San Francisco 49ers: A Primer for the 2016 NFL Offseason
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers approach the 2016 NFL offseason boasting double digits in the loss column for the first time since 2010. What is on the table for the franchise after the regular season comes to a close?
2015 was not a kind year to the San Francisco 49ers. And the franchise will look to avoid all the problems that plagued the team since the departure of former head coach Jim Harbaugh a year ago.
The 49ers finished the regular season with a 5-11 record and a last-place berth within the NFC West. The year marked a wholesale transition — from the coaching staff all the way down to a large chunk of the roster — during the last year, which set up San Francisco to go through one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
But the past is the past. And while the team can learn from what transpired, the 49ers will be focused more on what needs to happen in the coming months in order to help return the organization back to relevancy.
Yes, this includes a full-on evaluation of the coaching staff. Yes, this means making the correct decisions in free agency. And, of course, this means the 49ers will have to hit on an above-average rookie class in the 2016 NFL draft.
In reality, bad teams rarely turn their fortunes around in one season. Good teams take time to build — years, in most cases. The Harbaugh-led 49ers already had a plethora of workable talent when the former head coach arrived in 2011.
Perhaps the same could be said about portions of San Francisco’s roster entering 2016. There are some pieces there.
But it will take a lot of effort to remotely get the 49ers back to where they were not so long ago.
Niner Noise takes an in-depth look at what’s facing San Francisco this offseason in this all-inclusive primer. So strap yourself in and get yourself ready for what promises to be a provocative offseason for the red and gold.
Next: The Coaching Staff