ESPN recently took a look at all 32 NFL teams and named three training camp "nuggets" for each. What did that include for the San Francisco 49ers? It all starts with the Super Bowl LIV loss in February to the Kansas City Chiefs.
ESPN notes that San Francisco will try to become the third NFC team to lose the Super Bowl and return to the big game the next season. Only the 1971 Dallas Cowboys and the 1974 Vikings have accomplished that among the conference teams. Dallas ended up winning Super Bowl VI against the Miami Dolphins while Minnesota lost Super Bowl IX to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Writes ESPN: "The past few teams to fit this mold? The 2015 Seahawks, 2016 Panthers, 2017 Falcons and 2019 Rams. None won more than 10 games, two missed the playoffs and the other two lost in the divisional round."
Another "nugget" is running back Raheem Mostert, who made many take notice with his impressive 220-yard and four-touchdown rushing performance against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game.
"Raheem Mostert tore it up in the playoffs with 336 rushing yards and five TDs in three games and appears to be in line to start for the 49ers this season," writes ESPN. "Mostert has averaged 6.1 yards on 231 career rushes including the postseason, but has yet to start in 51 games played."
Then you have quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who has endured much criticism this offseason following uninspiring passing statistics in his first two playoff games and lack of production in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl LIV defeat. Of course, that is after one of the best regular-season performances by a quarterback in franchise history.
"In last season's playoffs, Garoppolo had just 27 pass attempts entering the Super Bowl," writes ESPN, "the fewest by any QB since Bob Griese for the 1973 Super Bowl-winning Dolphins. In Super Bowl LIV, Garoppolo went 3-of-11 with an interception in the fourth quarter after going 17-of-20 with a touchdown and an interception in the first three quarters."
Training camps are scheduled to begin later this month.
Click here to read all of ESPN's nuggets for the 32 NFL teams.
