ESPN Says it's an Overreaction to Expect 49ers to Cruise into Playoffs

Suddenly, the 49ers are considered contenders once again.

Not because of anything they did this offseason -- they lost nine starting players and replaced them mostly with rookies. No, the 49ers are contenders now simply because they have the easiest schedule in the league on paper.

So should we expect the 49ers to cruise into the playoffs? ESPN Dan Graziano says that's an overreaction.

"Oh, it's totally fair to expect the 49ers to bounce back and be a contender this season," writes Graziano. "During the Kyle Shanahan era, they've been exactly that whenever they've been able to avoid the kind of terrible injury luck they had last season. But it's important to remember how much has changed in San Francisco this offseason.

"The Niners have said goodbye to wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr., guard Aaron Banks, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Talanoa Hufanga. Nearly half of the starting lineup from the Super Bowl they played in 15 months ago is no longer on the team. They still have Brock Purdy at quarterback, and getting McCaffrey, wideout Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams back healthy will certainly help. But it's not fair to expect the 2025 49ers to just snap back to what they were in 2023.

"Also, the past three teams that entered the season with the 'easiest' schedule (again, according to previous campaign's winning percentages) all finished with losing records. That tells you a lot about the relevancy of having the "easiest" schedule."

Clay's last point is sobering.

It's also worth pointing out that there's no guarantee that Williams will play more this year than he did last year. He'll be 37 in July and he misses games every season. At this point in his career, the 49ers have to be grateful for whatever he can give them.

Ditto goes for McCaffrey. He's still in his 20s, but he had 798 carries in 2022 and 2023 before breaking down in 2024. He might not have much left in the tank. And Aiyuk might never be the same after tearing three ligaments in his knee.

This is a transition year for the 49ers. Simply making the playoffs would be an accomplishment.