The San Francisco 49ers made the playoffs in 2025, were among the best teams in the strongest conference and division, but still felt like they were a tier below the Seahawks and the Rams.<\/p>\n
The gap is primarily due to the rosters. The 49ers\u2019 top-heavy approach didn\u2019t work out last year because their stars went down with injury. It\u2019s why adding depth and laying the foundation in this draft was so critical for the Niners.<\/p>\n
An aggressive offseason put San Francisco back in the catbird seat of the NFC. My early prediction is that they\u2019ll battle the Rams, Lions, and Cowboys for the best record in the conference.<\/p>\n
Today, we\u2019ll focus on how much the 49ers will improve compared to the product they put on the field last season by going through each position.<\/p>\n
No changes here. The trade market for Mac Jones never heated up<\/a>. Kurtis Rourke had a mini-audition back in December, after practicing for a few weeks. How much of that performance was tied to the team\u2019s asking price, which was allegedly astronomical<\/a>.<\/p>\n In an ideal world, neither step onto the field in 2026, and we see a full season of Brock Purdy\u2019s playmaking ability in the Kyle Shanahan offense. Great, not good things have happened for the organization when that\u2019s been the case.<\/p>\n Verdict: Better, but under the assumption that Purdy starts more than nine games.<\/p>\n Christian McCaffrey ran for 1,202 yards, and 982 of those came after contact. His rushing yards over expected were -166. Compare that to +349 in 2023, as well as no runs faster than 18 miles per hour, and you can\u2019t help but think Father Time has his sights set on CMC.<\/p>\n The 49ers have drafted running backs annually, but the one from the 2026 NFL Draft might be needed sooner rather than later if history repeats itself for players with 400+ touches in the previous season.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s act as if McCaffrey\u2019s workload lightens, and he takes a step back production-wise. The question is now how much more to the table Kaelon Black and Jordan James bring than Brian Robinson did last season.<\/p>\n Robinson was the definition of \u201cgetting what\u2019s blocked,\u201d although I\u2019d argue he left plenty of meat on the bone. Add that to the lack of a threat in the passing game, and it made it difficult to take him off the field. Black has more juice, while James could prove to be the best runner of the three.<\/p>\n Verdict: Addition by subtraction, plus a less-is-more role for McCaffrey, could lead to a more productive backfield in 2026. The 49ers\u2019 backfield will be better in 2026.<\/p>\n This position hinges on George Kittle\u2019s health. If No. 85 plays 15 games, this group will be improved. Kittle remained one of the biggest mismatches last season. His yards after the catch were the lowest they\u2019ve been in his career, but that says more about the next position we\u2019ll talk about, as well as Kittle\u2019s availability, than the tight end group.<\/p>\n But we also have to acknowledge that Kittle is coming off an Achilles injury at his age. Because the team stayed stagnant \u2014 which will be a theme in this article \u2014 they\u2019ll be viewed as worse heading into the season. As Bo Schembechler said, \u201cEvery day, you either get better or you get worse. You never stay the same.\u201d<\/p>\n The 49ers will take the field with Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall, Christian Kirk, and De\u2019Zhaun Stribling as their top four wide receivers. Compare that to a season ago, when it was Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, and Demarcus Robinson.<\/p>\n Jennings didn\u2019t sign until after the draft<\/a>, while Bourne signed a one-year deal worth up to $5 million<\/a>. Everywhere he\u2019s been, Robinson has been WR4. He\u2019s never been a player that teams relied on in the passing game. But the 49ers did in the postseason last year.<\/p>\n That changes in 2026. Pearsall won\u2019t have the pressure of being Purdy\u2019s primary target and going against the opposing team\u2019s best cornerback. That\u2019s why you go out and sign Evans. Stribling\u2019s jersey number<\/a> could be yet another sign of the role he\u2019ll fill, while Kirk takes on the slot receiver who runs away from people on crossing routes and can stretch the field.<\/p>\n Verdict: The room may not be on par with 2023, but it\u2019s as close as the 49ers have come to that kind of star power in two years. Better, by a good margin.<\/p>\n Ideally, Dominick Puni doesn\u2019t enter the season with a nagging injury that hampered him for the first two months last year. If Jake Brendel and Colton McKivitz pick up where they left off last season, the offensive line will be a strength for the second consecutive season. Trent Williams should be motivated after he got his money<\/a>.<\/p>\n That leaves left guard. A position where three players played last season. It makes it tough from a camaraderie standpoint when there\u2019s a revolving door at left guard.<\/p>\n If Robert Jones played as he did in 2024 with the Dolphins, the Niners might have their best offensive line ever under Shanahan. But if it\u2019s Connor Colby\u2026gulp.<\/p>\n Verdict: The 49ers generally lean on the vets. The free agent signings suggest that if there are any injuries, they will lean on experience. Because of that, we\u2019ll give them the benefit of the doubt and project this unit to be better in 2026.<\/p>\n Inevitably, a position group getting more than 2.1 games out of Nick Bosa will drastically improve. Instead of Clelin Ferrell, Keion White, and Sam Okuayinonu starting on the other side of Bosa, first-rounder Mykel Williams slots into that spot. Sam O and White return to their respective depth roles.<\/p>\n The biggest acquisition this offseason wasn\u2019t the future Hall of Fame receiver; it was one of the best interior pass rushers in the league in Osa Odighizuwa. The pressure he\u2019ll take off the rest of the defensive tackles should be on full display right away. Odighizuwa allows every other player in this group to do what they do well.<\/p>\n Romello Height and Gracen Halton can provide splash plays, and that should be enough if Bosa and Mykel remain healthy.<\/p>\n Verdict: No position group on the roster improved more than this one.<\/p>\n Like Bosa, the position group getting back a player you can pencil in as an All-Pro is bound to improve. But I\u2019ll push back on the consensus here that Dre Greenlaw will be an upgrade from Dee Winters. I do not believe that to be the case.<\/p>\n