NFL Legend Expresses Deep Concern Over Rams' Rival's Roster

"I just feel like we added on too many pieces," Rice told Cam Inman of The Mercury News while at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament. "The reason why I say that is these guys are young guys. Super Bowl 60 is going to be here in San Francisco. I would have preferred to sort of leave everything like last year, add on to that, and have a chance for this coming year."

The problem is that Rice's idea wasn't feasible and several players were determined to leave, including Deebo Samuel and Dre Greenlaw.

"A lot of young guys. Now, can Kyle Shanahan pull it together and can these guys jell? We have to wait and see," Rice stated. "But there's this big question mark if it's going to work.

"I'm always going to go Niners no matter what. But we're bringing in so many young players. It's going to take a while for that team to jell. If it doesn't happen this year, then maybe the next couple of years.”

Rice makes a strong point, especially since a priority of the Shanahan tenure in San Francisco has been about player retainment and keeping their core together.

Looking at their history, many of their big-money acquisitions have a relationship with Shanahan. Trent Williams and Shanahan know each other from their time with the Washington Commanders. Shanahan's and Christian McCaffery's fathers were Mike Shanahan and Ed McCaffery, three-time Super Bowl winners on the Broncos and 49ers.

Usually, the 49ers would supplement those players with a few cheap free agents or draft picks on both sides of the ball, to ease them into the culture, a culture that holds players to high standards.

They've taken a new approach this season, choosing to reinvent their entire defense with six defensive draft picks, with the 49ers' first five picks going to that side of the ball.

Like the Rams did from 2023 to right now, the 49ers are looking to find themselves again after a poor season that saw massive departures from the organization.

During those years the Rams were rebuilding, the 49ers, from the start of the 2022 season into the 2023 season, the 49ers won three straight contests with their streak ending once the Rams defeated the 49ers in the regular season finale. A game the 49ers rested their starters for.

This may be Sean McVay's opportunity to exact some revenge, holding his own three-game winning streak after sweeping the 49ers last season.