The San Francisco 49ers closed out the 2023 season with familiar results. They won the NFC West for the second straight season and secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. But once again, a sixth Lombardi Trophy did not enter the 49ers trophy case that contains five Super Bowl titles. In a rematch from the Super Bowl that occurred four years ago, the 49ers fell short in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs 25-22. However, due to their quarterback Brock Purdy playing on a rookie contract, the 49ers can keep a significant portion of their core players intact.
Related: San Francisco 49ers 2024 Offseason Preview
However, the day of paying Purdy a record-shattering contract is approaching. He has overachieved the expectations of how a seventh-round pick is supposed to produce on a rookie deal. With teams such as the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and division foe, the Los Angeles Rams emerging as a heavyweight in the conference, the 49ers must capitalize on their opportunity before it’s too late.
Previewing the 49ers Offense
Nothing changed regarding the 49ers offense during the offseason. They closed the 2023 campaign as one of the league’s best units. The group was near the league’s top in total offense, passing, points per game, and rushing. Another plus for San Francisco’s offense was that their starting quarterback could stay healthy for the entire season. Not being at full strength was an area that former QB Jimmy Garoppolo struggled with during his time under center as the team’s starter. Brock Purdy has proven he is the best quarterback to run Kyle Shanahan’s system compared to what we witnessed with Garoppolo. The former Iowa State Cyclone continued where he left off in 2022 when he emerged as the Niners starting quarterback.
Purdy threw for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. On the ground, running back Christian McCaffrey became the league’s rushing champion with 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns. Those accolades led to the Niners extending McCaffrey’s contract for another two years, worth $19 million. San Francisco’s wide receivers remain some of the best at what they do as a unit, especially Brandon Aiyuk. Aiyuk posted a career-high 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. Fellow teammate Deebo Samuel chipped in with 892 yards and seven touchdowns.
As for the upcoming season, San Francisco’s offense could regress due to ongoing contract negotiations between the team and a few of their top players. Aiyuk’s name is constantly mentioned as a player who could be traded before the season kicks off in early September. After finishing seventh in the league in receiving in 2023, Aiyuk has been quite adamant about how he deserves to be paid among the best at his position right now. He reported to training camp to prevent himself from being fined because of holding out but has not participated in any team drills so far. However, his teammate, offensive tackle Trent Williams, is doing the opposite.
The All-Pro left tackle is holding out on securing a new contract with the team. Not having the presence of Aiyuk is one thing, but not having Williams a part of the mix could have drastic ramifications. I expect Williams to be awarded a new multi-year contract, and Aiyuk will eventually be a part of training camp activities. However, he will not be wearing a 49ers uniform beyond 2024. Suddenly, the team has a lot of mouths to feed when it comes to new contracts, with Purdy’s record-breaking deal at the top of the list.
Update: The latest reports are that the 49ers and Aiyuk are working on a new long-term extension, but the possibility of being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers is still on the table. Trent Williams has still not reported to training camp.
Previewing the 49ers Defense
Statistics-wise, we saw no significant drop off from the defense under former defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryan’s watch and the version on display with Steve Wilks. Under Wilks, San Francisco’s defense finished third in the league in points allowed and tied fifth with takeaways and eight in total yards allowed. However, in many of the Niner’s marquee matchups last season, there were moments where the defense did not live up to its reputation as an elite unit. The discrepancies in those games led Shanahan to question if the 49er’s defense was all in on the vision laid out by Wilks. The transaction that came full circle on the growing tension between Shanahan and Wilks was the decision to remove him from calling plays in the press box and onto the field. But the events at Super Bowl LVIII sealed the former Interim Panthers head coach’s fate.
Wilks was dismissed a week after their Super Bowl defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs. A few weeks after Wilks’s firing, the 49ers stayed in-house and hired Nick Sorensen as their new defensive coordinator. Sorensen previously served as a defensive assistant passing game and nickel coach. Sorensen’s top objective is to get the 49ers back to playing a style of football that has made their defense one of the league’s best over the years. An area where they will have to get better is against the run. In 2023, San Francisco’s run defense allowed 149.3 rushing yards per game, which placed them at 28th in the league.
Projected Outlook:
I do not see the San Francisco 49ers allowing off-the-field issues such as Brandon Aiyuk’s situation to hinder their pursuit of a Super Bowl title. But Trent Williams needs to be a part of the mix. His presence on the offensive line significantly affects the team’s makeup as a major player in the NFC. The beginning and middle portions of San Francisco’s schedule are soft compared to what they’ll face toward the end of the season. Beginning on November 24, when the 49ers take on the Green Bay Packers, the slate starts a gauntlet of tough challenges against opponents such as the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, and the Detroit Lions. By that time, Williams’s contract situation needs to be resolved.
Predicted Record: 13-4 (NFC West Champions, Super Bowl Contender)
