It’s now July, and the San Francisco 49ers have yet to make a permanent decision on their quarterback. Jimmy Garoppolo is listed as the starter, but he has been rumored to be on the trading block for several months now. Meanwhile, Trey Lance is still incredibly raw and will need time to grow, but the 49ers took him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. All San Francisco is missing is a quarterback in order to be a strong Super Bowl contender, and Kyle Shanahan knows just how big of a decision he has on his hands.
San Francisco 49ers Season Win Total
Over 10 Wins -101
Under 10 Wins -119
2022 San Francisco 49ers Schedule
| WEEK | MATCHUP |
| 1 | @ Chicago Bears |
| 2 | Vs. Seattle Seahawks |
| 3 | @ Denver Broncos |
| 4 | Vs. Los Angeles Rams |
| 5 | @ Carolina Panthers |
| 6 | @ Atlanta Falcons |
| 7 | Vs. Kansas City Chiefs |
| 8 | @ Los Angeles Rams |
| 9 | BYE WEEK |
| 10 | Vs. Los Angeles Chargers |
| 11 | Vs. Arizona Cardinals* (in Mexico City) |
| 12 | Vs. New Orleans Saints |
| 13 | Vs. Miami Dolphins |
| 14 | Vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 15 | @ Seattle Seahawks |
| 16 | Vs. Washington Commanders |
| 17 | @ Las Vegas Raiders |
| 18 | Vs. Arizona Cardinals |
San Francisco 49ers Offense
It looks like Trey Lance will be the starting quarterback for the 49ers in 2022, but the Jimmy Garoppolo question is hanging over this franchise ominously. San Francisco wanted to trade Garoppolo before the draft, but Jimmy G opted to get shoulder surgery, and that dried up his trade value. Garoppolo has not thrown a pass since undergoing surgery, leading to serious doubts about his availability for this season.
Lance didn’t see much action as a rookie. San Francisco selected Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the team knew that he needed a year to learn as he was very raw. He played in six games and completed 57.7% of his passes for 603 yards (8.5 YPA) with five touchdowns and two interceptions. Lance highlighted his speed though and was the fourth leading rusher on the team.
The young quarterback will have two of the most talented players in the NFL to throw to in Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. Samuel set a record by leading his team in rushing touchdowns and receiving touchdowns in 2021, but it’s very unlikely that he runs the ball as much as he did last year. Meanwhile, Kittle is one of the three best tight ends in the league and caught 71 passes for 910 yards and six touchdowns last season.
This ground game is in good shape too. Elijah Mitchell nearly ran for 1,000 yards despite missing six games in 2021, and he averaged 4.7 YPC. San Francisco drafted LSU’s Tyrion Davis-Price in the third round to give the team some depth at the position too as the running backs have had trouble staying healthy.
San Francisco’s offensive line has two excellent tackles in Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey, but the interior line is mediocre.
San Francisco 49ers Defense
The 49ers have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. San Francisco didn’t miss a beat after trading away DeForest Buckner, as Nick Bosa is one of the favorites to be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Bosa had 15.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss last year. Arik Armstead is an excellent defensive lineman too, and a lot is expected of Javon Kinlaw after he missed most of his second season due to a knee injury.
These linebackers are solid too. Dre Greenlaw is one of the most underrated linebackers in the NFL, and both Fred Warner and Azeez Al-Shaair are sure tacklers. However, the secondary is a little concerning after Jaquiski Tartt left in the offseason.
Prediction
Kyle Shanahan is going to want to run the ball as much as possible to take the pressure off his young quarterback. This is a great system for Lance to develop in since Shanahan has some of the most innovative run schemes in the NFL, and he will allow Lance to grow with the offense. That has San Francisco poised to be a Super Bowl contender once again.
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