#49ers

#49ers

It's officially the offseason, with franchise tags, the NFL Scouting Combine, free agency and the NFL Draft playing out between now and the end of April. The 49ers are already getting lots of advice on how they should go about the process of remaking their 2026 roster coming off a 12-5 season plus a wild-card playoff win. I'll go the opposite route and suggest what the 49ers shouldn't do, rather than what they should:

Arizona is interviewing a number of candidates for defensive coordinator, while Giants special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial has emerged as a leading candidate to take over as special teams coordinator, per ESPN's Jordan Raanan. Ghobrial, 37, has spent the last two years with the Giants. Before that, he served as the Jets' assistant special teams coordinator on Robert Saleh 's staff, overlapping for two years with LaFleur. Ghobrial previously worked for a number of college programs as well as the Lions in 2017. The Giants had a solid year on special teams in 2025. They ranked fifth in yards per kickoff return (27.7) and 10th in average starting field position (31.3). Cornerback Deonte Banks also recorded one of the NFL's five kick return touchdowns last year.

It's up to Stidham to be this year's Jeff Hostetler (New York Giants, Super Bowl XXV) or Nick Foles (Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl LII) and in so doing he'd bring a quartet of 49ers along for the ride. I'll admit to being a skeptic when Denver dropped big money on safety Talanoa Hufanga (three years, maximum of $45 million) and Dre Greenlaw (three years, maximum of $31.5 million).

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) -- San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Tuesday that the team is opening up linebacker Fred Warner's practice window in hopes he can make a comeback for the playoffs. Warner dislocated his ankle in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wasn't expected to come back this season. The team hopes Warner will be well enough to play in the NFC Championship if the 49ers were to make it to that game.

Down 19-17 with eight minutes remaining, Purdy would complete 5-of-6 passes on the winning drive, and aiding that push was a defensive holding penalty that nullified a Jalen Carter sack on Purdy. Purdy finished 16-of-31 for 262 yards with two touchdown passes and two interceptions.

SANTA CLARA - Robert Saleh has been through this before so he knows what's coming. And while the natural inclination would be to begin casting an eye on which NFL coaching vacancy would be the best opportunity, for now he'll leave that up to the Wasserman Group. The agency, which includes Bay Area native Doug Hendrickson as vice president, posted on the social media platform X that it is representing Saleh during the upcoming round of coaching musical chairs.

The No. 6 49ers certainly could use but surely won't have all three to upset the No. 3 Eagles in Sunday's wild-card game in Philadelphia. Warner's return remains a distant proposition, likely not until the NFC Championship Game or Super Bowl. Three months since fracturing his right ankle, Warner did a couple of 10- to 20-yard sprints with a resistance band around his waist, while cloaked in a hoodie and sunglasses with head trainer Dustin Perry videotaping his every move.

Fred has been working incredibly hard. He's been attacking it every which way and he's making really good progress. I've said this consistently: It would be well ahead of the original timeline that we were given but Fred has the ability to move the doctors, because they're going to put objective measurements out there that, If you can reach these, you can get there.' And Fred has continually done that.

It was second-and-goal from the 9-yard line Monday night and quarterback Brock Purdy rolled to his right and attempted to squeeze in a pass to tight end Jake Tonges, who had a sliver of space before he went out of bounds in the end zone. Tonges caught the ball but it was ruled incomplete. Upon closer inspection, it appeared Tonges actually caught the ball and managed to drag both toes just before going out of bounds.

Coming off the bye week, the San Francisco 49ers find themselves in an enviable position. They are rested, getting healthier, and eyeing not just the playoffs but potentially the NFC's No. 1 seed. With one more win, they are a virtual lock for the tournament. Andas luck would have ithere comes a team tied for the worst record in the NFL, flying cross-country to Levi's Stadium this Sunday. On the surface, this looks like a mismatch of epic proportions.

It's said so often around football that it's become trite: Games are won and lost in the trenches. And while I'm not here to knock the big men, I have a different spin on things, at least when it comes to the defensive side of the ball. I have a saying that I've used so often that it elicits eye rolls from those who talk football with me most. Yet not one has been able to disprove my theory: Safeties are destiny.

It's a special night because we're the only game on TV. Everybody's watching, the players are hyped and the fans are hyped. It's the best.

Deommodore Lenoir is good to go for the 49ers today against the Arizona Cardinals. Lenoir was listed as questionable Friday with a calf injury which happened in practice Thursday while jogging off the field. We'll find out more when we get an MRI, coach Kyle Shanahan said. Apparently, for a change, the news was good as Lenoir is expected to take his place as a starting cornerback opposite Renardo Green.

Apple, activated for the second time off the practice squad, was added to the roster for depth with Lenoir listed as questionable with a calf injury. Signed to a five-year, $92 million contract extension, last season, Lenoir has started all 10 games at cornerback after splitting time between corner and slot cyorner last season. The injury occurred during Thursday's practice and Shanahan said the following day Lenoir would be getting an MRI.