As the 49ers prepare to watch their division rivals in the Super Bowl tonight, let’s take a look at a few notes on the team’s outlook for next season:
- We learned yesterday that the 49ers were set to add Clancy Pendergast (inside linebackers coach) and Tim Lewis (defensive backs coach) to its defensive coaching staff, and Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News adds that the team has also tabbed Scott Brown as its next defensive line coach. Brown served as the 49ers’ Midwest-region scout in each of the past three seasons after working for over 30 years as a college assistant. He most recently worked in the college ranks with Arizona State in 2011.
- Although many have expressed skepticism over the 49ers’ recent coaching decisions, beginning with their decision to part ways with Jim Harbaugh, CEO Jed York believes that the staff he has assembled will allow Colin Kaepernick to fulfill his vast potential. York said, “But with [Kaepernick] you got a guy in (new offensive coordinator) Geep Chryst who knows him better than anybody else. You have a great guy in (new quarterbacks coach) Steve Logan that’s coming in that’s going to work with him on fundamentals and to put a system that’s going to put Kap in the best position to make plays…We can throw the ball in ways that allows him to be successful and let him be the absolute stud that he can be on the field, and that’s what you’re going to see from us next year.” (link via Kevin Patra of NFL.com).
- In a separate piece, Inman looks at 10 ways the 49ers could get back to the Super Bowl in 2015 and become the first true home team in a Super Bowl. Inman notes that the coaches must mesh quickly and become the staff that York apparently believes they can be, but he also says San Francisco would do well to add a tall, speedy wide receiver to give Kaepernick the type of weapon he has never really enjoyed. With Anquan Boldin entering his 13th year, Michael Crabtree likely to depart in free agency, and the question marks surrounding Vernon Davis, the team’s receiving corps is a major area of concern.