Coming off a Super Bowl appearance, the 49ers were touted as one of the favorites to win the NFC West. But things took a drastic turn. The 49ers were miserable on both sides of the ball as their season unraveled. By November, they were sitting at 5-6 in the division, and by December, Kyle Shanahan was already talking about reinventing their game in the offseason. “I know what I want to do. I think we’ve got the players here to do that stuff,” he said. Shanhan promised a change, and San Francisco has gone about it swiftly. They have used the offseason to address some painful issues lingering from last season and even beyond.

Yes, injuries did rock the 49ers as they were without some of their potent weapons like Brandon Aiyuk and OPOY Christian McCaffrey. However, there were teams like the Chiefs, who were hit by injuries yet continued to dominate, while the 49ers struggled to put Ws against their name. Offensively, they had one of the worst red zone conversion rates in the league. They went from a league-high touchdowns on 68 percent of the team’s visits inside the opposition’s 20-yard line to being bang average at 57.1 percent. Defensively, they were no good either. Their third-down defense was 24th in the NFL, and their red-zone defense was 31st. Changes were expected, and so it happened.

In January, Kyle Shanahan announced that offensive passing game specialist Klay Kubiak would be promoted to offensive coordinator, a role that had been vacant the past two seasons in San Francisco. A few weeks later, another announcement was made.

The 49ers have struggled with special teams for well over a decade. Last year, the unit consistently allowed the opposing team to score at least one touchdown per game. Brian Schneider, the special teams coordinator, was let go after several costly errors with Jake Moody having a difficult time down the stretch. So, Shanahan decided to turn to New York once again.

The 49ers added Brant Boyer as their new special teams coordinator on January 27. Boyer is known for turning special teams into a strength. He held the position with the Jets since 2016 and will be tasked with correcting a lot of last season’s wrongs. With Boyer set to undertake his role, the 49ers X page welcomed him with a post on March 24, talking about “5 things to know about the 49ers new special teams coordinator.” Boyer is the second addition from the Jets for the 49ers, who also hired Robert Saleh as their new DC as part of their revamped coordinator staff.

Boyer and Saleh go way back. When Saleh took over as Jets head coach in 2021, he trusted Boyer enough to keep him around. Now, they’re reuniting in San Francisco, and that chemistry could be huge in helping Boyer settle in fast. The 49ers’ special teams weren’t exactly elite last year, so this move could be a major boost.

Boyer isn’t just some random hire—he’s got the receipts. During his time in New York, he helped guys like Braxton Berrios and Andre Roberts earn First-Team All-Pro honors as returners. He also coached up Pro Bowlers like Justin Hardee and kicker Jason Myers. With his stats—his Jets special teams unit was ranked tied for second in total touchdowns (9), second in blocked punts (8), and tied for fifth in special teams points scored (63)—Boyer might be exactly what the Niners need to take their special teams to the next level. But he has his work cut out.

First, he has to decide on the two kicker positions. Moody missed 10 field goals and posted a 70.6 percent success rate, the second worst among full-time kickers. Meanwhile, punter Mitch Wishnowsky missed half the season due to a back injury and is set to count $2.3 million against the 2025 salary cap. Then he has to address the woeful special teams play that has plagued the team.

The 49ers haven’t recorded a punt return touchdown since 2011, while their last kick-return touchdown came from Richie James in the 2018 season. Their special teams DVOA ranked 11th in 2017 and has continued to slide since, ranking 31st in 2024. Boyer has a lot to improve on for his new team, and he has the pedigree to deliver.

Top Comment by Jegrsf

Pay the Man, he’s the future.

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Debate

After 129 career games—amassing 250 tackles and 13 sacks—this guy’s seen it all. Players respect someone who’s been in the thick of it. And his hard-earned street credit is exactly what a special team’s coach and the team need. Under him, the Jets’ unit was fairly consistent, especially when it came to kickoff coverage.

But why might he have joined the 49ers? I mean, would you rather be with a team that had a taste of the Super Bowl field in the last 5 years? Or with a team that hasn’t had a taste of the playoffs since 2010? Do the math.

When he’s not on the field, he’s out embracing nature—whether that means casting a line, chasing game in the wild, or shredding snow on a snowmobile. The 49ers’ article about him revealed another side of him. “I’m a huge fisherman. I fly-fish probably four to five times a week, if I can get a chance back home in Utah.” That laid-back yet focused vibe is the perfect mix for coaching special teams, where every little detail matters. While the Boyer acquisition represents a step forward, the 49ers are also grappling with a Brock Purdy-shaped question mark.

Will the 49ers lock him in or leave him hanging?

John Lynch said it himself—he wants Brock Purdy to be the 49ers’ QB for the long haul. “I want Brock to be our quarterback for as long as we’re here and beyond,” he told reporters back in February. But fast forward to now, and… crickets. No extension talks, no contract buzz—just a whole lot of waiting. And instead of locking Purdy in with a big deal. The Niners might be leaning toward the franchise tag, which would keep him around without actually offering a long-term commitment. Most offseason chatter around Purdy’s contract has been related to questions about whether the team will actually give him the extension in 2025.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke down how this could play out, saying, “I think people forget the fact that if they can’t get a deal done, the Niners simply could have him play this year for $5.1 million, tag him again next year for $41 million, and tag him the year after for $51 million.” That adds up to about $97 million over three years, which sounds decent. Until you compare it to a real QB deal. Some reports suggest Purdy is looking for a deal worth $50 million per year. A five-year, $250 million contract would likely include financial security for years to come.

And that’s the real issue—getting tagged is a financial gamble. Sure, it’s a short-term bag, but it also means Purdy would be playing year-to-year with zero guarantees. No bonuses, no incentives, and no ability to negotiate with other teams. “Brock Purdy probably, or at least his agent probably, would be disappointed to have to play for $97 million over the next three years, but the Niners have his rights,” Schefter added.

But not everyone is buying into the drama. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer actually thinks a Brock Purdy deal is coming. He said, “That’s with Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Trent Williams, and Christian McCaffrey intact as All-Pro foundation pieces to build around, and with a big contract for Brock Purdy coming.” So maybe it’s not a matter of if Purdy gets paid, but when. The only question is, how long is he willing to wait?