49ers receiving surprising grade from ESPN in offseason recap
After a five-year window where Super Bowl contention was the goal each offseason, the 49ers spent the 2025 offseason starting a retooling of its roster that saw a mass exodus of veteran talent. Fan favorites like Talanoa Hufanga, Charvarius Ward and Dre Greenlaw all left the building. So did three of the team's four starting defensive linemen from last season.
On the other hand, the 49ers made 11 picks in the 2025 NFL draft and made strides toward rebuilding their defensive line. They also handed out contract extensions to quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner. That reset and recommitment to their core was enough to earn the 49ers a strong A- grade from ESPN's Seth Walder.
Walder listed the addition of Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator as the move he liked the best, but Purdy's extension was their biggest move of the offseason.
Via ESPN:
But San Francisco's biggest move came when Purdy's long-awaited extension finally happened, as the 49ers gave their quarterback a deal worth $53 million per year, with $100 million fully guaranteed. There are mixed opinions about Purdy's exact level of responsibility for the 49ers' passing success, but he's a perfect fit for what they want to do.
San Francisco reached elite levels of passing efficiency with Purdy in 2023, performing at a higher level than it managed with Jimmy Garoppolo. The deal was also cheaper than I expected. If it had been $60 million per year, it would have been in line with Trevor Lawrence's and Jordan Love's 2024 deals when adjusting for salary cap inflation, and I wouldn't have blinked.
Perhaps the biggest key in the 49ers' grade is that there wasn't a move Walder disliked. He even credited the team with letting players like Greenlaw, Hufanga and Ward walk.
It was clear the 49ers had a plan this offseason. General manager John Lynch has laid out that the team executed the offseason the way it wanted to. A good offseason grade in mid-July is fine. Now they need to win once the regular season begins. If they do that, the A- will be quickly justified.
More 49ers: San Francisco 49ers announce 2025 training camp open practice schedule
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USA Today
2 minutes ago
- USA Today
NFL record predictions 2025: AI makes win-loss picks for all 32 teams
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Gemini is forecasting another division-winning season for John Harbaugh's team, with a sprinkling of regression despite their all-in approach to the offseason. Regardless, it should come as no surprise that the Ravens lead the way here as Lamar Jackson looks to build off another MVP-caliber season. Cincinnati is a logical entrant for the second spot in the AFC North, but the Bengals are a wild card in the jungle. The contract situations for Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart have been a dark cloud hanging over the offseason in Cincinnati. That is in addition to a team that has underachieved each of the last two seasons. The Bengals have a wide range of outcomes, but Gemini lands on the more optimistic side of the spectrum. The Steelers also know a thing or two about a wide range of outcomes, especially after signing the 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers. After adding DK Metcalf to upgrade the receiver room, it remains to be seen whether Pittsburgh is better in 2025. 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USA Today
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Adam Schefter talks screening for Type 1 diabetes, 2025 NFL preseason
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TREY HENDRICKSON: Bengals DE calls team's contract offer 'atrociously low' Adam Schefter discusses training camp contract disputes Through less than a week of training camp practices, there has been no shortage of intriguing storylines to keep an eye on. Some of the biggest ongoing stories involve contract disputes between some star players and their respective teams. Schefter mentioned the talks between wide receiver Terry McLaurin and the Washington Commanders as well as edge rusher Micah Parsons' negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys as two storylines he's keeping an eye on. But perhaps the most notable disputes have been those occurring in Cincinnati, as the Bengals have struggled to finalize deals with two of their defenders. Veteran edge rusher Trey Hendrickson left the state of Ohio rather than showing up to camp, and incoming rookie edge rusher Shemar Stewart was one of the last remaining unsigned draftees in the entire 2025 class until he agreed to terms Friday. 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Yahoo
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