The San Francisco 49ers have plenty of star power. That isn't really up for debate. Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Mike Evans, Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner are among the biggest names in the NFL. But one NFL executive apparently believes the 49ers have a problem that goes beyond their top players.
According to a report by Mike Sando of The Athletic, an anonymous NFL executive who participated in a recent survey ranking NFC teams questioned the overall makeup of San Francisco's roster. "There is something missing with that group," the executive said while ranking the 49ers sixth in the NFC. "You can break down their personnel and come out with average in a lot of places."
The 49ers have legitimate questions at several positions entering the season. Bosa remains the unquestioned star of the defensive line, but the team needs someone else to emerge as a consistent pass rush threat. There are also questions at left guard and in the secondary.
Wide receiver is another area where the 49ers could be relying heavily on unproven players. Evans is still a major name, but he is 33 and coming off an injury-plagued 2025 campaign. Christian Kirk and Jacob Cowing are dealing with injuries, while Ricky Pearsall is out for the season. That could leave a significant amount of responsibility on rookie De'Zhaun Stribling.
The executive's comments also point to something that has been easy to overlook when discussing the 49ers. Having elite players at the top of the roster doesn't automatically make a team complete. The 49ers have spent years being viewed as one of the NFL's most talented teams. There was a time when their roster was so deep that losing one player simply meant another quality player stepped into the lineup. That isn't necessarily the case anymore.
This year's team will need some young players to develop quickly. Carver Willis could find himself starting at left guard. Romello Height will be needed to impact the defensive front. Stribling may need to become a reliable option at wide receiver much sooner than expected.
That doesn't mean the 49ers are doomed to be an average team. In fact, last season showed that writing them off can be a mistake. Despite dealing with significant injuries, San Francisco actually had a chance to win home-field advantage in the playoffs. One executive doesn't seem to agree with the doom-and-gloom outlook for the 49ers that the other executive did. "I think they are going to be just fine," he said. "Veteran team, not concerned. The quarterback (Brock Purdy) is really good. We forget, because he's not this in-37-commercials guy."
The roster may have some holes, but the 49ers still have something many teams don't: elite players at some of the most important positions on the field. Purdy is a proven starting quarterback. Bosa can change a game. Warner is the NFL's best linebacker. McCaffrey and Kittle, when healthy, are difference-makers.
Maybe the anonymous executive is right. Maybe something is missing from this version of the 49ers. Or maybe the answer will be found in the young players the team is counting on to fill those perceived gaps.
The criticism itself isn't unreasonable. The 49ers do have holes. But this is also a team that has been counted out before, only to remind people that a roster doesn't have to look perfect on paper to win a lot of football games.
More info on: Nick Bosa, Jacob Cowing, Mike Evans, Romello Height, Christian Kirk, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Ricky Pearsall, Brock Purdy, De'Zhaun Stribling, Fred Warner, Carver Willis
Comments