The 49ers’ most important offseason acquisition? Surprise: It’s not Mike Evans (paywall)
“Just how he works, how thorough he is on everything and what he does on his own,” Shanahan said. “Bringing guys along with him. Everyone from Dallas told us this and it’s been that way. He has been a stud.”
There was deep affection for Odighizuwa in Dallas. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said he and Odighizuwa cried on the phone together after the trade.
Odighizuwa developed strong bonds partly due to tragedy.
Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland died by suicide at 24 in November and Odighizuwa, a close friend who had already spoken out about the importance of prioritizing mental health, served as the de facto team spokesman after his death. Odighizuwa left the field with Kneeland’s jersey after games and entered carrying a flag with his jersey number before kickoff.
“Osa Odighizuwa was a stand-up human for all five of his seasons in Dallas,” the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris said on social media after the trade. “From a culture standpoint, this is one of the biggest losses the team could have taken.”
Odighizuwa was rocked by a trade he didn’t see coming. He has regained his footing since joining the 49ers, who are thrilled to have him, but moving on completely might require more time.
“There’s definitely a lot of love (with the Cowboys) that I still have,” Odighizuwa said. “… So it’s definitely one of those that hurt. It’s the business, something I’d never experienced before, but it kind of is what it is.
Gotta always say this: bury the dead, feed the living. What happened, happened. I can only do the best with what I have, be where my feet are and make the most of the opportunity I have in front of me.”
Better battles: Ranking the 49ers’ summer competition, from left guard to punter (paywall)
“While the 2025 offseason was largely about trimming the roster, general manager John Lynch and his staff spent the recent offseason adding depth. The result is more competition, especially at wide receiver and cornerback, which are deep but unsettled heading into the summer.”
49ers linked to Steelers’ Alex Highsmith in potential trade scenario
“Highsmith has flashed strong pass-rush potential in the past, but has been unable to get home consistently,” La Canfora wrote. “Getting with new coaches in a new scheme could help, and several teams were at least monitoring the Garrett situation, league sources pointed to Washington, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and San Francisco, who could well end up suitors for Highsmith.”
Kawakami Mailbag: Brandon Aiyuk’s viral existence, the Giants’ dilemma, and more (paywall)
“Why didn’t Purdy look as accurate last season? My short answer is just reciting the 49ers’ wide receivers last season, in order of receptions: Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Jordan Watkins.
This, folks, is why Aiyuk was worth $120 million in the first place. Or at least a healthy and off-line Aiyuk was worth it. At his peak, Aiyuk was, by far, the 49ers’ tightest, toughest route-runner; and that high-level skill works perfectly with the best of what Purdy can do. It’s no surprise that most of Purdy’s best “dots” came on passes to Aiyuk, mostly on slant routes over the middle while Aiyuk was at full sprint.
But the last time that happened was during the 2023 season, when Aiyuk put up a career-high 1,342 receiving yards. The 49ers’ top yards by a receiver last season: Jennings with 643, Bourne with 551, and Pearsall with 528.
Also, seven of the 49ers’ 16 interceptions thrown last year came on passes intended for Jennings. That’s a lot.
Purdy just didn’t have guys running into open windows last year. So he had to force more passes. That often doesn’t look or turn out great. And he still completed a career-high 69.4% of his passes and had a 100.5 passer rating, eighth best among qualified quarterbacks.
That’s why the 49ers believe they can get a lot more out of their passing game with three new faces in the WR room — Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and De’Zhaun Stribling.”
The 49ers are at a scheduling disadvantage, but not in Week 1
“The schedule and opponent are about as difficult as it gets to open the season. But, in fairness, the 49ers get three home games in a row after that against a trio of quarterbacks nobody would confuse with the upper echelon of the NFL.
Perhaps it’s because the game takes place in the middle of the season, but the trip to Mexico City figures to be far more taxing. Plus, the 49ers will travel straight from Dallas to Colorado before hopping on a flight to Mexico City. The cherry on top is the three games taking place after that. You face the Seahawks coming off a bye. Then you travel to New York. And you turn around and take on the Rams.”
