49ers Offseason Outlook. Big Trades, Free Agent Signings, and More
How can the 49ers re-enter Super Bowl contention next season?
The 49ers season ended this past Saturday with a 41–6 beatdown by their division rival Seattle Seahawks. It was a disappointing end to a rather memorable season for San Francisco.
Despite all the injuries and adversity they faced all year, the Niners finished 12–5 and won a playoff game against the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles. The team and the fans should be proud of what they accomplished this year.
Yet, don’t let that distract you from the holes this team must address to be a legitimate contender next year. As last game proved, they are still far from serious contenders like the Seahawks, even if at full strength.
However, if the team can nail the offseason, a promising season lies ahead for them in 2026 that could end with their 6th Super Bowl title.
Offseason Assets
The 49ers are projected to have anywhere from 37 to 50 million dollars in cap space this season. This gives them room to sign multiple key pieces to bolster positions of need, including the offensive line, secondary, and wide receiver room.
The 49ers draft picks are as follows:
- 1st round pick (27th overall)
- 2nd round pick (58th overall)
- 3rd round pick (92nd overall)
- Three 4th round picks (spot undecided)
- One 5th round pick (spot undecided)
The Niners have a total of seven picks for the upcoming draft.
Players the 49ers need to resign
- TE Jake Tonges — With George Kittle projected to miss time next season, the Niners must make re-signing Tonges a priority, being a reliable target all season when given the opportunity.
- WR Skyy Moore — Moore was phenomenal as a returner this season and for a team that has struggled with special teams for years up until this season, it is important that they keep him around.
- WR Kendrick Bourne — While he does not contribute much on the field, he is a fan-favorite and great “locker room” guy, and should be very cheap to re-sign.
- RB Brian Robinson Jr. — He was solid in the opportunities he was given, even with Christian McCaffrey being the work course all season. It is worth keeping him around as a backup, especially if CMC gets hurt or his workload is cut down next year.
- K Eddy Pineiro — Remember life with Jake Moody? Please, never again. Pineiro was sensational this year, missing only one FG all season. He will solve this team’s kicking problems once and for all.
- DE Clelin Ferrell — Ferrell had four sacks after rejoining the 49ers for another stint in mid-November. He would be an excellent backup for Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams when they both return from injury next season.
- LB Eric Kendricks — Kendricks played a huge role in San Fran’s win against Philly in the Wild Card. He can still be a serviceable, veteran presence who can also mentor young LBs Tatum Bethune and Dee Winters.
Now this list is missing one guy, and yes, I do not believe the Niners should bring back Jauan Jennings. It will definitely hurt, with all the moments he has had with the team, most notably Super Bowl LVII, his monster 175 yard game against the Rams last season, and his touchdown pass last week in the Wild Card game in Philly.
But simply put, the asking price will be high. Keep in mind, Jennings was unhappy with his 3 year, $42 million dollar contract earlier in the year, so it is likely he will ask for north of $20 million.
Additionally, 49ers receivers have a history of regressing significantly after getting paid the bag after breakout seasons. Just ask Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
Free Agent Signings
The biggest areas of weakness for San Francisco right now are the offensive line and the secondary. Wide receiver is another area of weakness, especially if the team cuts ties with Jauan Jennings, but that will be addressed later.
This team must shred its organizational philosophy of not addressing the offensive line once and for all. Brock Purdy was swarmed by Seattle’s pass rush in both the Week 18 and Divisional matchup. Their failure to protect their QB against elite pass rushes has cost them multiple times in big games (Super Bowl LVIII in overtime, most recently).
Elite teams are built through elite offensive lines. They allow the QB ample time to throw the ball and teams are able to run the ball at will behind their offensive line. The 49ers could do none of that against Seattle and much of the season.
With that in mind, here is who the Niners should sign this offseason
- Steelers G Isaac Seumalo (8–10 million a year)
Seumalo is 32 years old, so will likely not be very pricey compared to other top offensive line free agents. However, he is still playing at a high level, as PFF graded him as the fourth-best-pass blocking guard in the league.
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2. Bills C Connor McGovern (8–10 million a year)
Connor McGovern gave up zero sacks all season, a year after being named to the 2024 Pro Bowl team. For a team who struggles to protect the QB, he (and Seumalo) will improve that area tremendously
3. Chiefs CB Jaylen Watson (10–12 million a year)
Watson is 27 years old and his entering his prime. He has not given up a single touchdown over the past two seasons. Him and Deommodore Lenoir would be a fantastic cornerback duo that would make life difficult for receivers playing against their secondary.
4. Bears S Kevin Byard (7–8 million a year)
A safety room of Ji’Ayir Brown, Malik Mustapha, Jason Pinnock, and Marques Sigle will not cut it. While a more expensive option like Steelers safety Kyle Dugger would be ideal, with the 49ers current cap space, Byard is a solid and reliable veteran option for a lacking safety group.
Note
This list does not include any defensive lineman, as with the return of Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams next year, as well as second year jumps from interior linemen C.J. West and Alfred Collins, this position group should be much better next year.
The Draft
With their first round pick (27th overall), the Niners should take Utah OT Caleb Lomu. Trent Williams is not getting any younger and the 49ers will have a gaping need at LT once he retires.
In the present, they could experiment Lomu as a RT (primarily a LT at Utah), replacing Colton McKivitz, who routinely struggles in pass protection.
The Niners should target a receiver with their second round pick, given their thin and unproven wide receiver room in the present. Solid options include Ja’Kobi Lane from USC, Omar Cooper Jr. from Indiana (just won a National Championship), and Chris Brazzell II from Tennessee.
The rest of the picks should be used to add depth in the secondary, defensive line, and offensive line positions, especially with this team’s staggering injury history. Perhaps they will find another diamond in the rough in later rounds, as they have done with George Kittle and Brock Purdy in past years.
The BIG Move
Yes, the 49ers should do everything they can to trade for All-Pro superstar WR Justin Jefferson from the Minnesota Vikings.
With Jauan Jennings gone (as per my plan), the 49ers would be down to Ricky Pearsall, Kendrick Bourne, Skyy Moore, Demarcus Robinson, and Jordan Watkins (most probably one or more rookies) as their wide receivers. Not exactly scary for opposing defenses.
Against Seattle, the 49ers WRs combined for 3 catches and 34 yards. They were simply no match for Seattle’s secondary. This team needs a game changing wide receiver (like they once had with Brandon Aiyuk) that can put pressure on opposing defenses. Jefferson is an elite route runner who can pick up yards after the catch, making him a perfect fit in the 49ers scheme.
Ricky Pearsall has shown flashes multiple times throughout his young career, but is inconsistent, unreliable, and injury prone. He missed nearly half the season with a nagging PCL injury, including their Wild Card game against Philadelphia. When he came back against Seattle, he recorded 0 catches.
Simply put, he cannot be this team’s WR1.
With the Vikings having had subpar QB play all season, it is easy to see why Jefferson was visibly frustrated multiple times throughout the year. He barely cracked 1,000 yards this year, which had been routine for him in past seasons. If Jefferson is indeed frustrated with the team’s QB situation and if the Vikings get the right offer, Minnesota may be willing to ship away their superstar WR.
This is what a trade for Justin Jefferson would look like.
49ers receive: WR Justin Jefferson
Vikings receive: 2027 & 2028 49ers first-round picks
The parameters of the trade can be adjusted accordingly but two first round picks is a reasonable price for a top-tier WR.
If Jefferson is not available, another alternative could be Eagles WR A.J. Brown. Perhaps all he needs is a change of scenery to return to his former self. The asking price will likely be low (Day 2 or 3 pick) and could be a risk worth taking for the Niners.
What to do at Defensive Coordinator?
Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was recently hired by the Titans, leaving a vacancy at the position for the 49ers. It is unfortunate given how Saleh kept this defense afloat despite losing their two best players early in the year.
The Niners should take no risks here (saw what happened when they hired Nick Sorensen, who had a Special Teams background) and hire a proven coach with a defensive background.
The best option would be former Falcons coach Raheem Morris. He was the Rams DC from 2021–2023, which saw the team win Super Bowl LVI.
As a proven defensive mind, he is the best and most reliable option for a defense with multiple stars and young talent.
The Big Picture
With Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, and Mykel Williams returning next season, and other reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball, this should be a stellar unit next season. On the offensive side, an improved offensive line and WR room will allow this team to put up points against elite defenses throughout the year.
If the 49ers execute on this offseason plan, they will be ready to contend for a 6th Lombardi come next season.
