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[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers bringing back former VP of Player Personnel to front office

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It’s all about familiarity for the 49ers in 2025.

It’s all about familiarity for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025. They’re expected to bring back former Vice President of Player Personnel Ethan Waugh to the front office, according to KRPC’s Aaron Wilson.

Waugh spent the past three years as the assistant general manager for the Jacksonville Jaguars, which came after 17 years with the 49ers organization.

Waugh was a key member of the 49ers' personnel department before his departure, working his way up the ladder over 18 years. He began as a personnel assistant (2004-08), then became a regional scout (2008-11), a senior personnel assistant (2012-14), a senior player personnel coordinator (2015-17), director of college scouting and football systems (2018-21), and finally ended as the Vice President of Player Personnel from 2021-22.

He then joined former 49ers general manager Trent Baalke, who was with the organization in 2016, with the Jacksonville Jaguars, being in that role until this offseason. When Baalke was fired back in late January, Waugh was named as the interim general manager, helping the Jaguars in their search.

Jacksonville ultimately landed on Los Angeles Rams executive James Gladstone, who was hired in February, and Waugh was kept along for the time being. However, as the Jaguars went through a full organizational restructure, Waugh was let go after the 2025 NFL Draft.

Now, he’s coming back to the 49ers, although the role he’ll re-join in is unclear.

The 49ers front office has changed quite a bit in recent years, with several top executives heading elsewhere for bigger jobs, such as Adam Peters, who joined the Washington Commanders as their general manager.

That has led to quite a few promotions for key individuals. Tariq Ahmad and RJ Gillen are both co-directors of Player Personnel. The 49ers also have a Director of Pro Scouting (Fred Gammage III), Director of College Scouting (Justin Chabot), and Director of Scouting and Football Operations (Josh Williams).

Waugh should fit somewhere in that mix as an assistant, likely helping back on the player personnel side or with contracts as he re-integrates himself back into the front office.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...personnel-ethan-waugh-jaguars-to-front-office

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Can you guess this 49ers linebacker 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​

Thursday, May 22, 2025
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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/2025/5/23/24435808/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: One last long weekend before OTAs

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Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Saturday, May 24th, 2025

How the 49ers fell for loud, proud and fierce rookie cornerback Upton Stout (paywall)

“He viewed Stout as peerless when it came to a category the 49ers term “Game WIT.”

“It’s essentially evaluating game demeanor, aggressiveness, mentality and strain,” Ahmad said. “Warren gave Upton the highest ‘Game WIT’ grade he’s ever given a prospect.”

Stout was also in a class of his own when it came to his reaction after he was drafted, with general manager John Lynch terming it the most memorable post-pick phone call of his nine-season tenure. During an 89-second conversation that also included head coach Kyle Shanahan and owner Jed York, Stout said “Let’s do it” nine times, called York “Coach” in his excitement and assured Shanahan that the 49ers had just drafted a “dawg.”

Stout’s energy was infectious. Near the end, Lynch had the draft room yell “Let’s do it!” on a count of three.”

49ers QB Purdy shares key area of improvement entering 2025 NFL season

“Just going back and watching last year’s film, it’s like, ‘How can I just get back to being on top of my assignment and show really good fundamentals on film?’ I think last year there were times where I was going through my reads and plays and stuff where I could have just been quicker,” Purdy told Mark Willard and Dan Dibley. “Getting my eyes across the field and progressing quickly, trusting the pocket.”

“I went back and watched my rookie tape, and on my rookie tape, I got thrown in and all I knew was what the coaches told me and I was a machine that way. There was some good stuff last year too, but I feel like I can get back to those kind of fundamentals. I’m on myself pretty hard. Coach Mick Lombardi, Klay Kubiak, they’re on me right now out in the field pushing me.

“So, I’m excited about that and I just got to go out and apply it every day in training camp and obviously in the season.”

Two former Seahawks stars challenged each other. They show how relationships really grow (paywall)

“The power of building a relationship with somebody. You talk about leading and guiding people, but Bobby is good at connecting with people. I don’t think there was a person in the locker room that he didn’t vibe with. Spending time with people, hanging out, shooting the s—. He was good at that.

And something that I want to get better at: being honest. I like to sugarcoat a lot. I like to take people’s feelings into account. But Bobby was like: “Hey, shoot it to me straight.”

It’s crazy because (49ers assistant head coach) Gus Bradley came to my office today, and I said I want to get better at that. What I try to do is protect people’s feelings, but you realize the ultimate goal is for people to get better. So if you lie to them and bulls— them, that’s just as damaging. I think Bobby was good at telling the truth and having emotional intelligence with it.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...-extension-rookies-minicamp-training-camp-nfl

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Which 49ers player is the most underappreciated?

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We did underrated yesterday with Jauan Jennings, now who is the most underappreciated player?

Yesterday, we looked at who the most underrated San Francisco 49ers player is. Today, we’ll take that logic to the most underappreciated player. And there is a difference.

The underrated player was Jauan Jennings, and he could also fill the underappreciated column. In the 2025 season, the 49ers were having injuries to weapons left and right, but Jennings continued to follow up with clutch catches and be the go-to for Brock Purdy when other things were not working.

Even when the 49ers had their complete ensemble of wide receivers, Jennings was called “Third and Jauan” for a reason. There’s also the chatter that if the 49ers managed to win the Super Bowl, Jennings could have been the MVP of that game. Maybe there’s more appreciation for him now that the depth chart has been shaken, but it’s a good argument.

Over at NFL.com, Gennaro Filice put together a list of each team’s most underappreciated player. Jennings wasn’t his choice. Instead, it was 49ers’ safety Malik Mustapha.

Having just signed Brock Purdy to a quarterback megadeal, San Francisco is entering a new phase in team-building. Nailing draft picks is always important, obviously, but it becomes essential when you’re committing such a large chunk of the salary cap to one man. In order to balance the books, you need to roster viable starters on cost-controlled rookie contracts. The 49ers found one of those in the fourth round of last year’s draft, with Mustapha immediately making his presence felt as a violent playmaker. Unfortunately, as if the Niners didn’t suffer enough of an injury-riddled Super Bowl hangover last year, we recently discovered that Mustapha hurt his ACL in San Francisco’s season finale. This puts his availability for the start of the 2025 campaign in question. He still gets shine here, though, because I self-consciously feel like I personally underappreciated the safety by completely omitting him from last season’s rookie rankings. This dude’s punishing play style is too endearing to go unrecognized!

I don’t have an argument for Mustapha not being the most underappreciated player. And the way Filice explains how he didn’t have much for rookie rankings also adds to it. I think the big thing for Mustapha is that he had to step in for Talanoa Hufanga. What started as “just hold down the fort” duty for Mustapha turned into the 49ers realizing they could move on from Hufanga entirely—and be fine.

Which, as you know, happened.

I thought Mustapha would need a year as a rookie. With the original plan of just easing Hufanga back in at the start of the 2025 season, I thought the situation was perfect for his rookie season. Obviously, he wound up playing a lot more after Hufanga’s hand injury, and besides his missed tackles early on, it was promising.

The thing is, the 49ers' defense was not ideal. If the 49ers had not had Mustapha last year, things would have gotten worse, but he was still in what was an underachieving unit. Meanwhile, the 49ers offense had issues but still managed to turn in decent numbers at year’s end—a lot can be credited to Jauan Jennings—and he still hasn’t gotten an extension yet (which might be because he’s out of the 49ers’ price range at this point).

Who do you think is the most underappreciated player on the 49ers?

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5/24/24436239/which-49ers-player-is-the-most-underappreciated

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Do the 49ers still need help at wide receiver?

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San Francisco could still hit the free agency market for a receiver.

The San Francisco 49ers had a different style of offseason this year, focusing on getting younger and replenishing talent through the NFL Draft.

That approach led them to trade former All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick, moving on from their star with one year left on his contract.

Now, they head into the 2025 season with a wide receiver corps led by Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, and Jauan Jennings. However, Aiyuk is still recovering from the torn ACL and MCL injuries he sustained back in October, raising questions about who will be the team’s starters.

The team did sign veteran free agent DeMarcus Robinson for depth, getting some insurance on the boundary for Aiyuk. But, he could be suspended to start the season as a result of a DUI arrest he faced last season.

Additionally, the 49ers have some questions at the position, as Pearsall is entering his first full offseason with the team, while Jennings is heading into a contract year. So, could they go out and get some depth in free agency still?

Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton suggested the 49ers as a logical spot for veteran wideout Keenan Allen, who has yet to sign with a team after playing last year with the Chicago Bears.

“The San Francisco 49ers could open the season without Brandon Aiyuk, who is recovering from a torn ACL and MCL,” Moton wrote. “According to general manager John Lynch, Demarcus Robinson might be subject to a three-week suspension.

“The 49ers signed Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million extension. As running back Christian McCaffrey ages, San Francisco’s high-paid signal-caller must carry more of the offensive load, and to do that, he needs a full deck of pass-catchers.

“With the absence of Aiyuk and uncertainty around Robinson, Allen would be a solid fit to round out three-receiver sets alongside Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall. He’s also an upgrade over Robinson and would allow the 49ers to slowly ease Aiyuk back into action.”

That’s not the only wideout that Moton suggested the 49ers target. When breaking down a move that every team should still do, the Bleacher Report writer suggested San Francisco sign Amari Cooper.

The 49ers agreed to terms on a five-year, $265 million extension with quarterback Brock Purdy. Now, they must add another proven playmaker at receiver to help support him.

“Brandon Aiyuk might miss half the 2025 campaign recovering from a torn ACL and MCL,” Moton wrote. “General manager John Lynch said (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows) the league could suspend Demarcus Robinson for the first three games of the upcoming term because of a November DUI arrest.

“Cooper battled injuries throughout the 2024 season, which limited his production. But if he’s healthy, the 30-year-old would be a quality pickup. As Christian McCaffrey ages, Purdy must take on more of the offensive workload with his arm. So, San Francisco should load up on able-bodied and available receivers.”

San Francisco could very well target a receiver in free agency. But, Brock Purdy doesn’t believe it’s a priority necessarily, raising confidence in the team’s group of wideouts this week.

“Obviously, [we should have] Ricky Pearsall, J.J. (Jennings) as our guys, for sure, to start off the season,” Purdy said on 95.7 The Game this week. “Obviously, we’re hoping to get B.A. (Brandon Aiyuk) back as soon as possible, and then Demarcus Robinson as well.

“But those young guys, too, man, I’m really excited about. They’ve come in with the right mindset to get better, and they’re moving. We’ve got guys that can move, which is awesome to see. And [they have] good hands, they’re learning fast. And so, for me, I’m excited for when we go 11-on-11 in camp and get a feel for who’s who and what they can do.”

San Francisco did add two wide receivers during the draft, spending a fourth-rounder on Ole Miss’s Jordan Watkins and a seventh-rounder on Montana’s Junior Bergen. Both players will compete to make the roster this offseason, while also seeing special-teams reps as returners.

Still, adding a wideout doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibilities, although that may come later in the offseason after the 49ers evaluate their current group of players.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...iver-ricky-pearsall-amari-cooper-keenan-allen

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: Remembering today

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Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Monday, May 26th, 2025

Five Things to Watch during Week 1 of 49ers OTAs

“[Trent Williams] hasn’t spoken publicly or posted on social media since October of last year. The 49ers say he’s eager to play this year and that he showed up to Phase 1 of the offseason program a few weeks ago. But when they released pictures of the players training on the field, he wasn’t in any of them, nor did he speak to the media. Until we actually see him in person, it’s hard not to wonder what’s going on with the 49ers’ oldest player.”

49ers’ George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk can’t get enough pierogi at BottleRock

“George said if he could, he’d eat at least three pierogi before a football game and an “infinite amount” afterwards. ”The calories on that five hour plane ride don’t count,” he joked, referring to the flight from one of his previous games.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...okies-kittle-bottlerock-napa-juszczyk-cooking

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

One game stands out on 49ers schedule for CB Deommodore Lenoir

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The 49ers top cornerback has a specific game marked down on his calendar for next year.

The San Francisco 49ers have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL for the 2025 season, according to several metrics. They boast the easiest strength of schedule, as their opponents had a win percentage of 0.415 in 2024.

However, that doesn’t mean that they have a direct shot at the playoffs, as each of the last three teams who held that distinction missed the playoffs. There are still several games against tough opponents, including a competitive division schedule, where the 49ers went just 1-5 in 2024.

Last weekend, I pointed out the toughest games on the 49ers schedule for the 2025 season: Weeks 5 and 10 versus the Los Angeles Rams, Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, Week 17 against the Chicago Bears, and Week 8 against the Houston Texans.

One of those games especially appeals to top cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, who has revenge on his mind in 2025.

“That Thursday night Rams game. That’s the one for me,” Lenoir said about the matchup he’s most looking forward to, via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Laura Britt.

“Really, it’s a division game. They’re like rivals, and they talk a lot. I feel like just for last year we owe them double.”

The 49ers lost both of their games to the Rams in 2024, marking their third straight regular-season defeat to Los Angeles (they lost in Week 18 in 2023 when sitting their starters).

Before that, San Francisco had won nine straight regular-season matchups in the series, and they’ll look to return to that success in 2025, starting off in Week 5 when they face the Rams in primetime on the road.

Lenoir has never been afraid to trash talk, constantly chirping during games and on social media, and noted that the back-and-forth with Rams players fuels him for games.

“I do [notice their trash talk],” Lenoir laughed. “It kind of fueled me during the week. I kind of let my DB room know what’s going on and how they feel about us and what we’re up against.”

Lenoir was the team’s 2025 Dwight Clark Legacy Award recipient, which was given to a player who exemplifies teamwork and camaraderie. He has quickly ascended to becoming a fan favorite, earning a five-year, $92 million extension last year to remain with the team long-term.

Los Angeles may very well be San Francisco’s toughest opponent in 2025, extending quarterback Matthew Stafford and signing Davante Adams to bolster their offense. Lenoir and Co. will have a challenge ahead of them come Week 5, and it seems they’re ready for that first primetime outing.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...025-season-los-angeles-rams-deommodore-lenoir

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: OTAs commence today

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Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Tuesday, May 27th, 2025

49ers’ vibes are ‘elite and immaculate’ during their summer-camp offseason (paywall)

“After a season filled with dysfunction, the San Francisco 49ers are having an offseason that sounds like a summer camp.

Golf outings. A movie day at a rented-out theatre. A trip to a shooting range to take aim at clay pigeons.

“The Niners have done a really good — specifically this year — we have a ton of team activities throughout the week,” tight end George Kittle said last week at the Dwight Clark Legacy Event in San Jose. “The vibes are elite and immaculate. Everybody is having a good time. There’s such great energy in the building.”

Former 49ers lineman takes a jab at team’s O-line

“Everyone on the team are first ballet hall of famers to be able to have so much success in spite of that s----y OL,” Feliciano wrote.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...ies-george-kittle-brock-purdy-fred-warner-nfl

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Brandon Aiyuk’s WR coach believes the 49ers overpaid for Brock Purdy

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The former NFL wide receiver shared his thoughts on the 49ers extending Brock Purdy

The San Francisco 49ers got their main piece of offseason business done last week, signing Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million extension that includes $181 million in guaranteed money.

Purdy, a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, was coming off his second full season as the team’s starter, throwing for 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 2024.

That came after a strong 2023 campaign where Purdy tossed for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, leading the league in a few efficiency categories.

San Francisco sought to get the deal done early in the offseason, finalizing terms before organized team activities (OTAs), which begin this week. Of course, the deal was met with mixed reviews, with some praising the 49ers for getting it done, while others questioned the worth of the contract.

One of the people arguing the latter was former NFL wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh, who also happens to be Brandon Aiyuk’s private wide receivers coach.

Houshmandzadeh, who went on FS1’s The Speak, gave his thoughts on the contract, believing it to be an overpay on San Francisco’s behalf.

“I believe they did overpay for Brock Purdy,” Houshmandzadeh said on Monday.” “I would have given Brock Purdy $47 million a year. That would have been the most I’m giving him. We needed you last year. You went 1-6 against playoff teams. We had guys hurt. Christian McCaffrey was out, Trent Williams was out, [Brandon] Aiyuk got hurt, and you couldn’t really get it done.

“I think Brock Purdy is a hell of a quarterback, but I’m not giving you money when you’ve shown me, when we need you to take over, you can’t take over. [When] we need you to carry us, you can’t carry us. But at one point, they said Jalen Hurts was overpaid. Now, Jalen Hurts is underpaid. He won a Super Bowl with the Eagles, now he’s underpaid. If Brock Purdy takes the 49ers to the Super Bowl and they win it, then his contract is well worth it. Until he does that, he’s overpaid.”

Purdy’s deal is tied for seventh in average annual value (AAV) at $53 million, eighth in total guarantees at $182.55 million, and 12th in guaranteed money at signing at $100 million.

It’s notable that his cap hits are lower than $31 million for the first three years of the contract. Purdy has a cap hit of $9.1 million in 2025, $24.8 million in 2026, and $30.8 million in 2027.

Based on the structure of the contract, it seems logical for the 49ers and Purdy to re-evaluate terms after the first three seasons, with a potential extension in the mix if the quarterback maintains a high level of play.

However, the ask of a Super Bowl is the expectation, as the 49ers are going all-in on their franchise quarterback with hopes of reaching their end goal during their current championship window.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...zadeh-believes-49ers-overpaid-for-brock-purdy

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers’ 53-man roster prediction: Expect the Niners to load up in the trenches

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

Here’s an early prediction of what the 49ers roster will look like in 2025

We attempted to project the San Francisco 49ers’ depth chart for the 2025 NFL season. As the team heads into Phase III of OTAs, we’ll make our prediction of who will make the final cut down to 53 players. This will be a multiple-part series, as we’ll revisit this a week into training camp and once the preseason has concluded.

Offense​

Quarterback: Brock Purdy, Mac Jones, Tanner Mordecai (3) [3]​

If Kurtis Rourke were healthy, I’d take him as QB3, comfortably, over Mordecai. In an ideal world, we don’t spend any time discussing Rourke, Mordecai, or Jones this season because Purdy stays healthy.

The Niners weren’t fortunate enough for that to happen last season. The pressure is on the $53 million man not only to stay healthy but to continue ascending into the quarterback the Niners paid him to be.

Running back: Christian McCaffrey, Isaac Guerendo, Jordan James, Kyle Juszczyk, Patrick Taylor Jr. (5) {8}​

I’m curious if Juszczyk will revert back to playing more in the backfield this season. He’s essentially been TE2 during the previous two seasons. The usage of every player listed here is contingent on McCaffrey’s health.

The 49ers would love for McCaffrey to remain healthy and play all season. It’s easy to say, “Lighten his workload” in May. Then, the games start, and, from a play-caller perspective, how could you not force-feed a player of CMC’s caliber?

Wide receiver: Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, Isaiah Neyor (6) [14]​

Barring a miraculous recovery, Brandon Aiyuk begins the season on the PUP list and won’t count against the final 53. The team kept seven wideouts last year, presumably because they knew it would take time for Aiyuk to get up to speed.

You’re up, Ricky Pearsall. Contributions from Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, and or any youngster could go a long way. Veteran Demarcus Robinson was brought over to provide Brock with a reliable speedster. Good luck figuring out how the targets will work with Aiyuk sidelined. The only thing we’re sure about is Jauan Jennings having an encore type of season.

Neyor is this year’s fan favorite after showing out during the preseason and not giving the coaching staff a chance for another team to pluck him from the practice squad.

Tight end: George Kittle, Luke Farrell (2) [16]​

Juszczyk’s addition means the 49ers won’t have to waste a roster spot on a tight end that might help them on special teams. Ross Dwelley is back, but we don’t think he’ll do enough in August to beat out somebody who will contribute at a greater position of need.

If the Niners end up keeping another tight end, as they did with Jake Tonges last year, it’d be to feature Kittle in the passing game more. Farrell can do the dirty work as a blocker, and Juice can be the “other” tight end on the field, so it still feels like an unnecessary move.

Offensive line: Trent Williams, Matt Hennessy, Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, Ben Bartch, Andre Dillard, Nicholas Petit-Frere, Spencer Burford (9) [25]​

We have Hennessy starting at left guard. Regardless of whether Bartch wins that job, the 49ers have a solid foundation along the interior after striking gold in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft with Dominick Puni.

Dillard, Petit-Frere, and Burford each have the ability to play tackle. This unit should take a step forward this season, as Aaron Banks could be viewed as an addition by subtraction, while McKivitz improved in 2024.

The 49ers were fortunate to have Jaylon Moore last year in Williams’s absence. They won’t be as lucky if Trent suffers an injury this year.

Defense​

Defensive line: Nick Bosa, Alfred Collins, CJ West, Mykel Williams, Yetur Gross-Matos, Jordan Elliott, Kevin Givens, Sam Okuayinonu, Evan Anderson (9) [34]​

We believe this is the season the 49ers move away from fifth-rounder Robert Beal Jr. in favor of Sam O’s pass rush upside. There’s also little reason to believe Kalia Davis could give the team more than what Evan Anderson showed last season.

As long as Kevin Givens has a pulse, he’ll make the roster while Jordan Elliott shows West the ropes.

The kids are going to play a lot, whether they're ready or not. Every year, the defense has gone as far as the line would take them. That won’t change this year under Robert Saleh.

Linebacker: Fred Warner, Dee Winters, Nick Martin, Tatum Bethune, Luke Gifford (5) [39]​

This position group is as straightforward as it gets. They’ll revolve around 54 and hope Winters and Martin stay healthy while relying on Bethune and Gifford on special teams.

We were tempted to put Curtis Robinson on here, but injuries and uncertainties in the secondary limit Saleh to five linebackers.

Cornerback: Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Tre Brown, Darrell Luter Jr., Siran Neal, Upton Stout (6) [45]​

Your guess is as good as mine. Stout could easily be listed as a safety. Neal might not even make the roster, but he’s here, thanks to the process of elimination.

I go back and forth daily about how Green will look in Year 2. If we’re thinking in terms of skill set, Luter Jr. should have every opportunity to win the CB3 job. However, Brown has starting experience in this league.

Safety: Ji’Ayir Brown, Richie Grant, Jason Pinnock, Marques Sigle, George Odum (5) [50]​

Gulp.

I don’t think Brown is anywhere near as bad as most fans believe him to be.

I don’t think Brown can be the best safety on your roster.

Until Malik Mustapha returns, we expect a trial and error, roulette style at safety. After watching Pinnock with the Giants, you want him near the line of scrimmage, but he’s limited elsewhere. Odum is a special teamer, while Grant lost his spot. That leaves a Day 3 rookie next to Brown if it comes to that.

If the Niners struggle this season, it’ll be because of their inability to prevent big plays on the backend. Safety is not an area where you want to be weak in the league with deep passing and running plays that get to the edge and leave safeties in a vulnerable position.

Get well soon, Malik.

Special teams: LS Jon Weeks, P Mitch Wishnowsky, K Jake Moody (3) [53]​

Make your kicks. Pin opponents inside the 20. Snap the ball accurately. Make sure every punt and kick have enough hang time for your coverage teams to get down and cover the kicks.

The 49ers have been abysmal on special teams for far too long. They’ve gotten away with it thanks to having elite scoring offenses or stingy defenses, but it bit them in the behind last season. That led to another coaching change.

Will we see any differences in 2025? We’ll believe it once we see it.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5/28/24438261/49ers-53-man-roster-2025

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers release former 4th round pick; sign 2 former Jets

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The 49ers added multiple players to the roster on Wednesday.

The San Francisco 49ers made multiple moves on Wednesday, officially signing punter Thomas Morstead and linebacker Thomas Morstead while releasing longtime punter Mitch Wishnowsky.

Morstead, 39, had been the Jets punter for the past two seasons, leading the league in punts and punt yards back in 2023. He’s now slated to be San Francisco’s punter, as the 49ers released Mitch Wishnowsky, whom they drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Wishnowsky was in the third year of a four-year, $11.2 million extension that he signed back in 2022 and was slated to have a cap hit of $2.246 million in 2025. The 49ers will incur a $1.98 million dead cap hit by releasing the punter.

The 49ers punter really struggled in 2024 while dealing with a nagging back injury, limiting him to just nine games. His net yards per punt was only 36.4 yards, the lowest of any punter in the NFL last year.

Wishnowsky’s release is the latest special-teams move the 49ers have made since hiring former Jets assistant Brant Boyer as their special-teams coordinator. Earlier this offseason, San Francisco released longtime long snapper Taybor Pepper and signed former Houston Texans long snapper Jon Weeks to a one-year.

Weeks is also 39 and will now form a tandem with Morstead as the new punter. The move also comes on the heels of San Francisco signing veteran kicker Greg Joseph to compete with Jake Moody this offseason. Joseph had a brief stint with the Jets this past season, playing in one game and making his lone field goal.

San Francisco also signed another former Jets player: linebacker Chazz Surratt.

Surratt, a third-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2021 NFL Draft, spent the last three seasons with the New York Jets playing for Robert Saleh, who returned to the 49ers this offseason as their defensive coordinator.

Surratt played in all 17 games last year, starting five, while being a key special-teams player for New York. Although he only saw 12 percent of the defensive snaps, Surratt played in 63 percent of the special-teams snaps, similar to how he did for the Jets in 2023.

After playing nine games in his rookie season, Surratt was waived by the Vikings and joined the Jets practice squad. He saw just one game of action in 2022 before playing in 31 games for New York over the past two seasons.

To make room for Surratt, the 49ers released linebacker DaShaun White. White was an undrafted free agent in 2024 and played in just one game for San Francisco last season.

The 49ers have looked to thoroughly improve their special teams unit this offseason, first with a coaching change and now with player acquisitions. They’ve added quite a bit of familiarity for Boyer, signing a notable long snapper, his punter for the past two seasons, a kicker who played for New York, and now a linebacker known for special teams.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...ratt-thomas-morstead-release-mitch-wishnowsky

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

2 49ers players top PFF’s list as the best at their position

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

With all the talent on the 49ers, two players stand above all others at their position

The San Francisco 49ers roster is littered with high-end talent. Trent Williams is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Christian McCaffrey is a former Offensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa is a former Defensive Player of the Year, and Deommodore Lenoir is one of the premier young cornerbacks in the NFL.

Two 49ers are getting their due from Pro Football Focus. Each day, the website released its top 32 players at each position, which started with quarterback.

Linebacker Fred Warner and tight end George Kittle were rewarded this offseason with lucrative contract extensions. Both were named at the top of their position groups in the NFL.

Mason Cameron detailed his selection of Warner as number one in the NFL.

Fresh off a $63 million extension, Warner stands alone in Tier 1. The four-time All-Pro has a long history of elite play in all facets, having charted in the top five among linebackers in each of the past five seasons.

Over that span, Warner has been far and away the most impressive linebacker in the NFL, generating a combined 93.3 PFF coverage grade and 91.6 PFF run-defense grade.

The title of the best linebacker in football has been Warner’s for a few years. Known to 49ers fans as “All-Pro Fred,” the former BYU linebacker is the model example of the 49ers way, on and off the field.

John Kosko had similar praise for Kittle as the number-one tight end in the NFL.

Kittle has been one of the best tight ends in the game for nearly a decade and was handsomely rewarded by the 49ers this offseason with a big contract extension. The NFL’s highest-graded tight end over the past two seasons (92.0), Kittle is the most complete player at his position in the NFL. He has earned an 84.7 PFF overall grade or better in seven straight seasons.

Kittle put together his most efficient position in the NFL in 2025. Even with a record-breaking receiving yard season for a tight end, it feels like Kittle’s game is going to another level somehow.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...t-at-their-position-george-kittle-fred-warner

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: It wouldn’t be a 49ers offseason without random injuries

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

Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Friday, May 30th, 2025

Kyle Shanahan provides updates during 49ers OTAs

“The San Francisco 49ers kicked off organized team activities this week, and head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters following Thursday’s practice. Here’s everything he had to say.”

Pearsall out for remainder of 49ers’ 2025 offseason program

““Ricky’s here. Ricky’s been awesome,” Shanahan said. “But Ricky has a tweaked hamstring, so I’d be surprised if he does anything in OTAs.”

The 49ers’ mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 10 and 11. Pearsall is not expected to take part in the team’s minicamp, either.

“By the time you get to minicamp, there’s just two days left in school,” Shanahan said. “Probably won’t just throw him out there.”

49ers OTA practice roundup: CMC’s return a welcomed sight

“The defensive play of the day came late in practice. Nick Bosa pressured Purdy, who broke out of the pocket and rolled to his left. Purdy tried to fit a pass into tight end George Kittle. But former Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown made the leaping interception.”

Christian McCaffrey looks like his 2023 self as re-energized 49ers begin OTAs (paywall)

“You have to keep in mind it was merely the second OTA practice of the spring season. And there was no tackling or hitting. And the players on the field at the time weren’t even wearing helmets.

But — whew! — Christian McCaffrey looked electric on one of his runs Thursday, one where he hopped through the line of scrimmage before accelerating past the linebackers and bursting up the middle of the field.”

Fred Warner impressed by 49ers rookies Nick Martin and Mykel Williams

“He’s come in and he’s asked me every single question known to man,” Warner added. “Like, ‘Fred, how are you doing this? What are you doing after practice? What are you doing after you lift?’ And wanting to be a part of those things and not being afraid to ask those questions.

“I mean, I’ve seen the athletic ability flash already on the field, and the way that he closes. [He] closes space really quickly, and he already has the great mindset of wanting to learn. So, I’m really happy with where he’s at.”

Warner is also encouraged by the attitude and approach of Mykel Williams, the 49ers’ first-round pick out of Georgia. The rookie defensive end was selected No. 11 overall and has already made an impression with his effort and willingness to do whatever it takes to make an immediate impact.

“He’s made of the exact right stuff, too,” Warner said. “He’s telling me, he’s like, ‘Man, I just want to play with great effort.’ That’s the thing that he’s talking to me about. Like, ‘Man, I just want to run to the ball.’

“And, as a young player who has seen a lot of success over at an SEC school like Georgia, and you’re coming onto a team as a first-round draft pick, 11th overall, and you’re talking about running to the football, you don’t see that very often.

“So that just tells me that we got the right kind of guys in the building, that we’re drafting the guys that are going to see a lot of success because of what they’re made of.”

Have the 49ers struck seventh-round QB gold in the draft again with Kurtis Rourke? (paywall)

“Still, it’s worth noting that Rourke, pick No. 227 this spring, also possesses Purdy-like traits that often translate to NFL success at a position that remains a source of migraines to evaluate.

“I think he plays on time and he sees the field very well,” Ahmad said. “So he processes it, he sees it and can get the ball out on time. And I think he’s very accurate.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...amp-minicamp-trent-williams-nfl-draft-rookies

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

In about a week, the 49ers have turned into the San Francisco Jets

Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Robert Saleh and Brant Boyer have brought over players from the Jets whom they are confident can help the team.

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and special teams coordinator Brant Boyer have added three former members of the New York Jets to the San Francisco 49ers in about a week.

Initially, the most significant move came when the Niners released Mitch Wishnowsky earlier this week in a move that was mildly surprising after an injury-plagued season that saw him have one of the lowest averages of any punter in the NFL. In fact, Wishnowsky had the seventh-lowest average of any punter in the league during the past decade.

Some believed Wishnowsky was let go due to chronic back issues. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan said the decision to release Wishnowsky was not health-related:

“He is healthy. So, he’s going to go to a team and help a team out a lot. But those are things you’ve always got to predict. You don’t know how those things go, and you’ve got to take the risk-reward and something that to me wasn’t a big risk or worth the risk until someone like Morstead becomes available. And that put us on where we needed to make a decision.”

Wishnowsky hadn’t missed a game since joining the 49ers in 2019 up until last season. The injury, paired with his stats and inconsistencies, made Mitch expendable in the eyes of Boyer.

Shanahan said that Thomas Morstead becoming available and his familiarity with Boyer ultimately led to Wishnowsky’s release:

“Well, I mean he definitely has the most expertise in the building. So, I always tend to lean towards whoever has the most expertise. But it’s got to make sense. We’ve all got to agree with it. And it was really hard to cut ties with [P] Mitch [Wishnowsky]. I love Mitch. He’s one of my favorite guys I’ve been around, especially from a special team standpoint and punter standpoint. He’s such a football player in how he plays. The guys love him. But when you just look into contract situations, how last year went and things, the fact that [P Thomas] Morstead became available, [special teams coordinator] Brant [Boyer] being so familiar with him and having that relationship, it ended up making it a decision that wasn’t easy, but we felt all confident it was best for our team.”

The second former Jet the Niners brought over is Chazz Surratt, who played a decent amount in 2024. Surratt played on four different special teams units and played 113 snaps on defense. His season high defensively was 19 snaps in a game.

To his credit, when Surratt played, he was around the ball. He had four tackles in two separate games. Saleh selected Surratt during his first NFL Draft as a head coach in the third round, suggesting Surratt has a better chance of contributing with the 49ers than one would think of a player signed after Memorial Day.

However, Surratt is on the smaller side. When he entered the league, he was in the sixth percentile for weight and third percentile for arm length. But his 4.59 40-yard dash (92nd percentile) and 4.18 20-yard shuttle (82nd percentile) give the 49ers, at worst, a speedy threat on special teams.

And last but certainly not least, the pending trade for Bryce Huff. It feels as though we’ve been talking about the potential of Huff joining the Niners for a couple of seasons now, as recently as the 2024 trade deadline.

Huff was a miscast in Vic Fangio’s defense. In 2023, Huff’s winning percentage as a pass rusher was third in the NFL and a single percentage point better than Nick Bosa’s. He was a part-time player in New York under Saleh. The Eagles tried to play Huff every down, only to see his snap counts decrease each week during the first month of the season.

With the 49ers, Huff won’t be thrust into a position where he’ll need to play the run. San Francisco used the 2025 NFL Draft to solve their run-stopping woes. Huff allows Mykel Williams to slide inside on obvious passing downs and gives Saleh a Wide-9 threat.

Huff is a low-risk trade by a team with ample cap space. Before the trade, the 49ers were second in the NFL in effective cap space with over $45 million. Adding Huff for just under $8 million in 2025 pays dividends by allowing Williams to stay on the field and learn by trial and error without exposing Huff to the run.

It’s probably not a good sign for Yetur Gross-Matos, a player who struggled with injury in 2024. Those two will fight for snaps on passing downs. It’s a good problem to have, and one the Niners would have loved to have last season when their depth was depleted along the defensive line.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5...oyer-bryce-huff-chazz-surratt-thomas-morstead

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Punterville State of the Punter

Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Punterville is a ghost town.

Mayor of Punterville here. Or what’s left of Punterville, I guess.

To anyone out there, yes, Puntervill is gone. This city was once established when a great hero came to the area in 2019, hailing from Australia. He brought ruthlessness and premium punts. His name: Mitch Wishnowsky. Our response: PUNTERZZZZ.

There were questions: Why did they take Wishnowsky in the fourth round?

Unlike many a punter, Wishnowsky answered in a preseason game against the Broncos.

I wonder if tackling ability was on the #49ers’ scouting report for Mitch Wishnowsky...
( : @49ers)pic.twitter.com/GXJU2K5sPv

— Rob Lowder (@Rob_Lowder) August 20, 2019​

This led to two outcomes: Madden updating their tackling rankings to include all players, and a city known as Punterville was built to worship this immense hero. From there, he was a punting highlight reel. There was the 62-yard boot from the 49ers’ side of the field to the Kansas City Chiefs' 3-yard line.

Then he added to his legacy, getting named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in November. Wishnowsky could do no wrong. Year after year, he proved his worth as the hero of this great town. Even in 2023, he was at the top of punter stats. This boot in the Seattle Seahawks game certainly helped:

Mitch Wishnowsky Appreciation post!!! pic.twitter.com/jWYV7w1Ryt

— LA DODGERS WS CHAMPS!!! (@sf_derek) November 24, 2023​

But then 2024 came. And Wishnowsky seemed to show a different side of himself. There was a blocked punt where he would have shoryuken’d the guy years ago, but here he just watched:

Vikings come up big with the blocked punt

@NFLpic.twitter.com/IvXfOv4OvD

— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) September 15, 2024​

This can be blamed on the supporting cast. We’ve seen our hero fight from worse. But a few weeks later, our hero was part of the massive dial-a-injury bug the 49ers had. Suddenly, he seemed...human. He was placed on injured reserve late in the 2024 season, along with the rest of the players affected by the "dial-a-injury" policy.

And now? He’s gone. Wishnowsky was released this week as the 49ers turned into the San Francisco Jets. New 49ers special teams coordinator Brand Boyer is going to move the Bay Area’s punting efforts away from Punterville.

Most of the citizens in this town have packed up and left. The Whole Foods we fought so hard to get is now abandoned. Once, In-N-Out Burger was considering opening here. It’s all just buildings: empty buildings, and some empty hearts.

I’ll make my way out of here as well, once Punterville City Light turns off my electric bill or cuts off my internet. Whichever comes first.

Punterville, like many cities, must come to an end at some point.

But one last time, let’s think back to when Punterville was grand. Former citizens, how would you have ranked Punterville?

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/5/31/24440393/mitch-wishnowsky-release-49ers-special-teams

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Can you guess this 49ers linebacker 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, May 31, 2025
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Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

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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/2025/6/1/24440988/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

June boon: 49ers gain some extra salary cap help with start of a new month

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The 49ers’ post-June 1 releases of Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins become official on Monday, giving them some additional space against the cap.

It’s the start of a new month and, with June 1 having already come and gone, the 49ers officially gain some additional cap space on Monday.

June 2 is the day when the NFL officially processes post-June 1 cuts. For the 49ers, that means veteran defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins’ 2025 salaries are each off the books.

The 49ers parted with Hargrave at the start of new league year, cutting him with a post-June 1 designation two seasons into a four-year, $84 million contract signed in free agency in 2023. He helped the 49ers go within a whisker of winning the Super Bowl in his first season but spent most of his second year on injured reserve with a torn bicep.

Hargrave’s injury made life much more difficult for Collins, who was an effective pass rusher in his lone season with the 49ers after being acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans. He had five sacks but was ineffective against the run, leading the 49ers to elect to release him with a post-June 1 tag as part of their significant revamp on the defensive line.

With both those releases now official, the 49ers receive an extra $5.6 million in cap space for 2025.

Breaking down the financials for Over The Cap, Jason Fitzgerald writes:

Collins had a $4.762 million cap charge which will now drop to just $1.358 million on the year. The team defers $4.074 million of his dead money to 2026. Collins signed a two year, $20 million contract with the Browns after he was cut.

Hargrave’s signing always had a low probability of working out given the cost and this was pretty much the best case scenario for their cap. The team reworked this deal in early December to allow them to June 1 him. He will have $6.7 million in cap charges this year and a whopping $16.16 million in dead money for 2026. Like [Dalvin] Tomlinson, Hargrave got a massive deal following a release, signing a two year, $30 million contract with the Vikings.

It is a useful boost to the 49ers, who are set to take around $8 million this year as part of their impending trade for Bryce Huff.

The releases of Hargrave and Collins help offset that cost, meaning the 49ers — second in the NFL in cap space with $53.4 million before taking the June 1 business and the Huff trade into account — will still be in an excellent position in terms of their 2025 cap.

They will have the flexibility to make moves at the trade deadline if they wish, and should have a substantial amount of cap room to carry over into 2026, increasing their scope for free agent spending next offseason.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/6...tra-salary-cap-help-with-start-of-a-new-month

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Trent Williams came to work today

Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

The 49ers left tackle is back in the building on the second to last day of OTA practices

The San Francisco 49ers continue their OTA workouts on Tuesday. After the team announced that offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere had been waived, the question was why? Well, there’s no need for a practice body anymore.

According to the beat reporters on hand, left tackle Trent Williams is healthy and in the building for the 49ers practice.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t seem too worried about Williams missing the last couple of weeks at practice, but Williams was present for Phase I. Shanahan said he expected to see Williams “soon.”

The 49ers have one more OTA practice, which is June 5, before their mandatory minicamp on June 10 and 11. The initial thought was that Williams would return next week during the mandatory minicamp dates.

However, Williams joins the rest of his teammates, who have gone out of their way to talk about the noticeable energy in the building. It certainly helps when everyone can focus on football and not talk about contract drama.

After Williams is Andre Dillard, Spencer Burford, and Austen Pleasants as the tackles on the roster, save starter Colton McKivitz. There will be heavy competition at swing tackle during training camp. The 49ers have consistently given Williams time off during the month of August. Ideally, that’s the only time this year Brock Purdy will have to drop back without No. 71 protecting his blindside.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/6/3/24442641/trent-williams-otas-kyle-shanahan-mandatory-minicamp

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Kocurek: Bryce Huff adds to the ‘versatility’ in the room, optimistic about bounce back

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Niners made a major trade earlier this week.

The San Francisco 49ers made one of their bigger splashes of the offseason this week by trading a 2026 conditional fifth-round pick for Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff.

Huff, 27, had a down year in 2024, accumulating just 2.5 sacks in 12 games for the Eagles after reaching double-digits during a breakout campaign in 2023 with the New York Jets.

Now, he’s reunited with former head coach Robert Saleh in San Francisco and will get an opportunity to do what he does best: rush the passer.

“Bryce has mainly, throughout his career, been an edge guy in passing situations,” defensive line coach Kris Kocurek said earlier this week. “So that allows you to use the versatility that you have in your room in various different ways. Bryce can also bump down as a spinner, stand-up dude.

“It allows you to have more moving parts across the front, allows you to slide your versatile guys around, move them around, put them in different spots, locate matchup issues that, from a protection standpoint or a personnel standpoint, that we can try to exploit with different guys.”

While Huff himself may not be as versatile, it allows the room as a whole to be more versatile. For example, on passing downs, if Huff slides into the edge spot, Nick Bosa or Mykel Williams (or even both) could kick in and rush over the guard, exploiting a favorable matchup there.

Overall, it can create matchup issues when one presents itself, while also adding depth in the room and giving players key rest.

Of course, there are serious questions about whether Huff can return to his old form in 2025. While the cost to acquire the defensive end wasn’t a high price, it’s clear the 49ers expect something from the 27-year-old this season.

While he did have a down year in 2024, Huff apparently dealt with a wrist injury that defensive line coach Kris Kocurek believed derailed his season.

“[Huff] had a wrist injury about mid-season that I think kind of derailed his progression with him being a stand-up player,” Kocurek revealed. “But I thought he was really coming along, and I thought he was getting better within his role of being more of a stand-up outside linebacker. You could see the progression of getting better.

“And then, I think the wrist injury kind of set him back, and it’s hard when you’re progressing, and then, all of a sudden, you get an injury that kind of stunts that growth. But you still saw a good player on tape. You still saw a player that could win one-on-one.”

So, what role do the 49ers expect Huff to play? After all, he’s never seen more than 51 percent of a team’s defensive snaps and was mainly a pass-rush specialist during his breakout season with the Jets in 2023.

Well, Kocurek wants the defensive end to go after the quarterback, simple as that. He and the 49ers defensive staff plan to change a few things to help with Huff’s comfortability, but they want the pass-rusher to do exactly that: rush the passer.

“It’s a little bit different than the hand-in-the-ground role that he played with Robert and the Jets,” Kocurek said, “but [he’s] still a good player, and we’re going to get him back to a little bit more with what he’s comfortable with, putting his hand in the ground, and getting off, and getting him out of a two-point stance and back into a 3- or 4-point stance. It’s where he’s excelled at, and what he feels the most comfortable with.”

With Huff in the fold, the 49ers could return to being a more prolific pass-rush team. Nick Bosa will lead the way, but San Francisco needed help alongside help. Now, the team has added Huff and Mykel Williams, which should help their push for a playoff spot in 2025.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/6...ersatility-wrist-injury-held-him-back-in-2025

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Where does the 49ers front office rank in the NFL?

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Shanahan and Lynch deserve so much credit for turning the 49ers around

The San Francisco 49ers have enjoyed success under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. The team sorely needed direction and stability when the duo took over before the 2017 season. The first season started slowly, with the team losing nearly every game before a trade for Jimmy Garoppolo injected some life into the organization, and 2018 essentially ended with Garoppolo’s ACL injury in Kansas City. The team competed in four out of five NFC Championship games with two Super Bowl berths from 2019 to 2023.

Even with last year’s disappointing 6-11 record, the 49ers have the stability that many franchises crave across the NFL.

So, where do Shanahan and Lynch rank as a tandem in 2025?

Patrick Daugherty of NBC Sports has the duo at number seven.

So much of the Kyle Shanahan magic is about the scheme that it can be easy to forget the roster sorcery. Shanny and John Lynch like big names and aren’t afraid of trades. They also do things like turn the final pick of the draft into one of the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks. “Highest paid” sometimes trips Shanny and company up. There have been a litany of contract squabbles in recent years, likely too many to maintain true locker room comity. Perhaps that’s why there was no money drama with a quarterback in Brock Purdy who probably should have been nickel and dime’d in extension talks. But perhaps Shanny is learning. He is definitely always evolving. Evolution will be a must for 2025 after an injury-plagued 2024. On defense, former mainstays Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga are gone. The same is true of free agent busts Javon Hargrave and Leonard Floyd. Former DC Robert Saleh is back. It’s a similar story on offense, where Deebo Samuel has been shipped out and Brandon Aiyuk is rehabbing a torn ACL. 2024 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall needs to develop. This isn’t as star-heavy of a group as recent seasons, but the Niners have made a whopping 37 draft picks over the past four years. As long as Shanny keeps developing with the best of them, the next wave of impact 49ers should begin coming into its own.

Shanahan and Lynch fell from number two in 2024 to seven, but there is no doubt the duo is top-tier tier given all the high-end talent they have drafted and developed.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/6...fice-rank-in-the-nfl-kyle-shanahan-john-lynch