The 49ers’ roster is loaded. It’s part of the reason they’re able to maintain their status as Super Bowl contenders despite so much tumult at the quarterback position. It’s also a significant reason they were able to overcome missing on the Trey Lance pick and still go to two NFC championship games. Pro Football Focus ranked San Francisco’s roster as the second-best in the NFL heading into the season.
PFF lists the 49ers’ biggest strength as their playmakers on both sides of the ball. The biggest weakness is the interior defensive line. This is all, of course, contingent on defensive end Nick Bosa returning ahead of the regular season opener against the Steelers.
Still, it’s hard to argue with the PFF ranking, which puts the 49ers behind the Eagles and ahead of the Bengals (No. 3), Chiefs (No. 4) and Cowboys (No. 5).
It’s not out of the question that the 49ers wind up sitting atop such a list by the end of the year. PFF called right tackle Colton McKivitz the club’s biggest X-factor for the season with kicker Jake Moody tabbed as a rookie to watch. If both of them avert disastrous first seasons as starters in the NFL, Brock Purdy continues operating the offense at a high level, and the Javon Hargrave pays off the way the 49ers are hoping it does, there may not be many arguments against San Francisco having built the NFL’s best roster.
