San Francisco 49ers 2025 Season Preview
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Cary Edmondson/IMAGN Images)
The San Francisco 49ers had a disappointing season in 2024. While many expected them to win the division, they only managed to win 6 games. In large part, the failure of a season has injuries to blame. It felt as though they were snakebitten by the injury bug on both offense and defense.
Trades: They have had such a talented roster for so long now, it is hard to sustain that talent on one team forever. This offseason, they had to part with a ton of talent and production. GM John Lynch made a few trades that would highlight the offseason. Trading RB Jordan Mason to the Vikings for a late round pick was a product of the success of Isaac Guerendo last year and the drafting of Oregon RB Jordan James. The bigger of the trades came with sending WR Deebo Samuel to the Commanders in exchange for a fifth round pick. Samuel hasn’t had the same production the last few years that we are used to seeing from him, but he has still been a staple on the 49ers’ offense for years now. They managed to acquire DL Bryce Huff from the Eagles in exchange for a 2026 fifth round pick. Huff could provide some valuable depth along the defensive line.
Departures: San Francisco also saw plenty of talent walk for nothing in free agency. RB Elijah Mitchell, TE Eric Saubert, OT Charlie Heck, OT Jaylon Moore, IOL Aaron Banks, EDGE Leonard Floyd, LB Dre Greenlaw, DL Maliek Collins, DL Javon Hargrave, CB Nick McCloud, CB Charvarius Ward, CB Rock Ya-Sin, CB Isaac Yiadom, SAF Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, and SAF Talanoa Hufanga all found new homes. That is quite an extensive list. Being able to find replacements for all of that is next to impossible in a single offseason.
Additions: The 49ers had a putrid free agency. So much talent was lost and I do not think they did a good enough job replacing the talent. They also extended QB Brock Purdy to a five year $265M extension. It is great to have the quarterback situation figured out, but not so much when the quarterback has such a low ceiling. In terms of new names joining the roster, they signed QB Mac Jones, WR Demarcus Robinson, TE Luke Farrell, and SAF Siran Neal to multi-year contracts. CB Tre Brown, LB Luke Gifford, OT Andre Dillard, and TE Ross Dwelley were also brought in on one-year deals. Not a single name on that list moves me as a real difference maker.
Draft Selections: I was a fan of the 49ers’ draft class as a whole. They drafted my favorite player in the entire class in Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams. Williams is the perfect edge rusher to put opposite of Nick Bosa. A guy that wins with length and strength at the point of attack to go opposite of one of the best edge rushers in football will cause problems for opposing offensive lines. In the 2nd round they went with a mountain of a man in Texas DT Alfred Collins. Collins will be able to plug those rushing lanes on the interior. In the 3rd round they took DB Upton Stout out of Western Kentucky and LB Nick Martin out of Oklahoma State. I believe both players will have an impact on the defense as rookies. Martin is fantastic in coverage and can be the perfect partner for Fred Warner. Some Day 3 picks I loved by the 49ers were Indiana DT CJ West and Oregon RB Jordan James.
Season Predictions: The 49ers start the 2025 season with two road games against the Seahawks and the Saints before coming home to host the Cardinals and Jaguars. I have the 49ers going 2-2 in this stretch.
October starts with two road games against the Rams on Thursday Night Football and the Buccaneers, they come home for a game to host the Falcons on Sunday Night Football and end the month in Houston against the Texans. The 49ers will go 1-3 in October.
Week 9 sees the 49ers travel to take on the Giants, come back home to face the Rams, go on the road to play the Cardinals, host the Panthers on Monday Night, and go east to play the Browns to end the month. The 49ers go 3-2 in November.
December starts with a bye week before hosting the Titans for a Week 15 matchup. They travel to Indianapolis to play the Colts and return home for the final two games to host the Bears and Seahawks. I have the 49ers going 2-2 in the final stretch of the season.
Final Thoughts: The San Francisco 49ers will go 8-9 in 2025. 8 wins is pretty optimistic for them considering they won 6 games last year and lost all the talent they did. The true floor for the 49ers is 5 wins while the ceiling is 9.
