The 49ers surprised many people in 2019. With a healthy Jimmy Garoppolo in the middle and a flaunted defense, the 49ers went from 4-12 to 13-3, winning NFC West en route to a Super Bowl LIV spot.
After being stunned by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami, the 49ers are again set to dominate the NFC in 2020. 10 of 11 defense starters return and eight return in one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL. But the championship windows in the NFL can be closed in an instant. While the 49ers are the bell of the ball right now, a couple of missteps could get them to follow the path of the Los Angeles Rams, who are only 18 months away from being the NFC kings.
However, the 49ers are poised for long-term dominance, according to ESPN’s future power ratings. ESPN asked its experts to rank each team by quarterback, roster outside of the quarterback, coach, head office, and draft to assess which teams are poised for success in the next three seasons. The 49ers came in third, behind the Baltimore Ravens (No. 1) and Chiefs (No. 2). The 49ers received an overall score of 86.4 and were tied for the best list outside the NFL quarterback with the New Orleans Saints. Coach Kyle Shanahan ranked fourth in the league in the coach category, while the 49ers ranked seventh in office vision and writing skills.
Of course, you’ll see where the drop comes from, as the 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo received a score of 80.8 in the quarterback position, which ranked 12th in the NFL.
Garoppolo has been the subject of debate throughout the offseason, with detractors hitting after-hitting the 49ers quarterback after he failed to bring the Lombardi Trophy home in February. Some of Garoppolo’s criticism is warranted, but many of it falls when you realize he was in the top five in touchdowns (27), completion percentage (69.1) and yards per attempt (8.4) during the regular season and was the best depth. ball pitcher in the NFL.
Yes, Garoppolo needs to do a better job taking care of football. He can improve by making some of the toughest pitches on Shanahan’s offense. Garoppolo is a quarterback in the top 12. It is not elite, but it is not Blake Bortles 2.0 as many make it seem.
He toppled Emmanuel Sanders on what could have been the game’s winning Super Bowl touchdown. It happened, but it’s time to move on. Judging a quarterback with a bad shot is completely ridiculous.
Shanahan believes that Garoppolo can improve and that their society will improve with another year together. That is why he chose to stay with Garoppolo instead of abandoning him for Tom Brady. If Garoppolo can clear parts of his game and leap, then the 49ers’ biggest question mark will be erased.
The other question ESPN experts had about future dominance had to do with the 49ers’ high school. Richard Sherman is 32 years old and is in the last year of his contract. Slot machine K’Waun Williams and safety Jaquiski Tartt are also in the final year of their deals. The 49ers had one of the best secondaries in the NFL last season. Much of the success of his pass defense came from a dominating pass career, but Sherman, Williams, Tartt and Jimmie Ward were among the best in their respective positions.
The 49ers must figure out what to do at the outside corner’s other spot. Is it Emmanuel Moseley, Ahkello Witherspoon, or someone outside the organization? Will they re-sign Sherman? How long can you play at an elite level? The 49ers’ secondary could undergo drastic changes after this season, and that will have a big impact on their current upward trajectory.
The good news for the 49ers is that the rest of their NFC competitors also have big questions.
The Saints, who entered n. # 4 in the future rankings, they are poised to win in 2020, but how long can Drew Brees last? Once he retires, can Sean Payton really stick with Taysom Hill or Jameis Winston? That seems doubtful.
The Dallas Cowboys (No. 5) have a loaded roster and have been the best in the NFL to find elite talent in the draft. But what does the future hold for Dak Prescott? The Cowboys and their quarterback couldn’t reach a long-term deal this offseason, leaving their future in Dallas in doubt. If Prescott runs out after this season, the Cowboys’ future prospects will be affected.
Arguably the 49ers’ rivals up north have the second-best quarterback in football at Russell Wilson, as well as a good head coach at Pete Carroll. But how long can the Seattle Seahawks (No. 8) trust Wilson to lead them without surrounding him with the talent necessary to win a title? Gone is the fearsome passing race of early 2010, and the Seahawks’ offensive line remains a mishmash of mediocre pass guards. Wilson is elite, but the future prospects of the Seahawks will be affected if they do not list around him.
As for the Philadelphia Eagles (No. 6), they have a talented quarterback at Carson Wentz, a smart head coach at Doug Pederson, and a great head office run by Howie Roseman. They headed to the wide receiver position this offseason, but time will tell if the right moves were made. The watch also runs on long-standing staples Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, and Jason Peters. His interior offensive line will need to be renewed, which could lead to some future problems. The Eagles also have a question mark in the linebacker, and they will need to address it if they really want to compete at the top of the NFC.
[[[[RELATED: Shanahan choosing Jimmy over Brady was Belichick’s wish]The NFC is full of Super Bowl contenders. The 49ers lead the group after a Super Bowl career and an offseason that saw them fill their few needs. They added Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams to make up for the loss of Joe Staley, they also selected stud defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and odd catcher Brandon Aiyuk in the first round.
Shanahan has the team set for a Super Bowl race in 2020 and set up for a long-term staying power at the top of the conference. The 49ers know that Garoppolo must continue to improve in order for them to reach their ceiling. It was good in 2019, but they need him to find another team in 2020 and beyond to stay on top of the conference.
The 49ers should also make sure to tackle their high school in the best possible way after this season. With Sherman, Williams, and Tartt poised to hit free agency, the 49ers will be in dire straits if they don’t have a plan to maintain or renew their high school after this season.
The Niners are the cream of the crop over the NFC. Garoppolo and the secondary have the keys to the 49ers that will stay there for many years.
