The San Francisco 49ers come into the 2024 season from another heartbreaking postseason loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. However, with training camp just looming shortly, why not give a few so-called “hot takes” on this 2024 squad that aspires to be back in the Super Bowl under year seven of offensive Guru Kyle Shanahan?
These takes will be less obvious, as this team isn’t prone to much regression. It doesn’t have the holes that teams like the Cardinals or Broncos have, but it still has some things that can be addressed, as it did choke in the Playoffs last year.
Lukewarm
The Madden Curse Won’t Affect Christian McCaffery
Pun intended Christian McCaffery put up video game numbers last season, rushing for 1459 yards in 272 attempts and 67 receptions for 564 yards while rushing for 14 touchdowns and catching seven touchdowns. This career year led to McCaffery being named this year’s Madden cover athlete, which means that regression is coming his way, right?? That’s not the case, as he’s going into his age-28 season and just got paid for his performance, which 95% of running backs in the league can’t say has happened to them. It may not be nearly 1500 rushing years and 600 receiving yards for CMC, but you can expect more of the same for the vocal point of the Niners' offense.
The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk By the End of Camp
It’s evident that the relationship between the 49ers' front office and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk isn’t pretty. With each day that passes without an agreement, the more it looks like he will be gone, which the 49ers expected as they took WR Ricky Pershall in the first round of this year's draft and they took Jacob Cowing in day three, signaling that they have the depth if Aiyuk truly wants out. It’s been documented that he’s been watching the Commanders' film, signaling a possible trade coming down the line.
Hot
Renardo Green Will Become a Full-Time Starter By the End of the Year
Renardo Green was a dog in college, racking up 43 tackles, 12 passes deflected, and an interception during his last season at Florida State, becoming a Day 2 pick in this year's draft as a result. The 49ers' secondary is their calling card, led by Charvarius Ward and a returning Talanoa Hufanga. Still, I’m fully expecting Green to skyrocket through the depth chart and take Ambry Thomas's starting spot at RCB by the end of the year. He’s impressed many players and coaches during rookie camp, including Ward himself.
If we’re talking value, look no further than Renardo Green.
Talanoa Hufanga Will Win Comeback Player of the Year
When you lose your anchor in the secondary to a torn ACL, you'll feel the effects, and that is precisely what happened last year to the 49ers' defense, which went from rock solid to shaky real quick without ball hawk safety in Talanoa Hufanga. The good news for the 49ers faithful is that according to the man himself, his goal is to be back by Week 1, and if that’s the case, this award is his to lose, in my opinion. In 10 games before the injury, he already had 52 tackles, three and three interceptions. If you give him an entire, healthy season, those numbers quickly get close to 100 tackles and 8-10 interceptions. He’s that good, and when he’s on the field calling out plays for the secondary, they work much better than when he’s absent.
On Fire
Brock Purdy Wins Super Bowl MVP
Yes, you are reading this correctly. Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant himself, will be Super Bowl MVP this year. You can call him a game manager all you want and say that he doesn’t have the talent/potential, or even experience to be better than that, but what do you think the Super Bowl loss taught him last year? He went 23-38 with 255 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions in the loss. By no means was this his best performance ever, but it’s something that he can build off of. He’s got the experience under his belt; he’s got offensive mastermind Kyle Shanahan continuing to mentor and develop Purdy. He’s got a backup in Joshua Dobbs, who can teach him a thing or two on how to be more mobile so he doesn’t sit in the pocket until the last second waiting to throw. Yes, the 49ers lost, but it was a valuable experience for the only 24-year-old quarterback who, quite frankly, has a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove.
Hate on him all you want, but numbers don’t lie, and neither do my hot takes.
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