After the San Francisco 49ers missed the playoffs during an injury-riddled 2024 season, they have a very important offseason ahead.
They have contract decisions to make on several key players, including quarterback Brock Purdy, and need to address their offensive line and defensive line to become contenders again.
The Niners have tendered deals to six of their players who are about to become exclusive free agents: tight end Jake Tonges, offensive tackle Austen Pleasants, defensive linemen Sam Okuayinonu, Evan Anderson and Alex Barrett, and linebacker Jalen Graham, via David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard.
Of those six, Okuayinonu seems to be the one player the Niners could most use next season based on how he played in 2024.
He joined them as a practice squad player, but due to injuries to multiple defensive linemen, he got into 16 games.
He ended up posting 3.0 sacks, seven quarterback hits, six tackles for loss, one pass defended, one forced fumble and 35 total tackles (25 solo).
San Francisco’s defense, which had been its calling card under head coach Kyle Shanahan over the past several seasons, struggled mightily in 2024, and as a result, the Niners fired Nick Sorensen as their defensive coordinator and brought back Robert Saleh, who had held that role from 2017 to 2020.
The 49ers can use some depth behind starting defensive ends Nick Bosa and Leonard Floyd, as well as a player who could eventually take over for Floyd.
