Season's greetings. This year, a number of you chipped in and got me the gift of excellent San Francisco 49ers mailbag questions (It's just what I wanted!)
Thanks for all the great queries, which as always have been edited for length and clarity.
It looks like Talanoa Hufanga has recovered well from his ACL injury. He's moving very well and has played good ball since coming back from wrist surgery. Do you think he's a priority on defense with Dre Greenlaw to be given a new contract? -- Michael R.
Yes. And Kyle Shanahan said as much on Wednesday.
"Those are two of the better players I've been around and two of the better players on our team and two of the main reasons we've had the success we've had," he said. "So hopefully we can do everything we can to work out keeping them here because they're as much of examples of 49ers as anyone I can think of."
The problem, of course, is that other teams are seeing the same thing you are. I used to think the 49ers might be able to get a real discount on Greenlaw -- or maybe a one-year, prove-it deal -- if he came back slowly from his Achilles injury.
But he looked like he was shot out of a catapult last week and said on Wednesday that he'll be ready to play in Miami on Sunday. (He was limited in practice.) Which is to say, if the biggest free-agent misgiving about Greenlaw is his Achilles and he plays the rest of the season the way he did Thursday night, well, he'll be tougher to re-sign.
His former teammate, Azeez Al-Shaair, got a three-year, $34 million deal in March. They're the same age, 27. I'd think that's in the ballpark of what Greenlaw might get.
Hufanga? See next question.
How would you rank these soon-to-be unrestricted free agents by their chance of returning next season: Charvarius Ward, Hufanga, Greenlaw, Jaylon Moore, Ben Bartch and Aaron Banks? -- Allan B.
I'll rank them from most likely to least likely:
1. Bartch, guard: He ranks first due to the combination of position coach Chris Foerster liking him and him and him not having a strong market
T-2. Hufanga, safety: Safeties usually don't have big markets and Hufanga has been injured a lot. That the 49ers were so eager to re-insert him into the starting lineup shows how they feel about him. On the other hand, they have two other young safeties in Ji'Ayir Brown (24) and Malik Mustpaha (22) and won't break the bank for Hufanga.
T-2. Greenlaw, linebacker. The 49ers would love to have him back. I mean, just look how difficult it was to find his replacement this season? One possible replacement, Dee Winters, has had flashes, but he certainly hasn't shown he can be a reliable, every-down player. After that, there's no legitimate candidate to play the weakside spot. On the flip side: If Greenlaw plays the final three games like he did on Thursday, some team could pay him more than the 49ers feel they can afford.
4. Moore. Offensive tackle is the opposite of safety -- it ought to be a good market, especially in a draft that's light on quality tackles. Moore has been solid while stepping in for Trent Williams.
5. Banks. The 49ers just don't pay top dollar for guards and Banks can play in any system. He ought to have a strong market.
6. Ward. The 49ers seemed to signal their intent when they gave fellow cornerback Deommodore Lenoir a new contract last month.
What's holding Ricky Pearsall back from being more involved in the offense? Play calling? Chemistry with Brock Purdy? Limited on how he's used (specific looks/routes)? -- Stephen S
All of the above? I don't think anyone will benefit more from a full offseason with Purdy than Pearsall. Their chemistry clearly is a work in progress as a few recent incomplete deep balls have underscored.
Is Pearsall getting open? Well, Fantasy Points Data charts receivers' separation success. Pearsall is very much in the middle of the pack. He ranks 86 out of 118 wide receivers in separation score and his 13.3 percent separation win rate ranks 61st of 118.
Since the Niners are basically eliminated from the playoffs, how do you think they'll play out the final three games? Will it be business as usual or will we see players like Jacob Cowing, Pearsall and other young players a lot more? -- Phill P
Pearsall already has been playing a significant number of snaps. He's averaged 37 a game since he started playing in Week 7. By comparison, last year's No. 3 receiver, Jauan Jennings, averaged 28 snaps per game in 2023.
Cowing is the one they should play more. I asked Shanahan on Wednesday if he wanted to see more of Cowing over the home stretch.
"I want him to keep trying to earn it," he said. "I think he's come a long way here in this last month. I know he had that setback with the (Week 12) concussion, missing that game. But no, I think he's getting closer to earning more time out there but usually when Deebo (Samuel) is not out there in 21 personnel Ricky's out there. When we go 11 (personnel), it depends on the play, but it's always been (Chris) Conley or Jake for one of the three, not just one position. They've got to back up all three in 11."
How does two months extra offseason impact Barrows Draft Crush preparations? -- Patrick W.
As it stands now the 49ers have the 15th pick. I feel like that's in the meaty part of the draft-crush curve -- not so high that there's only one or two worthy players to choose from, not too low that there's meager interest from the reading public.
Who's your "it's so damn early I haven't done any research" draft crush"? -- Dan C.
Boise State runner Ashton Jeanty sure does make a quick impression. Dane Brugler has him going 21st in his initial mock.
Do you think the 49ers need a major roster overhaul like many commentators have said? -- Jason M.
No. There will be some changes for sure. A lot of it will take care of itself as far as free agents heading off for greener pastures (see above). And I think it's possible a pair of veterans -- Samuel and Javon Hargrave -- aren't on the 2025 roster. But I'd characterize that as a medium, not major, roster overhaul.
I've likened the 2024 49ers to the 2023 Philadelphia Eagles, a team that lost in the Super Bowl the season prior and seemed to be missing something -- energy, cohesion, a killer instinct, the elusive "it" -- the following regular season. The Eagles regrouped in 2024 and are 12-2.
Looking back on training camp, I remember folks in the media saying Samuel appeared to be in great shape and that he was one of the better players in camp. Do you think his slip in production is because of age, wear and tear or an injury? -- Jack D.
The reports out of training camp were legitimate -- he looked as close to "prime Deebo" as he'd been since 2021. And he got off to a fine start. He had a rushing touchdown in Week 1 and 110 receiving yards in Week 2.
But he came out of the Week 2 game with a calf injury and didn't play in Week 3. He had his bout with pneumonia in Week 7, then suffered a rib/oblique injury in Week 8. He hasn't been effective since then. I'm not saying he's still dealing with any injuries, but Samuel is a momentum player. And it's clear the midseason issues halted the momentum he'd built in the summer.
Is the Purdy negotiation gonna be painful? -- David N.
It shouldn't, which you should realize is different than, "it won't."
The 49ers can close on a deal as early as Jan. 6, which will give them a two-month head start on a lot of the other quarterbacks seeking new contracts. Purdy's agent might try to wait to see which other deals get done first (known in the biz as the "Aiyuk Technique). But my guess is that his client wants this done as quickly as possible, too.
Matt, if you look at the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings, the thing that stands out is the offensive lines that create running lanes consistently. Does Shanahan recognize the need to add talent to a group that is talent-deficient at multiple spots? -- Don D.
Your point would be better taken if you were talking about pass blocking instead of run blocking. The 49ers have been pretty solid in the latter category.
Average yards per carry in 2024:
Do you think Dominick Puni could eventually be groomed to take over at left tackle after Williams hangs it up? -- Derrick K
Could he be? Yes. Will he be? My guess is that the 49ers move him to left guard to replace Banks.
Shanahan said something very interesting in his presser: The 49ers thought they had two linebackers committed to signing with them before backing out and they ended up signing De'Vondre Campbell Sr. We know about Eric Kendricks. Who was the other linebacker? -- Brian D.
I spent Wednesday afternoon sleuthing that very question and got nowhere. No one seems to know and the 49ers aren't saying. It's a tad fishy.
I have asked before if it's time to sit in a corner and cry. I've done that many times. What do I do now? -- Chris G.
George Kittle's dad has the answer. It's the final quote in this story.
I want to buy my 10-year-old nephew a 49ers jersey for Christmas. Which player should I pick so that the jersey will be relevant for a few years, at which point he will outgrow it? -- Scott M.
I'd get him a Macklin Celebrini jersey. If teal's not his color ... maybe a No. 13 in red and gold? Purdy is only 24, which is no Celebrini (18), but is still pretty young.