The San Francisco 49ers are coming up on OTAs, and even though it's still the offseason, there are always things to discuss with this team. Here's a look at the upcoming schedule:
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 10-11
- Training Camp: Dates not yet announced
We opened the 49ers Webzone Mailbag to see what was on your mind. You had some great questions, as always. Let's take a look.
How do you imagine the WR depth chart looking for Week 1 behind Jennings and Pearsall? - Dave B.
Here's a list of the wide receivers currently on the team:
- Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing, Demarcus Robinson, Russell Gage, Jr., Isaiah Hodgins, Jordan Watkins, Terique Owens, Isaiah Neyor, Trent Taylor, and Junior Bergen.
Right now, I see the depth chart working something like this:
Outside receivers
(Aiyuk likely won't be ready week one, and Robinson will probably be serving a suspension. When they return, this will change.)
- *Jennings (starter), Gage, Hodgins
- **Pearsall (starter), Watkins, Owens, Neyor
Slot receivers
- Cowing, Taylor, Bergen
*When Aiyuk returns, Jennings could see more time in the slot like he did before Aiyuk's injury. Aiyuk will take over his spot in the starting lineup.
**When Robinson returns from suspension, will he knock Pearsall out of the starting lineup? I doubt it. I expect Pearsall to hang on to his starting spot.
In your opinion, which rookie will have the biggest impact this season? I feel like Martin is going to play a big role and get a lot of attention. - Lowbridge
Definitely Mykel Williams. He's not only a great talent, but he fills a need the 49ers desperately needed to fill—stopping the run. He will help Robert Saleh's defense in week one.
Nick Martin is also a good candidate. When he was healthy at Oklahoma State, he was a difference-maker. Dee Winters has been too inconsistent, so I expect Martin to eventually replace Dre Greenlaw.
If I can add a third name, it would be C.J. West. I want to say Alfred Collins, but I'm concerned about his health, being that he's already dealing with an injury. So I'm picking West instead. He's big and he's the type of body the 49ers need in the middle to clog up lanes so opposing offenses can't gash the 49ers' run defense like they did last season.
But I still believe Williams will make the biggest impact as a rookie.
Purdy is now locked up as the franchise QB, and Warner is signed to a new deal. Do you think the 49ers will extend Jennings next, and what do you think that deal would look like? - ShoqMax
My heart wants to say, "Yes!" Jennings is everything you want in a player. He's tough and physical, loves the game, is committed to his team and teammates, and comes up big in the biggest moments. His 2024 season was a breakout year.
Jennings will be a free agent next March. So it wouldn't surprise me if the 49ers were talking about a new deal with him. But Jennings believes he's WR1. And he likely will want his next deal to reflect that. He was the 49ers' top wide receiver last year. And he's the best blocking wideout in the game.
What we don't yet know is whether or not the 49ers believe he's worth the money he'll likely want. They're already paying Aiyuk WR1 money. Would they be able to pay both? Might they consider trading one of them next offseason? Which would they prefer to keep? These are some important questions John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan have to answer.
And that doesn't even mention Jed York's tightening of the belt. He's forked out a lot of money (nearly $1 billion) for no Super Bowl championship in return. Was the 2025 offseason a one-time thing, or will that be a new norm in Santa Clara? 49ers fans hope it's not a sign of what's to come.
So, is Jennings the next extension? I hope so, but I predict he's not.
It was reported that Brock Purdy asked for $65 million per year. Would you have still wanted him to be the 49ers QB at that price? - Sarah G.
Probably not. I'm not sure any QB is worth $65 million per year. Maybe Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are, but paying your signal-caller that much would force your hand in some other areas. Yes, there are ways to manipulate the salary cap, but that only goes so far. What Purdy will receive, which averages out to roughly $53 million per year, is fair. It allows Purdy to be compensated according to his market value, yet allows the team to keep building around him.
An additional $12 million per year would have made sustaining a strong roster much more difficult. I was hoping they would agree to a deal lower than $55 million. I didn't want to see them anywhere near $60 million.
If Isaiah Neyor is looking good at the rookie minicamps, how did he become an undrafted rookie? With that being said, the wide receiver room is about to be crowded with Neyor and the emergence of Terique Owens. Who would be the odd man out? - Sasha R.
It's true that Neyor looked good in the rookie minicamp. But keep in mind that during minicamps, the defense is not playing as they normally would. There are no pads, no hitting, and they can't put their hands on the receivers like they can during training camp or a game. So minicamps and OTAs highly favor receivers.
Now that's not to say Neyor won't be able to make plays when the pads come on. I liked the 49ers signing him. He was my favorite of the undrafted rookie free agents. He's big and fast, and the 49ers need someone like that at wide receiver. But there have been rookies in the past that I've been excited about, especially after rookie minicamp, and then when the pads came on, they disappeared. There's a reason players go undrafted. And though some overcome that, most do not.
As far as who is the odd man out, I initially did not think Bergen would make the roster if he's just a punt returner. But it sounds like he may have been handpicked by new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer. If that's the case, then Bergen is making the team and will count as a wide receiver.
So then, who may be on the outside looking in? If the 49ers currently have 12 wide receivers, and if they keep only six, then six are in danger. I'm sure you're impressed with my math skills.
If Aiyuk begins the season on PUP and Robinson is suspended, that opens the door for a couple of others for week one. Neyor, Owens, Taylor, and Hodgins are in danger for sure. Cowing isn't guaranteed anything either, but I expect him to be better in year two. It will be an interesting competition to follow through the preseason.
Which recent signing (Purdy, Kittle, Warner) was the most important? And which surprised you the most? - Kate F.
Extending Purdy was the most important. Re-signing Fred Warner and George Kittle were very important moves, as well. But your quarterback is always going to be the most important position on the team, and therefore, the most important signing or extension.
None of them surprised me. We knew all three would be extended this offseason. If there's another extension before the end of the 2025 season, then I might be surprised.
Where do you rank Purdy among NFL QBs? - Dave B.
Since his rookie season, Purdy has consistently ranked within the top 13-14 among NFL quarterbacks in terms of PFF passing grade. But PFF grades don't tell the whole story.
In 2023, his best season, Purdy led the NFL in TD%, yards per attempt, average yards per attempt, yards per completion, QB rating, and QBR. He was also a Pro Bowler and fourth in the MVP voting, along with setting a 49ers record for the most passing yards in a season (4,280) and passer rating (113.0). Additionally, Purdy became the fastest quarterback in 49ers history to reach 50 career touchdown passes.
2024 was a down year for Purdy, but it was a down season for the 49ers overall. That said, Purdy still threw for 3864 yards and 20 touchdowns in only 15 games.
I certainly believe Purdy is a top-10 NFL quarterback. His numbers suggest as much. And his team's success in 2022 and 2023 would also back that up. It's been especially true when the 49ers have needed him to come up big, like in the 2023 postseason. Yes, the 49ers lost the Super Bowl in which he started, but it wasn't because of him. Remember, he walked off the field late in the Super Bowl after giving his team the lead (twice). If not for a missed assignment by a backup offensive guard, Purdy may have walked off the field a champion.
And remember, he's only 25. He will get better.
In honor of Memorial Day weekend, how do you gussy up a grilled hot dog, burger, or sausage? - Ed H.
I'm pretty traditional when it comes to hamburgers and hot dogs. Just give me some mustard for my hot dog, and some ketchup and mustard for my hamburger (although I like to add some bacon and mushrooms, too). But I'm not much of a sausage person. Is that bad?
That's all we have for this week's edition of the 49ers Webzone mailbag. We'll be back with a new one in a couple of weeks.