2003 49ERS
	Terrell Owens caught 13 TD passes last season.
	Head coach: Denis Erickson (1st year). 2000 record: 10-6. NFC West finish: 1st. Season opener: Sept. 7 vs. Bears. Schedule | Depth chart

Are we now seeing the end? The last of a great sports dynasty? Those are the grim predictions for the 49ers, who probably will say goodbye to many of their best players at the end of the season.

In all, 10 starters will either become unrestricted free agents or be let go for salary-cap purposes, including arguably the team's best offensive and defensive players -- wide receiver Terrell Owens and linebacker Julian Peterson.

Every year, fans in the Bay Area expect the 49ers to make the Super Bowl. But with so many free agents and the team's increasingly frugal ways, this year is truly now or never.

The team also is adjusting to a new head coach after the surprise firing of Steve Mariucci. Dennis Erickson brings a no-nonsense style and a more aggressive offensive philosophy.

Most of the West Coast offense has been retained under Erickson. Fans will still see the myriad crossing routes and short passes that have bedeviled defenses for almost 25 years. Erickson, however, also has introduced a deep passing game, something that had been missing, particularly last season. Quarterback Jeff Garcia's 10.2-yard average per completion was the lowest in team history.

Throughout training camp, the quarterbacks and wide receivers welcomed the emphasis on downfield throws. But success will depend on the running game, and with talents like Garrison Hearst, Kevan Barlow and Jamal Robertson, the 49ers should be able to grind out the yardage.

The Niners' defense is slowly improving, ranking 14th last year. But to realize a leap in production, the pass defense needs to rank in the upper half of the league, which hasn't happened in five years. Health will be a key here. Linebacker Jamie Winborn presents a mismatch because of his ungodly speed. The defense was also without safety Zack Bronson for most of the season. Bronson makes it all go in the secondary with his leadership, smarts and ballhawking talent.

Offense
Quarterbacks: Garcia had an off year last season, failing to match the 30-plus touchdown plateaus he reached in the previous two seasons. Yet his 21 touchdown passes were worthy of his third-straight Pro Bowl selection. Garcia is excited by Erickson's offense but has been hampered by a bulging disk in his back that could be a season-long problem. How well Garcia responds to contact could determine the 49ers' success. Fortunately for the team, backups Tim Rattay and Ken Dorsey have sparkled in training camp. Rattay is Garcia's unquestioned understudy, but rookie Dorsey is coming on fast. Chosen in the seventh round, Dorsey has exhibited an ability to do what Erickson wants -- get the ball downfield. "Some teams don't have one good quarterback," Erickson said. "We have four."
Grade: B-plus.

Running backs: While most of the focus is on the changes Erickson made in the passing game, the running game actually will be altered the most. The plays will be similar, but Erickson will use fullback Fred Beasley a lot more. Beasley will go in motion constantly, play H-back and even have some tight end responsibilities. It's a good role for Beasley, who is right up there among the league's best blocking fullbacks. Hearst is not the same player he was before a series of ankle surgeries. Nevertheless, the 11-year veteran remains one of the best players to have in a one-back offense. Still adept at running and receiving, Hearst excels at blitz pickup because of his smarts and blocking ability. Coaches still are attempting to tap the talent of Barlow, who will spell Hearst often, particularly early in the season. Barlow is the best runner on the team -- incredibly shifty for a man weighing 237 pounds. But many question his commitment to blocking and picking up the blitz, which is so crucial these days. Barlow has improved his blitz recognition considerably but still lacks good technique to thwart pass rushers. Robertson, Paul Smith and Terry Jackson add excellent depth.
Grade: B.

Receivers: If Erickson has his wish, Owens will have a monster year. Quarterbacks have been instructed to call an audible to Owens if he draws single coverage. But Owens is likely to be double- and even triple-teamed at times. That should mean plenty of opportunity for No. 2 wide receiver Tai Streets, who quietly caught 72 balls last year. Another player who figured prominently is tight endEric Johnson, who probably has the best hands on the team. But Johnson broke his clavicle in the preseason game vs. the Saints and is expected to miss 10-12 weeks, which makes ex-Dolphin Jed Weaver the starter at tight end. Bulked-up third-year pro Cedrick Wilson and rookies Brandon Lloyd and Arnaz Battle also figure in the mix. .
Grade: B-plus.

Offensive line: This could be the most underrated line in the league. It allows few sacks and is often in the top five in average yards per carry in the run game. But this Rodney Dangerfield of lines is often overlooked because it's such a hodgepodge. The only projected starter coming out of college with any repute was center Jeremy Newberry. Right guard Ron Stone was a lightly regarded former defensive lineman out of Boston College. Former Giant right tackle Scott Gragg was a disappointing second-round choice from Montana, who flamed out in New York. Left guard Eric Heitmann was a seventh-round rookie from Stanford with a back problem. Left tackle and team dean Derrick Deese originally made the team as a rookie free agent. The dimensions of the line are also strange. The right side is huge with Gragg (315 pounds) and Stone (325), while the left side is undersized with Heitmann (300) and Deese (285). But every year, this group puts up good statistics. First-round pick Kwame Harris should contribute.
Grade: B.

Defense
Defensive line: The 49ers released tackle Dana Stubblefield and failed to re-sign end Chike Okeafor. They addressed both situations in the draft by choosing tackle Anthony Adams in the second round and end Andrew Williams in the third round. Adams may have been the most impressive rookie in camp and appears ready to start. Former Lions tackle Travis Kirschke showed amazing quickness for a man his size (292 pounds) and will be part of the line rotation. At end, Williams looks like he needs more time to develop. But the team has plenty of veteran help with Sean Moran, Chidi Ahanotu and starter John Engelberger. The star of the line is right end Andre Carter, who seems poised to become a top-tier end. Coaches seemed positive about tackle Bryant Young at the beginning of training camp. He was deprived of his best pass-rush move last season when he injured his shoulder early. The hope now is that he's not wearing down. After offseason shoulder surgery, Young needed a scope of his ankle in training camp to remove scar tissue.
Grade: B-minus.

Linebackers: The foursome of Derek Smith, Julian Peterson, Jeff Ulbrich and Winborn could be the fastest in football. Winborn is coming off a frustrating season in which he lost 13 games to a misdiagnosed knee injury. But he's back and much bigger than last year. At 222 pounds, Winborn also has legitimate linebacker size while retaining his cornerback-like speed. The plan is for the 49ers to keep their 4-3 defense and rotate the aforementioned four throughout the game. Should all the linebackers stay healthy, Peterson could get significant time as a pass-rush defensive end.
Grade: A-minus.

Defensive backs: In terms of health, the 49ers will start the season with one cornerback down. Left cornerback Jason Webster will be sidelined for the first two to six games with a hairline fracture of his tibia. But the 49ers aren't as panicked as they were last year, when their depth was wanting. The team has witnessed marked improvement from third-year man Rashad Holman, but free-agent acquisition Fred Weary didn't work out and was cut. Talented return man Jimmy Williams expects to join the mix. Used primarily on special teams last year, Williams could help out in nickel and dime situations. To start the season, former first-round choice Mike Rumph will replace Webster. Coming off a sketchy rookie year, Rumph does seem much improved. He dropped 12 pounds and increased his strength. Bronson and Tony Parrish, who made big plays consistently last season after signing as a free agent, are quality safeties.
Grade: C.

Special teams
The 49ers responded in the preseason to Erickson's greater devotion to special teams. Every other day, afternoon practice was solely reserved for special teams and every practice had at least one special-teams period. In the first two exhibition games, the 49ers had at least one long return and covered well. But kickers and punters may be a problem. Former fourth-round placekicker Jeff Chandler pushed routine 31-yard and 32-yard attempts to the right in the first two preseason games. Bill LaFleur, who finished last year with the worst punting average in the league, struggled in training camp.
Grade: C.

Kevin Lynch covers the 49ers for the San Francisco Chronicle.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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