San Francisco 49ers

49ers season preview 2016: Predictions and analysis

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

From 2011-13, the San Francisco 49ers reached the NFC Championship game each season. In 2012, the 49ers reached the Super Bowl, only to lose in the dying seconds against the Baltimore Ravens.

Then, after a controversy-filled 2014 campaign that saw the team finish 8-8, head coach Jim Harbaugh was relieved of his duties. That move by general manager Trent Baalke would spark one of the biggest mass exoduses we have ever seen.

After losing the 2013 NFC title game to the Seattle Seahawks, the 49ers endured a horrific 24 months. Over that span, San Francisco would lose Chris Borland, Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Aldon Smith, Anthony David, Michael Crabtree, Frank Gore, Chris Culliver and others in free agency or to retirement.

Fast forward to the 2016 season, and the 49ers are a total mess. After a one-and-done coaching experience with Jim Tomsula, Baalke hired Chip Kelly. Baalke, who somehow still has his job despite numerous failures, also set up a quarterback battle of Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert.

Regardless of who ends up seeing more playing time, the results will be ugly. Gabbert is one of the worst starting quarterbacks in NFL history by any metric, and Kaepernick is a shell of the player he flashed as early in his career.

Both signal-callers are surrounded by sub-par play. On the outside, Torrey Smith is the only NFL-quality receiver on the team. Smith is flanked by Bruce Ellington, who while fast, offers little else. The running backs are also uninspiring, although Carlos Hyde could become a legitimate starting back. Last year, Hyde took over for Gore and gained 470 rushing yards on 4.1 yards per carry. It’s not eye-popping by any stretch, but it’s promise.

Kelly, long known for his up-tempo schemes, will need to be Vince Lombardi to get something out of this unit. There is not true strength and a bevy of obvious weaknesses. If there is any hope, it is that Kaepernick recaptures the magic that once made him a wunderkind, and we get some unforeseen developments from young players.

The defense should be ahead of the offense. NaVorro Bowman has fully recovered from a gruesome knee injury to maintain his status as dominant in his inside linebacker role. Bowman has help behind him in safety Eric Reid, who has come out of LSU and dominated throughout his young career. Should first-round pick Arik Armstead become a force on the defensive line, the 49ers have playmakers at all three levels to build around.

Regardless of perspective, this is going to be a tough season in San Francisco. It would be a major accomplishment to win six games with this group, considering talent level and schedule difficulty. The 49ers might be the least-talented team in the NFL this side of the Cleveland Browns, and absolutely are saddled with the worst quarterback situation.

It’s incredible how far the 49ers have fallen in only a few short years. The climb back to the top will take significantly longer to achieve.

Schedule

Week 1 – Los Angeles Rams (Mon.)
Week 2 – at Carolina Panthers
Week 3 – at Seattle Seahawks
Week 4 – Dallas Cowboys
Week 5 – Arizona Cardinals (Thurs.)
Week 6 – at Buffalo Bills
Week 7 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 8 – BYE
Week 9 – New Orleans Saints
Week 10 – at Arizona Cardinals
Week 11 – New England Patriots
Week 12 – at Miami Dolphins
Week 13 – at Chicago Bears
Week 14 – New York Jets
Week 15 – at Atlanta Falcons
Week 16 – at Los Angeles Rams
Week 17 – Seattle Seahawks

Any time you get the Cardinals, Seahawks and Panthers in a five-week stretch, it is daunting. When you are the 49ers, it is close to impossible. San Francisco will have a very hard time escaping the first five weeks any better than 2-3, and even that would be a victory.

The soft part of the slate is right around the bye week, with home games against Tampa Bay and New Orleans. San Francisco won’t have to leave the comfort of homes for almost a month during that time and could pick up a pair of wins.

Draft class

Round 1 (7) – DeForest Buckner, DT, Oregon
Round 1 (28) – Joshua Garnett, OG, Stanford
Round 3 (68) – Will Redmond, CB, Mississippi State
Round 4 (133) – Rashard Robinson, CB, LSU
Round 5 (142) – Ronald Blair, DE, Appalachian State
Round 5 (145) – John Theus, OT, Georgia
Round 5 (174) – Fahn Cooper, OT, MississippiRound 6 (207) – Jeff Driskel, QB, Louisiana Tech
Round 6 (211) – Kelvin Taylor, RB, Florida
Round 6 (213) – Aaron Burbridge, WR, Michigan State
Round 7 (249) – Prince Charles Iworah, CB, Western Kentucky

This class is solid if not sexy. The 49ers tried to pick up some beef on both sides of the coin, taking Buckner in the first round and then moving back into the night with the selection of Garnett. San Francisco needed to replace Alex Boone and may have done that.

Taylor is also a nice pick and somebody to watch. Despite having some limitations in terms of top-end speed, Taylor moves very much like his old man, former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor.

Offseason moves

Acquired

Christian Ponder, QB (1 year, $800,000)

Lost

Alex Boone, OG (MIN – 4 years, $26 million)
Anquan Boldin, WR (DET – 1 year, $2.75 million)

X-Factor

The 49ers have to get something out of the quarterback position. Both Gabbert and Kaepernick have some obvious warts and while neither appears to be the long-term answer behind center, one has to provide hope in 2016.

If the 49ers can’t get any production at quarterback, it could be a top-three pick type of season. San Francisco doesn’t have much in terms of playmakers on the outside, so Kaepernick and Gabbert must be creative.

Bottom Line

This is a bad football team that is in the process of a full-scale rebuild. San Francisco doesn’t have much on the offensive side to scare opponents and outside of an intriguing secondary, is limited on defense as well.

If Kelly can prove he was the right hire, that goes a long way toward giving some hope to the fans by the bay moving forward. If Kelly looks out of place, it could be time to go searching for a third head coach in as many years.