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NFC West power rankings: Can the 49ers get back to the Super Bowl?

By Russell S. Baxter

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers runs onto the field prior to the start of the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers runs onto the field prior to the start of the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to avoid the pressure from Chris Jones #95 of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to avoid the pressure from Chris Jones #95 of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

1. San Francisco 49ers

Since taking over in 2017, general manager John Lynch has done an excellent job stacking the team with talent. That’s why the San Francisco 49ers were able to trade away standouts such as defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin and running back Matt Breida.

Meanwhile, Lynch did acquire seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams from the Washington Redskins (via Nick Shook of NFL.com). He takes over for now-retired veteran Joe Staley. And the Niners are hoping first-round pick Javon Kinlaw can fill the gap left by the trade of Buckner.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo comes off a season in which he started all 16 games for the first time in his six-year tenure. He still has to be a little more careful with the football and the team will certainly miss wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who signed with the Saints. The ground game has various components but figures to be a major factor once again for Kyle Shanahan’s squad.

More fansided.com: NFL power rankings: Chiefs, Saints lead way into 2020

On the other side of the football, the Niners were a much-improved squad in 2019 thanks in large part to the addition of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Nick Bosa. The previous season, the club set dubious NFL records for fewest interceptions (2) and takeaways (7) in a season. But Robert Saleh’s unit has be a little stingier against the run.