Four Worst Case Offseason Losses for the 49ers
The 49ers offseason frenzy is underway, creating chaos for every 49ers Twitter general manager on what should and should not happen next season. Coming off the team’s 6-10 season, changes will be made on and off the field to make an attempt for the sixth Lombardi trophy in franchise history, some of which will be good and some of which will be bad.
Multiple people within the 49ers organization, players and non-players, could be looking to make progressions in their career that will help them become better individuals at their craft. Whether it be free agents leaving for a pay raise, players looking for a change of scenery or coaches looking for promotions, the 49ers have people within the organization that will be looking for these very things, and based on the work and productions they have put in the past few seasons, they are very much justified in doing so.
The organization took a deep breath after finding out they will likely be retaining Vice President of Player Personnel Adam Peters for at least another season. Peters interviewed with the Carolina Panthers for the vacant general manager opening and was rumored to go to the Denver Broncos, but those spots were eventually filled by Scott Fitterer, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks and George Paton, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, respectively. General manager John Lynch will have his right-hand man back to help the team maneuver the most important offseason of recent memory.
With this in mind, the 49ers will not have the luxury of bringing everyone back, and although they may not set the 49ers back by any means, some moves that could be made this offseason could impact the 49ers in a big way.
Here are some of the worst-case scenarios that could happen to the 49ers this offseason, starting from not so bad to the worst-case scenario.
4. Losing Robert Saleh to a head coaching job
The 49ers organization finally received the news of Saleh being hired after finding out he will be the head coach of the New York Jets. Saleh garnered interest from every NFL head coaching vacancy in the league, receiving second interviews from the Jets and Los Angeles Chargers, but ultimately decided to head East and coach the Jets, taking passing coordinator Mike LaFleur with him as his new offensive coordinator.
As head coach Kyle Shanahan said at the last press conference of the regular season, teams would be crazy to not bring Saleh into their building. The leadership he brings to the field as well as his cerebral tendencies as a coach are things every single team in the league could benefit from, especially when put in the head coaching role.
It seems like the 49ers have been preparing for his imminent departure, so it wouldn’t be the end of the world if he leaves. As a result of Saleh’s departure, the 49ers will receive two third round picks in the 2021 and 2022 NFL Draft due to the recent rules set in place by the NFL’s Rooney Rule. Former linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans was promoted to defensive coordinator However, if Saleh would have returned, the 49ers would have ran it back with Saleh and a return of Nick Bosa. Whatever Saleh decided, it’s a win-win for him and the 49ers organization.
3. The 49ers trade Nick Bosa.
Before you read this and get all mad at me and tell me I shouldn’t be writing on this site, let me be very clear on something: THE 49ERS ARE NOT TRADING NICK BOSA.
This conversation of moving Bosa started when Ross Tucker told 95.7 The Game that Bosa would be a “touchable” asset in a trade package for Deshaun Watson, and that statement is true. Every player has his price, no matter how good he is or how valuable he is to his franchise.
However, it is important to note that saying a player is touchable in trade talks doesn’t mean the team will trade said player. If we even look at the 49ers right now, there has been a lot of uncertainty as to whether quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will be moved off the 49ers, starting last offseason when rumors of a potential Tom Brady arrival were around. The 49ers were in the right to be hesitant to move off Garoppolo at the time, as the team was coming off a Super Bowl appearance with Garoppolo, along with the team wins when Garoppolo is in the lineup.
And as they should be, the team needs to be careful about moving off Garoppolo this offseason, as the team would be looking for a quarterback that would give them an upgrade financially or on the field or both. All of this is to say if the 49ers were careful and hesitant to move off Garoppolo, imagine how hesitant the team would be to even think about the idea of moving off Bosa.
On the other hand, if the idea of Bosa is being floated out, it would only be in a trade for Watson. As tough as it may be to lose one of the best defensive ends in the entire NFL, in a quarterback driven league, pairing Watson with Shanahan and the weapons the 49ers have on offense will make them automatic Super Bowl favorites. The 49ers wouldn’t forfeit as much draft capital as they would have if they didn’t include Bosa, salvaging some of the future draft picks to find another great defensive end in the draft. Also, the NFL won’t see another quarterback like Watson for the next 25 years, and it’s easier to find someone closer to Bosa’s production and value than someone with Watson’s production and value.
Furthermore, even with the loss of Bosa, the 49ers were a top five to top 10 defense in the NFL. Again, the 49ers won’t trade Bosa, but getting Watson in return isn’t a bad consolation prize if they include Bosa in the trade, which again, they won’t.
2. Not re-signing any corner from last year’s roster
The 49ers physically do not have a corner re-signed for the 2021 season. Richard Sherman, K’Waun Williams, Jason Verrett, Ahkello Witherspoon and Emmanuel Moseley are all set to be free agents this offseason, with Moseley being the only restricted free agent. The 49ers will more likely than not bring Moseley back unless he is offered an egregious contract the 49ers cannot afford or are not willing to pay, but for the other corners, it’s important that they bring back at least one of those guys next season. Witherspoon may be looking for new scenery after his struggles, and Sherman has made it clear that barring a financial miracle, he will most likely not return next season.
Verrett in particular should be the most coveted target to come back, followed closely by Williams. Per producer for Niners Nation Kyle Posey (@KP_Show), in the last five games of the season Verrett played in, he allowed only 11 receptions for 72 yards and zero touchdowns, averaging only 3.8 yards per target against top wideouts like Michael Thomas, Stephon Diggs, Terry McLaurin, DeAndre Hopkins and DK Metcalf.
Williams, on the other hand, has made himself into one of if not the best slot corner in the league. His tackling ability partnered with his smart positioning on the field allows for the defensive coordinator to use him in so many different ways, making it even more difficult to find someone who can do the same. Jamar Taylor was able to do it prior to his injury, but Dontae Johnson struggled to play slot corner this season.
With the 12th pick at their disposal currently, the 49ers may be forced to use that pick on a corner back if they are not able to retain at least one of those corners. Patrick Surtain II of Alabama, Jaycee Horn of South Carolina and Caleb Farley of Oklahoma State lead the pack for the 2021 rookie cornerback prospects, and those would all be good options. However, having the guaranteed production of Verrett and Williams would be extremely beneficial for the 49ers next season, and if they head into next season with a rookie and Moseley as their starting corners, opposing teams could smell blood in the water and take advantage of their opportunity.
1. Losing Trent Williams to Free Agency
This is the worst thing that could happen to the 49ers this offseason. The 49ers acquired Williams from the Washington Football team last season on Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft in exchange for a third and fifth round pick. Even with a fully healthy roster, Williams is a top five player on the 49ers, and bringing him back is the number one priority for the 49ers this offseason.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the 49ers and Williams had extensive discussions and tried to reach a deal prior to the end of the season, but nothing was able to be completed, and Williams even said he wanted to test the market just to see how much he could get while also saying the 49ers are the top team on his list.
"It's been 11 years in the league," Williams said after the final game of the season to the media. "I have yet to see a franchise left tackle go to the open market. I think it would be interesting to kind of see what the value holds. Regardless, like I said, I've always maintained the same thing. I think San Francisco is my number one destination, and we'll see how things work out."
The 49ers have also made it a priority to resign Williams this offseason, and the team can extend Williams’ contract at any time up until free agency begins, similar to what the 49ers did with defensive end Arik Armstead last season on the eve of free agency.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) predicted that the 49ers would re-sign Williams to a four-year, $80 million dollar contract with $62.5 million of that total money guaranteed with $45 million fully guaranteed at signing. If you were to ask me today, like most believe, Williams will be back in the Red and Gold next season. If you were to ask me a percentage today, it would be 75%-80% that he comes back and 25%-20% that he finds a new team.
Williams is doing what he should be doing by testing the market and maximizing his value as one of the best left tackles in football. 49ers fans and the organization should not be upset if Williams decides to leave, but the 49ers must re-sign Williams if the 49ers want to be in a position of contention next season. If a deal cannot be struck between the two sides, that will be the biggest obstacle the 49ers organization will have to face in this year’s 2021 offseason frenzy.
