49ers mailbag: How good is Deebo Samuel? How can this team improve next year?
The 49ers are enjoying a first-round bye in the postseason, but that doesn’t mean they’ll get an entire week off. They’re going to have practices Thursday and Friday after getting New Year’s Day off.
So now would be a good time for the latest edition of our weekly mailbag. To your questions!
Scott Thompson asks: What is the ceiling in your opinion for Deebo Samuel? What would be a good player comp?
I’m not sure I’ve seen a player like Samuel. He’s one of the quickest and fastest receivers the 49ers have had in recent memory — and he’s also one of the toughest to tackle.
His physicality and demeanor is reminiscent of Anquan Boldin. No, Samuel is not the player Boldin was (yet?), but his fearlessness is comparable. Samuel has the clear leg up in movement skills. Boldin was never a burner. His game was about route running and physicality.
Samuel is still prone to an occasional mistake. He’s had a few too many presnap penalties (false starts, illegal formation, et al) and his drop in the end zone in Arizona still stands out.
But Samuel has quickly turned into a very valuable weapon to coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. His work on rushes and bubble screens forces defenses to know where he is at all times, which can open things up for other players through Shanahan’s creative play designs.
Samuel’s 961 yards from scrimmage were the most from any 49ers rookie receiver in team history. Jerry Rice had 953 in 1985.
Samuel won’t be the best receiver the NFL has ever seen. But he has serious star potential given the way he fits in Shanahan’s offense. Don’t be surprised if Samuel takes a big jump in Year 2.
Josh McCuan asks: In what areas can the team improve for next year? They have a lot of pending free agents this offseason and cannot sign everyone. Other teams in the division will be better (Cardinals and Rams). How can the Niners improve?
The team could improve through development. Jimmy Garoppolo getting a full season under his belt could be massive as he enters his prime years. A slew of young players on defense need to continue to get better after the overall effectiveness of that unit began to slide as the season wore on. The receivers need to take steps forward.
From a roster-building perspective, depth is needed across the board. The 49ers could use help along the defensive line even if they bring back Arik Armstead on a new contract. Ronald Blair III (also a free agent) and D.J. Jones’ injuries proved to be costly in 2019. Nick Bosa and DeForest Buckner need help so they can be fresh when they’re needed most.
The 49ers could also start thinking about the future of the offensive line. There’s no replacement plan for Joe Staley as he enters the twilight of his career. Perhaps getting a player who could play guard before taking over for Staley or Mike McGlinchey, should McGlinchey switch to the left side, would make sense.
There are also question marks in the secondary. What happens with Jimmie Ward’s free agency this spring? Is Jaquiski Tartt, who’s signed through next season, going to remain the long-term option at strong safety?
With no glaring areas to improve, the mandate for the offseason will be to fortify depth while developing potential replacements in the starting lineup for the future.
Brandon Harvey asks: Why isn’t Matt Breida getting more opportunities?
Raheem Mostert has clearly been the 49ers’ top running back, especially later in the season. And with the team’s continued reliance on Tevin Coleman, despite struggling, Breida’s playing time has dipped since he missed a handful of games with an ankle injury.
Breida averaged north of 12 carries per game during the first nine games. Since returning from the ankle sprain, he’s had six, four, four, zero and four. That span included the Falcons game when he fumbled twice on the same series, including one he lost that may have taken points off the board.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Breida get back in the regular mix in the playoffs, however. Coleman hasn’t had more than five carries in the past five games and he doesn’t have the same juice he did earlier in the year.
Either way, expect Shanahan to rely on the hot hand. Right now it’s Mostert, but we know any of the team’s three halfbacks is capable of putting an explosive performance together.
Benjamin asks: I heard a local reporter saying the week 17 match up was the biggest game in SF history. Do you buy that?
A strong case could be made it was the biggest regular season game in team history. It definitely wasn’t bigger than any of the six Super Bowl appearances.
I had the same conversation with someone recently. And the point was made to me was the timing of the game is what made it so big. There’s nothing you can do after Week 17 to make up for the result.
In other words, had the 49ers lost the Saints game Dec. 8, which was also massive, they would have had three games to make up it. There’s nothing the 49ers could have done to rectify the outcome against Seattle had they taken the loss.
Getting a first-round bye and home field advantage was an enormous development for San Francisco. Having to go on the road to Philadelphia this weekend without any home games on the playoff docket would have made a Super Bowl trip extremely difficult. The 49ers did not want to go back to New Orleans or to Green Bay (or even Seattle) if they could avoid it. Plus, it ended a long and embarrassing road losing streak to a division rival.
If the 49ers win their sixth championship, there’s little doubt the Seahawks game will go down as the biggest during the regular season in this era.
Efrim Dragovic asks: What would you consider the Niners biggest need in the 2020 draft?
I eluded to it earlier, but depth across the board. I’m not sure there’s one area you can point to and make an obvious case for how they should use their first-round pick.
They could use eventual replacements for Sherman and Staley. They might need a center given the uncertain long-term health of Weston Richburg now that he faces another offseason of rehab from a significant knee injury. The long-term picture at safety is fuzzy with Ward and Tartt both hitting free agency over the next two offseasons, respectively.
I’ll continue to make the case the 49ers should seriously considering fortifying their strength along the defensive line. Because if the team is built around the defensive line, you don’t want injuries derailing that and forcing you to change the way you play.
Then there’s receiver. Is Emmanuel Sanders coming back? Is there enough space for a contract that will make him want to return and not hit the open market? If he’s gone, going receiver in Round 1 might make sense given the possible star power and depth at that position in this year’s draft.
What about a second tight end? It wouldn’t be a bad idea to find George Kittle a running mate that could make his life easier. The Eagles and Ravens both have two quality tight ends that have been vital to their offenses.
Suffice to say, the needs in the draft could depend on how the offseason goes with some key veterans. For now, the 49eres should try to draft the best players possible, as always, rather than focus on positions.
