SF 49ers: 4 tweaks Kyle Shanahan can make to roster after loss vs. Cardinals

SF 49ers head coach can’t be happy with his offense and roster after the team’s Week 1 loss to the Cardinals, prompting some ideas about roster tweaks.

The SF 49ers offense isn’t in trouble. But head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad certainly looked plenty disjointed during his team’s 24-20 upsetting loss to the visiting Arizona Cardinals in Week 1.

Granted, Shanahan and the Niners don’t need to panic. One loss against an upstart Cardinals team with some added firepower on both sides of the ball doesn’t immediately put San Francisco into the doldrums of mediocrity.

That said, head coaches like Shanahan need to adjust properly. And after his offense sputtered for three-plus quarters at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, including going a mere 2-of-11 on third-down attempts, perhaps Shanahan needs to consider some minor tweaks and changes.

Not all of these have to come on the offensive side of the ball either.

The Niners defense also showed some weaknesses over the course of the game. Despite doing a good job against the Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray for the majority of the first half, it was pretty clear both Murray and All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins were far too much for San Francisco’s defense as the game wore on.

Hopkins recorded a career-high 14 receptions for 151 yards, while Murray’s rush abilities gashed the SF 49ers defense for 91 yards and a touchdown.

The Niners, still shorthanded because of injuries, have to think about staving off a would-be back-to-back embarrassment, next week potentially at the hands of the woeful New York Jets, who dropped their Week 1 opener in ugly fashion to the Buffalo Bills.

That could afford Shanahan to experiment a bit, and it might be necessary considering some of the stiffer competition San Francisco is scheduled to face later this season.

Here are four tweaks Shanahan and the SF 49ers should consider.