San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch recently sat down with NBC Sports Bay Area to reflect on the team's eventful offseason. While the 49ers lost several key contributors in free agency, they replenished the roster with 11 draft picks—and more importantly, locked down three foundational players.
Quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, and linebacker Fred Warner each signed contract extensions, ensuring the 49ers will keep their core intact as they look to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 season.
Unlike previous years, negotiations were smooth and concluded quickly, avoiding the kind of contract drama that had previously extended into training camp.
"I think we made an attempt, like we had done in past years, to take care of business early," Lynch said. "Do you learn from the previous year? The previous year, we had some stuff go into the season. That wasn't our motivation, but it did. And so, do you learn? Sure."
In 2024, contract negotiations with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams weren't resolved until just before Week 1. That delay had ripple effects throughout the early part of the season.
This time, the 49ers prioritized early agreements, and it paid off.
"It takes two to tango," Lynch said. "And ... all three of them, willing to work with us on certain things that were important to us. And I think we worked with things that were important to them. Those are three guys that we really want to be a part of our culture and our team and our organization moving forward; three really important players to us."
Lynch emphasized just how critical the quarterback position is and how confident the team feels about committing to Purdy.
"Obviously, the quarterback position is paramount," Lynch said. "Brock fits us really well. We thought quickly—it didn't take too long—'Hey, is this a guy we want to roll with into the future?' And the answer quickly was, 'Yes!' We'd seen it right in front of our very eyes, and we made that decision.
"Then, obviously, with George and Fred, they've both been with us for a long, long time. And so synonymous with the success we've had, who we are as an organization, who we want to be. They're just part of our core, and we wanted them to remain that."
Lynch dove deeper into the deal with Purdy, who went from one of the NFL's best bargains to becoming the highest-paid player in franchise history.
"I think Brock's an incredible person," Lynch said. "And so, we had good, honest dialogue with him early on, on what we were trying to achieve, how we were going to try to achieve it. His agent did a tremendous job, and I think it says that as much commitment as we've shown to Brock, he's shown that same commitment to our organization, and knew it was important."
The 49ers are coming off a frustrating 6-11 finish in 2024, placing them at the bottom of the NFC West. While Purdy still put up decent statistics, injuries and inconsistency plagued the team throughout the year, and the quarterback wasn't able to do enough to overcome those challenges.
"That (the 6-11 finish) doesn't sit well with anyone; it didn't sit well with Brock," Lynch added. "He understood we needed to take care of business. We felt like, provided with the motivation we both had on getting something done, that we could do that, and we were able to do it."