The 49ers had a very successful free agency period due to the fact that they did well retaining their own top free agents. While there will certainly be more additions and deductions during the off-season, there are still a number of players available in the free agent market who can help San Francisco improve their roster before the draft begins.
Cornerback depth is still a need, although they will likely cover that in the design. Defensive end is another glaring weakness on the roster, and this year’s draft class isn’t deep enough for the 49ers to easily find an impact player on day 2 or 3.
Fortunately for San Francisco, there are a few defensive goals available that could help the club in 2021. They headline our list of free agents who should kick the 49ers tires in this off-season:
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It’s a bit of a surprise that Ingram is still available. He’s had some injury issues that have limited him to just 20 games in the past two years, but he’s been incredibly productive when he does play. He has 49 career sacks in 113 games and has had no less than 7.0 since 2014. Ingram has not scored a sack in seven games in 2020. looking for another big payday off season, and the 49ers could provide that opportunity.
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The four-time Pro Bowler is past his prime and a year older than Ingram, but he’s still posted 11 sacks in 28 games for the past two years. Kerrigan has already transitioned to a rotating role on a good line of defense, and he would be a great fit as a prolific veteran in a group that needs some depth.
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Griffen turns 34 in December and his days as a prolific every-down player are long behind him. Considering what the 49ers are up to in the defensive finishing position entering the draft, a veteran who bagged 6.0 sacks in 14 two-team games last year wouldn’t be a bad addition to a one-year-old flyer.
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Okafor just turned 30 and he has never been a super productive pass rusher. His career high in bagging is 8.0, which came during his second NFL season in 2014. However, he would fit in a Ronald Blair-esque role, where he could fulfill a number of defensive responsibilities in addition to working. like a pass rusher. The 49ers want to re-sign Blair, according to NBC Sports Bay Area, but Okafor would be a good alternative if the deal with Blair fails.
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Cornerback became a less urgent need with the return of Jason Verrett, Emmanuel Moseley and K’Waun Williams. However, that group was not the picture of health and consistency, which makes a prolific veteran like Hayward a valuable addition. He might not start, but having him in reserve in case Verrett or Moseley isn’t available would be good insurance the 49ers don’t have.
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San Francisco should bring Garland back so he can fill the role he was supposed to do: a versatile, offensive lineman who can get started in no time. The 49ers eventually needed him as a full-time start center, which is not optimal. Having its versatility as a backup would greatly aid the depth of San Francisco’s line of attack.