49ers have full offseason to-do list

SANTA CLARA — So now what?

The book is closed on the 2022 49ers, who despite their inability to keep their top three quarterbacks healthy made it to their third NFC championship game in four years.

Now it’s all about building the 2023 49ers, prohibitive favorites to defend their NFC West title and contenders worthy of the 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

The Press Democrat’s Inside the 49ers blog

Some things need to be sorted out by coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch before that can happen.

Who’s at quarterback? When Haason Reddick rearranged the elbow of Brock Purdy, the reason Shanahan avoided the topic of the 2023 starter at quarterback came into focus. Things can change in an instant.

With Purdy reportedly having sustained a full UCL tear, the job could belong to Trey Lance all over again in 2023 after his time as a starter ended during Week 2 with a broken ankle. Lance had a second surgery Dec. 30 to remove hardware from that ankle that was irritating a tendon.

Purdy might need surgery, but the hope is he won’t need a complete reconstruction such as a “Tommy John” procedure that could sideline him for the year.

Regardless, Purdy won’t be much of a factor in the offseason, giving Lance time to establish himself. Whether Purdy is healthy enough for a training camp “competition” after winning two playoff games remains to be seen.

Don’t be surprised if there’s a movement afoot to allow each team a third “emergency” quarterback to prevent the kind of disaster that befell the 49ers on Sunday against Philadelphia.

As for the yearly Tom Brady-Aaron Rodgers rumors, odds appear slim that the 49ers would go in for huge money at the position if Purdy and Lance are good to go after winning 13 regular-season games and two playoff contests.

And if none of that works out, there’s always Jimmy Garoppolo, scheduled for free agency. It’s no more unlikely than it was a year ago at this time.

The Bosa extension: The likely NFL Defensive Player of the Year is on the books for a $17.9 million salary after the 49ers exercised his fifth-year option a year ago. Chances of Bosa taking the field without an extension, however, are slim.

If and when that happens, expect Bosa to be the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL in terms of average salary. That distinction currently belongs to Aaron Donald at $31,666,667. The 49ers have a history of writing big checks to their best players. Bosa should be no different.

Bosa’s camp surely took note of Monday’s news that the 2023 salary cap came in higher than expected at $224.8 million per club.

Signing own free agents: The 49ers can designate any of their unrestricted free agents as a franchise or transition player starting Feb. 21 through March 7, but it isn’t a tool they normally use. This offseason should be no different.

Ideally, players are signed before hitting the open market. Starters scheduled for free agency include slot corner Jimmie Ward, defensive end Samson Ebukam, right tackle Mike McGlinchey, center Jake Brendel, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, placekicker Robbie Gould and safety Tashaun Gipson.

One name to watch out for is Emmanuel Moseley, who was lost to a torn ACL on Oct. 9. He’s scheduled to be a free agent; the 49ers would love to bring him back and in the grim reality of NFL economics, he’ll be pretty affordable.

Targeting outside free agents: The 49ers made only one big-ticket signing last season in cornerback Charvarius Ward of the Kansas City Chiefs. Teams are always in the market for corners and edge rushers, although this year’s free-agent class is pretty slim in both areas.

If Gipson doesn’t return, starting Bengals safeties Vonn Bell and Jesse Bates III are both scheduled for free agency.

The negotiating period for free agency is from March 13-15.

Replacing DeMeco Ryans: The defensive coordinator, who replaced Robert Saleh after the 2020 season, agreed Tuesday to become the head coach for the Houston Texans. With his absence, Shanahan could promote secondary coach Cory Undlin, who was a coordinator in Detroit in 2020.

Although Vic Fangio reportedly agreed to join former 49ers assistant Mike McDaniel in Miami, subsequent reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle’s Mike Silver quoted Fangio as saying “Nothing has been decided on my end.”

Whoever gets the job will assume one of the most talented defenses in the NFL.

What to do about Kinlaw? While Bosa was retained on a fifth-year option, the 49ers probably won’t do the same for Javon Kinlaw, a first-round pick in 2020 who has battled knee issues since he arrived.

That would make Kinlaw eligible for free agency following the 2023 season.

Feeling the draft: Even with the Lance and Christian McCaffrey deals, the 49ers have 10 selections from rounds 3-7, including three in the third. That gives Lynch the maneuverability to move up if the 49ers desire when the draft begins April 27.

The personnel department will begin to get a look at prospective selections at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis beginning Feb. 28.

Offseason development for young players: Drake Jackson, an edge rusher who played sparingly and was inactive in the postseason, will hopefully be this year’s Aaron Banks, the left guard who was a non-factor as a rookie and blossomed into a solid starter in Year 2.

The athletic training staff will be looking hard at ways to get a solid base under Elijah Mitchell, who was unable to stay healthy as a second-year player and was inactive against the Eagles because of a groin strain.

Deebo Samuel, who was a spectator through much of training camp because of a contract issue, wasn’t the factor in 2022 that he was in 2021. A full offseason gives Shanahan the chance ton return Samuel to top form as well as devise ways to use him along with Christian McCaffrey.