Back in August, I laid out four bold predictions for the 2026 San Francisco 49ers. Now that we’re in November, it’s time to see which ones aged well and which ones went sideways.
I like accountability, so even if a bold prediction is supposed to be a little reckless, I wanted to circle back and judge the results honestly. Some of these look pretty sharp.
Others? Not so much.
The one I feel best about is the 49ers going 6-0 against the NFC West.
At this point, it barely feels bold anymore. San Francisco looks like the class of the division, and the Rams and Seahawks haven’t been nearly as strong as expected. The 49ers already handled the Rams in Australia in Week 1, edged the Seahawks in Seattle in Week 5, and beat Arizona by one possession in Week 3.
The path to perfection is still there, and the trickiest game might actually be the Week 18 trip to Arizona. If the 49ers keep controlling the division the way they have so far, that game could end up meaning very little for San Francisco. In that scenario, the starters might get a rest, and the team could even have some incentive to make life harder on Arizona’s draft position.
That’s the prediction I’m most confident in.
The Mike Evans receptions call is a different story.
I still can’t believe Evans has never reached 100 catches in a season. He’s gone 11 straight years with at least 1,000 receiving yards, but he’s never cracked triple-digit receptions. That’s wild.
Still, this one is going to come up short. Evans has been the 49ers’ top receiver, but his pace through six games played - 4.5 catches per game - points to about 76 or 77 receptions over a 17-game season. On top of that, expecting a 100-catch year from a 49ers offense that spreads the ball around so much was probably asking too much.
The Achilles injury also changes everything. It’s hard to know when we’ll even see Evans back on the field.
Even so, his impact has been obvious. And once he’s back in playing shape, pairing him with Keenan Allen could make this offense even more dangerous.
The Jack Jones interception prediction is already cooked.
That one didn’t survive the early part of the schedule, and the 49ers had to make a move right before the bye week in Atlanta. Jones is back on the practice squad as of Wednesday, though, so the door isn’t completely shut.
Shout out, Renardo Green.
The final prediction - Maxx Crosby eventually becoming a 49er - is the one that still has me annoyed.
I thought the 49ers’ trade deadline was good overall. The DeForest Buckner deal was a strong move, and the Gracen Halton injury only made it clearer how important bringing Buckner back was. The Allen trade also helps the receiver room and gives the 49ers a way to ease Evans back from the Achilles injury.
But even with those moves, it still feels like they should have added another defensive end.
I know it takes two teams to make a trade, and Crosby was never likely to move at the deadline. Still, it would have been nice to see the 49ers go big for once and overpay with picks if that’s what it took.
The biggest trades of the Shanahan/Lynch era were Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey, and San Francisco only had to give up two thirds, a fourth, and two fifths to land those two cornerstone players. The only time the 49ers really pushed all the chips in on a massive trade package was the move up to No. 3 for Trey Lance.
And yes, that one went badly. But Crosby isn’t a quarterback project. He’s a proven player.
It wouldn’t have hurt to offer the same two first-round picks that originally sent Crosby to the Ravens, then maybe add another day-two pick to make the Raiders think twice. If Crosby is the kind of player who can help deliver a Lombardi Trophy, are those picks really the thing you’d miss? Probably not.
Of course, reality says Crosby wasn’t happening. The Chargers apparently believe 0-8 is a manageable climb, so Khalil Mack stayed put.
The Texans had no reason to move Jadeveon Clowney. But a player like Will McDonald felt more realistic.
He requested a trade, and the Jets have enough depth at edge that he could have been moved.
If the 49ers did call, they were likely looking for value rather than just forcing a deal, which is how they tend to operate. But there’s still a case for paying a little extra to make sure you get the player you want.
The 49ers are in a spot where they can afford to do that. If they valued McDonald at the fifth-round pick they hold for the 2027 draft, why not bump that up to a third and get the help now, especially with comp picks likely coming later?
In Other News...
49ers Just Added A New Wrinkle To Their Mike Evans Question
The 49ers added another proven pass catcher to their offense, landing Keenan Allen from the Indianapolis Colts for a 2027 sixth-round pick. It is the kind of move that usually signals a team is looking for more stability and more answers in the passing game, and Allen brings plenty of both after a long track record of production.
What makes this one especially interesting in San Francisco is the overlap with Mike Evans, who is still working back from injury. Allen was asked about the history between the two and made it clear the issue is in the rearview mirror, which removes one potential distraction as the 49ers wait for Evans to return and sort out how all the pieces fit together. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Trade Deadline Push For A Star Receiver Went Further Than Fans Knew
The 49ers were active behind the scenes as the trade deadline approached, and their search for help went beyond the usual rumor mill. According to ESPNs Rich Cimini, San Francisco checked in on Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, a sign the team was at least exploring a major swing to bolster its passing game. New York never opened the door to real negotiations, but the inquiry fits the broader picture of a front office looking for impact talent if the right opportunity surfaced.
San Francisco also had its eye on Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack, another move that would have addressed a different need with a proven veteran. Los Angeles never made Mack available, leaving the 49ers to keep working through alternatives, including a possible pivot to Keenan Allen once those earlier avenues stalled. It is the kind of deadline posture that says plenty about the teams ambitions, even if the biggest names never got close to changing uniforms. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Receiver Move Reveals A Bigger Wrinkle In Their Injury Plan
The 49ers latest receiver addition did not come together overnight, and John Lynch said the path to Keenan Allen started with interest in another player before conversations shifted to Allen about two and a half weeks ago. For San Francisco, the move fits a familiar late-season pattern: patching together depth while trying to keep the offense functional, especially with the wide receiver room still dealing with a mix of players coming back and others staying out.
What makes the situation more delicate is the learning curve waiting for Allen once he gets in the building. Lynch and Kyle Shanahan both acknowledged how difficult it can be to absorb the 49ers playbook on the fly, so the team has already added extra meetings to help him get ready for upcoming games. It is the kind of adjustment San Francisco has had to make before, but this one comes with the added pressure of an injury picture that is still shifting around him. [Read more 🡒]