San Francisco 49ers: Early 2018 free agency primer

With the San Francisco 49ers’ attention turning to the offseason, we get you ready for the free agency period with an early primer.

After finishing the season on a five-game winning streak to post a 6-10 record, the San Francisco 49ers will now turn their attention to the offseason. The absolute top priority will be to re-sign Jimmy Garoppolo, with the trade to acquire from the New England Patriots so far proving a monstrous home run, the quarterback coming in and inspiring that five-game tear.

But San Francisco has other issues to resolve in free agency and, with $114million in cap space — according to Over The Cap — they have plenty of resource with which to fill the holes on the roster. The 49ers are already free to try to re-sign their own free agents but cannot start negotiating with those of other teams until March 12, with free agency set to open officially on March 14.

Here we get you set for free agency nice and early with a primer for the 49ers.

Key 49ers Free Agents

QB Jimmy Garoppolo
RB Carlos Hyde
S Eric Reid
C Daniel Kilgore
G Brandon Fusco
ILB Brock Coyle
OLB Cassius Marsh
CB Dontae Johnson
DE Aaron Lynch
DE Tank Carradine

Garoppolo will be expected to sign a lucrative extension from the 49ers, who can franchise tag him and buy themselves some more time on Feb. 20. It is unclear how much importance the 49ers will place on the rest of their 19 unrestricted free agents, though interior offensive linemen Daniel Kilgore and Brandon Fusco may be near the top of the list of candidates to re-sign after Garoppolo.

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San Francisco’s often-maligned O-Line did improve with Garoppolo under center and the Niners will want continuity up front, with Fusco proving a useful find at guard. Kilgore was less impressive, receiving a 51.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus Edge, struggling at the second level as a run blocker as well as having difficulties in pass protection. However, the relationship between a center and the quarterback is an important one and the Niners may be reticent to break up Kilgore’s with Garoppolo, at least in the short term.

The biggest questions surround running back Carlos Hyde and safety Eric Reid. They are each holdovers from the previous regime who played well in 2018, but their hopes of another contract have been dented by the emergence of young players. Hyde had 1,290 yards from scrimmage and eight rushing touchdowns but rookie undrafted free agent Matt Breida had a better yards-per-carry average (4.4 to 3.9) and the Niners also have Kyle Shanahan favorite Joe Williams coming off a rookie season spent on injured reserve.

Reid’s contributions in 2017 were somewhat overshadowed by those of rookie Adrian Colbert, who appears primed for a starting role at free safety, and strong safety Jaquiski Tartt, one of the better players in the league at his position before suffering a season-ending injury.

Brock Coyle is a strong special teams player who was serviceable when pressed into service at linebacker and there is value in bringing Cassius Marsh back as a situational pass rusher.

Dontae Johnson’s poor play down the stretch will likely see him not return and the same can said of defensive end Aaron Lynch after another disappointing season. Injured for much of the season, the Niners will have to decide whether Tank Carradine’s strong play against the run merits a return to the rotation on a stacked defensive line.

Key Needs

Edge Rusher
Cornerback
Interior Offensive Line
Wide Receiver

When a defense is ranked 22nd in passing yards per game given up and has just 30 sacks on the year, it is obvious where its main problems lie. San Francisco lacks a true edge rusher to take advantage of the pressure DeForest Buckner in particular has been able to generate on the interior and, for all the improved play at safety, the Niners still need at least another corner on the outside to pair with promising rookie Ahkello Witherspoon.

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With Kilgore’s struggles, Fusco unlikely to be a long-term answer and Joshua Garnett very much an unknown in Shanahan’s system having spent 2017 on injured reserve, the interior of the offensive line is a definite need.

Marquise Goodwin emerged as more than just a deep threat with Garoppolo under center, Pierre Garcon will be back and rookies Trent Taylor and Kendrick Bourne proved reliable options in the passing game, but a wide receiver who can win in the red zone would be a huge boost to an offense that settled for too many field goals in 2017.

Potential Targets

Le’Veon Bell has been mooted as somebody the 49ers could target to take their running game to another level if the Pittsburgh Steelers, set to have under $3 million in cap space, cannot come to terms with a player they franchised last offseason.

The New England Patriots’ Dion Lewis is a player San Francisco should also have plenty of interest in if they do not bring back Hyde, while Isaiah Crowell — who Shanahan worked with during his time with the Cleveland Browns — and Jerick McKinnon are each elusive runners who would work well in the 49er offense.

It is a stacked wide receiver free agent class with Allen Robinson, Sammy Watkins, Marqise Lee, Jarvis Landry and Donte Moncrief all names worthy of consideration by the 49ers. Tight end Jimmy Graham would provide the 49ers with a big body to aim for in the red zone, but he has never excelled as a blocker and, with the likely soon-to-be former Seattle Seahawk now 31, San Francisco would be better placed putting faith in George Kittle after an impressive rookie season.

The options seem limited on the offensive line and the Niners would have to pay a pretty penny to sign All-Pro guard Andrew Norwell, if the Carolina Panthers even allow him to get to the open market.

DeMarcus Lawrence appears set to remain with the Dallas Cowboys, so Ezekiel Ansah of the Detroit Lions, coming off a 12-sack season, could be the biggest name available on the edge rusher market.

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More plentiful are the options at cornerback. Trumaine Johnson, Malcolm Butler, Kyle Fuller and Bashaud Breeland are all attractive names set to be free agents, though plenty can change between now and March, and if the Niners are to graduate to contenders in 2018, then they can ill-afford free agency in a pivotal offseason.