The San Francisco 49ers had a very promising 2022 season, but it ended with a lopsided defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
They had no chance almost from the start, as starting quarterback Brock Purdy tore the UCL in his throwing elbow early in the contest.
But their prospects are looking good for 2023, as Purdy is expected back sometime in September and the team has retained just about all of its main contributors.
A video posted to the team’s official Twitter account shows some of those contributors looking energized during OTAs.
Bringing the energy 🔋 pic.twitter.com/di4AVNSBEo
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 24, 2023
The 2022 campaign started with quarterback Trey Lance winning the starting spot, only to suffer a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2.
Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo took over under center, but San Francisco’s offense, especially their running game, was anemic, and they stumbled to a 3-4 start.
But everything changed when they traded for star running back Christian McCaffrey in October, and his dual-threat skills transformed their offensive potency.
He had a total of 1,210 rushing and receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games with the Niners as they began a long winning streak.
When Purdy, then a rookie, replaced the injured Garoppolo in Week 13, it started to look like they were possibly a championship team in the making.
The biggest reason why was their defense, which was the best in the NFL, and it could be even better this fall and winter thanks to the addition of star defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.
The Eagles may still be the top dogs in the NFC, but the 49ers are right behind them.
NEXT: Trey Lance Reveals A New Mindset In 2023
