By Scooter_McG
Despite getting to the NFCCG last season and not having a first round pick, the 49ers have managed to keep themselves one of the big storylines of the offseason around the NFL. Some of these storylines have been downright laughable. I thought it might be fun to take a look at some of the 49ers offseason storylines and give my take on which ones are/ were overrated or overblown and which ones have been underrated or not given the attention they likely deserve.
Overrated: The impact of Jimmy G still being on the roster. This storyline has died down since the draft, but between the start of free agency and the draft there was a lot of fan angst around how holding onto Jimmy G was impacting the 49ers ability to sign free agents. While it is true that getting JG off the books frees up cap space, it is highly unlikely the 49ers were ever going to be big players in free agency outside of their one marquee signing in Charvarius Ward. And if the 49ers really wanted to sign other free agents they could have - there were other options open to them to free up cap space immediately. The lack of spending in free agency (aside from Ward) was an organisational decision that had little to do with Jimmy G.
Underrated: The 49ers moves at CB. It seems like every year that 49ers fans are clamouring for the team to go out and get CBs, whether it be in free agency or the draft (or both). In recent years the team has largely resisted putting premium resources into the position, with the exception of signing Richard Sherman in 2018. So it comes as a little bit of a surprise to me that 49ers fans aren't making more of the moves at CB the 49ers have made this offseason. Going out and getting Charvarius Ward is obviously the big move - he may not be widely considered an elite player or a household name, but over the past three years he has quietly been one of the best CBs in the NFL while showcasing a skillset that matches with what the 49ers do at CB. They also brought back Jason Verrett, who when healthy has shown he can play at a very high level. The outside CB position has now gone from a big question mark to one with a legitimate top end CB, two veterans that have proven to be good CBs when healthy (Verrett and Moseley) and last years 3rd round pick (Thomas) who showed promise at the back end of last season. Add in the boomerang Dontae Johnson and some day 3 draft picks and it's now a strong and deep group, and should be a team strength. Obviously slot CB is the big question mark following Williams' departure, but Williams had also shown signs of not being the player he used to be. The 49ers have a number of options available to fill the spot and they have shown in the past they can find lesser known players to fill that role admirably.
Overrated: Any Trey Lance story. I get it - he's taking over at QB for a team that went to the NFCCG. He's last years 3rd overall pick and a guy the 49ers traded three 1sts for, but has very limited experience. It's a storyline. But man... the media circus of big takes ostensibly dissecting who and what he is (or isn't) has been ridiculous. It is of course largely driven by one report quoting a source that claims 49ers coaches weren't impressed with Lance last year. In and of itself that was newsworthy. But the way it has blown up has been ridiculous, with seemingly every NFL media personality needing to one-up the last guy with their strong take on Lance. We'll see in due course who and what Trey Lance is. Big takes from anyone after seeing 2 NFL starts as a rookie is just seeking attention.
Underrated: The team is still good and doesn't actually need Lance to be great. In all the bloviating about Lance, what seems to get lost is that the 49ers don't need Lance to come in and be a world beater from the jump. He just needs to not be rubbish while he develops. The 49ers have a strong group of playmakers on offense that just need Lance to get the ball into their hands in space, and we know Shanahan will build his offense off the back of the running game. The 49ers defense has been good for three straight years and the core of that defense remains intact (and as mentioned above, the CB position has been improved). So long as Lance avoids making a lot of costly turnovers and can do his part in keeping the offense moving the team should be fine while Lance develops and gains experience.
Overrated: Deebo wants out. To be honest, this is still a storyline to be watched. But prior to the draft there was a lot of media time spent trying to dissect what went wrong between the 49ers and Deebo, and speculating that the relationship was soured beyond repair. Since the draft came and went with Deebo still on the 49ers roster the signs have been pointing towards the two sides working positively towards a deal. We'll have to wait and see what happens, but regardless, it would appear the pre-draft narrative was overblown.
Underrated: Nick Bosa's (lack of) extension talks. The media storm surrounding Deebo's contract extension has taken the limelight off the other big name player on the 49ers is eligible for an extension - Bosa. What is notable is that whenever questions have been asked about the extension the answer has been that negotiations are yet to commence. If true, that's surprising. While Bosa is under contract for two more years (with the 49ers picking up the 5th year option) I would be somewhat surprised if Bosa is happy to play 2022 under his current deal. If he is then great, but for both the 49ers and Bosa it would seem getting discussions on a new deal started sooner rather than later would benefit both sides.
Appropriately Rated: The 49ers OL. As a bonus, I'll add this one in. This, for me, is the one big 49ers storyline that is getting an appropriate amount of weight. The retirement of Alex Mack and loss of Laken Tomlinson in free agency opens up some big holes in the middle. The one starting interior OL retained is Brunskill, who most people would agree is a player the team ordinarily would hope to upgrade on. Adding to the OL question marks is RT Mike McGlinchey who is returning from a serious injury. Despite these losses and question marks the 49ers have not gone out this offseason and put significant resources into the OL. Instead, the team seems content to promote from within and add competition through day 3 draft picks/ UDFAs and low cost free agents. It's a bold strategy and it may work out, but it is a big risk to take especially with a young QB taking the reins.
