Fansided

San Francisco 49ers: 5 offseason needs in 2019

By Russell S. Baxter

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 27: San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan talks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on February 27, 2019 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 27: San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan talks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on February 27, 2019 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 28: Strong safety Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers carries the ball after an interception against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 28: Strong safety Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers carries the ball after an interception against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images) /

1. Add ball hawks on defense

It’s almost unfathomable that in this age of amazing passing numbers throughout the National Football League that a team could set a new league record for fewest interceptions in a season. In Week 4 at Los Angeles, San Francisco 49ers’ cornerback Antone Exum picked off Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers in the first quarter and returned the theft 32 yards for a touchdown. Four weeks later at Arizona, safety Jaquiski Tartt stole a pass from Cardinals’ rookie Josh Rosen and took it back 23 yards.

That’s it. The Niners did not pick off a pass in the final eight games of the season. Their two interceptions are the fewest by any team in the 99-year history of the league. All told, 52 individual players picked off three or more passes this past year. Kyle Shanahan’s club totaled only seven takeaways in 2018, also the fewest by any club in one season in NFL annals. The 49ers’ defense was somewhat improved in terms of yards allowed from 2017. But the failure to create turnovers was a key reason that Shanahan’s squad would wind up surrendering a disappointing 48 offensive touchdowns.

dark. Next. Every NFL team’s best game ever played

The secondary and linebacking corps are areas that general manager John Lynch could address in free agency, especially when it comes to finding experienced players who have a nose for the football.

Home/NFL