49ers look for players to grow into leadership role

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Guard Andrew Tiller, who is a month removed from his first NFL start, was asked Monday which veteran players he looks to for guidance.

“Joe Staley,” Tiller said.

OK, sure, Staley, 31, the left tackle who is the team’s longest-tenured member, is an obvious choice. But who else, Andrew?

“On offense, it’s Joe Staley. That’s who a lot of people look to,” Tiller said, then adding. “Joe Staley and (wide receiver) Anquan (Boldin).”

That’s obviously not an expansive list, and recent news suggests the 49ers front office believes the loss of several decorated leaders in the offseason is among the reasons the team is 4-10.

It’s not a fresh topic, but it resurfaced during the 49ers’ 24-14 loss to the Bengals on Sunday. On the CBS broadcast, sideline reporter Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker, said the team “underestimated” how the loss of running back Frank Gore, defensive tackle Justin Smith and inside linebacker Patrick Willis would impact the locker room.

Feely, who said he spoke with chief operating officer Al Guido before the game, also added that he felt the team was “confident in Jim Tomsula going forward,” based on his conversation with the 49ers’ executive.

If Feely’s interpretation is accurate, it’s a rare glimpse into the front office’s mind-set during a season in which the 49ers have been outscored by a league-high 137 points and will finish in last place in the NFC West for the first time since 2005.

It could also foreshadow remarks CEO Jed York will make when he addresses reporters after the season. That is, if the 49ers retain Tomsula for a second season, York could cite the leadership void as a reason for the decision.

Tackle Joe Staley meets with beat writers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Friday, July 31, 2015. The San Francisco 49ers open training camp Saturday. Tackle Joe Staley meets with beat writers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Friday, July 31, 2015. The San Francisco 49ers open training camp Saturday. Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close 49ers look for players to grow into leadership role 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

On Monday, Tomsula wasn’t queried about his job status, but he was asked about Feely’s comments regarding the 49ers’ locker-room leadership. In response, Tomsula looked confused, despite presumably having been briefed about questions to expect before his news conference.

“Jay Feely?” Tomsula said. “… He was talking to Al Guido?”

Tomsula did, however, address the leadership issue. The 49ers appeared to have no shortage of potential leaders before the season when they named nine team captains, five more than they had in 2014.

However, three of the eight offensive or defensive captains are no longer on the 53-man roster: quarterback Colin Kaepernick and safety Antoine Bethea are on injured reserve and tight end Vernon Davis was traded to Denver on Nov. 2. In addition, two other captains — safety Eric Reid, 24, and nose tackle Ian Williams, 26 — entered the season with 41 combined NFL starts.

“We knew there was a core group that’s not here,” Tomsula said. “Justin (Smith) and Frank (Gore). I was with all those guys the whole time. There was a core group here that built up through some tough times and got into some really good times. And did a heck of a job of leading. Just the tightness.

“I don’t think we’ve hidden from that. That core’s gone. We’re developing another core. We’ve got to develop a core. I think there’s a lot of pieces to that core here. A lot of them are young. … We’ve got some guys here that I’m excited about.”

Boldin and inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman are other captains, but they both displayed poor on-field body language early in the season as the 49ers began 1-4.

Bowman was clearly frustrated with out-of-position teammates during a 40-point Week 3 loss in Arizona, which smacked of an elite player making it clear an embarrassing performance wasn’t his fault. Did he need to grow as a leader? Bowman, who missed 2014 with a knee injury, was 25 during his last full season in 2013.

On Sunday, Bowman wasn’t pointing out his teammates’ errors, but he did offer a forceful rebuke to Corey Lemonier when the outside linebacker was flagged for unnecessary roughness after the Bengals had gained just a yard on 1st-and-20 in the third quarter. Bowman sprinted to Lemonier, slapped his helmet and yelled at him while grabbing his jersey.

It wasn’t gentle, but it also figured to have a lasting impression on Lemonier, 24. Bowman was later asked what a 4-10 season had taught him about being a leader.

“To lead — that’s all I can do,” Bowman said. “Keep leading and doing the things that winning teams have to have. And everyone will follow suit.”

Injury update: Running back Shaun Draughn (knee) had an MRI exam Monday after he exited Sunday’s game in the second quarter. The 49ers’ only healthy running backs on the 53-man roster are Travaris Cadet and Kendall Gaskins.

Eric Branch is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: ebranch@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Eric_Branch