San Francisco 49ers Offseason Progress Report

Will the 49ers make a return to the Top of the NFC?

49ers Quarterback Brock Purdy

Overview

2024 Record: 6-11

General Manager: John Lynch

Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan

Starting Quarterback: Brock Purdy

Key Extensions:

QB Brock Purdy (5 years, $265 million, $181 million guaranteed), LB Fred Warner (3 years, $63 million, $56.7 million guaranteed), TE George Kittle (4 years, $76.4 million, $35 million guaranteed)

Key Additions:

EDGE Bryce Huff, QB Mac Jones, RB Brian Robinson Jr, WR Demarcus Robinson, EDGE Mykel Williams, DL Alfred Collins, LB Nick Martin, CB Upton Stout

Key Departures:

LB Dre Greenlaw, S Talanoa Hufanga, EDGE Leonard Floyd, WR Deebo Samuel, CB Charvarius Ward, iOL Aaron Banks

Offense

Offensive Coordinator: Klay Kubiak

2024 Ranks:

EPA/play: 9th Success Rate: 11th PPG: 13th (22.9ppg)

Projected Starting Offense (11 personnel):

QB Brock Purdy

RB Christian McCaffrey

WR Ricky Pearsall

WR Jauan Jennings

WR Brandon Aiyuk

TE George Kittle

LT Trent Williams

LG Ben Bartch

C Jake Brendel

RG Dominic Puni

RT Colton McKivitz

Offense Notes:

2024 could not have gone more wrong for the Niners offense. Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL early in the season, Christian McCaffrey didn’t play, and the first-round pick receiver Ricky Pearsall missed time as well. And yet, the 49ers were still Top 10 in EPA/play. Brock Purdy stepped up into more of a commanding role and helped keep the team competitive, at least on offense.

Now that he’s newly-paid, Purdy will have to continue to improve going into 2025. The good news for this season is that CMC is healthy - when he’s on the field, it’s different. Aiyuk should be back at some point early in the season as well. This season’s offensive ceiling hinges on whether the offensive line can perform up to the level of the offensive weapons. If so, this unit may be closer to its 2023 performance than its 2024 output.

Defense

Defensive Coordinator: Robert Saleh

2024 Ranks:

EPA/play: 23rd Success Rate: 25th PPG: 29th (25.6ppg allowed)

Projected Starting Defense (Base 4-2):

DE Nick Bosa

DT Jordan Elliot

DT Alfred Collins

DE Mykel Williams

LB Dee Winters

LB Fred Warner

CB Renardo Green

CB Deommodore Lenoir

NB Upton Stout

S Ji’Ayer Brown

S Jason Pinnock

Defense Notes:

The defense did not fare as well as the offense in 2024. Despite having most of their key players relatively healthy, the 49ers defense struggled getting off the field and keeping teams out of the endzone. Like for most teams with these issues, the run defense was the main culprit.

Also unlike the offense, this group had a pretty big overhaul this offseason. While the unit lost some mainstays in the backend, they added a lot up front. Early draft picks Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins are both monsters in the run game that should have an early impact. Perhaps the biggest addition to the defense is the return of play-caller Robert Saleh to the fold.

Outlook

Overall, just like the other teams in the division, the 49ers have a claim on the division crown this season. Their path lies in some positive regression in the health front on offense, and in some defensive discipline and improvement.

The Niners have another tool in their favor for the division crown: a very easy schedule. Being last place in the division and having to play the AFC South and NFC South means that the 49ers don’t see a lot of competition outside of the teams in their division (at least based on last year’s team finishes). Does this mean the Niners have a chance to get into the playoffs?

I think so. While all four of the NFC West teams have a chance, the 49ers have a lot of things going their way. If all goes according to plan, the Niners should see themselves back in the double-digit win column, which, in this division, could mean a home playoff game.

Expectation/Goal for 2025: Compete for NFC West, Wild Card

2025 Schedule

\(\begin{array}{c c} \textbf{GameWeek} & \textbf{Opponent} \\ \hline \text{Week 1} & \text{@ Seattle, 4:05pm} \\ \text{Week 2} & \text{@ New Orleans, 1pm} \\ \text{Week 3} & \text{vs. Arizona, 4:25pm} \\ \text{Week 4} & \text{vs. Jacksonville, 4:05pm} \\ \textbf{Week 5} & \textbf{@ LA Rams, TNF, 8:15pm} \\ \text{Week 6} & \text{@ Tampa Bay, 1pm} \\ \textbf{Week 7} & \textbf{vs. Atlanta, SNF, 8:20pm} \\ \text{Week 8} & \text{@ Houston, 1pm} \\ \text{Week 9} & \text{@ New York Giants, 1pm} \\ \text{Week 10} & \text{vs. LA Rams, 4:25pm} \\ \text{Week 11} & \text{@ Arizona, 4:05pm} \\ \textbf{Week 12} & \textbf{vs. Carolina, MNF, 8:15pm} \\ \text{Week 13} & \text{@ Cleveland, 1pm} \\ \text{Week 14} & \text{-- BYE WEEK --} \\ \text{Week 15} & \text{vs. Tennessee, 4:25pm} \\ \textbf{Week 16} & \textbf{@ Indianapolis, MNF, 8:15pm} \\ \textbf{Week 17} & \textbf{vs. Chicago, SNF, 8:20pm} \\ \text{Week 18} & \text{vs. Seattle, TBD} \\ \end{array} \)

Primetime games are BOLDED, all times EDT/EST