The Niners would like to put last season behind them and hope for better luck in 2021. Even a relatively healthy roster should result in a much-improved season.
Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated recently listed six losing teams from last season that will make the playoffs in 2021 (h/t to Kirk Larrabee). At the top of the list was San Francisco. It's not a bold statement, considering the general perception is that the injury-plagued 2020 campaign, not the 2019 Super Bowl run, was the outlier. There is just too much talent on the roster.
"The 49ers are a good team that, even in their worst moments, are still capable of dissecting a sloppily game-planned opponent," wrote Orr. "We've seen that throughout Kyle Shanahan's tenure, even if it has been a career thus far that has resulted in one playoff (and Super Bowl) appearance. Still, it's hard to imagine a roster this deep, one that tore through the NFC with an upper-middle-tier quarterback (in Jimmy Garoppolo) just two years ago, will spiral."
Nothing in the NFL is guaranteed, though. Even if the 49ers roster remains healthy, the team did suffer some offseason losses. The biggest may be defensive coordinator Robert Saleh leaving to become the head coach of the New York Jets. He took a couple of top assistants with him, too.
"The loss of Robert Saleh and a platoon of Shanahan's key assistants shouldn't be overlooked," Orr continued. "Offensive line coach John Benton joined the Jets with Saleh and former passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur. However, Shanahan was able to retain some talent, including former quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello and offensive line coach Chris Foerster."
San Francisco was bold this offseason, trading up nine spots in the draft to No. 3 overall to select Trey Lance, Garoppolo's eventual replacement. For now, the rookie adds depth behind the veteran who has missed 23 games over the past three seasons.
"With Lance presumably grabbing the baton at some point this season, we'll get an early glimpse at how the scheme can diversify itself with mobility under center," Orr added. "Because Shanahan is already a step ahead of the rest of the NFL, he'll now be even further along."
The other five teams on Orr's list are the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and New York Giants.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers rookie De'Zhaun Stribling making a strong early impression
Much was said by analysts when the San Francisco 49ers selected wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Many believed the 49ers reached for the pick, arguing that Stribling's draft value was lower. However, early impressions from... -
49ers projected to return to playoffs in two NFL.com predictions
Following last week's NFL schedule release, analysts have begun projecting how the 2026 season could unfold, including whether the San Francisco 49ers will return to the postseason. Two recent predictions from NFL.com have head coach Kyle Shanahan leading the 49ers back to the... -
Bleacher Report hands out offseason grade for 49ers
The national narrative around the San Francisco 49ers this offseason has been simple: stay healthy, and the championship window is still open. That sentiment reappeared this week in a new offseason report card from Bleacher Report, where the publication pointed to the return of... -
Why Ji'Ayir Brown's call to 49ers legends is concerning
In the NFL, sometimes the gap between a player's perception of himself and the reality of game film is wide. There are often too many people surrounding the player who tell him only what he wants to hear. Because of this, a young player can be easily convinced that he is better...