The 49ers were one of the best teams in the league last season despite all sorts of questions at the quarterback position. They came up one win shy of a Super Bowl appearance after Brock Purdy was injured in the NFC Championship Game.
While their quarterback situation is still up in the air with Purdy, Trey Lance, and Sam Darnold in the fold, the 49ers are once again looking like one of the top teams in the conference.
NFL insider Brian Baldinger of the Audacy Original Podcast “In The Huddle” talked about how special this 49ers team can be in the 2023 season.
“They probably have the best tandem of linebackers in football when you look at Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw and how they play together. They’re an elite tandem,” Baldinger said (1:20 in player above). “You look at the development of Talanoa Hufanga, what he’s done at safety from a fifth-round pick to being a Pro Bowl player. The addition of Javon Hargrave cannot be overstated in what he is going to bring and line up next to Nick Bosa, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and he might win the award again.
“I’m anxious to watch Drake Jackson at defensive end, their second-round pick a year ago, because I think he’s got elite athletic ability. Now he’s going to get a chance to start. Arik Armstead. They’re loaded. They’re loaded on that side of the ball. They’re the number one defense in football.”
The 49ers flexed their defensive muscles in the playoffs last year against the Dallas Cowboys – a healthy Cowboys team at that.
It’s not just on the defensive side of the ball, though. The 49ers have a bunch of weapons offensively that can make some noise.
“Brock Purdy was awesome,” Baldinger continued. “More importantly, guys like George Kittle, seven touchdown catches in his limited play with Brock Purdy. Seven of his 11 came from Brock. But everybody got fed. McCaffery. Aiyuk had his first 1,000-yard season. Deebo came back from injury. They were dynamic.”
Outside of the quarterback battle, the one question mark the 49ers have is at right tackle. That’ll be a battle to watch in training camp, but it shouldn’t hold them back.
“This has a chance to be a special team. You got to go do it,” Baldinger said. “Nobody’s just going to anoint them. You’re not just going to put them on the mantle in Las Vegas in February and say go win the Super Bowl. They got to go do it.”
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