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The San Francisco 49ers emerged as a surprise contender in the NFC West last season. They defeated the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers on the road, earning a berth in the conference championship game. Falling to the Los Angeles Rams doesn't damper how impressive their season was.
The 49ers have a very talented team in place. Nick Bosa, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel are among the best players at their positions this past season. They have depth all around the roster. Although Trey Lance is an unproven commodity under center, he has the potential to perform strongly in his second season and is going to be plugged into a very solid offensive system. His development has been going well, which bodes well for San Fran.
After a 10-7 season, the 49ers have shown that they can compete. But they have a lot more areas to address in order to get the most out of their roster. They might not get into title contention this season but they can add to the foundation they have and look to strike
2 moves the 49ers still must make to complete their roster in 2022
Trade Jimmy Garoppolo
San Francisco has to trade him. Just do it. Get it over with.
Garoppolo is essentially gone from San Francisco. Lance is taking over the quarterback spot, so there is no real reason to hang onto him. To be fair, Garoppolo's shoulder injury is dragging his trade value down. The Niners still need to move on from him, as that value is unlikely to rise.
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The 49ers lost almost all their leverage with opposing teams who needed quarterbacks. The Carolina Panthers are the only team that is still desperate for a quarterback. The Atlanta Falcons found a backup option after failing to acquire Deshaun Watson. Other teams who were unsure of what to do like the Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints and Washington Commanders all found options. None of them are significantly better than Garoppolo but they are all in place.
Whatever assets the 49ers get for Garoppolo will be beneficial, whether it be draft picks or solid players. They failed to make the most out of the opportunity to trade him.
Sign J.C. Tretter
The interior offensive line is a massive need for San Francisco. After losing Laken Tomlinson in free agency and continuing to rely on 36-year-old Alex Mack, the Niners need to find more support for Lance as he begins his stint as their full-time starter. Enter veteran lineman J.C. Tretter.
The 31-year-old Tretter has spent the past five seasons with the Cleveland Browns and also serves as the NFLPA's president. He has experience playing center, guard and tackle but has spent most of his professional career playing tackle. Although Mack is still playing well, Tretter is good enough to play anywhere inside and will fill a void left by a Pro Bowler. When Mack eventually calls it a career, Tretter can slide over.
Protecting Lance is extremely important. Especially as he works out his growing pains, he will need the time to develop comfort and feel in the pocket. Tretter is a strong pass blocker, so his fit with San Francisco is very strong as they look to build around the third overall pick from the 2021 draft.
