The 2024 season was a bitter disappointment for the San Francisco 49ers, crushed by accidents, underperformance and nearly every part else that would have gone improper. The offseason has not gone a lot better, because the roster was largely gutted in free company, with few main replacements coming in.
Listed here are three burning questions the group remains to be dealing with going into the 2025 season.
1. Will Brock Purdy be well worth the cash?
At this level, it’s not a matter of if, however when Purdy will develop into the following quarterback to get a mega-contract.
That leaves the 49ers in a tricky spot as a result of there nonetheless appears to be some doubt as as to whether or not Purdy is a top-tier quarterback. Even with that, the 49ers are usually not actually able to let him go and take their possibilities on anyone else.
The character of the enterprise proper now’s that you probably have an excellent, top-half of the league starter, you just about have to take a position large cash in them.
That’s just about the state of affairs with Purdy. He’s good. You’ll be able to win with him. However is he nice? And is he going to be the cause they win?
On a rookie contract as a seventh-round choose, Purdy has been one of many largest steals within the NFL for the 49ers relating to wage cap assets. His low-cost wage has allowed the 49ers to construct up the group round him and unfold the cash all through the roster. It is okay if he is merely actually good as a substitute of nice.
However will he nonetheless be an excellent worth when his contract will get into the $40M-50M vary and the group shouldn’t be in a position to construct out its depth as a lot attributable to a wage cap crunch? Is he adequate to make up for that? That continues to be to be seen. And the wage cap crunch is already right here.
2. What’s Brandon Aiyuk’s future?
After being the topic of commerce rumors all through the 2024 offseason, the 49ers and Aiyuk lastly got here to phrases on a brand new long-term contract extension to maintain him with the group.
Either side may already be regretting that call.
Aiyuk’s 2025 season was reduce brief by a knee damage, whereas his manufacturing had considerably dropped off previous to the damage.
What does this season maintain for him?
Is he going to come back again wholesome and bounce again? Or are the 49ers already having some purchaser’s regret and regretting their large funding? They already moved on from one high large receiver that they lately paid large cash to — Deebo Samuel — and may wish to proceed overhauling the place.
3. Can Mykel Williams take some stress off Nick Bosa?
The 49ers have one of many NFL’s greatest EDGE gamers in Nick Bosa, and when wholesome, he stays a disruptive pressure alongside their line of defense. The issue for the 49ers in recent times is that they’ve probably not had anyone else on their line of defense who can complement him on the other aspect and take a few of the consideration away from him.
They’ve had a revolving door of gamers the previous two years alongside their line of defense, and the depth shouldn’t be what it was.
They tried to handle that in a much more vital approach this offseason by drafting Mykel Williams with the No. 11 general choose. Anytime you are taking an EDGE participant within the high 15, there are all the time going to be expectations for that participant to make a direct affect. The 49ers want him to not solely assist out their franchise participant on the opposite aspect of the road, but additionally to easily make their protection and pass-rush what it was after they have been competing for Tremendous Bowls.
