out all of 2019. He should be fresh, but will he be durable?

He replaces Joe Staley, who was as durable as they come. Staley missed just four games from 2011 to 2018, then missed nine games last season as he body finally began to break down.

Williams turns 32 on July 19 -- he’s four years younger than Staley. Williams should be able to give the 49ers an entire season of elite play. But will he play through an injury, the way Staley did he if could? Or will Williams shut himself down so he’s healthy when free agency starts in 2021, when he’ll be in a line for a mondo pay day?

Stay tuned.

5. Jimmy Garoppolo

Last season, Garoppolo essentially was the caretaker of a run-first offense. Until third down, when he became Superman.

Next season, Garoppolo will need to be more than a mere caretaker. Opposing defenses will have worked all offseason to devise ways to slow down the 49ers’ running game. They will load the box and dare Garoppolo to beat them with long passes.

If he hits those long passes, the 49ers could win the Super Bowl.

If he doesn’t hit those long passes, the 49ers could look for a new starting quarterback in 2021.

Talk about a lot to prove.