A pessimist's guide to the 2024 San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the NFL's best teams over the past four years and have become a regular in the NFC Championship Game.

Despite all their recent success, there are still some big reasons for concern and pessimism going into the 2024 season.

Let's talk about some of them. 

Uncertainty with Brandon Aiyuk

Star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is entering the final year of his contract, and everything surrounding his future with the 49ers seems ominous. 

The two sides have been unable to come to terms on a contract extension, his name has circulated in trade rumors all offseason, and then things really reached a boiling point this week when he said the 49ers did not want him back.

He is a great player and a key cog in the 49ers offense, but the uncertainty surrounding him could be a big distraction when the season begins. That, of course, is assuming he is on the opening day roster and is not traded before then. 

Kyle Shanahan's big-game blunders

By almost every objective measure, Kyle Shanahan is one of the top head coaches in the NFL.

His offense is innovative and can beat any team in a variety of ways. He wins a lot of games and typically goes deep into the playoffs. But the one thing his resume is still missing is a Super Bowl trophy to help validate all of it. What makes the lack of a championship so frustrating is that he has been involved in some absolutely epic big-game collapses.

In his two Super Bowl appearances with the 49ers, he has blown 10-point leads. 

He blew a 10-point lead in an NFC Championship Game to prevent him from getting to another Super Bowl.

He was the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons when they blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl. 

Until he gets the big-game win, there are going to be questions about his ability to handle that stage. 

Offensive line concerns in pass protection

The 49ers do not have many clear weaknesses, but their pass protection is a little bit of an issue. Trent Williams is great at left tackle, but he is getting older and there is not much quality depth around him in terms of starters or backups.

They work together well as a group and in the running game, but their pass protection had some issues. 

Quarterback Brock Purdy was under constant pressure in the Super Bowl, and their pass-protection grade at Pro Football Focus was 24th in the NFL for the season, their lowest ranking in any major category. 

The 49ers have great talent at the skill positions and a fantastic quarterback, but the offensive line needs to be better in protecting them.