After one preseason game, the 49ers’ weak spots are already out in the open, and the real question is whether Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch intend to patch them aggressively or let the season start with the roster still looking thin in key places.
The biggest name to watch is Tampa Bay’s Vita Vea. The Niners are reportedly pursuing the veteran lineman, who is holding in while pushing for a contract extension. Tampa Bay, naturally, has no interest in moving him, but that could change before the season opener if the situation drags on.
The price, though, is where things get tricky. Tampa wants a No. 1 next year, which is a nonstarter.
When Vea first wanted out, ESPN’s Ben Solak asked around the league, and the consensus from general managers was a second-round pick and a fifth. That gives you a sense of the floor.
For San Francisco, the real conversation starts with a second-rounder. A package of Alfred Collins and a fifth wouldn’t be enough for the Bucs, and Collins isn’t worth a second anymore.
A second and Collins might get Tampa’s attention. A second and Mykel Williams?
That’s too steep. The question is whether Lynch would actually put together a second and Collins, and even if he would, whether that would beat out the rest of the league.
The need is obvious. Collins, who came in out of shape, got driven around in the preseason opener.
Guard is another mess. The 49ers tried to hand Connor Colby a starting job and he hasn’t seized it. Robert Jones didn’t do much better, and now rookie Carver Willis, who is making the jump from college tackle to NFL guard, is next in line.
The best internal answer may be Kevin Toth, whose core strength and technique could make him workable there. The problem is that the team seems to want to keep him as the backup center.
That leaves free agency, and Kevin Zeitler looks like the cleanest fix. He was ranked 13th overall at guard by PFF last season with Tennessee, 9th in pass protection and 20th in run blocking. He’s also 36 and will want to be paid, but he’s the best option on the market.
The Niners haven’t shown interest, and the guess here is that the Yorks have set a payroll ceiling. They’ll stretch for a star, but maybe not for someone like Zeitler. If that’s the case, the run game suffers and so does the bigger picture.
Tight end could become another area where help is needed. George Kittle is tracking toward the opener, but he’s older and fragile.
Jake Tonges has shown he can catch the ball, but blocking is another story. Luke Farrell hasn’t come close to expectations.
The move there may be patience. Cutdown day could bring better options, and NFL.com recently projected several likely cuts at tight end.
Dawson Knox of Buffalo, T.J. Hockenson of Minnesota, and Cole Kmet of Chicago are the names at the top of that list.
The risk is simple: other teams may claim them first, or the 49ers may wait too long and miss out after waivers. Still, there should be talent available that clearly outclasses Farrell.
Safety is another glaring problem. Marques Sigle has put on eight pounds, which should help against the run, but he still has coverage issues.
Malik Mustapha is dealing with injury trouble. Ji’Ayir Brown has looked better in camp this year, but coverage remains a question.
The team needed help there, passed on fixing it in the draft, and now the options are thin. There’s nothing obvious in free agency, nothing in trade, and no hidden gem waiting on cutdown day.
One possible answer would be a deadline deal for Jacksonville’s Antonio Johnson. He had five interceptions, nine passes defended and two blitz sacks last year, and he’d bring exactly the kind of free safety play San Francisco needs. Jacksonville also has a crowd of young defensive backs and may not be able to afford to keep him.
That said, the idea of the 49ers making a deadline trade for a safety is hard to buy. Sure.
There’s also edge rusher help to consider. Ogbo Okoronkwo had a solid showing against Tennessee, but the Niners still need more talent and depth there. Romello Height, their second-round pick, has not impressed.
Free agency offers a real list: Von Miller, Haason Reddick, Kyle Van Noy, Leonard Floyd, and Za’Darius Smith are all out there.
If San Francisco pulled off a Vea trade, signed Zeitler, and added Johnson, that would look like a legitimate contender. Whether they’ll actually do any of it is another matter. But with the opener approaching, Vea is the name worth watching most closely.
In Other News...
49ers May Have Found Needed Edge Depth Behind Nick Bosa
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Smiths profile is the kind that can appeal to a team looking for a dependable floor: 12.5 sacks, All-Big 10 second-team recognition, and the sort of physical traits that translate well on early downs. He is not the most twitchy pass rusher in the class, and his lateral movement and counter moves remain areas to watch, but that same profile could make him a sensible developmental fit if the 49ers are thinking ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft and the depth chart behind Bosa. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Already Have A Christian McCaffrey Problem To Solve
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Jordan James and Kaelon Black are both dealing with injuries, which only adds to the uncertainty around the opening stretch and reinforces how fragile the room feels right now. For a team that wants to manage McCaffrey carefully over the long haul, the next move may not be about waiting on internal answers at all, but about finding a veteran who can stabilize the depth chart before Week 1 arrives. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Backfield Shuffle Suddenly Put All Eyes On McCaffrey
San Franciscos backfield has already taken on a different look in camp, with Khalil Herbert released after taking part in training camp and one preseason game. It is a quick turn for a running back who only arrived two weeks ago, but the roster math has changed fast as the 49ers sort through injuries at the position and try to keep enough healthy bodies on the field.
The timing has naturally pushed Christian McCaffrey back into the center of the conversation. Other backs are dealing with injuries, leaving Sincere McCormick and Zamir White as the only healthy runners on hand, and every move now feels connected to how soon the group can get back to full strength. For a team that depends on stability in the backfield, the next practice schedule could say plenty about where McCaffrey stands and how much more shuffling is still coming. [Read more 🡒]