Tag: 49ers roster

Deebo Samuel trade request shifts 49ers offseason needs

The 49ers badly need WR help.

The San Francisco 49ers’ list of offseason needs got a shakeup on Super Bowl Sunday when ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported wide receiver Deebo Samuel requested a trade.

Sitting atop the list of needs are the offensive line and defensive line in some order. San Francisco needs to find an upgrade at center, and a starting left guard. They also need starting help and depth at defensive end and defensive tackle.

After that it was murky. They have a slew of things to address at cornerback, safety, linebacker and tight end, but Samuel’s trade request made wide receiver a much more clear need for San Francisco this offseason. It may even land directly behind the trenches if we’re jotting down a list.

Receiver was already a position we’ve discussed as a need for the 49ers, and that was before it came to light they’d likely not have Samuel on their roster in 2025.

If we remove Samuel from the mix, Brandon Aiyuk sits as the clear No. 1 on the WR depth chart. He’s coming back from a major knee injury he suffered in Week 7 of last season. That throws his availability and effectiveness into question for 2025.

Jauan Jennings looks like the clear No. 2 WR on the roster, but he’s only under contract through 2025 and his play last year may have elevated his market beyond where the 49ers might be able to keep him on the roster after his deal is up.

San Francisco did pick Ricky Pearsall in the first round and Jacob Cowing in the fourth round of last year’s draft. Pearsall flashed at the end of last year, but he’s not a sure thing going into his second year. Cowing was a relative non-factor and will be a significant question mark entering 2025.

The 49ers need to at the very least add reliable depth in their receiving corps, and it would behoove them to perhaps draft a receiver earlier than they initially anticipated. Getting young talent into the receivers room allows them to overcome some of the potential obstacles at the position this year while also building out an arsenal for quarterback Brock Purdy.

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Only 2 former 49ers playing in Super Bowl LIX

Neither Super Bowl team has many former 49ers.

This year’s Super Bowl may not be an easy one for San Francisco 49ers fans given the matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, but there’s a silver lining in that not many former 49ers will be in the game.

The Chiefs have knocked the 49ers off twice in Super Bowls during Kyle Shanahan’s tenure as head coach, and they’ve mounted comebacks to win both.

On the other side the Eagles have become a rival for San Francisco with both clubs battling for NFC supremacy over the last few seasons. Philadelphia knocked the 49ers out in the 2022 NFC championship game, but the 49ers got some revenge in Philadelphia the following regular season. The talking was loud leading up to the NFC championship and afterwards.

The good news is there’s not a ton of former 49ers who got away to play in Sunday’s game. A bevy of former 49ers playing might have just added insult to injury.

However, only one player from each team figures to feature prominently in the contest.

Linebacker Oren Burks, who struggled in Dre Greenlaw’s stead in last year’s Super Bowl, latched on with the Eagles and is on track to play a significant role in the Eagles’ LB corps.

He spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the 49ers and primarily contributed on special teams. He did rack up 84 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one interception and two pass breakups.

For Kansas City, defensive lineman Charles Omenihu is still there after signing as a free agent in 2023 after being traded to the 49ers in 2021. He became a key piece of their defensive line rotation who they’ve struggled to replace. Omenihu was a versatile DL who could rush the passer effectively from the edge and the interior. He was also on the Chiefs club that beat the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.

Interestingly, the Eagles practice squad features a handful of recently-failed 49ers draft picks. They roster wide receiver Danny Gray, running back Tyrion Davis-Price and cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields on their practice unit. They’ve also added tight end Cameron Latu on a reserve/future deal.

None of that group figures to play in Super Bowl LIX.

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New contract for aging veteran must be high priority for 49ers in 2025

The 49ers have to keep George Kittle in San Francisco.

While much of the offseason focus for the San Francisco 49ers will land on quarterback Brock Purdy’s contract extension and ways the team can retool for a Super Bowl via free agency and the NFL draft, there are handful of other housekeeping details to keep an eye on.

One of those details, a contract extension for tight end George Kittle, should land relatively high on the team’s priorities for the offseason.

Kittle told Kay Adams on Radio Row at Super Bowl LIX that he’d like to spend the rest of his career with San Francisco, and given his contributions as he’s entered his 30s, it would behoove them to ensure they’re keeping the four-time All-Pro around.

He was more mum on whether extension talks were in the works.

For the 49ers it’s a no-brainer to extend the TE they selected in the fifth round of the 2017 draft, particularly since they don’t have an heir-apparent and finding an adequate second tight end has proved difficult.

However, Kittle’s value has never been higher with quarterback Brock Purdy under center. It looked in 2021 like there may be a dip in production coming for Kittle as he entered his 30s. He put up a very strong 910 yards and six touchdowns that year, but followed it up in 2022 with 765 yards and 11 TDs.

Purdy’s reliance on Kittle in the red zone made it seem as though the TE would have a revised role where his yardage dipped, but his TDs might stay inflated. However, in the last two years Purdy has helped Kittle return to form as a reliable playmaker between the 20s as well.

In 36 games with Purdy since Purdy took over late in the 2022 season, Kittle has 159 catches for 2,332 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. He has 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two years. His 15.7 yards per reception in 2023 were a career-high, and his 14.2 yards per reception in 2024 were the third-best mark of his career.

Kittle’s value as a blocker is still one of the highest at his position in the NFL, and he’s been rejuvenated as a go-to pass catching threat in the 49ers’ offense.

He’s entering the final year of his deal in 2024, and his value is as high as ever. Replacing Kittle isn’t going to be easy. The 49ers need to do everything they can this offseason to ensure he’s with them beyond the end of his contract at the close of the 2024 campaign.

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49ers defensive captain has no doubt about who team’s franchise QB is

Fred Warner: Big Brock Purdy guy.

While San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has received very public votes of confidence from general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, there’s still some questions in the general NFL discourse about whether the 49ers will actually pay Purdy this offseason.

Purdy, a 2022 draft pick, is extension-eligible for the first time. He appears to be on track for a sizable new contract. One person who doesn’t have any questions about Purdy is 49ers defensive captain, All-Pro and vocal team leader Fred Warner.

Warner in an interview with Dianna Russini on her podcast, ‘Scoop City,’ gave a full endorsement of Purdy as the team’s franchise QB.

“If you truly watch the tape,” Warner said, “and you watch all the other elite quarterbacks in this league, they all have a common thread amongst all of them in the fact they’re able to process the game at such a high level, being able to create plays with their feet, make the high level throws up and down the field – Brock Purdy does all these things. And he was in the MVP conversation a year ago, let’s not forget that. He took us to a Super Bowl and he gave us the lead before, obviously, Patrick Mahomes and them took it away from us in that Super Bowl.

“This is the guy. There’s no question. Everybody out there, if you have any questions about Brock Purdy, I’m here to tell you, I’m not biased, I know ball – he’s the guy.”

Warner has been a supporter of Purdy’s since the QB first took over as the starter late in the 2022 season. The two faced off in practice with Warner and the first-team defense going against Purdy when he ran the scout team.

A linebacker’s opinion of the QB may not typically carry a ton of weight. Warner’s voice carries weight in the 49ers locker room, though. That he’s so firmly backing Purdy with contract extension talks looming is a good indicator of where Purdy stands with his teammates and the organization.

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How 49ers can get in the mix as NFC West rival parts with star WR

Cooper Kupp in red and gold?

Bringing in additional depth at wide receiver won’t be at the top of the list of offseason priorities for the San Francisco 49ers, but it’s certainly something that should be on their radar while they navigate some of their bigger-ticket issues.

While it’s not a spot they’ll be looking to make a major splash, if the Los Angeles Rams wind up letting go of wide receiver Cooper Kupp, the 49ers should be first in line to try and lure him to the Bay Area.

Kupp announced via Twitter (currently X) that the Rams intend to trade him this offseason. While that may be their goal, there’s no guarantee the 32-year-old who has played in 33 games the last three years will fetch much in the trade market. Los Angeles may wind up releasing the WR, something the Rams Wire managing editor Cam DaSilva mentioned is on the table for the Rams this offseason:

Cutting Kupp might be the simplest and likeliest option for the Rams. That doesn’t mean it’d be easy to do, but it’s often what decisions like this come down to.

Unfortunately, it’s also the worst option financially for the Rams because they would only save $7.52 million by cutting Kupp before June 1. Even as a post-June 1 cut, they’d save $15 million, but only because his total dead cap charge of $22.26 million would be split between the next two years instead of all coming in 2025.

There’s certainly some risk that comes with acquiring Kupp. San Francisco’s hopes of adding him via trade are close to nil given that they’re in the same division as the Rams.

Even if he’s released, the risk of adding him might just be enough to turn the 49ers off to the idea entirely. However, San Francisco would be aiming to utilize Kupp in a lower-volume way that may help him stay healthier.

Despite playing in only 33 games the last three years Kupp has still amassed 293 targets in that stretch, or 8.9 per game. For comparison, the 49ers target leaders the last three years have racked up 332 targets (6.9 per game) in 48 total games.

In eight seasons Kupp has posted 7,776 receiving yards and 57 touchdowns on 664 receptions. He was the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year after winning the wide receiver triple crown, leading the league in catches, yards and touchdowns.

Kupp is an outstanding route runner and blocker who is capable of playing multiple positions in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, so the fit would be seamless while helping bolster a 49ers receiving corps that is suddenly littered with question marks.

Perhaps Kupp will be unaffordable if he hits the open market. He may even be averse to joining the Rams’ division rival. Either way, if the Rams are unable to trade Kupp and release him instead, the 49ers should be first in line to try and land him.

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How 49ers should fix major special teams weak spot this offseason

The 49ers can’t just run out Jake Moody again next season.

The San Francisco 49ers tried to make kicking an afterthought for the foreseeable future when they used the No. 99 overall pick in the 2023 draft to select kicker Jake Moody out of the University of Michigan. After two seasons it’s clear San Francisco can’t push the position off its list of offseason needs.

Moody got off to a rocky start his rookie year, but by season’s end looked like he found his footing in the NFL. His second season was a disaster where he missed 10 of his 34 attempts. Five of his misses come from 40-49 yards out, and another five were from 50-plus. His 70.6 percent FG percentage was the lowest for an NFL kicker with at least 34 attempts since the 2012 season when another 49ers kicker, David Akers, made just 69.0 percent of his 42 tries. Moody is one of only four players since the 2000 with a FG percentage of 70.6 or worse on 34-plus kicks.

How the 49ers proceed at kicker will be an interesting offseason subplot to some of the more noteworthy decisions they have to make on offense and defense.

They could just run it back with Moody, but his struggles in two seasons with San Francisco have been so high-profile that he may never be fully comfortable with the 49ers.

Moody did deal with an injury this year that may have hampered him some when he returned. He also saw his holder change when punter Mitch Wishnowsky went down with a back injury.

Still, he missed his first preseason kick and missed his first game-winning try. He had an extra point blocked in the Super Bowl, and then in his second season put up one of the worst seasons for a kicker in more than a decade. Every kick in a 49ers uniform is going to come with added pressure after his rocky first two seasons.

There’s a chance they outright move on from Moody as well. They can cut him and bring in another draft pick or a veteran and try again to find some consistency at the position.

A wiser move in any event would include some level of competition whether it includes, Moody, a veteran, a (late-round) draft pick or otherwise. San Francisco can’t go into another year where head coach Kyle Shanahan can’t confidently roll his kicker out for field goals. Using a high draft pick on the position didn’t work, and just trying to snag a veteran like Joey Slye or Nick Folk could easily backfire. Holding a real competition in camp between a couple of kickers is the way the 49ers should operate this offseason.

They may not be keen on using multiple 90-man roster spots on kickers, but if it ultimately leads to a solution where they don’t have to worry about their kicker it would be well worth it.

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49ers superstar reveals why he’s excited for Robert Saleh’s return

It’s what Fred Warner didn’t say that jumps out.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner didn’t hide his excitement for the return of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, but there were things he didn’t say that illustrate what Saleh’s return means for the 49ers’ defense.

That’s not a huge surprise given the tumult San Francisco has dealt with the last couple of years while cycling through defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and Nick Sorensen.

Saleh has a proven track record with Warner and the 49ers, and his addition to their coaching staff looks like an early offseason victory for San Francisco. Warner expressed his excitement in an interview with NBC Sports’ Jennifer Lee Chan at the Pro Bowl Games.

“It means a lot,” Warner said. “Obviously Coach Saleh has been amazing for us and for myself as a young player, so it’s gonna be interesting being the old guy now, myself, being with him again. It’s gonna be fun though.”

A clearer indication of what Saleh brings to the 49ers defense came from something Warner did not say.

Chan asked the All-Pro LB about Saleh’s energy and how it lifts up the 49ers defense. His response was telling:

“I mean, it’s contagious,” Warner said. “You see it. Him, DeMeco (Ryans), that was a big part of why we were so successful. And obviously the teaching portion of it all and making sure we’re all on the same page. It’s gonna be good to get him back.”

Saleh and Ryans were both high-energy coaches on the sidelines. That was not a quality possessed by Wilks nor Sorensen, and Warner omitting them both is telling.

Overt displays of excitement on the sideline aren’t the only requisite quality for a good defensive coordinator, but it’s been clear the last couple of years the 49ers edge has been lacking on that side of the ball. There have been other problems, too. Warner alludes to them when talking about teaching and being on the same page. Personnel has also been an issue that goes beyond the scope of a DC’s responsibilities.

Warner’s excitement and his reasons for it are good signs for the immediate future of the 49ers’ defense. They’ve got a handful of other tweaks to make, but just getting Saleh back on the sideline should help San Francisco right away.

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Return of injured All-Pro would major lift to another 49ers WR

Nobody may benefit more from Brandon Aiyuk’s return than Deebo Samuel.

There’s no question that missing wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk for most of the 2024 campaign contributed to the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive issues.

Aiyuk individually is an excellent player whose contributions when he’s at his best make him one of the 10 best receivers in the sport. It’s why he earned a Second-Team All-Pro nod for his breakout 2023 campaign.

His early-season struggles followed by his absence because of a knee injury he suffered in Week 7 were a significant blow to the 49ers’ passing game. His absence may have also been a factor in wide receiver Deebo Samuel’s struggles in the passing game last season.

Pro Football Network noted Samuel’s receiving production plummeted without Aiyuk on the field:

Deebo Samuel had 19 receptions on 30 targets for 310 yards across 231 snaps when playing alongside Brandon Aiyuk. Without Aiyuk, he recorded 32 receptions on 51 targets for 360 yards over 422 snaps.

Without Aiyuk the 49ers never had a receiving threat like him. Jauan Jennings put together an outstanding year in an expanded role, but he didn’t force teams to alter their coverages against him the way Aiyuk did.

That undoubtedly had an impact on Samuel whose skill set as a pure receiver has never been the special part of his game. Without a No. 1 across from him it makes sense if he struggled to get open and produce as a pass catcher.

On the other hand, there were some other clear issues for Samuel last season that went beyond Aiyuk’s absence. He had a difficult time breaking tackles and generating yards after the catch when he did snag a reception, and his production as a runner cratered.

Perhaps there were injury issues for Samuel that slowed him down some in 2024, but it’s clear he’ll benefit at least a little from Aiyuk’s eventual return in 2025.

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How 49ers can help D-line issues without free agency or NFL draft

A Nick Bosa bounce-back year would be really great for the 49ers in 2025.

There are obvious needs for the San Francisco 49ers on the defensive line that will need to be addressed via free agency and the NFL draft this offseason.

However, that’s not the only way they can see an improvement from that group.

Star defensive end Nick Bosa, who was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 after leading the NFL with 18.5 sacks, hasn’t quite been himself the last couple of years.

Bosa tore his ACL in 2020, but bounced back in 2021 with 15.5 sacks before earning the DPOY nod the following year.

The offseason after his DPOY campaign was also the offseason he was due for a contract extension. Negotiations on his deal lingered until the week the regular season started, and there was a clear impact on the star DE as he worked his way back into football shape. Eventually he started looking more like himself, but he had a hard time turning his pressures into sacks.

According to Pro Football Focus, Bosa actually posted more total pressures in 2023 than he did in 2022, but his number of sacks and quarterback hits both dipped significantly. So did his pass rush win rate, which went from 21.0 in 2022, to 22.3 in 2023, down to 20.0 in 2024.

In all, Bosa has just 19.5 sacks over the last two seasons — a number that will have to improve if the 49ers defense is going to return to peak form.

Injuries certainly played a role in Bosa’s lack of production in 2024 as he missed three games and dealt with hip/oblique injuries through most of the second half of the season. The lack of quality talent around him might’ve also had an impact as offenses were able to focus more on ensuring Bosa’s path to their quarterback was more difficult.

Next season has to be a bounce-back year from Bosa where he starts turning his pass rush wins into sacks the way he did in 2021 and 2022. If he does that, it will be a significant lift for a pass rush that had a difficult time affecting quarterbacks last season.

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2025 draft class could be perfect for 49ers to revamp key position group

It’s a deep defensive line class this year in the NFL draft.

Fixing what’s become a patchwork defensive line has to be near the top of the San Francisco 49ers’ 2025 offseason to-do list.

They could opt to do so in free agency. There should be a handful of quality options at defensive end and defensive tackle in the free agent market. A more feasible route financially and for sustainable success will be trying to find a couple of quality defensive linemen in this year’s draft.

Early returns on analysis of the 2025 draft class are offering some good news for the 49ers if that’s the way they want to overhaul their defensive front.

ESPN’s Matt Miller in writing about the Senior Bowl believes this is the best DL group he’s ever seen at the pre-draft event.

Via ESPN:

This is the best defensive line group I’ve seen in the 15 years I’ve attended the Senior Bowl. Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen plus Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart are first-round talents and headline a group that has 11 players ranked among my top 65 prospects. Marshall’s speedy edge rusher Mike Green, the FBS leader in sacks in 2024 (17.0), is another player to watch.

This group is stacked and versatile, with quick, smaller edge players and big, strong defensive tackles such as Texas’ Alfred Collins and Kentucky’s Deone Walker. The defensive line is the strength of the 2025 draft class, and it will be well represented in Mobile.

Miller isn’t the only analyst excited about this year’s draft class. NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah also noted on Twitter that more than 30 percent of his initial top-50 ranking is defensive linemen.

This is a big draft for the 49ers since they’ll need to restock their roster with affordable talent. The 2024 draft looks like it’ll be a productive one for San Francisco. If they can take advantage of what looks like a deep defensive line class to rebuild their defensive front around defensive end Nick Bosa, they’ll be in good shape to open up another Super Bowl window.

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