One significant factor that aided the San Francisco 49ers in achieving victory against the Seattle Seahawks was their youth.
Their young players showed out in that game and made incredibly impactful plays. Rookie safety Malik Mustapha and rookie cornerback Renardo Green each made fantastic interceptions on pivotal drives. Rookie offensive lineman Dominick Puni also continues to be a strong starter for the 49ers.
But it isn’t just the rookies. Second-year linebacker Dee Winters is another player the 49ers need to utilize more. He is an instant upgrade over De’Vondre Campbell who is the Achilles heel of the defense. Winters will surely see his fair share of struggles, but he at least gives the 49ers upside and room for growth.
That is a theme of the 49ers’ victory against the Seahawks. It is proof that they need to fully commit to their youth. No longer can they trot out veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom over Green. No longer can they trot out washed-up Campbell over Winters. No longer can Mustapha sit behind George Odum or Talanoa Hufanga when he returns.
It’s time for the 49ers to look ahead to their future. They can’t keep being delusional with their band-aid players like Campbell and Yiadom. Green needs to be the starter with Deommodore Lenoir and Charvarius Ward. Winters needs to be the starter alongside Fred Warner until Dre Greenlaw is ready to return.
Playing the young players has proven beneficial to the 49ers. Usually, the 49ers have been hesitant to do so. That is because Kyle Shanahan favors veteran players and isn’t tolerant of rookies or young players working through their mistakes. But this year Shanahan seems to be taking a different approach. His hand has been kind of forced too given the injuries that have occurred this season.
If the 49ers want to continue to be a winning team, then they have to tap into their youth. It has been working well so far. There has been more upside than downside with it. Defeating the Seahawks because they played their young players was no fluke. It was a sign for them to do it more.
Not only will it help them be successful in 2024, it will help them for years to come.
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