The 49ers have spent most of the offseason getting praised for the additions they made, and for good reason. But the shiny new pieces won’t matter much if some of the same weak spots show up again. Age and injuries have been the most obvious concerns, yet the bigger issue might be the players who could actively drag the team down.
One of the clearest question marks sits at safety, where Ji’Ayir Brown could end up back in the starting lineup. Kyle Shanahan is fond of him, and that could give Brown the edge over Raheem Morris.
Still, Brown doesn’t look like a starting-caliber player. The 49ers would probably be better off with Marques Sigle, even if he didn’t exactly inspire confidence last year either.
The safety group as a whole is shaky, but Brown is the name at the center of it. There doesn’t seem to be much reason to expect a major leap, either.
He was a liability before, and that could easily be the case again.
Left guard is another spot that could become a problem fast. Connor Colby was, by the source’s view, the worst offensive lineman on the roster last season no matter how many snaps he played.
That’s a strange label for a player who looked sharp when he first came in for Ben Bartch. He appeared polished and ready to grow with more reps.
Once he got the job, though, everything fell apart. Now he’s the favorite to start at left guard, which leaves the 49ers in a tricky spot.
If he wins the job, it may mean he has settled in. It could also mean he’s simply the best of a bad bunch.
Either way, the position remains one of the team’s biggest needs for stability.
Renardo Green is another player who could swing hard in either direction. There doesn’t seem to be much room for middle ground with him this season.
He’ll either take a real step forward or keep struggling the way he did last year. If the busted coverages show up again, the 49ers could be staring at a major hole in the pass defense.
At that point, they’d have to choose between benching him or living with the mistakes. Either outcome would limit what the defense can become.
Then there’s Romello Height, who has been pegged as the rookie with the best chance to make the biggest impact from this year’s draft class. The opportunity is there, and so is the responsibility.
He’s expected to become the pass-rushing complement to Nick Bosa, and the 49ers need that to happen. If he doesn’t deliver, they don’t have another quality edge rusher ready to step in.
That would leave them looking at free agency, and with that would come the renewed Joey Bosa connection.
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The appeal is easy to see from Los Angeles side, with the current depth chart still leaving room for a veteran receiver who can stabilize the middle of the lineup. Samuels recent production suggests he still has enough left to matter, and the idea of him landing on a short-term deal only adds to the intrigue as the Rams weigh whether to make a move that would hit close to home in the division. [Read more 🡒]
Purdy And Kittle Just Entered Rare 49ers History
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From 2022 through 2025, Purdy targeted Kittle 269 times and got big-play production in return, with the connection driving both yardage and touchdowns at a level that has helped define San Franciscos offense. Even in 2025, the link stayed among the leagues best at the position, which is why the 49ers can feel good about how central Kittle has been to Purdys rise, even if the next chapter of that partnership still comes with some uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Three 49ers Camp Battles Could Shape Shanahans Season
Training camp usually sorts out depth charts, but for the 49ers, a few of the most important decisions are already taking shape before the pads even come on. Left guard is one of the cleaner competitions, with Connor Colby entering as the favorite and Carver Willis and Robert Jones trying to force their way into the picture. It is the kind of battle that can quietly matter a lot in Kyle Shanahans offense, where one spot on the interior can affect everything from protection to run-game timing.
The secondary has its own set of questions, and those could be just as revealing. Renardo Green is facing real pressure at cornerback from Jack Jones and rookie Ephysians Prysock, while at safety Malik Mustapha appears set, leaving JiAyir Brown, Marques Sigle and Ashtyn Davis to sort out the other starting role. With so much competition clustered in a few spots, camp will not just determine who starts, but how much flexibility the 49ers have when the season begins. [Read more 🡒]