Why The 49ers Have Struggled On Offense
The San Francisco 49ers are sitting at 3-4 with an offense that has struggled to put points on the board despite having all-pro talent on that side of the ball. What has been the biggest change from last year to this year? Why has the offense struggled to score? It actually might just boil down to one player’s production.
Who Is The Key To Success On Offense For The 49ers?
The 49ers are only scoring 18.7 points per game on offense despite having faced some inferior rosters this season. This is not new territory for San Francisco as the offense struggled in the first half of last season as well. How is it that the offense struggles so greatly with Kyle Shanahan calling the plays and multiple players on offense who are all-pro caliber?
The easy answer is to point to the quarterback. Now that is definitely a factor as Jimmy Garoppolo is a very limited quarterback and also the backup. The 49ers had no intention of entering this season with Garoppolo starting games for them which is why they held him out of camp and didn’t give him a playbook until it was apparent they would not find a trade partner. Shanahan and the staff clearly planned on operating an offense that was meant for Trey Lance’s skillset.
While Garoppolo isn’t playing great and has his fair share of mistakes, that isn’t new for the 49ers either. They have dealt with that reality for the last few years with Garoppolo and they have still found ways to make deep playoff runs and find success offensively. So what changed? The offensive line is a factor as well, but Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford have impressed on the interior. The key to the 49ers getting the offense going revolves around one player, Deebo Samuel.
Samuel is coming off a career season in which he was a first-team all-pro after taking the league by storm as a wide back in 2021. The fourth-year receiver just signed a three-year contract extension late in the off-season and it is time his production matches what they paid for. Samuel who averaged 87.8-receiving yards per game in 2021 is only averaging 55.3-receiving yards per game through seven games this season. He also currently has a career-low in catch percentage, catching only 59.3 percent of his targets.
Samuel last year was the key to getting the offense going. His versatility in the passing and running game was what made the 49ers dynamic last season, but this year it looks as if opposing teams have adjusted. Samuel this season has 138-rushing yards on 24 carries averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Last season, he averaged 6.2 yards per carry so it doesn’t sound so different, right? Well, Deebo Samuel’s longest run of the season game on a 51-yard rush that was nearly blown up in the backfield. Excluding that single play, Samuel has 87-rushing yards on 23 carries averaging only 3.8 yards per carry. This is a dramatic difference from last season.
To make things worse, Samuel also currently has a career-high in drop percentage, dropping 13 percent of his targets. When Deebo was targeted last season, the 49ers had a 106.2 passer rating on offense as opposed to this season’s rating of 70.5 when targeting him. What is the root cause of this? Is it truly defenses adjusting? Play calling? Jimmy G?
At this point, it could be a combination of everything, but it is clear what the biggest difference in the offense is. The dynamic that Deebo gave the Niners feels like it is gone. In reality, Samuel carried the offense last season and dragged them to the NFC Conference Championship game along with the defense. Now without Deebo carrying the load, it is no secret why the offense is struggling. Samuel needs to execute better.
Some have criticized his route running following film reviews due to what looks like a lack of effort on routes at times during games. This combined with seven drops this season after totaling ten in 2021, is a recipe for disaster. Garoppolo is a limited quarterback, you simply cannot average a drop per game with him under center. The margin for error is very small and these issues can be corrected. However, what if the league has figured out how to stop Deebo Samuel?
It’s going to be up to Shanahan and the staff to find new ways to get Deebo involved and get the most out of his versatility in both the passing and running game. These struggles make the Christian McCaffrey trade make even more sense. The 49ers have had one playmaker get iced in the running game, so why not go grab another who can play multiple positions?
This is also why I make the case for signing Odell Beckham Jr. even though his return will be at the back end of the season. Along with Deebo Samuel’s drops, wideout Jauan Jennings leads this team in drop percentage at an awful 20.2 percent. Knowing those two guys don’t have the most reliable hands and when you remember the two crucial drops in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago down the field, this is another achilles heel of the offense.
Beckham Jr. is one of the most talented wide receivers you could ask for and shouldn’t be crazy expensive considering his return is likely coming in December and he is coming off a knee injury. Odell also never dropped a pass on the Rams last season and was possibly on his way to winning Super Bowl MVP until he got hurt during the championship contest. OBJ would give the 49ers another dynamic weapon they could integrate in time for late in the season and the playoffs for passing downs. More than anything, a good route runner and someone with extremely reliable hands.
While Odell is a discussion for another time, the 49ers need to focus on their current issues. They must find new ways to get the most out of Deebo Samuel and he must execute better as well. McCaffrey hopefully should help Samuel do just that without having to drag this offense to the playoffs.
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