49ers mailbag: What is the most intriguing camp battle? What’s been eye-opening at training camp so far? Who will lead SF in interceptions?

The pads are on at training camp for the San Francisco 49ers. And with that came a lot more action and a better indication of where players are individually. This is especially helpful when evaluating rookies, new players, or players returning from injury.

There is still no news on OT Trent Williams, who is holding out for a new contract, or WR Brandon Aiyuk, who is holding in for a new contract. Williams is likely priority one, so he will get a new contract. All year long, I have believed Aiyuk will get a new deal, as well. But I'm starting to wonder if it will happen. I'm still betting it will, but I'm not as confident.

We opened up the 49ers Webzone Mailbag and found some questions inside that were dying to be answered. So let's jump in and see what's on your mind.

What is the most intriguing camp battle? - Dave B.

It has to be right guard, where rookie Dominick Puni has been getting starter reps and has looked dominant, at times. That doesn't mean he will win the starting job right out of training camp, but it is intriguing to watch. Spencer Burford is injured and will miss a few weeks. Jon Feliciano has missed some time and has also lined up at center. It's too early to tell how this will shake out, but it's been interesting to observe so far.

At Nickel Corner, it appears free agent signing Isaac Yiadom is the leader. He hasn't won every rep, but he's looked great in camp. The 49ers are in good shape with their top three corners (Yiadom, Deommodore Lenoir, and Charvarius Ward). If they stay healthy, and the pass rush can improve, this will be a hard defense to throw against.

The battle for QB2 is more intriguing than I thought it would be. Josh Dobbs has been unimpressive, at times, but he's still learning the offense. Brandon Allen hasn't been spectacular either, but he's been better than Dobbs much of the time, although it sounds like Dobbs is starting to look better this week. Undrafted rookie Tanner Mordecai hasn't had a lot of reps so far, but he's looked decent when he has. I still think it's Dobbs' job to lose, but we'll see how it ends up.

Lynch/Shanahan traded three 1st rounders and a 3rd rounder in order to get Lance, demonstrating that they'll pursue a player that they want. The offensive line needs some work, outside of Trent Williams. Why did they not trade up a few spots to get a tackle? Was the cost too steep? What do you think Dallas or Green Bay (who selected tackles) would have wanted in exchange? The need for a stronger right side seems pretty evident, and I'm willing to argue that the lack of skill cost us the Super Bowl. I'm trying to second-guess the professionals without trying to...you know, second-guess the professionals. - Tony M.

It's safe to say the price was too steep for the 49ers to move up to get a premiere offensive tackle. There just aren't that many good ones coming out of college these days. The 49ers seem to like OT Jaylen Moore. He's been up and down this training camp. But when Williams finally retires, they better have a good tackle to replace him.

How is Terique Owens looking? - Sasha R.

Terique Owens has not made much noise, but he did have a good day on Tuesday. He even caught a touchdown pass from Allen. Still, Owens has an uphill climb to make the roster, especially in a loaded wide receiver room. He seems like a good candidate for the practice squad.

Can the 49ers include incentives to get a deal done with Brandon Aiyuk? - Will S.

Sometimes teams work incentives into contracts, and often, it's with players who are in situations in which they are betting on themselves. It may be a player who's been injured or one who is older. That doesn't mean it's not an option for Aiyuk, but usually, players like him want their yearly number to be near the top at their positions, and they want as much of the contract guaranteed as possible.

Aiyuk believes he's worthy of being one of the highest-paid WRs in the league. Deals with a lot of incentives are usually team-friendly. The team gets the player on a cheaper deal, and if he reaches the incentives and they have to pay him more, they're happy to do so because they're getting more than what they're expecting from that player.

It is possible an Aiyuk deal could include incentives, though, especially if they aren't able to agree on a longer extension.

What's been eye-opening from 49ers training camp so far? Can be good, bad, or ugly. - Ed H.

A few things:

• The depth at cornerback has been noticeable, even beyond the top three guys.
• Jordan Mason starting to get reps ahead of Elijah Mitchell. I'm not saying he will be RB2 this season, but hopefully, it means more snaps for Mason.
• The number of rookies with hamstring injuries early in camp. And they even arrived a week before the veterans. What did they do that week?
• Cam Latu looks like he isn't going to make the team.
• I expected Logan Thomas to be the number two tight end. But it looks like Eric Saubert is going to be that guy.

Is it an issue w/49ers & Shanahan system, in that it takes skill position players a season or even 2 to 3 to develop & contribute when other teams like the Rams & Seahawks draft (receivers and backs) who contribute right away? - Roderick C.

Mitchell started as a rookie. So did Deebo Samuel. And Aiyuk. And George Kittle. So I don't entirely agree with Roderick's opinion.

But I will agree that Kyle Shanahan doesn't trust rookies very much. Last season, Ronnie Bell played some, but he looked like a rookie most of the time. And Bell mostly played because of injuries. It will be interesting to see how much Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing play as rookies.

With all these injuries, does Dominick Puni have a chance to start Week 1? - Dave B.

Yes, he does. As I mentioned already, Puni has been getting snaps with the first-team offense. He may have received some of those reps even without the injuries.

That said, I already mentioned that Shanahan doesn't trust rookies. And the 49ers' first game of the season will be under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. I can't imagine Puni will start that game. But he could surprise us and prove he's ready. I still anticipate that the same starting offensive line from the Super Bowl will begin the season.

Who leads the Niners in interceptions? - Nick E.

It could be Lenoir. He's developing into a star. But he and Ward are so good that I think quarterbacks will try to avoid looking their way. So I'm going to predict Ji'Ayir Brown will lead the 49ers in interceptions in 2024. He has a nose for the ball, and with a season under his belt, should be in position to make even more plays this year.

Depending on how soon Talanoa Hufanga returns, and how he looks, he also has a chance. But I'm sticking with my prediction that it will be Brown.

If Purdy hadn't developed into the kick-ass, non-system, non-game manager, legitimately able QB that he is, do you think Lynch would still have a job? - Tony M.

Yes, I do, because I think the 49ers would have figured something else out. And I'm not suggesting they would have brought back Jimmy Garoppolo or kept Trey Lance. They would have found another way to get a quarterback, though I don't believe they would have used multiple first-round picks on one again.

What is holding Roger Craig back from being in the Hall of Fame? - Sasha R.

That's the million-dollar question. I think some of it has to do with the fumble in the 1990 NFC Championship Game (which is a ridiculous reason to keep him out of the Hall of Fame). Some of it is that he's not one of the highest-ranked rushers in league history. Most likely it has more to do with the fact that he was overlooked for years, and now his accomplishments, and what he meant to one of the NFL's greatest dynasties, just isn't remembered by voters anymore.

But a strong argument has been made for Roger Craig to be in Canton. Craig's teammates have pled his case in that story and on this podcast series. Even some of his former opponents have argued that he belongs in the Hall of Fame. Let's hope this is the year. There is optimism that Craig could finally be selected this time around. We'll find out later this year.

That's all we have for this mailbag. We'll be back next week with a brand-new 49ers Webzone Mailbag.

• Marc Adams
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