The Niners are relying on a quite a few younger players to step up in 2025.
The San Francisco 49ers hit a lull in 2024, going 6-11 en route to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and earning the No. 11 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
After injuries hurt the team last season, San Francisco elected to part ways with several veterans, instead relying on the draft and their younger players to replenish the lost talent.
Now, heading into 2025, the 49ers have quite a few questions to answer, but the expectations of, at minimum, making the playoffs have been set. Despite their down year, many expect San Francisco to not only make it back to the postseason, but also win the division.
In fact, most oddsmakers have the 49ers as favorites to win the NFC West, speaking to their top core, easier schedule on paper, and positive regression in the injury department.
But, given the youth on the team, should San Francisco temper their expectations for 2025?
General manager John Lynch shed some light on the team’s approach for the upcoming season in a recent 1-on-1 NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, pointing out the usual ups and downs that come with younger teams.
“We’ll be a younger team, and I know, oftentimes with that, it’s a young man’s game,” Lynch said, “but you’re probably going to take some lumps and it’s going to take some time. You’re going to have to make some mistakes. That’s no excuse. It’s just a reality.
“I think we will have some young players playing, provided they earn those opportunities, but I think what’s exciting with those guys, when they do get their opportunities, [once] they’ve kind of gone through those lumps, you’re gonna really start to improve and see great improvement.”
The younger roster has put bigger expectations on San Francisco’s core players, including the trio of stars that got extended this offseason: quarterback Brock Purdy, linebacker Fred Warner, and tight end George Kittle.
As the younger players go through those bumps and bruises, it’ll be crucial for the stars to set the tone and lead the way as the 49ers strive to return to the playoffs.
“We have such a good core of players, of special players, really special players, and that’s exciting,” Lynch continued. “So, to complement that with some young players with the last couple of draft classes, it’s an exciting mix. It’s all got to come together, but I like where we’re at. I like the way we’re working.”
The 49ers still have high expectations, but it’s clear they’re ready to go through the growing pains of pivoting to a younger roster, looking more so at the long-term returns of the process.
San Francisco could end up starting each of their first four draft picks this year: first-rounder Mykel Williams (defensive end), second-rounder Alfred Collins (defensive tackle), third-rounder Nick Martin (linebacker), and fellow third-rounder Upton Stout (cornerback).
Add in the fact that others from the 2024 class are looking to take the next step, such as wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing, and you have a good number of first and second-year players stepping into crucial roles.
However, this process is a must for a team hoping to contend. As we’ve seen in recent years with Super Bowl contenders, teams must rely on and hit on those younger pieces in order to reach the highest level of success. The 49ers are now heading towards that process and hoping that those returns start to come in 2025.