CBS Sports doesn’t think 49ers are very intriguing (and that’s OK)

CBS Sports ranked each NFL team by how intriguing they are, and the 49ers apparently aren’t high on the list. But that’s not a bad thing, per se.

It can be entertaining to see what kind of content will be put out about football teams during the offseason.

Uniforms can be ranked, which teams have the best stadium food, and who has the craziest fans… yeah, that all sounds like offseason content.

Recently, CBS Sports put together a full ranking of all 32 teams by how intriguing they are heading into the 2023 offseason. Now, what qualifies as intriguing? That’s a pretty open-ended question and is certainly left to judgment.

This explanation from CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr might help explain, though:

"With the new league year set to begin, let’s take a look at the most intriguing teams entering free agency. These rankings are based on the franchise’s available salary cap space, the players they could be in play for over the coming days, and the amount of high draft picks at their disposal."

Let’s focus on the San Francisco 49ers for a second (we’re a Niners site, after all).

San Francisco owns 11 NFL Draft picks, all of which fall from the tail end of Round 3 and then afterward. And the 49ers currently have just over $6 million in salary cap space, according to Over the Cap, which is a number that’ll change with signings, re-signings, extensions, cuts and restructures.

So, with that, the Niners have to be pretty intriguing, right?

Well, no. They aren’t, at least according to CBS Sports.

49ers aren’t an intriguing team, per CBS Sports

Of the 32 teams ranked (no, there aren’t any more than that), San Francisco came in at 26th overall in terms of total intrigue.

The justification:

"The 49ers have the Trey Lance dilemma circling around them, buying some more time while Brock Purdy recovers from elbow surgery. San Francisco appears to be bracing for an uneventful offseason beyond the Lance situation, even if the 49ers appear set to lose key members of their secondary.No first-round pick, second-round pick, and minimal cap space. Let’s see what John Lynch has in store."

Before trying to understand why the 49ers are ranked so low, it helps to acknowledge the New York Jets are ranked No. 1.

Aside from trying to figure out how head coach Robert Saleh can get his team back into relevancy, Gang Green is poised to give up on the No. 2 overall pick from the 2021 draft, quarterback Zach Wilson, while luring aboard Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in what would be one of the most prolific trades of the decade.

If it happens.

Read More: 49ers still on wrong end of the injury spectrum (this stat shows why)

The Niners, meanwhile, have that quarterbacking question mark between Purdy and Lance that’ll highlight much of the offseason. Perhaps San Francisco can be somewhat concerned whether or not its defense will miss its former defensive coordinator, now-Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, and if new coordinator Steve Wilks can repeat what was the NFL’s No. 1 defense a year ago.

Aside from those points, nothing on the 49ers’ offseason agenda will move the national radar all too much.

Considering the 2022 Niners were dealing with speculation surrounding a didn’t-wind-up-happening Jimmy Garoppolo trade, along with wide receiver Deebo Samuel requesting a trade, a relatively quiet and unremarkable 2023 offseason might be preferable out in San Francisco.