The San Francisco 49ers, like the other 31 teams in the NFL, will spend the next two days trimming down their roster from 90 players to 53, to comply with the league rules ahead of Week 1 of the 2025 season.
While the bottom of the roster will is the primary focus for now, it’s important to remember that, at the top of their 53, San Francisco has some pretty talented players who others teams would be excited to have on their team if they ever became free agents or available in a trade.
Ahead of the roster cuts, ESPN analysts and insiders recently predicted the top 100 players for the upcoming year, and the 49ers had six players on the list, which was the third most of any team in the league (the Philadelphia Eagles had 10 and Detroit Lions had eight).
Among San Francisco’s selections were quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey, offensive tackle Trent Williams, defensive end Nick Bosa, tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner.
Let’s take a look at where each 49er landed in ESPN’s predictions, and see what ESPN’s Nick Wagoner had to say about them.
QB Brock Purdy – No. 96
“Purdy took a bit of a step back in 2024 as injuries piled up around him,” Wagoner wrote. “And yet, he still set a record for the most games with a 130.0-plus passer rating in a player’s first three seasons (13). He then enjoyed an epic offseason in which he signed a $265 million contract. Paid and healthy, Purdy has said he’s not fazed by the expectations that come with his new deal.”
ESPN projected stats for 2025: 4,578 passing yards, 25 TDs, 13 INTs (264 rushing yards, 5 TDs)
RB Christian McCaffrey – No. 48
“McCaffrey is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he played just four games and averaged 4.0 yards per carry,” Wagoner wrote. “That average would have been his lowest in a full season as a Niner by more than half a yard. But McCaffrey seems clear of the bilateral Achilles tendinitis and knee injury that landed him on injured reserve. The 49ers built a plan to keep McCaffrey healthy through camp, and if that can continue, he should be a focal point of the offense.”
ESPN projected stats for 2025: 261 carries, 1,189 yards, 9 TDs
OT Trent Williams – No. 43
“Williams started just 10 games in 2024 after an ankle issue landed him on injured reserve to end the season,” Wagoner wrote. “That followed a tumultuous preseason, when he held out of the majority of training camp, awaiting an adjustment to his contract. Williams returned to this year’s training camp healthy and leaner.”
DE Nick Bosa – No. 34
“By his own admission, Bosa’s production in 2024 (nine sacks and 52 tackles in 14 games) was a bit disappointing,” Wagoner wrote. “As the leader of a defensive line group full of youngsters, he has spent more time this offseason at the team facility than he has in the past. That, combined with a return to health after battling an oblique injury, has yielded a strong camp. Bosa needs just 4.5 sacks to move into second in franchise history.”
ESPN projected stats for 2025: 63 tackles, 11 sacks, 2 FF
TE George Kittle – No. 27
“Among tight ends, only Travis Kelce has more than Kittle’s 7,380 receiving yards through eight NFL season,” Wagoner said. “Yet, there’s reason to believe Kittle is still playing some of his best football. His 11.6 yards per target, 73.7 yards per game, 2.9 yards per route run and 14.9 yards per reception ranked first in the league in 2024.”
ESPN projected stats for 2025: 82 receptions, 1,040 yards, 7 TDs
LB Fred Warner – No. 13
“After posting 131 tackles in 2024, Warner has had 115-plus tackles in each of his first seven NFL seasons,” Wagoner wrote. “He’s one of just two players — along with Roquan Smith — to do that since at least 2000. Warner reached that mark despite playing most of last season with a fractured bone in his ankle. He’s back to full strength and reunited with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who should allow Warner to sprinkle some new things into his game (like more blitz opportunities).”
ESPN projected stats for 2025: 56 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT
More 49ers: 49ers’ PFF grades from preseason finale win over Chargers
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