49ers Free Agency Outlook: Will They Bounce Back From a Disappointing Season and Return to Dominance?

With the 2020-2021 National Football League (NFL) season officially concluding last month, teams have turned their attention to Free Agency, which begins on March 17. Although the San Francisco 49ers are coming off a season in which they went 6-10 and missed the playoffs, their roster is loaded with talent and the team seems poised for success next season. 

Each offseason, the league wide salary cap (the amount of money each team can spend on players’ salaries) is established. However, this year is different; COVID-19 has significantly lowered that number, resulting in most teams having to reshape their rosters to get under the cap. The 49ers are fortunate to be starting Free Agency under the cap, but they currently have only $14 million dollars in available space, limiting their options. 

With the salary cap in mind, the 49ers need to make significant improvements in three areas. The first is their offensive line. A solid line is important not only to open up holes for running backs but to protect the quarterback, something the team learned first-hand when poor blocking led to Jimmy Garroppolo suffering a high-ankle sprain that hampered him for the entire season. 

For the past few years, the 49ers have lacked stability at center, a position they must address this offseason. Last season’s projected starter, Weston Richburg, did not play due to injury, and backup Ben Garland was simply not good enough. Richburg will likely be released this offseason, and the most sensible replacement for him is Atlanta Falcons center Alex Mack. Mack, who played college football at UC Berkeley, would be a perfect fit as he has experience in coach Kyle Shannahan’s offense. 

At the tackle position, the 49ers must make re-signing Trent Williams a priority. The 32-year-old, who was acquired in a trade with the Washington Football Team, appeared in 14 games last season and was selected to play in his eighth Pro Bowl. While the team will have to spend a lot of money to re-sign Williams, his contributions to the team make this signing extremely important.

On the defensive side, the 49ers need to sort out their secondary. Nearly every cornerback who played last season is a free agent. Richard Sherman is unlikely to return, and while resigning Akhello Whitherspoon would be nice, he may look for a team where he can be a guaranteed starter. While the 49ers will likely select at least one cornerback in the Draft, General Manager John Lynch needs to make multiple signings to improve one of the weaker parts of the team. 

Emmanuel Mosley is a restricted free agent, so signing him is a no-brainer. Additionally, the team must re-sign Jason Verrett. Verett, whose first years in the NFL were marred by injuries, had a breakout season last year, and he can become an elite cornerback if he stays healthy. In terms of signing new players, the 49ers could both boost their own secondary and hurt their rivals by signing the Seattle Seahawks’ cornerback Quinton Dunbar or Los Angeles Rams’ Troy Hill. If Verrett leaves, the 49ers should target Washington’s Ronald Darby, who has a similar style of play.

 Lastly, the 49ers desperately need leadership. A veteran with experience and wisdom is essential to any championship team, and while All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner stepped up on defense last season, the offense lacked a leader after the retirement of longtime tackle Joe Staley. To fill that role, the 49ers should reunite with Frank Gore. Yes, you heard that right: sign a soon-to-be 38-year-old-running back whose longest carry last season was 17 yards. While Gore could serve as an affordable short-yardage and pass protecting back, he would more importantly be a leader in the locker room, mentor to the younger running backs, and the ultimate insurance policy due to his durability, which is important as returning backs Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, and Jamychal Hasty missed a combined 20 games due to injury last season. 

Practicality aside, take Gore’s legacy into consideration. The 49ers drafted him in 2005, and he rewarded them with over 11,000 rushing yards and five Pro Bowl selections over 10 seasons. “The Inconvenient Truth” remains beloved by 49er fans, and Gore himself has recently expressed his desire to rejoin the 49ers before he retires. Why not give the man who poured his heart and soul into the team one last chance to bring a Super Bowl trophy to the Bay?

There are many other moves the 49ers could make, including re-signing fullback Kyle Juszczyk, defensive end Kerry Hyder, or signing a talented wide receiver like the Panthers’ Curtis Samuel; however, the likelihood of those moves is dependent on the status of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Regardless, by signing offensive lineman, cornerbacks, and adding veteran leadership by means of Frank Gore, the 49ers can compete for the NFC West title, and with a little luck, maybe even have a chance at their sixth Super Bowl championship.