The 49ers’ braintrust has spoken, with coach Kyle Shanahan, general manager John Lynch and owner Jed York emerging from the seclusion of the offseason to engage the media during the NFL owners’ meetings in Phoenix.
A few things that caught my eye, with the Bay Area News Group’s Cam Inman in the middle of the questioning, along with much of the 49ers’ press corps:
A drama-free wide receiver corps
Welcome Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, an outside threat and a slot receiver who have battled injuries, but aren’t about to create anything theatrical for new passing game coordinator Leonard Hankerson.
“Those (wide receiver) rooms are always interesting ones, with a lot of dynamics. To have two grown men is really exciting,” Lynch said. “Hank’s looking forward to it and we’re all looking forward to it, not to disparage anyone we’ve had. … Those guys play the game the right way.”
And this from Shanahan: “I love getting, for a lack of a better word, men at the position. Guys who’ve done it before and nothing is too big for them.”
In contrast to Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings, this is a big change. They’ve got two potentially productive receivers in Evans and Kirk on what are essentially bargain one-year contracts. They aren’t likely to rock the boat, whether it be on social media, via their practice wardrobe or by missing rehab sessions and vanishing after signing a big contract.
“There’s a fence out there. Run around, but don’t jump over the fence,” was how Jon Gruden used to put it well before the days of the Antonio Brown saga with the Raiders.
To be fair, Shanahan has maintained his relationships with Samuel and Jennings have always been good, even if they seemed on the verge of jumping the fence at times. No one knows what quite to make of Aiyuk, who appeared to be in good standing right up to the point where he got paid.
Aiyuk was behaving erratically even before his torn ACL, when the 49ers finally signed him to a four-year, $120 million deal that was on the table well before he was almost traded to Pittsburgh. As easy as it is to bash Aiyuk, the bigger concern is his own mental and physical health, considering the way everything went down.
As for Ricky Pearsall Jr., he can now concentrate on getting fully healthy without taking on the burden of being a No. 1 or 1-A target for Brock Purdy.
Let’s face it. If Evan and/or Kirk can’t stay healthy and somewhere near the top of their game, the 49ers will long for the days of having the likes of Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens, Samuel, Aiyuk and Jennings creating a little creative tension because they didn’t get the ball.
Trent Williams contract negotiations
Nobody with the 49ers seems overly concerned that Williams won’t get his contract worked out. It’s not like the 49ers haven’t dealt with this before. We’ll take their word for it. But this is a big, big deal if it doesn’t happen and Williams plays elsewhere.
Help for Christian McCaffrey
Shanahan went out of his way to insist he doesn’t want McCaffrey to pile up 416 touches again. It’s not the first time he’s made such a declaration.
But as Shanahan noted Monday morning, with McCaffrey such a factor in the passing game, taking him off the field changes things pretty dramatically in terms of coverage. And last year, McCaffrey was one of the few 49ers who were able to remain healthy all year, complicating matters even further. Running backs coach Bobby Turner would spell McCaffrey, then Shanahan would be left hamstrung with a play he had called specifically because his most dynamic offensive player changed the look of the defense.
Right now, the leader in the house to spell McCaffrey is Jordan James, who was pretty much on ice last season. The moment Isaac Guerendo fumbles the ball during practice, he’s again at the back of the line.
When it comes to McCaffrey, Shanahan hasn’t been able to help himself. He has referenced getting him some help since the three-time All-Pro arrived in 2022 and it hasn’t happened yet.
Christian McCaffrey (23) logged 416 touches last season and the 49ers are vowing to get him some help in 2026. Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group
Revisionist history
The 49ers want everyone to believe they were decimated by all the losses a year ago when they readjusted their salary structure and roster. Shanahan referenced it again Monday.
In reality, with the possible exception of Dre Greenlaw signing with Denver, the 49ers cut ties with defensive tackles Maliek Collins and Javon Hargrave, edge rusher Leonard Floyd, safety Talanoa Hufanga and guard Aaron Banks because either through ineffectiveness or health, they contributed to a heads-will-roll 6-11 season. The circumstances of cornerback Charvarius Ward — his own family misfortune and the signing of Deommodore Lenoir — made it an easy call to let him walk.
The 49ers were better off for making these moves, not worse.
The 2026 free agent class
Shanahan, Lynch and York couldn’t be happier. But let’s face it. Free agents are free agents for a reason, and it’s usually one of three things: 1) Injury issues; 2) underperformance in relation to salary; or 3) a mismatch either because of system or commitment.
“That’s always one of the things in free agency, you don’t always know what you’re going to get,” York said.
Kirk’s deal was so reasonable (one year, $6 million) York said wasn’t even contacted before the signing.
Some of these players aren’t going to work out. It’s the nature of the beast.
International incidents
Coaches being the creatures of habit that they are, it’s hard to blame Shanahan for his lack of enthusiasm about opening in Melbourne, Australia and then playing later in Mexico City.
It’s the price to be paid for being one of the NFL’s top franchises. If the 49ers are hit with a rash of injuries, it will end up being this year’s “substation” conspiracy: something to talk about on social media but without anything factual to back it up.
Tax disadvantage
With the substation theory being temporarily dunked (these things never really go away), the next alleged problem for the 49ers was being unable to sign players because of California’s income tax as opposed to states which don’t have a state tax at all.
“I think it comes up more as an excuse from an agent,” York said. “It comes up after the fact.”
Bosa bros’ bill
It was a no-lose situation for Shanahan to say publicly the 49ers can’t afford free agent Joey Bosa to pair with his brother Nick as an outside rushing threat.
First off, the 49ers can afford it and fit it in their jigsaw puzzle no matter what Lynch says. If Joey signs elsewhere, Lynch shrugs his shoulders. If he joins Nick, Lynch looks as if he reeled in a big one.