Offseason Offensive Adjustments the 49ers Should Make

It's time.

Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The 49ers wrapped up the first days of OTAs and the first practice in front of the media, and the team's skill positions stood out.

Practice ended with the media giving rave reviews to 49ers wide receivers Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins, along with running backs Kaelon Black and Jordan James.

A day like this raises the question of how the 49ers will use their top skill players simultaneously.

The 49ers' base offense over coach Kyle Shanahan's tenure has been 21 personnel, which is one tight end, two wide receivers and two running backs, really one running back with Kyle Juszczyk at fullback.

This formation will remain an effective offense but will limit the offense's full potential. The offense's strength is obviously the depth in its wide receiver and running back rooms.

With the Seahawks having the 49ers' offense's number in the last two matchups and clear strengths at these positions, Shanahan should adjust by deploying more 11 personnel to the scheme.

11 personnel is seen when one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers are on the field.

This formation is geared toward the offense's strengths. It allows the wide receivers to show their depth, with Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall taking most snaps. A third receiver will get weaker matchups, allowing them to take advantage of depth.

In this role, you can situationally rotate players like Demarcus Robinson, Christian Kirk, De’Zhuan Stribling, Watkins and Cowing.

The 49ers should get their best players on the field, and this formation allows that to happen.

The only downside to this formation is that the 49ers will lose Juszczyk as a lead blocker in the run game.

But running a majority of 21 personnel last season led to the team averaging 3.8 yards per carry, the lowest amount of Shanahan's tenure, ranking 27th in the league last season.

One running back on the field in 11 personnel will almost force the team to use a running back-by-committee approach, taking the load off Christian McCaffrey and giving it to James or Black, who they've invested draft picks in each of the last two years.

Unfortunately, the 49ers are built to continue to implement 21 personnel. With the looks of the offensive line, it will be another rough year in pass and run protection, and the 21 formation allows more room for error, adding an extra blocker on the field.

If the skill players on offense continue to have success in camp, Shanahan will have to find a way to get them on the field.

If he doesn't find a way, the depth might see the field due to injuries to their teammates, as we've seen in previous seasons.