NFL insider Michael Silver recently wrote an insightful piece for The Athletic, detailing a noticeable shift in philosophy within the San Francisco 49ers organization. While it's more of a course correction than a drastic overhaul, the changes signal an evolving approach to roster management. Silver makes one thing clear: owner Jed York, general manager John Lynch, and head coach Kyle Shanahan remain aligned on what needs to be done.
The 49ers are coming off a disappointing 6-11 season. For a team accustomed to winning, playoff appearances were once expected, and deep postseason runs were the norm. Now, with self-inflicted salary cap constraints—the result of multiple aggressive but ultimately unsuccessful championship pushes—and a looming massive contract for their quarterback, adjustments are necessary.
Silver emphasizes that Shanahan is not on the hot seat. In fact, the coach's seat probably isn't even lukewarm. Inside the organization, there is still full confidence in him. The priority is to ensure Shanahan remains focused on game-planning rather than getting too involved in potentially distracting aspects of football operations—like contract negotiations.
In 2022, Deebo Samuel was coming off a breakout 1,770-yard, 14-touchdown season. When the star receiver requested a trade amid a contract dispute, the 49ers worked to secure a lucrative deal to keep him—perhaps influenced by Shanahan's close relationship with Samuel. In hindsight, it wasn't the best long-term move. Three years later, with a decline in production, Samuel was traded to the Washington Commanders, leaving the 49ers with nothing more than a fifth-round draft pick and a massive dead cap hit.
Last year, a similar situation unfolded with Brandon Aiyuk. Another trade request. Another high-emotion standoff that nearly led to a trade. Shanahan likely insisted Aiyuk was crucial to the offense, instead leading to another hefty contract—one the team reportedly now regrets. Again, personal ties may have played a role in the outcome.
"That said, it makes sense that York would prefer Shanahan focus on doing what he does best — scheming it up and coaching the players on the roster — than worrying about making sure so many of his highest-profile players make bank," Silver wrote.
This offseason, the 49ers face another high-stakes negotiation—this time with quarterback Brock Purdy. This one will likely make Aiyuk's and Samuel's deals seemingly pale in comparison. Purdy is expected to become one of the NFL's highest-paid players.
The 49ers love Purdy and know they can win with him. They have won with him—a lot. But they also understand that paying their quarterback top dollar will limit cap flexibility and force tough roster decisions.
"A deal should be doable, but it's easy to see how things could get messy," Silver noted. "The 49ers can freely proclaim to the world that Purdy remains under contract — he's due to earn $5.2 million in 2025 — and could theoretically be franchised in each of the following two seasons. Conversely, Purdy's camp can float the possibility of a holdout, something that could potentially hijack the 2025 offseason in a manner that would make last year's Aiyuk saga look like a warm-up act."
Neither side wants that scenario to unfold. However, after years of aggressive spending—perhaps too aggressive—the 49ers are taking a more cautious approach. After all, there are still other offseason matters to attend to, and money will be needed to ensure that the disappointing 2024 season was an outlier, not the beginning of a downward trend.
This is a pivotal offseason for the 49ers, and York may feel that maintaining the status quo is no longer an option.