49ers Have Identified and Cemented Their Core Players

With three contract extensions finalized this offseason, the 49ers have identified and cemented who their core players on the team are.

Nov 10, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) hands off to running back Christian McCaffrey (23) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

It is incredible to see the San Francisco 49ers finalize contract extensions before training camp.

Not only did they get it done a few months before, but they got three extensions wrapped up within a month. If you were to tell me that the 49ers swapped out their front office, I would believe you.

But it seems that the 49ers are finally growing when it comes to handling contract extensions. In any case, the extensions handed out to George Kittle, Brock Purdy, and Fred Warner are an indicator.

That indicator is that the 49ers have identified and cemented their core players of the team. Along with those three, the 49ers have Nick Bosa, Deommodore Lenoir, Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, and Trent Williams.

These are the players who are their core/cornerstone players for the long term. Williams is the only one who is a fringe core/cornerstone player given his age.

Nonetheless, he is a core player of the 49ers. His presence on the team is significant, and it goes beyond his performance on the field. The 49ers need him to be optimally effective on offense.

As for the rest of the core players, these are all excellent talents to have. The 49ers will hope to add to it with the 2024 and 2025 draft classes.

The players from those classes will need to prove that they will be in it. So far, Dominick Puni, Malik Mustapha, and Renardo Green are on track to enter it.

However, just because these players are on track and will be worthy, it doesn't mean the 49ers will commit long-term to them. They can't retain everyone.

A core set of players on a team is roughly the number the 49ers have now, which is eight. The non-core players are composed of rookies, free agents, and cheap talent.

That is the making of a phenomenal team, and the 49ers are hoping to build themselves that way. For now, they have successfully identified and cemented who their core players are.