5 players who may be playing their final down with the San Francisco 49ers during the 2025 season

WR Jauan Jennings

Jennings has been the sneaky counter-punch for the 49ers' passing offense for several seasons — until last year. His targets exploded in 2024, pushing him to nearly 1,000 receiving yards in the first year of a two-year contract signed last offseason.

Jennings could very easily be tabbed as a more long-term option but with the team paying Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers may deem themselves to be facing too steep of a numbers crunch with their skill group to run it back after 2025. 

Especially if there's another productive season like the one Jennings had last year. 

RT Colton McKivitz

McKivitz has emerged as an answer at right tackle for the 49ers in recent years. He's started every game in the last two seasons for the team, a stretch that has overlapped with a one-year $7 million extension with McKivitz signed last March. 

San Francisco has kind of kicked the can down the road with McKivitz, who would presumably like a longer-term commitment at some point while serving as an NFL starting tackle. He's been an unbelievable value contract for the 49ers while performing as a sufficient starter. With him now in a contract year in 2025, will the 49ers make a new, competitive commitment? Or will they enjoy one more year of the surplus value and then potentially go about searching for an upgrade? 

OL Spencer Burford

Burford started 29 games across his first two seasons in the NFL as a fourth-round draft choice in 2022. 2024 was a frustrating season for him — Burford struggled with both a broken hand and a calf injury and logged just 113 offensive snaps. Now, Burford is set to play in 2025 on the final year of his rookie contract. Due to the emergence of 2024 rookie Dominick Puni and now the drafting of Connor Colby late in the 2025 NFL Draft, he may be deemed expendable moving forward. 

DL Yetur Gross-Matos

Gross-Matos arrived in San Francisco last offseason and was a part of a defensive line rotation that is going to look mighty different in 2025. Gross-Matos logged 368 snaps in 2024 after inking a two-year, $18 million contract. Barring a significant leap in snaps and production, that price point will likely make the 49ers' decision to facilitate a change into the future easy. 

Perhaps that comes in the way of an extension at a reduced annual average. Or, after the additions of Mykel Williams and Bryce Huff this offseason, perhaps that means Gross-Matos is seeking a new home in 2026. 

DT Jordan Elliott

For as different as the edge rush room will look, the defensive tackle room will look just as different. Rookies Alfred Collins and CJ West are going to be charged with completely turning this room on its head. It's a strong bet, in my opinion. Elliott has had a hard time living up to his potential as a former top-100 draft choice after four seasons in Cleveland — perhaps he'll secure a long-term role in the 49ers rotation beyond this season.

But with Elliott entering into a contract year and San Francisco telling us plenty of how they feel about their defensive tackle room, this may be a player on the outs after 2025.