49ers face 2025 after Purdy blockbuster extension reshapes roster

The San Francisco 49ers enter the 2025 season with a mixture of cautious optimism and mounting pressure after a dismal 2024 campaign that saw the team slide from Super Bowl contender to a six win finish. With training camp wounds beginning to heal and core stars healthy for now, the franchise faces a pivotal year shaped by a blockbuster contract for quarterback Brock Purdy, significant roster turnover and a desire to recapture the form that took them to Super Bowl LIV and LVIII.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have said the organization expects to compete, pointing to a revamped backfield pairing Christian McCaffrey with recently acquired Brian Robinson Jr. Shanahan praised the duo in comments to reporters, saying the depth allows the team to avoid a dropoff when McCaffrey needs a breather and that the two can "accomplish some big things" together. The running game figures to be especially important early while the 49ers sort out questions at wide receiver after trading Deebo Samuel and while Brandon Aiyuk recovers from a torn ACL.

Purdy's four year, reported $265 million extension looms large over the roster and the team's strategy. Shanahan acknowledged...