Every time San Francisco 49ers fans came across news of the team making a roster move this offseason, it felt like they were losing another major contributor on the offensive or defensive side of the ball.
Well, all of these departures led to Pro Football Focus (PFF) handing out a brutal offseason grade for the 49ers entering the 2025 NFL season.
PFF Gives the 49ers a ‘D’ Grade for Rough Offseason Filled with Departures
Many football fans are consider PFF one of the best resources for NFL analysis on the open market. So, when PFF’s lead NFL Draft Analyst Trevor Sikkema slapped the 49ers with a grade of ‘D’ for this offseason, it certainly should catch the eyes of the Niner faithful.
Sikkema wrote in his league wide offseason grade piece, “Overall, the 49ers appeared to get worse this offseason. Getting Robert Saleh back as defensive coordinator could be a big positive, as he had success in that position with this very regime. But outside of that, the team lost Dre Greenlaw, Deebo Samuel and Talanoa Hufanga and didn’t meaningfully address their offensive line.”
Sikkema touched on some of the biggest departures from a 49ers’ roster that made two trips to the Super Bowl over the last six years. Yet, that was far from the only losses to the starting lineup from last year.
In addition to the three players mentioned, San Francisco also lost Javon Hargrave, Charvarius Ward, and Aaron Banks — who all signed lucrative deals in free agency just a couple of months ago.
Sikkema added, “San Francisco’s draft was heavily focused on improving in run defense, which was needed after they finished 2025 with a 54.6 team PFF grade in that facet. The 49ers’ floor might be higher, but their ceiling seems lower.”
Has the San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl Window Closed?
The ceiling Sikkema is referencing applies to the odds of this roster competing for a Super Bowl in 2025.
Admittedly, the plethora of losses makes it difficult to say the 49ers definitively improved their chances of hoisting a Lombardi Trophy at the end of the 2025 NFL season, but this roster is far from completely devoid of talent.
Christian McCaffrey is just one year removed from playing at an MVP level. A healthy Nick Bosa is usually in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. George Kittle has a very strong case as the current best TE in the league. And Trent Williams is still in the discussion for the best offensive tackle in the NFL.
One reason that justifies all of these offseason departures is the looming long-term contract extension of quarterback Brock Purdy, who is entering 2025 on the final year of his rookie deal.
Purdy’s excellent play has allowed the 49ers to maximize their Super Bowl chances with a loaded roster over the past three seasons, but giving the Iowa State product his muchly deserved market value deal comes at a cost.
Opinions on Purdy range from a system-type game manager to an ascending young star.
Purdy played at an MVP level in 2023 in his first full season as the starting quarterback of the team. If his production and efficiency return to those levels, the Niners Super Bowl window is still very much open.
Yet, if Purdy is unable to elevate the team — which appeared to be the case in certain games where he struggled last season — then San Francisco likely does have a lower ceiling like Sikkema mentioned entering the 2025 season.
