Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco 49ers entered the offseason with a clear mission: secure the cornerstones of the roster. That meant locking in quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, and linebacker Fred Warner.
Purdy’s emergence as a franchise quarterback led to a monumental payday, making him the highest-paid player in team history and one of the most well-compensated in the NFL.
The 49ers rewarded Purdy with a five-year, $265 million contract extension, averaging $53 million annually. That massive investment necessitated a recalibration of how the rest of the roster was constructed, leading to the departure of several key contributors due to salary cap constraints. It was a necessary step to financially accommodate their young franchise quarterback.
San Francisco turned to the draft to fill roster gaps, selecting 11 players to inject youth and cost-effective talent into the lineup.
One 49ers legend, Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, is impressed with the team’s strategic approach to the offseason. Unlike recent years, there is no contract drama or lingering distractions heading into training camp.
“I’m very happy with how they handled the offseason,” Young told Rich Eisen this week. “They had a clear plan. It was a plan that was retooling. It wasn’t a complete restructure, but it was retooling. And every move was tactical and smart and fast, and then signing everybody, and getting everybody on board. I just thought they handled the offseason perfectly.”
Young acknowledged that the 49ers may no longer have the most talent-rich roster in the NFL, something he believes they boasted in recent years. However, he pointed out that much of their past success came from the culture and leadership within the locker room—perhaps the strongest in the league.
While the 49ers have yet to reach their ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl, their consistent presence as contenders is a product of the winning culture they’ve developed.
“What they did in the offseason was really smart,” Young said. “And now, what has to happen is your veterans need to stay healthy—Trent Williams, number one. If Trent Williams goes down—that’s not a offensive line that’s top-five in the league, but with Trent, you can survive it.”
Young stressed that much of the 49ers’ success hinges on Purdy’s continued development. The quarterback wasn’t able to do enough last season to overcome the string of injuries that plagued the roster and contributed to its 6-11 record.
“If it goes like last year, people are hurt, that’s not happening, protection starts to break down, I got to start running around, ball starts to fly, all of a sudden, there’s interceptions, that’s a tougher spot,” Young explained. “The guard rails are wider for the 49ers this year. It’s different, but yet, there’s still a path forward to go attack the Super Bowl.”
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