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[San Francisco 49ers]

Three players the 49ers still have a chance to sign in free agency who could make a 2025 impact

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The 49ers have clearly committed to not handing out big contracts in free agency this year, but there are several impact players they could sign without doing so.

The 49ers’ quiet free agency period is no accident. San Francisco’s likely approach on the open market was laid out before the new league year began, and the franchise has stuck to a commitment to avoiding paying out large contracts this offseason.

Yet the 49ers are set to head into the draft still with 18 spots on the roster to fill. Even with 11 picks in the draft, it seems unlikely they will fill all of those holes with rookies.

San Francisco, despite some financial limitations that are a consequence of the contract extension the 49ers are set to hand Brock Purdy this offseason, has some room for maneuver in free agency.

But it seems set in stone at this point that the 49ers are largely focused on younger players who will not break the bank both in terms of cap hit and cash outlay.

At this point in the calendar, most free agents still on the market are players who will probably have to sign team-friendly, one-year deals, and the 49ers could still find some difference-makers who can help improve the team in 2025 and perhaps beyond without putting them in a financially difficult position. Here are three such players who have yet to find new homes.

DL Jesse Luketa

Luketa isn’t a well-known quantity, but he had a significant impact on the 49ers’ 2024 season going sideways.

The former seventh-round pick was the man who forced a crucial red-zone fumble from Jordan Mason in the 49ers’ Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, a play emblematic of his main strength, run defense.

Improving stopping the run is top priority for the 49ers on defense in 2025. Last season, Luketa had the fifth-highest PFF run defense grade among edge defenders with a minimum of 50 snaps against the rush. His run stop rate of 10.4 percent ranked seventh.

That his tally of three sacks last season represented a career-high for Luketa speaks to a lack of pass-rush upside. However, he is an edge who could eat up snaps on base downs and allow Yetur Gross-Matos and Sam Okuayinonu to kick inside more often.

San Francisco would still benefit from finding a potential long-term starter at defensive end across from Nick Bosa, but the 49ers also need reliable depth. Still only 26, Luketa is a player who can provide that and would likely come at a very affordable cost.

The 49ers signing a player the Cardinals elected not to tender as a restricted free agent might not sound very appealing, but it could be an astute move.

OT Jedrick Wills

Having once again dealt with an injury apocalypse coming off a Super Bowl loss, the 49ers have strong reason to be very reluctant to sign players with checkered histories in terms of staying on the field.

Wills’ injury history is very checkered. He has played a full regular season just once in his career and last year featured in only five games as he was benched for Dawand Jones. His 2023 campaign was ended by a torn MCL that cost him the final nine games.

But Wills does have first-round pedigree, previous history of excelling at the highest level with an All-Rookie season under his belt in 2020, and experience of playing both right and left tackle in his career.

Such is the potential emphasis on the defensive line, that the 49ers might not be able to add potential difference-makers on the offensive side of the trenches in this year’s draft.

For a team whose right tackle is an average starter at best and is in need of a long-term successor to Trent Williams on the left side, a bet on a 25-year-old reclamation project would be a smart one to take.

RB J.K. Dobbins

Do the 49ers still have Christian McCaffrey? Yes. Did they trade up for a running back last year in Isaac Guerendo? Yes. Do they already have four backs on the roster? Yes. Are they likely to select a back from this year’s loaded draft class? Yes.

Is any of that a reason to believe Kyle Shanahan won’t sign another free agent back he likes? Absolutely not.

Dobbins enjoyed his best season since his rookie campaign of 2020 last year, going for 1,058 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns for the Los Angeles Chargers.

An MCL sprain ended Dobbins’ 2024 season early, a continuation of a theme in a career defined by injury struggles. Yet his durability issues will likely keep the cost of signing Dobbins low, and there was plenty in Dobbins’ performances last season to suggest he would thrive in the 49er offense.

Per Sumer Sports, Dobbins’ explosive run rate of 12.3% ranked sixth among running backs with at least 100 rushes.

A deeper dive into the numbers reveals a back well-suited for a ground attack still built on a foundation of zone runs.

Indeed, Dobbins ranked fifth in Expected Points Added per rush among backs with at least 50 attempts on zone runs. His explosive play rate of 13.8% on such runs ranked second.

Dobbins was not as efficient on gap scheme runs, but he thrived on duo runs, which the 49ers called sparingly but executed effectively in 2024. Jordan Mason led the NFL (min. 20 duo rushes) with an explosive play rate of 21.7% on such rushes. Mason was also first in yards per carry (7.48) and EPA per rush (0.4), with Dobbins seventh (5.18) and eighth (0.15) in those categories.

While Dobbins would be a downgrade from the 49ers’ former second-string back in that regard, he would be a significant upgrade in terms of pass protection. Among the 35 running backs with at least 50 pass block snaps last year, Dobbins ranked third in PFF pass block grade. Mason only played 24 pass block snaps across the entirety of the year.

Signing Dobbins wouldn’t preclude the 49ers from adding another back in the draft, or stop them from keeping at least one of Taylor or Abanikanda on the practice squad. What it would do is give the 49ers a productive backup who is reliable in pass protection, providing them with a player they can trust to take some of the load off Christian McCaffrey.

Dobbins is a free agent who brings obvious inherent risk but, at the likely opportunity cost, it could be one worth taking.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...till-chance-sign-free-agency-make-2025-impact

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: Is the Mac Darnold era upon us?

Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Monday, March 24th, 2025

Can Mac Jones be the next Sam Darnold? Takeaways on 49ers’ free-agent additions (paywall)

“Jones’ career began to nosedive in his second season when defensive-minded coach Matt Patricia bombed in his role as New England’s offensive play-caller and unofficial coordinator. Jones’ quarterbacks coach that season: Former Giants head coach Joe Judge, whose background is in special teams.

Jones’ ineffectiveness is probably at least partly due to instability. His teams have had a 26-42 record and he has played for two head coaches, four offensive coordinators and four position coaches. Before Darnold joined the 49ers, his teams had a 25-57 record and he’d played for three position coaches, four head coaches and five offensive coordinators.

Jones isn’t likely to become the second coming of Young. But it’s easy to see why Shanahan might think he could be the next Darnold.”

Does this PFN 7-round mock draft properly address the 49ers’ needs?

• “Round 4, Pick 138: Chase Lundt, OT, UConn
• Round 5, Pick 147: J.J. Pegues, DT, Ole Miss
• Round 5, Pick 160: Clay Webb, G, Jacksonville State
• Round 7, Pick 227: Jimmy Horn Jr., WR, Colorado
• Round 7, Pick 249: Brady Cook, QB, Missouri
• Round 7, Pick 252: Barryn Sorrell, LB/DL, Texas.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...offseason-contract-mock-draft-free-agency-nfl

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

One analyst explains why ‘the death of the ‘25 49ers has been greatly exaggerated’

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The connections to the Bills and Rams of 2023 continues to come up when thinking about the 49ers moving forward, but there are some holes in that argument.

The San Francisco 49ers have received their fair share of flack this offseason. General manager John Lynch made it clear that the team would not be shelling out money in free agency the way the team spent $334.5 million in cash on the 2024 roster. Per Over the Cap, that figure is down to $223.3 million in 2025.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes the 49ers are doing more of a roster churn than a complete teardown:

While a good chunk of the core of the 2023 Super Bowl team is gone now, the Niners did get ahead of a few potential losses, signing Brandon Aiyuk (four years, $120 million) and Deommodore Lenoir (five years, $88.9 million) to long-term contracts, and Jauan Jennings (two years, $15.4 million) and Colton McKivitz (1 year, $5.85 million) to shorter-term deals. That’s with Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey intact as All-Pro foundation pieces to build around, and with a big contract for Brock Purdy coming.

The bottom line: If they hit on draft picks and get good coaching, such as those Rams and Bills did, the Niners will be just fine.

The last couple of lines seem to be a convenient comparison in recent weeks for the 49ers. Breer said, “I’ve used the 2023 Los Angeles Rams and the 2024 Buffalo Bills as examples over the past few years of perennial winners who consciously decided to take a bunch of their medicine after rolling up cap debt chasing championships.”

If only the 49ers had a Hall of Fame defensive tackle to rely on the way the Rams did in 2023. In his final season as a pro, Donald was still among, if not the best defensive player in the NFL. Los Angeles also got nearly a 1,500-yard season from rookie Puka Nacua, not to mention elite quarterback play, despite a middling supporting cast — Cooper Kupp has not been the same wideout in years.

There are some positions where you can glean information from statistics to measure how a player plays, and quarterback is not one of those. From running out of sacks to making throws on time or out of structure, it’s clear as day what Stafford means to the Rams.

It should go without saying, but how would Stafford's perception of himself have been if he had been with the 2023 Niners? They may not have lost a game.

And speaking of high-level quarterback play, the reason the Bills could afford the roster purge was because Josh Allen had been carrying them for years, and there was little reason to think that would change in 2024. It did not, as Allen lit the league on fire with 28 passing touchdowns, 12 rushing touchdowns, and an MVP performance.

So, are we putting Purdy in the same company as Stafford and Allen? Last season felt more realistic than 2023, in the sense that you’re more likely to suffer multiple injuries than go an entire season of being at full strength. When that was the case, Brock wasn’t an MVP candidate. That’s not to say he was a slouch, because he wasn’t, but when the team needed their signal-caller to step up and create on his own without the luxury of his best weapons, Purdy did not.

While many focus on the number Purdy will get in his contract extension, I’m fascinated by the potential structure. The 49ers will tell us how they view Purdy in the short and long term, and the same could be said for Kyle Shanahan's leash, to an extent.

But using the Rams and the Bills as a comparison to what the 49ers are doing isn’t apples to apples because San Francisco hasn’t built their team around a quarterback. It’s been vice versa. That could change, but we’d need to see the results before comparing the Niners to success stories.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...llen-brock-purdy-matthew-stafford-free-agency

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Former Rams WR off a career season listed as the 49ers high-upside free agent signing

Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images

Can Demarcus Robinson replicate what he did in 2024 with the Rams in 2025 with the 49ers?

The San Francisco 49ers didn’t make any splash signings during free agency, but that doesn’t mean any of their signings won’t impact the outcome of the 2025 regular season in some capacity.

Pro Football Focus highlighted the highest upside free agent for each team, and former Los Angeles Rams wideout Demarcus Robinson was the selection for San Francisco:

San Francisco 49ers: WR Demarcus Robinson

Contract: Two years, $8 million

With Deebo Samuel off to the Commanders, the 49ers’ receiver room is not only set to look different, but it will be far more standard. Samuel’s versatility allowed him to handle carries out of the backfield and on end-arounds, and while Demarcus Robinson isn’t going to take over in that sense, he will provide some stability for the team’s pass-catching corps.

Robinson, with his fourth team in five years, has never dropped more than five passes in a season and is coming off a career-high 602 receiving yards and seven scores in 2024. He can be a capable WR3 for Brock Purdy.

As rumors continue to swirl about 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk being possibly moved ahead of a lackluster wide receiver group in the NFL Draft, Robinson may be more valuable than the 49ers had initially thought when they signed him.

There’s no reason for the 49ers to attempt to emulate what Deebo did, whether that’s with Robinson, Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing, or any player on the roster. Now is the ideal time to pivot from that role, use a wide receiver like Robinson’s skill set, and drop him into the offense.

If any coach in the NFL is going to get the most out of a player, it’s Sean McVay. Looking at Robinson’s usage in 2024 with the Rams, it’s clear that McVay saw Robinson as a deep threat. Per Next Gen Stats, 105 of Robinson’s yards game underneath ten air yards, 162 of his receiving yards happened at the intermediate portion of the field, while 238 came at 20+ air yards.

Robinson’s target share at each level was about as equal as you can get. He had 21 targets at the short and deep levels, while 22 targets were at the intermediate portion of the field. So, in terms of “high-upside,” Robinson fits the bill based on his consistent ability to win down the field.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...ricky-pearsall-jacob-cowing-free-agent-impact

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

What have been the best moves of the offseason for the 49ers?

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The 49ers haven’t done much in free agency. What stands out so far?

The San Francisco 49ers haven’t done much this offseason.

In free agency, they’ve mainly made minor moves, not signing any player to a contract worth over $5.5 million annually, while letting eight free agents walk on deals worth at least $10 million per year.

But, they’ve still had some solid moves this offseason, be it coaching hires, under-the-radar signings, or not overpaying for free agents.

So, here are the three best moves that the 49ers have made this offseason.

Hiring Robert Saleh as DC​

Unquestionably, the 49ers best move this offseason has been hiring Robert Saleh back as their defensive coordinator.

Now, they haven’t done much to bolster the defense this offseason, releasing defensive end Leonard Floyd and defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins, while letting linebacker Dre Greenlaw, cornerback Charvarius Ward, and safety Talanoa Hufanga walk in free agency.

But, Saleh’s presence will be a welcoming one after the 49ers fired defensive coordinators in back-to-back offseasons. His fit has never been a question in San Francisco, and he’s consistently churned out top 10 defenses, be it in the Bay Area or with the New York Jets.

The draft will be crucial to filling out the holes on defense, but Saleh’s return should be beneficial to a unit that has the star power with Fred Warner and Nick Bosa leading the charge.

Signing DeMarcus Robinson as insurance​

Heading into the offseason, the 49ers had a variety of needs to address. One underrated one was the need for an additional wide receiver as insurance for star Brandon Aiyuk, who is expected to miss the beginning of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL and MCL.

Well, while they haven’t made many moves so far, the 49ers did add Los Angeles Rams wide receiver DeMarcus Robinson on a cheap two-year, $8 million deal with $6 million guaranteed.

Robinson had his best season as a pro in 2024, catching 31 passes for 505 yards and seven touchdowns, primarily getting his usage when stars Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua were injured.

Robinson is exactly what the 49ers needed: a wideout who can be a WR3 when needed, while being strong insurance as a backup when the starters are in the lineup. He adds speed and good size on the edge, which fits what the 49ers like from their ‘X’ receiver.

Letting Aaron Banks walk​

The 49ers biggest free agent this offseason was left guard Aaron Banks, who has started at left guard for the last three seasons.

Banks has been a key cog at left guard, starting 43 games during that period, but he has been uneven with his play, with the metrics for both pass protection and run blocking being average to below average for guards.

Offensive linemen usually cash out well in free agency, given the lack of quality linemen in the NFL, so Banks was expected to command a major contract, and he got one with a four-year, $77 million deal from the Green Bay Packers.

The 49ers need to improve their offensive line to be a Super Bowl contender. But, signing Banks to that contract wasn’t the best way to solving that issue when you can get similar-level play for much cheaper.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...fseason-hiring-robert-saleh-demarcus-robinson

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Can you guess this 49ers cornerback in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Niners player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey Niners Nation! We’re back for another day of the Niners Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Niners Nation in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Monday, March 24, 2025
Sunday, March 23, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Niners Nation in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct 49ers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3/26/24394365/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Insider offers update on expected numbers for Brock Purdy’s contract extension

Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

While the much anticipated long-term deal for 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy does not appear imminent, an NFL insider provided insight on the contract’s expected value.

With the matter of the Brock Purdy contract extension, it’s never been a matter of if the deal will get done.

Though are plenty of Purdy skeptics, none exist in the 49er organisation, and the franchise brass has made clear its intention to ensure he is signed to a long-term contract.

The two overriding questions with the Purdy contract surround when it will get done and, more pertinently, how much the 49ers will ultimately decide to pay him.

The latter question grew more pressing in the wake of the 49ers slumping to a 6-11 record in 2024. While it does not appear as if the 49ers are any closer to reaching a resolution with Purdy, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz offered an update on where his deal will likely land in terms of average annual value.

Schultz wrote on Wednesday that the two sides are “actively negotiating”, though there does not seem to be a sense of urgency to get a deal signed in the near future. Indeed, a league source reportedly told Schultz “there’s not a rush” to get the contract resolved before next month’s draft.

On Purdy’s potential average salary, Schultz wrote:

“Earlier in the 2024 season, it seemed possible that Purdy could surpass Dak Prescott’s $60 million annual clip with the Cowboys if he had another stellar campaign and deep playoff run. While that now seems less likely, multiple sources insist that Purdy could still land “anywhere from $50-$55 million, or potentially more.”

Spotrac puts Purdy’s market value at an AAV of $59.7 million. Going off that measure, a deal in the $50-55 million range would be a win for the 49ers, especially with a rising cap likely to mean that quarterback contracts will continue to balloon and make any deal Purdy signs look cheap in a hurry.

A $50 million-plus deal for Purdy would still likely attract a lot of raised eyebrows from the doubters. However, it would be just reward for the resume he has compiled since being catapulted into the starting role late in 2022.

Purdy may well have won MVP in 2023 if not for a nightmare primetime showing against the Baltimore Ravens and eventual winner Lamar Jackson. Injuries at receiver and running back contributed to a slight step back in 2024, yet Purdy still finished ninth in the EPA + Completion Percentage Over Expectation composite metric.

A top-10 finish in that category was especially impressive as it came in a year that saw Purdy operate a markedly different offense, Kyle Shanahan putting a lot more on his plate with a heavier emphasis on pure dropback concepts.

There’s reason to believe that experience of being asked to do significantly more while working without several key weapons for long periods will be beneficial for Purdy. If that proves to be the case, a deal in the region Schultz reported will turn out to be a steal.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...pected-numbers-brock-purdy-contract-extension

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Your daily 49ers trivia game, Thursday edition

Think you can figure out which Niners player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey Niners Nation! We’re back for another day of the Niners Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Niners Nation in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Monday, March 24, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Niners Nation in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct 49ers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3/27/24395103/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Who are the 49ers highest-paid players in 2025?

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

San Francisco’s top cap hits are starting to get up there with their big contracts.

The San Francisco 49ers have cleared house this offseason, letting a number of their key free agents walk, while also trading Deebo Samuel and releasing a slew of starters from a season ago.

As a result, they have quite a bit of cap space, as OverTheCap lists them with over $35 million still available to spend in free agency, which ranks sixth in the NFL currently.

San Francisco has made many cash-saving moves this offseason, releasing and trading players while absorbing some big dead cap hits, but they still have ample cap space to use at their disposal.

That cap space is present even with major contracts starting to pile up for the 49ers with their star players. So, let’s take a look at the stars with the biggest cap hits for San Francisco this upcoming season and whether any additional moves make sense.

Here’s the top 10 cap hits for San Francisco in 2025:

1. Fred Warner ($29.17 million)

2. George Kittle ($22.03 million)

3. Trent Williams ($21.66 million)

4. Nick Bosa ($20.43 million)

5. Brandon Aiyuk ($10.75 million)

6. Javon Hargrave ($9.61 million void charge)

7. Yetur Gross-Matos ($9.47 million)

8. Christian McCaffrey ($9.42 million)

9. Deommodore Lenoir ($5.83 million)

10. Brock Purdy ($5.37 million)

There is a clear top group of cap hits for the 49ers this season, as Warner, Kittle, Williams, and Bosa are starting to reach the meat of their extensions.

Warner is in year four of a five-year extension he signed back in 2021. Kittle is in the final year of his five-year extension. Williams is in the second year of the three-year deal he signed last offseason. And Bosa is in year two of his massive five-year, $170 million extension.

Now, while some of the numbers, especially Warner’s, seem hefty, there are moves that can still be made to free up cap space. Extensions for Warner and Kittle seem likely this offseason, given that they’re entering the final years of their current contracts.

Warner is only 29, so another deal would take him through the remainder of his prime, while a third contract for Kittle would likely keep him in San Francisco for the duration of his career.

But, down the board, San Francisco is entering the first year of Brandon Aiyuk’s $30 million-per-year extension, so there isn’t a major cap hit in 2025. And Brock Purdy is in the final year of his rookie contract. He’ll likely receive an extension this offseason, which could elevate his cap hit slightly for the upcoming year.

Ultimately, the 49ers are well-positioned to enter the 2025 season with loads of cap space that they can use midseason or carry over to the 2026 offseason, where they could really begin to push more financially with their new core.

Extensions for top players like Kittle and Warner should add to that cap space, but the main prerogative is the extension for Brock Purdy, who could command a salary that exceeds $50 million per year.

Once that’s all settled, the cap hits for this season could end up looking much different than they currently do.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...arner-george-kittle-extensions-trent-williams

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Adam Schefter explains why a Brandon Aiyuk trade ‘doesn’t sound like it’s likely’

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The key date of April 1 comes up again from ESPN’s Adam Schefter when discussing a potential Brandon Aiyuk trade

We’ve discussed the potential for the San Francisco 49ers to trade star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk since the team traded wideout Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders.

The initial thought was that the Niners are trying to shed salary, paired with the idea that some front office members had buyer’s remorse after Aiyuk received $76 million guaranteed last summer.

To me, trading Aiyuk would have been the pinnacle of prisoner-of-the-moment decisions that likely stemmed from the non-football folks in the front office who are unaware of Aiyuk’s impact on the offense. Those same people likely used Aiyuk tearing his ACL against him as if he had any prior injury issues.

But it’s a business, and mistakes are made all of the time. We’ve been adamant that trading Aiyuk would qualify as a colossal mistake since he’s one of the few receivers in the NFL who is irreplaceable. There are no Brandon Aiyuks in every draft, especially in 2025.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes it’s unlikely the Niners trade Aiyuk, citing his option bonus triggers on April 1. Meaning, if a deal isn’t done by Tuesday, financially, it wouldn’t make sense to pay Aiyuk a $23 million roster bonus only to turn around and trade him in the summer or at the trade deadline.

Here’s Schefter on his podcast (around the 30-minute mark):

“There is actually a deadline on a Brandon Aiyuk deal. That is Tuesday, April 1st. That is the day that Brandon Aiyuk has a $22.85 roster bonus due. So, if the 49ers don’t find a trade partner for Brandon Aiyuk by Tuesday, next week, it’s hard to imagine a scenario, any scenario, under which they would wind up trading him during the season, when they’ve already paid him close to $23 million.

At that point and time, they would hold onto him for the year. You wait for him to get healthy. You wait for him to come back and contribute on your roster for the season and be the great wide receiver that he can be.

Now, again, there has not been a whole lot of interest because of the price and the injury concerns. Nobody wants to take on a contract when you don’t know when the guy is going to be healthy again this season.

But, from what I understand, Dr. Neal ElAttrache is pleased with his progress. He’s coming along. I would think he’s ready to play by midseason, and there might be a team out there that is willing to, basically, not give up very much to get a great player coming off an injury.

But, the point is, if that trade doesn’t materialize by next Tuesday, it’s not happening at all. Because the 49ers aren’t going to pay a $23 million roster bonus and then wind up dealing him this summer before the trade deadline. It’s not going to happen. So, we officially are on the clock for a Brandon Aiyuk trade in the next week, which, again, hasn’t happened yet. Don’t know if that will happen. John Lynch floated the idea, doesn’t sound like it’s likely.

But if, if, if, it’s going to happen, the only time it will happen would be in the next week.”

Schefter continued to double down on what it would take to acquire Aiyuk, saying, “A team wouldn’t have to give up that much at all. At all!” But he also added that he doesn’t believe Aiyuk gets moved.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3/28/24395884/49ers-brandon-aiyuk-adam-schefter-nfl-trade-rumors

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Why San Francisco’s 2024 first-round pick is primed for a breakout season

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With a full offseason under his belt, Ricky Pearsall could be next for San Francisco.

The San Francisco 49ers had quite the draft class in 2024, as several of their rookies were called upon to produce early on due to injuries, which was a difference from past draft classes for the franchise.

After striking out on much of their 2022 and 2023 draft classes, the 49ers struck paydirt in the 2024 cycle, as six players carved out roles, with four even starting a handful of games last season.

At the top of the list is first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, who was one of the more shocking first-round selections last year, given San Francisco’s talent at wide receiver. Things weren’t easy for Pearsall early, as he dealt with injuries in the offseason before getting shot in a robbery attempt prior to the season.

But, the first-round pick fought to return quickly, playing in 11 games last season, catching 31 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns.

Pearsall was an early-impact player upon returning from his injuries, as he quickly caught up to speed, going for over 70 all-purpose yards in his second and third NFL games. It was there when his connection with quarterback Brock Purdy really started to grow, showing glimpses of the potential that San Francisco saw when taking him in the first round.

“This dude went through so much adversity early on, but anytime he was out in the field with us at practice, he’d come up to me and just wouldn’t shut up,” Purdy said about Pearsall during a recent appearance on the Built 4 More podcast. “‘Brock, dude, I’m going to take this many steps here, break out. You can trust me on the side.’ I love that.”

“For me, in the heat of the moment, I need a guy I can trust, and this guy wants to get on the same page with me. So after practice, he’s running routes, I’m throwing to him. And then in the game, boom. We’re hitting on third down and converting. That’s what it takes, time and time again.”

After a cold stretch, where he had just 58 receiving yards over a six-game stretch, Pearsall began to break out at the end of the season, going for eight catches, 141 yards, and a touchdown in San Francisco’s 40-34 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Then, he finished the season with a six-catch, 69-yard, and one touchdown performance against the Arizona Cardinals, wrapping up the year on a high note.

Pearsall should have a bigger role in 2025, as he steps into a full-time starting role alongside Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. That role should especially expand over the first few weeks of the season when the 49ers will likely be without Aiyuk as he recovers from his injuries.

There’s definitely still room to grow for the 2024 first-round pick, but his work ethic has been documented several times, especially when he was recovering from injuries. And his teammates are taking note. That could start to pay off even more this season, where Pearsall has a prime opportunity for a breakout season.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...st-round-pick-is-primed-for-a-breakout-season

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers starting quarterback says he has issues seeing the field

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Is Brock Purdy’s situation unique? Ask Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, Joe Montana, the list goes on

Brock Purdy's interviews are always worth checking out. Recently, Built 4 More got him on their podcast to discuss his career, among other things.

And if you might have read about how he has issues seeing the field. Before we get into this one, I want to get the entire quote on here:

“So, my quarterback coach Brian Griese, the last couple years, he and I talked about that. He played 11 years; his dad’s Bob Griese. We got talking about how really it’s 60-40 you can see about 60 percent of the time, and the other 40 percent, you really can’t. I mean doesn’t matter how bigger you are—I’m already shorter in stature, yes—but he goes that’s why it’s so important when it comes down to knowing coverages, knowing scheme, where our players are supposed to be, how many steps they’re breaking, and where the ball should be over a certain backer. All those things, man, it matters.That’s why if you go to a combine and all those things you’re just throwing on air, and yeah you look all good with a strong arm and fast jumping all that stuff, but when it comes down to 11 on 11, and you got guys that are a foot taller, and you can’t see? It comes down to the processing. Before the play, I know this safety is probably going to rotate down, it’s going to be one high, and I got one hitch. No more than that to rip it where Deebo’s [Samuel] supposed to be like just inside the hash, and there’s a backer that’s also got a 40-inch vert that I got to put you know like that’s all those things”

So, 40 percent of the time, Purdy, a quarterback 6 feet, one inch tall, can’t see the field. And this was something his coach worked with him on. Not like Purdy just said, “I can’t see anything.”

On the surface, that lack of vision must be awful for a 6’1” quarterback. That is if you don’t realize other quarterbacks who have/had the same issue. Russell Wilson comes to mind immediately since his shorter height has helped him. There’s also retired quarterback Drew Brees who is a whopping one (1) inch shorter than Purdy on some lists. Both have won Super Bowls.

Of course, we can also visit the 49ers’ own greats, like Joe Montana. Get this: Montana is a whole inch taller than Purdy, I wonder if that inch is what gave Montana all that success.

The point is, while Purdy isn’t 6’5”, there have been plenty of quarterbacks in his situation who probably have grasped the same issues. Steve Young (6’2 if we’re keeping track) has praised Purdy for his processing speed—not his athletic ability.

And if you want to look to Purdy’s example of the quarterbacks running on air, look at all the flameouts during their pro day. Trey Lance looked tremendous in his Pro Day, but like Purdy implied, Lance was throwing on air and didn’t have linemen to deal with. We saw how that turned out. I’m sure that single inch Patrick Mahomes (6’ 2) has on Purdy is making him see 100 percent of the field over his linemen.

As you can see, Purdy’s not the only quarterback having this issue, the greats have it also. So what does Purdy do to compensate: timing and footwork, as stated in his Deebo Samuel example. A hitch and he was to throw it to Samuel.

This isn’t anything new. It’s the same thing Joe Montana did in Bill Walsh’s offense forty years ago. The play Purdy described had him do a single hitch before he needed to get it where Deebo Samuel was. It’s all timing—not seeing 100 percent of the field. Here’s Montana’s quote on the subject in Bill Walsh’s Football Life episode:

“Turn on the film, and he [Walsh] goes, ‘Hey, footwork. This is a five-step drop. You took, like, three big and a hop. And that’s why you feel like you’re waiting on, because everything’s not ready yet. We put steps in here for a reason. Three-step drop, five-step drop, five-step and a hitch, seven-step and a hitch, all this is all timed, so things can open up for you at a certain time.’”

So there. Purdy was just explaining how quarterbacks see the field. Not him and him alone. Purdy is having issues seeing the field? So is everyone else.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...dy-podcast-interview-seeing-field-joe-montana

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Can you guess this 49ers tight end in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Niners player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey Niners Nation! We’re back for another day of the Niners Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Niners Nation in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Friday, March 28, 2025
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
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Niners Nation in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct 49ers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3/29/24396503/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Can you guess this 49ers quarterback in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Niners player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey Niners Nation! We’re back for another day of the Niners Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Niners Nation in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Saturday, March 29, 2025
Friday, March 28, 2025
Thursday, March 27, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Niners Nation in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct 49ers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3/30/24397102/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers’ failed free agency pursuits underline likely draft priority

Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The 49ers were unable to hang on to Dre Greenlaw and haven’t made a significant free agent addition at linebacker, making it a likely area of focus in the NFL Draft.

The 49ers made an exerted and ultimately unsuccessful effort to retain the services of Dre Greenlaw, and it’s clear they remain unhappy with their non-Fred Warner options at linebacker in the wake of his departure.

A report from Luca Evans of The Denver Post stated that the 49ers outbid the Denver Broncos as they sought to keep Greenlaw around, with head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch even flying to their former fifth-round pick’s home in an attempt to convince him to stay.

Having come up short, San Francisco would right now likely be set to start Dee Winters at WILL linebacker next to Warner at MIKE.

While Winters flashed the athletic ability that was part of the reason why the 49ers took a shot on him in the sixth round in 2023 during his time on the field in 2024, him taking a step forward and excelling in that role in 2025 is far from a guarantee.

Injury issues and being stuck behind De’Vondre Campbell on the depth chart meant Winters only played 41 percent of the defensive snaps last season, nowhere near enough for the 49ers to be fully confident in him as the long-term successor to Greenlaw.

Dee Winters only played about seven snaps for the 49ers in Week 3. But check out his activity and energy in these four snaps. He's always looking for work.

Even from training camp, I got Kwon from '19 vibes. His effort level is infectious and the type you can feed off pic.twitter.com/X6TMfBN1iV

— Kyle Posey (@KP_Show) September 26, 2024

The 49ers have other options in the likes of Jalen Graham, Tatum Bethune and Curtis Robinson, but San Francisco has evidently recognized a need to infuse greater competition for the role for which Winters is favorite. Indeed, the 49ers, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, rivaled the Houston Texans for the services of veteran linebacker E.J. Speed.

Speed this week signed with the Texans on a one-year deal, choosing Houston ahead of the 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys.

There’s obviously still a possibility the 49ers could turn to another veteran for insurance at the position but, as the calendar turns over to the month of the NFL Draft, the 49ers’ failure to retain Greenlaw or sign Speed underlines what has typically been a position of strength as a draft priority.

That does not mean the 49ers need to spend a first-round pick on a linebacker. Yet, with several intriguing day-two options at the position, a lack of free agent additions at the position outside of special teamer Luke Gifford increases the likelihood of San Francisco focusing on that spot ahead of other needs that might have seemed more pressing going into the offseason.

It also makes prospects with the versatility to play both linebacker and edge rusher potentially more appealing to the 49ers, and there are two such prospects with that flexibility who could be in play with the 11th overall pick in the first round in Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell and Georgia’s Javon Walker.

Campbell is regarded as a better linebacker than edge rusher, while the opposite is true of Walker. Yet, with a longer list of needs than in years gone by, adding a prospect with the potential to occupy two roles and give the 49er defense significantly more scope for disguise would make a great deal of sense for San Francisco.

Defensive tackle is widely viewed as the top need for the 49ers going into the draft, but edge rusher and linebacker are right behind in terms of needs on defense, and both reside in the top five in terms of overall areas of concern.

Having struck out on Greenlaw and in their most recent effort to fortify the linebacker position, the 49ers might now have motivation to go with a player who can strengthen that spot and their firepower off the edge ahead of a sorely needed interior disruptor.

At the very least, though, their failures on the open market at linebacker should make it a near certainty that a prospect at the position will hear his name called by the 49ers.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...-agency-pursuits-underline-nfl-draft-priority

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

One trade down proposal the 49ers might consider in the upcoming NFL Draft

Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell did a whacky mock draft where the 49ers trade down and add a player from the Dolphins.

The San Francisco 49ers told us they have a dire need at defensive tackle when they released both starters this offseason. Because of that, now the entire NFL knows.

That doesn’t mean the Niners are picking a defensive tackle at No. 11 overall in the upcoming NFL Draft. Still, seeing other teams maneuver around San Francisco, knowing the positions they’re eyeing wouldn't be surprising.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell conducts an out-of-the-box mock draft annually that involves every team making a trade in the first round. He has the 49ers doing business with Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins:

49ers get: 1-13, Edge Jaelan Phillips

Dolphins get: 1-11, 4-113

Here’s one more deal for the Dolphins to get ahead of the Cowboys at No. 12 to take a defensive tackle. The 49ers would move down two spots and give up a fourth-rounder, but they would land a potential starter and cornerstone on the edge. Phillips has looked like a budding breakout candidate, but injuries have stalled his progress. He had 22 sacks over his first 2½ seasons, but he tore an Achilles in 2023 and then tore his ACL early in 2024.

Adding Phillips would make the 49ers infinitely better at edge rusher and allow them to still draft a defensive tackle of their choice. They could even take the best player available, come back in round two, and take the next best of the defensive tackle, cornerback, or offensive tackle group.

As much as I love Phillips, he’s somewhat of a throw-in for this trade. His injury history predates his time in the NFL.

As a freshman at UCLA, Phillips sprained an ankle that knocked him out for a few games and a concussion limited him to six games that season. The next season, a car injury caused Phillips to undergo multiple operations and remove various bones, which eventually led to him being advised to retire from football at 19. His final season at the University of Miami, where he had 15.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks, led to Phillips getting drafted in the first round. However, the injuries noted above have put a ceiling on Phillips’s career and could be more of an indicator of what’s to come.

The last time the 49ers traded down in the first round, they passed up Tristan Wirfs for Javon Kinlaw. So, as popular as trading down is, sometimes it's best to simply take the best player on the board. The 49ers must decide if whichever player they covet would be available two picks later, and if a player with an extensive injury like Phillips fits into their plan. History would suggest no, especially coming off a 6-win season where the Niners couldn’t field their free agents they signed from the previous offseason.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3...ins-trade-down-nfl-mock-draft-jaelen-phillips

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: John Lynch speaks

Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Tuesday, April 1st, 2025

49ers’ John Lynch still optimistic about finalizing a Brock Purdy extension soon (paywall)

“Of course, Lynch also suggested the deal might not get done at all this year. Purdy still has one more season left on his very affordable rookie contract, which appears to be something the team is using as leverage in negotiations.

“Brock wants to be with us,” Lynch said. “We want Brock to be with us. When that’s the case, these things typically get done. And does it happen this offseason? I don’t know. Hopefully, it happens real soon this offseason.”

49ers moving forward with Aiyuk on 2025 roster amid trade speculation, per Lynch

“Aiyuk met last week with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the surgery to repair his torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Aiyuk also sustained a torn medial collateral ligament during the 49ers’ Oct. 20 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Lynch declined to place a timetable on Aiyuk’s return, but he said all signs are pointing in a positive direction.

“But he did very well,” Lynch said. “We’re pleased with Brandon’s progress. He’s been working hard and got good reviews from Dr. ElAttrache. That was a key marker, as I mentioned it would be. He did well.”

Lynch confident 49ers’ offensive line has ‘good pieces’ for 2025

“We like our right tackle. We like our center,” Lynch said. “Left guard, we have some candidates in-house right now. But will we look to add in the draft? Certainly.”

Brendel ranked 12th in the NFL among all centers who played 700 or more snaps last season, per PFF’s blocking grades. McKivitz compiled solid grades, ranking 28th among all offensive tackles with 700 or more snaps.

However, Brendel and McKivitz are often identified as players whose starting positions could be vulnerable.

“That’s something where I don’t follow the (social media) narrative on how our guys are,” Lynch said. “We evaluate our players, and we think we have a pretty steady group.”

Insider: I don’t think Brock Purdy holds out amid 49ers contract talks

“Any time before Week 1 is going to be fine with everybody,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported from the NFL’s annual meeting in Florida. “I don’t think Brock Purdy holds out of training camp. I don’t think he misses anything in the spring.”

Kawakami: Looming and loaded 49ers questions for Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, and Jed York

“But did Shanahan and Lynch, entering their ninth season together, sign off on the complete scale of this? On all the deep cuts and not replacing them with anybody significant? Do the coach and general manager fully endorse this on-the-fly rebuild this late into their tandem tenure?

I suspect that Lynch and Shanahan mostly watched from the sidelines as things moved from normal attrition to the mini purge to my-goodness-who’s-left. And now they have to deal with the ramifications. The most serious one: If the 49ers miss the playoffs again with this less-talented roster, will York accept it as a consequence of the cost cutting? Or will he blame his coach and GM?”

How the 49ers hesitated and lost linebacker Dre Greenlaw to free agency (paywall)

“Lynch suggested the 49ers’ front-row seat to his attrition made them wary about locking him up with a lucrative long-term contract extension before the start of free agency. And he likened the situation to what he faced during his 15-season career as a Hall of Fame safety.

In 2004, after his 11th season, Lynch was released by the Buccaneers shortly after he had neck surgery to remove bone spurs and relieve nerve pressure that had led to a series of shoulder stingers. But Lynch wasn’t unemployed for long. Ten days after he was released, he signed with the Broncos after he was also courted by a group that included the Patriots and Jets.

“The same thing happened to me in Tampa,” Lynch said. Broncos head coach “Mike Shanahan was fine to take me after I’d have some surgery on my neck because he hadn’t watched all the carnage go on. But the Bucs were kind of done with me. We weren’t done with Dre, but we had to go through the process.”

49ers working toward joint practices with Broncos

“According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos are in discussions to hold joint practices.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...-brandon-aiyuk-trade-brock-purdy-contract-nfl

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Should the 49ers have lowered expectations in 2025?

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

It hasn’t been the offseason many fans expected so far for the 49ers.

It’s been a different offseason than many expected for the San Francisco 49ers, as they let a large contingent of players walk in free agency, while making minimal additions to the roster thus far.

Now, it’s on to the draft for the 49ers, who shed a good amount of salary this offseason, lowering their spend for the first time in a few years as they reset ahead of the upcoming season.

However, as San Francisco pivots, the expectations remain the same for head coach Kyle Shanahan, only in a different way.

“I don’t think [the cuts in spending] is about lowering expectations,” Shanahan said on Tuesday at the annual meetings in Florida. “It’s kind of the position your team’s in. We lost the Super Bowl in overtime before, last year. That’s all anyone can think about [last year]. The offseason, you’re not even thinking about. You’re thinking about getting to Week 1, and that’s kind of how it was for us last year when we took our shot.

“This year, we had a bad year. We didn’t do good. We didn’t make the playoffs. So all we’re talking about is: how do we get back to playing good football? And we’ve known we lost a number of players, but what we look at here is, I don’t think about necessarily the season’s expectations. I think about how good we can get in the draft, how many people we can add in that. Then, you try to build it throughout phase one, phase two, phase three.”

The mindset has made the draft even more important for the 49ers, as they must find ways to replace the players they lost, while also shoring up the holes that cost them in a disappointing season last year.

San Francisco has struggled in the draft in past years, failing to find enough contributors in their 2022 and 2023 drafts, although they’re off to a good start with their 2024 draft class.

They’ll need to build off that success with some more in the 2025 draft class, starting off with the No. 11 pick, as they look to quickly transition back into a contender, potentially as early as next year.

The 49ers are still seen as the favorites to win the AFC in 2025. So, the expectations haven’t changed. But, their process to rebuilding has, as the 49ers are resetting back to focusing on the draft after accumulating too many bigger contracts.

Now, the lack of spending for the 49ers should be a topic of concern if it continues, although the team’s brass acknowledged that they’ll likely return to the top five in cash spend after an extension for quarterback Brock Purdy is done.

San Francisco still has a good core of players, headlined by Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, Deommodore Lenoir, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, and Brandon Aiyuk. So, there are the building blocks in place to still make the playoffs this year.

As long as the 49ers have another successful draft, the expectations shouldn’t be lowered for the 2025 season. But, the pressure is on.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...5-season-despite-slow-offseason-kyle-shanahan

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: Kyle speaks

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025

49ers’ Kyle Shanahan details positions of need, is eager for more competition (paywall)

“It didn’t sound as if guard and center were quite as high on the priority list. Though center Jake Brendel draws plenty of criticism outside the organization, he’s got support within it. Shanahan said he didn’t envision a competition for the starting spot between Brendel and Matt Hennessy, who signed in December.

“I think Jake’s up there (among the top centers) when it comes to his pass protection,” he said. “A lot of these guys get mismatched against head-up nose (tackles) and some of the D-tackles they’ve got to go against. I think Jake does protection as good as anyone in this league. And I think he’s always been a very good run player for us, too.”

He said Hennessy might be part of the competition with Ben Bartch and Nick Zakelj for the starting left guard spot Aaron Banks manned the last three seasons.”

Peter Schrager doubts Brock Purdy will earn over $55M annually from 49ers

“I don’t see Brock Purdy making north of $55 million,” Schrager said. “I don’t see Brock Purdy being one of the top highest-paid quarterbacks. It’s going to be a discussion with his agent, him, and what does he want? What does he need?

“And you never want to take a hometown discount, but you also realize that—you’re Brock Purdy—is $50 million the right number? Is 48 not the right number? Is 45 the right number? Can 40 be the right number?”

A deal averaging in the low $40 million range seems unlikely. At the same time, after years of heavy spending, the 49ers may be reluctant to push Purdy’s salary toward the top tier of quarterback contracts.

“So, curious to see where it goes out here,” Schrager added. “But obviously, they want to sign Brock Purdy. That’s been [general manager] John Lynch’s stance forever.”

Lance Zierlein mock draft: 49ers upgrade O-line with three-year starter

“Banks has the ability to slide over and take on the right tackle spot as a rookie — and he could make the switch back to left tackle when Trent Williams hangs it up,” Zierlein wrote.

Banks (6-5, 315) has played exclusively at left tackle over the past three seasons, earning a career-best 89.9 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) in 2024, ranking fourth in the nation among offensive tackles.”

49ers plan to bring in a veteran kicker to compete with Jake Moody (paywall)

“As long as we bring in a guy who’s capable of taking that job, and Jake respects him — that’s what puts pressure on him because you’ve got to respect the guy you’re going against,” Shanahan said. “And when your job’s on the line doing something, going against someone who’s talented, you do feel that pressure. I do believe if he can overcome that, and beat out a capable guy, that’ll show us he’s ready for the season.”

York states Purdy’s 49ers extension ‘shouldn’t be that hard to do’

“I feel good,” he said. “When he’s ready, we’ll sit down and finish it. It shouldn’t be that hard to do.”

But part of the cost of signing a quarterback to a market deal is that moves have to be made elsewhere on the roster to allow the pieces to fit.

“When you make that change, you have to make sacrifices somewhere,” York said. “It’s a decision that we made collectively, and we’re hoping we make somebody the highest-paid player in the history of our franchise, and it’s a decision we made probably in the middle of the season.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...breakers-jed-york-aiyuk-brock-purdy-draft-nfl

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Could the 49ers get an extension done for Brock Purdy before the offseason program starts?

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Niners don’t have a great track record of getting extensions done early.

When it comes to the 2025 offseason, the biggest piece of business left to do for the San Francisco 49ers is getting a contract extension done for quarterback Brock Purdy.

Amid a quiet offseason, the 49ers have been preparing to hand out a major contract to their quarterback of the future, with speculation out there as to how big the deal could end up being.

While the Purdy negotiations have started early, there are still questions as to when the team will ultimately reach an agreement with the quarterback, as their track record for getting deals done early isn’t great.

Last offseason, the headline for months was the ongoing contract talks with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, which went well into training camp before the two sides agreed on a four-year, $120 million deal. In addition, the 49ers were negotiating with left tackle Trent Williams into training camp, only agreeing to a deal a week before the regular season.

Before that, the 49ers had a long negotiation with star defensive end Nick Bosa the previous offseason. Extension talks with key players like George Kittle and Deebo Samuel have previously taken their time as well, given the nature of San Francisco’s negotiation process.

So, even though things seem to be trending in a positive direction with Purdy’s negotiation, San Francisco could still look to drag on the extension talks in search of the best deal possible.

What is the latest on Purdy’s contract talks?

“I think we’re going to get the deal done,” general manager John Lynch said this week at the NFL’s annual meetings, via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. “That’s what I believe. We’ll just leave it at that.”

While Lynch didn’t provide a timeline for an extension, there is a possibility that the deal could come together by the start of San Francisco’s offseason program.

“I don’t think it’s too optimistic [to get it done by the start of the offseason program],” Lynch continued. “I think I understand why Brock wants that. We’d like that very much, so we’ve just got to find that right place for both sides, and I would love nothing more than for that to be the case.”

Still, the nature of these negotiations usually has its twists and turns, and Lynch acknowledged that when breaking down Purdy’s negotiations.

“Brock wants to be with us,” Lynch said. “We want Brock to be with us. When that’s the case, these things typically get done. And does it happen this offseason? I don’t know. Hopefully, it happens real soon this offseason, but I think that’s the extent of getting into those things.”

“There’s motivation on both sides, and that’s always a good thing.”

If there’s any negotiation that the 49ers should want to get done sooner rather than later, it’s one for Brock Purdy, as the team would benefit from their quarterback having a full offseason with a healthier group of players after an up-and-down 2024 season.

But, you never know how a 49ers negotiation may turn out.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...brock-purdy-extension-done-by-offseason-start