The San Francisco 49ers are among the best teams in the NFL in terms of evaluating and drafting talent and developing them into quality football players. GM John Lynch has done an incredible job finding talent via the draft, like Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, and Brock Purdy.
One of those talents he found through the draft, Deebo Samuel, is on the verge of leaving this offseason after he officially requested a trade. The 49ers now have a tall task of not only replacing him but also building out the rest of the roster after being one of the most disappointing teams in the league in 2024.
According to Pro Football Focus, the 49ers are in a prime position to improve for next season. They have the seventh-best offseason assets in the league, as calculated by a combination of draft capital, cap space, and restructure potential. Considering the big role the injuries played last season, the 49ers should be able to get back to contender status with the right moves.
One of those moves could come off the field. Before making any additions to the roster, the 49ers could add a key executive to John Lynch's staff, after the latest front office news. Per NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the Las Vegas Raiders parted ways with assistant GM Champ Kelly. He would be a worthy hiring for the 49ers before the 2025 NFL Draft.
The #Raiders and assistant GM Champ Kelly have mutually agreed to part ways, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 17, 2025
New GM John Spytek is making over the front office and Kelly, the onetime Raiders interim GM, will pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Kelly has an extensive scouting background, working as the director of pro scouting for the Bears before joining the Raiders. He became the interim general manager for the Raiders after the firing of Dave Ziegler. He was expected to replace Ziegler permanently, but the Raiders hired Tom Telesco and then fired him to hire John Spytek. He has been interviewing for GM positions around the league, including with the Jaguars last week.
Lynch could bolster his front office with a coveted executive with a scouting background. The Raiders had one of their best draft classes last season, with Brock Bowers, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and DJ Glaze all looking like real difference makers. If Kelly can bring that same evaluation ability to the 49ers, he could provide a massive boost.