SANTA CLARA -– Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Staley, the longest-tenured 49ers player, figured the team would strain to approach the same level of success the organization experienced under coach Jim Harbaugh.
But he did not expect the 49ers to fail in such miserable fashion in Jim Tomsula’s first season in charge. The 49ers have won just four games entering the season finale on Sunday against the St. Louis Rams at Levi’s Stadium.
“We knew it was going to be a challenging year,” Staley said on Friday. “We knew we didn’t have everybody coming back like we did in years' past –- the same coordinators, the same players. It was going to be a challenge, regardless. We knew that coming in. But we didn’t expect the kind of year we had this year.”
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Clearly, there were few elements of the 49ers succeeded. And when asked the broad question of what the 49ers need accomplish in the offseason to become a factor once again, Staley answered in broad terms.
[MAIOCCO: Tomsula: 49ers' players, coaches focused on Rams]
“We need to address different issues and stuff,” he said. “It’s obviously frustrating and this year kind of sucked. Obviously, it sucks to go through this kind of season. Every season is a new season. Hopefully, we finish it off the right way, with a win and go into the offseason and do everything we can to be better in a lot of different areas. We’ll address that when the time comes.”
Staley said he has always had good communication with general manager Trent Baalke. Staley has never been shy about sharing his views behind the scenes, such in 2012 when he expressed his feelings with Harbaugh after Alex Smith was benched in the middle of the season in favor of Colin Kaepernick.
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Staley said he fully expects to share all of his thoughts with Baalke at some point shortly after the conclusion of the season.
“It’s not just this season,” Staley said. “I’ve been pretty vocal about my thoughts since I’ve gotten here. Yeah, we’ll probably have the same conversations we always have.”
Of course, Staley declined to give a preview of his message to Baalke. But one area in which Staley said he has a larger degree of hope after events of recent weeks is along the offensive line.
[RELATED: Harbaugh, Kaepernick reestablish connection after Michigan win]
When asked if the current lineup that includes Daniel Kilgore at center, Andrew Tiller and Eric Pears at the guard positions, and right tackle Trent Brown, has given him reason for optimism, Staley answered, “For sure. It does, for sure.”
“Kilgore coming back was big,” Staley said. “Obviously, the young guy, Andrew Tiller, really stepping up. It was big for him. (He’s a) guy that’s been on practice squads for two or three years. And to finally get his shot for whatever reasons were, and take advantage of that opportuntiy and prove he belongs in the NFL and belongs to start on an NFL offensive line, is big.
“See a young guy like Trent, a seventh-round pick. . . He’ll be the first to tell you he’s got a ways to go, too. But he’s just night and day from where he was. He has so much potential. He’s one of the most talented guys I’ve seen come in. This offseason is going to be really big for him.”