ClutchPoints
The San Francisco 49ers saw their title window slammed shut, albeit temporarily. This was not a team exposed as fraudulent, nor one suddenly short on talent. It was a roster stretched to its breaking point by injuries, depth erosion, and a growing list of structural issues. All those finally caught up to San Francisco on the sport’s biggest stage. The Seattle Seahawks exposed where San Francisco must evolve if it wants to reclaim its place atop the NFC.
Now comes the pivot point. General manager John Lynch enters the 2026 offseason with rare flexibility, real cap space, and a clear mandate. He needs to surround Brock Purdy with just enough reinforcement to keep the window open without reopening old cap wounds. The next two months will define whether this loss becomes a footnote or the start of a slow decline.
San Francisco finished the 2025 regular season at 12-5. That was good for second place in the NFC West and the No. 6 seed in a loaded playoff field. Offensively, the numbers were as strong as ever. The 49ers averaged 25.7 points per game. They leaned heavily on first-team All-Pro Christian McCaffrey. He delivered a historic campaign with 2,126 scrimmage yards and 17 total touchdowns while leading the league in carries. Even amid midseason turbulence, the 49ers remained one of the league’s most complete teams on paper.
That resilience showed immediately in the postseason. San Francisco went on the road and stunned the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles. They hashed out a 23-19 Wild Card win that marked the franchise’s 40th playoff victory. Purdy was composed, the defense bent but didn’t break, and Kyle Shanahan once again reminded the league why the 49ers are never an easy out.
Everything came apart a week later, though. The 49ers were steamrolled 41-6 by the Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round. A 95-yard kickoff return touchdown just 13 seconds into the game set the tone, and San Francisco never recovered. The offense was suffocated, Purdy was held to 140 passing yards and an interception, and McCaffrey was bottled up for just 74 scrimmage yards. Injuries finally overwhelmed the roster. Key absences included George Kittle, Fred Warner, and Nick Bosa. Meanwhile, the defense allowed 175 rushing yards in one of the most lopsided playoff losses in team history.
The silver lining is financial flexibility. Lynch spent the last year quietly reshaping the cap. They parted with aging veterans and created room for Purdy’s inevitable extension. As a result, San Francisco projects to have roughly $43.4 million in cap space. That should be more than enough to re-sign core contributors and selectively shop in free agency.
What the 49ers are unlikely to do is chase splashy, top-of-market veterans on massive contracts. Deals for players like Maxx Crosby or DJ Moore don’t fit the current vision. Instead, expect Lynch to target high-upside veterans who fit the system, ideally on manageable contracts. It will look much like the midseason acquisition of...
