The next two weeks are critical for the 49ers, who aim to return to the terrain they occupied in 2019 as the best NFC team.
General manager John Lynch manages a squad with some gaps in this off-season phase. He is not alone. Most NFL teams face similar dilemmas in what should be a fascinating free agent subscription period.
Lowering the salary cap is likely to create an element of chaos in the league. Many teams must make cuts to meet the salary cap. The teams will still spend a lot of money on great talent. But they must also manage their lineups to cut costs with a large segment of lower-priced players.
As 49ers put their plan into practice to form their list, here’s a look at their biggest needs – in ascending order – as their list is currently being built.