Five 49ers Entering a Make-or-Break Offseason

There are a handful of moves the San Francisco 49ers need to execute to improve their team. The same can be said for their players.

They all need to improve to ensure the 2026 season is better than the past one. However, five 49ers are facing a make-or-break offseason that will impact the team and their careers.

Jacob Cowing

Arguably, no other young player on the 49ers gets everyone's hopes up more than wide receiver Jacob Cowing. When he was drafted in 2024, he was looked at as a valuable find.

He didn't receive much playing time in his rookie season, but he did flash. His speed and smooth route-running stood out. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed him.

Cowing cannot be considered of any use to the 49ers until he strings together a long stretch of being healthy. If he can't find that luck to get his body right, his days with the 49ers will be over before Week 1 of 2026.

Renardo Green

One of the best rookie performers in 2024 was cornerback Renardo Green. He showcased impressive skills in pass coverage and even as a run defender on the outside.

However, he failed to take advantage of his rookie year in 2025. Green wasn't bad, but he never took the next step that you would expect an impressive rookie to make.

Green was the culprit of coverage blunders numerous times last season. He has to get that corrected, or else Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris will look to move on from him.

Malik Mustapha

Another impressive rookie from 2024 is safety Malik Mustapha. Similar to Green, the hope was that he could take the next step and ascend in 2025, but he didn't.

He remained relatively unchanged and showed some regression. Mustapha struggled in pass coverage and wasn't making his presence felt as much in run support.

Mustapha, like Green and Cowing, is entering the third year of their rookie deal. They need to address their weaknesses this offseason if they want to be viewed as long-term players.

Ji'Ayir Brown

Moving away from the 2024 rookies, safety Ji'Ayir Brown has been a disappointment in the last two seasons. 2024 was his worst season by far, as he picked it up a bit in 2025.

Still, he's barely an average player, and that's probably too gracious to say. Brown is entering the last year of his rookie contract. I doubt he has a future with the 49ers.

In fact, if he doesn't improve this offseason to set himself up to have a solid 2026 season, it will be tough for him to find a team once his contract is up after the year.

Ricky Pearsall

No other player embodies a roller coaster ride more than wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. You get to see and enjoy his highs, but as soon as he gets there, he plummets dramatically.

Pearsall is an injury-prone player. It's undeniable at this point. The talent is there, and there's reason to believe he can ascend if he can maintain a clean bill of health.

That is what he needs to figure out in the offseason. He's entering the third year of his rookie contract, and at this time, it's unlikely the 49ers will pick up his fifth-year option given his current pattern.

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Jacob Cowing

Renardo Green

Malik Mustapha

Ji'Ayir Brown

Ricky Pearsall

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