The 49ers kickstarted their youth movement this offseason. Was it the right move?
The San Francisco 49ers had a different type of offseason in 2025 than in years past, electing against making many splashy moves and instead looking to get younger at several positions.
That meant releasing veteran starters like Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, and Leonard Floyd, while also trading away wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Then came free agency, where the 49ers let linebacker Dre Greenlaw, cornerback Charvarius Ward, guard Aaron Banks, safety Talanoa Hufanga, and other starters walk.
In return, the 49ers didn’t make many splashy moves, with their two biggest signings being backup tight end Luke Farrell (three years, $15.75 million) and backup quarterback Mac Jones (2 years, $8.41 million).
San Francisco did heavily focus on the draft, however, making 11 selections, with Georgia defensive lineman Mykel Williams being the headliner at No. 11 overall.
As it stands, the 49ers are likely looking to rely on several rookies this season, as they transition into a new window and hope to return to contention in the NFC.
Was the strategy to go younger the right move? One 49ers legend had some reservations.
Speaking to The Bay Area News Group’s Cam Inman, Jerry Rice shared his thoughts on San Francisco’s offseason, acknowledging he felt they went too young.
“I just feel like we added on too many pieces,” Rice said. “The reason why I say that is these guys are young guys. Super Bowl 60 is going to be here in San Francisco. I would have preferred to sort of leave everything like last year, add on to that, and have a chance for this coming year.”
“[It’s] a lot of young guys. Now, can Kyle Shanahan pull it together and can these guys jell? We have to wait and see. But there’s this big question mark if it’s going to work. I’m always going to go Niners no matter what. But we’re bringing in so many young players. It’s going to take a while for that team to jell. If it doesn’t happen this year, then maybe the next couple of years.”
Now, Rice was optimistic about the team’s defense, despite the number of moving parts, thanks to the return of esteemed defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
“I feel like you win championships with defense,” Rice continued. “Maybe that’s why they brought Robert [Saleh] back. If that defense can get rolling like it did the last couple of years when he was around, I think we have a legitimate chance.”
Ultimately, there is still optimism around the 49ers in 2025, but much of it is in wait-and-see mode with how quickly the team is able to come together with the younger pieces.
One serious question the 49ers will have to deal with ahead of the season is the status of their wide receiver position after current No. 1 option, Jauan Jennings, publicly expressed his desire for a new contract on Monday.
Without Jennings, San Francisco would have an even younger wide receiver room, as Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from the torn ACL and MCL he sustained last October. Currently, Jennings and 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall are slated to lead the room to kick off the 2025 season.
The 49ers have the potential to surprise people in 2025 and return as a top contender in the NFC. But, in order to do that, there are several questions to be answered, both on and off the field.