SANTA CLARA — Six months are left until the NFL regular season and we already know how potent the 49ers’ offense could look.
Why ruin a good thing when your quarterback, Brock Purdy, passes for the franchise’s most yards ever in a season? Or when your offense produces the first in NFL history with 1,000 scrimmage yards from a running back (Christian McCaffrey), a tight end (George Kittle) and two wide receivers (Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel).
OK, so free agency is barely a week old, and the draft is more than a month out, meaning more reinforcements are on the way. But this year’s 49ers will have striking similarities to last season’s team that won the NFC Championship and, ultimately, could not end the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl reign.
After producing the second-most points (491) and yards (6,773) in franchise history, coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense will look to carry that momentum forward with a familiar crew, barring a shocking trade or arrival in the coming weeks and months.
Here is a look at the 49ers’ depth chart on offense, where every incumbent starter is back:
Quarterback
WHO’S HERE
Brock Purdy
Brandon Allen
Josh Dobbs
WHO LEFT
Sam Darnold (Vikings)
ANALYSIS
A year removed from successful elbow surgery, Purdy will be the unquestioned and unchallenged QB1 when the offseason program starts next month. There is obviously less fright over the backup competition than last year when Sam Darnold outdueled Trey Lance. Brandon Allen, QB3 last year, is bucking for a promotion to the No. 2 role.
Allen must beat out Joshua Dobbs, who is on his fourth team in seven months (the Browns traded him to the Cardinals, who traded him to the Vikings, who bid him adieu in free agency as they signed Darnold). A Day 3 draft pick could deliver another quarterback to the competition.
“It’s a nice feeling, having stability at that position,” general manager John Lynch said at last month’s scouting combine, even when Purdy was the only quarterback under contract for this year.
Running back
WHO’S HERE
Christian McCaffrey
Kyle Juszczyk (fullback)
Elijah Mitchell
Jordan Mason
WHO LEFT
Ty Davis-Price (Eagles)
Jeremy McNichols (free agent; cut Jan. 16)
ANALYSIS
McCaffrey won the NFL rushing crown in his first full season with the 49ers, and helping him defend that title will be Kyle Juszczyk, an eight-time Pro Bowl fullback who restructured his contract to save $4 million against the salary cap. The 49ers aren’t brimming with depth behind Mitchell and Mason. They better not dare blow another third-round pick on a rusher (see: Trey Sermon, 2021; Ty Davis-Price, 2022) while McCaffrey is their marquee playmaker for another year or two (his contract voids after 2025).
Wide receiver
WHO’S HERE
Brandon Aiyuk
Deebo Samuel
Jauan Jennings
Chris Conley
Ronnie Bell
Danny Gray
Tay Martin
WHO LEFT
Ray-Ray McCloud (Falcons)
Willie Snead IV (free agent)
ANALYSIS
Aiyuk’s status is the chief concern. After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, he has set himself up for a multi-year extension that could reach the NFL’s top pay grade of about $25 million annually. Or will he be asked to play out the fifth-year option on his rookie contract ($14 million salary)? Or will he be traded, with next month’s draft the most realistic deadline? Deebo Samuel is due a $21 million salary (and $28 million cap figure), and Jauan Jennings was tendered a $4.9 million contract as a restricted free agent, so the 49ers have a lot of money committed to their top three receivers, for now. Financially, the 49ers can swing it, but will they? Presuming Samuel isn’t traded, he’ll be wearing uniform No. 1 instead of No. 19.
McCloud’s exit in free agency confirms the 49ers will need a new return specialist. Ronnie Bell was not sure-handed in that capacity as a rookie. They could bring in a free agent, such as Raiders castoff Hunter Renfrow. Among the draft’s offerings are a trio of 49ers legacies: Brenden Rice (son of Jerry), Luke McCaffrey (Ed’s youngest son; Christian’s brother), and Frank Gore Jr., the latter of whom is a running back but with potential to make plays wherever.
Tight end
WHO’S HERE
George Kittle
Brayden Willis
Cameron Latu
Jake Tonges
WHO LEFT
Charlie Woerner (Falcons)
Ross Dwelley (free agent)
ANALYSIS
Kittle enters Year 8 fresh off another contract restructure, and, once again, the 49ers are hunting for the right complement as TE2. Woerner seized that role with his blocking and special teams work. Latu and Willis were 2023 draft picks, but invisible rookies. Latu, a third-round pick, had a few drops in camp before sitting out his rookie year with a knee injury. Willis, a seventh-round pick, got in some quality reps but no targets, so he’s still a work in progress. Tonges is a Los Gatos native and Cal product who was onboarded last season on the practice squad.
OFFENSIVE LINE
WHO’S HERE
LT Trent Williams
LG Aaron Banks
C Jake Brendel
RG Jon Feliciano
RT Colton McKivitz
G Spencer Burford
G Ben Bartch
G Nick Zakelj
C/G Corey Luciano
T Jaylon Moore
T Brandon Parker
T Sebastian Gutierrez
T Isaac Alarcon
WHO LEFT
T Matt Pryor (Bears)
T Alfredo Gutierrez (free agent)
T Jesse Davis (free agent)
ANALYSIS
The whole gang is back together, which bodes well for familiarity but doesn’t exactly answer critics’ calls for an upgraded unit. Feliciano re-signed on a one-year deal, setting up a camp competition with Burford, whose assignment failure against Chris Jones forced Purdy to hurry his final Super Bowl throw — an incompletion in overtime. McKivitz got a one-year extension through 2025. Picking up Parker from the Raiders in free agency offers an experienced starter to challenge McKivitz or vie with Moore for the swing tackle spot. Expect the 49ers to draft an offensive lineman for the first time since Zakelj (2022 sixth round). Developing homegrown linemen is the required philosophy when most money is earmarked for the skill positions (and an All-Pro left tackle).
