the first bearing to go is always the right main side plate bearing (aka pinion bearing). in every lever drag reel, it is always first. if you push the lever back to free and crank with a little noise and roughness, then push the lever to strike and find that the noise and roughness increase, then it is the right main side plate bearing for sure. other bearings might be bad, but you would for sure then have a bad right main side plate bearing.