SANTA CLARA — Not a week goes by where 49ers players, coach Kyle Shanahan or general manager John Lynch fail to mention “the standard.”
Teams with championship aspirations have lofty standards. The 49ers’ 6-10 record heading into Sunday’s season finale on the road against Arizona (7-9) stands as evidence of coming up well short.
I’m reminded of a member of the Raiders’ coaching staff in 2005 who during the course of casual conversation opined that the only player on the roster who had a good year was edge rusher Derrick Burgess.
Burgess was coming off a 16-sack season, was headed to the Pro Bowl and a second-team All-Pro as a free agent.
With the entire coaching staff waiting for the axe to fall, there was no sense in pointing out that it’s up to the coaches to put their players in the best position to excel and that surely they bore some responsibility for a 4-12 record.
You can say the same thing about 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and his staff. They’re as responsible as the players for what’s happened, along with myriad injuries, bad luck and even personal tragedy.
“I work as hard as I can at my individual performance,” Shanahan said Wednesday. “So I’m frustrated with our season. I’m responsible for everything.”
Which 49ers players have met or exceeded the standard set for the 2024 season? It’s a short list, as the win-loss record would suggest.
Let’s leave the rookies out of this. It’s been an extremely promising draft class, from first-round pick Ricky Pearsall to undrafted free agent Evan Anderson.
Rookies aside, the following 49ers among frontline players met or exceeded a standard that could be expected based on their role and rate of pay in 2024:
Tight end George Kittle
Pro Bowler is proudly carrying the torch of a the 49ers’ standard with 76 receptions, 1,079 yards and eight touchdowns and a zest for blocking. A contract standoff could be in the offing.
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir
Received five-year, $89 million extension and hasn’t given up a touchdown pass this season playing both outside and in the slot.
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings
Just 77 yards shy of a 1,000-yard season with 73 receptions, 923 yards and six touchdowns. An enthusiastic blocker who expanded his game as a split end.
Right tackle Colton McKivitz
Surprised? McKivitz has met the standard of a relatively modest $7 million extension signed in 2024. Durable and reliable.
Fullback Kyle Juszczyk
Nine-time Pro Bowler could be on the verge of being replaced but Juszczyk remains uniquely suited to the system and is a Shanahan favorite.
Middle linebacker Fred Warner leads the 49ers in tackles despite playing with a fractured ankle for much of the season. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group
DID NOT MEET STANDARD
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel
Needed to come up huge with Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk sidelined. Instead, Samuel has 51 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns and hasn’t been effective as a runner (42 carries, 136 yards and one touchdown).
Place kicker Jake Moody
Moody has made just 10 of 18 field goal attempts since missing three games with a high ankle sprain. It’s that injury, along with his status as a third-round draft pick, that has the 49ers being extraordinarily patient.
Defensive end Nick Bosa
As the NFL’s highest paid defender, Bosa made the Pro Bowl but should have more than nine sacks as well as some game-changing plays in the form of strip sacks or forced turnovers. Has been very good when greatness is expected.
Linebacker Fred Warner
Couldn’t finish a Week 4 win over New England but ended up not missing a game despite an ankle fracture, taking pain-killing injections to be ready. A Pro Bowler and the 49ers leading tackler with 123, but coverage skills and tackling were spotty for a time after he was hurt.
Quarterback Brock Purdy
A dropoff in terms of stats could be expected with all the injuries surrounding Purdy, but a penchant for second-half interceptions is something he’ll need to improve on after signing a lucrative contract extension.
Defensive end Leonard Floyd
Floyd has 8 1/2 sacks but disappeared for long stretches. When paired with Bosa, it’s fair to assume the 49ers expected more or a rush from both sides.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward
Got good news with the birth of his son Charvarius Jr. Beset by personal tragedy with the loss of his daughter. Had no interceptions in 11 games after having five while being a second-team All-Pro in 2023. Likely headed elsewhere in free agency.
Safety Ji’Ayir Brown
Has just one interception and has had communication issues with fellow safeties most of the season.
Safety Talanoa Hufanga
Missed considerable time after ACL surgery with an ankle injury and a wrist injury that needed surgery. In six games, provided a spark initially but appeared lost against Detroit. Scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent.
Center Jake Brendel
Virtually every metric outside the organization for judging offensive linemen has Brendel among the least effective at his position.
Defensive tackles Maliek Collins, Jordan Elliott
Had their moments but the 49ers simply didn’t have the kind of push needed on the interior defensive line nor did they stop the run adequately.
Running back Christian McCaffrey (23) played in just four games because of injury issues. Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group
AMONG THE INJURED RESERVE
Brandon Aiyuk: He wasn’t the only holdout, but was the strangest one. Never did find his 2023 form in seven games after missing camp before a torn ACL ended his season
Trent Williams: Hall of Fame-bound left tackle missed training camp in a contract holdout, played just 10 games before an ankle injury and endured the loss of his newborn son.
Christian McCaffrey: Last year’s Offensive Player of the Year was also a holdout, battled bi-lateral Achilles tendinitis and finally a PCL strain that ended his season after four games with 50 carries for 202 yards and 15 receptions for 146 yards. Didn’t score a touchdown.
Dre Greenlaw: His one half of play against the Rams after offseason Achilles surgery was one of the highlights of a lost season, then was done with a calf injury. Scheduled for unrestricted free agency.
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Javon Hargrave: Prize 2023 free agent may be a cap casualty after two seasons. A torn triceps limited him to three games.
Aaron Banks: Starting left guard played in 13 games and not always well. Missed time with a concussion and then a knee injury. Scheduled for unrestricted free agency.
Jordan Mason: Headed for a 1,000-yard season before being sidelined with a high ankle sprain. Gained 789 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry in 12 games. A restricted free agent.
George Odum: Special teams ace on a team with poor special teams overall played 11 games before a biceps injury ended his season.
Mitch Wishnowsky: Punter played in nine games before being sidelined by a back injury.
