4 more San Francisco 49ers who won't be back after Super Bowl 58 defeat
By Mark Powell
The San Francisco 49ers fell just short of expectations in 2023-24. Kyle Shanahan has made it no secret that the Niners expect to win a Super Bowl year in and year out. Considering how loaded their roster is each season, that's not at all surprising.
After losing Super Bowl 58, Shanahan wasted little time moving on from defensive coordinatoe Steve Wilkes. Much of that can be attributed to the 49ers run defense, which fell to 25th in DVOA this past season after top-10 finishes in the previous three campaigns.
FanSided's Cody Williams already wrote a post-Super Bowl story on 49ers who likely won't be back next season, a list which includes Chase Young, Ray-Ray McCloud, Tashaun Gipson, Ross Dwelley and Javon Kinlaw. However the roster turnover will not end there, as San Francisco is set to revamp its approach much like they did their defensive coaching staff in the weeks to come.
4. Sam Darnold won't be back for the 49ers in 2024-25
The quarterback market in free agency is relatively thin this season, which makes the demand for a fringe starter like Sam Darnold high. Darnold is the kind of passer who could be a solid bridge quarterback for a team which drafts a rookie they are high on, but who is not ready to take the reigns just yet.
Darnold will have to consider his options, as it wasn't too long ago that the 49ers were high on him and were rumored to be considering the former first-round selection as their starter. However, the emergence of Brock Purdy put an end to all of that. Purdy is a borderline top-10 quarterback in the league and has proven he can lead this 49ers team to the Super Bowl. In fact, he arguably outplayed Patrick Mahomes until the fourth quarter of the game itself.
If Darnold chooses to leave, a team like the Minnesota Vikings (should they lose Kirk Cousins) or Las Vegas Raiders makes a lot of sense. Both teams have a good group of skill-position talent around the QB position. Darnold is a game-manager at this point in his career. Perhaps he's more comfortable holding a clipboard, but a payday awaits if he can make the most of his opportunity.