Niners Nation
ESPN reviewed each team’s starting lineups on both sides of the ball to determine which team had the strongest roster in the NFL. They named the biggest strength, the weakness, the X-factor, and the non-starter to know.
The San Francisco 49ers’ win total is among the highest in the NFL once again, suggesting this team has one of the better rosters in the NFL. They are set in premium positions like quarterback, wide receiver, edge rusher, and tackle. The secondary and depth leave enough to be desired to raise questions, and a top-heavy roster makes them tough to pick against.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the Niners quarterback is listed as the team’s biggest strength:
Biggest strength: Quarterback. I could’ve gone a few directions here, but Brock Purdy‘s continued strong play, coupled with Mac Jones‘ solid performance in relief duty last season, is enough to push quarterback to the top. Durability has been an issue for Purdy, but his efficiency has been elite, as he has finished his three seasons as a starter ranked first, seventh and, most recently, second in QBR. He threw 20 TDs in only nine games last season — a pace matched only by Matthew Stafford.
The ceiling of the team, not just the offense, is drastically different with Purdy on the field. With the weapons around Purdy this year, the floor will be higher than it’s been in a few seasons.
It goes without saying that Purdy needs to stay healthy for this operation to peak, but it’s not a stretch to say that we could see the best version of Purdy this season.
The 49ers got next to no production-wise from their defensive tackle group in 2025. That’s a big reason why they went out and traded for Osa Odighizuwa and used another draft pick on a defensive tackle. Despite that, ESPN still believes this group is the biggest weakness on the roster:
Biggest weakness: Interior defensive line. This is the same concern area as last year, and the 49ers went on to finish 31st in pressures (157) and last in sacks (20) in 2025. Some help was added in the form of Osa Odighizuwa, who was effective while playing 62% of Dallas’ defensive snaps during his first five pro seasons. Behind him are second-year players Alfred Collins and C.J. West, who tied for the second-worst PFF grade among 115 qualified defensive tackles last season, and fourth-round rookie Gracen Halton.
The Niners need Collins to play up to his draft status for this group to be viewed any differently. It wouldn’t hurt if Halton produced like he did last year at Oklahoma. He’s walking into a situation where he can produce, but that is not a position where rookies generally hit the ground running.
The X-factor listed was…Mike Evans?
X factor for 2026:...
