SF 49ers roster: 4 positions Niners must address in 2021
By Peter Panacy
The SF 49ers enter 2021 with plenty of roster holes and more than a handful of free agents likely to depart, meaning these positions must be addressed.
It’s not going to be an easy offseason for SF 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan.
It would be one thing for the Lynch and Shanahan tandem to face their current to-do list with nearly 40 pending free agents amid a “normal” offseason. But with the global pandemic, the 2021 salary cap is going to drop down as low as $180 million. Sure, the Niners aren’t in the worst cap situation (nearly a third of the league is over the salary cap, currently), but it’s not a good year to have a swarm of key players hitting free agency.
Left tackle Trent Williams, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, safety Jaquiski Tartt and cornerbacks Richard Sherman, Jason Verrett and K’Waun Williams are just some of the high-profile names poised to hit the open market. Even on bargain-friendly deals, San Francisco won’t be able to bring all those names back.
And even if the SF 49ers could, there are plenty of other positions needing attention this offseason, too.
Particularly these four the Niners must address.
No. 4: SF 49ers must find depth at quarterback
It’s looking more and more like San Francisco will roll into 2021 with it’s current starter at quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo.
That’s fine. But Garoppolo’s extensive injury history, including missing all but six games last season, mandates the SF 49ers use considerable resources to bulk up the depth behind him.
That depth was tested to the max last year. On the positive note, quarterback C.J. Beathard doubled his NFL win total last year. But considering Beathard has just two career wins, that’s not exactly saying much. Meanwhile, quarterback Nick Mullens’ 3.7 interception percentage over 10 games played in 2020 was tied for worst in the league.
Both Beathard and Mullens are free agents this offseason anyway.
Perhaps Shanahan will put some decent stock in the former first-round NFL Draft pick, Josh Rosen, as Garoppolo’s backup. But when considering Rosen has already been rejected by three other teams up to this point — the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers — it’s hard to think he’ll suddenly turn things around in San Francisco.
Whether the Niners solely want competent depth behind Garoppolo or a long-term option to replace him down the line, expect some considerable effort from Shanahan and Lynch to make sure their quarterback room is full and competitive by the time training camp starts.