The San Francisco 49ers’ offseason is going from bad to worse, with the team losing more than a dozen players in free agency so far. The Niners have parted ways with several key contributors, the latest being their leading rusher from the 2024 season, Jordan Mason. The move raises several questions about the decision-making of general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan.
49ers Insider Baffled by 49ers’ Offseason Moves
The 49ers kicked off the offseason with a mass exodus, parting ways with WR Deebo Samuel Sr., OT Jaylon Moore, G Aaron Banks, S Talanoa Hufanga, CB Charvarius Ward, LB Dre Greenlaw, DT Javon Hargrave, DT Maliek Collins, DE Leonard Floyd, and FB Kyle Juszczyk (later re-signed).
There is an argument that this could be a case of addition by subtraction. Samuel’s play has not been at the same level as a couple of years ago, while Banks and Moore were far from proven at the prices they commanded in free agency. The same could be said for Ward and potentially Hargrave, who both had their struggles in 2024.
Meanwhile, trading Mason doesn’t make much sense. He emerged as the Niners’ lead rusher last season after Christian McCaffrey suffered an injury early in the year and racked up a career-high 789 yards on 153 carries with three touchdowns in six starts. Unfortunately, he 25-year-old finished the season on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain.
While the 49ers initially placed a second-round tender on Mason earlier in the week, they then decided to trade him to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2026 sixth-round pick, leaving San Francisco insider Tim Kawakami fuming on X.
“No, I can’t explain the logic, but I stopped being able to do that about four moves ago,” Kawakami wrote in reaction to Mason’s trade.
No, I can't explain the logic, but I stopped being able to do that about four moves ago. https://t.co/yet9QJN1sk
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) March 16, 2025
Kawakami’s frustration isn’t entirely surprising, as the 49ers received a “D” grade in PFSN’s NFL free agency grades.
Lynch and Shanahan first raised eyebrows by agreeing to a two-year, $7 million deal with QB Mac Jones, who has regressed over the past three seasons and threw just eight touchdowns in seven starts last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
San Francisco also signed Demarcus Robinson to a two-year deal, which may have been their only bright move in free agency. Yet, the 49ers also signed Luke Farrell to a three-year contract worth up to $20.25 million to be their No. 2 tight end, despite the fact that he had only 36 receptions for 318 yards and zero touchdowns in four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Last season, the 49ers finished last in the NFC West with a 6-11 record, which may have contributed to this roster overhaul. However, with no major improvements to the roster yet, San Francisco’s chances of climbing out of this hole do not look good at the moment.