San Francisco 49ers: 10 Things We've Learned This Offseason

Fans of the San Francisco 49ers have learned a lot about the team this offseason after a roller-coaster ride through free agency, the NFL draft and the Peyton Manning fiasco.

The Niners were one of the best teams in the league from start to finish last season. They followed their defense and running game and battered their way to a 13-3 record, along with the NFC West title.

The team lost in the conference championship game, but with the tweaks made this offseason, the Niners may be ready to take the next step.

Here are the 10 most important things this offseason's events have taught us.

10. Jim Harbaugh Doesn't Trust Alex Smith as Much as He Says He Does

Jim Harbaugh has been firm on his commitment to Alex Smith, except for a brief time this offseason when Peyton Manning appeared to be available.

Harbaugh said this about Smith, via USA Today:

"

We're all in lockstep as an organization that Alex Smith is our guy. It's well documented. You saw the way he played this year. Tremendous leader on our football team. There's Alex, and there are other guys, too, that are high priorities. We want our guys. There are guys who play like 49ers, and what they do is they play their hearts out for our team. So Alex and others, (it's) going to be a high-priority to get those guys signed.

"

These words of confidence rang hollow when the Niners appeared ready to jump at the chance to sign Manning if he expressed interest in going to the Bay Area.

Harbaugh wasn't wrong to pursue the future Hall of Famer, but any time the coach claims to have complete confidence in his quarterback, it must be taken with a grain of salt.

9. Randy Moss Is Ready to Make an Impact Again

Humble is not a word that is often used to describe Randy Moss, but a year out of football seems to have prompted some serious changes in the wide receiver.

Coach Jim Harbaugh has had nothing but praise for Moss since he arrived on the West Coast. In an interview with a local radio station, Harbaugh said, "In the classroom, he sits in the front row, he soaks up the knowledge and also gives the feedback, too."

Speed and skill have characterized Moss's career up until this point, but studiousness has not. This recent reform can only benefit the aging wide out once the season starts, and he may have a bigger impact on the offense than many people expect. 

8. The Front Office Is Committed to Winning Through Defense

The 49ers' defense was spectacular last season, and the front office stepped up and did what was necessary to keep the group intact. 

The Niners' brass dished out new deals to linebacker Ahmad Brooks and cornerback Carlos Rogers. Both players played significant roles in helping the defense in their historic 2011 campaign (the team did not allow a rushing touchdown in its first 14 games, which no team has ever done).

The team also used its franchise tag on safety Dashon Goldson, ensuring that all the major pieces would be back for another year.

The front office is well aware that the defense makes this team special and they are not letting any key players get away.

7. The Front Office Recognizes the Offense Needs to Improve

While the front office knows the defense is set, they have also faced the reality that the offense needs work.

The team went out and signed Randy Moss and Mario Manningham, then used its first pick on wide receiver A.J. Jenkins from Illinois. This will give quarterback Alex Smith a significantly improved corps of wideouts to use.

The Niners used their second and third picks on offensive players as well, taking running back LaMichael James and guard Joe Looney. 

These were important additions to a unit that finished 26th in yards gained last year. The front office did well to make the offense good enough to help the defense win a championship.

6. The Running Game Will Still Be the Focus of the Offense

Even though Alex Smith has been a constant storyline this offseason, the San Francisco 49ers will still run the ball as much as they did last year.

Frank Gore will be healthy and he has a much better chance of staying on the field with a talented stable of running backs. 

Kendall Hunter showed good burst last season and will be back in the Bay Area in 2012. The team also added speedster LaMichael James through the draft and picked up Brandon Jacobs in free agency.

To use all these backs, the Niners will have to run the ball a lot, and that is exactly what they will do.

5. The Team Is Finally Behind Alex Smith

While the San Francisco 49ers did slight Alex Smith by chasing after Peyton Manning, they still have given Smith more support than he's ever received this offseason.

Smith has been coached by six offensive coordinators in his seven-year career. He is going into his second season under Greg Roman, who helped Smith to a career-high 90.7 passer rating.

In addition, the Niners have not supported Smith in the past with talent on the offensive side of the ball. The team has drafted several offensive linemen in past seasons and just added a haul of free agents at the skill positions. Smith has the coaching support and talent around him that he needs to continue his success.

4. Jim Harbaugh Is for Real

The San Francisco 49ers had been on the coaching carousel for several years, but the ride has now come to a stop, and Jim Harbaugh will be at the helm for a long time.

Harbaugh's passion and fire were responsible for coaxing every ounce of effort out of his team last season.

Few people expected the Niners to be very good last year and they turned out to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. That type of turnaround does not happen by accident, and it takes someone very special to create such drastic change so quickly.

Harbaugh has shown the exact same qualities throughout the offseason and will continue to prove last year was no fluke.

3. The NFC West Will Provide Tougher Competition in 2012

The San Francisco 49ers benefited last season from playing in a very weak NFC West.

In 2011, San Francisco went 5-1 against division opponents and was the only team from the West to finish better than .500.

However, the St. Louis Rams will be better with Jeff Fisher at the helm, and the Seattle Seahawks addressed their quarterbacking woes by signing Matt Flynn. Also, the Arizona Cardinals went 7-2 in the last nine games of the year, with one of those wins coming against San Francisco.

While none of these teams is likely to threaten the Niners for the division title, each will put up a significantly better fight than last season.

2. The Niners Will Have to Hit the Ground Running

The San Francisco 49ers' season will start in Green Bay and it won't get much easier from there.

The Niners will have to be on point right from the start against the Packers, who went 15-1 a year ago.

The next week, they will host the Detroit Lions, another playoff team. San Francisco will also have to play the New Orleans Saints, the New York Giants and the New England Patriots before the season is over.

The Niners will have to start fast and finish strong this year if they hope to equal their 2011 record of 13-3.

1. A Winning Culture Has Returned to San Francisco

The optimism surrounding the San Francisco 49ers this offseason is starkly different from the feelings fans had prior to last year.

Supporters were pleased with the hiring of Jim Harbaugh in 2011, but few thought he would cause such a drastic turnaround. Now that Harbaugh has shown what this team is capable of, everyone will be expecting a winning season from the Niners. This has not happened in several years.

The winning culture is back in San Francisco, thanks to Harbaugh, and that is the biggest change from this offseason.