The 49ers have been including and shedding — and shedding some extra — free agents for the final three days, and their roster is starting to take form.
Sure, there are nonetheless gamers so as to add, and we’ll spotlight the three greatest positions of want beneath. However with scant salary-cap area and their first NFL Draft choice coming on the finish of the third spherical, it’s seemingly that a lot of the main items already are in place.
Finest remaining out there: The Athletic’s top 150 free agents
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Free-agency grades: The Athletic’s Mike Jones grades all the signings
Does free company work?: Evaluating value from 2020-2022
Right here’s a position-by-position take a look at the place issues stand and the place work continues to be wanted.
Quarterback
On board: Brock Purdy, Trey Lance, Sam Darnold
Departing: Jimmy Garoppolo (Raiders), Josh Johnson
Incoming: Rookie
Lance figures to be the group’s prime quarterback when OTAs start in Might, with Darnold within the backup spot, the identical function Nate Sudfeld was in final spring. The scenario will get extra sophisticated in late summer time when Purdy’s proper elbow is totally healed, however we suspect he’ll want some ramp-up time earlier than he can take over the No. 2 function from Darnold or the No. 1 function from Lance. Which is to say, as a lot as everybody likes to get scorching and bothered by quarterback controversies, the topic most likely can be moot till September.
What a few fourth quarterback? That’s attainable. Purdy didn’t get a lot work final spring, as Lance and Sudfeld devoured up the majority of the apply snaps. However he did see motion in coaching camp and the preseason. A rookie, somebody signed late within the draft or after the draft, may fill that function within the offseason after which begin the season on the apply squad. The energetic roster? When everyone seems to be wholesome, the 49ers may carry three quarterbacks for the primary time in years.
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Operating again
On board: Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason, Tyrion Davis-Price, Kyle Juszczyk (fullback)
Departing: Tevin Coleman
Incoming: Undrafted rookie
This place appears as secure because it’s been in years following McCaffrey’s acquisition and Mason’s encouraging rookie season. There can be a collective freakout by the fan base if the 49ers spent a third-round decide on a working again for the third straight season, and justifiably so. With Bobby Turner and Anthony Lynn teaching — and scouting — the place, the group’s greatest technique may be to usher in runners after the draft, because it did with Mason, Salvon Ahmed, JaMycal Hasty, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Matt Breida in earlier years. All of them are nonetheless within the league. Coleman additionally may very well be out there in the course of the season if there are damage points.
Large receiver
On board: Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings (tendered), Ray-Ray McCloud III, Danny Gray, Tay Martin, Dazz Newsome, Tyron JOhnson
Departing: Willie Snead IV
Incoming: Rookies, price range veterans
The 49ers stored solely 5 receivers on the 53-man roster for a lot of the 2022 season, and those self same 5, if wholesome, may very well be the one energetic roster members this season as effectively. The draft is deep at huge receiver, and the group already appears to be poking round for future replacements for McCloud, who serves because the group’s returner and is barely signed by means of 2023. The 49ers often carry 11 or 12 receivers on their 90-man offseason roster. Because it stands now, they’ve eight. Search for them to draft at the very least one wideout and add extra afterward.
The 49ers may go together with the identical 5 receivers — together with Ray-Ray McCloud III — subsequent season. (Sergio Estrada / USA At this time)
Tight finish
On board: George Kittle, Charlie Woerner
Departing: Tyler Kroft, Ross Dwelley, Jordan Matthews
Incoming: Rookie, price range free agent
The 49ers stored 4 tight ends on the energetic roster final season, though they have been hardly ever in uniform on the identical time. Search for the 49ers so as to add one tight finish in what’s being hailed as the perfect draft on the place shortly. Some mixture of Kroft, Dwelley or Matthews additionally may very well be again within the combine this offseason on minimum-salary offers. Kroft spent most of final season because the group’s No. 2 tight finish.
Offensive line
On board: Trent Williams, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Spencer Burford, Colton McKivitz, Jaylon Moore, Nick Zakelj, Jason Poe, Keith Ismael, Leroy Watson, Alfredo Gutierrez
Departing: Mike McGlinchey (Broncos), Daniel Brunskill (Titans)
Incoming: Rookie or free agent
The 49ers appear OK on the inside of the road. Brendel, Zakelj and Ismael — who spent almost all of final season on the apply squad — are the facilities, with Banks, Burford, Poe, Zakelj and Ismael at guard. The sort out spot, nonetheless, is skinny and the group may stand to usher in a veteran. Or maybe the 49ers pool collectively a few of their 11 draft picks and seize a high quality sort out on Day 2 of the draft. Somebody to keep watch over this offseason is Watson, a tight-end-to-tackle convert who took constructive strides in that transition final season.
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Line of defense
On board: Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, Arik Armstead, Drake Jackson, Clelin Ferrell, Javon Kinlaw, Kevin Givens, Kalia Davis, Alex Barrett
Departing: Samson Ebukam (Colts), Charles Omenihu (Chiefs), Hassan Ridgeway (Texans), Kerry Hyder Jr., Jordan Willis, Kemoko Turay, Maurice Hurst, T.Y. McGill, Michael Dwumfour
Incoming: Funds veteran, rookie
The 49ers did a pleasant job bulking up their defensive position with Hargrave and Ferrell, however they’re nonetheless low on numbers. The group likes to have eight defensive linemen energetic on recreation days, 10 on the 53-man roster and 14 or 15 on the offseason roster. Willis and Turay may be potentialities to return, and the group has had current discussions about Willis, who is also a staple on particular groups. The draft, in the meantime, is deep at defensive position, and it could be a light shock if the 49ers didn’t select at that place.
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Linebacker
On board: Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Oren Burks, Marcelino McCrary-Ball, Curtis Robinson
Departing: Azeez Al-Shaair (Titans), Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
Incoming: Funds veteran, rookie
The 49ers anticipated to lose Al-Shaair, their longtime No. 3 linebacker, who’s earmarked for an every-down function in Tennessee. They didn’t tender Flannigan-Fowles, who was scheduled to be a restricted free agent. He now turns into an unrestricted free agent and will come again on a league-minimum deal. With Al-Shaair gone, Burks is the de facto No. 3 linebacker. McCrary-Ball, nonetheless, must be enjoyable to observe this offseason. An undrafted rookie final yr, he’s quick and aggressive and has a superb shot at making the energetic roster.
Oren Burks may very well be ticketed for the No. 3 linebacker function after the free-agency departure of Azeez Al-Shaair. (Kelley L Cox / USA At this time)
Cornerback
On board: Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Isaiah Oliver, Samuel Womack III, Ambry Thomas, Qwuantrezz Knight, AJ Parker, Tre Swilling
Departing: Jimmie Ward (Texans), Emmanuel Moseley (Lions), Jason Verrett, Janoris Jenkins
Incoming: Mid-tier free agent, rookie
The place was crying out for an additional skilled veteran after the 49ers misplaced Jimmie Ward and Moseley. So that they introduced in Oliver, who has appeared in 62 video games for the Falcons over the past 5 seasons and is earmarked to take over Jimmie Ward’s function as nickel cornerback. The transfer ought to permit Lenoir to stay on the skin, the place he made strides late within the season. We included Knight at cornerback as a result of he performed it — particularly nickel cornerback — as a rookie final offseason and caught round on the apply squad all year long. He is also an choice at security.
Security
On board: Tashaun Gipson Sr., Talanoa Hufanga, George Odum, Tayler Hawkins
Departing: Tarvarius Moore, Dontae Johnson
Incoming: Funds veteran, rookie
The primary three spots are set with Gipson, Hufanga and Odum. The fourth? There’s been no buzz about Moore in free company but, and due to that, there’s a slight risk he’ll return on a one-year deal. Hawkins and Knight actually are candidates to fill that fourth spot, and Knight has the potential to be a particular groups stalwart as Moore has been.
Particular groups
On board: P Mitch Wishnowsky, LS Taybor Pepper, PR McCloud
Departing: Ok Gould
Incoming: Excessive-end veteran, price range veteran, rookie
The 49ers and Gould clearly don’t agree on compensation — therefore the report earlier this month that Gould can be taking part in “elsewhere” this season. Nonetheless, Gould stays available on the market, and so long as he does he’s a risk to return. If he indicators with, say, the Cowboys, the 49ers may go together with a inexpensive veteran, somebody like Eddy Piñeiro, Matt Prater or whoever loses the Chargers’ kicker competitors between Cameron Dicker and Dustin Hopkins. The 49ers additionally may draft a kicker. Michigan’s Jake Moody is taken into account the highest prospect, although a possible subject with him is that the Lions are also searching for kickers and may be drawn to the man who kicked simply down the street in Ann Arbor.
(Prime photograph of Robbie Gould and Clelin Ferrell: Chris Unger / Getty Pictures)
