Last season one of the glaring weaknesses on an otherwise stout 49ers squad was the inconsistent and often excruciatingly poor level of play from the special teams unit. This season has been a 180-degree switch, as the special teams have been one of the better units in the entire NFL thus far.
John Lynch and the 49ers' front office acknowledged the shortcomings of last season and made it a priority to beef up their special teams by signing linebacker Oren Burks and safety George Odum in free agency, both of whom were among the league’s best on special teams in 2021.