Things to Look for in the Final Game for the 49ers

As the 49ers head into the offseason, here are three things that could change based on the final game of the season against the Seahawks.

The San Francisco 49ers will play their final game of the 2020 season in a “home” matchup against the NFC West Champion Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers are coming off a 20-12 upset victory against the Arizona Cardinals in Arizona, led by a coaching clinic from head coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

The 6-9 49ers look to end the tumultuous 2020 season on a high note after a season not many people in the 49ers organization expected. After this game, the 49ers offseason fiasco will commence, as the team will decide what assets they will want to bring in and not bring back to make a run for the Lombardi trophy in 2021. The 49ers will have 27 unrestricted free agents this offseason, and with questions at the quarterback position along with other players being moved, general manager John Lynch and Shanahan will have their hands full with the different decisions they will have to make.

Some of those decisions have already been made. Kicker Robbie Gould signed a renegotiated contract Wednesday, locking him up with the 49ers until 2022. The two-year, $7.25 million fully guaranteed extension for the 38-year-old kicker is a restructured deal that saves the 49ers $2.75 million in cap space.

More decisions will be made after the 49ers play the Seahawks on Sunday. For most of the players on the team, it will be their final time this season to showcase why Lynch and Shanahan should bring back these players next season. Along with this, potential coaching changes will more likely than not be made, particularly at the defensive coordinator position with the imminent departure of Saleh for a head coaching job. In a game that may seem meaningless in terms of a playoff run, it will prove more meaningful for the transition of the disappointing 2020 season to the more hopeful 2021 season.

Here are three things to look for in the 49ers final game of the season heading into the offseason:

1. How quickly will Robert Saleh get hired as a head coach, and how quickly will the 49ers find his replacement?

Robert Saleh has been nothing short of excellent this season. After losing star defensive player Nick Bosa and other pieces on the defense throughout the year, Saleh’s ability to game plan and adjust during the game puts him up there as one of the best defensive coordinators in the league. His infectious enthusiasm and energy on the sideline partnered with his intelligence as a coach will make him a strong candidate for any team looking for a head coach.

This game could have an impact on how quickly he gets hired. Seattle still has seeding to play for, and with a performance similar to last week, Saleh could be hired in a matter of days if he is able to contain the potent Seattle offense. Even if they don’t win the game, if Saleh’s defense can hold the Seahawks to less than 24 points, that would make his case even stronger, and teams who are already lined up at the door will look to cut each other off to get Saleh in their building first.

On the other hand, the 49ers will have to decide who they want to replace Saleh with once he leaves. Names like Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris and former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn have been thrown out there, as well as names who are in the organization now like Kris Koucerek and DeMeco Ryans. Once Saleh departs, the 49ers will have to decide in a timely manner who they want to bring in. Morris and Ryans seem to be the two front runners for the position, but with Morris potentially looking for a head coaching job of his own and Ryans potentially following Saleh to be his defensive coordinator, the 49ers must be quick to decide who they want to replace Saleh with before time runs out.

2. How will this game affect where Jason Verrett and K'waun Williams play next season?

Jason Verrett and K’waun Williams are the two best corners on the 49ers roster right now. Both are scheduled to be free agents this offseason, and with every corner on the roster set to be a free agent and the likely departure of Richard Sherman, this game will be a telling sign of how high both Verrett and Williams will be on the free agent signing list.

Verrett played one of his best games of the season last week, holding star wideout DeAndre Hopkins to a limited performance. Williams also had one of his best games of the year, finishing with six tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss. Outside of the stat line, Williams locked down whatever wide receiver he was guarding, proving to be one of the best slot corners in the league.

If Verrett and Williams come out of this game with a strong performance against D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, Verrett and Williams should be considered even higher priorities to re-sign this offseason. Both corners have shown injury histories, and with Verrett having his best year since his run of injuries, the 49ers may be able to bring both back on discounted deals if they decide to return to the Red and Gold next season.

On the other hand, if Verrett and Williams look for a well-deserved pay raise this offseason, they could follow Saleh wherever he goes and get their money there, especially is Saleh goes to the Jacksonville Jaguars, as they have $80 million in cap space and will likely have Trevor Lawrence as their QB next season. This could then lead to the 49ers re-signing Ahkello Witherspoon to a one-year deal based on what he has shown in the final few weeks of the season, but ideally, bringing back Verrett and Williams will be important.

Whatever happens, with solid performances from Verrett and Williams on Sunday, it will make the 49ers decisions even tougher next offseason, making it more important to bring these two back on the roster next season.

3. Could C.J. Beathard play himself back on the roster next season?

C.J. Beathard was 13 of 22 with 182 yards and three touchdowns in the 49ers win last Sunday against the Cardinals. With questions in the QB room this offseason, it may be wise to bring back at least one of the three QBs currently on the roster next season, and that option could very well be Beathard. With Jimmy Garoppolo potentially out the door due to financials and injury concerns as well as Nick Mullens potentially needing a major surgery on his elbow, Beathard would be the option to bring back next season, as it would be beneficial to bring back at least one QB who knows the 49ers system and is familiar with it.

Beathard will be without Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams this week due to injury, but this is still a great opportunity to play himself into a spot on the roster next season. By no means will he be playing for a starting role or perhaps not even a backup QB spot for this team, but Beathard could be playing for a QB No. 3 spot on the roster. The 49ers are not likely looking at re-signing Beathard as a long-term answer for the QB position, but if he can come in for a couple series if the starter and backup get hurt, and maybe even play a game or two, Shanahan and the 49ers offense have shown they can be somewhat sustainable with Beathard under center.

Beathard has shown moments of sufficient quarterback play in the past two games he has appeared in, displaying his athletic ability outside of the pocket while also showcasing his big arm and zip when he throws the ball. With a strong performance on Sunday, Beathard could very well be on his way back to the 49ers in 2021.

Vinny Saglimbeni is a writer for All49ersSI. Follow him on Twitter: @vinnysaglimbeni.