After every game, I do a quick "observations" piece, listing the handful of things that jumped out to me in the game. Since there (sadly) was no game on Sunday to write about, I decided to give my observations from the season.
Here are some things that jumped out to me:
- Four quarterbacks played. Four quarterbacks went down. Why are the 49ers cursed at the QB position? Who has the voodoo doll? I'm blaming Jim Tomsula.
- Another wasted season for Trey Lance. If he never becomes who we hope he'll become, Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch better hope they win a Super Bowl with someone else.
- So long, Jimmy Garoppolo. You served the 49ers well. But I'm still not sure how you stepped out of the back of the end zone in Denver.
- Brock Purdy is still undefeated in a game in which he could throw a forward pass.
- This was Mike McGlinchey's best season, and yet I'm still not sure if I'd want him back. He'll sign elsewhere for big money. I hope the 49ers can find an upgrade at right tackle. If they can't we'll all regret wanting him gone.
- Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford held their own all season. If the 49ers can find a center to play in between them, the interior of the offensive line could be good for years.
- Speaking of good, Trent Williams was very much that yet again.
- The trade for Christian McCaffrey was brilliant. And he wasn't just a rental. What a star!
- Robbie Gould, please come back.
- I doubt Jimmie Ward will come back, though, and if he doesn't, that's a shame. He's been a great 49er.
- Emmanuel Moseley is the free agent I'd most like to see return next season.
- DeMeco Ryans deserved to get his shot as a head coach. He was an excellent defensive coordinator. The way he approached keeping Jalen Hurts in the pocket was so smart. He had the edge rushers rush Hurts until they reached the same level of his dropback, and then they stopped, to make sure to keep him from having the lanes in which to run, and not allowing him to get to the outside.
- Nick Bosa is about to be paid more than any defensive player in NFL history.
- Talanoa Hufanga was my breakout player of the season (not named Brock Purdy).
- Brandon Aiyuk is WR1.
- Who will start at free safety in 2023?
- Will Drake Jackson become what the 49ers need in an edge rusher opposite of Bosa?
- I've seen enough of Javon Kinlaw.
- No, I don't think Shanahan was disrespecting Garoppolo at the end-of-season press conference. He was just in a crappy mood.
- Seattle fans are like that annoying little kid who won't leave you alone. Dallas fans are like Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog. They crawl out of their hole once a year, lose a big game, and run back inside. And Philadelphia fans are that wanna-be tough guy spitting at you through their mustache. And that's just the women.
- Shanahan is a very good coach. He took his team back to the NFC Championship Game...with a rookie QB.
It was a fun season, and promises to be an entertaining offseason. I'm not sure how it will go, but it will be drama-filled, I'm sure.
However the offseason goes, with over 20 players scheduled for free agency, this team will look quite different come training camp.
Video and audio of this article will be available on Tuesday on the 49ersWebzone podcast page, as well as YouTube, iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
