The San Francisco 49ers can claim that this offseason was a win. The team added Mike Evans and Osa Odighizuwa. That alone made it a successful offseason.
Those weren’t the only veterans added who should make an impact. One of the three veteran offensive linemen is expected to play a role in 2026. Dre Greenlaw slides in as a starter next to Fred Warner.
Then you have one of the most intriguing draft classes in some time. De’Zhaun Stribling breaks the mold of the undersized receivers. Romello Height
and Gracen Halton complement the 2025 draft class. Kaelon Black’s ability on passing downs and knack for big runs will raise the floor of an already potent offense.
The two players who matter the most might be the Day 3 offensive linemen. Not in 2026, but Enrique Cruz and Carver Willis could end up starting down the line.
But, and there’s always a but, there have to be a handful of moves where the 49ers regret not signing a player, selecting a prospect, etc. Let’s walk through some options.
Not lowering the asking price for Mac Jones
The 49ers had zero intentions of trading Mac Jones this offseason. If they did, they wouldn’t have put the word out there that they wanted a first-rounder for him. The hindsight of this will be fascinating.
If Brock Purdy stays healthy, you can claim that they should’ve traded Jones for a third or fourth-round pick and added to their roster. If Purdy misses a game or two, the Niners can pat themselves on the back and say that’s why they kept Jones all along.
We still feel strongly that the Niners should’ve moved back for draft capital. With an extra Day 3 pick, maybe you don’t have to select a running back in the third round. Perhaps you can add a defensive back with that pick.
That’s not to take away from what Jones did last season. He was fantastic in his role. But we’ve seen what Jones looks like outside of Kyle Shanahan’s system. Could a healthy Kurtis Rourke produce what Jones could have? If the 49ers felt that way, they would’ve dealt Jones.
One year of Dre or one year of Dee?
The 49ers love Dre Greenlaw. Once they knew he was an option, Greenlaw returning to the Niners was inevitable the second he left Denver.
There’s an assumption that now that Greenlaw is back in the fold, everything will go back to normal and the 49ers defense will return to the glory days. That feels… presumptuous. Greenlaw is undoubtedly an elite run defender. We know that’s where the Niners struggled mightily over the past few seasons.
Will 29-year-old Greenlaw be a better fit than 25-year-old Dee Winters? Greenlaw is objectively the better tackler. That matters in this sport. His instincts are also superior.
But that’s turning a blind eye to what Winters accomplished last season playing alongside Winters. To me, his growth was stunted once Warner went down with an injury. Winters is better in coverage, and I believe the 49ers will miss his versatility in that regard.
It may not matter because Warner is that good, but banking on Greenlaw to be better than Winters in 2026 is not as much of a shoo-in as the 49ers might think.
There’s one example on each side of the ball. Do you have any? Share them in the comments and let us know.
