Can't get enough of the San Francisco 49ers? We can help with that. We're back with a brand-new 49ers Webzone Mailbag. We asked for your best 49ers questions, and you came through with several good ones. Thank you for submitting those.
Before we jump into the mailbag, be sure to set a reminder for yourself to watch Rise of the 49ers this Sunday and Monday on AMC and AMC+ at 6:00 p.m. PST. Rise of the 49ers is a four-part docuseries that airs over two nights. It covers the rise of the 49ers dynasty and is worth watching. I highly recommend it.
Let's take a look at the mailbag:
Will they realistically trade Mac Jones? Who else may be traded? Will they trade or release BA? - Jamie H.
Mac Jones is a strong trade candidate. But I'm not really sure what the 49ers can get for him. Can they swap him for a player who can help them in 2026? That might be a good option.
As far as draft compensation, I seriously doubt he can bring a first-round pick. Perhaps a second-rounder. If they can't get a higher-round pick for him, I don't believe the 49ers should trade Jones. If Brock Purdy misses time in 2026, they'll need someone who can win games. Jones showed he can do that.
As far as any other players who might be traded, Larry Krueger said he's heard Renardo Green and Ricky Pearsall could be moved. I can't see that happening, though. Why would the 49ers move off of two high-round selections after only two seasons? It seems unlikely, but they traded Trey Lance after only two seasons, so you never know.
People in the know have told me that Pearsall and Renardo Green are trade bait.
— Larry Krueger (@sportslarryk) January 18, 2026
As far as Brandon Aiyuk, I'm not sure if they will release him or trade him. I'm sure they'd love to get something for him. But will there be any team interested?
Do you think this electrical substation theory holds any water? - Joshua W.
I doubt it, but unlike many, I'm open to investigating it. John Lynch said the 49ers will look into it. They should, if for no other reason, to assure players that there's nothing to be concerned about.
This week, Kyle Juszczyk told "Front Office Sports" that the electrical substation has been a discussion in the locker room "for years," and that he wants the 49ers to investigate. We know Christian McCaffrey has looked into it, as well. If the Harvard and Stanford guys want to look into it, who am I to argue with them?
There are opinions on both sides, and while I'm a little skeptical that it's the cause of players' injuries, it's worth looking into. Some are already doing so.
Chase Senior did a video on this. It's very informative. You should check it out. Sports Medicine Doctor Brian Sutterer also did a video that is very good. Even Joe Rogan has discussed it. Whether you believe it or not, it's worth investigating.
I'm hearing a lot of big names being thrown about for potential trades (e.g., Justin Jefferson, Maxx Crosby, Kyle Pitts, A.J. Brown, etc.). How would you rank them if you had a choice? And are there any "under the radar" types you'd be interested in? - Andy G.
The 49ers will be more aggressive in free agency (and possibly trades) this offseason than they were a year ago. I'm not sure if they'll go after the big names like Justin Jefferson or Maxx Crosby, but they will check in on those guys.
If I were to rank the names Andy mentioned, I'm pursuing them in this order:
- Crosby
- Jefferson
- Kyle Pitts
- A.J. Brown
Brown scares me. I'm not sure his attitude would play well in San Francisco. Can you imagine him reading a book on the 49ers' bench? And don't forget, he dropped some huge passes that may have helped his team beat the 49ers in the Wild Card round.
I'd love to have Crosby on the other side of Nick Bosa. But I could be swayed to go with Jefferson instead. Imagine having him on the field with McCaffrey and, eventually, George Kittle. And if Pearsall can stay healthy, that would be a deadly duo.
As for some under-the-radar targets, New York Giants WR Wan'Dale Robinson is a player I like. The guy catches a lot of balls. A lot of fans like WR Alec Pierce from the Indianapolis Colts. He seems like a good fit for Kyle Shanahan's offense. I'd be happy with either of those players. And they'll cost less than Jefferson.
Here's an idea: sign one of those receivers (Robinson or Pierce) and trade for Crosby. I can dream, but I doubt the Raiders will be willing to work with the 49ers. Al Davis would roll over in his grave.
It's Draft SZN. Do you see the 49ers going O-Line early in the draft this year? Or is it gonna be another ALL OUT Defense again? - Johnny Y.
If they can trade up in the first round, then yes. But at pick 27, I'm not sure they will love any offensive tackle at that spot. Maybe there will be a guard or center they really like, but I see them going wide receiver or defensive line at that spot.
I'd like to see them go "best player available" if they stay put. They need help at linebacker, safety, offensive line, wide receiver, and defensive line. And you can always use better corners. So, just draft whoever is the best at that spot.
What did the Rams have on offense that was so superior to SF? OL? Multiple threats at WR? Niners couldn't move the ball in 8 qtrs (9 points), but LA didn't struggle. MM dominated KS, but McVay was able to put up points pretty easily. - KCarps
Some teams are better matchups than others. And there can be a variety of reasons why. For example, some of the 49ers dynasty teams in the '80s had problems with defenses that tackled well. Bill Walsh's teams relied a lot on YAC (yards after catch), and when they'd play teams that didn't miss tackles, it made it harder to move the ball.
But there's more to this issue with the Seahawks. The Rams have two elite wide receivers, and the 49ers have none. Purdy didn't have much time to throw against Seattle. And when he did, no one was open. So, getting better at wide receiver is one big step toward beating the Seahawks.
Where do you think they look at in FA? - Jamie H.
Wide receiver and defensive line are two areas I believe the 49ers will look to improve via free agency. Maybe safety, as well.
Will they be signing Pineiro to a contract so he remains a Niner? - Debi N.
Yes, I believe they will bring back Eddy Piñeiro. He was great for the 49ers. They need him.
The drafting has been bad in the early rounds. How do they fix it? - John P.
Draft the best players and stop only focusing on need. I realize you have to fill needs in the draft, but the early rounds should be filled with the top players available. I'm not a draft expert, so you can take my opinion with a grain of salt. But I like the approach of filling needs in free agency and then adding the best players available in the draft.
I like the 49ers' 2025 draft, but it's still too early to know how they will turn out. I liked the 2024 draft this time last year, but some of those players regressed in 2025 (Pearsall, Green, Malik Mustapha, Isaac Guerendo). Hopefully, it's just a sophomore slump for them.
Are the Niners drafting too low in the first round to get a real difference maker on OL? And if so, what other positions should they focus on? - Andy G.
I'm not an offensive line guru, so it's hard for me to comment on which offensive linemen might be available late in the first round. But what I do know is that, in seasons past, Lynch and Shanahan have mentioned that later in the first round, there weren't any tackles they thought would help the 49ers. Perhaps it will be different this year. I just don't know if they'll grab a tackle late in the first. And I'm not sure they will draft an interior lineman that high.
How many actual years are left on Kyle's deal? - John P.
Shanahan is signed through the 2027 season, so he has two full years remaining.
Was "the great purge of 2025" and the voiding of Aiyuk's deal enough to allow this team to become spenders again in free agency, or will it still take a year or more of being "frugal"? - Will S.
It will help cash flow, but the Aiyuk contract, and I believe the Javon Hargrave contract, will still impact the 2026 salary cap. Last year, the cuts and "purge" were mostly related to cash flow. The good news is that the cap can be manipulated.
As I've mentioned, I expect the 49ers to be more aggressive this offseason, but I think they'll be smart. No Aiyuk or Hargrave deals. And if they do spend big money, it should be for proven stars like Jefferson or Crosby.
Any chance the move on from Lynch? - Jonathan P.
I doubt it. Could Jed York give him a new title and bring in someone else to focus on the draft? Perhaps. But I don't see the 49ers moving on from Lynch.
Will Juice be back in 2026? - Jamie H.
Yes, Juszczyk is signed through the 2026 season, so he should be back. And Kittle's injury likely makes Juszczyk even more valuable to the offense. So I'd be surprised if the 49ers move on from their fullback.
Isn't it time to hit the FA market and sign a true WR1? - Joshua W.
Yes, and it won't surprise me if they do this. I mentioned earlier a couple of receivers the 49ers could target.
Do you think if the 49ers don't win the Super Bowl next year, Kyle will be on hot seat? - Sasha R.
No. The 2025 season was Shanahan's best coaching performance so far. That will buy him more time. He is probably closer to an extension than he is the hot seat.
How foolish would it be not to pursue Kyle Pitts at this point? - Joshua W.
The 49ers will likely bring back Jake Tonges, who is a restricted free agent. Could they pursue Pitts, given that Kittle may miss most of the 2026 season? Perhaps, but I expect them to spend the big money on other positions.
Also, would Pitts want to come to San Francisco to be the starting tight end, only to become the backup once Kittle returns? I'm not sure he would, and Shanahan rarely used Tonges when Kittle was healthy. Will he suddenly start going with heavy two-tight end sets? He hasn't yet.
Now, if Pitts can block, that could change. Tonges doesn't block well, and that's why he doesn't play when Kittle is on the field.
I am thinking Bosa and Williams are going to need their contracts addressed for different reasons. Instead of going for broke on big names, wouldn't it be better to get mid-range talent in free agency? - Lowbridge
They will bring in some mid-range players who can add to the depth of the roster or possibly be starters. But they will go for at least one big name. Will it be in free agency or trade? I'm not sure. Will they want to trade away draft picks? I guess it depends on who the player is.
Giving up draft picks to move up to draft Lance didn't work. Giving up draft picks to trade for McCaffrey did. So, we'll see what they do.
How much cap gymnastics will the 49ers front office have to do this offseason? And which players may not like the results? - Ed H.
They may restructure some deals, but I don't believe we'll see the type of moves we saw last year. The salary cap is taking another jump, and the Aiyuk situation should ease the cash flow issue. They'll be in a better spot this year.
Do you not have a podcast anymore? - Vern C.
49ers Webzone no longer has a podcast, but a couple of our writers do. You can see those here.
In addition, there are many 49ers podcasts from which to choose. And there are different styles. If you like film breakdowns, there are some good ones out there. If you prefer more of the interview/discussion types, there are plenty of those. Just search wherever you watch or listen. You'll find several options.
That's all we have for this edition of the 49ers Webzone Mailbag. Thanks for reading this season. We'll be back with new ones throughout the offseason.
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