Niners Nation
The 49ers need these 5 players to perform at a high level in order to win big in 2025.
The San Francisco 49ers have started organized team activities (OTAs), marking them one phase closer to the start of the regular season.
It’s a much different roster for the 49ers, who saw a good chunk of their roster depart via free agency. Electing not to make a splash move, San Francisco instead relied on the draft to recoup talent and is now positioning themselves to return to the playoffs in 2025, potentially.
Last year was a disappointing season for the 49ers. Injuries cost them dearly, with several starters missing multiple games. That was seen especially during the 1-6 end to the season, when San Francisco struggled to close out games and went on a downward spiral before ending at 6-11.
Now, with many of their stars back and (hopefully) healthy, they’ll look to turn the tide in the other direction in 2025. With that said, who are the most important players for that success next season?
When gauging the “most important” players, it may not be the best guys on the team, but rather the ones who will sway this group’s success the most. So, let’s evaluate the roster and break down the five most important 49ers in 2025.
It’s obvious that Brock Purdy will have to play well in order for this team to have success in 2025. The quarterback struggled in high-leverage situations at times when asked to carry the team in 2024, leading to a few close losses, while other teammates couldn’t pick things up when needed as well.
Now, in 2025, Purdy should have Christian McCaffrey back, while hopefully taking another step forward in his play as well. In addition, Brandon Aiyuk could be back earlier than the midseason mark, giving the quarterback his WR1.
With the weapons around him, everything doesn’t rely on Purdy for a playoff push in 2025. But, his stepping up in those high-leverage moments could be the difference between a championship-caliber season and a low wildcard spot.
The good news? Everything is set in stone already this offseason, giving Purdy plenty of time to work with players like Ricky Pearsall and get more continuity with his guys.
A second-round pick on this list may be confusing at No. 4, but San Francisco desperately needs improvements with their run defense. Many are praising the 49ers for their offseason, which is fair. They extended their key players, didn’t make any unnecessary moves, brought back Robert Saleh, and looked to build via the draft.
Now, though, those draft picks need to hit, and they need to be successful early. The 49ers’ run defense was their biggest issue in 2025, and San Francisco didn’t do much in free agency to address that. Collins is their biggest addition in that department, so he’ll need to be up to the task early to help stop the run.
His...
