Between now and the start of the new league year in March, TGS is providing brief summaries looking ahead at the offseason from the perspective of each NFL team. In this edition, we look at the San Francisco 49ers.
2016 record: 2-14 — 4th place, NFC West
What’s new? The man pictured above (John Lynch) is rather suddenly their general manager, with Kyle Shanahan serving as the new head coach.
Projected salary cap space: $78 million — Only the Cleveland Browns have more money to spend.
Key in-house free agents: LB Gerald Hodges, DT Glenn Dorsey, WR Quinton Patton, WR Jeremy Kerley, WR Rod Streater
We’re really pushing it. The 49ers don’t really have any big-name free agents, which is good considering how much money they have to spend. Kerley and Patton were their top two receivers in 2016, which is amazing. They’ll likely bring most of these guys back for next to nothing.
Key needs: Quarterback, wide receiver, pass rusher, defensive tackle, guard, right tackle
Draft breakdown: They have the No. 2 overall pick, two fourth-round picks, two sixth-round selections and two seventh-rounders.
Other potential priorities: Finding that quarterback is actually the top priority. Colin Kaepernick might be gone, but he’s probably not the answer even if he returns.
Outlook: So many holes to fill, but plenty of money and draft currency to do it. They won’t be good in 2017, but they have a chance to make a hell of a lot of progress in the next few months.
