Back in August, before the season started, I dropped my four bold predictions for the 2026 San Francisco 49ers.
I am personally a fan of accountability, so while bold predictions are meant to be a little wild and out there, I wanted to go back and see just how close I was. Hold myself accountable, you know?
And while I feel good about some, others I feel less than good about. Let’s make a midseason critique of my pre-season bold predictions:
The 49ers go 6-0 against the NFC West
I feel so good about
this that I don’t really consider this one a bold prediction anymore for two reasons:
- The 49ers are the best team in the division (which could have been expected before the season started)
and
- The Rams and Seahawks aren’t great (something that wasn’t expected).
The 49ers are halfway to a perfect divisional record, and the two toughest games are already out of the way. San Francisco easily disposed of the Rams in Australia in Week 1 and then pulled a close one out over the Seahawks in Seattle in Week 5. Sandwiched between those two was a one-possession win over Arizona in Week 3.
Oddly enough, with Seattle and the Rams still on the schedule, the toughest battle for perfection might be the last with that Week 18 game in Arizona. If the 49ers can continue to have the grip on the NFC West they have right now, it’s possible San Francisco would have nothing to play for in this game and give the starters a rest (and maybe some gamesmanship to worsen Arizona’s draft position).
Of all the preseason bold predictions, this is the one I feel best about.
Mike Evans sets a career-high in receptions
I still can’t believe Evans has never had 100 receptions in a season. 11 seasons in a row with at least 1,000 receiving yards, but never once triple-digit receptions. Amazing.
And while Evans has clearly been the 49ers’ No. 1 receiver, this one will fall short for two reasons:
- His 4.5 receptions per game in his six games played would come out to 76-77 receptions over the 17-game season. Silly of me to expect a triple-digit reception season from a 49ers offense that loves to spread the ball around.
- The whole Achilles injury thing has me concerned about the next time we will even see Evans play.
Even though he won’t set a career-high in receptions, it is easy to see the impact Evans has had on the 49ers offense. Once Evans gets back to playing shape, him playing alongside Keenan Allen could make for an even more explosive offense.
Jack Jones leads the 49ers in interceptions
Can’t win them all. Sometimes you have to go to Atlanta for an early game right before the bye week. But I guess we aren’t completely dead, as the 49ers brought Jones back to the practice squad on Wednesday.
Shout out, Renardo Green.
Maxx Crosby will be a 49er at some point
I am frustrated by the 49ers’ trade deadline. I think they did a good job with who they acquired. The DeForest Buckner trade was a great move, and the Gracen Halton injury only solidified how important bringing Buckner back was. And the Allen trade shores up the receiving corps and allows the 49ers to slow-play Evans’ return from his Achilles injury.
Despite it being a good deadline for the 49ers, it’s borderline criminal they didn’t add another defensive end.
Step into my world of insanity because I recognize it takes two to tango to make a trade, and it was unlikely Crosby would be dealt at the deadline, but it would be so nice for the 49ers to maybe overpay with picks one time to make a big move.
The two biggest trades of the Shanahan/Lynch era have been Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey, and the 49ers only had to give up two thirds, a fourth, and two fifths to get the two franchise cornerstones. The only time the 49ers took a big swing trading multiple first-round picks was the infamous move up to pick No. 3 to take Trey Lance.
And sure, maybe the 49ers are a little shy to make that type of move after the poor results last time, but Maxx Crosby isn’t a project quarterback; he’s a proven entity.
It couldn’t have hurt the 49ers to offer the same two first-round picks that originally got Crosby sent to the Ravens and maybe tack on an additional day-two pick to sweeten the deal and force the Raiders to say no. Would anybody miss the picks if Crosby is what pushes the 49ers over the top for a Lombardi Trophy? I doubt it.
But let’s snap back to reality: Crosby wasn’t going to happen, the Chargers apparently think 0-8 is an easy hole to climb out of and wouldn’t move off of Khalil Mack, and the Texans had no reason to trade Jadeveon Clowney. But somebody like Will McDonald felt like he could have been had. He requested a trade, and the Jets have enough depth on the end where McDonald could be expended.
One would assume if the 49ers called, they were looking for value over getting the player as they do, but why not slightly overpay to ensure you get the guy? The 49ers are at the position where they can. Let’s say the 49ers valued McDonald with the fifth-round pick they hold for the 2027 draft. Why not overpay and offer a third instead (knowing comp picks will be coming) to get the asset that will help a position right now?
But again, it takes two to make a deal. The 49ers had a successful trade deadline with Buckner and Allen; it just feels like some meat was left on the bone by not making a move for a defensive end.
