Ranking Most Important 49ers in 2025: No. 26 is a Free Agent Addition

Will free agent addition Tre Brown start for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025?

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Tre Brown is a former fourth-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks. While he has just 13 starts in four seasons, he does have more than 1,100 career snaps, which is why he is going to get a chance to start for the San Francisco 49ers. That experience also makes him the 26th most important player this year. 

Ranking the most important 49ers in 2025: No. 26 Tre Brown

There is a reasonable chance that Tre Brown starts this year. To start, just look at the depth chart; there is an open spot. Two of their top four cornerbacks from last year are gone. The names to step into their roles are rookie Upton Stout and Brown. 

Considering the other most likely option to start is a rookie from a small school, it is easy to see Brown winning the competition, at least when it comes to week one. 

Beyond that, Stout projects to the slot while Brown has played 1,066 of the 1,169 career snaps on the outside with Seattle. The competition will come down to whether they trust Brown more outside or Stout more in the slot. 

Deommodore Lenoir may have a say in this as well. If Stout starts, Lenoir will move back outside, after primarily playing in the slot in the past year or so. If Brown starts, Lenoir will remain in the slot. Lenoir has 1,116 snaps in the slot and 1,536 snaps outside, so he can play both. 

However, Lenoir has primarily played the slot role for the past year and a half, and while Stout could start, his versatility could allow him to come in as a sub-package player during his rookie year as well. So, we could be seeing Brown push to a career-high in snaps as an outside starter. That is what gives Brown a slight edge in ranking how important he is to the 49ers next year.