Jul 24, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) works on his footwork in the pocket during the second day of training camp. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The 49ers' Biggest Strength Heading into Week 2 of Training Camp

Originally posted on San Francisco 49ers on SI
By Grant Cohn | Last updated Jul 28, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The 49ers are starting to figure out who they are.

Today, they'll put on pads for the first time this offseason. But they've already practiced four times in training camp, plus the practiced during OTAs and minicamp. They've seen their strengths and weaknesses. And this year, they have some definite weaknesses.

But they also have their strengths, which is why they're the odds-on favorite to win the NFC West. And their biggest strength, according to Bleacher Report, is their "offensive ecosystem."

The 49ers' biggest strength is their offense

"Brock Purdy earned his five-year, $265 million contract this offseason," writes Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine. "He's a perfect fit with Kyle Shanahan and executes at a high level. But there's no denying it's the entire offensive ecosystem that drive the Niners' success. They've finished as a top-10 offense in five of the last six seasons under Shanahan's watch.

"The coach is one of the best offensive minds in the league. It also helps that there's plenty to like about the supporting cast around Purdy.

"Christian McCaffrey is still one of the most versatile offensive weapons in the league, Brandon Aiyuk is a real problem when healthy and George Kittle remains one of the best tight ends in the league.

"Even with Aiyuk set to miss some time early in the season, the Niners have the firepower to be dangerous."

Ballentine is correct that the 49ers' offense has lots of firepower. Even without some of their stars last season, they still ranked fourth in the league in yards gained, which is extremely impressive. And Shanahan gets credit for that.

But the 49ers offense also ranked 27th in turnovers last season, and that's a big reason their defense struggled. Purdy needs to throw fewer interceptions -- his interception percentage has gone up three seasons in a row.

And their offensive line needs to keep him healthy. The 49ers have one of the thinnest offensive lines in the NFL -- when Trent Williams isn't healthy, it might be the worst O-line, last season, Brock Purdy got injured twice. Now, the offensive line is even thinner.

Shanahan's unit still has much to answer for this year.

This article first appeared on San Francisco 49ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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