The San Francisco 49ers are approaching a critical offseason as head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch look to right the ship after a disappointing 2024 campaign, ESPN NFL analyst Bill Barnwell offered his perspective on the team’s best options. In a recent piece breaking down several teams that will fall short of playoff expectations this season, Barnwell suggests three major moves the Niners could make: cut or trade several veterans, only re-sign one of their impending big time defensive free agents, and bring Robert Saleh back as defensive coordinator.
How you feel about Barnwell’s first suggestion largely depends on where you place the blame for this season’s disappointment. He highlights Javon Hargrave, Deebo Samuel, Maliek Collins, and George Odum as players who he would look to trade or release this offseason to clear up salary cap commitments. Hargrave and Samuel have largely under performed since signing their current sizable contracts with San Francisco and Odum has been a depth safety. Of the group, Collins has probably been the most productive relative to his salary cap commitment.
Barnwell points out that the Niners have already restructured defensive tackle Javon Hargrave’s contract in such a way to suggest he will be released with a post-June 1st designation. Samuel’s contract makes a similar post-June 1st move the most viable to clear cap space.
Among the impending free agents, Barnwell argues the Niners should only re-sign one of their trio of impactful defenders set to hit the open market (Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw, and Charvarius Ward). Barnwell points to the recent extension of Deommodore Lenoir and the market rate for safeties as justification to prioritize Greenlaw.
Barnwell’s final point concerns the future of defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson. Sorenson’s hiring came despite his relatively thin resume and the unit’s struggles this season have raised questions about whether Shanahan will make a change for the second consecutive year. Given how successful Saleh’s first tenure in San Francisco went, it’s easy to see him making a return.
