The San Francisco 49ers haven't played a regular-season game yet, but there is already plenty of discussion around the NFL about where the franchise is headed. And some of it isn't pretty.
Color me shocked (insert your best sarcasm gif). If people in NFL circles weren't throwing shade at the 49ers, then I'd be surprised. But some of the latest is worth considering.
NFL insider Jason La Canfora spoke with several league sources for a new Casino Guru article examining the 49ers' future. His report paints a concerning picture, not just of an aging roster, but of a franchise that some around the league believe may have significant issues behind the scenes.
Yes, there is talk of the 49ers being old and injured. La Canfora noted that the 49ers' roster "skews old in critical spots," and one longtime advance scout who has watched plenty of NFC West football during Shanahan's tenure was even more blunt.
"It's an old team at the premium positions," the scout said. "I don't really like the roster anymore."
But 49ers fans have heard that before. They said the same thing a year ago. And Shanahan led his team into the postseason despite having injuries all over the roster.
La Canfora suggested this season could be the last stand for several of the team's star players, who have anchored the 49ers' recent playoff runs. He also pointed out that some league observers aren't particularly impressed with how San Francisco has replenished its talent through the draft.
But we know these things. We've heard them before. The bigger questions may currently lie within the York family and what the future of their ownership of the team may look like.
Questions surrounding the York family
La Canfora wrote that the situation surrounding the York family has become a source of considerable chatter around the NFL. One former 49ers staffer who remains connected to the organization didn't mince words.
"It's pretty ugly inside the family right now," the former staffer told La Canfora. "They're scrambling. There was a lot of weird (stuff) going on even before Jed's arrest."
One NFL general manager offered a similarly concerning assessment. "Something is off there. They are slipping."
La Canfora added that there has been "serious turmoil and unrest" within the ownership group and that the future of the franchise has become a significant topic of conversation around the league. He also pointed to the departure of longtime 49ers executive Paraag Marathe, who left his role this summer to focus on the York family's soccer holdings. Marathe had been one of the organization's most influential executives and a close confidant of Jed York. His departure creates another significant change for an organization that, according to La Canfora's reporting, is already dealing with questions about its future.
Of course, anonymous quotes from league sources should always be viewed with some caution. NFL executives and scouts have opinions, and sometimes those opinions turn out to be completely wrong. The 49ers don't have to look far for examples of people doubting them before a successful season.
But when multiple people around the league are expressing similar concerns, the comments are worth paying attention to. The questions aren't necessarily about the team as much as they are about the organization.
On the field, the 49ers can change people's opinions and rumblings about them by winning. Off the field, however, the rumblings may just be coming to the surface.
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