If the 49ers manage to win their next two games, it will represent the longest regular-season winning streak in franchise history.
The 49ers’ place in the playoffs is assured. They will most likely be the second or third seed in the NFC.
The final two games of the regular season serve the useful purpose of preparing the team for an eventual playoff run.
However, in the middle of an eight-game winning streakthe fanbase can always answer the call for overreactions.
So let’s go. . .
Deebo is expandable. They won a lot of games without him. I think his contract will end up being the reason why they don’t have the funds to sign another needed player. (FB: David M. Tanner)
Over-reaction? Yes.
The 49ers have built one of the best rosters in football without going out to free agency and without spending a lot of money.
They pulled off vital trades to acquire Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey. They spent wisely on cornerback Charvarius Ward.
But that’s about all. Most of their team has been home grown.
And that, of course, includes wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
No one thought Samuel was redundant at the end of last season. He was the driving force behind the team’s run to the NFC Championship Game.
Despite his request for an off-season trade, the 49ers kept him with a big budget contract extension.
Samuel’s production has plummeted this season. He missed three games and, of course, won’t play this week against the Las Vegas Raiders either.
Next year, his contract isn’t a big deal with a cap charge of $8.68 million. But in 2024, the team will likely have to do some maneuvering with its projected cap of $26.5 million.
After this season, the 49ers have an out. The way his contract is currently constructed, the team could move on in 2025 with $15 million in dead money but savings capped at over $9 million.
The big move of the offseason for the 49ers will be to agree with Nick Bosa on a contract that should make him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.
Samuel’s contract will not prevent the completion of this contract.
Can the 49ers win games without Samuel? Sure. They showed it.
But are the 49ers a better team when he’s on the field? Do we really need to answer this question?
This is Mike McGlinchey’s final season with the 49ers. (FB: Andrew Sea)
Over-reaction? No.
Mike McGlinchey has done his part to contribute to the 49ers’ eight-game winning streak.
He has always been recognized as a powerful run blocker, as he demonstrated with a pancake block on 71 yards from Ray-Ray McCloud. touchdown against Washington commanders.
And he’s probably also in the best part of his career as a pass blocker.
McGlinchey hasn’t allowed a sack in the last seven games, according to Pro Football Focus, with just eight pressures allowed in that span.
The one area McGlinchey can improve on is penalties. He’s the worst on the team with 10 penalties this season: six possessions, two ineligible downfields and two false starts.
McGlinchey is slated for free agency, and chances are a team will come calling with a big contract offer.
The 49ers simply can’t re-sign all of their free agents — especially those in the running for big deals — so it stands to reason McGlinchey could be one of those players off the hook.
The 49ers appear to be well positioned to replace him with Colton McKivitz, the likeliest option to step in at the right tackle. Jaylon Moore can serve as a substitute.
I don’t expect Purdy’s game to drop anymore. And no one else should either. (FB: Nick Weston)
Over-reaction? No.
Brock Purdy benefited from low outside expectations when he entered the roster in Week 13 after Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot.
As long as the 49ers offense didn’t implode, Purdy was going to impress a lot of people.
Now that he’s proven himself to be an effective quarterback who has earned the trust of his coaches and his teammates, Purdy also raised higher expectations with his play for the remainder of the season.
The 49ers will let Jimmy G walk in free agency regardless of the outcome of the season. Lance vs. Purdy will be an open QB competition in 2023. (FB: Sumeet Arora)
Over-reaction? No.
It was never likely the 49ers would pay Garoppolo as a starter to re-sign with the team in 2023.
Garoppolo will likely sign with a team as a starter this offseason. Interested teams could include the New York Jets, Washington and the Indianapolis Colts.
On Monday, NBC Sports Bay Area asked Shanahan if he had thought ahead to the future role of Purdy with the club.
Of course, we weren’t expecting him to make any kind of binding commitment for the 2023 season. But because that’s a question many have asked, we wanted to see how Shanahan would approach it.
“That’s a great question,” Shanahan replied, “but, honestly, I’m not anticipating like that. We’ve got several big games ahead of us.”
We’re not sure real off-season quarterback competition is needed.
Trey Lance and Purdy are completely different quarterbacks, and Shanahan will know what he wants from that position.
Purdy turned 23 on Tuesday. Lance turns 23 on May 9. At least one of them should be around for a long, long time.
Purdy has put himself in a position to be in the conversation to be the 49ers quarterback of the future.
And, right now, the 49ers are in a much better position heading into the playoffs because of the weekly row he’s having with his game.
Hufanga has been struggling for a few games. Far from any pro level of what we saw in the first part of the season. Jimmie Ward is giving us a better playoff shot at FS. (FB: Mario Duran)
Over-reaction? No and yes.
Pro Bowl safety Talanoa Hufanga was a big bright spot in the 49ers defense as a freshman starter, taking over from Jaquiski Tartt.
But does he have a certain number of elements of his game to clean up? Absolutely.
Hufanga makes a lot of plays in the 49ers defensive field. But he also abandons them.
The 49ers gave too much in the passing game to commanders last week, and Hufanga was responsible for some outages. These issues need to be tightened in the playoffs against better passing attacks.
Still, the 49ers are in a better place with Hufanga and Jimmie Ward in their current positions.
RELATED: Shanahan not thinking about Purdy’s fate at QB next season
Ward was a very good free security in the past. He just never made a lot of games that changed the game.
49ers get their top five defensive backs on the field when Hufanga starts at safety and Ward enters like the nickel back.
There’s simply more playability with Ward also covering the slot’s receiver. In that role, Ward recorded three career-best interceptions this season.
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