Five 49ers That Must Improve in 2020

With the NFL scouting combine finalized, the next major offseason event to look forward to is free agency in a few weeks.

This offseason will be a bit of an uphill climb for the San Francisco 49ers who have only around $13 million in salary cap space. They are also lacking in draft picks as they do not have a draft pick following the first round until the fifth round. There is going to be a lot of configuration and planning on how to handle all of this to push the 49ers forward.

However, adding pieces in the offseason isn't the only way the 49ers can improve upon themselves. They have players from last season who did not carry their weight or did not play a significant role on the team. If some of their players can step up, then it will make up for the limited choices the 49ers have to add talent this offseason.

Here are five 49ers that must improve in 2020.

WR Dante Pettis

Remember all the hype surrounding Dante Pettis last off-season? There was legitimate belief that he was going to take flight in 2019. That the 49ers had found themselves a talented wide receiver. Flip the page to the regular season and that belief became instantly dispelled. Pettis completely tanked last season.

He outright dropped the ball to establish himself as a viable option in the offense. Even head coach Kyle Shanahan found himself irritated with Pettis’ performance when he didn’t mince words about him on a conference call with local media.

Pettis just didn't showcase any intensity or drive that fellow receivers Deebo Samuel and Kendrick Bourne had. 2020 needs to be the year Pettis hits his stride as it’ll most likely end up being his last chance with the 49ers. Luckily for him, he has a chance to solidify himself as a core receiver with Emmanuel Sanders likely set to sign elsewhere in free agency.

DL Solomon Thomas

Although he didn't carry nearly the same expectations as Dante Pettis, defensive lineman Solomon Thomas was in a prime spot to be a contributor. With Nick Bosa and Dee Ford added to the line, it seemed Thomas could finally feast in a backup role.

Unfortunately, 2019 was the same story with Thomas as it has been in any other season. He did have some flash plays occasionally, but overall he wasn't relevant. The 49ers will have to decide until May 30th whether or not they will pick up Thomas' fifth-year option. I highly doubt they end up picking his option up, which means 2020 is a big year for Thomas.

If he doesn't want his football career to end short, then he will need to make some noise next season. A bit of Thomas' woes have not been solely due to him. He has had to play out of position on the end, whereas he has shown promise inside. Regardless, Thomas needs to show something in 2020 for either the 49ers or a potential new team.

RB Matt Breida

It feels a bit unfair to put running back Matt Breida on this list since he played exceptionally well in the first half of the regular season. However, it's not so much how you start a season, but how you finish it. Breida finished the 2019 season in the doghouse. He just was never able to gain Shanahan's trust again after coughing the football up multiple times.

Breida essentially played his way out of a role in the offense. He could not have afforded that given the concentration of talent at his position. Breida is set to become a restricted free agent in a few weeks, but he more likely than not will be retained. What appeared to be his downfall in the second half of last season was his confidence.

Having fumbling issues is a result of poor concentration and confidence. Perhaps that derived from the one of the first times he put the ball on the ground. In 2020, he will need to wash that away from his mind. An offseason should do him good to his confidence and work on his weaknesses. If he can bounce back, then the 49ers ground attack will that much more lethal.

CB Ahkello Witherspoon

Injuries were a common theme for the 49ers in 2019 and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon is one player that aided that theme. Witherspoon started the first few games of the season playing lights out. In fact, he was one of the top corners in the game at the time. That was until an ankle injury sidelined him for a good portion of the season.

When Witherspoon returned, he was a shell of himself. Like with Breida, he was really lacking in confidence. He wasn't looking to cover his receiver as tight anymore. Instead, he would give up more cushion than he did in the first few games. That exudes his mentality of being unsure of his ability. It got to the point where Witherspoon was a glaring weakness on the defense. This offseason will need to be a productive one for him.

He needs to hit the reset button and find his bearings again. That version of himself that was playing at a high-level in the first three games is still in there. An offseason of rebuilding his confidence will benefit him tremendously. His issues in coverage were hardly ever an issue with his mechanics. It just all came down to a mindset and feel of the game for him. Witherspoon's contract expires after 2020, so he too will be playing for his next deal.

S Tarvarius Moore

When Jimmie Ward was out of commission in the first quarter of the regular season, Tarvarius Moore was handed the reigns as the starter. He performed adequately well for the few games he covered for Ward and gave the 49ers their first real look at him as a starting safety. However, Moore still has a long way to go to be a solid starter.

With uncertainty surrounding Ward's return to the 49ers, Moore will be the one who will need to step up to the plate in case he leaves. Moore is the reason why Ward walking wouldn't be as a severe of a blow as you would think. He is capable, but will need to turn it up a notch. One of his downsides to his game was how he takes angle.

His cover skills on a receiver could also use some brushing up. When 2020 comes along, Moore could very well be the starting safety next to Jaquiski Tartt. It just makes this offseason such a key developmental stage for Moore.

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