49ers report card: Why do Shanahan fourth-quarter leads vanish?

ESPN analyst Matt Miller watches the San Francisco 49ers differently than other teams. As a 49ers fan, he feels more invested in the team's successes and failures than most analysts. With the draft nearing, Miller made it clear which direction he believes head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch should take with their first pick. In his ESPN mock draft, a seven-round doozy, the analyst had the 49ers selecting former Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan. Miller recently joined the 49ers Webzone "No Huddle" podcast, sharing why he adamantly hopes the team addresses the offensive line at the end of the month. "So I

It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago. Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023

The San Francisco 49ers don't always do things like other NFL teams do. But they are consistent, for the most part. Seemingly every offseason, especially in recent years, a star player has wanted a new contract. From TE George Kittle and LB Fred Warner to WR Deebo Samuel and Edge Nick Bosa, the 49ers have given new contracts, but they have waited until late July-early August (and in Bosa's case—September) to do so, much to the chagrin of those players, who wanted their new deal sooner rather than later. It may not have happened as soon as the players wanted it to, but it has happened. Kittle's contract talks reportedly weren't as smooth as he might have hoped, Samuel famously scrubbed his social media accounts of all things 49ers, and Bosa didn't sign until a few days

No one is perfect. Each of us makes mistakes. I do for sure. Peruse your way through the many articles I've written for 49ers Webzone and you'll see plenty of mistakes. Whether it's a typo or some prediction I offered that didn't go as I had thought. The San Francisco 49ers are no different. John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan have made their share of mistakes. Fortunately for all of us, they hit on more than they miss. But I wonder if we were able to catch them in a moment of complete transparency if they might admit to wanting to hit the Ctrl+Z and "undo" some moves. I doubt they will admit to such mistakes anytime soon, but fear not—I'm here to do it for them. Yes, I could write on the best decisions