Tight finish George Kittle (85) caught a 16-yard landing cross towards the Rams in a 20-17 loss within the NFC Championship Sport.
The 49ers as constituted in 2021 aren't any extra.
There was some bonding and commiserating Monday on the membership facility in addition to the flight house the earlier evening following a 20-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams within the NFC Championship Sport at SoFi Stadium.
“You by no means settle for that we misplaced, however I’ve bought to recover from myself and understand that we had an impressive season,” free security Jimmie Ward mentioned because the membership made 15 gamers accessible by video convention. “We received 10 video games within the common season, two within the postseason, made it to the NFC Championship Sport . . . I do know we misplaced so I can’t really matter that as an accomplishment, however on the similar time it was nonetheless an amazing season.”
Whereas the 49ers have a powerful base of expertise, it’s a truth of life the NFL is a revolving door as gamers are recycled based mostly on age, well being, efficiency and contract standing. These are issues that coach Kyle Shanahan and basic supervisor John Lynch will probably be checking out over the approaching days and months.
“It’s the enterprise aspect. Every year the group’s going to alter,” Ward mentioned. “Any person’s going to go to a different group and it may very well be a heartbreaker, like once we misplaced (DeForest) Buckner. The identical factor goes to occur. I belief in John and Kyle to do their job and that’s what they’re getting paid for.”
Center linebacker Fred Warner realizes change goes to return.
“It’s loopy. It’s how this enterprise goes, proper?” Warner mentioned. “It’s by no means the identical group 12 months in and 12 months out. There’s all the time going to be turnover. In fact, I would like us to attempt to preserve as many guys as we will, however that’s simply the enterprise and no matter occurs, occurs and we’re going to experience with whoever we’ve bought coming into the subsequent season.”
Six issues we realized on getaway day:
Deebo OK with double responsibility
Receiver/operating again Deebo Samuel was some of the dynamic gamers within the NFL working as each a large receiver and operating again, a grueling mixture that impressed and impressed teammates all season. Samuel is ok with the position going into the long run.
Samuel mentioned. “Like I mentioned all 12 months lengthy, I’m effective with no matter to assist this group win,” Samuel mentioned.
Samuel plans to spend time together with his son — he mentioned he hadn’t seen him in a month till Sunday’s postgame — however first has one other obligation he’d forgotten all about.
“They arrive as much as me and say the Professional Bowl is that this coming weekend,” Samuel mentioned. “I’d completely forgotten all about that. After that I’m going to go spend time with my household, particularly my son. Bought to take time without work for my physique and thoughts, so will take a few holidays earlier than getting again to coaching.”
Mixing and mingling with different NFL stars in Las Vegas, the positioning of this 12 months’s recreation, can function remedy.
“A principal cause was it might take my thoughts off what simply occurred,” Samuel mentioned. “Despite the fact that it nonetheless hurts, it will probably type of clear my thoughts slightly bit.”
No knife for Kittle
Tight finish George Kittle missed three video games on injured reserve with a calf damage that was worse than he let on, as he's notoriously guarded about his personal accidents. However Kittle did take pleasure in ending the season intact and the offseason shouldn’t embrace rehabbing of any accidents.
“Fortunately I don’t want any kind of surgical procedures. That’s superior,” Kittle mentioned. “My restoration course of will probably be to take a few weeks off, let the physique heal, and if I nonetheless really feel ache in three to 4 weeks I’ll name my trainers if I want one thing else. It’s simply relaxation is what my physique wants at this level. I made it by the entire season which I’m fairly happy with.”
Deebo, Bosa up for extensions
Samuel and defensive finish Nick Bosa are each in line for contract extensions to safe them to the franchise for the foreseeable future. That course of is starting, and neither participant is conscious of any present negotiations.
Bosa spent all final season recovering from a torn ACL and is trying ahead to an offseason program that doesn’t embrace rehab. Like Kittle, he was happy about his sturdiness.
“I truly did shock myself,” Bosa mentioned. “In the event you’d have requested me what I assumed I used to be going to have the ability to do a few months earlier than the season, I undoubtedly don’t know what I might have informed you. I simply knew I used to be in the proper fingers with who I used to be coaching with and I knew I used to be doing all the things proper. So I simply determined to stay with the plan and never dwell on the bumps within the street I handled alongside the best way. It ended up paying off. I believe my knee has improved all through the complete season.”
Gamers scheduled for unrestricted free company embrace left guard Laken Tomlinson, proper sort out Will Compton, security Jaquiski Tartt, nickel nook Ok’waun Williams and defensive sort out D.J. Jones. Each Tomlinson and Jones expressed a want to return.
Mack sounds as if he’ll return
Heart Alex Mack began all 20 video games at age 36 and sounds inclined to offer it one other go for a 14th season. He performed 12 seasons for Cleveland and Atlanta (the place Shanahan was offensive coordinator) earlier than signing with the 49ers.
“After Yr 10 I all the time mentioned I used to be going to take it one 12 months at a time, see how all the things felt and go from there,” Mack mentioned. “I'm so grateful to be part of this group and be capable to play this 12 months and have the run we did. Didn’t fairly get it accomplished, however I really like this group, love these guys and I’m positive glad I made this selection.”
So far as his degree of play, Mack mentioned, “I assumed I performed actually good ball. That’s why I selected this group and this offense. It’s a system I do know very well, however I used to be capable of be taught one thing new and develop and preserve including tips to my recreation.” 
Armstead’s inside transfer pays dividends
The 49ers’ line of defense took a quantum leap by way of efficiency as soon as Arik Armstead was moved inside to sort out after beforehand taking part in at base finish after which transferring inside on some downs.
“I noticed it as helpful to me and our group,” Armstead mentioned. “To go in and play a distinct position was comfy for my profession, rising as a participant, as a frontrunner, displaying I can actually play any place on the line of defense. I felt I might have a much bigger impression on the sport. After I was taking part in finish, groups had been operating away from me. As soon as I moved inside I used to be in a position to make use of my method and my information.”
Williams enthused about Lance
Trent Williams, the 49ers left sort out, was named as a co-winner of the Garry Niver Award for professionally coping with the native media overlaying the group. He shared it with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
So Williams, not surprisingly, was insightful when assessing the event of rookie quarterback Trey Lance.
“Trey is a really inquisitive individual. He’s not a kind of individuals who thinks he is aware of all of it,” Williams mentioned. “He involves be taught, he involves work. He’s all the time selecting brains it doesn't matter what place you play. We even had a chat final evening about how quarterback play marries up with offensive line for like an hour or so.”
Williams thinks the 49ers plan to have Lance wait a 12 months labored out completely.
“They wished to offer him a 12 months to proceed to develop, a 21-year-old who was simply sufficiently old to purchase his first beer or a pack of cigarettes. We are able to’t simply put the burden of the world of his shoulders,” Williams mentioned. “I believe it went precisely how they wished it to go. He developed properly on the follow squad, was 1-1 as a starter, he got here in and received a recreation for us once we had been in playoff mode. If we had misplaced we wouldn’t have been within the playoffs and wouldn’t have performed yesterday.”