SAN FRANCISCO FORTY NINERS
49ers plan to improve on 14-4 season

You know your team has arrived when it spends the off-season getting a high-octane tune-up rather than a major overhaul. After going 13-3 and winning a playoff game under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh, the Niners have spent five months getting bigger and faster at the offensive skill positions while improving their depth on a team that will return all 11 starters on defense and nine or 10 on offense.

After a year in which the team improved from a 6-10 record in 2010 under former coach Mike Singletary to run away with the NFC West at 13-3, beat New Orleans in the playoffs and lose to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants in the NFC championship in overtime, the 49ers made a major upgrade to their wide-receiver corps. They brought all-everything wide-out Randy Moss out of retirement. Moss is determined to prove his encore successful. They also signed the Giants' third receiver, Mario Manningham, who made critical receptions in the Super Bowl run, and made A.J. Jenkins of Illinois their first-round pick. Add this group to Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, Delanie Walker and Kyle Williams, and all of a sudden the Niners have one of the best group of receivers in the NFL.

With Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter, the Niners were more than effective running the ball. Now they have added Giants free agent Brandon Jacobs, a hard-to-stop 6-foot-4 265-pounder, and LaMichael James, the Oregon star and Heisman finalist. Harbaugh also signed Josh Johnson, who played at Tampa Bay and whom Harbaugh coached at San Diego State, as a backup quarterback.

The big question for the 2012 49ers is, Who will play right guard? Last season it was the weakest position on the O-line. So far it looks like a contest between backup tackle Alex Boone, 2011 draft picks Daniel Gilgore and Mike Person, and 2012 pick Joe Looney.

The defense has even less suspense, and even fewer holes to fill. Somewhat surprisingly, the Niners did not draft anyone for the defensive line, a fairly thin unit that could improve with additional quality subs. They did pick Cam Johnson, a seventh-round steal from Virginia, who many believe could be a star outside linebacker, to join a unit that is already the NFL's best. Darius Fleming from Notre Dame will also demand attention.

The bottom line is that it would be hard to improve the Niners' 2011 defense. Now, anything less than playing in the Super Bowl will be a disappointment.