After watching the film on the 2009 San Francisco 49ers, here’s a look at the state of the team and what to expect this offseason.

Offense

What was supposed to be a power-run system wound up becoming a shotgun offense. Why? Quarterback Alex Smith was more comfortable in that formation, and coaches probably believed that a shotgun would ameliorate the crippling pass blocking blunders at right tackle (where Adam Snyder and Tony Pashos took turns getting destroyed). But Smith doesn’t have an arm to build a team around; the Niners should have featured Frank Gore. The hearty 26-year-old once again showed great vision and downhill burst. Vernon Davis was the best seams receiver in football, and Michael Crabtree showed an uncanny ability to shake defenders and make adjustments on the ball. When not battling knee problems, LT Joe Staley was a microcosm of the rest of the line: average in pass protection and effective, but not dominant, on the ground.

Defense

Patrick Willis was the best 3-4 ILB in football. He’s fast, instinctive and ferocious at the point of attack. Willis shed blocks masterfully, though NT Aubrayo Franklin often clogged the middle and kept offensive linemen from even reaching the second level. Franklin’s play helped DE Justin Smith, who proved just as important as Willis. Smith didn’t post huge numbers, but he was disruptive on virtually every snap. Opponents must hate dealing with him. OLB Ahmad Brooks was the only true pass-rush threat, though he wasn’t refined enough in other areas to handle a starting role. Versatile OLB Manny Lawson improved but was still only a decent finesse option. That’s better than his counterpart, Parys Haralson. Haralson was quiet enough to make the four-year contract he signed in April ’09 look like grand larceny. San Francisco’s secondary was sharp but suffered several injuries throughout the year.

Top 5 Needs

1. Right tackle

Adam Snyder is too slow, and there’s no reason to re-sign Tony Pashos. It wouldn’t be insane to move Joe Staley back to RT. He was drafted to play the left side, but poor strength makes him a mediocre pass-blocker. If a good LT is available, the Niners should pounce.

2. Quarterback

The Niners can win the NFC West with Alex Smith, but they’ll need a more cerebral pro with a stronger arm to become a legit long-term contender. Given the state of the division and tenuous collective bargaining negotiations, expect San Fran to stick with Smith in 2010.

3. Pass-Rusher

A dominant edge-rusher to complement ascending Ahmad Brooks would make this a top-10 defense.

4. Return Specialist

The Niners currently don’t have one. They would be wise to find a speed demon who can handle returns and also stretch the field offensively (Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree are major weapons, but neither is a pure deep threat).

5. Inside Linebacker

Willis is a beast, and Takeo Spikes has at least one more good year in him. But with Jeff Ulbrich retiring, the depth behind these two is nonexistent.