The San Francisco 49ers had one of the worst cases of a Super Bowl hangover last year. Several starters and even their backups missed significant time due to injury. There is a reason for the Niners Faithful to be hopeful next season as the team will be healthy and maybe stay that way.
The upcoming season will be more challenging for San Francisco though as two of their division rivals, the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams were busy making moves this offseason.
Below are four expectations for the 49ers, that may shape their upcoming season.
Not drafting a defensive lineman in the first round
Since 2015, San Francisco has selected a defensive lineman with their first pick. The lone exception was Mike McGlinchey who also plays in the trenches but on the other side of the football.
The team has holes around the roster and depth along the defensive front is not one of the most pressing ones. The 49ers still have Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead disrupting plays. Last year's first-round pick Javon Kinlaw showed promise in the 14 games he played and finished with a total of 33 tackles and even had a pick-six. It was quite a sight seeing a 6'5, 319-pound individual run for a touchdown.
Cornerback Richard Sherman will most likely leave the Bay Area. While he made the Pro Bowl in 2019 and his game aged well for his position, his season-ending injury last season will make it easier for the team to replace rather than retain him.
One of the options for San Francisco is cornerback Patrick Surtain from Alabama. Like Sherman, he has great size at the position and plays with physicality.
Move on from Jimmy Garoppolo
Garoppolo is one of the more divisive players in the league. His accuracy, mobility, and intangibles have helped win games, while others would call him more of a game manager, who is a product of the talent around him and head coach Kyle Shanahan's scheme. One thing for sure is that he has had difficulty staying on the field. Since 2017, he has played a total of 31 games. The only time he played all 16 games was in the team's 2019 run to the Super Bowl game.
More than just Garoppolo's play, it is difficult to pin a franchise's hopes on a player who historically cannot even be around for half of the season.
If the front office opts not to use their first pick on a cornerback, they can go after whichever quarterback is available. This will likely be Trey Lance from North Dakota State.
Another option although one that will require the team to mortgage their future or give up some of their young talents is to pursue quarterback Deshaun Watson. San Francisco does not have the assets of other teams in play like the Miami Dolphins or the New York Jets, so the Houston Texans might ask for a package that involves Bosa and multiple picks. Bosa has the potential to be a Defensive Player of the Year. Trading for Watson is a huge risk, but will instantly make the team contenders.
Improve the receiving corps
Having arguably the best tight end in the league in George Kittle does so much for the offense. As expected from a modern-day tight end, Kittle is a great receiving threat and was Garoppolo's safety blanket.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel is a versatile weapon, who can be used in both passing and running plays. Even when he does not have the ball, he does his part as he is a physical blocker. Rookie wideout Brandon Aiyuk was one of the few bright spots in a dismal season. In just 12 games, he had 748 receiving yards and five touchdowns. The wide receiver group could use a reliable third option though with the departure of Kendrick Bourne to the New England Patriots.
Free agents are flying off the board, but Rashard Higgins would have been an ideal target before re-signing with the Cleveland Browns. Higgins is a complementary receiver who despite not having any elite, physical tools gets wide open for catches. The 49ers can find a player who fits this mold in the later stages of the draft.
New medical staff members
This might seem like an odd prediction as it has nothing to do with player personnel and other more football-related topics. However, the only reason for the 49ers' drop off from a Super Bowl was injuries.
With a league-leading number of injuries, it can no longer be attributed to bad luck. While a purge of the medical staff is unlikely, management should at least consider bringing in new medical professionals to help the team get rid of the injury bug. Shanahan did not put the medical staff under the bus though, per Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports.
Maybe medical staff from the Atlanta Falcons, who were on the opposite end of the injury spectrum can be pirated?
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