t’s not a great time to be a San Francisco 49ers fan.
Just one year removed from coming a hair’s breath from winning the Super Bowl, the start of NFL free agency was the equivalent of a slap in the face during a blissful, mid-afternoon nap … followed by a large bucket of ice cold water poured on your head.
“Since the start of the legal tampering period on Monday, a slew of players including stars and franchise stalwarts have bid farewell to the Niners,” Sports Illustrated’s Tyler Lauletta wrote on March 14. “Wide receiver Deebo Samuel was traded to the Commanders. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk, named to nine straight Pro Bowls, was released. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw left for Denver, as did safety Talanoa Hufanga. Cornerback Charvarius Ward is now a Colt … the 49ers have also missed out on big opportunities to reload, most notably losing out on the Joey Bosa sweepstakes to the Buffalo Bills despite having his brother Nick on the team.”
At this point, outside of quarterback Brock Purdy, it’s safe to assume no one on the roster is safe.
For the Denver Broncos, that could present a unique opportunity to become a Super Bowl contender in 2025 with one simple move — making a trade for NFL All-Pro running back and 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey.
“”I would absolutely trade Christian McCaffrey and I would try to get as much as I could possibly get for him,” ESPN’s Ryan Clark said on March 12. “You had Christian McCaffrey and you took your run at the Super Bowl and didn’t get it … If you’re going to rebuild, rebuild completely.”
