INDIANAPOLIS — Time off is great, but 49ers general manager John Lynch would prefer not to start vacation mode in January again.
From the Super Bowl to missing the playoffs, San Francisco had more time than usual to plot a strategy for the upcoming offseason after finishing the 2024 season with a 6-11 record. The 49ers last finished with fewer than 10 wins in a season in 2020 (6-10).
“We need to get younger,” Lynch said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine.
In 2020, that meant reloading the defensive line — defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw was the 14th overall pick — and selecting wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk with a second first-round pick. They also drafted wide receiver Jauan Jennings in the seventh round.
As the 49ers angle for a fresh start, wide receiver Deebo Samuel asked for one of his own. Lynch confirmed Wednesday action has been hot and heavy with multiple teams interested in acquiring Samuel, a player All-Pro tight end George Kittle has said cannot be replaced.
“The financial restraints and some conversations we’ve had with Deebo — we’re on good terms with Deebo. He’s asked for a fresh start and I think we’re going to honor that. Don’t like seeing great players — and he is a great player. I think often, one of my favorite draft picks in my time, he makes plays. He makes game-changing plays. Everything’s good. At some point, time happens. It probably makes sense. So we’re at least allowing him to look.”
The 49ers did the same with Aiyuk last summer with a contract holdout reaching a stalemate before negotiating a four-year, $120 million contract that signaled Samuel’s time could be up.
He turned 29 in January and the 2019 second-round pick hits the market after a 51-catch season, his lowest production in a full season over his six years in San Francisco. Samuel had 33 catches in 2020, when he was limited to seven games because of a broken foot.
Lynch said the 49ers and quarterback Brock Purdy “started negotiations” but there’s no guarantees the two sides get a deal done before the 2025 regular season.
“I won’t go into negotiations like always is our stance. We want Brock to be our quarterback as long as we’re here and beyond and we’ll leave it at that,” Lynch said. “My experience has been when both sides are motivated, there’s ample opportunity to do so.”
The final pick of the 2022 draft, Purdy enters the final season of his rookie contract with a base salary of $5.265 million thanks to a proven performance escalator in all NFL rookie contracts. His original four-year deal included a total salary of $3.74 million. Purdy turned 25 in December and has a 27-15 record, including 4-2 in the playoffs, with the 49ers.
Lynch said Purdy should have his left tackle of choice, Trent Williams, in front of him again in 2025. Williams turns 37 in July and missed the final seven games last season with an ankle injury.
“He’s playing,” Lynch said of the four-time All-Pro. “I think he’s really motivated to come back. When you’re a player that has experience playing at those heights, you don’t want to play unless you’re playing at that level, and I think that’s where Trent’s at. … I think we’re going to see a real motivated Trent Williams to come back and have a great year, and that’s a good thing for us.”
Running back Christian McCaffrey ended the season on IR with a posterior cruciate ligament knee injury and was sidelined early in the season with calf and Achilles issues. The NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, McCaffrey had 21 total TDs and over 2,100 yards from scrimmage two seasons ago.
Lynch said McCaffrey should be ready to roll to start the 2025 season. Meanwhile, the 49ers will consider ways to prevent him from trying to do too much too soon.
“Christian’s doing really well,” he said. “And I think (he) was real frustrated with the way last season went. And doing everything that is possible, as he did in preparation for last year. And we’re hoping Christian McCaffrey is out there and going to have a tremendous year. If he’s healthy, he will have a tremendous year. That’s just what he does.”
–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media
