The 2020 offseason has been an interesting one for the 49ers. They’ve not taken any major steps forward from a roster standpoint since losing Super Bowl LIV, but they have traded away their Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, and let their No. 2 wide receiver, Emmanuel Sanders, exit in free agency. While they did recoup the No. 13 overall pick in the Buckner trade, their lack of free-agent additions dropped them one spot to No. 4 in the Touchdown Wire mid-free agency power rankings.
San Francisco is now behind the Saints, who signed Sanders, the Ravens and the Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
It’s a little head-scratching that the defending NFC champs wouldn’t be No. 2 in the power rankings despite returning most of their starting units on both sides of the ball. However, the Chiefs are the reigning Super Bowl champs, and the Ravens and Saints have both made significant additions in free agency.
The 49ers are in a different place roster-wise, and were never in a spot to make a big splash on the free agent market. Perhaps the most important thing for them going into the year is that they’re widely considered a top-five team in the NFL. That’s a steep departure from their rankings in the high-teens to low-20s at this point last season.
Given their salary cap situation, the onus will be on the front office to make key acquisitions in the draft. Grabbing the No. 13 pick in the Buckner deal is a good start. They also own the 31st pick, but then they’re without a selection until the fifth round. The 49ers will be in a good spot to re-take their spot closer to the top of the rankings if they can add a game-changing player with the 13th choice and restock their depth with a couple of trades back to scoop up some mid-round picks.
This is a huge year for the 49ers, who enter 2020 with higher expectations than they’ve had since the start of the 2013 season. Maintaining a top-five spot in the power rankings without any major additions is a good start, and a testament to how far the roster has come in just a couple of years.