The 49ers won six measly games last season and then lost nine starting players during free agency. And yet, I feel more confident in them now than I did before the offseason began.
Losing Charvarius Ward, Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw will hurt. But bringing Robert Saleh back as the defensive coordinator will offset those losses to a degree. The 49ers defense should be much better than it was last season even if it starts as many as five rookies because Robert Saleh is an elite defensive coordinator and Nick Sorensen simply wasn't good.
In addition, the 49ers have the easiest schedule in the NFL next season. So they don't have to be dominant to make the playoffs. They just have to stay healthy and peak at the right time.
Which brings us to their offense. It lost starting left guard Aaron Banks who signed a four-year deal with the Green Bay Packers. Which means the offensive line will be worse next season.
The offense also lost wide receiver Deebo Samuel -- the 49ers traded him to the Washington Commanders. This was a good move that only will create more opportunities for 49ers who are better than Samuel at this stage of his career. George Kittle, Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall all should flourish in Samuel's absence.
Finally, Christian McCaffrey is healthy for now. To keep him healthy, the 49ers drafted running back Jordan James who most likely will split carries with McCaffrey, particularly in the regular season. James is at his best running between the tackles and never fumbled in college.
If the 49ers stay relatively healthy, they should be expected to win at least 11 games and make the playoffs.
