The NFL offseason is where optimism typically thrives. That’s particularly true for the 49ers, a team that went to the Super Bowl last year and kept most of its roster intact.
It’s not all good for the entire team though. While some players have seen their stock climb since Super Bowl LIV, others have seen a dip. We’ll be keeping track of the risers and fallers throughout the offseason. Here’s the initial stock report in the middle of what should’ve been OTAs.
Stock up: The rookies
This is an obvious one. Every first-year player joins the team with optimism swirling about their potential. Once the rookies hit the field and perform, there’s a chance to either keep rising or take a dramatic step back. San Francisco only selected five players in the draft, then signed 10 undrafted free agents. They’ll need a few of those first-year players to continue their upward trend if they’re going to compete for a Super Bowl again in 2020.
Stock down: WR Dante Pettis
It was a rough second half of the season for second-year wide receiver Dante Pettis. He played only 40 snaps across the final eight games and three playoff games, including zero from Week 13 on. He was also inactive for the Super Bowl. The team felt the need to trade up six spots in the first round to select wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, which doesn’t bode well for Pettis’ chances to be a factor in 2020. He’s talented enough to be a quality NFL receiver. There’s just a steep hill to climb to get back into the regular rotation.
Stock up: GM John Lynch
The 49ers went into the offseason with relatively little cap space, minimal draft capital, and had their left tackle retire during the draft. Lynch pulled the trigger on a trade that sent star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to Indianapolis for the No. 13 overall pick in the draft. Lynch facilitated two first-round trades to snag Buckner’s replacement, Javon Kinlaw with the 14th overall pick, then another move up in the first round to select wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to fill the void left by wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders who left in free agency. Then Lynch moved a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2021 third-round selection to scoop up seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams from Washington to replace Staley. There were three clear gaps on the 49ers’ roster, and Lynch did a nice job to fill them with quality players. For now, his stock is soaring.
Stock down: OL Daniel Brunskill
There’s nothing Brunskill did to see his stock fall some, but the 49ers’ offseason moves appear to have loosened Brunskill’s grip on the starting right guard job. Former starter Mike Person was released, and it looked like Brunskill would slide into the starting role after holding that spot last season while Person was injured. San Francisco then signed veteran offensive lineman Tom Compton, who has familiarity in Shanahan’s system, and will compete for the starting right guard spot. They also moved Matt Breida for a fifth-round pick and selected offensive lineman Colton McKivitz out of West Virginia. He may also be in the running for that job if he moves from tackle to the interior. Brunskill could still win the job, but he’s less of a sure thing now than he was to start the offseason.
Stock up: DL Arik Armstead
The 49ers bought in on Armstead after his team-best, and career-high, 10 sacks last season. They gave him a five-year, $85 million deal with $48.5 million guaranteed in hopes he’ll be able to continue producing at a Pro Bowl level. It took Armstead a few seasons to finally break out, but now he’s playing along a very talented defensive front and the team will look to him to be one of the leaders of that group. The 49ers’ return to the Super Bowl will ride heavily on Armstead’s ability to replicate or improve on his 2019 production.
Stock down: TE Ross Dwelley
The 49ers needed to add depth behind George Kittle and used a sixth-round choice on Georgia tight end Charlie Woerner. They also pursued free agent tight end Austin Hooper in an attempt to add another pass-catching weapon at the position. Dwelley did a fine job last season as the No. 2 tight end, but going after Hooper then drafting Woerner, perhaps the best run-blocking TE in the class, shows that Dwelley’s spot as the backup tight end isn’t rock-solid.
Stock up: RB Jerick McKinnon
It’s been a tumultuous two seasons in the Bay Area for McKinnon, who tore his ACL before the 2018 campaign, then experienced more issues with that knee last offseason. Both instances resulted in him getting placed on season-ending injured reserve. The 49ers restructured his contract to keep him in San Francisco though, and he was cleared to play before the end of last season. An extended offseason away from the field due to COVID-19 only pushed McKinnon’s window for recovery open a little wider. He was brought in to be a significant factor on offense, and he looks closer than ever to playing that role in 2020.
