Which Side of the Ball for the 49ers Improved Most This Offseason?

Is the defense still the dominant force of the team?

2019 was nothing short of phenomenal for the San Francisco 49ers, especially when it comes to their defense. 

No one had foreseen how dominant they would be on that side of the ball, because Kyle Shanahan is an offensive oriented head coach. Typically, the strengths of a team reflect what side of the ball the head coach focuses on. 

If the 49ers were to be elite, then it was going to be because of their offense. They were still profound offensively. It just wasn't as dangerous as the defense.

When the 2020 season rolls along, there could be a different tune being sung and that has to do with the player they lost. The loss of DeForest Buckner is essentially cutting out the heart of the defense. 

Javon Kinlaw is an adequate replacement, but the reality is that he is not going to sniff Buckner's impact in Year 1. The Niners' defense was already horrid against the run, and Kinlaw is not particularly polished in that area yet.

The same could be said about Brandon Aiyuk, who is acting as a replacement to Emmanuel Sanders. But with Jalen Hurd and Trent Taylor returning, the production at wide receiver should be improved.

Considering all of the 49ers' losses and additions: which side of the ball improved the most this offseason?

It has to be the offense. As much as the defense has remained intact aside from Buckner, they are going to drop off a bit in 2020. Kinlaw is just not going to be close to Buckner's impact for the entire season.

The most concerning issue will be the run defense. The 49ers were already suspect in that department with Buckner. Now they are rolling out a rookie in Kinlaw whose run defense is the weakest part of his game. Of course, Kinlaw will hopefully improve upon that trait and become adequate.

But to instantly expect him to be solid there is just not realistic. It would not shock me if Robert Saleh ended up pushing an extra player close to the line of scrimmage on obvious run downs. 

When it comes to the offense, the 49ers have vastly improved this offseason and will look much improved in 2020. Aiyuk can replicate the production by Sanders. And as previously stated, Hurd and Taylor returning should aid that as well. Jauan Jennings could even shine along with Travis Benjamin. I fully expect the wide receivers to be better in 2020 than with Sanders in 2019 because of all that depth.

Even though the receivers have gotten a massive boost this offseason, they are not the tipping point for why the offense has improved. The acquisition of Trent Williams is the determining factor since he makes a world of a difference. Williams is a much better player than Staley and has had a full-year off to recoup any exhausted energy from seasons prior.

Just imagine if Williams was on the team last season. The 49ers would not have had to roll out Justin Skule at left tackle. I know that Skule was manageable for the most part while Staley was out, but it is not like he wasn't a liability. Shanahan would have to account for him in his play-calling with added protection as insurance to ensure his play would be fully executed. 

That would not have happened with Williams.

2020 should see an improved offense with a stout defense. It should not shock anyone to see the offense become the primary dominant force of the team.