One advantage San Francisco does have is a favorable schedule. Thanks to last year's last-place finish in the NFC West, the 49ers will face the NFL's easiest slate of opponents, based on 2024 strength of schedule.
"They do not play any of the league's eight Super Bowl favorites, per ESPN Bet odds (Ravens, Lions, Eagles, Bills, Chiefs, Packers, Bengals, Commanders), and have many attractive matchups against underwhelming NFC South and AFC South teams," wrote ESPN's Mike Clay in his annual NFL projections.
Despite that advantage, Clay projects the 49ers to miss the postseason again in 2025. He ranks San Francisco just 19th overall among all NFL teams, citing injuries and defensive uncertainty as significant concerns.
Injuries were a defining theme of last season, and they continue to plague the team before Week 1 of 2025. Star wideout Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from ACL and MCL injuries, second-year receiver Jacob Cowing is on injured reserve with a torn hamstring, and rookie Jordan Watkins is battling a high-ankle sprain. To make matters worse, veteran Demarcus Robinson was suspended for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
"As usual, Kyle Shanahan's offense figures to be very good, but injuries at wide receiver are already piling up -- the 49ers aren't sure if Jauan Jennings will be available for Week 1," Clay explained. "The big red flag here is a defense that had many notable departures, leaving the 49ers with big concerns at defensive tackle, corner, and safety. Edge rusher Nick Bosa and new coordinator Robert Saleh will have their work cut out for them."
With questions on both sides of the ball, Clay believes the 49ers face an uphill battle despite one of the league's most favorable schedules. If San Francisco can't stay healthy and adjust to its offseason departures, he believes the team could once again fall short of the playoffs in 2025.
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers have five likely future Hall of Famers, says ESPN's Barnwell
The San Francisco 49ers boast one of the NFL's most talented rosters. But how many of those players are on a Hall of Fame trajectory? That's the question ESPN's Bill Barnwell explored for every NFL team, identifying which players have the strongest cases to one day earn... -
ESPN proposes 49ers trade for All-Pro safety Jessie Bates
The San Francisco 49ers have no shortage of competition at safety during training camp, with Ji'Ayir Brown and Marques Sigle among the players battling for a starting role. However, ESPN's Seth Walder believes the team could strengthen its secondary by making a significant... -
49ers injury updates: Mike Evans and De'Zhaun Stribling miss practice
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans will miss Monday's training camp practice while dealing with a quad strain, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Hopefully, it's just a minor setback, especially with the 49ers' wide receiver room already dealing with... -
49ers insider: It's reasonable to expect Ricky Pearsall to miss the 2026 season
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has already missed 14 games through his first two NFL seasons, and now his entire 2026 campaign could be in jeopardy. Pearsall battled a PCL injury during the 2025 season, but the expectation—or hope—was that the issue would...