The 49ers didn't actually try to make their roster better in free agency.
They let every starting-caliber free agent walk and signed a bunch of backups. And they did this mostly to save money.
They also want to get younger, and they have a whopping 11 draft picks this year. That's where they'll attempt to find cost-efficient starters who can make in impact right away.
That's why despite the 49ers' dramatic loss of talent, NFL.com's Eric Edholm still ranks them 18th among 32 NFL teams -- near the middle of the pack.
"In just the first week of the new year," writes Edholm, "the 49ers have lost Jaylon Moore and Aaron Banks on the offensive line, Talanoa Hufanga and Charvarius Ward in the secondary, Dre Greenlaw and Javon Hargrave in the front seven, offensive chess piece Deebo Samuel and others. All while adding mostly reserves on lower-end contracts.
"San Francisco has four picks in the top 100, including the 11th overall selection, plus two fourth-rounders, but that draft currency is only going to bear so much fruit in Year 1. It's arguable that no other NFC West team has dramatically upgraded its roster so far, but it's beyond a stretch to suggest that the Niners have gained ground on the rest of the division after a last-place finish.
"A star-focused nucleus and Kyle Shanahan's wizardry remain in place to fall back on, but the lack of talent/depth at certain positions is a bit scary for now."
That "star-focused nucleus" which consists of Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle, is getting pretty old. Plus, it's unclear how much Brandon Aiyuk will play this year.
In addition, Shanahan didn't seem to have much "wizardry" last season without McCaffrey playing like Superman.
All things considered, this ranking is generous.
