SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Since establishing themselves as Super Bowl contenders in 2019, the San Francisco 49ers have grown accustomed to attrition.
For a team that went to four NFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls in a five-year span, the Niners have seen other teams spend big money to pick over their roster.
Although that's become a common offseason theme, never has it been truer than this offseason as 17 players have moved on to other teams via free agency or trade and signed deals worth up to around $360 million if fully realized. Ironically, the largest offseason exodus since general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017 followed a 6-11 campaign in which the Niners didn't so much as sniff the postseason.
Instead of scrambling to replace all those departed players with equally high-priced talent in free agency, the 49ers have worked around the margins, aiming to bolster a woeful special teams unit and generally hunting for bargains. The plan centers on trying to hit on as many of their 11 picks in the NFL draft as possible to fill their many roster holes. It's a tall order but a feasible one in Lynch's view.
"We're not drafting that high, but I think there's a lot of good football players across the board," Lynch said at February's NFL combine. "There are some stronger positions than others."
The good news is that some of those stronger positions happen to align with their most pressing needs. With that in mind, here's a look at where the 49ers need the most help as they turn their attention toward the draft.
Defensive line
After the Niners spent most of their free agent dollars in 2024 to add defensive ends Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos and defensive tackles Jordan Elliott and Maliek Collins, Lynch offered optimism that they would finally have some stability in the front four and those players would be around more than just one season.
Fast forward a year, and Floyd, Collins and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave are gone. Those misses go on top of the pile of other whiffs they have had along the defensive line in the draft.
In 2024, the 49ers were tied for 23rd in the NFL in sacks (37) and 15th in pass rush win rate (41.2%). Perhaps more vexing were the continued problems stopping the run that began during their path to Super Bowl LVIII. San Francisco allowed 4.4 yards per carry (17th in the NFL) and finished 28th in expected points added on defensive rush plays (minus-2.38).
From 2019 to 2023, the 49ers were tied for seventh in sacks per season (43.6) and ninth in pass rush win rate (43.7%) while yielding four yards per carry (third) and finishing fourth in expected points added on defensive rush plays (166.41).
For a position group that Shanahan and Lynch value above just about everything else, the Niners' penchant for finding talent up front by any means necessary has mostly run dry.
Now, as the draft approaches, only star end Nick Bosa is a sure starter, which means nobody would be surprised if the 49ers took multiple defensive linemen early. And often.
Offensive line
Despite losing starting guard Aaron Banks to the Green Bay Packers and swing tackle Jaylon Moore to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, the 49ers bring back their other four starters on the offensive line and retained key backups such as Spencer Burford and Ben Bartch.
Bartch and Burford figure to battle it out to replace Banks, and perhaps Matt Hennessy, signed late in the season to a two-year deal, can push Jake Brendel for the center job. Regardless, reinforcements are need to improve the line now and plan for the future.
The latter part of that equation especially comes into play at tackle, where Trent Williams will be 37 next season and is coming off a serious heel/ankle injury, while right tackle Colton McKivitz is entering the final year of his contract.
"We have to insulate ourselves for [Williams] or anyone else," Lynch said. "That's something we'll look hard in the draft ... we care very much about that."
In 2024, San Francisco finished 14th in pass block win rate (61.4%) and 24th in run block win rate (70.8%). To improve in those areas, the Niners, at minimum, need a swing tackle and competition at the interior spots.
The 49ers traditionally haven't drafted offensive linemen early under Lynch and Shanahan with the notable exception of Mike McGlinchey (No. 9 in 2018). They're drafting in that range again and there are multiple tackles in the draft who could start out at guard and eventually kick outside or vice versa, which means a first-round offensive lineman could be in play again.
Linebacker
No free agent departure hurt the 49ers more than that of linebacker Dre Greenlaw. In addition to being one of the best all-around linebackers in the league, Greenlaw was the heartbeat of the defense.
Now, Greenlaw is on his way to the Denver Broncos, where he will get his first chance to be a team's top dog at the position. Replacing him is easier said than done, though this is one spot where the 49ers might attempt to do it from within first.
Dee Winters played 386 defensive snaps last season, some of which were in Greenlaw's stead down the stretch. He also struggled to stay healthy and was inconsistent in terms of production. Aside from Winters, the Niners also have Tatum Bethune, Jalen Graham, Luke Gifford and Curtis Robinson battling for playing time.
Perhaps the answer will come from that group, but more likely the Niners will look to strike gold in the middle to late rounds once again after finding Greenlaw in the fifth round, Fred Warner in the third and Azeez Al-Shaair as an undrafted free agent.
Wide receiver
If this position looks familiar on the list of needs, it's because it is. Last year, the 49ers began planning for the future by drafting wideouts Ricky Pearsall in the first round and Jacob Cowing in the fourth.
Now, the picture has changed a bit with Deebo Samuel Sr. traded to the Washington Commanders, Chris Conley gone in free agency and Brandon Aiyuk coming back from a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee.
Until Aiyuk is back, the likely starters are Pearsall and Jauan Jennings with free agent addition Demarcus Robinson also expected to work into the mix, so long as he avoids a potential suspension for pending litigation of a misdemeanor DUI arrest in November.
With Jennings scheduled for free agency after next season, the 49ers would again be wise to use a pick in the first few rounds on a wideout who can contribute early while offering long-term upside.
Cornerback
Once the Niners signed cornerback Deommodore Lenoir to a lucrative contract extension during the season, it became clear that fellow corner Charvarius Ward would likely be on the way out. Ward ended up signing with the Indianapolis Colts in free agency, leaving the 49ers with a significant hole to fill at cornerback.
As it stands, Lenoir and promising second-year corner Renardo Green figure to be the primary starters on the outside, but the Niners need a strong third option who can play outside when Lenoir kicks into the slot in nickel packages.
San Francisco did sign Tre Brown from Seattle in free agency, and he should get the first shot at that job, but the rest of the cornerback depth is largely unproven with the likes of Chase Lucas, Darrell Luter Jr. and Tre Tomlinson around to compete.
The 49ers haven't drafted a corner before the second round under Lynch and Shanahan, and while that streak is likely to continue, it wouldn't be a surprise if they looked to bolster that group further relatively early in the draft.
