Being all-in in the NFL usually comes with a price. The San Francisco 49ers have been that over the last handful of years or so, with general manager John Lynch noting their cash spending at the NFL Combine. There may be a directive from CEO Jed York to reign things in, coming off a 6-11 campaign in 2024.
What has happened so far this offseason, with some cap casualties and a mass exodus in free agency, should not be a surprise to anyone who follows the Niners. Lynch declared a reset/recalibration was coming, and the time to win while quarterback Brock Purdy was on a very cheap rookie contract is over.
The 49ers went to their second Super Bowl in five years in February of 2024. They, of course, lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, just as they did in Super Bowl LIV. That second Super Bowl loss was also just over a year ago, and we're barely into the second offseason since.
49ers' roster turnover has come fast in acknowledgment of reality
Offseason roster turnover is nothing new in the NFL. But there have been indications about some dissatisfaction with contracts the 49ers have doled out, going back a while based on some reports, which has brought this roster reset coming off a disappointing season.
As Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group outlined, 11 of the 49ers' 22 Super Bowl LVIII starters are gone already.
Here's that list:
WR Deebo Samuel
LG Aaron Banks
RG Jon Feliciano
FB Kyle Juszczyk
DL Arik Armstead
EDGE Chase Young
DL Javon Hargave
LB Dre Greenlaw
LB Oren Burks
CB Charvarius Ward
S Tashaun Gipson
Safety Talanoa Hufanga was on IR for Super Bowl LVIII, so he doesn't make that list of starters in that game who are now gone. It's worth noting Feliciano retired earlier this offseason, but otherwise these are departures via free agency, trade or cut.
Here's the visual of Inman's Twitter post. Not For Long indeed.
Not. For. Long. pic.twitter.com/JE07hSjn7G
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) March 11, 2025
Lynch can call it a reset, a recalibration, etc. But it has the look of a rebuild, as the 49ers' roster simply has to move younger with the window to win the Super Bowl as it had been constructed now closed.
There's no better reflection of that window being closed than half of their Super Bowl LVIII starters being gone just 13 months later.