49ers roster: 3 positions Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch wish they addressed better
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers have proven they’re a team on the cusp of making the playoffs but not much better, meaning the front office could have done better at these spots.
On one hand, the 2021 San Francisco 49ers are proving to be a better team than any other under the guidance of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch outside of the 2019 squad that made it within 10 minutes of a Super Bowl victory.
On the other, the current edition is also showing the signs of being no more than just an “OK” team, one which might have enough to get into that final Wild Card spot and into the playoffs but little more than that.
Shanahan and Lynch surely understood it takes elite-level quarterbacking to regularly stay in Super Bowl contention, and the Niners haven’t been receiving that with their current veteran signal-caller, Jimmy Garoppolo, who bears a good deal of the blame and praise for the team’s 8-7 record with two games left in the 2021 regular season.
Yet Shanahan, Lynch and San Francisco’s front office went all in by drafting quarterback Trey Lance at No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, ensuring they put in whatever pieces necessary to find that franchise quarterback.
Even if Lance isn’t playing right now.
Still, the all-in move for Lance might have cost the 49ers opportunities to address other areas of need. Whether it be because of draft capital or lack of attention in free agency or through trades, Lynch and Shanahan are probably wishing they spent more resources on these three positions to help turn the Niners from a fringe playoff squad into a true Super Bowl contender this year.