5 reasons to be excited about the 49ers in 2019
By Peter Panacy
While there are plenty of concerns about the San Francisco 49ers heading into 2019, there are also many reasons to be excited and optimistic. Here are five for your reading pleasure.
If you’re constantly fearing doom and gloom about the San Francisco 49ers, Niner Noise’s piece on the various reasons why you should be worried about the team entering 2019 should have been to your liking.
But if you’re the eternal optimist, this is the article for you.
Despite going a paltry 4-12 last season, the Niners are further towards contending for a playoff berth than last year’s record would suggest. Injuries, especially those suffered by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Jerick McKinnon, essentially meant 2018 was awash before San Francisco even had a chance to gain some momentum.
As long as the 49ers mostly avoid the injury bug, especially with Garoppolo, they should be in solid position to compete for most of 2019, if not all of it. That means meaningful games in December, which would be a realistic goal for head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co.
Anything more, in all honesty, would be a bonus.
Perhaps one of the Niners’ newest additions, rookie EDGE Nick Bosa, said it best after being selected No. 2 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft:
"It’s unbelievable, just to be on a team that shouldn’t have been (drafting) this high in the draft with all the talent that they have. Then they add [EDGE] Dee Ford, which just makes this defensive line pretty scary. It’s pretty impossible to double team all of us."
That’s just one example why you should be stoked about the 49ers’ chances in 2019. So, let’s start there with the first of five reasons to get excited about San Francisco this season.