The San Francisco 49ers faithful endured a tumultuous season and ultimately came up short in their effort for a second Super Bowl berth in three seasons. How will they rebound?
For the majority of the NFC title game, it looked as though Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers were going to clinch a berth in the Biggest Game of Them All for a second time in the Kyle Shanahan era. Coming into the game, San Fran had six straight wins against Sean McVay and the Rams, dating all the way back to 2018. It is safe to say they did not feel like the underdogs.
This carried over to Sunday, as the Niners came out of the gates swinging and entered halftime with a 10-7 advantage over their divisional rival. A Robbie Gould 38-yard field goal as time expired in the half served as the difference in the game. The 49ers added seven more points to their tally via a 16-yard connection from Garoppolo to Kittle. With 1:59 left in the penultimate quarter, they sat with a double-digit lead that followed them into the final frame.
Those points late in the third quarter proved to be the last points of the Niners’ season, as Mathew Stafford and the Rams capitalized on a number of miscues San Fran had down the stretch. In the final quarter of the season, they were outscored 13-0. Being that close to another trip to the Super Bowl and losing in that fashion must have been demoralizing for the locker room and fans alike.
The 49ers do not lack physicality when they take the field, this brand of football is especially effective in a playoff setting. However, as was painfully obvious in the fourth quarter, the 49ers severely lacks explosive athletes on the boundaries. Odell Beckham Jr. had his best game in years and you know Cooper Kupp will always get his, but it seemed particularly easy against a secondary that resembled Swiss cheese at times on Sunday.
Veteran defensive backs Jason Verrett, Josh Norman and Jaquiski Tartt are all free agents and it would behoove the team to cut ties with each of them. They were serviceable for the most part, but the Niners have a lot of young talent at the position and there will be better options out there on the market. It would be wise of them to attack the secondary positions not only in the draft but also in free agency. The problem here is that the Niners are short on picks and available cap space.
There is one way that they could add a pick while also shedding ~23 million dollars.
The elephant in the room is, and always has been, Jimmy Garoppolo. Oftentimes, Garoppolo excels in managing the game. He’s smart and knows the system like the back of his hand, but his physical limitations cannot be ignored at this point. There is a reason they mortgaged their future to go get Trey Lance.
Garoppolo has very little guaranteed in 2022, and whether it is due to a trade or being cut, you can see the writing on the wall that his time in the Bay Area is most likely over. It is easy to kick a man while he is down, so allow me to be fair and approach it with a different perspective.
Jimmy Garoppolo is very limited in what he can do on the field, this is not up for debate. However, he does possess some traits that teams could covet. He is very accurate when he’s not asked to do too much. Hovering just below the 70% completion mark in his career confirms this statement. QB wins are the most flawed stat in the sport but it is worth mentioning that Garoppolo has a 33-14 career record as a starting quarterback. Experience and the ability to mentor could be a huge selling point for a team that doesn’t land a veteran in free agency.
San Francisco 49ers Mock Draft: Trey Lance Era Begins
The San Francisco 49ers have very little cap space currently and are without a first-round pick due to the trade with Miami prior to the 2021 NFL Draft. On top of this, they have over a dozen players slated for free agency and will need to tuck some cash away for the eventual Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel mega-deals. It will be fascinating to see how they address these holes without a full catalog of resources at their disposal.
In this mock draft, I have the Pittsburgh Steelers taking on Jimmy Garappolo’s contract and using him as a bridge to whichever quarterback they select in the draft. It is crucial to state that just because a team trades for Jimmy G, it does not immediately rule out them drafting a quarterback still.
The Steelers don’t rebuild and it may be too risky to roll with a rookie out of the gate, so I have them making this move to follow the template set by Kansas City, Baltimore and San Francisco themselves. There’s nothing wrong with having options and if you can’t land Aaron Rodgers, this may be the safest move on the market.
With the added pick via trade, let’s see how the San Francisco 49ers put it to use in an effort to build around new franchise cornerstone Trey Lance.
NOTE: This mock draft was completed using the NFL Mock Draft Database simulator.
Round 2, Pick 61: Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia
This might be a little out of the box, but allow me to explain. The San Francisco 49ers need some reinforcement on the defensive side of the ball and there was not a secondary player available that I viewed as a better prospect than Channing Tindall. With Fred Warner under contract and leading the linebacker corps, adding Tindall would be a bit of a luxury pick this late in the second round. He would pair well with Warner’s play style and could immediately challenge for the starting role at SAM linebacker.
Tindall played in situational roles the first few seasons at Georgia before becoming a breakout star in 2021. Starting 15 games, he helped lead the Bulldogs to their first national title since 1980. He was not only a tone setter for the unit, he had some great production to back it up. Racking up 67 tackles (26 more than he had in his CAREER coming into the season), 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Channing needs to improve upon his play recognition ability, but he has great athleticism to make up for mental errors. He has shown the ability to stick with pass catchers but has room to grow in that area as there is a tendency of getting lost out in coverage downfield. A lot of the time on tape he is playing off “vibes” and while that worked in college, it will take better mental processing when it comes to identifying play action and watching running backs out of the backfield.
If Demeco Ryans remains in tow, he is a great coach to develop the traits that Tindall is lacking right now. He has good size and moves extremely well for his frame. Sideline-to-sideline mobility is vital to the style of game today and Channing has that trait in spades. He loves hunting down a ball carrier.
He is one of those prospects that will make an impact day one, but he is far from his ceiling and you couldn’t ask for a better spot to grow. Tindall fits the San Fran philosophy perfectly and would be in an optimal position to contend for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Round 3, Pick 93: Marcus Jones, DB, Houston
The San Francisco 49ers need a complete overhaul in the secondary department and this is where Marcus Jones comes into play. Marcus is 5’8 and 185 pounds on his best day and this limits his potential as an outside cornerback. He’s extremely versatile so he can take snaps outside but where he is going to thrive in the league is covering players out of the slot.
Do not let his slight frame fool you, Marcus has the edge necessary to play in the 49ers system. He is surprisingly stout in the run game and is not afraid to stick his nose in any play he can. Jones is extremely fluid in his movements and is smart in ways that can only be learned through experience.
Jones is an older prospect, and he will turn 24 years old during his rookie season and plays a position that is not considered premium. All of these factors could lead to the Niners getting a starting nickelback late in the third round, ala Elijah Molden with the Titans in 2021 draft.
Round 3, Pick 97 (via PIT): Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
The San Francisco 49ers have some of the best weapons in all of football with Deebo Samuel entering superstardom and George Kittle’s standing as a top-three tight end in the NFL. This should not stop them from adding to it, though. Former first-round pick Brandon Aiyuk has been inconsistent at best and in Kyle Shanahan’s doghouse at worst. Jauan Jennings showed flashes, no doubt, but more competition could go a long way. Couple that with the fact that the 49ers will likely lose Mohamed Sanu to free agency and it makes a lot of sense to add some fresh blood to the group.
Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore is rumored to run in the 4.2 range and honestly his game speed looks even faster. Moore posted some insane numbers in his final collegiate season, hauling in 94 catches and 1283 yards through the air. He also added ten touchdowns, which is a major plus considering he isn’t a prototypical red zone target. It shows his ability to make a house call at any time. Moore continues to break the “burner” label by flashing elite hands. He rarely ever drops the ball and is not scared to finish the catch with contact coming. He’s also quite advanced in his route tree and is so tough to contain in coverage.
One major concern is his lack of elite competition and there are questions about how his small frame will translate against the bigger, more physical cornerbacks in the league. Moore also needs to improve his blocking to stay out of Shanahan’s dog house and give himself an opportunity for immediate action in three wide receiver sets.
Round 4, Pick 130: Zyon McCollum, CB, Sam Houston State
One of my favorite sleepers in the draft comes off the board early day three. The San Francisco 49ers clearly need more help in the secondary, as I’ve stated multiple times now. McCollum has the chops to become a true number one corner in the league. He stays with receivers in coverage and takes assignments personally when he’s out on an island. He has the moxie to be a threat in man-to-man coverage and the athletic ability and smarts to be a capable zone defender. McCollum excels with press coverage as well, using his strength to knock receivers off their route, giving them little separation as the play develops.
McCollum has never played against another NFL-caliber talent at Sam Houston State, so he will have to prove that he belongs with the cream of the crop. His first opportunity to turn heads will be this week at the Senior Bowl.
Round 6, Pick 186: Daniel Bellinger, TE, San Diego State
Bellinger is arguably the best blocker at the position in the entire draft. He is balanced at the point of contact and uses his strong frame to move people out of the way with ease. He moves pretty well for his size, showing ability to get to the second level after busting open a hole for his running back with the initial contact off the line.
What Bellinger brings to the blocking game cannot completely overshadow his lack of prowess in the passing game. Bellinger is very much cut from the old school cloth for the position, having never surpassed five catches in a game at any point in his college career and routinely being used as a blocker in the red zone rather than a threat to score.
In round six, if you can lock in a TE2 that fits your system and the mentality of the rest of the roster, you can live with his deficiencies. Ross Dwelley is an impending free agent and if the San Francisco 49ers elect to let him walk, Daniel Bellinger would be a great replacement.
Round 7, Pick 250: Reed Blankenship, SS, Middle Tennessee
Reed Blankenship is an interesting prospect. He is a downhill safety that does well setting the tone and making every tackle possible. He recorded 110 such tackles in 2021, with ten of them being behind the line.
Blankenship is like a land mine. You never see him coming but you know when he hits you. He is a playmaker and has a motor that never seems to run out of gas. He fits the mold as a thumper but he has better range than one would expect.
Blankenship will have to improve his angles against NFL level talent because sloppy technique is harder to hide on Sundays than it is at Middle Tennessee. He’s also raw when it comes to play recognition, but that is something that can be taught by a professional coaching staff.
All that being said, Blankenship could realistically compete with a veteran for the safety spot opposite Jimmie Ward.
Round 7, Pick 253: Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami
Charleston Rambo started his college career in Norman, Oklahoma as a recruit of Lincoln Riley. In 2019, Rambo caught 43 passes totaling 743 yards from former OU — and current Eagles — starting quarterback Jalen Hurts. Following an uneventful 2020 season, Rambo decided to look for greener grass elsewhere.
Instead he found sandy beaches and crystal clear water. Rambo landed with the Miami Hurricanes in 2021 and it proved to be a great decision. Rambo rejuvenated his career with 79 catches, 1172 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 career games in South Beach.
Rambo plays quicker than his 40-yard dash time will indicate and can immediately provide even more competition in the wide receiver room. His hands are like a vacuum, consistently hauling in anything in his vicinity. He does lack strength in his smaller frame, which will lead to getting taken out of plays by bigger defenders. He’s also never going to be a great blocker, even if the effort is there.
There’s a reason he’s available on day three. Rambo is likely just a depth piece in the league but his game breaking speed, hands, and overall shiftiness with the ball is enough of a spark to make the risk worthwhile for the San Francisco 49ers.
Round 7, Pick 259: Zach Tom, OL, Wake Forest
Zach Tom has something you simply cannot teach, and that something is loads of experience. Tom started 35 games over his final three seasons at Wake Forest. He played center in 2019 and has been the starting left tackle the past two seasons. Considering his shorter arms and smaller frame overall, I project Tom as an interior lineman in the league.
While he can be overpowered outside, Tom is stronger than one would think when lined up inside. He will be able to add depth and be an above average spot starter if injuries arise. There is even a chance he could eventually take over the starting center role when Alex Mack moves on.
He has enough of a nasty streak to fit in the power run scheme but is pretty athletic and does well out in space. That versatility is essential to NFL teams. The final pick in this San Francisco 49ers mock draft is boring, yes, but it is necessary. If Tom is still around, you have to take the chance on a guy with his makeup and experience.