Crimson Tide NFL Rundown: San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers could do nothing but watch as their season slip away in the NFC Championship Game, although in some respects they overachieved to get there after having quarterback trouble all season. Trey Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury during the home opener against the Seahawks, and Jimmy Garoppolo broke his foot in a win against the Dolphins. However, rookie Brock Purdy took over and helped win seven straight games heading into the NFC Championship Game, and the stage was set for the Eagles and the 49ers to have have a memorable showdown with a spot in the Super Bowl at stake. Instead, Purdy tore his UCL in the first quarter and fourth-string quarterback Josh Johnson had to step in. He later left the game with a concussion, causing Purdy to return despite being unable to throw. The 49ers lost 31-7.
Over the offseason, the 49ers committed to Purdy as the starting quarterback, and he's healthy heading into 2023. He's also surrounded by a lot of offensive talent beginning with tight end George Kittle. Despite the constant quarterback turmoil, Kittle still had a Pro Bowl season with 765 yards and 11 touchdowns. The 49ers also have a superstar running back in Christian McCaffrey. He played in just 11 games for the 49ers after being acquired from Carolina. combined, he had 1,139 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns while accumulating 741 receiving yards and four touchdowns. San Francisco also has dual-threat rushing and receiving option Deebo Samuel. Last season he had 632 receiving yards and two touchdowns while tallying 232 rushing yards and three scores.
Defensively, the 49ers are one of the toughest teams in the NFL. It all starts in the front seven with pass rusher Nick Bosa, who had a huge season in 2022 with 51 total tackles, 18.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one pass batted down, 19 tackles for loss, and 48 quarterback hits to be named both an All-Pro and the Defensive Player of the Year. Bosa is in the midst of contract negotiations which should make him the highest-paid defensive player once they come to an agreement. The 49ers also have outstanding middle linebacker Fred Warner, who had 130 total tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, 10 passes defended, three tackles for loss, and 17 quarterback hits.
However, one important loss for the defense was coordinator DeMeco Ryans. The former Alabama Crimson Tide standout linebacker is now the head coach of the Houston Texans.
Active San Francisco 49ers
#81 Cameron Latu, TE
Barring injuries, Latu has little chance to be a starter this season, which might seem a little discouraging, but the 49ers run a lot of two-tight end sets, meaning that he 'll hav opportunities to contribute. He had three catches for 46 yards and a touchdown during the second preseason game. During his time at Alabama, Latu had 787 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He originally committed to Alabama as a linebacker, before converting to tight end before the 2021 season.
The 49ers could be a top-two team in the NFC with a full season of Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey leading the offense. Consequently, it wouldn't surprise anyone if they have a rematch with the Eagles in the conference championship. If so, hopefully this time it'll be a more competitive matchup.
See Also: Bama in the NFL: Active Alabama Players
