Prioritizing the 49ers Top 2021 Free Agents
Looking ahead to 2021, the 49ers have an overwhelming number of soon-to-be free agents.
Unrestricted free agents (24): C.J. Beathard, Travis Benjamin, Ronald Blair, Kendrick Bourne, Jake Brendel, Shon Coleman, Tevin Coleman, Tom Compton, Ben Garland, Kerry Hyder, D.J. Jones, Dontae Johnson, Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle, Jerick McKinnon, Richard Sherman, Jaquiski Tartt, Trent Taylor, Solomon Thomas, Jason Verrett, Joe Walker, K’Waun Williams, Trent Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon,
Restricted Free Agents (4): Ross Dwelley, Marcell Harris, Nick Mullens, Jeff Wilson Jr
Exclusive Restricted Free Agents (4): Daniel Brunskill, Kevin Givens, Daniel Helm, Emmanuel Moseley
The team will have an easier time retaining their RFAs and ERFAs, but when it comes to their UFAs, they should prioritize this list.
#10) Ben Garland
Analysis: Garland is a solid piece on the interior of the offensive line. Last season, he filled in admirably for Weston Richburg. Garland's ceiling appears to be a 16-game-starting center, while at the very least he provides great depth. Garland re-signed with the team earlier this offseason, but only on a one-year deal. Richburg has an injury history and is owed a ton of money over the next few seasons, so don’t be surprised if he’s cut after the season. Garland may take over at center for the foreseeable future.
Related read: 5 49ers Who Could Save the Team Money With Strong 2020 Seasons
#9) Ronald Blair
Analysis: Similar to Garland, Blair was a free agent earlier this offseason who signed a one-year deal to stay with the team. Blair is a priority for the 49ers, because you can never have too many pass rushers, especially when pass rushers like Dee Ford have well-documented injury histories. Blair has battled injuries in his own right, as he is coming off an ACL tear which he suffered Week 10 of last season. But before the injury, Blair had three sacks and three quarterback hits. In 2018, Blair set career highs in sacks (5.5) and QB hits (14). Blair is a great depth piece and situational pass rusher.
#8) Ahkello Witherspoon
Analysis: With a solid season, Witherspoon could really shoot up this list. But for now, he’s toward the bottom of the priority list of key players. We’ve already seen Witherspoon’s floor -- an inconsistent corner who will get burnt and also make plays from time to time. It is hard to gauge what Witherspoon’s ceiling is, but he’s shown he has all the abilities needed to be a successful outside corner in the Seattle-scheme defense. Corner is a position where you want to have a lot of capable players, yet the 49ers are relatively thin there. Big season ahead for Witherspoon.
#7) Kendrick Bourne
Analysis: Opposite of Witherspoon, Bourne could really shoot down this list. For the last three years, Bourne has been healthy, available, reliable, and dependable. All the while, the rest of the receivers have pretty much been the exact opposite. If Dante Pettis has a bounce-back year and Jalen Hurd and Trent Taylor are healthy, then Bourne would be expendable. But those are lots of ifs. That’s why as of now, Bourne is still a priority. You know what you’re getting from him. Three quarters of his career catches have gone for touchdowns or first downs, and 90 percent of his targets inside the 10-yard line have resulted in a touchdown.
#6) Jaquiski Tartt
Analysis: Out of all the established starters, Tartt is the least important to bring back. That isn’t a knock on Tartt -- it’s just that players like George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk, Trent Williams, K’Waun Williams, and Richard Sherman have a bigger impact. This upcoming season will be Tartt’s sixth with the team, but with the salary cap being cut it is hard to see the team bringing him back. However, if the money allows it, then they should absolutely re-sign him. Tartt and Jimmie Ward played excellently with one another last year, and for the sake of chemistry, continuing with the duo would ensure things stay tight at the back end of the defense.
#5) Richard Sherman
Analysis: This might seem too low for Sherman, but you can only get so much out of a corner heading toward the twilight of his career. Sherman played at a high level last year, but was exposed a bit in the Super Bowl. Considering the 49ers possess an elite pass rush, they could afford to gamble on losing Sherman. Sherman still brings a ton of leadership to the table, which may be his best contribution to the team moving forward.
#4) K’Waun Williams
Analysis: Williams is arguably the top slot corner in the NFL. So he is a higher priority to bring back than Sherman, simply because he’s younger and plays a cheaper position. Slot corners get paid a significant amount less than outside corners. At this point in their careers, Williams is also a better playmaker. Including the playoffs, Williams generated seven-turnover-worthy plays last season.
#3) Kyle Juszczyk
Analysis: It is a luxury to have a player like Juszczyk. If the 49ers could find a way to extend him, along with the top two players on this list, then hell yes they should. Juszczyk plays such a distinct position, and there isn’t a clear-cut candidate as to who could potentially take over for him. His skill set is extremely unique. Because of the challenges finding a new Jusczcyk could create, he is a top priority to bring back.
#2) Trent Williams
Analysis: The last time Williams was healthy, he was one of, if not the best left tackle in the game. Assuming Williams picks up where he left off, the 49ers will need to find a way to bring him back. He plays the second most important position on offense, and finding a cornerstone left tackle is not an easy task.
#1) George Kittle
Analysis: It’s a shame that Kittle is even on the list -- the 49ers should have extended his contract by now. As the face of the franchise, and a huge reason why the 49ers are now the team that they are, it is essential that Kittle remains a part of the organization for a long time. He was voted the seventh best player in the league by his peers, and strong arguments could be made that he is the most impactful skill position player in the game.
#PayGeorgeKittle
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