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If it weren’t for a myriad of quarterback and other injuries, the 49ers may very well have played in Super Bowl LVII. Kyle Shanahan’s squad proved resilient in the face of adversity thanks to one of the best-constructed rosters in football. Here is what GM John Lynch & Co. have to do this offseason to keep it that way.
San Francisco 49ers free agency preview
Positional needs:
DE, DT, OL.
Players to target
DE Arden Key
Nick Bosa was one of the NFL’s best defensive players this season, amassing 19.5 sacks. Arik Armstead’s resurgence made the pass-rush group a strength at times. But San Francisco needs depth up front and adding Key to the mix would do just that. Teams would not be able to double-team both Bosa and Key, leaving one to go one-on-one with opposing offensive tackles, creating matchup nightmares for opposing offenses.
OT Mike McGlinchey
Sometimes avoiding a loss is better than a gain and that’s the case with the 49ers’ quest to retain McGlinchey’s services on its offensive line. He’s one of, if not the best offensive lineman in this year’s free-agent class, so one would assume targeting a player with whom the team presumably has the inside track on negotiations would be the best route for keeping the offensive line intact.