49ers receive surprising offseason grade from ESPN

Some may view the San Francisco 49ers' offseason as underwhelming. Following a disappointing 6-11 finish in 2024, the team moved on from several veteran contributors and leaned heavily on the NFL Draft to restock the roster with youth.

The roster overhaul has sparked skepticism about the 49ers' chances of bouncing back in 2025, particularly with future salary-cap constraints looming due to quarterback Brock Purdy's new deal, which has made him one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Is there still enough top-tier talent and depth for San Francisco to reclaim Super Bowl contender status?

ESPN analyst Seth Walder doesn't share the skepticism. In grading each NFL team's offseason, he gave the 49ers a surprising and impressive "A-" grade, remarkably stating there wasn't a single move he disliked.

Unsurprisingly, Walder cited the signing of quarterback Brock Purdy to a long-term contract extension as the team's most significant move. However, he was exceptionally high on another decision—the return of Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator.

"Though his head coaching tenure with the Jets was shaky, his defenses ranked in the top five in expected points added per play in 2022, 2023, and the first five weeks of 2024, before he was fired," Walder said of Saleh. "After the firing, the Jets' defense plummeted to 30th in EPA per play."

Brock Purdy's big payday

After an impressive rise from being the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Brock Purdy was rewarded with a five-year, $265 million contract extension, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league. Yet, skepticism about Purdy's long-term potential persists.

"There are mixed opinions about Purdy's exact level of responsibility for the 49ers' passing success," Walder acknowledged, "but he's a perfect fit for what they want to do. San Francisco reached elite levels of passing efficiency with Purdy in 2023, performing at a higher level than it managed with Jimmy Garoppolo."

While critics question whether Purdy deserves elite quarterback money, Walder believes the 49ers might have actually struck a favorable deal.

"The deal was also cheaper than I expected," he noted. "If it had been $60 million per year, it would have been in line with Trevor Lawrence's and Jordan Love's 2024 deals when adjusting for salary cap inflation, and I wouldn't have blinked."

Other core players secure extensions

While Purdy's deal dominated headlines, he wasn't the only 49ers player to receive a lucrative extension. The team also locked up linebacker Fred Warner and tight end George Kittle, key leaders on both sides of the ball.

Walder praised Warner's extension, emphasizing its value under the current cap structure.

"Warner is worth it," he stated, "and the extension comes in much lower in terms of average per year than his 2021 deal if we adjust for cap inflation."

As for Kittle, he once again becomes the NFL's highest-paid tight end—and rightfully so. The tight end exemplifies everything the 49ers want in a player and is a fan favorite, so ensuring his career continues in the Bay Area made perfect sense.

"It would not have been outlandish to have traded the 31-year-old," Walder commented, "but if things break right, San Francisco will be back in the title hunt, and keeping Kittle -- coming off a great season -- would be my choice, too."

49ers' roster overhaul

Among the most notable offseason moves was the departure of wide receiver Deebo Samuel, a locker room favorite. San Francisco traded Samuel to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick, a move Walder believes came a year too late.

Samuel's production has declined since his breakout 2021 performance that earned him a contract extension.

"He has always scored poorly in open and catch scores in ESPN's receiver tracking metrics," Walder wrote, "which didn't matter at his peak because he essentially broke the yards-after-catch score scale.

"But his YAC score has steadily declined, and with him 29, I doubt it will ever reach its previous highs. The 49ers did well to get a Day 3 pick to avoid paying Samuel $17.6 million in 2025. They also have options to replace his production."

San Francisco also lost key defensive contributors such as Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, and Charvarius Ward, but Walder felt those departures were justifiable given the team's current direction.

However, one notable addition stood out positively.

"San Francisco also made a win-win trade for Bryce Huff, giving up a Day 3 pick for the former Jets and Eagles pass rusher," Walder wrote. "The 49ers are paying Huff a little under $8 million to find out whether they can recapture some of his New York magic."

Despite a disappointing 2024 season and significant roster turnover, Walder believes the 49ers' offseason moves have positioned them well for a bounce-back effort.