The San Francisco 49ers are at a crucial point in their season after Super Bowl 58.As the club prepares for the 2024 NFL season, they must address a critical issue, even after an incredible 12-5 season that included a hard-fought Super Bowl trip. Every choice matters at this level, and the 49ers’ goal of long-term success depends on bolstering one particular area.
2023: The 49ers Season

By most measures, the San Francisco 49ers’ 2023 season was outstanding. They made it to another Super Bowl, established their supremacy in the NFC West, and secured the conference’s top seed. Regretfully, they were defeated at the Big Dance once more. Their defeat by the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas in 2023 has eclipsed the excellence of their body of work. That’s just the terrible truth of it. Nevertheless, the Niners have a ton of promise. Focus now turns to the tasks ahead of the 49ers in the 2024 offseason after a disappointing loss to the Chiefs at the end of the season.

The 49ers’ Free Agency in 2024

Recall that the 49ers just failed to meet their goals for the 2023 campaign. This has naturally led to a number of off-season questions and concerns.

But there’s a big obstacle in the way. The salary ceiling places restrictions on the 49ers, whose anticipated balance is only about $500k. However, there is still room for flexibility. The way general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan move through contract talks and other channels will be watched by fans. Notably, talks heated up since the team might get player restructures that would release up to $55 million in salary space.

Here, we’ll examine the most pressing issue that needs to be resolved by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2024 NFL offseason.

Main Requirement: Offensive Line

The Niners’ crucial problem, which was highlighted by their loss in Super Bowl 58, was Brock Purdy’s need for better pass protection.

Recall that Purdy encountered pressure on more than half of his dropbacks during the Chiefs’ Super Bowl defeat. The team’s attacking effectiveness was eventually hampered by such kind of unrelenting assault. In the latter quarter and overtime, Purdy missed two crucial third-down conversions. In some cases, more pocket time could have changed how the game turned out. They might have even succeeded in getting San Francisco to win the Super Bowl.

However, there is no benefit to lingering on the past. The 49ers need to concentrate on strengthening their offensive line going forward. They desperately need to improve their pass protection, which finished the previous season rated a dismal 26th in the NFL.

Right guard Spencer Burford had a particularly difficult second season. He received a dismal Pro Football Focus rating of 50.4. That represents a significant drop from his exciting debut season. Yes, it is desirable to grow internally. To provide Purdy better protection, the 49ers still need to address the right side of their offensive line.

Options for the Off-Season

There are a number of free agency possibilities available to strengthen the right guard position. Ezra Cleveland, Cody Whitehair, and Nick Allegretti are a few of these.

Of them, Cleveland is the most sought-after potential. That’s in spite of his rumoredly high wage demands, which would make him an unaffordable addition. On the other hand, Allegretti also shows promise. With a 68.7 PFF grade, he declared that his 2023 performance was the best.

Resigning The 49ers have made another calculated move with Jon Feliciano. Feliciano demonstrated his abilities as one of the NFL’s best run blockers in 2023 when he was used with Burford. A $5 million-a-year, one-year contract might strengthen the offensive line without going over budget.

San Francisco might also give Colton McKivitz some thought. He did a respectable job in his first season of starting. Upgrading the role is still a possibility, though.

Jermaine Eluemunor and Trent Brown are two more alluring choices. Eluemunor and Brown both have higher PFF rankings for 2023. In particular, Brown, they provide instant improvements in pass protection.