49ers' most dramatic Super Bowl 58 injury could have huge influence on their offseason plans at key position
The San Francisco 49ers don't have time to feel sorry for themselves following their Super Bowl 58 loss. Plans for the 2024 season must be made in earnest, and that will include making decisions at a key area of the defense that proved crucial in their defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. One of the […]
The San Francisco 49ers don't have time to feel sorry for themselves following their Super Bowl 58 loss. Plans for the 2024 season must be made in earnest, and that will include making decisions at a key area of the defense that proved crucial in their defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.
One of the most agonizing moments of that overtime loss came when starting linebacker Dre Greenlaw tore his Achilles running on to the field in the second quarter following a punt.
The pain of that moment was encapsulated by Greenlaw's running mate at linebacker, All-Pro Fred Warner, producing an extremely emotional reaction to the point where he was inconsolable on the sidelines.
And the loss of Greenlaw had a massive impact on the 49ers' 25-22 loss, as his replacement at WILL linebacker, Oren Burks, was picked on in coverage. Burks gave up nine receptions on nine targets for 67 yards and a touchdown, per Pro Football Focus.
While general manager John Lynch praised Burks as "fantastic" in the 49ers' end of season press conference, his struggles could well have a significant influence on San Francisco's offseason plans at linebacker.
With Greenlaw not a guarantee to be ready for the start of the 2024 season, the Niners need to have viable options next to Warner. However, Burks is a free agent this offseason and the appetite to bring him back may be less when the 49ers are honest about his display in private.
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, who also stepped up with Greenlaw out, is set to hit the open market as well. But with the 49ers boasting two 2023 draft picks in Dee Winters and Jalen Graham who each impressed in preseason, the 49ers could instead look to vault that duo up the depth chart and into a potential starting role and allow at least one of Burks or Flannigan-Fowles to leave for pastures new.
The 49ers don't have much room for manoeuvre in terms of cap space and, though neither Burks nor Flannigan-Fowles would command much in terms of a contract, there's certainly at least small financial motivation to give more playing time to the two linebackers they have on rookie contracts rather than re-signing their more experienced reserves.
Of course, such decisions aren't made in the vacuum of one game, even if it was the Super Bowl. Still, when the 49ers sit down to assess which of their free agents they should try to keep around, Burks' efforts on the biggest stage may come into their thinking.
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