The 49ers’ path to Super Bowl 55 might be getting a small, early tweak as the NFL and NFL Player’s Association iron out the details of the league’s new CBA. ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday reported a proposed CBA includes a change in playoff format that includes seven teams from each conference getting into the postseason, and only the top seed in each conference earning a first-round bye.

Those changes would go into effect in the upcoming postseason.

The NFL’s current CBA is due to expire after the 2020 campaign, which is why the two sides are eager to strike a deal before the start of the season.

If San Francisco earns the No. 1 seed again in 2020, their path wouldn’t change much. If they don’t get the top seed, they’ll play on wild card weekend no matter what. The current format gives the top two seeds in each conference a bye in the first round.

The only major change would be the addition of one game on wild card weekend. All other rounds would remain the same. Here’s what the format would look like if that portion of the proposed CBA sticks:

Wild-card round

No. 7 seed at No. 2 seed
No. 6 seed at No. 3 seed
No. 5 seed at No. 4 seed

No. 1 seed – bye

Divisional round

Lowest-remaining seed at No. 1 seed
Second-lowest remaining seed at second-highest remaining seed

Conference championship

Lower seed at higher seed

This format puts a pretty significant emphasis on the No. 1 seed. While it was important before because it came with home field advantage and a bye, the No. 2 seed was also fairly advantageous since it also earned a bye and at least one home game.

Under the proposed format, the 49ers could’ve hosted either the Rams, Vikings, Seahawks or Eagles in the divisional round. The added game would’ve been the No. 7-seed Rams at the No. 2-seed Packers.

There are a slew of proposed changes to the regular season as well according to Schefter, but it doesn’t sound like those are set to take place in the 2020 season. He reported a 17-game regular season with a three-game preseason is on the table, along with a dramatic shift in revenue in the players’ favor.

Perhaps the best news for the 49ers is that an expanded playoff widens their safety net a bit if they do experience the typical hangover that comes with a Super Bowl loss.

The Rams lost Super Bowl 53, but would’ve made the postseason last year had the field been expanded by one team. The Vikings would’ve made it in 2018 with a seven-team field after falling one game shy of the Super Bowl in the 2017 campaign.

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