San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is poised to become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. However, FS1's Emmanuel Acho believes that the pressure in Santa Clara isn't on Purdy in 2025—it's on general manager John Lynch.
The 49ers have let several key players leave in free agency. The team traded wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga are signing with the Denver Broncos, while cornerback Charvarius Ward is headed to the Indianapolis Colts. The 49ers also released fullback Kyle Juszczyk and parted ways with defensive linemen Leonard Floyd and Maliek Collins—further weakening a unit already viewed as an area of need.
Acho questioned the team's approach.
"To me, Lynch, you have to replace all the people you let walk," Acho said on The Facility.
.@EmmanuelAcho says the pressure is on 49ers GM John Lynch 👀
"You have to replace everyone you just let walk." pic.twitter.com/UmSAjLilEJ
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) March 12, 2025
The analyst believes some departed players, including Ward, Greenlaw, and Hufanga, will continue to be productive with their new teams.
"I do not know if all these players that left the 49ers are past their prime," Acho continued. "I think they've got a lot of great years ahead of them. So, if you're going to let them walk because you want to get younger and cheaper, you need to make sure you get better as well.
"The pressure, to me, is on Lynch. If Purdy does not play well, we're going to say, 'Purdy's not really all that good.' ... We know who Purdy is, and we know who Purdy is not. Plus, Purdy can default to being Mr. Irrelevant, a seventh-round pick, so I don't know how much pressure is actually on Purdy. I don't anticipate Purdy's going to have a Josh Allen-type of season and take a roster that's depleted to the next level.
"I think John Lynch, you need to make sure that roster is not depleted so Purdy can do what he has always done, and that's be a winner with the talented roster. The pressure, to me, it's more on Lynch than it's on Purdy."