A 6-1 start heading into the bye week has the San Francisco 49ers sitting in a strong spot, and a big reason for that is the way a handful of players have carried the load through seven games.
Fred Warner is the easiest place to start. He’s been a wrecking ball all season, the kind of linebacker ball carriers see coming and immediately regret.
Whether he’s delivering a punishing hit or ripping the ball loose, Warner has been everywhere. His hands seem to find the football with ridiculous precision, and if he keeps this pace up, he’ll have a real case for Defensive Player of the Year.
Renardo Green has also been a force, with the lone exception of Week 6 against the Washington Commanders. Even with that game in the mix, he’s been the 49ers’ best defensive back by a wide margin.
Green is tied for the league lead with three interceptions, and among 195 qualified defensive backs, he ranks 17th in lowest passer rating allowed at 55.1. The talent was always there; now it looks like the right coaching has brought it out, with defensive coordinator Raheem Morris giving him the perfect fit.
On offense, Mike Evans has made a huge impact since arriving, and it’s fair to call him the 49ers’ best free agent signing under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. He’s been exactly what the team hoped for and then some.
His performance against the Seattle Seahawks stood out, especially after he said in the offseason that he believed he was their missing piece. So far, he’s backed that up.
In fact, he’s been the 49ers’ MVP this season, because the offense has looked elite with him on the field and has dropped off badly in the six quarters without him. The 49ers are now hoping he can get past Achilles tendinitis quickly, because without him, their Super Bowl chances take a major hit.
Brock Purdy has taken another step, too. He’s playing at a different level this year, with sharper accuracy, fewer mistakes, and more playmaking than he’s shown before.
That early-season buzz around him as an NFL MVP candidate didn’t come out of nowhere. Purdy has become a central engine of the offense, right behind Evans in terms of importance.
And while Trent Williams is always going to belong in any top-49ers conversation, the bigger shoutout goes to the entire offensive line. Through seven games, that group has been outstanding.
The numbers back it up: they’re allowing the lowest pressure rate in the league at 26.7%, and Purdy has been sacked just seven times and pressured 62 times on 232 dropbacks. They’ve also done their part in the run game, opening lanes for Christian McCaffrey and Kaelon Black.
Right now, they look like the 49ers’ best-performing unit entering the bye week.
In Other News...
49ers May Be Leaving Brock Purdy Too Much To Overcome
Brock Purdys season had put him in the thick of the MVP conversation for a reason. He had been playing at a high level for San Francisco, and even after the 49ers traded for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, the focus around the roster has stayed on whether the team has done enough to keep its quarterback in position to sustain that kind of production.
A rough outing against the Falcons only sharpened that question, because the 49ers have not made additional major moves to upgrade the receiving group around him. The concern now is less about whether Purdy can bounce back and more about whether San Francisco has given him enough help to keep matching the standard he set earlier in the season. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Could Cash In As Mac Jones Draws Contender Interest
Mac Jones has suddenly become a name to watch on the quarterback market, and the ripple effect could matter in San Francisco. With several contenders dealing with uncertainty under center, the 49ers could find themselves in a position to benefit if interest in Jones turns into real trade calls, especially from teams looking for a stabilizing option rather than a long-term fix.
The Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles are all being mentioned as clubs that could explore quarterback help, each for different reasons tied to their current roster situations and injuries. Minnesota has leaned on a strong defense while its offense has sputtered, Baltimore has had to navigate injuries at quarterback, and Philadelphias depth chart has been shaken enough to make the position a priority again. If that market develops further, Jones could become one of the more intriguing names to monitor, and the 49ers would be watching closely to see how far the bidding goes. [Read more 🡒]
Fred Warner Is Giving The 49ers A New Defensive Identity
Through seven weeks, Fred Warner has been the steady center of a 49ers defense that has had to keep adjusting around injuries and roster turnover. Even with the changes, San Francisco has stayed among the leagues better units, sitting seventh in points allowed and fourth in yards allowed, and Warners all-around impact has been a big reason why the group has held its edge.
He has been the teams tackling leader and has also created takeaways at a pace that gives the defense a different kind of bite. The numbers only tell part of it, though, because Warners presence has helped shape how the 49ers are playing on that side of the ball now, and the bigger question is how far this version of the defense can carry them as the season moves deeper into the stretch. [Read more 🡒]