San Francisco has addressed key weaknesses, but protecting Brock Purdy remains the top concern heading into the draft.
Coming off a hard-fought season, the 49ers miraculously reached the second round despite a significant number of injuries to key players throughout the year. However, the staggering number of injuries caught up with them in the NFL’s biggest playoff blowout in history, as they lost 41-6 to the Seahawks in the divisional round.
San Francisco has had a solid start to the offseason, making moves to address roster weaknesses.
Offseason Additions Address Major Weaknesses
The 49ers bolstered their receiving room by adding Mike Evans, a bona fide No. 1 receiver, and Christian Kirk to complement him. The Niners also traded for Osa Odighizuwa to fill a major void on the interior of the defensive line, alongside the return of Nick Bosa. That should help improve a pass rush that finished as the league’s worst in sacks, totaling six fewer than the second-worst New York Jets. In fact, Myles Garrett had more sacks individually than the entire 49ers defense last season.
San Francisco also brought back Dre Greenlaw after a year away from the team. His return strengthens a linebacker room that grew extremely thin last season due to injuries. Notably, the 49ers’ two starting linebackers in the playoffs were both not on the active roster in early November.
Overall, the 49ers have done a solid job addressing key weaknesses from last season. However, one major issue remains to be fixed heading into the draft: the offensive line.
Offensive Line Remains a Major Concern
The 49ers’ offensive line is already mediocre, even with Trent Williams currently on the roster — a status that is not guaranteed heading into training camp, given the ongoing speculation. If Williams were to depart, the offensive line would go from mediocre to a major flaw.
In the past, the 49ers have been at their best when they’ve had a dominant offensive line, particularly on the interior. That strength enabled them to establish a physical run game and control the tempo.
However, in recent seasons, the offense has shifted toward a more dropback-heavy passing attack, relying heavily on Brock Purdy. During the Jimmy Garoppolo era, the 49ers dictated games primarily through their rushing attack.
Fixing the Interior Is Key
For San Francisco to return to that identity, it starts with improving the offensive line’s interior. So far, the team has lost Spencer Burford and could still lose Trent Williams. The only additions in free agency have been tackles Vederian Lowe and Brett Toth, both of whom provide depth but are unlikely to elevate the unit to the physical standard seen earlier in Kyle Shanahan’s tenure.
The 49ers must be aggressive in addressing this issue in the draft. Resolving the Trent Williams situation beforehand will be crucial. If Williams remains on the roster, the priority should be interior offensive linemen, with a potential tackle who can start on the right side and eventually transition to left tackle once Williams retires.
If Williams is traded, protecting Brock Purdy’s blindside immediately becomes one of the top priorities in the entire draft.
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