The 49ers’ 2024 season is over after they lost Sunday to the Cardinals in Arizona.
There is a lot of work ahead in the offseason if they want to return to the playoffs after an underwhelming NFC title defense this season, going 6-11 and finishing last in the NFC West.
The Niners will pick No. 11 overall in the NFL Draft, set for April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They’ll have the 11th pick in subsequent rounds, too, and need help along both the offensive and defensive line, as well as cornerback if Charvarius Ward departs in free agency.
Beyond the No. 11 overall pick, they’ll draft at Nos. 43 and 75 in the second and third rounds, and pick up a compensatory third-rounder for having DeMeco Ryans and Ran Tarthon hired away as the Texans’ head coach and Titans’ GM, respectively. They will, however, lose their fifth-rounder over an administrative payroll error reported just before the 2024 draft.
After finishing in the basement of their division, the Niners will play a fourth-place schedule in addition to their NFC West foes, the NFC South and the AFC South. But they’ll have nine road games next season after playing nine at home in 2024.
Home opponents: Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears
Road opponents: Rams, Seahawks, Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns