2026 NFL Draft Team Needs & Predictions: 49ers

Pick 27: San Francisco 49ers

Team Needs: EDGE, OT, OG, WR, S

2026 Free Agent Key Losses: WR Kendrick Bourne, CB Jason Pinnock, DL Jordan Elliott, LT Spencer Burford, EDGE Bryce Huff

2026 Free Agents:

• RB: Brian Robinson
• WR: Jauan Jennings,  Skyy Moore, Trent Taylor
• OL: G Ben Bartch, C Matt Hennessy
• EDGE: Yetur Gross-Matos, Clelin Ferrell, Robert Beal Jr. (RFA),
• DL: Kevin Givens, Kalia Davis (RFA)
• LB: Luke Gifford, Curtis Robinson, Eric Kendricks, Tarron Jackson (RFA), Garret Wallow
• CB: Chase Lucas (RFA)
• ST: Thomas Morstead, Eddy Pineiro

2027 Free Agents:

• QB: Mac Jones, Adrian Martinez (ERFA)
• WR: Christian Kirk, Demarcus Robinson, Malik Turner, Colton Dowell (RFA), Junior Bergen (ERFA)
• TE: Brayden Willis (RFA), Hayden Rucci (ERFA)
• OL: LT Trent Williams, C Jake Brendel, RT Brandon Parker, G Nick Zakelj, OT Zach Thomas, OL Isaac Alarcon (ERFA), C Drake Nugent (ERFA), RT Austen Pleasants (ERFA)
• EDGE: Keion White, Andrew Farmer (ERFA), Sam Okuayinonu
• DL: Sebastian Valdez (ERFA), Evan Anderson (ERFA)
• LB: Dre Greenlaw, Jalen Graham, Milo Eifler, Dee Winters, Will Bradley-King (ERFA)
• CB: Eli Apple, Darrell Luter Jr., Tre Tomlinson, Nate Hobbs
• S: Siran Neal, Ji’Ayir Brown, Darrick Forrest, Derrick Canteen (ERFA)
• ST: Kyle Juszczyk

Hate to beat a dead horse, but the San Francisco 49ers need to be healthier in 2026. We all saw the defense suffer from so many injuries in 2025.

EDGE Nick Bosa (expected to return by training camp), LB Fred Warner (almost returned for playoffs), LB Tatum Bethune, DE Mykel Williams (ACL), and DT Alfred Collins (shoulder) will all return. They also want to bring back LB Eric Kendricks to pair with Warner. They already brought back Dre Greenlaw. And they traded for DT Osa Odighizuwa from Dallas (sending a third-round pikc).

But given the state of the defense relying on so many players coming off injuries (and the loss of DC Robert Saleh), the 49ers can’t risk not bolstering defensive depth across the front seven.

The pass rush last season was particularly putrid: 30th in pressure rate and 32nd in sacks. Bryce Huff also recently announced his retirement.

GM John Lynch wants to “smartly add” edge rushers through FA and the draft. Maxx Crosby coming to town?

They also might need another safety. S/CB Jason Pinnock left as a free agent. Safety Ji’Ayir Brown will be a free agent in 2027.

Raheem Morris’s addition as defensive coordinator probably won’t alter the 49ers’ free-agency and draft plans (though perhaps the archetype defenders they select). Point blank, this team loves to add to their defensive trenches. The former Falcons HC traded up for a pass rusher in the first-round of last year’s draft.

Per the Athletic’s Matt Barrows, Morris’ arrival as defensive coordinator means the 49ers will likely consider more small, speedy edge rushers than they’ve scouted in the past.

Worth noting that the 49ers also brought in former Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to their front office.

Buy (tentatively) Ricky Pearsall. The 49ers WR was constantly injured in 2025. But he posted four games with 85-plus receiving yards. He also led the 49ers in receiving yards per game (59/game). And there is an immense opportunity for Pearsall in the 49ers’ new-look passing offense.

Jauan Jennings is a free agent, and it’s unclear whether he will return. Brandon Aiyuk is not coming back. They like Jacob Cowing, but he’s not proven and is returning from injury. Tight George Kittle is coming off a torn Achilles. Demarcus Robinson is another cut candidate.

“If” the third-year WR can stay healthy, Slick Rick could be a major piece of winning fantasy football rosters in 2026 as the potential 49ers WR1. Just need to get this man out of the tub.

That being said, he will face additional competition, potentially in the form of a rookie WR. Reports have surfaced that the Niners will be ‘aggressive” going after a WR in the draft. Makes sense given their current need for the position.

And the big move the 49ers made early in free agency was signing Mike Evans. Full breakdown here.

They also signed veteran slot WR Christian Kirk.

The team expects Kittle to return next season, even after he tore his Achilles tendon. Still, he’s not getting any younger (33 in October), so it would be wise for the Niners to search for his future replacement unless Jake Tonges (RFA) is the guy they believe can take the TE1 reins. Tonges re-upped his deal for two more years.

On the offensive line, the 49ers might have reached a stand-off with OT Trent Williams. The future HOFer will be 38 years old in 2026. Obviously, if the two sides can’t agree, the Niners will have a gaping hole at left tackle. Regardless of whether he returns in 2026 (last year of his deal), SF should be prioritizing finding his future replacement.

They signed former Patriots OT Vederian Lowe, but he is a backup.

They have a bunch of offensive line holes on the center to the left side, including last year’s starting left guard. Center Jake Brendel will be a FA in 2027.

Although the Niners have not spent a lot of draft capital on offensive linemen.

Does shed some light on why you can bet on the Niners to take an offensive lineman at plus money (+105) at some sportsbooks with their first pick in the draft.

I don’t need to get super deep into the Christian McCaffrey 2025 workload concerns as we project him for 2026. But….

In the last 13 years, only one RB was a top-5 fantasy RB following a 400-plus touch season.

But needless to say, he is very much in danger of missing time next year after seizing 450 touches as the last man standing in the Bay Area. He will turn 30 years old this year. Brian Robinson is a free agent, and the team is excited about second-year RB Jordan James (S/O @Coachspeakindex).