Three Ways the 49ers can Maximize their Super Bowl Window in 2020
Good teams plan for the future.
Great teams seize the moment.
No team wants to mortgage its entire future for one Super Bowl run. But great teams recognize when their Super Bowl window has opened, and do what’s necessary to climb through it and win the championship. They don’t waste the opportunity. They know Super Bowl windows are rare and don’t stay open long.
The 49ers Super Bowl window is open now. Technically, it opened last season, a year before they seemed to expect it would. And they nearly won the Super Bowl. Had a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. But they lost.
The 49ers want to tell themselves they simply are ahead of schedule, and the best is yet to come. And that might be true. But all we know for certain is during Year 1 one of their championship window, they didn’t win the championship. They squandered Year 1.
Here’s what the 49ers need to do to make sure they don’t squander Year 2.
1. Be ready to trade for a wide receiver.
The 49ers traded for Emmanuel Sanders last season at the trade deadline because they felt their young receivers weren’t dependable enough. And the 49ers were right. Sanders helped carry the 49ers to the Super Bowl. They probably wouldn’t have made it without him.
Now he’s on the Saints, and the 49ers find themselves in the same position they were in last offseason: Hoping their young, talented receivers will mature A.S.A.P.
The two best, most dependable receivers are Deebo Samuel, who dropped nine passes last season, and Kendrick Bourne, who frequently runs the wrong route. After those two, the 49ers have lots of young receivers who haven’t stayed healthy or produced consistently in the NFL.
So the 49ers might need to trade for a quality starting wide receiver at the deadline, just like they did last season. Someone on the final year of his contract who can sign elsewhere in 2021. A rental. I’m talking Keenan Allen of the Chargers, Marvin Jones of the Lions or Kenny Stills of the Texans.
Each would make the 49ers’ offense much more dangerous.
2. Sign Aqib Talib.
Everyone knows cornerback is the 49ers’ biggest weakness.
We saw Emmanuel Moseley give up a 44-yard catch to Tyreek Hill on third and 15 in the Super Bowl, and then a few minutes later we saw Richard Sherman give up a 38-yard catch to Sammy Watkins. Those corners were among the biggest reasons the 49ers lost the Super Bowl.
And yet, the 49ers didn’t draft a cornerback this offseason. They have the same group they had last season, which wasn’t good enough. Strange.
They should sign Talib right now. He’s a free agent, a Super Bowl champion and only two years older than Sherman. Talib would improve the secondary and come cheap because he’s 34.
He’s the best cornerback the 49ers can add.
3. Extend George Kittle.
They should have extended him already. He’s their best player and should be their top priority, even if he wants $20 million per season. He’s worth it. He’s both the 49ers’ best run-blocker and best pass-catcher. He’s unique.
The 49ers don’t HAVE to pay him $20 million per season -- they can wait until he hits free agency next year, then give him the franchise tag, which would pay him less than $11 million in 2021.
But if the 49ers don’t extend Kittle’s contract before this year's training camp, he might hold out. Wouldn’t you? He has earned less than $2 million during his historic three-year career. Theoretically, he could suffer a career-ending injury in camp and never receive the mondo pay day he deserves.
Kittle almost has to hold out if the 49ers don’t extend his contract.
And if he holds out, the 49ers’ Super Bowl window could close just a bit. They couldn’t win the Super Bowl with Kittle last season -- how would they win it without him? And why would they want to try? Why would they want to alienate their best player and dare him to sit out part or all of the season? Why even go there?
Sign Kittle now, have the whole team ready for training camp and win the Super Bowl.
No excuses.
