The 49ers officially were eliminated from 2024 NFL playoff contention before they even took the field for their 29-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
So, the quest for the franchise's sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy is off until next year.
The 49ers have been riddled with drama all season; some issues were unlucky, some were tragic and some were because, well, San Francisco wasn’t good enough. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: the 49ers must nail the 2025 NFL Draft.
“With the looming Brock Purdy contract over their head -- probably over $60 million a year -- they’re probably not going to be able to allocate a lot of money into free agency, which means this year is the most critical year for the 49ers in the NFL draft,” analyst Donte Whitner said during the most recent NBC Sports Bay Area’s “Hitner’s Hot Take” segment.
“They have to hit on 80 percent of their draft picks this year [and select] guys who are ready to play to revamp this roster, or the 49ers will be out of the playoffs again in 2025.”
San Francisco will have its hands tied once it offers Purdy the big-time contract extension that many around the league believe a quarterback of his caliber is due, meaning the 49ers will have less money to throw at top-tier free agents.
And even if Purdy wasn’t expected to be offered a massive deal, San Francisco still should go all in on the upcoming draft. The team has holes to fill everywhere and, especially this season, has seen what Father Time and the injury bug are capable of.
San Francisco 49ers
With that said, Whitner made it clear there is more at stake for the 49ers than just returning to contention. Coach Kyle Shanahan and president of football operations/general manager John Lynch must nail this draft like there is no tomorrow because of their history as a tandem.
“During the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch era, the 49ers have become notorious for missing on first-round picks -- Solomon Thomas, Reuben Foster, Mike McGlinchey, Trey Lance, Javon Kinlaw [are] all guys who were supposed to be cornerstone players on this roster [and] are no longer on the roster,” Whitner recalled. “And they’ve also missed on a number of second- through fourth-round picks.”
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The upcoming draft will be a prove-it event for the 49ers as an organization. A season removed from an overtime Super Bowl LVIII loss, many are wondering about what happened to San Francisco.
Whitner is saying what we’re all thinking: the 49ers must select energetic, win-now players before the franchise’s competitive window closes.
