Brandon Aiyuk makes a surprise appearance at 49ers minicamp on June 11. Get the latest on his ACL recovery and how SF plans to cope without him in 2024.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
The San Francisco 49ers officially closed the book on their offseason program Wednesday, but the biggest story wasn't the end of minicamp, but who was on the field. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, working his way back from a devastating ACL and MCL tear, was seen moving around and participating in light drills with teammates—a welcome sight for a team banking on his return and a fanbase desperate for good news.
He's making his way back...he's working through that.
While no one should book their tickets to Aiyuk's Week 1 comeback party just yet—he's not expected to be ready—his presence was a massive morale boost. Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Aiyuk is progressing, but the reality is that the 49ers will start the season relying on others. Jauan Jennings and first-round pick Ricky Pearsall are projected as the starters, though Pearsall himself is nursing a minor hamstring injury that kept him conditioning on the side. The team's offseason moves to sign Demarcus Robinson (who faces a potential three-game suspension) and draft Jordan Watkins and Junior Bergen now look even more critical as the team navigates the early part of the season without its $120 million man.
While the offense works to get healthy, the defense is undergoing a full-blown youth movement. For the first time since 1981, the Niners used their first five draft picks on defensive players, a clear mandate to get younger and faster after parting ways with veterans Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, and Leonard Floyd. First-round edge rusher Mykel Williams is expected to contribute immediately. But perhaps the most exciting development is the emergence of undrafted linebacker Stone Blanton, who has reportedly been turning heads and impressing coaches with the exact hard-nosed mentality the defense is built on. He's a long shot who is quickly becoming a fan favorite to watch.
With minicamp concluded, the 49ers' 2025 picture is coming into focus, though key questions remain. Projections have them in the playoff hunt with a 10-7 record, but that hinges on the health of quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey, both of whom missed significant time in a disappointing 2024 campaign. The integration of the new-look defense and the performance of the young receivers will be tested immediately when the team opens its season on the road against the rival Seattle Seahawks on September 7. This offseason was about reloading; now the question is whether it was enough to reboot their championship trajectory.
And just like that, the offseason program is in the books. The players now get a final break before the real grind of training camp begins in late July. The story of the 2025 49ers is one of recovery and renewal. The health of stars like Aiyuk, Purdy, and McCaffrey, combined with the rapid development of a huge rookie class, will determine if this team can reclaim its spot atop the NFC. All eyes now turn to Santa Clara for the start of camp, where the questions of June will start to find their answers.
