Rams and 49ers clash on TNF used 'Highlander' series plot to thrill fans

49ers must realistically pivot to 2025

I'm not an expert on the San Francisco 49ers or the 49ers roster. For that type of insight, I recommend checking out Niner Noise, a Fansided sister site dedicated to covering all things related to the Niners. But in less than 24 hours, we have seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of locker room chemistry and team dynamics, and it's beginning to appear as though they have a need for new blood, and perhaps more.

There are plenty of reports suggesting that 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan has not lost the locker room or his players. But isn't that the naturally expected knee-jerk reaction? After all, this was a team that had two key contributors willing to sit out to be paid what they felt they deserved. But with the current limits to the NFL salary cap, not everyone gets that bag of Benjamins.

With starting quarterback Brock Purdy in the queue for a huge pay raise, I suspect that the 49ers front office will be forced to make that message perfectly clear.

All teams face too many wallets to line and too few dollars to line them with every offseason. But the 49ers knew that they had the benefit of starting a young cheap quarterback who was still on a bargain basement rookie contract. Brock Purdy saved the team millions upon millions of payroll dollars in recent years. But now, it's his term to get paid.

That will consume a huge portion of the team's available salary cap going forward. But the 49ers are not just looking at paying Purdy. They have an aging roster that has experienced more than a fair share of injuries. While not a team staring down the barrel of a total roster rebuild, the 49ers will have to make tough choices over who to keep and who to show the door.

The Rms have undergone that on-the-fly transformation after the 2022 NFL season. I am skeptical that the 49ers front office will find similar success as quickly.