Seahawks vs. 49ers: 5 questions about San Francisco with Niners Noise

Richard Sherman being a 49er

12th Man Rising: How is Richard Sherman‘s first season with San Francisco going and would you consider his signing to be a good one?

Panacy: Prior to Week 12, Richard Sherman was looking like one of the best free-agent moves the 49ers have made in a while. He was essentially locking down his side of the field, discouraging opponents’ quarterbacks from targeting him almost the entire year, just like he used to do in Seattle.

That all changed in Week 12, though, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t hesitate to go after him and with good success. Just look back at the big completion he allowed to Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans, which eventually led to a Buccaneers touchdown a few plays later. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a trend or Sherman simply had a bad game, which all players do.

More importantly, though, Sherman has been a solid mentor for a primarily young group of 49ers defensive backs. The on-field results haven’t exactly been pretty. But you’d rather have a proven veteran with leadership qualities than not. And Sherman has shown that.

Positives for the 49ers in a lost season

12th Man Rising: There are a few bad things about the 49ers season, obviously, but what are three positives 49ers fans can take away from the 2018 season so far?

Panacy: The biggest, of course, is the breakout of tight end George Kittle. He’ll be a cornerstone offensive piece for a long, long time. And the fact he’s made such an impact with three different starting quarterbacks says a lot.

Running back Matt Breida, who took over starting duties once Jerick McKinnon suffered an ACL tear, has been a nice storyline too.

It’s also been great to see rookie right tackle Mike McGlinchey emerge as one of the top run-blocking offensive linemen in the league, not just among first-year players.