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CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin went through the San Francisco 49ers schedule,
predicting the outcome of each game and coming up with a projected record for Kyle Shanahan's squad. The writer has the Niners finishing with a 12-5 record. However, a significant number of those losses are predicted to come early with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm of the offense.
Benjamin has San Francisco coming out of the gate with two road wins against the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles. After that, things fall apart. The 49ers are predicted to lose four straight in a stretch that includes the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and Indianapolis Colts.
It's during that Week 7 game hosting the Colts that Benjamin predicts Shanahan will make a switch at quarterback, sidelining Garoppolo for the No. 3 overall draft pick, Trey Lance.
"Three straight losses and a Week 6 bye prompt Shanahan to officially kick off the Trey Lance experiment," wrote Benjamin. "The rookie QB flashes in front of a fired-up crowd but is coaxed into two costly turnovers against a veteran Colts defense."
The losing streak finally ends, and the rebounding 49ers lose only one more game — a Week 10 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams — for the rest of the season.
Here's a week-to-week breakdown of how Benjamin predicts things going for the Niners in 2021. The losses are in bold.
Week 1 at Lions: 49ers win 31-20
Week 2 at Eagles: 49ers win 29-21
Week 3 vs. Packers: 49ers lose 28-24
Week 4 vs. Seahawks: 49ers lose 26-23
Week 5 at Cardinals: 49ers lose 34-26
Week 7 vs. Colts: 49ers lose 24-20
Week 8 at Bears: 49ers win 26-22
Week 9 vs. Cardinals: 49ers win 31-27
Week 10 vs. Rams: 49ers lose 27-20
Week 11 at Jaguars: 49ers win 27-17
Week 12 vs. Vikings: 49ers win 24-17
Week 13 at Seahawks: 49ers win 24-21
Week 14 at Bengals: 49ers win 29-26
Week 15 vs. Falcons: 49ers win 41-27
Week 16 at Titans: 49ers win 24-19
Week 17 vs. Texans: 49ers win 37-13
Week 18 at Rams: 49ers win 27-24
You can head over to the
feature from CBS Sports for a full breakdown and explanation of each matchup's predicted outcome.
Benjamin also
predicted the outcome for the Rams, envisioning Sean McVay's squad to finish 10-7. He hasn't run through the Seahawks or Cardinals schedule yet.
Another CBS Sports writer, Patrik Walker, predicted that the
Seahawks would also finish 12-5. The two writers' features appear unrelated, as each has different 49ers-Seahawks Week 4 and Week 13 outcomes.
The decision to trade up in the 2021 NFL Draft and select quarterback Trey Lance could have had significant consequences for general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. With the team lacking first-round picks in the last two drafts due to this move, and Lance no longer on the roster after being traded to the Dallas Cowboys before last season, it's clear the gamble didn't unfold as expected.
Lynch held his annual pre-draft press conference on Monday, reflecting on the decision to take such a big chance on Lance. While such a bold move might have jeopardized jobs elsewhere, Lynch and Shanahan were blessed with some good fortune in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Acknowledging the support of the team's ownership, Lynch stated, "They believe in Kyle and I, and our
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
