The Biggest Lesson the 49ers Should Have Learned from Super Bowl LV
Let's talk football.
Kyle Shanahan should have had an epiphany when he was watching the Super Bowl Sunday night. He should have realized even a great quarterback can't fix the 49ers' putrid pass protection.
Patrick Mahomes is the most physically skilled quarterback in the NFL right now, maybe ever. And he struggled in the Super Bowl because the Chiefs couldn't block for him. Couldn't protect him.
Lots of 49ers fans say offensive line play is terrible all around the league and so a mobile quarterback is required these days. But Mahomes is mobile. He ran a for 497 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the Super Bowl while he bought time and evaded pass rushers, and yet the Chiefs still scored only 9 points.
Russell Wilson is mobile, too -- even more so than Mahomes. And Wilson hasn't been back to the Super Bowl since he started making tons of money and the Seahawks had to skimp on their offensive line.
A quarterback cannot perform without pass protection. Not even Mahomes. So the 49ers can get rid of Jimmy Garoppolo if they want, but the next quarterback most likely will struggle and then get injured the way Garoppolo and Nick Mullens did last season.
Quarterback is not the 49ers' biggest need -- offensive line is. Today, the 49ers announced they re-signed Josh Rosen, who's more talented than any offensive lineman the 49ers currently have under contract (Trent Williams is a free agent).
The 49ers should let Garoppolo and Rosen compete in training camp for a starting job behind a retooled offensive line.
Give each quarterback a fair shot to win the job and stay healthy.
Give them some freaking blockers.
