The defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers open the season on Sept. 13 against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium. After a disappointing fourth-quarter collapse in Super Bowl LIV, the Niners enter 2020 with championship expectations. That's a far cry from a year ago, when not much was expected and the 49ers surged to a 13-3 record.
With much of the roster and most of the coaching staff back, San Francisco believes it has what it needs to return to the big game -- and win it this time.
Here's a 53-man roster projection:
QUARTERBACK (3): Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Mullens, C.J. Beathard
The 49ers have kept three quarterbacks in recent years; it's unlikely that will stop this year, given the coronavirus pandemic. Of more interest is how this position shapes up beyond this season, as Beathard is set to be an unrestricted free agent and Mullens will be a restricted free agent.