The 49ers in the Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch era up until this past season in 2024 have been the standard of the NFC and only 2nd to the Kansas City Chiefs with regards to being the standard of the NFL. Take out the first two years of the Kyle Shanahan era along with the 2020 season where starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo went down with injury and the 49ers year by year record and playoff result looks like the following. 2019 – 13-3, lost in Super Bowl after leading by double digits entering the 4th quarter. 2021 – 10-7, lost in NFC Championship after leading by double digits nearing the end of the third quarter. 2022 – 13-4, lost in NFC Championship after all 4 quarterbacks went down with injury. 2023 – 12-5, lost in the Super Bowl in overtime after leading the vast majority of regulation including by double digits at times. However, this past year which was the 2024 season, every thing came undone as the team went 6-11 and missed the postseason. Heading into next season there are a ton of question marks that surround the team including who will play quarterback for them next season and who will be their quarterback for the long term as well. Brock Purdy is up for a contract extension that the 49ers will likely give him. It would behoove the 49ers to at least explore the quarterback free agent market/trade market as making a move for the likes of a Justin Fields, a Russell Wilson, an Aaron Rodgers, a Daniel Jones, or a Sam Darnold would perhaps be beneficial. Brock Purdy was the last player selected in the NFL draft perhaps for a reason and from a raw physical talent standpoint is still pretty mediocre with regards to arm strength, size, and athletic ability. Jimmy Garappolo who is now a backup quarterback performed at equally as high of a level for the 49ers with Kyle Shanahan and the roster that John Lynch constructed. So a strong argument could certainly be made that lots of quarterbacks who are currently backups could be doing what Purdy has done for the 49ers as starter. Perhaps finding a quarterback along the lines of some of the aforementioned names, who were high draft picks and who from a raw physical talent standpoint do indeed possess some high-end capabilities, would better suit the 49ers going forward.
The 49ers on the offensive side of the ball ranked 14th in the NFL in points per game this past season and Pro Football Focus graded them as the #4 offense in the NFL. Compare that to the previous season where they were graded as the #1 offense in the NFL and ranked 3rd in the NFL in points per game. The 49ers #1 and #3 ranking in those departments during the 2023 season is akin to how they were graded/ranked for the most part in those departments in the Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch era prior to the 2024 season. On the offensive side of the ball injuries affected the 49ers offensive attack in large part this past season but are not the only reason for their relative lack of production. The notable injuries to the offense were the following. Superstar left tackle Trent Williams who is likely the best overall tackle if not the best overall offensive lineman in the sport missed seven games. Superstar running back Christian McCaffrey missed 13 of 17 games. Star wide out Brandon Aiyuk missed 10 of 17 games. Along with starting quarterback Brock Purdy missing a couple of starts in addition to it as well. Compare that to the previous season where they made the Super Bowl, and the team had no big injuries on offense whatsoever. Although like it is the case with every team, they did have some players miss some time. I have conducted an analysis of each unit of the 49ers on the offensive line which can be found below. I have assigned each player a subjective grade that is indicative of how strong of players I deem them to be in totality based upon yearly statistical output and yearly subjective grades that have been assigned to them by Pro Football Focus.
49ers Offensive Line Starters
LT – Trent Williams – A to A+
LG – Aaron Banks – C+ to B-, free agent
C – Jake Brendel – B-
RG – Dominick Puni – B to B+ as rookie, 2024 third round pick
RT – Colton McKivitz – B-
Key 49ers Offensive Line Reserves
T – Jaylon Moore – B to B+, free agent
G – Jon Feliciano – C+ to B-, missed all of 2024 season due to injury, free agent
G – Ben Bartch – C+ to B-, free agent
G – Spencer Burford – C to C+
G – Nick Zakelj – C in limited snaps
On the offensive line in 2024 the 49ers were graded as the #12 pass blocking team and the #2 run blocking team according to Pro Football Focus. The 49ers also ranked 13th in pass blocking efficiency and ranked as the #11 team in terms of preventing sacks. Those marks despite the injury to Trent Williams in 2024 were very similar to the marks the team had the year prior on the offensive line. Their offensive line play this past season can be described in the following fashion. Left tackle Trent Williams missed 7 of 17 games and tackle Jaylon Moore along with a few others primarily took his place when he missed time. Jaylon Moore consistently produces at an above average level as a backup throughout his time in the NFL including this past season. This past season he ranked (25/87) in terms of an offense grade according to Pro Football Focus when he took the place of the injured Williams. However, Jaylon Moore, in addition to Trent Williams also missed some time towards the end of the season and the 49ers had to sign an additional player and revert to third stringers at the position to hold the fort down. Moore missed half of the 49ers week 16 matchup with the Miami Dolphins along with the entirety of the teams week 17 and 18 matchups with the Lions and Cardinals. Third stringers at left tackle in Charlie Heck and Austin Pleasants filled in at left tackle in Moore’s absence for week 17 and 18. With guard Burford taking his place at left tackle during the week 16 loss to Miami when Moore initially sustained an injury. Heck and Pleasant’s production as third stringers at the position where each player alternated snaps in place of the first two injured players ranked among the weakest production among NFL offensive lineman during that two week stretch. The left tackle with the injury to future hall of famer Trent Williams and then to his backup Jaylon Moore who is one of the better backup offensive tackles in the sport led to the 49ers offensive line being comprised in large part during the 2024 campaign. Left guard Aaron Banks remained the starter for the 49ers at the position from 2023 to 2024. Banks is solid but not spectacular at the left guard spot as a starter in the NFL. In his three NFL seasons starting the majority to the vast majority of snaps for the 49ers at left guard his offense grades among all guards who accumulated a certain amount of snaps is the following, (39/87), (57/88), (36/83). Banks has missed some time but not too much time for the 49ers at left guard in his three seasons in the NFL including this past season where he missed 4 games for San Francisco. When Banks did indeed miss some this past season due to injury, guard Ben Bartch stepped in his place and filled the role quite well grading (23/135) in terms of an offense grade among qualified guards according to Pro Football Focus. That mark was actually slightly better than the production Banks was giving the 49ers at the position. However, the injury bug continued to haunt the 49ers this past season as Bartch suffered an injury forcing him to miss time after Banks had already gone down as well. Spencer Burford and Nick Zakelj stepped in for the 49ers at left guard in place of the first two injured players and were not as effective. Both Burford and Zakelj ranked below average to well below average among guards in terms of an offense grade according to Pro Football Focus in the time they spent on the field in place of the first two injured players. The injuries at the left guard spot were compounded with the at times effective to very effective guard Jon Feliciano already being out for the season prior to the 2024 campaign beginning. The left tackle and left guard positions for the 49ers were both very injured this past season with the team needing to play third stringers at both positions for portions of the year. The center position fortunately was a healthy point for the 49ers on the offensive line this past season as starting center Jake Brendel appeared in all 17 games for the team at the center position. Brendel has been inconsistent in the NFL as a starter in particular in pass protection. In two of his three seasons starting, Brendel has ranked below average in terms of pass blocking efficiency but ranked top three in terms of pass blocking efficiency on the other occasion. Brendel is also inconsistent but at times very effective as a run blocker as well, in his three seasons starting in the NFL his run blocking grades in chronological order are the following, (14/32), (17/32), and (11/44). Brendel is still solid as the 49ers starting center as his offense grades in his three seasons for San Francisco all rank as average to above average and are the following, (20/40), (16/43), and (20/43). The 49ers fortunately stayed healthy at the right guard spot this past season as well with 2024 third rounder Dominick Puni appearing in all seventeen games and accumulating over 1000 snaps at the position. Puni the rookie in 2024 had a remarkable season where he ranked (7/83) among all qualified guards in terms of run blocking grade while also being graded (8/83) in terms of an offense grade among all qualified guards as well. Puni did however struggle in pass protection where the rookie did rank (48/83) in terms of pass blocking efficiency among qualified guards. The 49ers also fortunately stayed healthy at the right tackle spot as well as starting right tackle Colton McKivitz appeared in all seventeen games for the team accumulating over 1000 snaps in doing so. McKivitz started for the team at right tackle during the 2023 season as well but prior to this season inconsistency and ineffectiveness in large part marred his play. McKivitz had easily the strongest season of his career in 2024 as he ranked (32/87) in terms of pass blocking efficiency and (42/87) in terms of run blocking grade. Prior to this season McKivitiz consistently ranked below average to well below average in both those departments and as a player overall. It remains to be seen if McKivitiz can maintain this level of play going forward or if he will revert back to the below average player he once was. Overall, the 49ers offensive line in the 2024 season was very injured and the team can expect it to be healthier heading into next season.
The 49ers offensive line is anchored by superstar left tackle Trent Williams with the remaining offensive lineman all being average caliber players with the exception of rookie right guard Dominick Puni. The production on the offensive front dipped this past season due to injures in particular to Williams the left tackle who anchors the line. Along with the 49ers needing to revert to third stringers at both left tackle and left guard. San Francisco can absolutely expect to stay healthier next season on the offensive line compared to how they looked this past season. The 49ers currently rank 9th in the NFL in cap space and they only have one starter on their offensive line slated to be a free agent in left guard Aaron Banks whose production is very replaceable. The 49ers in the John Lynch/Kyle Shanahan era have de-emphasized the offensive line outside of left tackle. Perhaps they can take a new approach this offseason placing a greater emphasis on the offensive front outside of Williams with the relatively large amount of cap space they possess. Again, the 49ers offensive line even with all the injuries they had graded (12/32) and (2/32) in regards to pass blocking and run blocking grade respectively according to Pro Football Focus this past season. They also ranked 11th in terms of sacks allowed and 13th in pass blocking efficiency this past season as well. They were an above average unit in every regard this past season, factoring in the above four marks. With rookie starting right guard Dominick Puni heading into year 2 and likely improving as a result and with the offensive line staying healthier which is likely to occur, the 49ers should look to add another marquee player to their offensive line this offseason in order to take it from good to great.
As aforementioned the 49ers in the Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch era de-emphasize the offensive line outside of left tackle when they are constructing their offenses. This de-emphasizing takes place in large part because the 49ers place a very large emphasis on the skill position players instead. I have conducted a similar analysis of the team’s skill position players starting with the receiving core.
WR1 – Brandon Aiyuk – A-
WR2 – Deebo Samuel Sr – B+ to A-
WR3 – Jauan Jennings – B to B+
WR4 – Ricky Pearsall – C so far, 2024 first rounder
TE1 – George Kittle – A to A+
The receiving core of the 49ers is perhaps the premier receiving core in the NFL led by Jauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, and Deebo Samuel Jr. Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season ending injury in the 2024 season after signing a contract extension this past offseason. Aiyuk is set to return next season for San Francisco and ranks among the better if not the best wide outs in the game when healthy. Aiyuk has graded as above average to well above in terms of an offense grade according to Pro Football Focus in every season he has played. He warranted a contract extension this past offseason after he was graded #2 among all wide receivers in terms of an offense grade during the 2023 season over 16 games. However, his production outside of that season has been very good but not elite. Including this past season, where he reverted back to the very good but not elite production in the time he did play before sustaining a season ending injury. It remains to be seen if Aiyuk will be worth the hefty contract extension that the 49ers signed him to. Aiyuk was not the only member of the San Francisco wide receiving core who missed notable time due to injury as the 2024 first round pick Ricky Pearsall also missed 6 games due to injury. Pearsall when he was suited up for the 49ers this past season did unfortunately underwhelm for San Francisco as he graded (74/110) among all qualified wide outs in terms of an offense grade according to Pro Football Focus this past season. The team can expect him to improve heading into his sophomore campaign as Pearsall has shown some promise thus far and has certainly not been a bust so far in the NFL. Jauan Jennings after serving primarily in a reserve/backup role in his first three NFL seasons was forced to take on starter snaps with the injuries sustained to the remaining wide outs this season. Jennings consistently graded in the average to below average range in terms of an offense grade among NFL wideouts when he was taking the reserve snaps in his first three seasons in the league. However, Jennings indeed flourished in his first year taking starting reps as he graded (13/110) in terms of an offense grade in 2024 appearing in 15 games and accounting for nearly 1000 yards in 2024. Compare that to the production that he saw in his first three seasons where he failed to cross the 500-yard threshold and his best offense grade was (57/102). His production in the 2024 season has indeed been an aberration thus far and it remains to be seen if he can keep this up going forward for the 49ers. The remaining primary wideout for the 49ers is now aging star Deebo Samuel Sr who had easily the worst season of his career this past year. Samuel Jr is known for being a dual threat wide-out who is highly effective in the ground game in addition to being an effective receiver. Samuel Sr however had the lowest rushing yards per attempt in his career in 2024. Samuel Sr also had the lowest offense grade of his career thus far according to Pro Football Focus where he ranked (51/110) in terms of an offense grade among wide outs this past season. Samuel Sr still only just turned 29 years old and although he had a career worst season, he was still not too far off from the production he typically gives the 49ers. Injuries have affected Sameul Sr throughout his career and perhaps it affected him to a greater extent this season. As even though he played in 15 of 17 games perhaps he was fighting through some injuries to be on the field for San Francisco as they dealt with additional wide receiver injuries and his production was negatively affected as a result. The 49ers should be optimistic that he can have a bounce back year next season as the season he had this year was not too far off from his peak form and he has yet to turn 30 years old yet. Samuel Sr is a strong candidate to be traded this offseason however.
As stated previously in addition to Aiyuk suffering a season ending injury the 49ers dealt with additional injuries to their wide receiving unit as Pearsall, Sameul Jr, and Jennings all missing multiple games as well. Forcing the likes of Chris Conley, Jacob Cowing, and Ronnie Bell into action, with all three of those players producing at a below average to a well below average level for San Francisco as emergency reserve players. The tight end spot for the 49ers has been led by now aging but still highly productive superstar tight end George Kittle. Kittle appearing in 15 games for the 49ers this past season had over 1000 yards and was graded as the #1 tight end in professional football this past season although he turned 31 years old this past season. Although Kittle had a career season this past year he is still aging and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to maintain his level of play as he continues to age going forward for the 49ers. No other tight end was able to give the 49ers solid production as the only other tight end who even logged a reception was Eric Saubert who failed to even reach 100 receiving yards and who consistently grades as below average to well below average at the position. Perhaps this offseason the team should look into adding a capable #2 tight end as the production they got from the #2 tight end spot this past season was very subpar and Kittle has been known to struggle with injuries at times.
Heading into next season all these players are set to remain on the roster as none are free agents but the 49ers should look into adding another tight end to complement George Kittle at the position. The team with the surplus of high-level wide outs that they have should look to move off one of the players in order to acquire assets to supplement the roster elsewhere. For instance, if Ricky Pearsall really starts to blossom in year 2 for the 49ers before the trading deadline, then the team should look into trading one of the remaining wide receivers in particular Samuel Sr. The receiving core along with the running back unit for the team is the strong suit of the 49ers as the team emphasizes the skill positions quite a bit.
Speaking of the running back unit, the team had one of the strongest ones a season ago and projects to have one of the strongest ones heading into next season as well. I have conducted a similar evaluation of the team’s running back unit which can be found below.
HB1 – Christian McCaffrey – A
HB2 – Jordan Mason – B+ to A-, free agent
HB3 – Isaac Guerendo – B to B+
HB4 – Elijah Mitchell – B to B+, missed all of 2024 due to injury, free agent
HB5 – Patrick Taylor – C+ to B-, free agent
Christian McCaffrey who when healthy is in the definitive conversation for being the best overall running back in the NFL missed the vast majority of the 2024 season due to injury. Unfortunately for McCaffrey injuries cut down the lifespan of his season and also reduced his production when he was healthy this season. As in the 4 games McCaffrey did appear in this year he tallied the lowest offense grade of his career thus far although it still was above average at (28/58). Prior to this season McCaffrey’s offense grades ranked in the top 16 among running backs with qualified snaps every single season. Including being ranked in the 6 among running backs with qualified snaps on 4 out of 7 instances. McCaffrey is an elite back who when healthy is in the definitive conversation for being the best overall running back in the NFL along with the likes of Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry as well. He has consistently struggled with staying on the field in his NFL career thus far as this isn’t the first or the second time he has missed noticeable and substantial time due to injury. The 49ers knowing this are incredibly deep at the halfback spot as they have more than one player who is capable of being an above average NFL starter. Number two running back Jordan Mason was very effective last season as the primary backup to McCaffrey and has been very effective thus far in his brief NFL career. Mason in his three seasons in the NFL has averaged 5.2, 6.0, and 5.2 yards per attempt respectively in years 1-3, including amassing 206, 258, and 789 yards respectively in those years as well. Mason grades very well in terms of an offense grade as well according to Pro Football Focus as (7/63), (1/60), and (26/57) have been the offense grades he has achieved among qualified running backs in years 1-3 respectively in the NFL. Mason is however a free agent entering this offseason and the team should look to retain him given McCaffrey’s questionable health and Mason’s overall effectiveness as perhaps the premier #2 back in the NFL. Injuries also affected the halfback position outside of just Christian McCaffrey missing time. Elijah Mitchell who can be very effective suffered a season ending injury before the year even started and number two halfback Jordan Mason also missed a handful of games as well. Given the additional injuries the 49ers needed more players to step up at the position for the team and they did get some solid production from a few more guys. 2024 fourth rounder Isaac Guerendo averaged 5.0 yards an attempt accumulating over 400 yards as a rookie for the team and Patrick Taylor averaged 4.7 yards an attempt on nearly 200 yards for the team. Mitchell and Taylor are both free agents entering this offseason in addition to halfback Jordan Mason being a free agent as well. The 49ers in the Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch era are known for being a power running team and they were effective in running the football this past season as well. Ranking 14th in run grade, 7th in rush yards per attempt, and 12th in rushing yards per game this past season. Although those marks are all above average and indicators of a good running team, they were not quite as good as they were in years past in terms of running the football, primarily due to injuries. Next season they can certainly expect to stay healthier on the offensive line as it would be difficult for a team to be more injured on the offensive front than the 49ers were in 2024. Additionally, the likelihood that McCaffrey misses extended time in consecutive seasons is not very high so from an optimistic standpoint the team can expect him to stay healthier next season as well thus adding to the prowess of the ground attack. The team should look into retaining running back Jordan Mason who perhaps is currently the best number two running back in the NFL in addition to retaining and/or finding adequate replacements for the likes of Patrick Taylor and Elijah Mitchell who are both free agents entering this offseason as well.
Overall, on the offensive side of the ball the 49ers possess arguably the most talented collection of skill position players in the NFL. With an offensive line that is anchored by one of the greatest left tackles the game has ever seen in Trent Williams but with the remaining players on the line being relatively pedestrian. Kyle Shanahan is one of the smartest offensive minds in the game today and has put together elite offensive attacks on a year-by-year basis despite having average level quarterbacks and outside of left tackle, average caliber offensive lines. The 49ers will likely pay quarterback Brock Purdy a large sum of money this offseason. How the talent on their offense looks besides him after his contract starts to eat up a lot of the salary cap space is a big thing to watch. Heading into next season the 49ers can certainly expect to remain healthier on the offensive side of the ball as it would be unlikely that they are this banged up in two consecutive seasons. As they had several key players miss large chunks of time in addition to starting quarterback Brock Purdy missing a few starts as well. As stated previously the 49ers rank in the top 10 in the NFL in cap space and should use some of that free money to invest in the offensive line further. The 49ers can also expect a few of their young high draft picks this past season to develop further. Such as 2024 third round starting right guard Dominick Puni who showed a ton of promise as a rookie but who still has plenty of room to grow. As well as 2024 first round pick wide receiver Ricky Pearsall who struggled as a rookie but who is still very talented and has plenty of room to grow as well. The 49ers when they made the Super Bowl in the 2023 season had the #1 graded offense in the NFL. There was a drop off in 2024 primarily due to injuries that saw them take home the #4 ranking in that department. Just from staying healthier alone the 49ers can expect to be much closer to their 2023 form in terms of offensive production. If you also account for the development of their some of their young players in addition to them potentially adding some nice offensive pieces this offseason, they can certainly expect to be in their 2023 form offensively when they nearly won it all.
The offensive side of the ball was a concern for the 49ers this past season primarily due to injuries, but the defense was a far greater concern for San Francisco in the 2024 campaign. In the Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch era the 49ers have consistently fielded elite defenses on a year in year out basis. The previous two seasons where the 49ers made the Super Bowl and Conference Championship their defense ranked as the 3rd and 1st best scoring defense in the NFL. The previous three seasons they ranked 10th, 17th, and 8th in that same department. With the #17 ranking being the sole year they missed the postseason in their string of dominance with Shanahan prior to the 2024 season. Compare that to the 2024 season where the team ranked 29th in the NFL in terms of points allowed. Newly appointed and now fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson was clearly not cut out for the job. The 49ers in this era with Kyle Shanahan where they consistently find themselves in Conference Championships and Super Bowls have alternated through defensive coordinators as a result of them accepting head coaching positions elsewhere and/or through firings. In the first two years of this 49ers era, the defensive coordinator was Robert Saleh, who then entering the 2021 season departed the team to become head coach of the New York Jets. In the following two seasons after Saleh’s departure DeMeco Ryans took over the reigns as the defensive coordinator of the team but then he departed to become head coach of the Houston Texans. To replace him Shanahan/Lynch appointed Steve Wilks to coordinate the defense but they were ostensibly displeased with the drop-off in the level of play from Ryans to him and then fired him after one year. In 2024 the 49ers then hired Nick Sorenson to replace Wilks but the 49ers defense was atrocious this past year with him calling the shots and was easily the weakest the 49ers had had in recent memory. Robert Saleh, since being terminated as the Jets head coach, has since accepted the defensive coordinator position for the 49ers and will begin his second tenure in that role in the 2025 season. Although there was a clear and stark drop in the level of the defense’s play going from Wilks to Sorenson, as the team went from having the #3 scoring defense to having the #29 scoring defense. The personnel of the 49ers on the defensive side of the ball is also to be brought into question as well going from the 2023 season to the 2024 season.
In the 2023 season the 49ers had 16 players log substantial snaps for them on the defensive side of the ball and in the 2024 season the 49ers also had 16 players log substantial snaps for them on the defensive side of the ball as well. Starting with the safety spot the team had three safeties log substantial snaps for them during the 2023 season and likewise had 3 log substantial snaps for them during the 2024 season as well.
2023
S1 – Gipson Sr – 976 snaps, (12/63) defense grade
S2 – Hufanga – 577 snaps, (21/63) defense grade
S3 – Jayir Brown – 396 snaps, (14/101) defense grade
2024
S1 – Jayir Brown – 886 snaps, (52/104) defense grade
S2 – Malik Mustapha – 755 snaps, (54/104) defense grade
S3 – Talanoa Hufanga – 308 snaps, (79/104) defense grade
The only change in that mix was Malik Mustapha getting a large number of snaps as Gipson Sr was unavailable for San Francisco this past season. Gipson Sr finished graded as (12/63) among safeties in terms of defense grade during the 2023 season while Mustapha as a rookie 4th rounder in 2024 finished (54/104) in that same category. So, there was a drop off in terms of talent going from the highly effective veteran Gipson Sr to the rookie 4th rounder Mustapha at safety. Along with Hufanga who is typically effective at safety, logging less snaps in 2024 and having a career worst year in doing so. Hufanga logged the fewest snaps in his career in 2024 and posted the worst defense grade of his career during the 2024 season as well as he was recovering from a torn ACL. Jayir Brown, a third-round pick in 2023, who had a very strong rookie campaign where he ranked (14/101) in defense grade dropped off noticeably in year 2. Brown was forced to take on a larger load of snaps in year 2 and had to adjust to a new defensive coordinator who was clearly not as adept at the job. In year two Brown went from having a (14/101) defense grade in 2023 to having a (52/104) defense grade in 2024 that saw his snap count increase. The loss of Gipson Sr who was only able to log 57 snaps during the 2024 season negatively affected the 49ers this past season. Talanoa Hufanga still recovering from a torn ACL and playing the fewest snaps of his career and logging the worst defense grade of his career when he did play, negatively affected San Francisco on defense. Jayir Brown having a sophomore slump with the increased snap total he was forced to take on in year 2, negatively affected the 49ers on defense. Along with rookie Malik Mustapha not being quite in peak form yet in his first season in the NFL, also negatively affected the 49ers on defense. Going forward Hufanga and Gipson Sr, who struggled with injuries in the 2024 season, are both free agents entering this offseason. The development of young players in Jayir Brown and Malik Mustapha will be key for the 49ers heading into the offseason. With the cap space the 49ers have, which currently ranks top 10 in the NFL, the 49ers should look to retain Hufanga/Gipson Sr or find another veteran safety capable of producing at a high level for the team.
At the cornerback spot the 49ers had four players log substantial snaps for them in 2023 and likewise the team also had four players log substantial snaps for them in the 2024 season as well.
2023 season
CB1 – Deommodore Lenoir – 981 snaps, (23/80) defense grade
CB2 – Charvarius Ward – 931 snaps, (7/80) defense grade
CB3 – Isaiah Oliver – 503 snaps, (53/133) defense grade
CB4 – Ambry Thomas – 482 snaps, (33/133) defense grade
2024 season
CB1 – Deommodore Lenoir – 922 snaps, (52/128) defense grade
CB2 – Charvarius Ward – 694 snaps, (97/128) defense grade
CB3 – Renardo Green – 675 snaps, (41/128) defense grade
CB4 – Isaac Yiadom – 488 snaps, (86/128) defense grade
The 49ers top two corners from the 2023 season to the 2024 season remained on the team but #2 corner Charvarius Ward missed a good amount of time in 2024 while he stayed healthy in 2023. The #3 and #4 cornerback positions obviously changed for the 49ers in the 2024 season compared to the 2023 one. In the 2023 season Oliver graded (53/133) in terms of a defense grade according to Pro Football Focus in the 503 snaps he logged for the team. In the 2024 season, Renardo Green who was a second-round pick in 2024, ranked (41/128) in terms of a defense grade according to Pro Football Focus over the 675 snaps he logged. So, there was little to no drop-off in the production of the #3 cornerback spot. Ambry Thomas served as the team’s number four cornerback in the 2023 campaign allocating a (33/133) defense grade according to Pro Football Focus in the 482 snaps he logged. Likewise in the 2024 season, Yiadom logged a (86/128) defense grade in the 488 snaps he logged as the team’s number 4 cornerback. Both the players have been very inconsistent in their careers thus far and Thomas had a peak year in the 2023 season while Yiadom had a down year in 2024. Perhaps the drop-off in production between the players at the #4 corner spot was due to the weaker coaching on the defensive side of the ball as the talent gap between the two players was small.
As you can see from the above data the 49ers going from 2023 to 2024 stayed just as strong at the #1 cornerback spot with Deommodore Lenoir leading the way for the team and performing at an above average level. At the number two cornerback spot the team retained cornerback Charvarius Ward but in the 2024 season compared to the 2023 season he missed a good amount of snaps and there was a steep drop off in his production when he was playing. Ward dealt with injuries in the 2024 season that perhaps slowed him down and perhaps now fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson did not put him in the best positions to succeed. As stated previously, production at the #3 cornerback spot stayed strong and nearly the same although a different player filled the role in the last two seasons. Another big difference between the 49ers defense in 2023 compared to 2024 was the drop off in the fourth cornerback position from Ambry Thomas to Yiadom. There is not much of a talent drop off between the two players if you compare their career statistical output and subjective grades that have been assigned to them by Pro Football Focus. So, the drop off in the quality of play from CB4 in 2023 to CB4 in 2024 can certainly be attributed to the lackluster coaching on the defensive side of the ball. Heading into this offseason, Charvarius Ward is a free agent and Isaac Yiadom is a free agent as well. The team should look to retain Ward who before this season was consistently one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL. With better coaching on the defensive side of the ball and him being healthier, the 49ers can certainly expect Ward to return to form.
The comparison of the linebacking units of the 49ers from the 2023 season where again the team finished as a top 3 defense compared to the 2024 season where the team finished 29th in defense can be described as the following.
2023 season
LB1 – Fred Warner – 982 snaps, (1/57) defense grade
LB2 – Dre Greenlaw – 848 snaps, (28/57) defense grade
LB3 – Oren Burks – 326 snaps, (26/57) defense grade
2024 season
LB1 – Fred Warner – 997 snaps, (3/92) defense grade
LB2 – Devondre Campbell – 719 snaps, (68/92) defense grade
LB3 – Dee Winters – 398 snaps, (42/92) defense grade
The three linebackers who logged substantial snaps for the 49ers in the 2023 season where Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, and Oren Burks. Whereas in the 2024 season it was Fred Warner, Dee Winters, and Devondre Campbell. As you can see from the above data there was little to no drop off in the team’s first linebacker spot held by superstar Fred Warner. There was little to no drop off in the production of the teams third linebacker spot as well as Winters replicated the production of Burks quite well. The drop off in the production of the linebacking unit primarily came in the from of Devondre Campbell being forced to replace the production of Dre Greenlaw who was dealing with an injury. Greenlaw consistently ranks among the better linebackers in the sport whereas Campbell although he has a high ceiling is very inconsistent. Heading into the offseason both Devondre Campbell and Dre Greenlaw are free agents. The team will likely not retain Campbell given his inconsistency and the issue that arose with him where he refused to re-enter a game in which he was needed to play in. The team should however look to retain Dre Greenlaw as he is very productive at their linebacker spot when healthy and the team does have a strong amount of cap space to re-sign him as well.
The defensive line of the San Francisco 49ers in this era of the team with Kyle Shanahan where they consistently find themselves in the Conference Championship/Super Bowl has always been the team’s identity. I conducted a similar evaluation of the team’s personnel and output on the defensive line from 2023 to 2024 as I did for the previous units on defense as well which can be found below.
2023 season
ED1 – Nick Bosa – 821 snaps, (2/122) defense grade
ED2 – Chase Young – 328 snaps,(38/122) defense grade
ED3 – Clelin Ferrell – 471 snaps, (87/122) defense grade
ED4 – Randy Gregory – 272 snaps, (115/122) defense grade
DL1 – Javon Hargrave – 632 snaps, (26/142) defense grade
DL2 – Arik Armstead – 509 snaps, (13/142) defense grade
DL3 – Javon Kinlaw – 476 snaps, (112/142) defense grade
DL4 – Kevin Givens – 398 snaps, (85/142) defense grade
2024 season
ED1 – Nick Bosa – 693 snaps, (4/135) defense grade
ED2 – Leonard Floyd – 604 snaps, (118/135) defense grade
ED3 – Sam Okuayinonu – 451 snaps, (114/135) defense grade
ED4 – Yetur Gross-Matos – 367 snaps, (125/135) defense grade
DL1 – Maliek Collins – 715 snaps, (73/146) defense grade
DL2 – Jordan Elliot – 440 snaps, (117/146) defense grade
DL3 – Evan Anderson – 267 snaps, (57/146) defense grade
DL4 – Kalia Davis – 259 snaps, (119/146) defense grade
As you can see Nick Bosa anchored the defensive line and ranked among the best defensive lineman in the NFL in both seasons. He, however, missed a good amount of snaps in the 2024 season and he did not miss many snaps in the 2023 season. The team in 2023 was also able to get some high-end production from another edge rusher in the form of Chase Young who was above average at the position in 2023. But in 2024 no other edge rusher was able to give them such production as Young departed for the Saints in the offseason and the team did not adequately replace him. Additionally in the 2023 season, Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead gave the team a lot of high-end production from the first two interior defensive line positions both grading as well above average in the 2023 season. But the team was unable to get strong production from the first two interior defensive line spots in 2024. As Hargrave missed the vast majority of the 2024 season due to injury and Armstead departed in free agency to the Jaguars and the team did not adequately replace the production of either. Going into the 2025 offseason Hargrave is a free agent and the team ranking top 10 in the NFL in cap space should look to retain him at the right price. The team should also look into bolstering the defensive line to replace the likes of Chase Young and Arik Armstead who the 49ers were unable to replace in terms of production in the previous offseason.
Overall, Robert Saleh, retaking the reigns on the defensive side of the ball for the 49ers has his work cut out for him. The large drop-off in production on the defensive side of the ball was due to injuries, free agents departing who the 49ers did not adequately replace, along with ostensibly poor coaching on the defensive side by now fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson. The 49ers should look to add 2-3 key pieces on the defensive side of the ball in particular on the defensive line this offseason so from a personnel standpoint they can be in as good of shape as they were in the 2023 season and for the most part prior to that as well.
The 49ers were perhaps the biggest disappointment of the 2024 season as a team that typically comes within a game or two of winning it all ended up missing the postseason by a wide margin finishing 5 games out of the #7 seed in the NFC. However, the team had a multitude of injuries to key players and it is very unlikely they will be equally or nearly as injured next season. From a personnel standpoint, discounting injures, the team is only 2-3 pieces on the defensive side of the ball away from fielding just as potent of a roster as they have in years past when they threatened to win it all with Kyle Shanahan. If Robert Saleh can coach the defense as well or nearly as well as it was coached in years prior in the Shanahan era, if the 49ers can add 2-3 key pieces on defense to replace players they have lost to other teams, and if the team can stay healthier. Then the 49ers can certainly return to being one of the premier if not the premier team in the NFC next season as was the case for the most part in recent memory prior to 2024 with Kyle Shanahan at the helm.
