If most fans feel the 49ers are no better than a .500 team after a wild start to free agency, the latest NFL power rankings should reinforce that.
2025 hasn't quite been the offseason from hell for San Francisco 49ers, but you can certainly see it from there.
The Niners have said goodbye to a swarm of their talent with the opening weeks of free agency and the league new year, watching stars like wide receiver Deebo Samuel, cornerback Charvarius Ward, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga and others depart in one way or another for "greener" (quite literally) pastures.
In response, San Francisco's own free-agent pickups mostly consisted of bottom-of-the-barrel signings, likely to bolster special teams and reinforce what was lackluster depth a year ago.
All the while, the 49ers have curtailed their spending (not cap space), which led the league last season at nearly $334 million.
While that's been successful, the ramifications mean the Niners aren't exactly seen as Super Bowl contenders, ending the window that has been mostly open since 2019.
They may not be a fully bottom-feeding squad, no. But they're not exactly toward the top of playoff hopefuls either.
The latest NFL power rankings certainly reflect this.
NFL power rankings indicate 49ers are about a .500 team
It appears San Francisco is gearing up for a vital 2025 NFL Draft class to restock its barren roster, which is never a bad ideal. But, as the roster is constructed now, it's easy to understand why plenty of league analysts view the 49ers as, well... "mid."
Let's take a look.
Mason Cameron, Pro Football Focus: 17th
"A wave of key departures made for a difficult free-agency period for the 49ers. Deebo Samuel, Aaron Banks and Dre Greenlaw were among those who found new teams, while San Francisco made few notable additions. The lack of movement is likely tied to the looming contract extension for Brock Purdy.
Without many key contributors, the 49ers will have to navigate the NFC West at a disadvantage. However, with elite talents like Trent Williams, Nick Bosa and a healthy Christian McCaffrey, they still have enough firepower to remain competitive."
Kyle Soppe, Pro Football Network: 17th
"The San Francisco 49ers’ offseason moves were mostly about clearing cap space — likely in preparation for a Brock Purdy extension.
This raises a big question: Is this team closer to the version that won 12 games in 2023 or the one that fell to six wins in 2024?
A middle ground seems most likely, which is why they land in the middle of these rankings. Purdy has proven to be an efficient passer, and the team still has strong depth at receiver to offset the loss of Samuel.
However, the NFC West is looking much tougher. With the Los Angeles Rams reloading and the Cardinals improving, San Francisco faces more competition than ever. One potential silver lining? The 49ers get the benefit of a last-place schedule in 2025."
Matt Johnson, Sportsnaut: 18th
"The San Francisco 49ers offseason started strong with a Robert Saleh reunion. That excitement was soon replaced by disappointment from the fan base, with the franchsie moving on from Dre Greenlaw, Deebo Samuel, Talanoa Hufanga, Charvarius Ward and Kyle Juszczyk. Purging the roster is all part of the steps needed before signing a Brock Purdy contract extension. However, what can’t be denied is the 49ers roster is even thinner than it used to be and there are now multiple holes in both trenches and on the perimeter for both the offense and defense. The 2025 campaign might not be the rebound season the fan base was hoping for."
It's hard to argue with the placement in the middle of the pack from all these analysts in their latest post-free agency NFL power rankings.
On one hand, the Niners are facing so much uncertainty in the wake of key players' departures, especially at linebacker and along the defensive line. Merely putting together a full depth chart would be a massive challenge at this point, let alone a talented one.
On the other, though, San Francisco still has enough star power on both sides of the ball to keep it from being relegated to the absolute bottom tier of scuffling teams.
So, from that vantage point, "mid" certainly makes a lot of sense until proven otherwise.
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