5 Under-the-Radar Free Agents Who'd Look Best with the San Francisco 49ers

49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has his wish list of big-name and under-the-radar free agents this offseason.
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After the Cinderella season that the San Francisco 49ers had in 2011, who wouldn't want to be wearing Red and Gold in 2012?

The Niner Faithful want nothing more than to bring everyone on the roster back for at least one more Super Bowl run with this bunch. But success breeds envy, and other teams have their eyes set on a few 49ers to bring on board their respective clubs.

San Francisco surprised everyone last offseason—at least when they could make moves between the lockout—by drafting Aldon Smith in the first round of the draft when they were perceived to have other needs and didn't making any big free-agent splashes.

First-year head coach Jim Harbaugh wanted to see what he had. And now with 13 regular-season wins, a stunning divisional playoff victory and a play or two away from the Super Bowl later, he can smell how close he was.

The 49ers are a few pieces away, and they have $30 million to play with.

They could go loud with someone like quarterback Peyton Manning or wide receiver Reggie Wayne, or both as a combo. But San Francisco may go healthy and young rather than with potentially overvalued veterans.

So who are the under-the-radar free agents who would look best in a 49ers uniform next season? Here are five names to remember.

1. Brent Grimes, Cornerback

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Atlanta cornerback Brent Grimes had a down year in 2011, which should make for an affordable price tag.

The fifth-year pro had only one interception last season, after nabbing five and six in the previous two years, respectively.

Grimes also dealt with a knee injury that kept him out of the wild-card loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

The 29-year-old has an all-around strong skill set with a warrior mentality to go with it—definitely a Harbaugh guy.

The 49ers would welcome more secondary depth, especially against the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints—teams with two-to-three very good wide receivers who are tough to account for without a nickel corner.

And the undrafted Grimes—with a chip on his shoulder—would get more help in the Niners' 3-4 base defense than what he got in the Falcons 4-3.

2. Brandon Carr, Cornerback

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Kansas City cornerback Brandon Carr would bring added physical toughness to the 49ers secondary—immediately.

He's six-feet tall and has the speed and strength to jam a receiver and blitz the quarterback.

Carr is a strong tackler, which is something well-valued in Vic Fangio's defensive scheme. While he's had less tackles every season since he went pro four years ago, much of it has to do with offenses going away from the Flint, Michigan product.

The former fifth-round pick in 2008 had four picks last season and hasn't missed a game in his professional career.

With the Chiefs posting the sixth-best passing defense in the NFL last year, Carr contributed in both a 3-4 and 4-3 set. This flexibility makes him a valuable commodity for San Francisco and a few other teams.

3. Tyvon Branch, Safety

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Another six-foot, 200-pound defensive back, Oakland safety Tyvon Branch plays with a ferocity that is considered hostile for opposing offenses.

With a similar build to Carr, the former 2008 fourth-rounder has played every game for the past three seasons. Throw in over 100 tackles in each of those, and there is a strong case for this guy being on the other side of the Bay in San Francisco.

He may be interested in playing on a defense that doesn't ask Branch to be anything more than what he needs to be—which is a ball-hawking, intimidating safety ready to lay out would-be receivers who dare go over the middle.

Branch never had less than six tackles per game through November, only to not break six for the rest of the season. But the Raiders asked too much of the former UConn product, and so he elevated his game and covered for other guys.

4. Peyton Hillis, Running Back

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Maybe the 49ers will acquire Peyton after all—Hillis, that is.

The Cleveland Browns running back is under the radar after a topsy-turvy 2011.

Hillis had illnesses and injuries that led to lost time and lots of rumors about these things coming about due to his desire for a contract after a monster 2010 campaign.

And don't forget the Madden 2012 video-game-cover jinx.

Hillis averaged 3.6 yards per carry on just 161 carries. He's 26 years old with a bone to pick. Let the former Arkansas product who sat behind Darren McFadden come to the Niners and work with running back coach Tom Rathman and offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

He's another bruising back in the mold of Frank Gore. Hillis also had over 20 catches in his 10 games last season.

Maybe without the pressure of being the face of a franchise and savior to a team, Hillis can focus solely on his game and improving.

5. Mike Tolbert, Running Back

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Like a bowling ball, San Diego running back Mike Tolbert is not like the aforementioned 6'2" Peyton Hillis.

Rather, he's like the 5'9" Frank Gore—with an extra 30 pounds of "strength." Especially when there is a little bit of momentum behind it.

Only 26 years old, Tolbert has averaged over four yards per carry during his last two seasons. And there is a lot of tread left on his tires, having only notched 182 and 121 carries each year, respectively.

But 19 rushing touchdowns are eye-opening, and so are his 54 receptions last season.

Tolbert is versatile, and in the 49ers offense, could be an interesting new wrinkle.

The Chargers have a rejuvenated Ryan Mathews and Jacob Hester. In the past, the Bolts have let quarterback Drew Brees and running back Darren Sproles leave. They may let Vincent Jackson do the same, with Malcom Floyd and Vincent Brown waiting in the wings. Add a healthy Antonio Gates and a mainstay in Philip Rivers, and San Diego is a defense away from taking back the AFC West.

So will Tolbert stay or will he go?