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          All eyes on Jimmy Garoppolo as 49ers open important camp

          Jimmy Garoppolo, who made just three starts in 2018 because of a torn ACL, has still started only 10 NFL games. Josie Lepe/AP
          • Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff WriterJul 24, 2019, 12:00 PM
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              Nick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL at ESPN since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In his 10 years with the company, Nick has led ESPN's coverage of the Niners' 2019 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick's protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam's subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team's relocation and stadium saga. You can follow Nick via Twitter @nwagoner
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          SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers open training camp on July 26 at SAP Training facility. Here’s a closer look at a few storylines:

          Can Jimmy Garoppolo bounce back from a torn ACL and become the franchise quarterback the 49ers believe he can be?

          The Week 3 knee injury that derailed Garoppolo's season was a double whammy because it left many still wondering if Garoppolo is truly the long-term answer at the position. The Niners believe he is and are paying him as such, but Garoppolo still has just 10 career starts to his name and has yet to show he can stay healthy and produce for an entire season. Aside from $4.2 million in remaining signing bonus money, the Niners could get out from Garoppolo's contract without penalty after the 2019 season. Clearly, they intend to have him as their franchise quarterback for a long time, but this is an important season for him to prove he's the guy they believe he can be.

          Will the 49ers revamped pass rush live up to lofty expectations after adding Dee Ford and Nick Bosa?

          The trade for and signing of Ford and the use of the No. 2 overall pick on Bosa are supposed to be the moves that finally put San Francisco's defense over the top. Adding Bosa and Ford to a group that includes dominant tackle DeForest Buckner and former first-round picks Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas put the onus on the Niners' front four to lead the way to a defensive resurgence and turn some of the many close losses of the past two seasons into wins.

          Do the Niners have enough at wide receiver after missing out on Odell Beckham Jr. and choosing not to pursue Antonio Brown?

          The Niners made a strong push for Beckham but declined to go after Brown, which meant significant additions to a receiver corps that finished 2018 ranked 28th and 29th in receptions and receiving yards came elsewhere. The Niners took a flier on veteran Jordan Matthews and spent second and third-round picks on Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd. There's talent and potential in that trio, plus returnees like Dante Pettis, but the Niners need more from this group to take the pressure off tight end George Kittle and to diversify the offense.

          How important is this season for coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch after consecutive losing seasons?

          It's Year 3 for the Shanahan/Lynch regime and CEO Jed York has, thus far, expressed nothing but confidence and belief in his leadership duo. Shanahan and Lynch have six-year contracts, and the stability they've provided so far has been a welcome addition for a franchise that lacked it in years prior. Still, results on the field are going to have to come at some point. Neither Shanahan nor Lynch appear to be on the hot seat, but it will get warmer for them if the Niners can't take a meaningful step forward in 2019.