Greg Olsen. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Greg Olsen thinks NFC favorite is clear

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Jun 29, 2024 3:17 PM ET

Five teams in the NFC won double-digit games last season, and all five of those teams are projected to make the playoffs again in 2024.

However, former All-Pro tight end-turned-analyst Greg Olsen believes of those teams, there’s only one that should be considered the favorite to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans in February.

“Until proven otherwise you have to imagine the conference goes through [the 49ers],” Olsen said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “…It’s as talented of a roster as there is in the NFL. They are paying their quarterback relatively nothing compared to the market and they have arguably the best coach and the best scheme. So they have all the boxes checked, and until someone prove otherwise, the NFC still feels like a San Francisco race.”

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To Olsen’s point, quarterback Brock Purdy’s 2024 cap hit is just $1.004 million. He’s eligible to sign an extension next offseason. Because his salary is so low, it’s afforded the 49ers the opportunity to lock up many of their top players to long-term contracts including running back Christian McCaffrey, receiver Deebo Samuel, tight end George Kittle, offensive tackle Trent Williams, defensive end Nick Bosa, linebacker Fred Warner and cornerback Charvarius Ward.

Those deals have not only extended San Francisco’s Super Bowl window, but allowed the front office to build a super team around Purdy.

The 49ers were the top team in the conference last season. They finished with a 12-5 record and were the No. 1 seed in the NFC, just ahead of the Dallas Cowboys (12-5), Philadelphia Eagles (11-6), Detroit Lions (12-5) and Los Angeles Rams (10-7).

San Francisco also finished with the No. 2 offense and the No. 8 defense in the NFL, and it returns nearly the same roster from a season ago that made it to Super Bowl LVII before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs 25-22 in overtime.

Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher is a longtime sports journalist based out of Nashville with a decade of experience covering college football, mixed martial arts and prep sports plus the NFL and NHL — specifically the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators. He’s covered several notable sporting events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game and an NHL Stadium Series. Some of his past bylines can be found at the Nashville Scene, SB Nation, The Hockey News and Fox Sports Knoxville

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