The 49ers can be thankful they have a playoff-caliber roster right now, yet these three pressing needs remain heading into the 2022 NFL Draft.
As things stand right now, the San Francisco 49ers should have a roster capable enough of competing for a spot in the playoffs a little less than a year from now.
Granted, so much of that will hinge upon how well second-year quarterback Trey Lance develops after being given a full run of the offense as a first-time starter. Yet head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have already done aplenty to ensure Lance has as much support as possible.
In addition to the moves Lynch and Co. made in this year’s free agency period, the Niners are hoping to find some further reinforcements from the nine selections they have in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. While San Francisco isn’t picking in Round 1, thanks to last year’s trade-up for Lance, it does have a late pick in Round 2 to go along with two third-round picks, also both at the tail end of the round.
The 49ers, fortunately, don’t have a ton of roster needs. But the ones they do have are substantial enough to mean Lynch has to hit on at least a few of this year’s draft picks.
While a “best player available” approach might be applied here, the Niners are likely to mesh the “best player” strategy by aligning it with those positions that need to be addressed overall.
So, with the 2022 draft closing in, let’s take a look at the three biggest needs San Francisco has right now.
49ers draft need No. 3: Defensive line
It certainly isn’t as pressing as it was in previous offseasons, and fans would certainly groan if the 49ers used yet another top pick on a defensive lineman.
But there are reasons why this is still a pressing need aside from the others.
For starters, the Niners already lost nose tackle D.J. Jones to the Denver Broncos in free agency. And while they can hope both Kevin Givens and Javon Kinlaw fill the void, Givens is more of a backup-caliber player and Kinlaw has missed substantial chunks of the last two seasons with knee issues.
If interior D-line depth is a notable need, the desire to land another quality outside pass-rusher should be even greater.
San Francisco can’t pin all of its pass-rushing hopes on EDGE Nick Bosa, who had 15.5 sacks last season, and it just watched defensive end Arden Key and his 6.5 sacks from 2021 depart for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sure, bringing back defensive end Kerry Hyder from his one-year stint with the Seattle Seahawks will help, especially if Hyder can replicate his 8.5-sack campaign with the 49ers from 2020.
But, in an ideal world, the Niners would have a No. 2 high-end pass-rusher on the opposite side of Bosa at all times.
Good thing this year’s draft has plenty of pass-rushing options up and down all seven rounds.
49ers draft need No. 2: Defensive back
Yes, San Francisco made only one true big-ticket free-agent signing this offseason, bringing aboard former Kansas City Chiefs starting cornerback Charvarius Ward to address what was arguably the team’s biggest positional weakness.
Ward will help a lot, automatically assuming a starting position and thickening up what’s otherwise a questionable depth chart.
The 49ers did, however, lose nickel corner K’Waun Williams in free agency, while veteran strong safety Jaquiski Tartt remains unsigned. Sure, the Niners could feasibly bump No. 2 cornerback Emmanuel Moseley over the slot in three-wide formations, letting second-year pro Ambry Thomas hold down the opposite boundary spot in sub packages. But the thought of grabbing a long-term upgrade at some point early-ish in the draft would be a wise move to pursue.
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A similar situation applies at safety, too. San Francisco inked special teams ace George Odum, a spot starter at the position, and it wouldn’t be out of the question to consider him in the running for starting duties alongside returning defensive backs like Talanoa Hufanga and Tarvarius Moore.
Yet Moore is coming off a torn Achilles suffered a year ago, while Hufanga’s coverage deficiencies don’t exactly bode well for him being a full-time starter.
What could be needed is a hybrid-type defensive back, someone capable of playing multiple spots within the secondary at a high level.
49ers draft need No. 1: Offensive line
There are both short- and long-term needs potentially impacting the 49ers’ No. 1 need heading into the NFL Draft.
In the long run, the Niners better think about replacing aging Pro Bowl center Alex Mack, who appears poised to return for one more season but will turn 37 years old in 2022 and could potentially retire once San Francisco’s upcoming campaign finally concludes. Additionally, right tackle Mike McGlinchey is unsigned in 2023, and it’s anyone’s guess whether or not the 49ers are planning to extend their first-round pick from 2018.
McGlinchey’s situation impacts the short-term prognosis, too, as he’s working his way back from a torn quad suffered in the middle of 2021. If McGlinchey returns at 100 percent, it’s not as pressing an issue.
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But that’s an unknown.
The Niners also watched Pro Bowl left guard Laken Tomlinson leave for the New York Jets in free agency, meaning they’re either content with their second-round pick from a year ago, Aaron Banks, taking over Tomlinson’s spot. Or San Francisco will be scrambling for other options.
Those options might entail looking for an upgrade over right guard Daniel Brunskill, too, meaning it wouldn’t be a shock if the 49ers use two, potentially even three of their draft selections on an O-lineman.