2024 offseason primer: 49ers need minor tweaks after falling short of Super Bowl win

Despite three straight NFC Championship Game appearances and four in the last five seasons, the San Francisco 49ers (12-5 in 2023) have zero Super Bowl wins to show for the remarkable run they’ve been on since 2019.

With one of the deepest rosters in the NFL, the 49ers still have some fine-tuning to do in the offseason after losing just the second Super Bowl to go into overtime. 

Star receiver Brandon Aiyuk needs a new contract, and the offensive line, secondary and pass rush all need some shoring up before the 49ers can confidently say they’re Super Bowl front-runners in 2024.

Here’s what you need to know about San Francisco’s offseason:

PROJECTED 2024 CAP SPACE:  -$285,281 (eighth-worst in NFL)

FREE AGENTS | Offense: QBs Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen; WRs Ray-Ray McCloud, Chris Conley and Jauan Jennings; TEs Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner; OGs Matt Pryor and Ben Bartch; center Jon Feliciano

Defense: DEs Chase Young and Clelin Ferrell; DTs Javon Kinlaw, Sebastian Joseph and Kevin Givens; LBs Oren Burks, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Randy Gregory; CBs Isaiah Oliver, Logan Ryan and Terrance Mitchell; safety Tashaun Gipson

Outlook: The good news is San Francisco isn’t that far over the cap. A few contract restructures/salary conversions and the 49ers should have some breathing room financially. Given the year Jennings had and how clutch he came up in the playoffs, the 49ers should make every attempt to bring him back next season. However, he may have played himself into a bigger role as a No. 2 receiver on another team. Feliciano was excellent when he played and really helped stabilize San Francisco's interior offensive line. He should be brought back on a relatively affordable deal.

Defensively, this is where things get interesting. San Francisco may have to revamp several defensive positions through the draft rather than free agency. Young wasn’t a game-wrecker by any means after he was acquired at the trade deadline, but bringing him back on a one-year deal might be worthwhile. Ferrell, Kinlaw and Gregory all had a lot of promise earlier in their careers, but all three haven’t lived up to their billing. Perhaps one is brought back on a short-term deal, but likely not all three.

2024 DRAFT PICKS: Round 1 (No. 31 overall) | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 4 | Round 5 | Round 6 | Round 6 | Round 7 | Round 7

TOP DRAFT NEEDS (in order): CB, OT, Edge-rusher, DT, WR — Cornerback is arguably the 49ers’ biggest need, but with Trent Williams likely retiring after the 2024 season, drafting his replacement in a deep tackle class may be the best route to go.

If SF chooses to go corner, Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry has both the skillset and the swagger to develop into a shutdown corner capable of shadowing the Copper Kupps and D.K. Metcalfs of the world. Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter could also be an option if McKinstry is off the board. If tackle is the direction the team is leaning, BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia is a perfect player to start at right tackle next season and move to the left side to take over for Williams in 2025. Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton and Arizona’s Jordan Morgan are solid options as well.

DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama; Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia; Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon; Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU; Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma; Jordan Morgan, OT; Arizona; Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State; Bralen Trice, Edge, Washington; Darius Robinson, Edge, Missouri; Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State; Leonard Taylor, DT, Miami; Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson; Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina; Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State; Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

THREE 2024 STORYLINES TO WATCH:

• How creative do the 49ers get in trying to clear cap space?
• Is there a drop-off from Steve Wilks to Nick Sorensen as defensive coordinator?
• Is Aiyuk on the roster after the draft?