Assessing Whether the 49ers Answered Their Biggest Offseason Questions

There were six.

Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Before the start of the offseason, six questions were most pressing on the San Francisco 49ers. The team should have answered all six of those questions now that the draft and free agency are over. What are the answers?

Will the San Francisco 49ers trade Mac Jones?

This was the most pressing question in February, and while it is still a bit of an unanswered question it does appear that no, the team will not trade Mac Jones. Some teams are going all-in on next years class, some veterans made surprising decisions and the market did not materialize for Jones. They may still listen to offers but they will not trade him. 

What do the San Francisco 49ers do at wide receiver?

They let Jauan Jennings go, which appears smart in retrospect. Then, they added Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and De’Zhaun Stribling, all three could see the field a lot next year. The question note that they need to add two starters, and between these three, they did that.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

How does George Kittles injury affect the tight end room?

It did not. The team is running it back with the same room. The only addition is rookie UDFA Khalil Dinkins. Do they expect Kittle to be healthier sooner than expected, do they still have a signing in mind or did they whiff on this?

What will the 49ers do at left guard?

Spencer Burford started at the end of last year and is gone. Connor Colby was benched for Buford and might be third in line this year. The 49ers signed Robert Jones in free agency and drafted Carver Willis in round 4. Both are going to compete with Colby for the starting spot.

Can the 49ers upgrade their interior defensive line? 

The question was how much better could you do compared to Kalia Davis and Jordan Elliott? The answer is a lot. Osa Odighizuwa is a massive upgrade, and even rookie fourth-round pick Gracen Halton should be able to replicate what was lost. The team did a great job answering this question. 

Who is the 49ers defensive coordinator

With Robert Saleh gone, the speculation was Gus Bradley or Raheem Morris. Of those two, they probably made the smart call with Morris. However, it does open up a new question about whether the team will be shifting their defensive scheme, and if the recent moves they made under Saleh will be disregarded.