When the San Francisco 49ers began the 2017 offseason, they started with a clean slate. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan — a first-time head coach who was new to the 49ers — began installing his signature offensive scheme that Bleacher Report recently declared the best offensive scheme in the NFL. 49ers defensive coordinater Robert Saleh — also a first-time coordinator and new to the team — quickly implemented his version of the 4-3 under/over hybrid Cover-3 defense that he studied during his time with the Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars. Finally, 49ers general manager John Lynch wasn’t just new to the 49ers and his general manager position, he was a first-time NFL front-office employee, learning on the job.
The San Francisco 49ers had a lot of work to do, and they hit the ground running. The Niners were active in the 2017 NFL Draft and in free agency, and quickly overhauled over half of the team’s 2016 roster. After completing offseason workouts, organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps, the San Francisco 49ers began training camp in late July. The front office and coaching staff — as well as the media — learned a lot about the 49ers’ roster since training camp began. Now that training camp is officially over and the team prepares for their third preseason game, we’re in a much better position to project the San Francisco 49ers’ final roster. Even so, Lynch and Shanahan have a number of difficult decisions to make, as the team appears to have more NFL-capable players than positions available on the team’s final roster.
About the Author: Chris Wilson
