SANTA CLARA — The 49ers have closed shop on the 2025 season, but we’re keeping our social-media mailbag open to answer The Faithful’s outcries:
What happened to the run game this year? Shannahan was so good at it. Was it personnel OL/RB? Desire or need to use Purdy more? (@gonzal7757)
The 49ers averaged under 4 yards per carry for the first time in 20 years. They averaged 3.8 yards per carry overall, and Christian McCaffrey was kept to 3.9 ypc., his lowest mark in a full season as a starter. That average fell to 3.2 yards in each of McCaffrey’s playoff outings.
Still a league MVP finalist for his all-around efforts, he couldn’t find and/or didn’t have lanes to break big runs. His longest were 24- and 41-yard bursts against Indianapolis and Chicago in December. Purdy had the 49ers’ second-longest run with a 26-yard scramble against Tennessee. Why? Defenses were there to smother ball carriers, with no fear of a receiver stretching the field.
Why do the 49ers have such bad luck with drafting receivers? Cowlings and Watkins are complete mysteries. (@Talk2Nordy)
Jerry Rice, 1985 first round. Terrell Owens, 1996 third round. … But I digress. Surely you mean this 49ers’ regime, which devoted first-round picks to Brandon Aiyuk (2020) and Ricky Pearsall (2024), plus a 2019 second-rounder on Deebo Samuel, their lone Pro Bowl wide receiver. Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins were fourth-round picks from the last two drafts, and they fill the 49ers’ need for speed, but injuries made them non-factors this season.
The draft is a crap shoot. Not every general manager can discover the NFL’s all-time greatest receiver while watching local television highlights in a Houston hotel room with a margarita in hand. John Lynch does get credit for a seventh-round find in 2020: Jauan Jennings, who might be worth a $28 million franchise tag to keep this spring.
What are they gonna do about Aiyuk? (@DukeLacrosse5)
Aiyuk went incommunicado, and “it’s safe to say that he has played his last snap with the Niners,” general manager John Lynch said. Severing his contract could come in the form of a long-shot trade, or more likely a post-June release to spread out his salary cap damage ($29 million or less) from an ill-fated 2024 extension.
When will Kyle really charge his philosophy and get maulers at the offensive line. They have yet to draft a blue-chip player since 2020. (@JFromTheBay49)
They’ve extended right tackle Colton McKivitz (three years, $45 million) and dug in at right guard with two-year starter Dominick Puni. Left guard is the only open spot, unless they ditch center Jake Brendel, Brock Purdy’s batterymate since 2022. If they spend their first-round pick on an offensive lineman, it would be for a left tackle to succeed Trent Williams in a year or two.
Are we going to get a new strength and conditioning/training staff? (@mhorodas)
Everything is under consideration. Maybe they just need a healthier electrical substation. Yeah, that’s the ticket
Does Kyle Shanahan have any thoughts on making changes to staff in terms of training, health, strength and conditioning? I think we can all agree that this team has been the most injured for a while. (@Willsoneuphman)
Shanahan was mute on the subject Wednesday while Lynch replied: “We’ve spent a lot of time and effort in recruiting really quality people and I think being at the forefront of injury prevention…. What we strive to do is never to eliminate injuries, but to mitigate injuries, and I think we have a lot of good processes. We’ll challenge them all. That process has begun. It never frankly stopped, but yes, we’ll look at everything and we’ll examine everything.”
Need a better O-line. (@az_desert_rat77)
Almost every team does. This O-line was one of their best — and most reliable in terms of availability — in Shanahan’s nine years. But top-tier defensive fronts like Houston, Seattle and Los Angeles caused problems.
Can Kyle get it done? Objectively his best chance was in ’23 — best roster he’s ever coached, against the weakest version of the Chiefs he’s ever faced and the result was the same. Is it time to move on from Kyle? Answer better be yes after nine years and no championships (@aoropeza85)
This was Shanahan’s finest year coaching, teaching, inspiring and squeezing what he could from an injury-riddled roster. They made the playoffs for the fifth time in seven seasons. Unlike past seasons, the 49ers were clutch late in games. Their six defeats were no-doubters, and none came in back-to-back fashion. The 2026 season could be the charm.
How much cap space do they have this off-season? They definitely need to address the trenches (OL and DL) and their speed is lacking. (@shultzreport)
The 49ers have $30 million in space, according to overthecap.com, but that could expand depending on how they unload Aiyuk.
What will their strategy be to acquire an elite WR? Rookies rarely dominate their first year, so even if they draft well, it may not solve the problem in 2026. They need at least two high-impact guys in what is increasingly a pass-first league. (@CayleHunter)
Shanahan wants speedier options. Will he mortgage a couple first-round picks to pry Justin Jefferson from Minnesota? Do A.J. Brown and George Pickens fit that model at top-tier pricing? Maybe they keep an eye on Michael Pittman (Colts), Chris Olave (Saints) and Curtis Samuel (Bills). It’d be stunning if they chase an over-30 accomplished receiver: Deebo Samuel, Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, Calvin Ridley and Tyreek Hill, the latter of whom is coming off an ACL tear.
Now that another injury-riddled season is the in rear view mirror, can we talk substations? Kidding. Will the 49ers prioritize the OL this offseason? That’s the question. (@epluribun)
My order at The Offseason Cafe: 1. Pass rusher, 2. Wide receiver, 3. Pass rusher, 4. Left tackle, 5. Pass rusher, 6. Defensive tackle, 7. Pass rusher, 8. Cornerback, 9. Pass rusher, 10. Tight end.
What positional unit is weakest and how likely is it to improve? (@slimsilva80)
Defensive line. After getting rid of every starter but Nick Bosa this past offseason, the defensive line again needs a major upgrade, all while Bosa and fellow starter Mykel Williams chase Week 1 comebacks in their ACL recoveries. Jordan Elliott, Yetur Gross-Matos, Kalia Davis, Sam Okuayinonu, and Clelin Ferrell are all unsigned for 2026. Pass rusher is a top priority but the interior needs hefty veterans to complement Alfred Collins, C.J. West and redshirt rookie Sebastian Valdez.
What does Mike Macdonald do that is so good specifically against Kyle Shanahan/Brock Purdy. (@bradleyjbayer)
Macdonald’s Seahawks allowed 26 points in three games to the 49ers. This explanation comes from the desk of Trent Williams: “They played two shell. They make you have to dig and dunk down the field. Keep everything in front of them. It’s a good game plan.” Shanahan’s view: “That team doesn’t give up big plays. That’s why they’re No. 1 in the league over the last two years not giving up big plays.”
Will the Yorks open up their wallet again this offseason so we can sign some impactful free agents? (@Mcanales9er)
They’ve done it annually … for at least one homegrown guy to extend a contract as a reward. Free agency is often for the desperate gambler, and too many big deals bomb. Things didn’t pan out with Javon Hargrave, Yetur Gross-Matos, Samson Ebukam, and Luke Farrell, the latter of whom was last year’s priciest addition.
Who is your No. 1 free agent? (@edgars_brother)
Let’s see who is available once talks can start March 9. Sentimentally, time is running out for Joey Bosa to join younger brother Nick as he recovers from another ACL repair.
How fast can they get Eddie P re-signed? (@TonyBagz)
*Eddy (“About To See The”) Dinero. The 49ers need to re-sign him, and hope to do so along with punter Thomas Morstead and long snapper Jon Weeks. Piñeiro won’t come as cheap as he did this season but kickers don’t live in a big-money market.
When will we finally get a kick returner? (@matty__muff)
Remember Skyy Moore’s 98-yard return to open a win at Arizona? Well, he’s slated for free agency. Seventh-round pick Junior Bergen spent all year on the practice squad, and Jacob Cowing was on Injured Reserve. Brian Robinson? He’s a free agent. Isaac Guerendo? Benched. So, yes, need one.
With a new GM, the entire offensive line needs to be rebuilt. We need tier-one wide receivers, a solid starting tight end and running back, two strong pass rushers, a cornerback, and a reliable backup QB. (@bass_ram)
Sounds ideal. They also should play in Hawaii every Sunday with unlimited mai tais and $1,000 gift cards for every fan.
Is Kyle up for extension? (@2ModusOperandi)
Should be. Market boomed with John Harbaugh fetching $20 million annually from the New York Giants. Shanahan and John Lynch got multi-year extensions in 2023 — 3 seasons ago. No word yet from Jed York on pending extensions.
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Super Bowl LXI: 49ers vs. Titans, next Feb. 14, Levi’s South, Inglewood.
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