It's almost time for the San Francisco 49ers to kick off their preseason. Which young players will shine? Which players will win or lose a roster spot? These are a couple of questions fans look forward to being answered over the next few weeks.
For now, let's jump into the 49ers Webzone Mailbag, our first of the 2025 NFL season. We opened it this week to see what questions were on your mind. You had some great ones, so let's jump in and take a look.
49ers line up in 11 personnel to start Week 1 (I know, I know, but just humor me here), Who are your 3 WRs? - Chris W.
If the 49ers line up with three wide receivers in week one, it will be Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, and some other guy. Impressive, huh?
As to who that other guy will be, I'm not hopeful that Jacob Cowing will be that guy, because of the amount of time he's missed in training camp. But he's been in the system for over a year, so that will help his chances. And if Cowing returns soon, he'll have time to catch up.
I want to think Jordan Watkins could show that he's ready, but I'm not sure Kyle Shanahan will trust him to be the third guy in week one. So who will it be?
If Demarcus Robinson is suspended, I'm going with Russell Gage, Jr. as the number three wide receiver. He has been consistent throughout training camp so far, and he's a veteran who won't be overwhelmed by the moment.
So that's my prediction for week one—Jennings, Pearsall, and Gage, Jr.
Greg Joseph was cut even when he was winning the kicking competition vs. Jake Moody. Do you honestly think Shanahan would've cut Moody and kept Joseph? Or was it always Moody's job to lose, and Joseph was just there to put pressure on Moody? - Johnny Y.
I believe Greg Joseph was cut to make room on the roster for some other positions where more depth was needed. Yes, Joseph was technically winning the competition, but only by one miss.
Has it been a real competition? I'm sure it has been, but I've felt from the beginning that Jake Moody had to lose it for Joseph to win it. If it's close, they'll likely go with the young guy whom they spent a 3rd-round pick on.
What's your biggest area of concern for the 49ers this season? For me, it's the overall depth chart. - ShoqMax
Yes, that's easily the biggest concern. And depth is a concern at multiple positions, including offensive tackle, wide receiver, cornerback, tight end, and safety. If the 49ers have injury issues like they did in 2024, this season could get ugly.
With Aiyuk more than likely missing some time, and Slick Rick still being young, how do the Niners overcome the lack of depth at WR for the early season? Do they rely more on the backs and the people's TE, or do they let Brock cook and just continue to play their style of football? - Macrob
The 49ers will have to rely on George Kittle more. But I also expect them to run the ball more than they normally do. The good news is that when they run the ball more than they pass, they usually win. When they pass more than they run, it's often the opposite. So I expect the 49ers to go back to a more run-heavy focus, especially in the early weeks.
When will you offer Jauan Jennings an acceptable offer? He is too good to let go. - Judith J.
I'm not the one who makes the offers, but you probably know that. I assume Judith's question was directed at the 49ers. But I agree that Jennings is too good to let go. Hopefully, the 49ers will figure out a way to keep him.
Perhaps Jennings' calf will feel better with a new contract.
Why is Moody still on the roster? - Will F.
He's still the kicker. Now, whether or not Moody will be the kicker at the end of the season remains to be seen, but for now, he's the one the 49ers are keeping.
I'm sorry, but this kicking situation is a joke. We can run receivers in and out all week long, but we can't keep 2 kickers for a minimum of two preseason games? - Chris H.
I mentioned this earlier, but letting Joseph go was likely a roster move. We'll see if the 49ers bring him back or not. If they don't, then Moody is the guy—at least until he shows he's not the guy. If that happens, Joseph, or some other kicker, may be the guy.
Who do you anticipate being the starting safeties to start the season? Who do you anticipate getting extensions this season? - Lowbridge
I believe the starting safeties in week one will be Ji'Ayir Brown (if healthy) and Jason Pinnock. Once Malik Mustapha returns, one of the other two will go back to being a reserve.
In time, I expect Mustapha and Marques Sigle to be the starters. But that may take some time.
As far as extensions this season, it wouldn't surprise me to see Jennings get extended again, though I don't anticipate it being for WR1 money. I've heard some say Colton McKivitz could get extended. But why would McKivitz want to sign an extension that will likely be team-friendly? If he stays healthy and plays well this season, he'll be paid very well as a free agent (see: Moore, Jaylon).
How does the O-Line look so far? - Larry B.
The starting offensive line is solid. But the backups are another story. If McKivitz and Trent Williams go down, it's going to be scary—especially for Brock Purdy and the run game.
Good or bad, what's been most eye-opening from 49ers camp? - Ed H.
Good:- Purdy to Pearsall- these two continue to hook up on the field.
- Dee Winters- he's been everywhere.
- How two new coordinators (Robert Saleh and Brant Boyer) are impacting the defense and special teams. In the NFL, coaching matters!
Bad:
- Injuries- why does this team struggle to stay healthy?
- Lack of depth- we knew there were depth issues, but the injuries have made the lack of depth even more concerning.
- This team is counting on a lot of young players, and young players often play without much consistency.
What is being done to keep CMC and other key players healthy? It seems like losing key players to injuries is our biggest roadblock every season. We need our stud players healthy if we're going to win #6 this season! How is it looking to get our injured WRs back for Game 1? - Greg H.
They appear to be doing what they can to protect their key guys, especially players like Williams, Christian McCaffrey, and Nick Bosa. It's a difficult line to balance. How do you get your players ready without exposing them to more injuries? At some point, you have to let them practice. But the 49ers are taking steps to protect some of their more established key starters.
Our offense is pretty great. Can we keep our defense together? - John H.
In 2024, the defense, which had been the strength for years, was the glaring weakness. But the 49ers made a lot of changes on that side of the ball, including their first five draft picks in April. They should be hungrier and faster.
The question is, will they be better, and will they be less of a weakness in 2025? The fact that Saleh is back as defensive coordinator will make a huge difference. And having assistant defensive head coach Gus Bradley on board helps even more.
Outside of John Brody, Joe Montana, and Steve Young, where would you rank Jeff Garcia, Colin Kaepernick, Alex Smith, and Brock Purdy on your all-time 49ers quarterback list? - Sasha R.
This is an interesting question, especially since Jimmy Garoppolo isn't mentioned as an option. Not that I'd choose him anyway.
It depends on how you rank them. Is it according to Pro Bowls? If so, Jeff Garcia would be next in line. If it's how dynamic the player was, Colin Kaepernick would be the guy. If it's efficiency and effectiveness, then it would be Purdy.
For my money, I'm going with Purdy. I believe he's the best of those QBs. He may not be as physically gifted as the others, and he may not have been drafted as high, but he's been consistent, and at times, Pro Bowl level. And he's the only one on the list with a chance to get better.
Will the San Francisco 49ers go to the Super Bowl and win? - Genesis B.
I'm not a betting man, but if I were, I'd bet against the 49ers winning the Super Bowl this season. I believe they'll be better than they were last year, and if they stay healthy, they can make a run. But staying healthy is a tall task for this team, and they don't have the depth they once enjoyed.
If the 49ers do win the Super Bowl, though, it will be because the rookies and young guys have stepped up.
Why do the Niners suck at football so much? - John V.
Hi, John. I looked at your profile to see if I could discover which team you follow, since you're obviously not a 49ers fan. It looks like you live in Washington state, which leads me to believe you're a Seahawks fan. But the fact that you were able to write a complete sentence without any grammatical errors rules out that fanbase.
So I'm stumped. But thanks for reading.
That's all we have for this edition of the 49ers Webzone Mailbag. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll be back next week with a brand new one.