The 49ers. have a distinct advantage in the 2020 offseason. They’re set to return all but four starters from last year’s Super Bowl roster, and they’ve replaced two of those starters with first-round picks and another with a seven-time Pro Bowler. San Francisco’s roster should be among the NFL’s best again.
We went through the roster and tried to sort out what the best position groups are after their quick retooling and ranked those groups from best to worst.
It’s important to note the 49ers don’t have many ‘weak’ areas on their roster. These rankings are relative to a team that went to the Super Bowl a year ago.
1. Defensive line
There’s been a conscious effort by the club since 2015 when they selected Arik Armstead in the first round to bolster the defensive line with top-end talent. They’ve used five first-round selections on the defensive front in the last six drafts, including the No. 14 pick on South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw. He’ll replace another first-round pick, DeForest Buckner. Last year’s No. 2 overall pick Nick Bosa will spearhead this group as an early Defensive Player of the Year candidate, and Armstead is back after a breakout year where he led the club in sacks. The 49ers will go as their defensive front goes.