The Biggest 49ers Storylines Heading into 2020 Season
Let's talk big picture.
On this week's episode of The Cohn Zohn, my dad, Lowell Cohn, and I broke down the biggest 49ers storylines heading into the 2020 season.
Here's what we came up with:
1. How much improvement will Jimmy Garoppolo show?
We know Garoppolo is a good quarterback -- a solid B. We know he does certain things extremely well. He's a genius on third down. And yet, toward the end of the season, in the playoffs and especially in the Super Bowl, Kyle Shanahan seemed reluctant to use him. It's almost like Shanahan organized the offense around Garoppolo, to exclude him a bit, except in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl when things went crazy.
Bill Walsh always said the quarterback defines the limit of an offense. I'm sure Shanahan feels the same way, and I'm sure he'd like to raise the limit with Garoppolo. Can Garoppolo go from a solid-B to a B-plus or an A-minus or an A? If he can, he will be the 49ers quarterback for ages. If not, funny things could happen after next season.
2. Was 2019 a one-off season?
Everyone believes it wasn't a one-off. I believe the 49ers' record will be 12-4 next season. And everyone seems to believe they're a top-flight organization once again. But they still have had just one winning season since 2013. Can they have back-to-back winning seasons? The burden of proof is on them. I believe they're one of the five best teams in the NFL. But again, they have to prove it. And teams that lose the Super Bowl don't always do so well the following season.
3. Will this be Robert Saleh's last season with the 49ers?
All credit to Shanahan -- he's one hell of an offensive coordinator, and a very, very promising head coach. But same goes for Robert Saleh. He's one hell of a defensive coordinator and I believe he will be a fantastic head coach. He's a wonderful teacher, a great motivator and a brilliant football mind. And players love him. And for long stretches last season, his defense carried Shanahan's offense. If the 49ers have another great season -- and I think they will -- some team probably will take Saleh. I can't imagine why the Browns didn't this offseason.
4. Did Arik Armstead have a one-off season?
The 49ers have invested lots of money in him, even though he's had just one great season -- his contract season. And they got rid of DeForest Buckner to keep Armstead. Buckner was the best player on the 49ers. So this is a huge season of Armstead. He has to make a Buckner-sized impact. Can Armstead rise up? This is a year he really needs to rise up.
5. Did Raheem Mostert have a one-off season?
He was phenomenal last season, but he still has fewer than 300 career carries, he has gotten injured in the past and had fumbling issues. If the 49ers give him a full work load next season and start him every game, will he hold up? Because running back is so important to the 49ers. And the 49ers don't have Matt Breida anymore, and Breida is a terrific player. Almost as good as Mostert.
The 49ers seem to like to limit Mostert's carries, because he might be somewhat fragile, and they love him and don't want him to get hurt. So they need another running back. And Shanahan always seems to find another one and another one and another one.
