SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- In the weeks after the San Francisco 49ers had gone through the mass exodus of players in free agency and then the NFL draft that formed the biggest roster reshaping the franchise had endured since 2017, coach Kyle Shanahan wanted to gather those who remained for an evening of real talk.
Shanahan invited any player who had been with the team for more than three years to his house to break bread and go over what is coming next for a franchise that had leaned into its stability to reach two Super Bowls and four NFC Championship Games since 2019.
The group included veteran Niners such as tight end George Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who had been with Shanahan from the beginning of his tenure, linebacker Fred Warner, who came a year later, and other well-established members of the team.
As the night went on, Shanahan delved into specifics. He pointed out that an 11-man draft class and a free agent haul that included no marquee names or players whose contracts are worth more than backup tight end Luke Farrell's $5.25 million per season would need the team's established veterans to take enhanced ownership for the Niners to get back on track following last season's 6-11 finish.
Shanahan implored his top players to show rookies what the standard of 49ers football has been for the past half-decade-plus both on and off the field. Whether it's a technique tweak, how to approach nutrition or simply finding time to bond, he wanted all thoughts of missed opportunities past put to the side with a focus on incremental internal improvement.
"I wanted to get the guys together to really explain that this team is [going to be] a little bit different," Shanahan told ESPN. "Everybody at my house were the only guys who really have been through this history and we have a whole new group of people coming in that are mainly rookies and also some people from other organizations, but they have no idea what we've been through for these last five years together. We've got to get over that. It's completely new and you guys need to understand that this team's not just going to fall in line and be like you were.
"We have to develop these guys."
Sunday's regular-season opener against the Seattle Seahawks (4 p.m. ET, Fox) will be the 49ers' first test of what that offseason development has wrought. While the Niners parted ways with only two regular offensive starters in the offseason (plus running back Jordan Mason), they could have as many as eight new defensive starters from Week 1 of last season with only end Nick Bosa, Warner and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir entrenched in their spots. They also have three new coordinators in a returning Robert Saleh (defense), a promoted Klay Kubiak (offense) and Brant Boyer (special teams).
It's a lot of moving parts for a top-heavy team that still boasts some of the best players in the league at their positions in Bosa, Warner, Kittle, Trent Williams and running back Christian McCaffrey, along with burgeoning stars such as quarterback Brock Purdy and Lenoir. Built into that setup is the fact that each of those players occupies a different meeting room, providing a sounding board beyond the position coaches for the younger players.
For a group that has knocked on the door of winning the franchise's sixth Lombardi Trophy, there's an inherent understanding that there will be some growing pains for the many youngsters asked to play significant roles right away. That also doesn't mean the Niners' many veterans are resigned to a rebuilding season, either.
"Of course everybody wants to win now," Williams said. "Nobody wants to wait but you still got to be conscious of they're rookies. ... There is always a learning curve. ... Obviously, you've got to help teach them the ropes, but you can't get down on 'em. You need to encourage 'em. This is a very tough transition and not a lot of people can do it and still be productive their first year."
In his nine years with the team, Shanahan has often said that for his team to have success, the "A" players must play like "A" players. Never has that been truer than it is for this year's Niners, especially in the opening weeks of the season.
"There is a lot of youth on this team," general manager John Lynch said. "The expectation, the standard doesn't change.
"They've got great examples of guys who've done it at a high level in this league, so that's really cool for these guys, but you don't expect for it to go perfectly. ... I think a lot of it just remains to be seen, but we're excited about what this group has infused into our team. ... Did a lot of talent leave this team last year? Absolutely. That's the league and we made the best of it."
There is, perhaps, no better example of how Shanahan's message was received than Bosa.
For most of his first six years in the league, Bosa has been something of an offseason recluse. He has always welcomed a leadership role and willingly helped teammates, but preferred to spend his offseasons in Florida training with his brother, Joey, working to perfect their pass rush special sauce.
That wasn't the case this offseason.
Bosa was around for the entire offseason program, participating in organized team activities on the field and organizing team activities off of it. In the spring, Bosa spoke openly about how nice it was to spend time with teammates away from the field, taking part in trips to Las Vegas, playing golf and hanging out on the weekends.
Along the way, Bosa made himself available to the position group that had the most dramatic turnover and will lean on youth more than any other. He's the only returning starter on the defensive line, with the Niners using first-, second- and fourth-round picks on end Mykel Williams and tackles Alfred Collins and CJ West.
During training camp practices, Williams could often be seen picking Bosa's brain, making note in particular of Bosa's advanced hand use. West has done the same, closely watching every rep Bosa takes and noting how deliberate Bosa is with every hand movement and how explosive he is with his first steps. In the film room, Bosa has taken to helping the rookies understand how offenses are trying to attack them, what to look for pre-snap and how to combat certain looks.
"It's one thing to come in and work on my job and get better, which is all I've ever really worried about," Bosa said. "And then it's another thing to try and bring everybody along with you. It's definitely ... something I want to do."
Bosa has also been a resource on how to take care of your body. He occasionally sits next to West and Collins at breakfast and provides nutrition tips. West said he now patterns his preferred breakfast after Bosa, opting for acai bowls with bananas, peaches and strawberries. Collins has taken it a step further, leaning on Bosa to dramatically change his body. While Bosa was sitting with team nutritionist Jordan Mazur in his office in the spring, Collins entered seeking advice on how to get in better shape.
Bosa offered some simple tips, telling Collins what foods he should and should not have and to cut out late-night snacking. According to Collins, he stopped eating fast food, drinking soda and "basically all the food that is good" and replaced it with lean proteins like salmon. He also tries to be done eating by six o'clock every night so he has time to let his food digest and still has time to move more if he wants.
The result? Collins arrived after April's NFL draft weighing 356 pounds. He weighed in at 320 pounds last week.
"Hearing it from [Bosa] meant more," Collins said. "He knows what it takes to be great."
The offseason buy-in from San Francisco's veteran leaders resulted in what Shanahan and others described as a renewed energy throughout the offseason program and through training camp.
What that will yield on the field remains to be seen while nobody around the team is willing to even hazard a guess as to where this team is in relation to the NFC's top contenders until they see what happens when the games begin.
There are sure to be plenty of bumps along the way, but if all goes according to plan, the veteran stars can carry the freight until the younger players get their feet under them later in the season. And if that means a return to the postseason, who knows what could happen?
"I don't think that just because you're bringing in new guys that expectation should ever change because every year new guys come into the league and put their stamp on it," Juszczyk said. "It's not always going to be the same guys that are making all the difference. It's like, why can't it be these young guys? ... And I think if we put 'em in a good position and we show 'em how to do it, I think they've got a good chance."