3 reasons why 49ers don’t make the playoffs in 2021

No. 1: Change of guard for 49ers at quarterback

A lot of fans are screaming for the Niners front office to employ rookie quarterback Trey Lance as the starting option from day one.

I, on the other hand, don’t think this is the best of choices, considering how rare it is a rookie quarterback is able to carry his team to a satisfying playoff berth.

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Lance is no doubt going to be an amazing dual-threat quarterback with due time, but he is still a raw prospect and can benefit from sitting back and learning for a while.

But what happens if Jimmy G starts off the season on a weak note, or if worse, he gets injured again? This would mean a lot of fans would get their wish, and Lance would be prematurely inserted as the franchise signal-caller.

This would no doubt result in the team underachieving within their division and falling out of the playoff race.

Don’t get me wrong, if the 49ers played in an easier division, I think Lance would have a shot, but I don’t think Lance will be able to outplay the Cardinals’ Kyler Murray from the jump, let alone Matt Stafford or Russell Wilson. Maybe in due time, Lance will be able to surpass them in terms of overall skill, but this season will not be that time, and I don’t like his chances against those guys on a 2021 basis.

Hopefully, the Niners avoid these unfortunate events and manage to deliver another deep playoff run, but don’t say I didn’t warn you if they fall short.