Burns
Hall of Famer
2020 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS PREVIEW
As the preseason begins to wind down, teams are beginning to look towards the regular season and the chase for the Lombardi Trophy beginning once again. The San Francisco 49ers are no different. Led by Head Coach Jay Gruden, whose contract is in its final year, the 49ers are looking to right the ship after once again finishing towards the bottom of the league at 4-12 last year. Gruden and his staff are on thin leashes at this point, as new ownership is looking to turn this franchise around and get back to that SF football we all know and love.
2019 Offseason Recap
The 2019 offseason was an extremely busy one for the 49ers, a team that had too many holes to fill. Shelling out money left and right, the Niners spent over $180M retooling the roster for the upcoming season. Role players such as Noah Burns, Marqise Lee, and Jeremy Lane were brought in. Along with numerous starters such as Geno Atkins, Jason McCourty, Lamonte Beckwith, and Shawn Marks. Overall, the 49ers were able to fill many needs during free agency, signing a total of 19 guys to help turn this team around.
Then came the NFL Draft. The silver lining in a terrible 2019 season was the 49ers were picking 5th in the 2020 NFL Draft. With that pick, the team selected CB Devaughn Young out of Alabama. Young, standing at 6'2", was the perfect fit for the new defense the 49ers would be running. He's slotted to start at the CB2 spot this year, and will definitely improve as the year goes on. Young was a great addition, but he might not end up being the best addition.
Devaughn Young (22) leaping up for the interception during a recent practice
In the 3rd round, with the 69th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected QB Simon Garrett out of Georgia. The 49ers expected to develop him into a starting quarterback under the guidance of veteran Matthew Stafford. However, all expectations changed once Garrett hit the field. So far, in three games of the preseason, Simon Garrett has been nearly perfect. 28/35 for 386 yards 2 TD 0 INT. He's been so impressive, that HC Jay Gruden officially named him as the starting QB for the upcoming season.
Questions Surrounding the Upcoming Season
Will Simon Garrett be able to handle the load?
Garrett has talent, that's no doubt. He was a good college player with average pro prospect status. Nobody expected him to be starting for an NFL team day one, but here he is. The rookie has a lot on his plate, but most people around the league believe that he has all the tools needed to help the 49ers compete at a high level this year. Will Simon Garrett be the steal of the 2020 NFL Draft? Only time will tell, but 49ers brass strongly believe he is the best rookie QB in the league.
Can HB Trevor Travis finally step up?
Travis, a 3rd round pick 2 years ago, is entering his 3rd season in the NFL. He climbed the depth chart very rapidly, but has been unable to successfully establish himself as one of the star running backs in the league, as he's yet to rush for over 1000 yards. If Travis wants his name up with the great running backs in this league, he's going to have to show the new ownership that he means business. Travis is the starting running back, but can he be elite?
Can the 49ers contend in the NFC West?
I think it's safe to say this 49ers squad is nowhere near the same team they've been the past few years. The offseason additions, along with the progression of players such as OLB Montrell Ewing and HB Trevor Travis, has this fanbase, and new ownership excited. It's was only the preseason, but the 49ers have been impressive. With a beatdown of their division rival St. Louis Rams (33-7) and a victory over the New England Patriots has shown that this team means business. Are they going to win a Super Bowl this year? Probably not. Can they at least win their division? Absolutely. This team is going to be a force to be reckoned with, and while there is no doubt that this team still needs to improve, they are more than on their way.
As the preseason begins to wind down, teams are beginning to look towards the regular season and the chase for the Lombardi Trophy beginning once again. The San Francisco 49ers are no different. Led by Head Coach Jay Gruden, whose contract is in its final year, the 49ers are looking to right the ship after once again finishing towards the bottom of the league at 4-12 last year. Gruden and his staff are on thin leashes at this point, as new ownership is looking to turn this franchise around and get back to that SF football we all know and love.
2019 Offseason Recap
The 2019 offseason was an extremely busy one for the 49ers, a team that had too many holes to fill. Shelling out money left and right, the Niners spent over $180M retooling the roster for the upcoming season. Role players such as Noah Burns, Marqise Lee, and Jeremy Lane were brought in. Along with numerous starters such as Geno Atkins, Jason McCourty, Lamonte Beckwith, and Shawn Marks. Overall, the 49ers were able to fill many needs during free agency, signing a total of 19 guys to help turn this team around.
Then came the NFL Draft. The silver lining in a terrible 2019 season was the 49ers were picking 5th in the 2020 NFL Draft. With that pick, the team selected CB Devaughn Young out of Alabama. Young, standing at 6'2", was the perfect fit for the new defense the 49ers would be running. He's slotted to start at the CB2 spot this year, and will definitely improve as the year goes on. Young was a great addition, but he might not end up being the best addition.
Devaughn Young (22) leaping up for the interception during a recent practice
In the 3rd round, with the 69th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected QB Simon Garrett out of Georgia. The 49ers expected to develop him into a starting quarterback under the guidance of veteran Matthew Stafford. However, all expectations changed once Garrett hit the field. So far, in three games of the preseason, Simon Garrett has been nearly perfect. 28/35 for 386 yards 2 TD 0 INT. He's been so impressive, that HC Jay Gruden officially named him as the starting QB for the upcoming season.
Questions Surrounding the Upcoming Season
Will Simon Garrett be able to handle the load?
Garrett has talent, that's no doubt. He was a good college player with average pro prospect status. Nobody expected him to be starting for an NFL team day one, but here he is. The rookie has a lot on his plate, but most people around the league believe that he has all the tools needed to help the 49ers compete at a high level this year. Will Simon Garrett be the steal of the 2020 NFL Draft? Only time will tell, but 49ers brass strongly believe he is the best rookie QB in the league.
Can HB Trevor Travis finally step up?
Travis, a 3rd round pick 2 years ago, is entering his 3rd season in the NFL. He climbed the depth chart very rapidly, but has been unable to successfully establish himself as one of the star running backs in the league, as he's yet to rush for over 1000 yards. If Travis wants his name up with the great running backs in this league, he's going to have to show the new ownership that he means business. Travis is the starting running back, but can he be elite?
Can the 49ers contend in the NFC West?
I think it's safe to say this 49ers squad is nowhere near the same team they've been the past few years. The offseason additions, along with the progression of players such as OLB Montrell Ewing and HB Trevor Travis, has this fanbase, and new ownership excited. It's was only the preseason, but the 49ers have been impressive. With a beatdown of their division rival St. Louis Rams (33-7) and a victory over the New England Patriots has shown that this team means business. Are they going to win a Super Bowl this year? Probably not. Can they at least win their division? Absolutely. This team is going to be a force to be reckoned with, and while there is no doubt that this team still needs to improve, they are more than on their way.