The San Francisco 49ers lost several players this past offseason who had become familiar faces in recent years with the franchise. The question remains, however, if any of these players will make San Francisco regret letting them go, or if their best days are already behind them.
San Francisco clearly had a plan to get younger and cheaper this offseason after a brutal 2024 campaign. Their roster had become too old and bloated, and it showed during a disappointing 6-11 campaign that saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season.
Nonetheless, these talented players ended up with other NFL teams either through free agency or trade this offseason, and we dove into which former Niner could have the most success elsewhere in 2025.
Which departed 49ers player will fare the best with their new team in 2025?
Deebo Samuel
The Niners moved on from wide receiver Deebo Samuel when they granted his trade request and sent him to the Washington Commanders. Samuel had been declining steadily with San Francisco over the last few seasons, so it was not a huge surprise to see the 49ers move on from him.
There are already rumblings in Washington that Samuel appears to be slow and out of shape, even if those criticisms may be unfair. Samuel clearly has a lot of love for the Niners still, but it does seem like his best football is behind him. Even if he has some decent seasons going forward, the 49ers were probably wise to move on when they did.
Dre Greenlaw
The 49ers lost star linebacker Dre Greenlaw to the Denver Broncos in free agency, but it was not for a lack of effort. The team tried hard to hold onto Greenlaw, but it seemed like he wanted a fresh start and a new opportunity in Denver.
Greenlaw spent most of 2024 injured for San Francisco. He has already gotten hurt before his Broncos career has begun, so one has to question whether his availability will be a big issue again in Denver. 49ers fans know how dominant he can be when he is on the field, but if injuries dominate the rest of his career, then the Niners may have lucked out.
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Talanoa Hufanga
Hufanga is yet another injury-prone free agent who San Francisco lost to Denver this offseason. At his best, he is an All-Pro level talent who is a hard-hitting playmaker in the secondary, but that is obviously contingent on his ability to stay healthy.
Denver signed him to a three-year, $39 million deal in March, which felt a bit rich for the 49ers' blood this offseason. At that price point, it is probably best that the team moved on from the former fifth-round pick.
Charvarius Ward
Cornerback Charvarius Ward had a phenomenal 2023 campaign in San Francisco, but 2024 was a brutal year for him both on and off the field. He is now with the Indianapolis Colts, which will give him a chance at a fresh start after a rough and injury-riddled ending to his time with the 49ers.
Ward is another player who is an All-Pro talent when everything falls in line, but things rarely did during his three-year stint with the team.
It is clear that none of these players really stand out as potential candidates to have a monster year with their new teams. All of them are dealing with question marks surrounding their health or their abilities at this point in their career, so it is tough to predict which one will fare the best.
Talent-wise, one would think Greenlaw will perform the best if he stays healthy. He plays so hard and is such a force at linebacker that he could be dangerous for the Broncos. Yet, given everything Ward went through last year, it seems like his mind could be in a better place in 2025. He is only one year removed from an All-Pro campaign so he seems like a great candidate to have a bounceback season.
For now, let's predict that Greenlaw will fare the best of these four departed 49ers. It would not be a shock at all if San Francisco misses having him alongside Fred Warner by the middle of the season.