Kyle Shanahan knows the taste of Super Bowl heartbreak better than a Bears fan knows disappointment. Since taking the 49ers’ helm in 2017, he’s crafted offenses smoother than a ’67 Mustang, only to stall inches from the Lombardi Trophy twice. This offseason felt different—a chance to finally shift from “close” to “champion.” But in the NFL, even the best-laid plans can blow a tire faster than a Daytona wreck.

San Francisco’s 2024 collapse—a 6-11 faceplant after a Super Bowl run—left fans grumbling like a BBQ joint out of brisket. The draft was Shanahan’s shot to retool. However, whispers lingered: Did the 49ers fix their engine or just slap on a new coat of paint? The answer, it seems, hinges on two critical oversights—one hidden in the fine print, the other glaring like a halftime scoreboard.

The first domino fell quietly. Rookie safety Malik Mustapha, a fourth-round gem who racked up 72 tackles and 5 pass breakups in 2024, tore his ACL during Week 18’s loss to Arizona—a fact buried until ESPN’s Nick Wagoner ripped off the Band-Aid. “#49ers S Malik Mustapha tore his ACL days after the season finale, per @nwagoner,” 49ers & NFL News 24/7 posted on X. Mustapha’s mid-2025 return timeline guts a secondary already reeling from Talanoa Hufanga’s departure. John Lynch had likened Mustapha’s tenacity to Cardinals star Budda Baker…

“You’re going to see him play full speed all the time. Reminds me a lot of [Cardinals S] Budda Baker, who we saw play, in terms of his just 100 percent effort all the time,” Lynch said in October 2024. Now, Kyle Shanahan must lean on unproven backups like fifth-rounder Marques Sigle. Moreover, they’ll have to see how the young guys respond. Besides, losing Mustapha isn’t just a depth chart dent.

It’s a schematic headache. The 49ers’ defense thrives on versatile safeties who blur coverage and run support. Mustapha’s 70.85% defensive snap rate last year proved his glue-guy value. Without him, coordinator Nick Sorensen must reinvent a unit that ranked 17th in pass defense (234.1 YPG) in 2024. The good news amid this is that Mustapha may return mid-season in 2025. Meanwhile, the draft offered bandaids.

Single and hybrid LB/S Nick Martin. But Martin, a third-rounder, weighs just 225 lbs—15 lighter than Mustapha. “Swarms to the football and you feel him on the field, not the biggest guy but has long arms that kind of mimics Dre Greenlaw in a lot of ways,” Lynch said, referencing the Pro Bowl linebacker’s physicality. The problem is, Greenlaw’s recovering from his Achilles’ tear. Suddenly, Shanahan’s defense looks like a Jenga tower missing key blocks. And while the safety drama unfolded, Brock Purdy’s $200 million extension loomed.

Purdy’s protection problem

San Francisco ignored glaring O-line needs until Round 7, grabbing Iowa guard Connor Colby. A player Lynch bluntly called a guard, not a tackle. “We were happy to add Colby. We think he’s a really good scheme fit,” he said. “I would tell you we like our right tackle, we like our center. Left guard, we’ve got some candidates in house right now.” With Trent Williams turning 37 and right tackle Colton McKivitz entering a contract year, Purdy’s blindside hinges on hope and duct tape.

“You got to stay true to where you have guys graded—not just take guys just to take them, but to take guys you’re interested [in] at that point,” Lynch said, channeling Yoda-level calm. “It wasn’t our time for that, other than Connor, and we’ll move forward.” But bypassing top tackles like Jordan Morgan (Packers, Round 1) feels like serving a QB steak with a plastic knife. Purdy took 28 sacks in 2024. Without upgrades?

That number could balloon faster than a Black Friday crowd. Besides, Kyle Shanahan’s brilliance has papered over roster cracks before. But with Purdy’s paycheck pending and Mustapha’s absence stretching into winter, the margin for error shrinks like a deflating football. As Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are.” Can Shanahan turn duct tape and grit into a title run—or will 2025 become another “almost” etched in 49ers lore?