Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025
49ers’ Kyle Shanahan details positions of need, is eager for more competition (paywall)
“It didn’t sound as if guard and center were quite as high on the priority list. Though center Jake Brendel draws plenty of criticism outside the organization, he’s got support within it. Shanahan said he didn’t envision a competition for the starting spot between Brendel and Matt Hennessy, who signed in December.
“I think Jake’s up there (among the top centers) when it comes to his pass protection,” he said. “A lot of these guys get mismatched against head-up nose (tackles) and some of the D-tackles they’ve got to go against. I think Jake does protection as good as anyone in this league. And I think he’s always been a very good run player for us, too.”
He said Hennessy might be part of the competition with Ben Bartch and Nick Zakelj for the starting left guard spot Aaron Banks manned the last three seasons.”
Peter Schrager doubts Brock Purdy will earn over $55M annually from 49ers
“I don’t see Brock Purdy making north of $55 million,” Schrager said. “I don’t see Brock Purdy being one of the top highest-paid quarterbacks. It’s going to be a discussion with his agent, him, and what does he want? What does he need?
“And you never want to take a hometown discount, but you also realize that—you’re Brock Purdy—is $50 million the right number? Is 48 not the right number? Is 45 the right number? Can 40 be the right number?”
A deal averaging in the low $40 million range seems unlikely. At the same time, after years of heavy spending, the 49ers may be reluctant to push Purdy’s salary toward the top tier of quarterback contracts.
“So, curious to see where it goes out here,” Schrager added. “But obviously, they want to sign Brock Purdy. That’s been [general manager] John Lynch’s stance forever.”
Lance Zierlein mock draft: 49ers upgrade O-line with three-year starter
“Banks has the ability to slide over and take on the right tackle spot as a rookie — and he could make the switch back to left tackle when Trent Williams hangs it up,” Zierlein wrote.
Banks (6-5, 315) has played exclusively at left tackle over the past three seasons, earning a career-best 89.9 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) in 2024, ranking fourth in the nation among offensive tackles.”
49ers plan to bring in a veteran kicker to compete with Jake Moody (paywall)
“As long as we bring in a guy who’s capable of taking that job, and Jake respects him — that’s what puts pressure on him because you’ve got to respect the guy you’re going against,” Shanahan said. “And when your job’s on the line doing something, going against someone who’s talented, you do feel that pressure. I do believe if he can overcome that, and beat out a capable guy, that’ll show us he’s ready for the season.”
York states Purdy’s 49ers extension ‘shouldn’t be that hard to do’
“I feel good,” he said. “When he’s ready, we’ll sit down and finish it. It shouldn’t be that hard to do.”
But part of the cost of signing a quarterback to a market deal is that moves have to be made elsewhere on the roster to allow the pieces to fit.
“When you make that change, you have to make sacrifices somewhere,” York said. “It’s a decision that we made collectively, and we’re hoping we make somebody the highest-paid player in the history of our franchise, and it’s a decision we made probably in the middle of the season.”