Where are the Niners headed this season? After saying goodbye to 17 players during the offseason, the team seemed focused on retooling. Their strategy appeared to be moving on from veterans, adding young talent, and building a roster capable of winning. Now, with the draft done, having made 11 selections with 11 picks, it’s unclear whether they addressed all their needs. Honestly, Kyle Shanahan‘s team’s downfall has been one of the most dramatic in recent seasons. Just in 2023, they were an inch away from lifting the Lombardi Trophy. But right after that, they fell to the bottom of the table (NFC West), finishing 6-11 in the following season. So, what’s next?

This year, when they emptied their roster, they knew they had to play smart with their 11 picks. GM John Lynch was expected to carefully pick his selections for both sides of the ball. But surprisingly, the team addressed the offensive line in the much later rounds. What was the reason for that? We will get to that later. First, with their roster retooled, HC Kyle Shanahan made his expectations clear for the players, especially for their seventh-round pick, WR Junior Bergen. 

Soon after the draft, Coach Shanahan told Bergen what the team was expecting from him. Speaking at the post-draft conference, the HC said, “We took him as a returner. So, we’ll throw him in with the receivers and see how that goes. But we brought him here to be a returner and try to make the team that way.” The return specialist from Montana, the Niners drafted Bergen as their final pick, 252nd overall.

Bergen wrapped up his 2024 season, recording 48 receptions for 542 yards and 3 TDs. Over his collegiate career, the Montana alum has 2,114 return yards and 9 return TDs. The 49ers haven’t had a true game-changing returner since Ted Ginn Jr. fifteen years ago. While Bergen doesn’t possess Ginn’s elite speed, he was a highly productive return man in college and could easily be the most skilled returner currently on the 49ers’ roster, especially with little competition standing in his way.

Last season’s primary returner, Jacob Cowing, struggled. He often lost his footing before he could even make a defender miss. And with the 49ers drafting wide receiver Jordan Watkins in the fourth round, there’s no guarantee Cowing will even make the roster this year. They will be expecting Bergen to beef up this position.

After Kyle Shanahan talked about their seventh-round selection, GM Lynch answered some draft questions. Especially about how the team approached the O-line.

GM John Lynch explains approach to offensive line

Like we mentioned before, San Francisco had 11 total picks in this year’s draft. After the Niners brass bid adieu to most of their roster, people were hoping for selections on both sides of the ball. On the first day, GM John Lynch addressed the defensive needs by selecting Georgia’s edge rusher Mykel Williams. Okay, if not on the first day, the fans were hoping that Shanahan and the Niners brass would for sure address the O-line on day two.

But on day two, they picked three defensive players. It wasn’t until day 3 that the team picked an offensive player with Ole Miss WR Jordan Watkins. Then, they selected Iowa’s guard Connor Colby at 249, their second-last pick.

When Lynch was asked about the same topic, he clarified that San Francisco was looking to add players to the offensive line. But the options available didn’t align with what they were looking for. “There were a number of times that we were interested in adding, and it just didn’t come our way… And it just never really aligned.” The Niners GM then shifted to talk about offensive guard Connor Colby.

“We were happy to add Colby. We think he’s a really good scheme fit.” Lynch clarified that there were several times when Coach Kyle Shanahan and he wanted to select certain players, but it just didn’t work out, and the team didn’t want to make a pick just for the sake of it.

The Niners have never placed a heavy focus on the offensive line in past years. But, with half of their roster gone, the same roster that led them to the NFC Championship game since 2019, the team might have been better off prioritizing the offensive line this time around. So, will their gamble work out in their favor, or will they take another beating? What do you think?