32 Teams in 32 Days: San Francisco 49ers

Cover photo taken from Deseret News.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like.

Our journey continues with our third NFC West team in as many days as we head out to the Bay Area, where the 49ers are seemingly facing some uncertainty for the first time in several years.

After three straight trips to the NFC Championship game — including an OT loss in Super Bowl LVIII agains Kansas City — San Francisco had a drab 6-11 campaign last season plagued by the injury bug that bit them all over in 2020. Entering the year as the favorite to win a title in perhaps the final season of a clear window, the Niners wound up finishing at the bottom of the division thanks to guys like Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams, Deebo Samuel and others missing extended playing time due to serious injuries.

The offense was able to stay afloat, finishing 5th in total yards per game and 11th in EPA/play, but the defense simply fell apart, being largely unable to stop a nosebleed by the end of the season. The 49ers’ once proud unit finished bottom five in scoring, 26th in EPA/play and 29th in success rate, performing particularly awful against the run.

Thus, San Francisco entered the offseason with a lot of business to handle. The Niners lost a whopping 17 players in the first week of free agency, most notably having DB Charvarius Ward signed away by Indianapolis, trading Samuel to the Commanders for a fifth-round pick and losing both LB Dre Greenlaw and S Talanoa Hufanga to the Broncos. The defensive interior was also weakened by the departures of Javon Hargrave and Maleik Collins.

But the biggest business to handle was that of QB Brock Purdy, who has become one of the more polarizing signal callers in football. I personally think that the former Mr. Irrelevant has become so “overrated” that he’s now underrated. Why he receives the hate he does is beyond me. I used to be in the camp of recognizing him as a product of his environment — and that still very well be true — but he gained a lot of respect last season. To deal with the slew of injuries they had with the worst defense of his career, he still finished 9th in EPA+CPOE and 7th in QBR. That was largely without the likes of CMC, Deebo and Aiyuk. So much for being a product of the system.

GM John Lynch and the Niners front office seemed to agree, giving Purdy a whopping five-year, $265 million contract extension to complete one of the coolest stories in the league. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my doubts about whether you can win a title with Brock under center, but he deserved this payday and deserves to be this team’s franchise QB.

Because of that massive payout, they turned to rebuild through the draft and smaller, more team-friendly deals, particularly on defense. Each of the first five rounds saw San Francisco draft a defensive player, headlined by first-round edge rusher Mykel Williams, second-round tackle Alfred Collins and third-round corner Upton Stout. Other selections like Nick Martin, CJ West and Marques Single will help provide depth at key positions to help rebuild what was once an elite defense.

Still, the unit isn’t a very strong one. Even with Nick Bosa leading the charge off the edge and Fred Warner locking down the middle of the field. The secondary is a massive concern with no clear replacement for Ward; guys like Jason Pinnock and Renardo Green don’t inspire a ton of confidence, though I am a fan of Deommodore Lenoir and Malik Mustapha. Williams could develop into a force off the edge to complement Bosa, but I still don’t know what the interior will look like without Hargrave. Collins is pretty raw, but could become a very solid player in due time.

The offense has its fair share of question marks as well, but at least we know what to expect. Trent Williams may be old, but he’s still one of the best tackles in fotball. However, there’s not many other bright spots on the line — though, Jake Brendel had a solid season last year. If healthy, CMC should be the dog he always is. Hopefully Brandon Aiyuk can bounce back from a torn ACL and play up to the potential we saw in 2023, which garnered him his massive contract. Behind him, last year’s first-round pick Ricky Pearsall is bound for a breakout and Jauan Jennings remains one of the best WR3s in football. And then there’s George Kittle, who continues to be an absolute delight to watch at TE, coming off a remarkable season with 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns, resulting in a massive four-year, $76.4 million extension. He’s showing no signs of slowing down and will undoubtedly have another huge year as Purdy’s top target.

As seemingly always is the case with this squad, health remains the biggest thing separating this team from reaching its potential. But it’ll be the answers — or lack thereof — to the other questions that will show whether the Super Bowl window has closed or is slowly but surely being reopened.

X-Factor: RB Christian McCaffrey

I was on the record several times in 2023 saying that CMC deserved to be in the MVP conversation over Purdy, and I still believe that I was right. That season, McCaffrey was just so impactful in so many ways, just as he was in 2022 after being acquired from Carolina. When he’s healthy, he’s one of the most dynamic playmakers in football. The problem is remaining healthy. Last year was the first he’s had in San Francisco with injury concerns, so hopefully it doesn’t become a trend like it was with the Panthers. Only four games with no touchdowns isn’t a recipe for success for this team. So, I guess more than CMC himself being the X-factor, his health is. Because so long as he’s on the field, this team is much better. Here’s to hoping that’s the case.

Team MVP: QB Brock Purdy

I wanted to put Kittle here, but I’m gonna continue putting respect on Purdy’s name. If he continues his form from last season, he’s in for another big year. San Francisco will need it if they want to return to the postseason, and I think he can provide it.

Breakout Candidate: WR Ricky Pearsall

We all want Ricky Pearsall to succeed. After getting shot before the start of last season, he was able to come back and have a decent rookie campaign, particularly when he was thrust into action following so many WR problems with Samuel and Aiyuk. He was drafted in the first round for a reason — he’s got a solid frame with great hands and he’s fearless at the catch point. Maybe not as polished of a route runner as Aiyuk, but definitely a good complement to him and Kittle in the passing game. In the Kyle Shanahan system, I think Pearsall is bound for a big year two, where he should see upwards of 70-75 targets. If nothing else, with the sheer amount of attention that Aiyuk, Kittle and McCaffrey should and will receive, the door will open for Ricky P to make his mark in 2025.

Record Prediction: 12-5

San Francisco doesn’t feel like a 12-win team until you look at their schedule. Courtesy of finishing in last place, the Niners have the luxury of playing the Browns, Bears and Giants this year in addition to cycling through the two worst divisions in the league — the NFC South and AFC South. Most of those games alone should get them to double digits, and they should be able to compete for a division title. But, that still implies good health and good performance. The former should hopefully come regardless, but the latter remains to be seen. I simply have enough faith in this system and the blue-chip talent they still possess, even after the mass exodus of this offseason. All in all, it’ll be a very telling season to see what the future of this franchise is going to look like.

Next up: New York Giants