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All eyes have turned toward the 2025 NFL draft after the San Francisco 49ers made the choice to financially reset and avoid dishing out a ton of high-dollar free agency contracts. The 2025 draft class has a lot of pressure to perform right away, but a handful of players from the 2024 draft class will now carry additional pressure on their shoulders in 2025 as well.
Here are five players who could be pushed into larger, more important roles this season:
Pearsall was always going to carry a heavy workload as a first-round pick, but he needs to make a significant leap in Year 2 now that the 49ers have traded wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders. Last season Pearsall had an opportunity to ease his way in with Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings all ahead of him on the depth chart. This season he'll be pushed into WR1 or WR2 roles at times, and the 49ers don't have the depth for Pearsall to take steps backward in his development.
The 49ers likely didn't have much choice in whether to keep cornerback Charvarius Ward, but his exit leaves a significant hole atop San Francisco's CB depth chart. Green wound up starting seven games and playing 63 percent of the defensive snaps as a rookie. Veteran Isaac Yiadom was on the roster as a depth piece in the event Green struggled. This year Green will be pushed into a starting role and the team will likely rely on him for something much closer to 100 percent of the snaps. He was very good in Year 1. They need him to be great in Year 2.
Last season the 49ers were able to mix and match some safeties because they had Mustapha, Ji'Ayir Brown and Talanoa Hufanga. With Hufanga's exit in free agency and Brown's struggles in his second season, Mustapha appears to be the only sure starter in the 49ers' safety room going into the offseason. If Mustapha struggles, San Francisco has a real issue in its secondary. If Mustapha takes a step forward as a player, the 49ers will have a chance to put together a really good group in the back end of its defense.
Guerendo's rookie campaign was impressive in large part because of the flashes he showed as a pass catcher. That alone might have pushed him up to No. 2 on the depth chart, but after Jordan Mason was dealt to the Minnesota Vikings, there's no doubt about where Guerendo stands in the pecking order. He'll be tasked to take on the non-Christian McCaffrey touches, and he'll be the starter if McCaffrey misses any time. Guerendo needs to stay healthy and take a leap as a runner in the 49ers' offense.
There's a real chance Bethune gets pushed into a starting role this season as either a Will or Sam linebacker alongside Fred Warner now that Dre Greenlaw has joined the Denver Broncos. There are other players on the roster like Dee Winters and Jalen Graham who could conceivably push for starting jobs, but Bethune is now a major player in a crowded starting LB battle and there's a chance he's the best player of the group.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers inactive free agency puts heavy pressure on 5 2nd-year players
Continue reading...
Here are five players who could be pushed into larger, more important roles this season:
WR Ricky Pearsall
Pearsall was always going to carry a heavy workload as a first-round pick, but he needs to make a significant leap in Year 2 now that the 49ers have traded wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders. Last season Pearsall had an opportunity to ease his way in with Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings all ahead of him on the depth chart. This season he'll be pushed into WR1 or WR2 roles at times, and the 49ers don't have the depth for Pearsall to take steps backward in his development.
CB Renardo Green
The 49ers likely didn't have much choice in whether to keep cornerback Charvarius Ward, but his exit leaves a significant hole atop San Francisco's CB depth chart. Green wound up starting seven games and playing 63 percent of the defensive snaps as a rookie. Veteran Isaac Yiadom was on the roster as a depth piece in the event Green struggled. This year Green will be pushed into a starting role and the team will likely rely on him for something much closer to 100 percent of the snaps. He was very good in Year 1. They need him to be great in Year 2.
S Malik Mustapha
Last season the 49ers were able to mix and match some safeties because they had Mustapha, Ji'Ayir Brown and Talanoa Hufanga. With Hufanga's exit in free agency and Brown's struggles in his second season, Mustapha appears to be the only sure starter in the 49ers' safety room going into the offseason. If Mustapha struggles, San Francisco has a real issue in its secondary. If Mustapha takes a step forward as a player, the 49ers will have a chance to put together a really good group in the back end of its defense.
RB Isaac Guerendo
Guerendo's rookie campaign was impressive in large part because of the flashes he showed as a pass catcher. That alone might have pushed him up to No. 2 on the depth chart, but after Jordan Mason was dealt to the Minnesota Vikings, there's no doubt about where Guerendo stands in the pecking order. He'll be tasked to take on the non-Christian McCaffrey touches, and he'll be the starter if McCaffrey misses any time. Guerendo needs to stay healthy and take a leap as a runner in the 49ers' offense.
LB Tatum Bethune
There's a real chance Bethune gets pushed into a starting role this season as either a Will or Sam linebacker alongside Fred Warner now that Dre Greenlaw has joined the Denver Broncos. There are other players on the roster like Dee Winters and Jalen Graham who could conceivably push for starting jobs, but Bethune is now a major player in a crowded starting LB battle and there's a chance he's the best player of the group.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers inactive free agency puts heavy pressure on 5 2nd-year players
Continue reading...
