Niner Noise looks at five predictions for the 49ers and the rest of the NFC West in 2020.
With the season creeping closer and closer (at least for now), the San Francisco 49ers are the firm favorites to repeat as winners of the NFC West.
Last year was a mad scramble for the division, with the Niners and Seattle Seahawks separated by literally less than a single yard (thank you, linebacker Dre Greenlaw). The Los Angeles Rams finished with a winning record as one of the best non-playoff teams, while the Arizona Cardinals were on the first step of a currently successful rebuild.
However now, the NFC West is in a state of flux. The Cardinals are rising as a result of a successful rebuild, the Rams are struggling with their roster as a result of salary cap issues and the Seahawks are trying to refit their roster while still keeping pace with San Francisco.
While the 49ers had to make some sacrifices for cap relief, namely parting ways with Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, they’ve overall done well to remain mostly constant and retain much of the same team that got them to the Super Bowl.
With the NFC West a much different landscape than last season, here are five predictions for the NFC West in 2020.
No 1: 49ers will repeat as NFC West champions
Let’s get the most important one out of the way, and that is the prediction for the NFC West champions.
And the winner is… the San Francisco 49ers of course.
In a season unlike any other, having continuity is more important than ever. The Niners had to make some changes, but for the most part, they did well to bring back some key pieces of the roster and plug the holes that arose from the players who did have to leave.
The 49ers have the best roster and head coach in the division, and they have the confidence now they know they can win. San Francisco will win the division by a much more comfortable margin than by literally 1 yard.