TheSan Francisco 49ers did not spend the offseason patching holes, they attacked them.
After watching their pass rush disappear and their offense lose its usual explosiveness during an injury-riddled 2025 campaign, the 49ers reshaped key areas of the roster. The moves drew praise around the league, yet now NFL decision-makers are making it clear just how highly they view the front office’s work.
NFL Executives Rank Two 49ers Moves Among Best Of 2026 Offseason
Oct 30, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Barr (42) and linebacker Micah Parsons (11) and defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (97) during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who surveyed NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, the 49ers landed two spots on a list of the league’s eight best offseason moves: trading for defensive tackleOsa Odighizuwa and selecting wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling with the No. 33 overall pick. San Francisco’s move for Odighizuwa earned immediate respect because of the value attached to the deal.
The 49ers acquired the veteran defensive tackle from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick after missing out on free-agent target John Franklin-Myers. Fowler explained why league evaluators viewed the move as one of the smartest turns of the offseason.
“The free agency class was weak at defensive tackle, so San Francisco tapped into the previous class to find one. This March, the Niners tried to sign interior rusher John Franklin-Myers, who agreed to terms with Tennessee…
Many evaluators liked this pickup at No. 33, though it was questioned by fans and media members at the time as one of April’s biggest surprises…”
NFL executives, coaches and scouts picked the 8-best signings, trades and draft picks this offseason…
The 49ers made the list 2 times:
• 49ers trade a 3rd-round pick for Osa Odighizuwa
“The free agency class was weak at defensive tackle, so San Francisco tapped into the… pic.twitter.com/HXJC2k1O6I
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) June 17, 2026
It all makes perfect sense on several fronts. The 49ers had struggled for sacks at the end of last season. They needed interior disruption, something that Odighizuwa offers, coming in with 216 tackles, 81 quarterback hits, and 17 sacks over five seasons in Dallas.
The best part about Odighizuwa is that he still has three more years left in his contract, ensuring Raheem Morris, the team’s new defensive coordinator, some good blocks of material in addition to Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams.
The compliments didn’t end there. More than a few analysts also gave high marks to the 49ers for selecting Stribling early on in the second round of the draft, despite the fan base questioning their decision due to how far they were reaching with the pick.
According to Fowler, league circles did not think so. Stribling is big in stature, possesses route-running skills, and knows how to make yards after catches, traits that would do perfectly well in Shanahan’s offense.
This becomes even clearer when you consider the signings of Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and Dre Greenlaw.