With Super Bowl LV behind us, ESPN is already looking toward the 2021 season and released its first power rankings of the 2021 offseason. The rankings were based on the input from a group of more than 80 writers, editors, and TV personalities.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers emerged from the 2020 season as the Super Bowl champions but didn't top ESPN's power rankings. That honor belongs to the Super Bowl runner-up, the Kansas City Chiefs. Seven-time champion Tom Brady and his Bucs don't rank second either ... or third. They come in at No. 4 within this ranking, behind the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers.
The entire top 10 (top 11, actually) is made up of teams that made the playoffs this past season, except for one — the San Francisco 49ers. Despite winning just six games during the 2020 season, Kyle Shanahan's squad came in at No. 9.
"The 49ers took a big step back in 2020 after a run to the Super Bowl the previous year," wrote reporter Nick Wagoner. "But most of that drop-off can be attributed to an unprecedented rash of injuries. Now, the Niners will spend the offseason working on getting healthy and answering a variety of difficult roster questions. The pieces are still in place to surge right back into contention if the 49ers can have better injury luck and keep the roster deep enough to fill holes when the inevitable health issues strike again."
Some of those offseason roster questions will involve finding a way to re-sign several key players. The 49ers still have 34 players scheduled to become free agents next month (unrestricted or otherwise). With the salary cap expected to see a significant drop this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the 2020 season, there will be some difficult decisions for general manager John Lynch and company to make.
Shanahan and Lynch will also have to make a decision at quarterback. Does the team stick with Jimmy Garoppolo for the upcoming season, and possibly beyond? Or will it look to find an offseason upgrade?