Quarterback quandary, free agents by the dozen
49ers end 6- 10 year, may lose Saleh, change quarterbacks, and ponder free- agent moves
Defensive lineman Arik Armstead aptly summed up the San Francisco 49ers’ 2020 season and 2021 plans after Sunday’s finale, a 26- 23 loss to Seattle.
“It didn’t go the way we wanted it to go but it’s been a long trying year. Seems like the longest year ever,” Armstead said.
“There’s some relief to get back next year to normalcy, getting fans back to the stadium and having normalcy back in our league and around the world, too. That would be good for society.”
The 49ers ( 6- 10) weren’t good on a number of fronts in their NFC title defense, most notably in terms of health, which seemed doomed from the jump with injuries to George Kittle, Nick Bosa, Jimmy Garoppolo, Raheem Mostert and more in only the first two games.
By Sunday’s finale, the 49ers were missing half of their would- be starters, most of whom watched together from a suite inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, where the
49ers relocated to the past month because of Santa Clara County’s COVID- 19 regulations.
What everyone witnessed in Week 17 should have looked relatively familiar: the 49ers blew a fourth- quarter lead, just as they did in their season opener against Arizona, and just as they more infamously did in last season’s Super Bowl.
The Seahawks ( 12- 4) entered Sunday already with their fifth NFC West title in 11 years under coach Pete Carroll, and they remained the upcoming playoffs’ No. 3 seed after finishing off the 49ers’ NFC reign.
“I’m very happy the season’s over,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Once we were eliminated from the playoffs, we were ready to move on a little bit and get on to next year.
“But we had to finish it. I was real proud of the guys today. They competed their ( butts) off in all aspects. … I’m excited this year’s over. Now it’s time to figure out how to improve us.”
On that note, here is their 2021 outlook after the finale, aside from securing the No. 12 overall draft slot:
1. INJURY TOLL » Most important, arguably their top two players, tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner, made it out healthy. Kittle, in his second game back after a Nov. 1 foot fracture, even made the 49ers’ catch of the day with a one- handed, 41- yard gem among his team- high seven catches for 68 yards.
Shanahan had only one injury to report afterward, a minor knee issue that knocked out defensive end Dion Jordan before halftime.
Over 30 players weren’t available for the finale, including 17 on Injured Reserve, four on COVID- 19 Reserve and the seven they inactivated pregame ( wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, cornerbacks Richard Sherman and K’Waun Williams, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and defensive linemen Javon Kinlaw and Kevin Givens).
The 49ers made 30 IR moves since camp, and combined with the 24 times they put players on COVID- 19 Reserve, a healthier 2021 is a must.