The 2024 season was a bitter disappointment for the San Francisco 49ers, crushed by accidents, underperformance and nearly every part else that might have gone flawed. The offseason has not gone a lot better, because the roster was largely gutted in free company, with few main replacements coming in.
Listed below are three burning questions the crew remains to be going through going into the 2025 season.
1. Will Brock Purdy be definitely worth the cash?
At this level, it isn’t a matter of if, however when Purdy will turn out to be 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 if or not Purdy is a top-tier quarterback. Even with that, the 49ers will not be actually ready to let him go and take their probabilities on someone else.
The character of the enterprise proper now’s that when you’ve got a great, top-half of the league starter, you just about have to take a position enormous cash in them.
That’s just about the state of affairs with Purdy. He’s good. You may win with him. However is he nice? And is he going to be the motive they win?
On a rookie contract as a seventh-round choose, Purdy has been one of many greatest steals within the NFL for the 49ers in relation to wage cap sources. His low cost wage has allowed the 49ers to construct up the crew 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 a great worth when his contract will get into the $40M-50M vary and the crew will not be in a position to construct out its depth as a lot on account of 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 crew.
Each side would possibly already be regretting that call.
Aiyuk’s 2025 season was lower 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 return again wholesome and bounce again? Or are the 49ers already having some purchaser’s regret and regretting their massive funding? They already moved on from one prime broad receiver that they just lately paid massive cash to — Deebo Samuel — and would possibly 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 drive alongside their line of defense. The issue for the 49ers in recent times is that they’ve not likely had anyone else on their line of defense who can complement him on the alternative aspect and take among 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 will not be what it was once.
They tried to deal with 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 prime 15, there are all the time going to be expectations for that participant to make a direct impression. 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 once they have been competing for Tremendous Bowls.
