Because 2-14 teams can’t address all their problem areas in one offseason, the 49ers might rely on a player with a track record of unreliability to play a vital spot in 2017.
The position: the so-called “Leo” defensive end in their 4-3 defense, which is reserved for the team’s most ferocious pass rusher.
A leading candidate: Aaron Lynch, 24, who reported for the offseason program overweight after ballooning to offensive-lineman proportions last year.
Last week, Lynch said his weight is in the 280s and his goal is to play between 260 to 270. In 2016, Lynch said he weighed around 300 pounds in training camp before he served a season-opening, four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s drug policy.