No idea what the team looks like next year.Ultimately it will be on the Yorks What IMO they will see is that the team underperformed considering the money spent. Like so many before them they tried to buy their Lombardi and it didn't work. They have a choice. No changes and hope for a better result? Start a roster rebuild now spreading the hurt over a couple of years (most likely IMO). Or bite the bullet and begin rebuilding now.
Also, teams tend to reflect their coaching. If they choke in big games you have to take a critical look at the coaching staff starting with Shanahan. They could get a lot if they traded him. If you are going for a complete rebuild now this would be the time to make a change. at HC. The Niners haven't been the same since the Yorks kicked Eddie out. They spend as much money as he did but with less to show for it. Eddie created a culture there that bred success. The Yorks haven't figured out that team culture is a huge part of the equation.
All I'm saying is that Shanahan's career isn't as secure as some people might assume. This loss is a bigger indictment of him as HC as anything else. With what was looked at as the best roster talent in the NFL and to come up #2 is a fucking disaster. They have to be asking what will it take to win with Shanahan?
With their roster talent they won't have any problems attracting HCs. Any good HC would be set up to win now. It's why I think the first casualty might be Shanahan himself.
That’s because you are being objective.…
I have a hard time making a case that they under-performed.
I'm still unable to figure out how they have that many All Pro's and Pro Bowlers on their team and not over the cap currently. Sure, they have the cheapest starting QB in the league, and that is a lot of it, but they have:
the highest paid Edge (Bosa - 34m AAV backloaded I know)
2nd highest paid LT (Williams -31m/yr)
highest paid MLB (Warner - 24.4m/yr)
highly paid CB (Ward - 17.9m/yr)
highest paid DE (Armstead- 28.3m/yr)
AND the highest paid TE by 5m/yr (Kittle - 21.9/yr).
Seems ridiculous how they can afford all these guys but we have to take massive cap hits to get under our cap.
And next year those cap hits go to:Instead of looking at the Average-Annual-Value, take a look at the cap-hit-per-year.
AAV includes un-guaranteed-$ ... much of which the player will never receive
2023 cap hits ...
Williams ... $12.6
Armstead ... $12M
Bosa ... $11M
Kittle ... $9.6M
Warner ... $9M
Ward ... only $6.4M
That totals a mere $60M
Now that same group currently has a huge jump in 2024 cap numbers.
You can look-up the details but the total for these six players is more than double ($140M).
However, that is before any re-structures.
They've got another year with the window. The problem is, THIS YEAR was "supposed to be" and certainly looked like their year. You're dead on....they didn't underperform. But they did blow a great opportunity. And every year is different. Next year, they will have to contend in the division with a better Rams team and in the conference with a better Packers team and probably a better Lions team. Maybe even a better Cowboys team. It doesn't get easier.That’s because you are being objective.
Suggesting that a team ‘underperformed’ when it lost in Overtime of the Super Bowl, is NOT being objective.
Also stating a team tried to ‘buy a Lombardi’ when almost all it’s top players are homegrown, is equally ridiculous.
And McVay's the one that's probably most specifically building a 49er-killer.They've got another year with the window. The problem is, THIS YEAR was "supposed to be" and certainly looked like their year. You're dead on....they didn't underperform. But they did blow a great opportunity. And every year is different. Next year, they will have to contend in the division with a better Rams team and in the conference with a better Packers team and probably a better Lions team. Maybe even a better Cowboys team. It doesn't get easier.
Your last paragraph sums it up perfectly. If they're healthy they'll still be a top 10 team.I don't think they're going to lose much, and they have their first round pick again after the Trey Lance Debacle.
I just assume they're going to be very good with Shanny there as coach. Rams just need to be better.
I do think they had a very clean year on the health front, for the most part. We'll see if that continues in the future.
Most important thing I see to getting ahead of them is getting a devastating pass rush. Purdy just isn't the same when you get to him.
Did we? We lost 8 games to Kupp and Williams.Odds would suggest luck evens out.
Rams had great injury luck this year too.
2 parts of it is Purdy and then their offensive line is held together by 5 cents.I'm still unable to figure out how they have that many All Pro's and Pro Bowlers on their team and not over the cap currently. Sure, they have the cheapest starting QB in the league, and that is a lot of it, but they have:
the highest paid Edge (Bosa - 34m AAV backloaded I know)
2nd highest paid LT (Williams -31m/yr)
highest paid MLB (Warner - 24.4m/yr)
highly paid CB (Ward - 17.9m/yr)
highest paid DE (Armstead- 28.3m/yr)
AND the highest paid TE by 5m/yr (Kittle - 21.9/yr).
Seems ridiculous how they can afford all these guys but we have to take massive cap hits to get under our cap.
I'd say that's good luck. Neither season-ending.Did we? We lost 8 games to Kupp and Williams.
Just unlucky in the sense of losing guys we couldn't afford to.I'd say that's good luck. Neither season-ending.
Niners lost Hufanga and Jackson to season ending injuries.
Rams had a very clean season on that front.
Sure. One reason I want to draft at those positions, though. Lack of quality depth.Just unlucky in the sense of losing guys we couldn't afford to.
Agreed this is a great year for depth. We have the picks too.Sure. One reason I want to draft at those positions, though. Lack of quality depth.
Niner advocate!That’s because you are being objective.
Suggesting that a team ‘underperformed’ when it lost in Overtime of the Super Bowl, is NOT being objective.
Also stating a team tried to ‘buy a Lombardi’ when almost all it’s top players are homegrown, is equally ridiculous.