There’s no good way to frame the 49ers’ loss to the Giants on Monday night at Levi’s Stadium. They continue to be plagued by issues on the defensive front, in the secondary, and with giveaways on offense. The loss was a disaster through a short-term lens. That all changes as we zoom out from the 2018 season though and we look ahead to 2019.
The 49ers’ loss to the Giants pushed them up to No. 2 in the 2019 NFL draft order. They’re only behind the one-win Oakland Raiders.
It’s important to note the 49ers aren’t tanking. They’re playing their best, healthy players and they’re putting up points with a third-string quarterback. Their defensive struggles are due more to a lack of talent at important spots than they are to the team not trying to win. The effort is there.
Solace should be taken by fans in repeated close losses though. While they’re frustrating, they ostensibly move the 49ers toward a more long-term goal. Netting a top two or three pick is ideal for a team that isn’t going to make the playoffs and badly needs top-tier talent at some key positions.
Picking second, or even third or fourth opens the door to adding elite talent in each of the first two rounds. It also makes them more flexible in moving around the draft board.
The losses don’t appear to be stopping any time soon in San Francisco. It’s not ideal for a fan base that’s starved for the success it fell just short of in the early 2010s, but it moves them closer to making a run next season and beyond.
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