Ranking the 49ers Position Groups Ahead of Training Camp

Despite the seemingly never-ending Brandon Aiyuk saga, the San Francisco 49ers have had a productive offseason, addressing several positional weaknesses and reshaping key areas of the roster. That said, a few concerns remain, and some spots still feel more unsettled than others. With training camp quickly approaching, let's rank the 49ers' position groups heading into the season.

1. Quarterback

This is a relatively straightforward choice. 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy is a top-10 option at the position across the league, and many, myself included, believe he has not yet reached his ceiling. Purdy was limited to nine starts last season but guided the 49ers to a 7-2 record in those games while throwing for 2,167 yards, completing nearly 70% of his attempts, and totaling 20 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.

Seven of those interceptions came over his first four starts, yet the 49ers still managed to go 3-1 during that stretch. If Purdy were to miss time, Mac Jones gives San Francisco one of the league's better backup quarterback options. Jones proved his value last season, throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions while guiding the 49ers to a 5-3 record during that span.

2. Wide receiver

The 49ers made a major addition this offseason, signing future Hall of Famer Mike Evans to lead the room. It is a rebuilt group, with Christian Kirk also joining via free agency to operate from the slot and help stretch the field alongside Evans, Ricky Pearsall, and explosive rookie De'Zhaun Stribling. Collectively, the top four options at the position give Brock Purdy and head coach Kyle Shanahan plenty of ways to attack defenses through the passing game.

3. Defensive line

This was one of the areas the 49ers clearly needed to address this offseason, and they did. Nick Bosa remains the leader of the group, but he spent the majority of last season sidelined following another knee surgery.

Getting Bosa back to full health would make a significant difference in 2025-26, and the 49ers have also added help around him. San Francisco traded for Osa Odighizuwa, an interior defender who brings legitimate pass-rushing ability from the inside.

With the defense now better positioned to generate pressure both inside and off the edge, that should create more opportunities for Alfred Collins and Mykel Williams, both of whom are positioned to have breakout seasons. C.J. West and Keion White also provide viable depth.

4. Linebacker

The 49ers still have the top middle linebacker in football in Fred Warner. Like Bosa, Warner spent much of last season injured, so getting the quarterback of the defense back to form in 2025-26 is both imperative and extremely beneficial.

San Francisco also brought back Dre Greenlaw as his running mate, giving the team a chance to once again field one of the league's stronger linebacker duos. The concern is depth. Both Warner and Greenlaw have dealt with injury issues in recent years, and the organization sent Dee Winters to Dallas, where he will have more opportunities than he would have had in San Francisco with Greenlaw returning.

Tatum Bethune played well in spurts when called upon last season, giving newly appointed defensive coordinator Raheem Morris a reliable third option. Garret Wallow also performed well in the postseason when Bethune was injured, and there is still some optimism around young players Nick Martin and Jaden Dugger. Even so, this remains a top-heavy position group.

5. Cornerback

Both Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green appeared to take a step back last season. I still believe Lenoir has cornerback 1 ability, but the lack of pass rush put additional pressure on the 49ers' secondary throughout the year. Under Morris' tutelage, this may be the group with the greatest opportunity for improvement.

Upton Stout is entering his second season, and while he struggled at times, he showed enough tools to believe he can develop into a high-level slot corner. Depth remains a question, with Darrell Luter Jr., Nate Hobbs, Jack Jones, and veteran Eli Apple rounding out the position group.

6. Running back

This ranking may come as a bit of a surprise, but while Christian McCaffrey remains an elite running back, there are legitimate depth concerns behind him. After McCaffrey, there is a fair amount of uncertainty. Since the 49ers rarely spell him for extended stretches, an injury would put more responsibility on Jordan James, Isaac Guerendo, and rookie Kaelon Black. It is not the worst depth chart in the league, but there is a clear drop-off after CMC, and at this stage, he is a high-performance player with plenty of mileage on him.

7. Offensive line

This is the group that concerns me the most heading into 2025-26. It is led by a future Hall of Famer in Trent Williams, but like CMC, Williams has accumulated plenty of mileage, and there is always a level of uncertainty that comes with age at such a physically demanding position.

Despite that, Williams remains the best offensive lineman in this group. The strength of the unit is at tackle, with Colton McKivitz breaking out last season opposite Williams. The bigger concern is the interior, particularly at left guard. As of now, Connor Colby is slated to start there, but it is an area I had hoped GM John Lynch would upgrade in free agency.

Jake Brendel is a steady but average center, while Dominick Puni has shown flashes of excellence in the past but struggled at times last season. Puni still has considerable upside and could become a difference maker this year if he puts everything together.

8. Tight end

There is a reasonable argument for flipping the offensive line and tight end rankings, but George Kittle's long-term health remains a factor. Jake Tonges, who broke out in Kittle's absence last season, could see more consistent work moving forward.

He has established himself as the team's No. 2 tight end behind Kittle and ahead of Luke Farrell. If Kittle is healthy, and he is paired with CMC and the trio of pass catchers, this 49ers offense has the pieces to be as explosive as ever with Shanahan and Purdy leading the way.

9. Special teams

The 49ers re-signed kicker Eddy Pineiro, who stabilized the position after the Jake Moody experiment. Pineiro hit a league-leading 96.6% of his field goal attempts last year, converting 28 of 29 attempts. He did miss four extra points, though.

One concern when San Francisco brought in Pineiro was his range, but he answered those questions by going 6 of 7 from beyond 50 yards. The 49ers are also bringing in a new punter this season, moving on from veteran Thomas Morstead and replacing him with Corliss Waitman.

The organization also failed to retain return specialist Skyy Moore and will likely rely on Jacob Cowing and Isaac Guerendo. It is a capable group, but collectively, it lands ninth until it proves otherwise.

10. Safety

Last but not least, the safety position remains a real concern heading into the season. This group will be led by hard-hitting Malik Mustapha and Ji'Ayir Brown, with Marques Sigle mixing in often.

As currently constructed, the trio ranks as one of the weaker groups across the league, and John Lynch failed to address the position this offseason.

Perhaps they surprise us, and I will gladly revisit that assessment if they do, but for now, the lack of proven talent and overall impact on the backend is a serious concern.