49ers fans are hunting for reasons to be optimistic this offseason, and certain people will tell them whatever they want to hear.
Their team just went 6-11 and recently lost nine starters including six on defense while taking on more than $85 million in dead cap space. A few days ago, CBS gave their offseason an F -- the lowest grade of any team in the NFL.
And yet, some analysts believe the 49ers are having a good offseason. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote that the 49ers simply are undergoing the same type of roster reset that the Rams and Bills underwent quite successfully the past couple years. And that's a valid point. The 2023 Rams and the 2024 Bills both took on nearly $100 million in dead cap space and still made the playoffs.
The SF Standard's David Lombardi takes Breer's good point a step further by suggesting that the 49ers are better suited for an organization reset because Purdy is a better quarterback than Stafford. Seriously.
Here's another thing 49ers fans should keep in mind:
The Rams have executed their roster renovation and successful turnaround with Matthew Stafford ranking #15 in QB efficiency over the past 2 seasons.
So LA has done this without great QB play, and Stafford isn't getting…
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) March 24, 2025
What an absurd thing to think, let alone write and post.
To suggest that the 49ers have gotten superior quarterback play than the Rams the past two seasons is ridiculous. If Purdy and Stafford swapped teams today, the 49ers' Super Bowl odds would get better and the Rams' Super Bowl odds would get worse.
Purdy simply has played on a better team than Stafford the past few seasons. And yet, in the playoffs, when it really counts, Purdy's quarterback rating is a respectable 96.2, while Stafford's playoff passer rating with the Rams is 109.2.
Purdy is a good quarterback -- probably one of the top 12 or 13 in the league. But Stafford is an elite quarterback -- probably one of the top 6 or 7 in the league. That's the truth.
Anything else is pure fiction.