ESPN Gives the 49ers an Excellent Grade for Offseason Moves

One of the best parts about the San Francisco 49ers' offseason is that they didn't lose a player of any significance.

Meanwhile, they added significantly impactful players like Mike Evans and Osa Odighizuwa. Their offseason was, at the very least, a solid one.

ESPN's Seth Walder would seem to agree as well. He recently wrote an article grading each team's offseason moves, where he gave the 49ers an excellent B+.

49ers receive an excellent offseason grade

Sep 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (97) reacts after a play against the New York Giants during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It starts with the first offseason move the 49ers made when they signed Evans. It wasn't simply because they added a sweet player, but the contract they signed him to.

"San Francisco scored an early victory in free agency, landing Evans on a three-year deal that pays him just over $14 million per year and is fully guaranteed for only the $14.3 million he'll earn in 2026," wrote Walder. "It was clearly a below-market deal, and it's a testament to Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers that Evans wanted to take it to play for San Francisco."

Arguably, the best part about signing Evans is the contract they gave him. There's no risk from the 49ers, as they can cut him after 2026 if he's washed.

It was a smart move for them. What wasn't a smart move by Walder was drafting De'Zhaun Stribling at No. 33, which is tough to push back on.

"The Stribling selection was a bit of a head-scratcher. He'd been a late riser but this was a reach -- and reaching in the draft is bad process."

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) waits outside the tunnel before game against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

You could also throw in drafting Kaelon Black as a poor move by the 49ers. However, drafting Stribling and Black doesn't derail the great moves they made before, including trading for Odighizuwa.

"The 49ers also had success on the trade market, exchanging a third-round pick for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. Considering how inflated trade costs are for impact players in their prime, this was good work," said Walder.

Acquiring Odighizuwa was by far my favorite. It was even cited as one of the best offseason moves in the NFL. But the one move Walder loved the most was extending Trent Williams.

"Perhaps the biggest move was to maintain the status quo by signing Williams to a new two-year, $50 million contract, fully guaranteeing $37 million to placate the future Hall of Fame tackle. Even though Williams will be 38 in July, it still seems worthwhile considering how much top-tier talent costs at other premium positions."

It's tough to argue with Walder naming the Williams' extension as the 49ers' best. In any case, there should be no issue with the grade the 49ers received, nor the explanation for it.

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