After the 2024 season, the San Francisco 49ers appeared to be ready to move in a new direction. After previously handing out several high-profile contracts, the team was seemingly ready to stop their spending spree. Free agency in the spring of 2025 was lackluster as the team allowed several high-profile players to leave by free agency and trades to be replaced by less expensive options. Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel became expendable due to the drafting of Ricky Pearsall and the extension of Brandon Aiyuk. LB Dre Greenlaw and Safety Talanoa Hufanga both left for Denver after they were offered large deals by the Denver Broncos.
Fan favorites and main pieces of the 49ers’ championship runs had moved on. But sometimes in life, you can actually go home again.
Headed into this training camp, a wide receiver room that was supposed to be set suddenly was not. Brandon Aiyuk, only two seasons after signing the largest contract for a receiver in team history, was no longer a part of the future. Ricky Pearsall was still battling a PCL injury that would not heal and finally a decision was made to have surgery. While future Hall of Famer Mike Evans had been brought in to be the number one option in the passing game and the team used their top pick in this year’s draft on Ole Miss De’Zhaun Stribling to develop for the future, the organization still felt they needed more: re-enter Deebo Samuel.
After a relatively uninspiring season in Washington, Samuel hit free agency and found himself with little interest. The 49ers were interested in a reunion, and the Pearsall injury news was the push they needed to bring Deebo back after having some communication in the weeks leading up to his signing. The question that has to be asked is that now that he is no longer viewed as the number one option, how will Deebo’s skill set translate to this iteration of Kyle Shanahan’s offense? Will he be the third or fourth option in the progressions, or will Kyle dial up the gadget plays that Deebo has been so good at in years past?
The linebacker position last year was a carousel. After Fred Warner’s gruesome ankle injury in Tampa Bay, the team relied on Dee Winters and Tatum Bethune to patrol the second level. That would not go as smoothly as hoped due to injury and inconsistent play. Heading into last year’s postseason, Garrett Wallow and Eric Kendricks were taking the majority of the snaps. While Warner was chomping at the bit to get back, it was clear at season’s end that upgrades would be necessary. Two moves would define the position this off-season: Winters would be dealt to the Dallas Cowboys, and Denver would decide to move on from Dre Greenlaw after only one season.
While still fighting injuries in the early part of 2025, Greenlaw would finish the season strong and was arguably the Broncos’ best player in the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots. The idea of reuniting Greenlaw and Warner seemed too good to be true for most, but the 49ers found a way to make it happen and bring the team’s former defensive enforcer back into the fold.
Both Samuel and Greenlaw shared a common sentiment upon returning in that the culture of the 49ers was remarkable and that not all organizations operate in the fashion that they do. Their signings bring plenty of nostalgia with them, but also plenty of questions. With the NFC West as strong as ever, will these familiar faces be able to push the team back to the top of the division? Do the 49ers consider this their last best chance at a title? How will these moves affect the development of their younger players? Only time will tell, but one more season with explosive jet sweeps and opponents fearing the middle of Raheem Morris’ defense should give the Faithful plenty to get excited about in 2026.