Golden Nuggets: The 49ers have to get back to doing the little things right

This will be our second and last Sunday without San Francisco 49ers football for the remainder of the season.

Film From the Field House: Suggested Improvements and Evaluations for the 49ers

Do the Little Things

Sport demands an athlete do the little things flawlessly to be successful, which is even more true in professional football. Games are won and lost by inches – a pass that’s just an inch past a receiver’s fingertips, a defensive lineman who’s pushed two inches back that creates a gap for a running back.

This season, the 49ers have not done enough of the little things to win games – both from starters and reserve players.

During Weeks 9 and 10, rookie offensive lineman Colton McKivitz has played 44 of 128 snaps at right guard, roughly 34 percent. I still do not advocate converting tackles into guards, but McKivitz has only allowed one hurry and one pressure during the last two weeks.

Veteran Tom Compton, who has also been playing at right guard, has allowed two hurries and two pressures. Oddly, there’s no real drop in talent at right guard.

Barrows: Ranking the 49ers’ potential quarterback scenarios for 2021

Option 5: Keep Garoppolo and draft a potential challenger at some point after the first round

Likelihood: 37 percent

This seems like the most realistic option. Taking a quarterback in, say, the second round isn’t a proclamation that Garoppolo’s starting status is in peril. But it serves as notice that he can’t get too comfy. Also, a second-round quarterback presumably would upgrade the talent behind Garoppolo, who has missed 17 games and counting since landing with the 49ers.

And there may be some good options after the first round, beginning with Florida’s Kyle Trask and Alabama’s Mac Jones. Neither has the fast feet or the rocket arms of the college quarterbacks listed earlier. But both have risen in an ultra-competitive conference and appear to be the type of players Shanahan has had some success with in the past.

SF 49ers should re-sign Takkarist McKinley in 2021

Let’s assume the SF 49ers want him back. If so, and he somehow winds up with the Niners in one form another for the rest of the season, they should strongly consider re-signing him in 2021.

Granted, there’s a lot of moving parts between now and when McKinley’s contract expires at the beginning of the league’s new year this upcoming spring. San Francisco currently has a projected $23.2 million in cap space next season, according to Over the Cap, although there’s no shortage of moves the SF 49ers could make to free up space. Parting ways with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would be one of them.

SF 49ers: Exploring 4 options team has for Jimmy Garoppolo in 2021

No. 3: SF 49ers look to trade Jimmy Garoppolo

Simply cutting Jimmy Garoppolo is an option. But both Garoppolo and the Niners would likely benefit from an offseason trade, should that be the route San Francisco takes.

There’s always the thought Garoppolo’s old team, the New England Patriots, would be interested. Their current quarterback, Cam Newton, is playing nowhere near the level of his 2015 MVP season. And the Pats are scheduled to have $63.6 million in available cap space in 2021, too, making head coach Bill Belichick a realistic suitor.

The Chicago Bears could try luring Garoppolo back to his hometown, as their current quarterbacking woes are certainly holding back head coach Matt Nagy’s offense.There’s always the thought Garoppolo’s old team, the New England Patriots, would be interested. Their current quarterback, Cam Newton, is playing nowhere near the level of his 2015 MVP season. And the Pats are scheduled to have $63.6 million in available cap space in 2021, too, making head coach Bill Belichick a realistic suitor.