What happened: The 49ers elected Nick Bosa, Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle, Deommodore Lenoir, Christian McCaffrey, Brock Purdy, Fred Warner and Trent Williams for a second consecutive year. Kittle enters his ninth season as a captain, Warner his seventh and Lenoir his second.

Why it matters: A captaincy should identify a tight leadership core, and giving the title to eight players makes the distinction less meaningful. Trimming the group would force a clearer statement about who truly sets the standard.