San Francisco 49ers: What can team learn from Super Bowl 52?

With the Super Bowl in the rear-view mirror and the Combine and free agency on the horizon, we look at what lessons the 49ers can take from the Eagles’ win.

The dust has long since settled on Super Bowl LII, but with the combine and free agency now on the horizon, there is plenty the San Francisco 49ers can take from the Philadelphia Eagles triumph over the New England Patriots.

Indeed, the performances of both the Eagles and the Patriots in a thrilling contest in Minneapolis provided plenty of lessons for the 49ers as they prepare to take the next step in building a team they hope can be a contender in 2018.

Here we look at what general manager John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan should have taken from watching the Eagles end their wait for a first Lombardi Trophy.

Raiding the Patriots has its risks

With a glaring hole at cornerback, the 49ers have understanably been linked with Malcolm Butler, who was benched by the Patriots for unspecified reasons.

Butler has denied reports he was benched after breaking curfew to attend a concert but, whatever the reason for his omission, the fact his supposed indiscretion was enough to force Bill Belichick to leave him out of the lineup should give 49ers pause as they consider whether to pursue a big-money move for him.

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It should also be clear that signing Dion Lewis carries a risk. Yes he has consistently had an impact as a runner and a receiver but in the Super Bowl it was James White who did the majority of the damage out of the backfield with 66 yards from scrimmage. A multitude of backs have had success in the Patriots’ system and, before making a run at Lewis, the 49ers have to be sure he can be productive in theirs.

Investing in the offensive line is very wise

The 49ers are at best average on the interior of their offensive line and 2018 looks like the year to improve it. Guards Josh Sitton and Andrew Norwell are available in free agency and there looks to be a lot of depth on the interior in the draft.

A demonstration of the value of investing in the O-Line came as the Eagles, playing with backup Halapoulivaati Vaitai at left tackle, and the Patriots allowed just one sack in the game. Joe Staley and Trent Brown are fantastic pieces at left and right tackle, and the Super Bowl should have convinced the Niners that now is the time to give the latter an extension and invest either cap space or picks on the interior of the line.

No need to break bank for running backs

The 49ers have so far shown no desire to bring back running back Carlos Hyde, indicating they will look for help with the ground game from elsewhere. Running back is one position where the draft class is stacked and, after seeing Lewis, White, LeGarrette Blount and Corey Clement excel in the Super Bowl, the 49ers should not feel the need to use a high pick on a back.

Lewis was a fifth-round pick of the Eagles and White was taken in the fourth round. Clement was an undrafted free agent in 2017 and the Eagles used just $1.25million of their cap on Blount, per Over The Cap. San Francisco also saw Matt Breida excel and put up 645 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns after signing him as a UDFA.

With so many other needs to fill, the Niners can head into the offseason knowing they don’t need to break the bank in free agency or spend a high pick to get a productive back.

C.J. Beathard’s Development Still Extremely Important

Jimmy Garoppolo may be the 49ers’ franchise quarterback, but Nick Foles’ incredible playoff run and performance in the Super Bowl was an emphatic reminder of the importance of a competent backup. Few teams can claim to have a backup who has proven they can win consistently, but the Niners do at least have one who has proven he can keep them competitive in games in C.J. Beathard.

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The Niners did not have the talent last season for Beathard to win more than one game and, unlike Garoppolo, he is not a quarterback who elevates the level of those around him. It is unlikely Beathard will ever be the kind of quarterback who can pull off the kind of run Foles did, but he showed enough as a rookie to suggest he can be a capable backup.

And, though they should not need any encouragement to keep developing him, the Eagles’ improbable glory should serve as extra incentive to ensure Beathard can be a player who can win games with a better team around him should the worst ever happen to Garoppolo.