SANTA CLARA – The 49ers entered the offseason with their presumptive franchise quarterback locked up to a lucrative, long-term contract.
They also ended the 2017 season on a five-game win streak. Plenty of players in the locker room said they wished the season were just beginning, not coming to a conclusion.
The 49ers accomplished good things down the stretch, including victories over playoff teams Jacksonville, Tennessee and the L.A. Rams, who were resting many of their starters in the season finale. But those wins do not carry over to 2018, even if the momentum was palpable.
Coach Kyle Shanahan also knows that it is a completely different challenge when the pressure is on down the stretch of the NFL regular season, as opposed to the 49ers of a year ago.