San Francisco 49ers ceiling so high it can’t be reached
By Dan Salem
A revamped defense and numerous injury returnees make the San Francisco 49ers unbalanced and scary. Their ceiling is so high that it can’t possibly be true.
Success for the San Francisco 49ers in the 2019 season will come down to the performance of a lot of players who are facing prove-it seasons. This can be true for numerous young teams, but San Francisco seems egregiously unbalanced, especially on offense, where rookies and injury returnees dominate the depth chart.
A revamped defense is an immediate upgrade over last season and a healthy offense is extremely potent on paper. The ceiling for the San Francisco 49ers is climbing ever higher, so can we believe it’s attainable? Is this a team destined for a major rebound?
Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate the San Francisco 49ers in today’s NFL Sports Debate.
Todd Salem:
I’m quite high on the 49ers this season. Behind center, we see the return of Jimmy Garoppolo, who despite his name recognition, has only started 10 career games. In that respect, he has less experience than Sam Darnold and Josh Allen. And all of his skill players around him are unknowns in one way or another.
Can Tevin Coleman be a lead back? What will Jerick McKinnon look like coming off his own lost season? Is George Kittle a one-year wonder, and what will his rapport be with Garoppolo? Which receivers are even NFL-caliber on this team?
The defense is much more experienced and reliable and should be where San Fran wins its ballgames. That actually infuses me with confidence. I like the upside of a Garoppolo-led offense that can lean on a potent defense. With Dee Ford and Nick Bosa off the edges and veterans at linebacker, the front seven should be especially potent.
Injuries are the main concern. Players such as Jason Verrett and Jimmie Ward must prove they can stay healthy. Others ended last year on IR. Even Bosa is entering the NFL off of what was mostly a lost final season in college. I especially worry about the secondary, led by an aging Richard Sherman. Even a fully healthy group there may not be talented enough. But a pass rush covers a lot of holes elsewhere.
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Is it wrong for me to be high on the 49ers? They burned a lot of people last year who foresaw this same excitement. Kyle Shanahan and Garoppolo have their work cut out for them but fall into an oddly good place. What’s stopping them from being the second-best team in the NFC West and a Super Bowl hangover away from actually challenging the Rams?
A lot has to go right for that to happen, but a lot has to go right for most teams every year to challenge for the postseason. That’s the epitome of finding success.
I wouldn’t pick it as an expected outcome, but it may not be a bad bet as we approach the regular season. There are stranger things than going from 4-12 to 12-4 when a roster adds what amounts to a premiere quarterback prospect and the best defensive rookie in the league, among other valuable pieces.
Dan Salem:
The San Francisco 49ers are in the right division with favorable circumstances for an epic turnaround, but I still think you’re nuts to be so high on this football team. Burn me once, shame on you — but burn me twice and shame on me. That is where we stand with San Francisco and Garoppolo.
Betting on the 49ers to win double digits is nearly contingent upon the Seattle Seahawks having a losing record. Both teams may muddle around .500 this season, but for one to succeed and be playoff relevant, the other needs to fail. They play one another twice and the LA Rams twice. Those four games will swing San Francisco’s season. While I’m intrigued by this football team, I believe they are still one more year away from real contention.
Garoppolo has yet to play a full season as a starting quarterback, so I’m tempering my expectations. I want him to be very good, but unless the 49ers’ offensive line can protect him, it’s going to be a rocky ride. The defense has a ton of potential. It’s those offensive unknowns that scare me off in a major way.
Next. Grading each NFL team's 2019 offseason. dark
Do I believe its more likely that San Francisco wins 10 games than only five? Yes, I do. Do I believe the 49ers are a playoff team this season? No, not yet. The NFC looks top heavy once again and the uphill climb will be treacherous. If Seattle is weak, then San Francisco can shoot up the ladder. Unfortunately, the entire NFC South is still pretty good. It makes the Wild Card race a crowded party.