3 Moves the San Francisco 49ers Must Make This Offseason
As the NFL offseason officially begins for all 32 teams, we will examine what each franchise must do in free agency and the NFL Draft to emerge a better, more complete team when the 2025 season kicks off in September.
In a lot of ways, the San Francisco 49ers paid the piper in 2024.
Only three teams were more impacted by injuries than the 49ers, according to Sports Info Solutions last season, one year removed from a Super Bowl appearance buoyed in part by finishing as the league’s fourth-healthiest team in 2023, according to FTN Sports’ Adjusted Games Lost metric.
It turns out that the best ability is, in fact, availability. However, the 49ers’ woes in 2024 may go far beyond the surface level of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey playing in only four games, and some of those concerns could potentially only be exacerbated in 2025.
San Francisco opened last season as the fifth-oldest team in the NFL, with a roster that averaged playing 19 games per season dating back to 2019. That’s a lot of football, especially without the emotional highs of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy despite two Super Bowl appearances and two more trips to the NFC Championship Game over that span.
Things aren’t going to get any easier for the 49ers, who unloaded wide receiver Deebo Samuel and his accompanying $31 million in dead-money to the Washington Commanders over the weekend, in exchange for a fifth-round pick. San Francisco also is going to need to commit top-dollar to quarterback Brock Purdy and have several other high-priced decisions to make in the coming weeks.
After missing the playoffs for just the second time since 2018, here’s a full breakdown of the 49ers’ assets to rebuild with this offseason, and three moves that could turn the tide in San Francisco.
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San Francisco 49ers Cap Space
Trading Samuel was the first major blockbuster move of the offseason across the league. It created significant breathing room for general manager John Lynch as the 49ers begin a pivotal offseason.
Multiple reports suggest San Francisco has begun contract negotiations with Purdy. As the former seventh-round pick enters the final year of his rookie contract, there’s a distinct possibility he walks onto the field later this summer as one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. Extending Purdy became much more manageable for Lynch and the 49ers after dealing Deebo.
Ahead of the new league year beginning, the 49ers are projected to now have upwards of $34 million in cap space, which is plenty to both absorb a higher cap number for Purdy than his projected $5.2 million on his current contract as well as to hit the ground running in free agency to plug some of the emergent holes across the roster.
San Francisco 49ers Draft Picks
Two of the 49ers’ biggest needs this offseason are fortifying the offensive line, and adding quality cornerback depth.
Fortunately for Lynch and San Francisco, the 49ers should be in range for one of the top offensive tackles in this year’s class, and are picking earlier than any point since the 2018 season. So, a strong draft class could go a long way toward once again challenging for the NFC West crown in a rather wide-open division. They also have 12 picks, which is plenty of ammunition to move up and down the board to aggressively pursue some of the franchise’s top targets.
Round 1, pick No. 11 overall
Round 2, pick No. 43 overall
Round 3, pick No. 75 overall
Round 3, pick No. 99 overall (projected compensatory pick)
Round 4, pick No. 112 overall
Round 4, pick No. 138 overall (projected compensatory pick)
Round 4, pick No. 139 overall (projected compensatory pick)
Round 5, pick No. 149 overall (via New Orleans Saints)
Round 6, pick No. 189 overall
Round 7, pick No. 228 overall (via Carolina Panthers)
Round 7, pick No. 232 overall (via Arizona Cardinals)
Round 7, pick No. 255 overall (projected compensatory pick)
3 Moves the San Francisco 49ers Must Make this Offseason
Draft Texas OL Kelvin Banks
Extending Purdy is Lynch’s first order of business, ideally before free agency even begins in order to have a grasp of how much spending flexibility the 49ers have the rest of this offseason, but, San Francisco’s second priority is to rebuild what has become a leaky offensive line.
If Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is on the board, Lynch should advise the 49ers’ brass in attendance outside Lambeau Field to rush the card with Graham’s name on it up to Roger Goodell. Banks, 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds is an instant upgrade over Colton McKivitz and one of the few truly elite tackle prospects in this year’s class, he’s also an ideal long-term replacement for Trent Williams.
According to Pro Football Focus, Banks only allowed one sack last season, and four in his three years as a starter in Austin, while garnering an elite 89.9 pass-blocking grade and strong 81 run-blocking grade which could make him an ideal fit both schematically and to help keep Purdy upright.
Sign CB Carlton Davis
Presuming the 49ers like Charvarius Ward walk, Davis could be an ideal and seamless replacement in free agency.
Davis, 28, was stellar for the Detroit Lions in 2024, before suffering a season-ending jaw injury in Week 15. The 6-foot-1 and 206-pound cornerback played a lockdown brand of coverage, holding opposing quarterbacks to a meager 87.9 passer rating when targeting him on his way to a 72.1 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus.
A physical cover-corner who thrives in man-press situations, Davis is the kind of player who can make losing a player of Ward’s caliber a bit more palatable, while possessing his own brand of big-play ability in the secondary.
Sign OG Teven Jenkins
San Francisco needs to make upgrading the interior of the offensive line a top organizational priority, and with Trey Smith likely off the market after the Kansas City Chiefs used the franchise tag on the presumptive top available guard this offseason, the 49ers would be wise to make a strong push to sign Jenkins.
Jenkins, 27, enters free agency after allowing just four sacks last season, and finishing as Pro Football Focus’ 18th-ranked guard across the NFL. The Chicago Bears could make a push to re-sign him, but if the 49ers are intent on going shopping at the top of the market and making a major financial commitment at the position, Jenkins could be one of Lynch’s first calls when free agency begins.
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I had the #1 overall fantasy football pick last year, which I naturally used on Christian McCaffrey. I finished tenth in our ten team league.