This piece originally appeared in our twice-weekly sports newsletter Section 415. Sign up for the newsletter here and subscribe to the Section 415 podcast wherever you listen.
With nearly every roster move and every big-picture decision Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have made this year, the 49ers’ leadership has provided a clear indication of what they believe is possible.
When the team cut veterans such as Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd, and Maliek Collins back in March, the transactions sent a message. When it sat out the early days of free agency and passed on top-tier talent, the lack of action echoed it. And when Shanahan and Lynch let last week’s trade deadline go by without taking a swing for the fences, their passivity served as yet another reminder that the 49ers were never, ever going all in this season.
Even with a team that has amassed victories over all three of its NFC West opponents this season, the belief has been that there’s a ceiling on the 49ers’ 2025 potential.
Shanahan and Lynch can’t say so publicly, but their actions do plenty of talking.
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And when the head coach and general manager have been pressed about their roster, they’ve been relatively candid.
"Just because you make a big trade doesn't always mean it’s a smart move,” Shanahan said last week. “There’s a lot of risk that goes into it, not just for this year, but throughout your whole future.”
The future — one that involves a healthy Brock Purdy, Fred Warner, and Nick Bosa — is more of a concern for Shanahan than it’s been throughout most of his 49ers tenure. When asked about potential moves leading up to the deadline, he insisted that any trade would have to help the team not just this year but next season too.
The 2025 season, in Shanahan’s eyes, is the start of a three-year competitive window. And any moves that might cause the window to shut within the next two seasons weren’t going to be on the table.
It’s why the 49ers didn’t cave and give Jauan Jennings a massive raise or extension during training camp. It’s why the 49ers used sixth- and seventh-round picks to acquire Skyy Moore and Keion White in trades, in lieu of parting with early-round selections to land elite playmakers. And it’s why Purdy was held out of Sunday’s game against the Rams despite being capable of playing, because aggravating his toe injury remains a real possibility.
It’s fair to disagree with some, or all, of Shanahan and Lynch’s decisions. 49ers fans should expect their team to do everything in its power to end a three-plus decade Super Bowl drought, and that’s not happening this year. The 49ers’ leaders, though, believe that with prudent moves that keep a long-term vision in mind, a breakthrough is on the horizon.
Just not this season.
After the blowout by the Rams, the 49ers’ goal for 2025 has crystallized: Make the playoffs, likely as the No. 7 seed, and use the experience as a foundation for a deeper run in 2026.
A 6-3 start offered a sliver of hope that Shanahan and Lynch might be willing to push in more chips and dream a little bigger. An inactive trade deadline and Sunday’s beatdown provided a dose of reality.
A 7-3 start might have forced everyone, including the 49ers’ leaders, to reconsider their expectations. Instead, the Rams waltzed into Levi’s Stadium and reminded everyone that there’s a limit on what’s possible.