We break down the five San Francisco 49ers who have the most to prove to the Niners — and the NFL — in 2018.
During their two offseasons with the San Francisco 49ers, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan haven’t shied away from offering expensive contracts to veterans, or trading up in order to draft “must have” players, even if those players were projected to be available later in the NFL Draft.
With each bold move comes heavy scrutiny from both the local and national media, as well as the 49ers’ fan base. Particularly when a team signs a once-hated rival, if that player fails to live up to expectations, fans are quick to turn first on the player, and then on the front office that chose to sign him.
More than any player on the 49ers’ roster, Lynch and Shanahan have the most on the line in 2018.
If the duo is able to transform the Niners from a basement-dwelling team into a legitimate playoff contender in less than two seasons, they will be considered two of the brightest young minds the NFL has to offer. But if the 49ers regress in 2018, their bold moves in free agency and the draft will be blamed for the team’s demise.
The 49ers’ offseason acquisitions over the past two years will play a major role in determining the team’s success in 2018 — and a number of these players have a lot to prove this season.
Given the team-friendly contracts signed by many of the 49ers’ recent free-agent additions, a poor season in 2018 could mean unemployment in 2019. Meanwhile, if an early-round draft selection fails to properly meet expectations, he will quickly face the ire of fans, and criticism throughout the league.
Let’s take a look at the five San Francisco 49ers with the most on the line in 2018.