If the movements of a team during free agency is indicative of the final results (the jury has been out on that for years), the two teams in the Super Bowl will be the 49ers and the Browns…
Look, both teams were bad last year. We know that. The Browns could muster a win and have a couple of picks in the top 5 of the first round (1 and 4). The 49ers didn’t win until they put Jimmy Garapolo in at the end of the season. But they have not been languishing in their mediocrity.
Actually, you can say that they would have been happy with mediocrity, because they were that bad. But look at the roster moves that the two teams have managed before the league year began on Wednesday. Each team has begun to amass playmakers via trades and with splash signings in Free Agency.
Can a team go from worst to first (The Browns)? If they make the right picks in the draft, they have the capability to make life miserable for the rest of their division. It all depends on how well the players buy in to the vision of the head coach.
The 49ers have shown with their new GM, John Lynch, that they are willing to build a better team through smart drafting and trading. The players who come to San Francisco are coming because they see the leadership of the quarterback, the coaching staff and the ownership. This could be a year where the 49ers could overtake the cap strapped Seahawks and the Quarterback needy Cardinals, and give the Rams powerhouse a run for its money. Even if they don’t win the division, they could still make the playoffs as a wild card and then run the table (stranger things have happened).
Whether you agree or not, a lot of teams look great on paper during the off season. If the 49ers and Browns are not the best two paper teams this season, leave a comment below and let us know who you think will make the Super Bowl based on current rosters (and the upcoming draft picks).
