Where the 49ers Must Reload to Rejoin the NFC’s Elite in 2026
The San Francisco 49ers didn’t have a bad season in 2025. But in a loaded NFC West, “not bad” doesn’t cut it - especially when your rivals are suiting up for Super Bowl LX.
As the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams surged ahead with deep, balanced rosters, San Francisco’s shortcomings became impossible to ignore. If the Niners want back in the championship conversation in 2026, they’ve got work to do - and it starts in the trenches.
Let’s break down where San Francisco needs to reload and why these areas are critical to reclaiming their spot among the NFL’s top contenders.
Edge Rush: The Most Pressing Need
This one jumps off the stat sheet. Twenty sacks.
That’s all the 49ers mustered in 2025 - dead last in the league. Meanwhile, Seattle and LA each tallied 47, nearly two-and-a-half times San Francisco’s total.
That kind of disparity tells the story.
Nick Bosa is expected back from his ACL tear, and rookie Mykel Williams should return as well. But banking on two players coming off major knee injuries to immediately fix a broken pass rush is a gamble the 49ers can’t afford.
Bosa is elite when healthy, no question. But he needs help - and right now, that help isn’t on the roster.
Clelin Ferrell and Bryce Huff tied for the team lead with just four sacks apiece. That’s a number that wouldn’t even crack the top three on most playoff teams. Without consistent pressure, opposing quarterbacks had time to pick apart the secondary - and with just six interceptions all season, the defense rarely flipped the field.
If San Francisco wants to generate turnovers, get off the field on third down, and control the tempo, they need to find at least one more edge rusher who can win one-on-one and disrupt the pocket. Whether it’s through free agency or the draft, this has to be priority No. 1.
Wide Receiver: Searching for a True No. 1
Look around the NFC West and you’ll see young, dynamic receivers making life easier for their quarterbacks. Seattle has Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The Rams have Puka Nacua, who’s become the engine of LA’s offense. The 49ers?
They’re still searching for that guy.
Brandon Aiyuk is gone. Ricky Pearsall, the rookie, showed flashes but struggled with consistency. And while Deebo Samuel remains a versatile weapon, he’s not the kind of route technician who can consistently win against man coverage and move the chains on third-and-long.
That leaves Brock Purdy entering 2026 without a clear-cut No. 1 option - and that’s a problem.
The good news? This upcoming draft class is deep at wide receiver.
San Francisco will have opportunities to reload, and they may need to double-dip. A true separator who can win quickly off the line and stress defenses vertically would open up everything for Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
The run game, the play-action, the intermediate routes - they all get better when defenses have to respect a top-tier outside threat.
Defensive Tackle: Reinforcements Needed Inside
It wasn’t just the edge where the 49ers struggled defensively. The interior line had its issues too, especially against the run. San Francisco allowed 4.3 yards per carry - a number that doesn’t scream disaster, but in key moments, particularly in the postseason, they couldn’t control the line of scrimmage.
Jordan Elliott and Kalia Davis are both set to hit free agency, and while rookies Alfred Collins and CJ West have upside, relying solely on youth at a position that demands physical maturity is risky. The 49ers need someone who can anchor against the run, eat up double teams, and keep Fred Warner clean to roam and make plays.
Seattle’s defensive success in 2025 was built on winning early downs and forcing teams into predictable situations. San Francisco needs to follow that blueprint. A stronger interior presence would go a long way toward restoring the physical identity that once defined this defense.
Offensive Line: Planning for Life After Trent Williams
Trent Williams is still playing at an elite level - but he’s also 38 and entering the final year of his contract. The 49ers can’t afford to be caught off guard when the future Hall of Famer eventually hangs it up.
Left guard looks like the most logical spot to inject some youth into the line, ideally with a player who can eventually slide out to tackle. Even if the rookie doesn’t start right away, getting them in the building and developing under Williams could be a smart long-term investment.
The 49ers’ offense is built around the run game. When they’re moving people up front and staying ahead of the sticks, everything flows - from play-action to Purdy’s timing-based passing game. But that rhythm slipped in 2025, and a big reason was the inconsistency up front.
Adding talent to the offensive line won’t just help in the future - it could stabilize the offense right away.
Other Spots to Watch
- Tight End: George Kittle is working his way back from Achilles surgery, and while he’s a warrior, the 49ers need to be realistic about his recovery. Depth behind him is thin, and adding a capable No. 2 tight end who can block and catch would ease the load.
- Cornerback: Injuries and up-and-down play plagued the secondary late in the year. Depth is a concern, especially with how often teams are spreading it out and attacking through the air.
- Safety: The 49ers could use a true ballhawk on the back end. Someone who can change a game with a timely pick or force offenses to think twice about testing the deep middle.
The Bottom Line
The 49ers still have a strong core. Fred Warner.
Nick Bosa. Deebo Samuel.
Brock Purdy. They’re not starting from scratch.
But in a division where the bar has been raised, standing still isn’t an option.
To get back to the top of the NFC in 2026, San Francisco needs to hit on multiple fronts - especially on defense and at wide receiver. The pieces are there.
The window is still open. But this offseason will go a long way in determining whether the 49ers are chasing the pack - or leading it.