What Can the San Francisco 49ers Do to Get Back in the Playoff Hunt in 2015?

The San Francisco 49ers' 38-35 defeat to the San Diego Chargers gave you a little bit of everything. We witnessed the 49ers' patented smashmouth brand of football, which has led the organization to three consecutive NFC Championship appearances.

However, we also saw the 49ers offense stall at the most important moments of the game and the defense crumble after leading the Chargers by 21 points at halftime. 

Of course, the 49ers' troubles extend far beyond the field of play. 

If you've been living under a rock the past year, let me explain this situation in the most straightforward way possible: Head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke don't want to play with each other anymore. 

As childish as this sounds, it's unfortunately true. Add in a billionaire owner who has proven unpopular among the fans, and you have a situation where everyone hates everyone. 

Assuming ESPN Insider Adam Schefter's comments on NFL Insiders are true about Harbaugh leaning toward the University of Michigan job (h/t Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press), the front office and coaching dynamic should improve in 2015. 

The real issue is with this roster and scheme.  

Here are a few issues the 49ers must fix to return to the playoffs in 2015: 

Build Offense Around Colin Kaepernick  

Harbaugh's departure could be both a curse and a blessing for quarterback Colin Kaepernick. While the team may suffer with a change at head coach, a new lead man could reinvigorate the talented QB. 

While the players surrounding Kaepernick deserve a piece of the blame, it ultimately comes down to the offensive coordinator. With Harbaugh potentially gone, coordinator Greg Roman would follow suit. 

Many blame the 49ers' offensive woes on Roman's play-calling, and most have a point. However, his biggest failure was the development, or lack thereof, of Kaepernick. 

Moving away from a run-oriented offense was risky, but if Kaepernick flourished as a pocket passer, would we all be calling for Roman's head? 

Let's take a look at Kaepernick's development since taking over the starting job. 

Year	Passing Yards	TD	INT	AVG	Passer Rating
2012	1,814	10	3	8.3	98.3
2013	3,197	21	8	7.7	91.6
2014	3,165	17	10	7.0	85.1

The deterioration of the run game has played a role in Kaepernick's struggles, and it's evident in the stats above. Kaepernick has regressed the last three seasons in his average pass yards per attempt. Not to mention, his passer rating has also suffered. 

It all makes sense when you consider San Francisco's success has been predicated on the play-action pass. When the running game isn't working, the play-action pass becomes useless. 

Whoever the 49ers hire as their next head coach or offensive coordinator, the offense has to be built around Kaepernick's dynamic ability. This means reintroducing pistol and zone-option formations, as well as more bootlegs and rollouts. 

Find a Deep Threat 

Finding a legitimate receiver who can stretch the field should have been Baalke's top priority in the offseason. Baalke has a great eye for talent, but the A.J. Jenkins miss really crippled this offense for Kaepernick and Co. 

Jenkins was supposed to be the 49ers' designated deep threat for years to come, but the former first-round pick's skills just couldn't translate to the physicality of the NFL. Baalke ended up trading Jenkins to the Kansas City Chiefs. 

USA TODAY Sports

With Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd entering free agency after this season, Baalke must address this position of need immediately. For the sake of Kaepernick and the rest of this offense, adding a deep threat at receiver could dramatically change how defenses line up against the 49ers in 2015. 

The 49ers will be hard-pressed to find this sort of receiver in free agency. It'll likely have to come through the NFL draft, where the 49ers should have a decent first-round draft pick in 2015. 

Depth Along the Offensive Line

One of the 49ers' overwhelming strengths over the Harbaugh era turned into their biggest weakness in 2014. Injuries of course played a part, but poor play from veteran linemen like Joe Staley and Mike Iupati played a huge role in this offense's struggles. 

To make matters worse, Iupati will be a free agent after this season. Like Crabtree, I expect Iupati to find a new home in 2015. I also don't expect the struggling Jonathan Martin to return, who was absolutely awful in place of the injured Anthony Davis. 

This could mean some changes for the 49ers up front. 

Depending on what happens with the center position, the 49ers will still return at least three starters. Regardless, the 49ers need some valuable depth in case the injury bug hits again in 2015. 

Brandon Thomas, the 49ers' third-round draft pick in 2014, could have a big role once he return. Outside of Thomas, I can't trust any of the backup linemen in starting roles. 

If the 49ers are going to return to their run-first roots, they'll need better depth up front.