3 Bold Predictions for the 49ers Offseason

After a disappointing 2020 campaign, the San Francisco 49ers bounced back in the 2021 NFL season, advancing all the way to the NFC Championship Game. While they didn't make it to the Super Bowl, 49ers fans are heading into the offseason with optimism.

Although they don't have their first-rounder, the 49ers will have eight 2022 NFL Draft picks to help improve the team over the offseason. They'll also have approximately $2.9 million in cap space to spend in free agency, so it'll be interesting to see how general manager John Lynch utilizes his resources.

Here's a look at three bold predictions for the 49ers' offseason.

49ers Offseason Predictions

1. Jimmy Garoppolo Comes Back for Another Season

One of the rumors this offseason is that San Francisco was looking to trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in favor of rolling with Trey Lance as the full-time starter. While it was looking like a guarantee, ESPN's Adam Schefter recently reported that "it's not a lock." Although Lance has all of the potential in the world, his play from his rookie campaign showed that he has a lot to work on. If the 49ers want to make it to another NFC Championship Game or further, it might be wiser to stick with Garoppolo for another season. Plus, it might be tough for San Francisco to get proper value for him due to his $26.9 million cap hit in 2022.

2. The 49ers Stay Relatively Quiet in Free Agency

When it comes to free agency, fans usually hope for their teams to splurge on the top names available. However, it could be smarter for GM Lynch to keep things quiet this year. On one hand, San Francisco is a fairly complete team and there's no point in disrupting chemistry by splurging on the high-end options. After all, many general managers have buyer's remorse by overpaying in free agency. Secondly, the 49ers have less than $3 million in cap space and that money could be used to lock down their own free agents like OG Laken Tomlinson and CB Jason Verrett. At the end of the day, saving money could work out better than spending some just for the sake of it.

3. San Francisco Signs a Veteran Running Back

The 49ers enter the offseason with Elijah Mitchell and Trey Sermon as their only running backs under contract. Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and JaMycal Hasty each have injury issues, so it makes more sense for San Francisco to target cheaper, more reliable veteran options in free agency. Someone like Ronald Jones could be an affordable option. Spotrac lists his expected value at $2.7 million after proving to be a reliable backup with upside for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There's also the likes of Duke Johnson, Alex Collins and Giovani Bernard, who could help add some much-needed depth. Regardless, San Francisco should make improving the running back room a priority.

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Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.