NFC Notes: 49ers, Bears, Packers

49ers

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said during the organization’s State of the Franchise event that he feels that they were “good enough” to win Super Bowl 54 and their goal is to win next year’s title. 

“I know we were good enough to win that Super Bowl and we didn’t, and that’s something we have to live with,”  Shanahan said, via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. “And that’s why the state of the franchise right now is we got to get right back to that moment. We got to get right back to that fourth quarter and get to have a lead and we got to finish the job.”

Shanahan admitted that another Super Bowl berth will be “a lot harder to do” this season given the impact of the ongoing pandemic.

“I didn’t want to go through this offseason. I want to get right back to where we left on in February and I know we have to go through a season and it’s going to be a lot harder to do — a lot harder,” Shanahan said. “We can play a lot better and still not do what we did last time. That’s why all of our guys have to take this challenge and we got to take advantage of this offseason and we got to still find a way to take a step ahead of other people because everyone is chasing us right now and it hasn’t been that way.”

Bears

New Bears OL Germain Ifedi mentioned that he has experience at both guard and tackle and is comfortable lining up at any position across the offensive line. 

“Coming up until college, I had played guard my entire career,” Ifedi said, via Alyssa Barbieri of BearsWire. “I played guard my first two years at college but there was a need at tackle and I just kind of stuck out there the last two years of college. Same in the league. Came in the league, played guard, and then played tackle the last few years.”

Ifedi added that he has always considered himself an interior lineman but reiterated he’s fine playing where the Bears want him to. 

“I’ve always considered myself an inside guy, a road-grater type, but I’ve always accepted the challenge that came with playing tackle also. Whichever one is needed at the time, there is no issue in doing either one. It’s just doing your technique and doing what you know to be natural. You play in space or you play in the phone booth at guard. Same type of mentality playing offensive line,” Ifedi said. 

Packers

• Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com believes Oren Burks has the inside track on the starting job next to Christian Kirksey.
• However, Hodkiewicz can see Curtis Bolton, Ty Summers and rookie Kamal Martin will at least push Burks during training camp for the job.