Ed McCaffrey Sets Clear Target for Kyle Shanahan & 49ers Amid Troubling Offseason

Ed McCaffrey was never the vocal leader in the room during his time as an NFL player, but when he speaks, everyone listens. A three-time Super Bowl winner and one of the most consistent receivers of his time. He always had a keen football mind. And about his son Christian’s team, he’s not shy about being vocal. Recently, McCaffrey stated that Kyle Shanahan‘s Niners still possess all the ingredients of a contender, despite what last season may have indicated.

During a recent interview on the RG YouTube channel,  McCaffrey countered the narrative that says San Francisco has fallen behind the NFL’s elite. “Yeah, I think people forgets so quickly, and I get it,” McCaffrey said. “If you lose some games, that team’s on the back burner. But you got to remember this team was in the Super Bowl a couple years ago… They’re about to sign their quarterback to a $50 to $60 million a year deal. You need your quarterback. They’re ready to lock him up.”

The message was simple that the fans and analysts can linger on the pain of recent disappointment, but the foundation remains. In the mind of McCaffrey, the 49ers’ combination of veterans such as George Kittle and Trent Williams, and quarterback Brock Purdy, makes them every bit as threatening as the team that roared through the NFC two seasons ago.

McCaffrey also noted that last season was anything but normal. “They lost Brandon [Aiyuk] for almost the whole season. Christian missed most of the year. Ward didn’t play because of an off-field tragedy. So they were missing so many guys you can’t even think. You got to throw last year out the window.” His words pierced the doom that has engulfed the 49ers’ offseason. To McCaffrey, the setbacks were not so much about getting worse; they were more about missing too many games. That, he believed, should not erase what this roster is capable of at full strength.

While McCaffrey pointed out the 49ers’ advantages, the front office added a significant player. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, initially signed by the Seahawks, joined San Francisco’s practice squad after being waived. “It’s a no-brainer to come to a place where you can help out in all facets, whether it be on the field or off the field,” Valdes-Scantling stated.

The veteran will not dress out when the 49ers start the season against Seattle on Sept. 7, but his experience with the Seahawks might be useful for the franchise, especially when the offseason has not been great.

Dark cloud looms over Kyle Shanahan & Co.!

Despite McCaffrey’s optimism, the 49ers’ injury sheet tells a different story. Training camp has already claimed wideouts Russell Gage Jr. and Jordan Watkins, while Jacob Cowing (hamstring) and Jauan Jennings (calf/contract issues) add to the list of concerns. Brandon Aiyuk landed on the PUP list… And the quarterback room has been gutted. Backups Tanner Mordecai and Carter Bradley have been waived. Defensively, Jakob Robinson (forearm), Malik Mustapha (knee), and Kevin Givens (pectoral) have joined the growing list of casualties.

The result? San Francisco is leaning on depth before Week 1 even kicks off. Adrian Martinez, a former UFL MVP, was signed to the practice squad to patch the quarterback situation. But the truth is unavoidable: the 49ers are running thin across the board.

Of course, the foundation is still intact. Purdy keeps progressing under Kyle Shanahan, George Kittle remains an elite tight end, Aiyuk is working his way back, and McCaffrey is still the engine. Pair that with a defense stacked with playmakers, and it’s easy to see why they remain in the NFC contender mix.

But the offseason was unsettling for a roster built to win now. McCaffrey says to “throw last year out the window,” yet the lingering image of star players sidelined is hard to ignore. San Francisco has the talent. What they need is durability. For a team that’s hovered just shy of another Lombardi, this season’s story hinges on proving 2024 was a slip… Not the start of a slide. If Ed McCaffrey is right, the 49ers aren’t fading. They’re waiting on redemption.