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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 17: Cooper Kupp #10 of the Seattle Seahawks interacts with Malik Mustapha #6 of the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game at Lumen Field on January 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images) | Getty Images The San Francisco 49ers have addressed a couple of pressing needs ahead of the NFL Draft. Free agency isn’t over, but the team has likely made the majority of its signings. For example, general manager John Lynch did not sound like someone who expects to re-sign Jauan Jennings.
Kyle Shanahan sidestepped a question about which players on the roster need to take a step this upcoming season, saying, “I’m not gonna say a name, because I’m not gonna put that pressure on them.” The 49ers head coach does believe there are young guys on the roster who will “step up.”
In Shanahan’s mind, you get an idea “pretty fast” about which players stand out from the rest: ‘When they come in, you’re like ‘Man, this guy’s a little bit different.’ And then it’s usually after their first year, second year, when you get an idea of how they’re gonna establish themselves in the league.”
Today, we’ll ask which player on the 49ers roster needs to rebound. Some answers might include Renardo Green, but Shanahan spoke about his second-year cornerback in a way that makes you believe Green isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
There is a trio of wide receivers entering make-or-break seasons. We’ll ignore them for this exercise. Coming up with an answer isn’t easy with so many moving parts. Most of the options are either bouncing back from an injury or an uncontrollable situation that directly impacted their play.
Which 49ers player needs to rebound in 2026?
My answer: This isn’t easy, as the options are slim pickings and most come with a caveat. But I’m going to go with Malik Mustapha. As a rookie, he allowed a single completion in coverage on 11 targets. Last year, Mustapha’s completion percentage rose to 61 percent. Mustapha had more pass breakups on 10 fewer targets as a rookie than last season. He looked like a steal as a rookie.
Even if you give Mustapha some grace early on, the consistency was never really there, even in the back half of the season. There is too much talent there for Mustapha not to raise his level of play. That should be the case now that he is a year removed from injury. I’d like to see him get back to being aggressive without sacrificing some bad play. For example, Mustapha’s missed tackle rate jumped roughly seven percent last season.
The impact plays weren’t there, either–at least not to the level they were as a rookie. Fred Warner’s return should help, as should playing behind the best defensive line of his career. I think the 49ers’ defense has a chance to drastically improve in 2026, and Mustapha’s return to his Year 1 level will be a big reason why.
What’s your answer? Scroll down below and let us know in the comments.
