With the loss of Chris Borland and Patrick Willis to retirement, the 49ers went into the recent NFL Draft in need of inside linebacker depth.
Yet San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke didn’t use a single pick on an inside linebacker. Instead, he’s hoping players already on the roster – such as Nick Moody and Shayne Skov – can step into a bigger role. Baalke also signed 30-year-old veteran Philip Wheeler just before the draft, hoping Wheeler can regain the form that made him a consistent contributor during a seven-year career that began with Indianapolis in 2008.
Since being a third-round pick of the Colts out of Georgia Tech, Wheeler has played mostly outside linebacker, has started 60 of 108 NFL games and has been a noticeable player, with his long hair flying out from under his helmet. Just two seasons ago, he started 16 games at outside linebacker for the Raiders and was in on 109 tackles, had a career-high three sacks and forced two fumbles.
Yet Wheeler fell out of favor in Miami last season. After starting 16 games in 2013, he started just four in 2014 and was in on just 45 tackles. He was released by Miami in March in a salary-cap move and signed by the 49ers in late April.
According to Pro Football Focus, Wheeler was strong against the run in 2014, earning a grade of plus-7.2, but was weak against the pass, with a minus-4.2 grade. Grant Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat suggested that Wheeler might be platooned with Michael Wilhoite at one inside linebacker spot – next to NaVorro Bowman – with Wheeler in the base defense and Wilhoite in on passing downs.
During recent organized team activities (OTAs), new head coach Jim Tomsula was upbeat about Wheeler, Skov and Moody and how they were playing, but said there’s still a long time to go beore anyone earns a spot.
“They’re all getting their reps and the whole group is really working hard and there’s some good football being played by them,” he told Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com. “Again, we’re in May. We’re not in August. And we don’t have shoulder pads on and we’re running around. But everything we’re asking them to do at this point and the way they are moving has been … it’s a really good group.”
Sports
As Gutierrez noted, Wheeler will be playing for linebackers coach Jason Tarver in 2015, his defensive coordinator on the Raiders in 2012 when Wheeler had a strong season.
Now Wheeler will try to resurrect his career under Tarver, moving inside from the outside – something he did under Tarver as an inside linebacker in Oakland’s nickel defense in 2012.
“I feel like I’m versatile enough,” Wheeler told Gutierrez. “I played inside in the Raiders’ nickel, so I’ve done it before.”
With Borland and Willis gone, the 49ers certainly will need Wheeler (or Skov or Moody) to take a big step forward.
