The 5 Best Signings the 49ers Can Make in Free Agency

The first step towards improving the team begins on Monday for the San Francisco 49ers.

Free agency is their chance to bring in players to help boost them, especially in areas of need. The 49ers can accomplish that if they sign one of these five players.

Boye Mafe

Reinforcing the defensive front will be a goal of the 49ers. What better way to add to it is by signing former Seattle Seahawks pass rusher Boye Mafe.

The 49ers know all too well how exceptional a player Mafe is. He impacts the pass well, registering 146 pressures in the last three seasons, the 31st most at the position.

Mafe is also sound against the run as well, which is exactly what the 49ers love. Mafe would be great in a complementary role for Nick Bosa, and allows Mykel Williams to kick inside on passing downs.

Kenneth Gainwell

Switching to the offensive side of the ball, the 49ers could use a veteran in their backfield. Christian McCaffrey sounds open to sharing the carries with another player, which makes Kenneth Gainwell perfect.

He's similar to McCaffrey in versatility. Gainwell is an exceptional runner and can play the receiver role extremely well. He rushed for 537 yards and had 486 receiving yards.

The issue with signing him is that it'll be tough to get Jordan James involved. However, the odds are that at least one running back will miss time due to injury, so they need the quality talent at the position.

Alec Pierce

Explosiveness on offense is what the 49ers desperately need, so who better to address that than Alec Pierce? He was arguably the best vertical threat wide receiver this past season.

The 49ers experienced that firsthand when they played the Indianapolis Colts. Pierce gives the 49ers the speed and smooth route-running that they need in their offense.

The issue with Pierce is that the 49ers would have to offer a lucrative deal for a player who hasn't proven to handle increased volume. But it's a roll of the dice the 49ers may be willing to make.

Romeo Doubs

If Pierce proves to be out of their price range, then the 49ers can fallback on Romeo Doubs as an alternative. He's not as fast as Pierce, but he does have the ability to stretch the field vertically.

Doubs ran 145 routes vertically last season despite not possessing blazing speed. He can still make an impact that way. The 49ers will know that he can transition seamlessly to their offense.

Coming from Mike LaFleur's offense makes it possible. Doubs would also be a solid red zone option for the 49ers, which would be perfect for them to finish drives.

Khalil Mack

The 49ers should primarily go after younger and more explosive players in free agency. However, if they whiff on those players in the pass-rushing department, then they'll need to pivot.

That pivot should be to Khalil Mack. Signing a 35-year-old is wild, but Mack doesn't produce or hold up like one. He's been relatively healthy throughout his career and can still make an impact as a pass rusher.

Plus, I think the 49ers could benefit greatly from a veteran like Mack. Their defensive line is filled with young players. Adding Mack can help their young guys, along with the production they desperately need for a one-year deal.

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