Tag: 49ers free agency

49ers have chance to correct front office gaffe in free agency

The 49ers do need CB help…

The San Francisco 49ers front office during general manager’s John Lynch’s tenure has had some pretty significant missteps to go along with a bevy of home runs that have allowed the club to remain competitive when healthy for the last six seasons.

While gaffes like the Trey Lance trade stand out, there’s another, under-the-radar mistake Lynch and the front office actually have a chance to correct in the 2025 offseason.

Former New York Jets cornerback DJ Reed is set to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent when the new league year opens in the middle of March.

Reed originally entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick by the 49ers in the 2018 draft. It looked after his second season like Reed was working his way into a regular role in the 49ers’ secondary as a versatile safety. In the 2020 offseason he suffered a chest injury San Francisco deemed to be season-ending. They waived him with an injury designation, meaning he’d revert to season-ending IR for San Francisco as long as he cleared waivers.

“That’s a tough one for us,” Lynch said at the time in a press conference on Zoom. “The earliest we might’ve had D.J. back, was early November, but it’s a four-to-six month injury.”

The 49ers have done this a handful of times without issue, but in 2020 it backfired. When Reed hit waivers, the Seattle Seahawks pounced. Reed wound up playing in 10 games that year and a career-high 560 snaps for the Seahawks. It also proved to be a breakout campaign for Reed who moved to cornerback full time.

While the 49ers had trouble piecing together a secondary in the years after Reed’s exit, he thrived. Now he’s a free agent and San Francisco could use a third CB to play alongside Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green. There’s an opportunity for Lynch and the 49ers front office to bring Reed back after his unceremonious exit before the 2020 campaign.

Of course, Reed just turned 28 and has been an excellent starting CB with the Jets for the three years after his two-year Seattle tenure. He has two interceptions and 32 pass breakups the last three seasons to go along with 220 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks.

He may get priced out of what the 49ers are willing to spend on a third starting CB, but they should absolutely be in the market to try and correct a mistake they made in letting Reed out the door in the first place.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

How 49ers can get in the mix as NFC West rival parts with star WR

Cooper Kupp in red and gold?

Bringing in additional depth at wide receiver won’t be at the top of the list of offseason priorities for the San Francisco 49ers, but it’s certainly something that should be on their radar while they navigate some of their bigger-ticket issues.

While it’s not a spot they’ll be looking to make a major splash, if the Los Angeles Rams wind up letting go of wide receiver Cooper Kupp, the 49ers should be first in line to try and lure him to the Bay Area.

Kupp announced via Twitter (currently X) that the Rams intend to trade him this offseason. While that may be their goal, there’s no guarantee the 32-year-old who has played in 33 games the last three years will fetch much in the trade market. Los Angeles may wind up releasing the WR, something the Rams Wire managing editor Cam DaSilva mentioned is on the table for the Rams this offseason:

Cutting Kupp might be the simplest and likeliest option for the Rams. That doesn’t mean it’d be easy to do, but it’s often what decisions like this come down to.

Unfortunately, it’s also the worst option financially for the Rams because they would only save $7.52 million by cutting Kupp before June 1. Even as a post-June 1 cut, they’d save $15 million, but only because his total dead cap charge of $22.26 million would be split between the next two years instead of all coming in 2025.

There’s certainly some risk that comes with acquiring Kupp. San Francisco’s hopes of adding him via trade are close to nil given that they’re in the same division as the Rams.

Even if he’s released, the risk of adding him might just be enough to turn the 49ers off to the idea entirely. However, San Francisco would be aiming to utilize Kupp in a lower-volume way that may help him stay healthier.

Despite playing in only 33 games the last three years Kupp has still amassed 293 targets in that stretch, or 8.9 per game. For comparison, the 49ers target leaders the last three years have racked up 332 targets (6.9 per game) in 48 total games.

In eight seasons Kupp has posted 7,776 receiving yards and 57 touchdowns on 664 receptions. He was the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year after winning the wide receiver triple crown, leading the league in catches, yards and touchdowns.

Kupp is an outstanding route runner and blocker who is capable of playing multiple positions in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, so the fit would be seamless while helping bolster a 49ers receiving corps that is suddenly littered with question marks.

Perhaps Kupp will be unaffordable if he hits the open market. He may even be averse to joining the Rams’ division rival. Either way, if the Rams are unable to trade Kupp and release him instead, the 49ers should be first in line to try and land him.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

WR unexpectedly became position 49ers must address in offseason

More pass catchers? More pass catchers.

The San Francisco 49ers after the 2024 draft looked set up in their receiving corps for at least a couple of seasons.

Brandon Aiyuk was coming off an All-Pro season. Deebo Samuel had a strong 2023 campaign and was primed to thrive alongside another All-Pro. Jauan Jennings, an integral if seldom-used piece of the 49ers offense, was signed through 2025. San Francisco also drafted Ricky Pearsall in the first round and Jacob Cowing in the fourth round.

That was a receiving corps with a good mix of veterans and young players and a good variance in skill sets. Then the 2024 season played out and now that plan at receiver is full of question marks that may push San Francisco to add another player at the position either in free agency or early in the draft.

Aiyuk is coming off a major knee injury and his status for the start of the regular season is in the air. Samuel is coming off his worst year as a pro. Pearsall flashed when he got more opportunities toward the end of the season, but he’s still a question mark with only 11 games of NFL experience. Cowing is an even bigger question mark going into his second year after struggling to crack the rotation as a rookie.

Jennings is the only player who doesn’t seemingly have any questions hanging over his head after he had his best year as a pro, falling only 25 receiving yards shy of 1,000.

There’s a version of the 49ers receiving corps that’s very good in 2025, but it relies on a lot of things going right. They’d need Aiyuk returning at something close to full strength, Samuel to bounce back in his Age 29 season, Pearsall to breakout in Year 2, Cowing to find his footing as a pro, and Jennings to replicate his career year.

San Francisco would be taking on a significant risk in hoping all of those things to go right. They can mitigate some of that risk by bringing in another receiver or two in the offseason to help fill out their depth and insulate themselves from one or two seasons from another receiver getting off track.

They shouldn’t use another first-round pick on the position, and they shouldn’t offer a massive contract to a free agent, but they should be diligent in finding a reliable pass catcher they can bring in to help avoid a potential catastrophe lurking at a position that looked set going into last season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Would 49ers finally spend big to fill starting OL spot in free agency?

A change in team-building philosophy may be necessary for the 49ers.

The San Francisco 49ers may need to change one of their team-building trends this offseason if they’re going to get back to Super Bowl form in 2025.

Under head coach Kyle Shanahan the 49ers have never invested big money at either offensive guard spot. They used a second-round pick on left guard Aaron Banks in the 2021 draft and a third-round pick on right guard Dominick Puni in the 2024 draft, but beyond that they’ve not invested major assets into those two positions.

It might be time to change that.

Pro Football Focus circled the 49ers as the best landing spot for Chicago Bears free agent OL Teven Jenkins, who may be the top interior offensive lineman available this offseason.

Via PFF:

A series of nagging injuries plagued Jenkins’ 2024 campaign, but even still, he managed to produce well on the interior of this Bears’ offensive line. His 75.8 PFF pass-blocking grade stands as a career high for the 26-year-old guard after he allowed just a 3.8% pressure rate (also a career high).

The Bears took Jenkins in the second round of the 2021 draft just nine spots ahead of where the 49ers took Banks, who is also a free agent this offseason.

Jenkins struggled at his natural left tackle position as a rookie before moving inside to right guard where he had more success at both guard spots. In 2024 he started all 14 games he played at left guard.

It would be a substantial upgrade for San Francisco and an unprecedented spend for them at left guard, but that may be a change they have to make to get over the Super Bowl hump. They’ve struggled with interior pass rushers in their previous Super Bowl losses, and this year some of their issues on offense came from a lack of production on the offensive line. It may be time to start spending more on that unit.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Former Cowboys 3rd-round pick would be big help in fixing 49ers DL

The 49ers should have a close eye on Osa Odighizuwa in free agency.

Revamping the defensive line should be one of the San Francisco 49ers’ highest offseason priorities.

Given that they need to upgrade starters and depth pieces at multiple positions, they’ll have to address the defensive front through both free agency and the draft.

Pro Football Focus offered an intriguing option for the 49ers in the free agent market. The football analytics site named San Francisco as the best offseason landing spot for former Dallas Cowboys third-round pick Osa Odighizuwa.

Odighizuwa, a 26-year-old defensive tackle, would offer a quick replacement for DT Javon Hargrave who restructured his contract to become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year opens March 14.

Via PFF:

Over the past two seasons, Osa Odighizuwa has established himself as a reliable interior pass-rusher, earning a 78.0 pass-rush grade in both campaigns. He’s totaled over 100 pressures and 10 sacks during that span, showcasing his consistent ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks.

One knock on Odighizuwa is that he’s not a great run stopper. And while finding better run stoppers up front is something that also has to be on the 49ers’ to-do list this offseason, fixing their pass rush is a greater priority. There aren’t many defensive tackles who were better at generating pressure than Odighizuwa last season.

His 15.1 percent pass rush win rate was tied for the 22nd-best mark in the NFL and would have easily ranked second on the 49ers behind defensive end Nick Bosa. The second-best pass rush win rate on San Francisco’s D-line last season belonged to DT Maliek Collins at 12.0 percent (66th-best in the NFL).

San Francisco has a ways to go to revamp a defensive line that struggled last season. Finding a player like Odighizuwa on something less than a top-of-market deal would be a really nice start.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

 

One pending free agent 49ers should pay big money to keep

Gotta keep Dre Greenlaw.

The San Francisco 49ers have 24 players due to hit unrestricted free agency on March 14 when the 2025 NFL league year opens.

With a hefty new contract likely coming for quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers will have to be mindful of how they dole out long-term deals knowing that they’ll have their signal caller’s big-money contract on the books.

However, they can’t let all their free agents walk. They’ll bring back some of the lower-tier FAs on affordable deals. Others who’ll likely have more robust markets may quickly get priced out of what the 49ers are willing and able to afford.

One free agent they may need to make an exception for is linebacker Dre Greenlaw. Even in 34 snaps this season after returning from an Achilles injury he suffered in the Super Bowl, Greenlaw proved his value in a 49ers LB corps that struggled to replace him.

Pro Football Focus named Greenlaw the one free agent San Francisco can’t afford to lose:

Re-signing Greenlaw comes with inherent risk, given the multitude of injuries he’s dealt with over the past 12 months. He’s a vital part of the 49ers’ run defense, though, and his absence was a big reason for the team ranking 28th in PFF run-defense grade this season. Surely, San Francisco will spend some of its resources improving the defensive line, as well, but Greenlaw’s presence would give the team some peace of mind on that side of the ball.

His market is going to be interesting. Before the injury he was comfortably one of the 10 best off-ball linebacker in the NFL. Then he tore his Achilles, suffered a knee injury in his return, then a calf injury the following week that ultimately led to him being shut down for the year just two games into his return.

Perhaps a full offseason will allow him time to fully heal and get back to something near 100 percent next season. Teams will be wary before shelling out a deal at or near the top of the market, but his play in his brief return provided flashes of what he is at his best.

Greenlaw’s athleticism, instincts and tenacity in the second level of the 49ers defense wasn’t something they were able to replace in 2024. It’s not something they may be able to ever replace. Instead of trying to figure out how to replace a key piece of their defense on the cheap, the 49ers should make a play to keep Greenlaw in red and gold while figuring out other places on the roster they can make up the cost.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

49ers highest-graded pending free agent a shocker

Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded pending 49ers free agent is a shocker.

Pro Football Focus broke down every NFL team’s highest-graded pending free agent from the 2024 season.

The top billing for the San Francisco 49ers is a name that might surprise you. Among San Francisco players on expiring deals with a minimum of 100 snaps, offensive tackle Jaylon Moore was the highest-graded 49er.

In his 271 snaps of work, Moore earned a 74.9 offensive grade, which ranked sixth among San Francisco’s offensive personnel.

This honor would have gone to Dre Greenlaw (82.0 PFF overall grade), but the linebacker mustered only 34 snaps this past year. Meanwhile, Moore was a solid fill-in at left tackle, surrendering only one sack and 10 pressures on 154 opportunities. The 27-year-old was generally effective as a run blocker, reflected in his 70.1 PFF run-blocking grade.

With only 831 career offensive snaps under his belt, Moore projects best as a swing and/or depth tackle. With Trent Williams’ decision to return not yet known, the 49ers could look to bring Moore back if they need to usher in a more marquee replacement. – Bradley Locker, Pro Football Focus.

A fifth-round pick out of Western Michigan in the 2021 NFL draft, Moore just completed his rookie contract.

Moore worked as the 49ers’ starting left tackle throughout camp and preseason while star left tackle Trent Williams held out. Then, as Williams dealt with a lingering ankle injury in the back half of the 2024 season, Moore plugged in and performed well.

The expectation from 49ers general manager John Lynch is that Williams will be back to pair with right tackle Colton McKivitz in 2025. Even if Williams returns, the 49ers could use a solid depth piece like Moore up front that understands Kyle Shanahan’s system and that can play both outside and inside.

With just 12 career starts, the 49ers should be able to re-sign Moore at a reasonable price.

The 49ers will have as many as 33 players entering some form of free agency, including high-profile unrestricted free agents such as linebacker Dre Greenlaw, defensive linemen Kevin Givens and Javon Hargrave, cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Talanoa Hufanga.

49ers search for safety help continues with former Rams, Bears safety

A new safety for the 49ers.

The San Francisco 49ers need to find some additional help at safety this offseason. They announced one small step toward finding that help Tuesday.

San Francisco added former Los Angeles Rams undrafted safety Quindell Johnson on a reserve/future contract.

Johnson was a UDFA signing for the Rams in 2023, but he didn’t make their final roster and was claimed by the Chicago Bears. He spent his rookie season in Chicago and played in nine games, registering a pair of tackles, one interception and one pass breakup.

The Bears let Johnson go at the end of the 2024 preseason. He made his way to the Rams practice squad early in the year and spent the entire season there.

It’ll be interesting to see how the 49ers navigate the safety position this offseason. Talanoa Hufanga is slated for unrestricted free agency and will likely have a market beyond what San Francisco can or will pay for a starting safety.

2023 third-round pick Ji’Ayir Brown struggled some in his second season, bringing questions to the 49ers’ depth chart in the secondary.

Veteran special teams ace George Odum is still on the roster, and Johnson joined 2024 undrafted rookie Jaylen Mahoney as reserve/future contract signees in January. They’ll both be on the 90-man roster with a real chance to carve out a spot on the active roster in OTAs and training camp.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

49ers may not need to look far to find 1 new starting OL

The 49ers’ 2024 depth chart could give us as clue to how they’ll approach fixing their left guard spot.

An overhaul of the offensive line looks to be one key priority of the San Francisco 49ers offseason.

Left tackle Trent Williams is expected to return and right guard Dominick Puni acquitted himself well in his rookie season. Center Jake Brendel and right tackle Colton McKivitz are also under contract for next year, but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the 49ers looked to upgrade both of those spots.

The only spot wide open entering the offseason is left guard, where starter Aaron Banks is slated to hit unrestricted free agency. If the 49ers plan on letting Banks walk, they may not need to look far to find his replacement.

While the team would ideally throw a bunch of money or draft capital into the offensive line, they have other areas of their roster that need improvement which means finding cheaper, non-draft related ways to fill OL spots is imperative.

Two names on the 2024 roster jump out when considering what the 49ers could do to improve at left guard: Ben Bartch and Spencer Burford. They were the two backups for Banks this season and they both acquitted themselves well at the position in limited playing time.

Bartch, an unrestricted free agent, has been a work in progress since the 49ers signed him off the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad in the middle of the 2023 season. His move up the depth chart this offseason is a sign that the progress has been good. He was very good in his start against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, and in 34 total pass blocking snaps this season he gave up just one pressure and no sacks. Bartch might have finished the year as the starter had he not suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 14.

The 49ers wouldn’t likely have to break the bank to bring Bartch back, and there’s a real chance he’d prove to be their best option at left guard.

Whoever gets the starting job to open training camp figures to have some competition, and Burford would provide that for Bartch (and whoever else the club deems as a starting candidate).

Burford struggled on the right side, but he largely played on the left side in college and it appears the swap helped him as a pro. Off the bench this season he had some ups and downs while moving around the line, but overall looked like he could be an effective player if given the chance for regular reps at left guard. He gave up one pressure in 38 pass blocking snaps at that position per Pro Football Focus.

The 49ers could prioritize left guard more heavily this year and bring in a starting-caliber free agent or a high draft pick. Given their other needs, finding cheap solutions nearby may be the better route. Bartch and Burford both flashed enough to at least be in the mix, and the 49ers may be wise to give both a long look as they aim to revamp their offensive front.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

49ers most improved player in 2024 may be too expensive to keep in SF

The 49ers’ most improved player in 2024 may be too expensive for San Francisco to keep long-term.

With injuries and lack of production elsewhere, San Francisco wide receiver Jauan Jennings morphed into one of the top targets for 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in 2024.

In the Tennessee alum’s fourth NFL season, Jennings topped all 49ers receivers in targets, catches, yardage and touchdowns.

As a result, Jennings was recognized by Pro Football Focus as the 49ers’ most improved player.

The former seventh-round pick had a career year in the wake of injuries to Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey, catching 77 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns, setting career highs across the board.

Jennings was known more for his blocking abilities up until this season, but he was Brock Purdy’s most favorable target, earning 113 targets in 15 games, while his 83.1 grade was 13th among all receivers in the NFL. He also became one of the best receivers at winning contested catches, as only Terry McLaurin and Drake London had more contested catches than Jennings 20 in the regular season.  – Thomas Valentine, Pro Football Focus.

Jennings inked a two-year, $15.4 million contract ahead of last season that ensures he will be back with the franchise in 2025.

Jennings’ breakout is encouraging in the immediate as the 49ers turn the page toward next season. It gives the franchise confidence that it will have a wealth of offensive weapons on hand at receiver once Brandon Aiyuk is back fully healthy from his torn ACL.

But, Jennings’ emergence this past season may also create some questions for the franchise as well. Does San Francisco want to pay Jennings as its No. 2 receiver? Can it afford to pay Jennings?

The 49ers signed Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million extension last August that ties him to the franchise through the 2028 season.

Star tight end George Kittle is entering the final year of his current contract after tallying another 1,000-yard receiving season. That type of production has to motivate the 49ers to work toward an extension with Kittle.

And, of course, there’s the potential Purdy extension that looms over everything with San Francisco. Assuming that deals for both get done, that’s a lot of money that might get tied up just in those three players.

Elsewhere at receiver, Deebo Samuel has been a star for San Francisco over the course of his time in the bay, but he’s coming off a disappointing 2024 season and entering the final year of his current contract with the 49ers.

49ers general manager John Lynch indicated that the franchise intends to keep Samuel heading into the 2025 season, but is that indeed the plan? And, if it is, what happens if and when Samuel returns to form?

Would San Francisco think about re-signing Samuel and letting Jennings walk?

The 49ers also just selected Ricky Pearsall out of Florida with its first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The former Gator started to come on late last season, tallying 210 receiving yards, 14 grabs and a pair of touchdowns in the 49ers’ final two games of 2024.

Pearsall finished with 31 receptions, 400 receiving yards and three scores during his rookie campaign. If Pearsall continues to ascend, the franchise could opt to spend less at receiver outside of Aiyuk with Pearsall still on his rookie contract entering 2026.

After the season that Jennings just enjoyed, other franchises’ eyes have to have certainly lit up. In the meantime, it’s a positive problem for San Francisco to have.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]e