The 2025 NFL season is officially upon us. Yes, there’s been free agency, which didn’t exactly kick things off in the right direction for the cost cutting 49ers, but the NFL draft is Christmas and that day is less than 48 hours away. Players are in the building in Santa Clara, including quarterback Brock Purdy who is closing in on the biggest raise in NFL history. Trent Williams is also in town. George Kittle is the only significant player who is staying away from this initial voluntary get together, which is essentially a check in to see how everyone is doing health wise before they get on the field in late May for the first time in the 2025 season.
With that as the back drop, here is a recap of who talked today and what was and wasn’t newsworthy:
JOHN LYNCH: 49ERS GM
John Lynch has learned from the school of former Oakland A’s executive Billy Beane in the fine art of saying something but saying nothing. The NFL draft is lying season at the highest level for team executives. They have to do these press conferences to throw fresh meat at the media and fans just days ahead of NFL Christmas, but why would you tell your rivals anything? You have to be careful in what you say about who and what you like as to not tip off other teams about how you may be thinking.
The best tidbits from Lynch actually had nothing to do with the draft, but rather who showed up for the first day of offseason activities. Brock Purdy is looking for and will receive the biggest raise in NFL history, he showed up. While Lynch downplayed Purdy’s attendance as Brock loving his teammates and football, it does indicate progress in contract talks. Brock might be all about leadership and football, but if talks were negative or stalled, his agent would tell him to stay away to send a message. Purdy was in Santa Clara and that can only be seen as a good sign. On the other hand, tight end George Kittle was a no show which Lynch addressed. Kittle often does not show for non-field events as he has a full offseason set up in his home down in Nashville. Kittle is looking for a new deal and has earned one going into the final season of his current contract. He’ll be around when it counts. Also, a minor surprise veteran Trent Williams was in the building. I would chalk that up to the 49ers doctors wanting to make sure his ankle, which was a problem in 2024, is healed and good to go.
The best of Lynch’s draft talk was how the 49ers have honed their draft process, what the NCAA NIL mess has done to change the draft and something called “table talk” where scouts jump up on a table to plead for their favorite players. All in all, Lynch did a fine job of saying something, but saying nothing which could be deciphered as something by his rivals in the league.
All you need to know about Christian McCaffrey is that he says he’s 100% healthy with no lingering effects from his 2024 achilles injuries. I think we got a hint of his clean bill of health when the 49ers traded his back up Jordan Mason to the Vikings earlier in the offseason. Mason led the NFL in rushing early in 2024 and was a solid zone scheme runner. CMC on the other hand is the NFL’s most versatile backfield weapon when he’s a full go and he says he has no restrictions going into 2025. The 49ers will score points with a healthy CMC, but what about the defense?
That’s where Fred Warner comes in. While acknowledging it wasn’t easy to watch all the veteran defensive talent leave the team this offseason, especially his partner in crime Dre Greenlaw at linebacker, Warner was upbeat about leading the charge for a rebuild and revival on that side of the ball. He is fired up about the return of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and says the new, old DC has learned a few new tricks during his time away in New York. The defense will be similar but feature some updates. Warner is also confident in the team’s ability to surround him with new talent through the draft and although he said he met a few rookies on their 30 visits, he isn’t giving tips on who to draft. Lastly, he didn’t sound concerned about his new deal. While much of the offseason focus has been on Brock Purdy and George Kittle getting extensions, Warner’s deal needs to be redone as well. His cap number jumps from $12.6M last season to over $29M this season and $26.7M in the final year of his deal in 2026. Those are dummy years to make the contract look better for the player and agent. Warner’s deal and cap number will have to be adjusted before the season.