Could you believe that the 49ers went from Jim Tomsula to Chip Kelly as their head coach and somehow end up even worse than the prior season?
Yep, that’s how far this storied San Francisco franchise has fallen: from NFC champs to the second-worst team in the league within a span of five seasons. At one point last season, the Niners were losers of 13-straight games. They won only two of their 16 regular-season contests, with both victories coming against their newly-relocated division rivals the Los Angeles Rams.
Simply put, most of the 49ers’ talent from the golden Jim Harbaugh era have been gutted out and they’ve never recovered since. Heck, for the first time in over a decade, the Niners have no Pro Bowl selections whatsoever. Running back Carlos Hyde appears to be the only bright spot on the team, but even he’s been constantly riddled with injuries since he was drafted in 2014.
Top Free Agency Needs
Did also we mention that San Francisco also fired Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke on New Year’s Day? The team is readying itself set for a major overhaul this 2017, and they’ve actually gotten off to a good start by recently hiring nine-time Pro Bowl selection John Lynch as their new GM and agreeing with Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to be their new head coach after the Falcons wrap things up in the Super Bowl.
Shanahan’s body of work in Atlanta cannot be denied, as the Falcons had the most explosive offense in the league this season. His father and former NFL head coach, Mike, was also an OC for the 49ers in the early 90s. A dream free-agency signing for the Niners, in turn, has got to be Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins.
A clear upgrade from Colin Kaepernick, Cousins possesses great pocket presence and just enough mobility to make up for San Francisco’s shoddy offensive line. During the regular season, Captain Kirk threw for 4,917 yards and 25 touchdowns with a 67-percent completion rate and a solid 97.2 passer rating. Not only that, but Cousins and Shanahan have had experience working together in Washington in 2012-13. Plus, funding for the top-prized QB in free agency won’t be a problem for the Niners, who have about $82 million in cap room right now.
And if the price is right, San Francisco can dive back into the Redskins pool by possibly getting either DeSean Jackson or Pierre Garcon to accompany Cousins in The Bay. The team badly needs playmakers in the receiving game as well to complement its new QB, and having Jackson or Garcon will give Cousins some form of consistency right from the onset.
Top Draft Needs
Given how the Niners should focus more on offense in free agency to give Shanahan and the O the proper tools outright, they should spend the majority of the draft picking up young recruits on defense – similar to what they’ve done with their first-round picks for the past four seasons (Eric Reid, Jimmie Ward, Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner).
The team is in dire need of a pass rusher, and Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett is the hands-down choice for San Fran’s second-overall pick. The best defensive prospect on the board sheds blocks from the edge like no other, and the Niners would be more than happy if Garrett does end up on their lap.
Should the Cleveland Browns go with Garrett with their No. 1 overall pick, though, San Francisco still has some great options to shore up its D with. Alabama inside linebacker Reuben Foster is as sound as midfield enforcers come, and Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore has terrific speed within him already to keep up with the league’s blazing receivers in coverage.
