Down went Colin Kaepernick. Down went Blaine Gabbert.
No matter which “mobile” quarterback was in for the 49ers, pass rushers easily took down their prey, piling up 53 sacks last season and 52 in 2014.
A revamped offensive line should fortify things this season, beginning Monday night when Gabbert starts ahead of Kaepernick against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium.
It won’t be a dry run. Right away, the 49ers encounter defensive tackle Aaron Donald, last season’s runner-up for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award, behind the Houston Texans’ J.J. Watt.
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“You’ve got to be on your toes with Aaron Donald,” center Daniel Kilgore said recently.