SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- True to form, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick took a moment in his Monday news conference to point out that his franchise is now working from a disadvantage and must try to catch up to the rest of the league in planning for the 2017 season.
"As great as today is, in all honesty, we're five weeks behind 30 teams in the league in preparing for the 2017 season," Belichick said.
The statement drew chuckles from the audience, considering Belichick and the Patriots had just won their fifth Super Bowl in epic comeback fashion. But Belichick is correct. Many teams around the league have already begun planning for free agency and the NFL draft. And though the Patriots' personnel department has certainly been doing its share of preparation, the coaching staff was game planning.
Still, the trade-off of five weeks of studying potential draftees and free agents for a Super Bowl victory is one the rest of the league would happily make. Which brings us to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Niners' season ended with most of the NFL's, on Jan. 1 (after a 2-14 season), and they have spent the past month searching for and waiting to hire general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan. Although the Niners' personnel department has been making the rounds on the college all-star circuit, that task was made more difficult by the lack of direction from a coach and general manager.
What's worse, they don't have the benefit of a Lombardi Trophy to make the extra hours of playing catch-up go faster. That isn't to say the 49ers should regret doing what they did. What it does mean is there's a whole lot of work in front of Shanahan and Lynch as they begin the process of rebuilding the 49ers.
“I am very excited to dedicate myself to the process that lies ahead," Shanahan said in a statement Monday. "The first step in that process is identifying talented individuals who love the game of football as much as John and I do -- coaches, players and staff. We are looking for individuals who work hard and are dedicated to doing things the right way, always in the best interest of the team. Most importantly, we want to give our fans a team they can be proud of on and off the field.”
There are plenty of tasks, both big and small, ahead for Shanahan & Co., but for now, here's a look at the three most pressing issues they must address:
1. Hire a staff
Because it wasn't exactly a well-kept secret that he would become the 49ers' coach, Shanahan had some time to ponder what his coaching staff might look like. In fact, it's safe to assume he floated some names to the Niners and Lynch at their second interview in Atlanta, allowing them to begin working through the appropriate channels.
Expect Shanahan to start putting his staff in place this week and to potentially get most of it done by the end of the week. Chances are there will be some holdovers, with outside linebackers coach Jason Tarver, secondary coach Jeff Hafley and running backs coach Tom Rathman expected to return in some capacity.
Perhaps of most importance will be what happens at defensive coordinator. Shanahan is known for his offensive background, and the Niners had the worst defense in the league in a number of categories last season. FoxSports.com reported Sunday that Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores could be in the mix for the job, NFL Network mentioned former Jaguars linebackers coach Robert Saleh, and the Sporting News offered Falcons defensive passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson as an option. Jim O'Neil, who was the Niners' defensive coordinator in 2016, worked with Shanahan in Cleveland.
As for the personnel department, Lynch already hired Adam Peters as his vice president of player personnel, but other changes could be in the offing.
Regardless, with a first-time head coach and a first-time general manager, hiring top-notch coaches and talent evaluators will be of the utmost importance in the days and weeks to come.
2. Prepare for free agency and the trade market with an eye on a quarterback
When all is said and done, the Niners figure to have upward of $80 million in salary-cap space when the new league year begins in March. They're going to need it, given the roster holes that need to be filled.
First and foremost, Shanahan will have to figure out what direction he wants to go at quarterback. Colin Kaepernick is still expected to opt out of his contract, which would leave the team with no signal-callers under contract for 2017.
One of Shanahan's career hallmarks has been his ability to get the most out of his quarterbacks. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported over the weekend that Shanahan would like to bring veteran Matt Schaub with him to San Francisco. Schaub would be a good mentor for whomever else the Niners bring in because of his knowledge of Shanahan's system.
The Niners have also been connected to Washington's Kirk Cousins and New England's Jimmy Garoppolo in possible trade scenarios, and Chicago's Jay Cutler has been mentioned as a possibility. The next few weeks will offer Shanahan a chance to gauge the quarterback market and what it will cost to land a top target -- and find the best fit.
3. Look toward the draft
Like most decision-makers, Shanahan and Lynch will want to put much of their attention on building through the draft. The good news for them is they have the No. 2 overall pick in this year's selection process. They'll have to start diving into college tape right away.
The NFL scouting combine is set to begin at the end of the month, and college pro days will follow. Perhaps the team will opt for a quarterback there, but in what's expected to be a class without a clear-cut top option at the position, the Niners will have to do a lot of homework on anyone they might consider.