Tag: 49ers offseason

WR unexpectedly became position 49ers must address in offseason

More pass catchers? More pass catchers.

The San Francisco 49ers after the 2024 draft looked set up in their receiving corps for at least a couple of seasons.

Brandon Aiyuk was coming off an All-Pro season. Deebo Samuel had a strong 2023 campaign and was primed to thrive alongside another All-Pro. Jauan Jennings, an integral if seldom-used piece of the 49ers offense, was signed through 2025. San Francisco also drafted Ricky Pearsall in the first round and Jacob Cowing in the fourth round.

That was a receiving corps with a good mix of veterans and young players and a good variance in skill sets. Then the 2024 season played out and now that plan at receiver is full of question marks that may push San Francisco to add another player at the position either in free agency or early in the draft.

Aiyuk is coming off a major knee injury and his status for the start of the regular season is in the air. Samuel is coming off his worst year as a pro. Pearsall flashed when he got more opportunities toward the end of the season, but he’s still a question mark with only 11 games of NFL experience. Cowing is an even bigger question mark going into his second year after struggling to crack the rotation as a rookie.

Jennings is the only player who doesn’t seemingly have any questions hanging over his head after he had his best year as a pro, falling only 25 receiving yards shy of 1,000.

There’s a version of the 49ers receiving corps that’s very good in 2025, but it relies on a lot of things going right. They’d need Aiyuk returning at something close to full strength, Samuel to bounce back in his Age 29 season, Pearsall to breakout in Year 2, Cowing to find his footing as a pro, and Jennings to replicate his career year.

San Francisco would be taking on a significant risk in hoping all of those things to go right. They can mitigate some of that risk by bringing in another receiver or two in the offseason to help fill out their depth and insulate themselves from one or two seasons from another receiver getting off track.

They shouldn’t use another first-round pick on the position, and they shouldn’t offer a massive contract to a free agent, but they should be diligent in finding a reliable pass catcher they can bring in to help avoid a potential catastrophe lurking at a position that looked set going into last season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

ESPN predicts nightmare scenario with Brock Purdy’s contract

This would be… suboptimal.

There’s no bigger priority for the San Francisco 49ers in the 2025 offseason than hammering out a long-term contract extension with quarterback Brock Purdy.

ESPN’s Ben Solak isn’t so sure that extension gets done. In a piece about the upcoming offseason, Solak offered a prediction where San Francisco opted to make Purdy play out the final year of his contract.

Via ESPN:

Unlike most teams that rush to sign young free agents to big contracts, the 49ers will elect to wait on Purdy’s contract. They want to see more of the quarterback in the changing offense to be sure he’s their franchise guy — he’ll be a free agent in 2026. This will lead to a training camp holdout that ultimately resolves with Purdy playing but makes for good summer drama.

Summer drama is the very last thing the 49ers need, and “they want to see more of the quarterbacking in the changing offense to be sure he’s their franchise guy” is a stark contrast to what general manager John Lynch said at his end-of-season press conference.

“Well listen, I think what we know about Brock is that he’s our guy,” Lynch said. “We’ve got, we have interest in Brock being around here for a long, long time. He’s done so much for our organization, he’s won big games. Had a little tougher task, as we all did, this year with some of the things that happened throughout the course of the year. We just never could string games where we were all together. And through that, he continued to lead, he continued to play at a high level. So, we have every interest in him being around.”

Paying Purdy sooner rather than later has to matter even more to the 49ers than ensuring they’re squeezing every last penny out of their contract negotiations. It will get tricky, to be sure, but it would behoove San Francisco to ensure they avoid drama by having a deal done in time for Purdy to report to OTAs and mandatory minicamp with a new contract in tow.

If Solak’s prediction rings true and it’s another summer filled with contract drama for the 49ers, it could quickly become another football season filled with disappointment.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

49ers have draft picks, cap space for quick return to Super Bowl form

Are the 49ers positioned for a bounce-back 2025 NFL season?

After stumbling to a 6-11 finish in 2024, the San Francisco 49ers embark upon a pivotal offseason.

Despite slumping to the NFC West cellar, the puzzle pieces could quickly fall back into place for the 49ers to march right back into Super Bowl contention.

Pro Football Focus examined all 32 NFL teams by offseason assets and San Francisco is positioned very well in that regard.

Pro Football Focus measured teams’ offseason assets by grouping draft capital, cap space and restructure potential. According to PFF, the 49ers have the seventh-best means to get better.

PFF ranked San Francisco’s 2025 NFL draft capital as the ninth-best in the league. The 49ers are expected to have 10 picks in the 2025 NFL draft, including the No. 11 overall pick and four in the first three rounds.

Plus, the 49ers have the 10th-most effective cap space of any NFL team. Effective cap space is the the cap space a team will have after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster.

That’s a lot of retooling ammo for San Francisco.

A recent two-round mock from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler sees the 49ers addressing their trenches in the first two rounds by drafting Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou and Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen.

Some help up front on both sides of the football seems like a logical step toward the 49ers returning to championship contention. Four picks in the draft’s first two days and 10 selections overall gives San Francisco a chance to seriously bolster its offensive and defensive lines.

Looking for another talented edge rusher in this draft to pair with Nick Bosa could work wonders for the franchise as well. San Francisco could also use some help at cornerback after Charvarius Ward indicated he may not be back with the franchise once he enters free agency.

San Francisco will address some of its needs via free agency as well. If the 49ers opt against bringing Dre Greenlaw back, an experienced linebacker to pair with Fred Warner feels like a necessity for the 49ers’ defense.

The great news for San Francisco fans is that general manager John Lynch and the franchise have plenty of avenues with which to enhance this roster for 2025.

Beyond any roster moves with the draft and free agency, San Francisco also feels like an obvious bounce-back candidate based on improved health alone.

Healthy returns for injured stars such as left tackle Trent Williams, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and running back Christian McCaffrey should set the stage for the 49ers’ offense to be vastly improved.

Mix in the emergence of wide receivers Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall to go along with a resurgent season from Deebo Samuel and the 49ers have the offensive skill weapons to be one of the league’s best offenses.

San Francisco finished the 2024 season with the NFL’s No. 4 total offense but just its No. 14 scoring offense.

Some savvy drafting, several key free agent acquisitions and improved health could pave the way back toward Super Bowl contention in 2025.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

49ers may not need to look far to find 1 new starting OL

The 49ers’ 2024 depth chart could give us as clue to how they’ll approach fixing their left guard spot.

An overhaul of the offensive line looks to be one key priority of the San Francisco 49ers offseason.

Left tackle Trent Williams is expected to return and right guard Dominick Puni acquitted himself well in his rookie season. Center Jake Brendel and right tackle Colton McKivitz are also under contract for next year, but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the 49ers looked to upgrade both of those spots.

The only spot wide open entering the offseason is left guard, where starter Aaron Banks is slated to hit unrestricted free agency. If the 49ers plan on letting Banks walk, they may not need to look far to find his replacement.

While the team would ideally throw a bunch of money or draft capital into the offensive line, they have other areas of their roster that need improvement which means finding cheaper, non-draft related ways to fill OL spots is imperative.

Two names on the 2024 roster jump out when considering what the 49ers could do to improve at left guard: Ben Bartch and Spencer Burford. They were the two backups for Banks this season and they both acquitted themselves well at the position in limited playing time.

Bartch, an unrestricted free agent, has been a work in progress since the 49ers signed him off the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad in the middle of the 2023 season. His move up the depth chart this offseason is a sign that the progress has been good. He was very good in his start against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, and in 34 total pass blocking snaps this season he gave up just one pressure and no sacks. Bartch might have finished the year as the starter had he not suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 14.

The 49ers wouldn’t likely have to break the bank to bring Bartch back, and there’s a real chance he’d prove to be their best option at left guard.

Whoever gets the starting job to open training camp figures to have some competition, and Burford would provide that for Bartch (and whoever else the club deems as a starting candidate).

Burford struggled on the right side, but he largely played on the left side in college and it appears the swap helped him as a pro. Off the bench this season he had some ups and downs while moving around the line, but overall looked like he could be an effective player if given the chance for regular reps at left guard. He gave up one pressure in 38 pass blocking snaps at that position per Pro Football Focus.

The 49ers could prioritize left guard more heavily this year and bring in a starting-caliber free agent or a high draft pick. Given their other needs, finding cheap solutions nearby may be the better route. Bartch and Burford both flashed enough to at least be in the mix, and the 49ers may be wise to give both a long look as they aim to revamp their offensive front.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

49ers should bring back both of their 2025 restricted free agents

Jordan Mason and Curtis Robinson should both be back in San Francisco next season.

The San Francisco 49ers will go into the offseason with only two players slated for restricted free agency.

Restricted free agents are players who are due to hit free agency after accruing a third NFL season. Linebacker Curtis Robinson and running back Jordan Mason both fit this bill for the 49ers.

RFAs can either be tendered or non-tendered. If they’re non-tendered, they become unrestricted free agents.

If they are tendered, they can be tendered at one of three levels: First-round, second-round and right of first refusal. Each tender is a fully guaranteed one-year deal.

A first-round tender is the most expensive at $7,279,000 according to Over the Cap. The second-round tender is worth $5,217,000. The right of first refusal tender is worth $3,185,000.

If the 49ers tender Robinson and/or Mason, that player can then explore the open market and the 49ers would be able to match any offer they get. Players who get a first or second-round tender would also require the team signing them to send the 49ers a draft pick in that round. A player with a right of first refusal tender doesn’t come with any compensation from a signing team.

Chances are the 49ers want Robinson back in 2025 since he’s spent so much time on their practice squad and contributing on special teams since first joining the club in 2021. However, even a right of first refusal tender would be a substantial raise from his $1,055,000 base salary in 2024.

San Francisco will most likely non-tender Robinson and then re-sign him as an unrestricted free agent to a less-expensive deal than the lowest tender.

Mason is a much trickier option. We’ve run through the various difficulties the 49ers face with this decision. However, a second-round tender seems like the best course of action to ensure Mason is with San Francisco for at least the 2025 season. It would be a substantial raise for him at $5.2 million, but he’s too valuable to let walk in free agency. And if some team wants to sign him to an expensive multi-year deal, then the 49ers can snag a second-round pick in the process of his exit. They can also just match the deal if they want to.

Keeping Mason in 2025 also opens the door to an extension a la Jauan Jennings last offseason.

Restricted free agents have until April 18 to sign offer sheets with other teams, and the 49ers would have until April 23 to match the offer.

The 2025 NFL league year and free agency officially open at 1:00pm Pacific Time on March 12.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Has Deebo Samuel played his final game as a 49er?

Did we see the last of Deebo Samuel in red and gold?

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel is officially listed as ‘out’ on the team’s Week 18 injury report, meaning his four-touch, 17-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Detroit Lions in Week 17 could be his last in red and gold.

Samuel, who is nursing rib and wrist injuries, has one year left on his contract. His 2024 campaign was arguably the worst of his career and it came at an inopportune time for the one-time All-Pro.

His down year came on the heels of San Francisco selecting WR Ricky Pearsall in the first round of the draft, and coincided with WR Jauan Jennings’s breakout campaign. With Brandon Aiyuk still slotted as the team’s long-term No. 1 wide receiver, the space for Samuel to operate is starting to shrink.

If he was still playing at an All-Pro level, it would be a no-brainer to pay to keep him in 2025 and beyond. However, his play fell-off precipitously in 2024.

He posted 51 catches, the fewest full-season total of his career. His 670 receiving yards are the second-fewest of his career, and his 3.2 yards per carry were the lowest of his career. Samuel also struggled to break tackles through most of the year, finishing with 25 missed tackles forced on 93 touches (.27 per touch) according to Pro Football Focus. For reference, in 2023 he forced 55 missed tackles on 97 touches (.57 per touch). In 2022 he forced 59 on 98 touches (.60 per touch).

To make room for Pearsall and Jennings and to shave a little bit off their salary cap number for next year, the 49ers could designate Samuel as a post-June 1 release to take a $10,751,753 dead cap hit. They’d also pick up $5,206,105 in savings in 2025 according to Over the Cap.

They could also aim to trade him during this year’s draft. Samuel was in a ton of trade rumors leading up to the 2024 draft and despite a down year, a WR-needy team may still be eager to connect with one of the league’s most versatile offensive weapons in exchange for a mid-round pick.

Parting with Samuel may make sense from a roster and cap perspective, but it would signal a pretty substantial shift in the 49ers’ roster makeup. Samuel has been an integral piece of San Francisco’s offense since he joined the club as a second-round pick in the 2019 draft. His 2021 All-Pro season where he racked up 1,405 receiving yards and 365 rushing yards may never be touched by another WR in NFL history.

However, the 49ers are at the point where some tough decisions will need to be made on veterans. Even veterans as meaningful as Samuel. Given what we know about what’s ahead for the 49ers’ roster and salary cap constraints, there’s a strong chance his Week 17 performance was his last as a 49er.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

49ers take advantage of roster spot opened by Trent Williams holdout

Trent Williams is holding out which opened a roster spot for a familiar WR.

49ers star left tackle Trent Williams wasn’t among the players to report to training camp. San Francisco on Thursday took advantage of the absence and cleared a roster spot by placing Williams on the reserve/did not report list. In a corresponding move they signed wide receiver Malik Turner to the 90-man roster.

Williams is looking for an adjusted contract after the guaranteed money on his six-year deal ran out last year. His absence isn’t ideal, but he also has enough experience that missing a handful of practices shouldn’t be a problem for the 36-year-old.

Turner is a familiar name for fans tapped into preseason rosters. He spent the 2022 offseason with San Francisco and looked like he might be in line to make the team after a strong preseason performance. The 49ers wound up cutting Turner and re-signing him to their practice squad. He stayed there until he was let go in early November.

It’s likely the 49ers just need some camp bodies at receiver since Brandon Aiyuk isn’t participating and Ricky Pearsall is on the non-football injury list. Turner is a long shot to have a serious impact on the race for roster spots, although his special teams contributions give him a chance to stick around on the practice squad.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

49ers first on-field look at rookies coming soon

Hey the #49ers have some offseason stuff happening this week!

The 49ers won’t have to wait much longer to see their first-year players in on-field action. Draft picks and undrafted free agents will all report to the team facility on Thursday, May 9. Their first rookie minicamp will take place the following day.

In all there isn’t much to glean from rookie minicamp, but it provides different opportunities for different players.

Early draft picks will just be hoping to get through the sessions and prove to be competent at football. It’s likely the easiest thing they’ll do in an NFL uniform.

For the later draft picks and undrafted players it’s an opportunity to shine. Nobody is going to win a starting job or a roster spot. However, making an impression as a late-round pick, UDFA or minicamp invitee could set the table to show out in OTAs and beyond. Simply getting on the radar is a win for those players in the rookie minicamp.

Beyond that we won’t take too much away from the session. Those big takeaways can come from training camp and the preseason once the pads come on and real preparations are underway.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Busted: 49ers lose 1 week of rookie development for rule violation

The San Francisco 49ers had to cut out a week of rookie development because of a rule they broke in rookie minicamp.

The San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday voluntarily cut their offseason program short. Thursday it was cut down even further because of a violation of NFL practice rules according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.

The 49ers per Pelissero’s report won’t be allowed to do a week of rookie development because of a video that surfaced on social media from rookie minicamp that indicated San Francisco wasn’t following the offseason practice rules. That video showed some contact between two players when contact during that time is not permitted.

This is entirely separate from the team cancelling the final two OTAs and mandatory minicamp. Shanahan on Wednesday in a press conference said the team had been planning for awhile to cut the offseason program short for a number of reasons.

What was eliminated by the league was a rookie development week that was not football-related. NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco characterized the development in a tweet as, “non-football and life skills.”

The 49ers rookies that stayed behind will now likely head home and return for training camp in late July.

49ers cancel final 2 OTAs and mandatory minicamp

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan cancelled two OTAs and mandatory minicamp for a number of reasons.

The San Francisco 49ers’ offseason program is finished. Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Wednesday told reporters the team won’t hold another practice prior to training camp in part because of the truncated offseason schedule, the large turnout at the voluntary workouts, and because of the pair of major injuries the team sustained Monday.

This year’s OTAs started a week later than usual, which was part of the impetus for cutting the program short. Shanahan explained to reporters in a video chat that while he’d always planned to cut back on the mandatory minicamp in order to give the players some time away from the facility.

“We kinda decided awhile ago we weren’t gonna do minicamp,” Shanahan said in a videoconference. “I rarely do do minicamp when we get nine OTAs in. We usually do one practice, then we have like a team-building thing throughout that. I kinda decided earlier in this if we could get our OTAs in I wasn’t gonna keep them for minicamp because it’s a week longer than usual. I like the guys to get away for 40 days, and we started a week later this year than usual – the whole league did –  so they only would’ve gotten away for 32 days, and I think that does add up.”

Another factor in the team’s decision to eliminate their final two OTAs and their three-day mandatory minicamp was the number of players that showed up for OTAs. Turnout for the voluntary sessions was in question because of COVID-19 protocols, and limited turnout to the voluntary practices makes the mandatory practices more of a necessity.

Shanahan said all but one member of the 49ers’ roster showed up, rendering the need for additional practices moot.

“We had such a big turnout, too. I know there were some question around a lot of people around the league,” Shanahan said. “If we didn’t have a big turnout I obviously would’ve kept those guys because I know we had to get some work in. I mean, we really had 89 people show up to OTAs, which was unbelievable. … Having 89 guys here and getting seven OTA practices in, I felt great about it.”

While the 49ers did wind up eliminating five on-field practices, the change wasn’t a huge stretch from Shanahan’s original plan. His initial goal was to get eight practices in before cancelling the rest of the offseason program. The team wound up cutting it off after seven sessions because of two season-ending injuries suffered by OL Justin Skule and DB Tarvarius Moore on Monday.

“My plan was to get eight, then I was gonna surprise them on Thursday and take everyone bowling,” Shanahan said. “But after our seventh practice with those two injuries and just the aura it gave to it, I wasn’t gonna come back and do one more just to do one more.”

Now the 49ers, save for a few rookies that’ll stay at the facility, will head home until late July when training camp is set to start, although dates haven’t been officially determined.