The San Francisco 49ers appear to be in full rebuild mode as they’ve stripped their roster down to the studs over the last several days, parting ways with a dozen players.

So far, San Francisco has bid farewell to:

• Wide receiver Deebo Samuel (traded to Washington Commanders)
• Fullback Kyle Juszczyk (cut)
• Defensive end Leonard Floyd (cut)
• Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (cut)
• Defensive tackle Maliek Collins (cut)
• Linebacker Dre Greenlaw (signed three-year, $35 million deal with Denver Broncos)
• Cornerback Charvarius Ward (signed three-year, $54 million deal with Indianapolis Colts)
• Safety Talanoa Hufanga (signed three-year, $45 million deal with Broncos)
• Guard Aaron Banks (signed four-year, $77 million deal with Green Bay Packers)
• Offensive tackle Jaylon Moore (signed two-year, $30 million deal with Kansas City Chiefs)
• Running back Elijah Mitchell (signed one-year, $3.5 million deal with Chiefs)
• Quarterback Josh Dobbs (signed two-year, $8 million deal with New England Patriots)

It’s been a stunning fall from grace for the 49ers since their Super Bowl appearance during the 2023 season. Last season’s 6-11 crash-landing saw them tumble to the NFC West cellar during a campaign where injuries ravaged their star-studded roster.

Now, one NFL analyst believes if the 49ers are truly embracing the rebuild, they should go all-in and move on from perhaps their most valuable chess piece.

NFL analyst: San Francisco 49ers need to trade three-time Pro Bowler

During Wednesday’s episode of “Get Up,” ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark didn’t mince words about what San Francisco should do with two-time All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey.

“I would absolutely trade Christian McCaffrey and I would try to get as much as I could possibly get for him,” Clark stated. “When you look at what [head coach] Kyle Shanahan has been able to do, it’s run the football. And I know we thought last year they missed some of the things with the versatility of Christian McCaffrey. But when you trade Juszczyk, you let some of that versatility go, you let some of the things you can do formationally go.”

After Achilles and calf injuries delayed McCaffrey’s season debut until Week 10 against Tampa Bay, his comeback lasted just four games before a PCL injury against Buffalo in Week 14 shut him down for good.

Following a transcendent 2023 season where he claimed Offensive Player of the Year honors while leading the league in rushing yards (1,459), scrimmage yards (2,023), touches (339), and total touchdowns (21), McCaffrey managed just 202 yards and zero trips to the end zone in his abbreviated 2024 campaign.

Clark sees opportunity in McCaffrey’s market value still outweighing his recent availability concerns.

“So why not change your entire philosophy from thinking about Christian McCaffrey as this Swiss Army knife? Getting pieces for him and allowing guys like Ricky Pearsall to touch the football more, with running the football, and doing different things on quick screens,” Clark suggested. “Adding other players based on the assets that you can get for him. Also understanding you’re looking for more available players than Christian McCaffrey was last year.

“You had a good stretch with him, you took your run at the Super Bowl, you didn’t get it. If you’re going to rebuild, rebuild completely.”

The financial implications make sense too. McCaffrey is owed $8.5 million this season but carries no guaranteed money in 2026 and 2027. His current cap number sits at $9.4 million. According to OverTheCap.com, a post-June 1 trade would be optimal for San Francisco, leaving just $5 million in dead money for 2025.

The 49ers originally acquired McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers at the 2022 trade deadline, a move that helped fuel their Super Bowl run a year later. Now, they might find themselves on the selling end of a similar transaction as they potentially press the reset button on the Shanahan era.

More must-reads:

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• NFL insider says Carolina Panthers panicked in free agency
• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shockingly allows four-time Pro Bowl defensive stalwart to walk for nothing

One of the NFL’s best running backs is preparing to take on a new role. San Francisco 49ers superstar Christian McCaffrey and his wife, Sports Illustrated model Olivia Culpo, are expecting their first child together.

Culpo, 32, took to Instagram to share the news, captioning a black and white photo “Next chapter, motherhood.” She also shared a video in which she and McCaffrey are enjoying a romantic outdoor scene before she holds up a sonogram.

Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey are adding to their team.
"Next chapter, motherhood." https://t.co/7zU1L83r0w

— NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) March 11, 2025

The pair got married less than a year ago in a lavish ceremony in Culpo’s native state of Rhode Island. They’ve been linked since 2019 and got engaged in April 2023.

McCaffrey, 28, was named the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year. He’s looking to bounce back in 2025 after getting hurt in December, forcing him to end his injury-plagued campaign early. He dealt with a calf strain early in the year and suffered a sprain PCL in November.

Culpo was open about her fertility journey, revealing that she feared her endometriosis would make it her difficult for her to conceive. “I want to have kids, but I want to make sure that I can,” Culpo said on her reality series, “Culpo Sisters,” in an episode that aired in November 2022. “Endometriosis can affect your fertility in a lot of different ways,” she continued. “You can have endometrial tissue growing near or on your ovaries, it can affect the quality of your eggs, scar your fallopian tubes.”

Culpo’s due date has not been revealed.

More must-reads:

• Philadelphia Eagles sign running back who missed entire 2024 season with neck injury to back up Saquon Barkley
• NFL insider says Carolina Panthers panicked in free agency
• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shockingly allows four-time Pro Bowl defensive stalwart to walk for nothing

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan know they have a tall task ahead, trying to reclaim their status as Super Bowl contenders. It won’t be easy for a team that won just six games last season, but getting several starters back from injury improves their playoff chances.

Another factor that could help the 49ers return to the postseason is if they can land the five-time Pro Bowler they’re reportedly targeting in NFL free agency.

Related: NFL free agency predictions 2025: Projecting landing spots for 32 top NFL free agents

Joey Bosa could be closing in on a contract with San Francisco 49ers

Former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa’s older brother, Joey Bosa, was recently released by the Los Angeles Chargers. Since he was released before NFL free agency kicks off on Monday, Bosa is free to sign with any team he chooses right now.

One of those teams, could even be the San Francisco 49ers.

According to San Francisco Standard‘s Tim Kawakami, Bosa is already having “good conversations” with the 49ers.

It’s hard to envision another team stepping up with a better offer that prevents the two Bosa brothers from teaming up in San Francisco. While other teams have more money to spend, only the 49ers can present the opportunity to play on the same defense.

Related: 6 Joey Bosa landing spots in NFL free agency

More must-reads:

• Philadelphia Eagles sign running back who missed entire 2024 season with neck injury to back up Saquon Barkley
• NFL insider says Carolina Panthers panicked in free agency
• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shockingly allows four-time Pro Bowl defensive stalwart to walk for nothing

The Philadelphia Eagles have several defensive holes to address after capturing their second Super Bowl championship in franchise history.

General manager Howie Roseman didn’t waste time making All-Pro Zack Baun one of the highest-paid linebackers in the league, signing him to a three-year, $51 million contract. Baun transformed his career in his first season with the Eagles, becoming one of the best off-ball linebackers under Vic Fangio’s defensive scheme.

However, they face more critical decisions as edge rusher Josh Sweat and young defensive tackle Milton Williams hit free agency. According to OverTheCap.com, the Birds currently have $21.9 million in cap space for 2025, making it challenging to retain both players who might command contracts beyond Philadelphia’s price range.

That’s why one team insider believes the Eagles should make a play to bring back a familiar face – a two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle who previously thrived in midnight green.

Related: Philadelphia Eagles rumors suggest team could move on from top offensive starter

Insider: Philadelphia Eagles should consider bringing back Javon Hargrave

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s E.J. Smith believes a reunion could be in play for Javon Hargrave and the Eagles. Hargrave spent three productive seasons in Philadelphia (2020-2022) where he emerged as a top-tier defensive tackle, accumulating 23 sacks, 161 total tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and 42 quarterback hits. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2021.

After the 2022 season, he signed a four-year, $84 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers but was released this offseason after playing just three games in 2024 due to a triceps injury.

“If the Eagles were interested in signing Hargrave in free agency for a second time, a reunion could make plenty of sense. He missed all but three games last year with a triceps injury, but he has proved throughout his career that he can be the type of versatile interior rusher to complement a star defensive tackle like Fletcher Cox or, in this scenario, Jalen Carter,” Smith reports. “In 2023, Hargrave had seven sacks and ranked eighth among all defensive tackles with 64 pressures. The season before, his final year with the Eagles, he had 11 sacks and 66 pressures.”

Smith continues: “Hargrave’s ability to play in multiple alignments, including at nose tackle, and to capitalize on the attention players like Cox and Carter draw would make him a seamless replacement for Milton Williams, assuming Williams gets a big-money deal and Hargrave’s market stalls by comparison.”

If Williams does command a contract beyond Philadelphia’s budget, bringing back Hargrave looks like a savvy Roseman move. The veteran defender would return to a team where he previously flourished and get another crack at championship contention with an Eagles team that’s reloaded for another Super Bowl push.

Related: Insider reveals potential Philadelphia Eagles’ first-round target

More must-reads:

• Philadelphia Eagles sign running back who missed entire 2024 season with neck injury to back up Saquon Barkley
• NFL insider says Carolina Panthers panicked in free agency
• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shockingly allows four-time Pro Bowl defensive stalwart to walk for nothing

A disappointing season in 2024 has the San Francisco 49ers eager to bounce back in a big way in 2025. Better injury luck should already put Kyle Shanahan’s team on track to improve upon a 6-11 record from last season, but their misfortunes have San Francisco on track to take advantage.

The 49ers have the 11th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but before they can dream about adding future stars, there’s one who’s already being linked to signing in San Francisco.

Related: 2025 NFL mock draft: Who should the 49ers draft?

Joey Bosa open to teaming up with Nick Bosa on San Francisco 49ers

Late Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Chargers surprisingly released five-time edge rusher Joey Bosa, saving $25.3 million in cap space. The 29-year-old has spent his entire nine-year career with the Chargers, and after tallying 72 sacks in that timespan, Bosa is expected to draw interest from several contenders.

Yet, one team that could stand out among the rest is the San Francisco 49ers, thanks to the presence of Nick Bosa.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the two Bosa brothers may be eyeing a chance to team up on the 49ers.

Bosa has only played in 28 games across the past three seasons, which, when he was set to have a $36.4 million cap hit in 2025, was too big of a risk to take again. If he can return to health, he should have no trouble getting back to double-digit sacks for the first time since 2021, and it could happen in San Francisco.

Related: San Francisco 49ers reportedly engaged in trade talks for Pro Bowl player

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• Philadelphia Eagles sign running back who missed entire 2024 season with neck injury to back up Saquon Barkley
• NFL insider says Carolina Panthers panicked in free agency
• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shockingly allows four-time Pro Bowl defensive stalwart to walk for nothing

It seems like some members of the San Francisco 49ers are fans of Shane Gillis. Tight end George Kittle, running back Christian McCaffrey, and fullback Kyle Juszczyk spent 12 hours in New York City to attend the live taping of “Saturday Night Live” at Rockefeller Center.

#49ers George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey and Kyle Juszczyk visit Saturday Night Live pic.twitter.com/SrveIdB9yf

— 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙎𝙁𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 (@TheSFNiners) March 3, 2025

Kittle, McCaffrey and Juszczyk attended the March 1 taping to support their friend Gillis, a comedian and actor who stars in the show “Tires.” Kittle took to Instagram to post pictures of himself and his 49ers teammates on set. Kittle also took a picture with comedian and actor Mike Myers – the tight end was wearing a Wayne’s World t-shirt for the festivities.

Gillis has several professional football player friends – the comedian attended McCaffrey and Olivia Culpo’s wedding in Rhode Island in June 2024 alongside his girlfriend Grace Brassel. “Tires” also boasts cameos from NFL greats like J.J. Watt.

The 49ers, despite their stacked roster, missed the playoffs this past season, finishing the campaign with a 6-11 record. San Francisco missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020, and McCaffrey’s season ended when he suffered a PCL sprain in his right knee in a Week 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

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• Philadelphia Eagles sign running back who missed entire 2024 season with neck injury to back up Saquon Barkley
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• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shockingly allows four-time Pro Bowl defensive stalwart to walk for nothing

The San Francisco 49ers traded wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders on Saturday, ending weeks of NFL rumors regarding the All-Pro’s future with the team. Before dealing Samuel to Washington, San Francisco engaged in trade talks to add a Pro Bowl talent to their defense.

San Francisco is making its defense a top priority this offseason. It started early with the team bringing back Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator, a massive move for Kyle Shanahan. With the architect of the 49ers’ defensive success now back in town, the focus has shifted to giving him more talent to work with.

Related: Winners, Losers from the Deebo Samuel trade, including the San Francisco 49ers

There are plenty of needs to address. With Charvarius Ward departing in free agency, San Francisco needs another starting perimeter cornerback. The club is also focused on re-signing linebacker Dre Greenlaw, while also setting its sights in free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft on cornerbacks and defensive linemen. It’s what fueled trade talks they had during the NFL Combine this week.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, part of the 49ers’ negotiations with the Commanders included a potential swap of Samuel for defensive lineman Jonathan Allen.

Related: San Francisco 49ers rumors shed light on team’s approach to NFL free agency

• Jonathan Allen stats: 7 QB hits, 3 tackles for loss, 3 sacks in 8 games last season

Washington granted Allen permission to seek a trade this offseason. The 30-year-old defensive tackle is coming off an injury-plagued season, but he earned consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2021-’22. In his last healthy campaign, Allen had 19 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2023.

Related: Insider reveals likely cost of Brock Purdy contract extension for San Francisco 49ers

While Allen wants a new contract, any team that acquires him would likely have him play out the final year of his deal. However, signing him to a multi-year extension would at least lower his cap hit ($22.352 million) in 2025. While he ultimately wasn’t traded to the 49ers as part of the Samuel deal, it’s possible the 49ers and Commanders revisit trade talks this spring.

More must-reads:

• Philadelphia Eagles sign running back who missed entire 2024 season with neck injury to back up Saquon Barkley
• NFL insider says Carolina Panthers panicked in free agency
• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shockingly allows four-time Pro Bowl defensive stalwart to walk for nothing

The San Francisco 49ers have been prominent in NFL rumors this offseason because of a Brock Purdy contract extension and the pursuit of a Deebo Samuel trade. While two big moves could be on the horizon, a more immediate focus is NFL free agency.

San Francisco missed the playoffs this past season, finishing the year with a 6-11 record. While injuries played a massive part in it, the 49ers roster also lacks the depth that helped it reach the NFC Championship Game in three consecutive years. It’s why NFL free agency will be critical this spring.

Related: NFL rumors reveal likely return in Deebo Samuel trade for San Francisco 49ers

According to Sportskeeda‘s Tony Pauline, the 49ers are heading into NFL free agency with a focus on offensive linemen and a cornerback, with the possibility of adding a wide receiver.

Adding a wide receiver could be contingent on when Samuel is traded. With that said, it’s obviously a lower priority for the club since the 49ers draft class in 2024 featured first-round pick Ricky Pearsall and fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing.

Related: Insider reveals likely cost of Brock Purdy contract extension for San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco will likely need to replace Charvarius Ward. The veteran had a down year in 2024, which isn’t surprising given the loss of his child. While he is one of the best cornerbacks available in NFL free agency, Ward has expressed a preference to play outside of California given his family’s trauma in the state.

D.J. Reed Jr. is the best cornerback available and he would add a high-end starter who 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is very familiar with. If the team wants to spread its money around on multiple positions, veteran cornerback Carlton Davis III or Rasul Douglas could be more cost-effective options.

Also Read:: San Francisco 49ers ready to trade former All-Pro player

As for the 49ers offensive line, only one spot is secured long-term. San Francisco will likely need to find a long-term replacement for Trent Williams, but that will come from the 2025 NFL Draft. Outside of right guard Dominick Puni, everyone else on the offensive line is a replacement-level player.

As for potential targets in NFL free agency, veteran guards Kevin Zeitler and Brandon Scherff could offer immediate help while Morgan Moses, Dan Moore Jr. and Alaric Jackson could be targets to start at offensive tackle next season.

Also Read:: Insider sheds light on how Abdul Carter injury impacts his 2025 NFL Draft projection

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• Philadelphia Eagles sign running back who missed entire 2024 season with neck injury to back up Saquon Barkley
• NFL insider says Carolina Panthers panicked in free agency
• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shockingly allows four-time Pro Bowl defensive stalwart to walk for nothing

Under general manager John Lynch’s direction, the San Francisco 49ers have assembled an impressive roster of talent. His work, along with head coach Kyle Shanahan’s strong leadership, has helped the 49ers make two Super Bowl appearances in the past six seasons, yet they’re still chasing their first championship ring.

However, when teams collect and develop so much talent as the 49ers have, the team’s salary cap tends to climb pretty high. If teams could afford to pay all the best players, they’d have no trouble competing for a playoff spot each and every season, but that isn’t the case in the NFL, where the league prefers to have a level field of competition for all 32 teams.

Yet, once teams stack up so much talent on one roster, eventually, it comes back to bite them by having a team that’s too expensive to carry into the next season. That could be where the 49ers are right now.

Related: San Francisco 49ers’ trade discussions involving All-Pro reportedly not going well

San Francisco 49ers ready to honor Deebo Samuel’s trade request

The San Francisco 49ers had hopes of returning to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2024 NFL season, just as they had in 2023. Yet, they instead suffered through a 6-11 season.

Last year’s team fell short, and the 2025 49ers could look quite a bit different, including the loss of a former All-Pro receiver.

Deebo Samuel recorded a career-low 44.7 receiving yards per game last season, and now he’s entering the final year of his contract with a cap hit of $15.8 million in 2025. Samuel and the 49ers haven’t been able to reach common ground on an extension, and the 29-year-old has since requested a trade.

According to 49ers general manager John Lynch, San Francisco “intends to honor” their star receiver’s trade request this offseason.

While it’s never fun to deal with a trade request of a fan favorite, the 49ers knew an eventual contract dispute with Samuel was coming, which is partially why the team decided to select Ricky Pearsall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Related: 2025 mock draft: Who should the San Francisco 49ers draft?

Also Read:: 5 Deebo Samuel trade landing spots this offseason

More must-reads:

• Philadelphia Eagles sign running back who missed entire 2024 season with neck injury to back up Saquon Barkley
• NFL insider says Carolina Panthers panicked in free agency
• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shockingly allows four-time Pro Bowl defensive stalwart to walk for nothing

After failing to reach the playoffs in 2024 thanks to a 6-11 record, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch has a lot on his offseason agenda. The biggest item on the itinerary is addressing Brock Purdy’s contract situation with the former Pro Bowl quarterback entering the final year of his rookie deal.

Yet, other issues are at the forefront, such as finding a way to carve out more cap space, which brings us to Deebo Samuel and his $15.8 million cap hit. Like Purdy, Samuel is entering the final year of his contract. However, there’s been reports that the 49ers may end up trading the former All-Pro receiver instead.

Related: 1 bold prediction for every NFL team this offseason, including the San Francisco 49ers

Teams uninterested in San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuels trade cost

While he hasn’t played in 16 games in a single season since his lone 1,000-yard season as a receiver in 2021, Deebo Samuel remains a threat to score each time he touches the ball. Yet, he’s coming off a season where he averaged the fewest yards per game in his NFL career, at 44.7 YPG. That amounted to 670 yards and three touchdowns over 15 games while being surpassed by Brandon Aiyuk as the No. 1 target in San Francisco’s passing offense.

Is a secondary target really worth nearly $20 million for one season? Maybe not to a cap-strapped 49ers team, but what about their competitors around the league?

Recently, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and former NFL QB Chase Daniel discussed Samuel’s trade market and how teams aren’t exactly presenting offers that are too good to refuse.

Meanwhile, Daniel chose to focus on the impact that a Samuel trade could have on Brock Purdy. From Daniel’s perspective, he believes trading Samuel gives Purdy much more leverage, which could lead to the QB’s preference to play out the final year of his contract, effectively setting up a much larger payday in the long run.

It’s hard to envision Purdy pulling the type of power play Daniel speaks of, especially considering the 49ers still have Aiyuk, George Kittle and 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall ready to go. Yet, perhaps Mr. Irrelevant is willing to be more patient before getting the massive payday young quarterbacks often receive after playing at such a high level for several seasons.

Related: 2025 mock draft: Who should the San Francisco 49ers draft?

More must-reads:

• Philadelphia Eagles sign running back who missed entire 2024 season with neck injury to back up Saquon Barkley
• NFL insider says Carolina Panthers panicked in free agency
• Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shockingly allows four-time Pro Bowl defensive stalwart to walk for nothing