How 49ers’ 2024 Wake-Up Call Triggered a Rapid Extension Frenzy That Could Change the Franchise Forever

As the 49ers flirted with deadline drama in 2024, their usual offseason hustle shifted into high gear—just not in the way fans might’ve expected. With Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams penning their deals only moments before kickoff, the team faced a roster that hadn’t quite gelled, and the resulting injuries didn’t help their playoff ambitions either. Fast forward to this year, and San Francisco’s front office flipped the script, locking down key players Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and Fred Wilson well ahead of time. John Lynch, ever the strategist, confided in Matt Maiocco that last season’s scramble wasn’t lost on them—it was a tough lesson learned, but one that reshaped their approach to contracts and continuity. Despite an exodus rocking their ranks early on, these fresh extensions bring a glimmer of optimism that the 49ers might just recapture the magic they flirted with before ’24. LEARN MORE.

“I think we made an attempt, like we had done in past years, to take care of business early,” Lynch said, via 49ersWebzone.com. “Do you learn from the previous year? The previous year, we had some stuff go into the season. That wasn’t our motivation, but it did. And so, do you learn? Sure.”A rash of departures early in the offseason meant this was going to be a different kind of year for the 49ers regardless of how anything else played out, but the extensions give reason to hope that the 49ers can hold onto some of what went right before 2024. The 49ers went down to the wire dealing with a couple of contract situations in 2024 and that led them to take a different approach this offseason. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams sorted out their contracts shortly before the start of the 2024 season, which meant both went into the lineup without working with the team ahead of the year. Both players wound up missing time with injuries and the 49ers slumped out of the playoffs. This year saw the 49ers move more quickly to secure deals with quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, and linebacker Fred Wilson. During an interview with Matt Maiocco of NBCSportsBayArea.com, General Manager John Lynch noted that it “takes two to tango” while saying that last year’s experience impacted how the 49ers went about their business.