2012 NFL Free Agents: 5 Players the San Francisco 49ers Should Target

There’s ample reason why front office personnel manage NFL free agency.

The tantalizing nature of possibilities not yet realized, in regards to player acquisitions, often overwhelms objectivity for those of us on the outside. The inner fan in all of us acquiesces to the excitability of adding that next “big name” with little regard to fiscal responsibility.

San Francisco 49ers fans can take solace in the fact that Trent Baalke generals this aspect of team management.

One need not look any further than the Niners’ 2011 draft class. From first-round unheralded sensation Aldon Smith to Bruce Miller in the seventh, the team drafted arguably the best group of players coming out of the NCAA ranks.

As well, Baalke and Co. navigated through the 2011 free-agent market as successfully as any other team—if not more so.

David Akers (kicker) established the all-time NFL record for most points scored in a single season (without a touchdown). Cornerback Carlos Rogers outperformed other higher-priced free agents at the position (Nnamdi Asomugha, Johnathan Joseph). Center Jonathan Goodwin was a solid contributor throughout the season.

Aside from the one blemish in the failed experiment that was Braylon Edwards, Baalke assigned specific values to every desired free agent, and when the buying price exceeded that value, the team simply moved on. Fiscal responsibility took precedent over hasty signings of the proverbial “big name” every time.

So it is on that note with less than a week before the official start of free agency that I will transition into the 2012 free-agent market and identify which players the San Francisco 49ers should target.

Mike Wallace, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers

The time for collecting quantity over quality is over.

The 49ers absolutely need a true No. 1 wide receiver. They haven’t had a player of this caliber since Terrell Owens, someone who can stretch the field vertically and produce insane yards-after-catch numbers on underneath routes.

Mike Wallace is exactly that type of player.

He ranks as one of the fastest players in the NFL. His deep-threat capabilities are well documented, as is his propensity for taking short passes the distance.

His two touchdowns of 80-plus yards and five over 50 yards are testament to these assertions. 

Wallace would fit in seamlessly in the 49ers West Coast offense under Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman. Red-zone deficiencies would be a thing of the past as well.

He comes with far less baggage than Vincent Jackson, is not necessarily the product of a prolific passing system (Marques Colston), and is a far superior talent than some of the mid-tier options (Reggie Wayne, Robert Meachem, Brandon Lloyd, Mario Manningham, to name a few).

The problem with Wallace is his price tag. As a restricted free agent, the 49ers would have to package their first-round pick (30th overall) in the draft to Pittsburgh while simultaneously outbid a number of other suitors.

GM Trent Baalke isn’t the type to overspend or sacrifice draft picks. For this player, though, he may have to disregard his inclinations in favor of signing the Pro Bowl wideout.

Jake Scott, Right Guard, Tennessee Titans

The 49ers would be wise to address their second-greatest positional need through free agency and the draft.

By signing Jake Scott of the Titans to a similar deal that Jonathan Goodwin received in 2011 (three years, $10.9 million), while drafting a developmental prospect at guard, the team would satisfy both present and future needs.

Carl Nicks (Saints), Ben Grubbs (Ravens) and Evan Mathis (Eagles) will all command substantial deals and remove themselves from Baalke’s preferred price range.

ProFootballFocus ranked Scott as the seventh-best guard in the league. He excelled especially in pass protection, allowing only two sacks and one QB hit all season. Alex Smith is currently grinning at the prospect of staying upright the majority of the time.

There also have been indications that the Titans plan on letting Scott walk in free agency. I suggest Baalke pick up the phone and call his agent.

The sensible plan: Sign Scott as the next starting RG, re-sign Adam Snyder for depth purposes, and draft a young quality prospect as the future starter (Senio Kelemete of Washington in the third round or Ryan Miller of Colorado in one of the later rounds).

Plus, Scott would be pairing up with Mike Iupati, a fellow Idaho grad. The Vandals would be so proud.

Jason Allen, Cornerback, Houston Texans

Being fully cognizant of Baalke’s approach to free agency, I immediately eliminated the big names off the list.

That means Cortland Finnegan (Titans), Brandon Carr (Chiefs) and Tim Jennings (Bears) were withdrawn from consideration. Baalke and bidding wars simply do not go hand in hand.

So, Jason Allen emerges as a realistic acquisition.

He was a solid performer in Houston’s second-ranked defense, which ran a 3-4 system similar to the 49ers. Allen himself allowed just a 50.7 completion percentage when targeted, to go along with a 65.2 QB rating and four interceptions. 

He occupied the No. 3 role behind Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson. He would essentially fulfill the same roster spot behind Carlos Rogers (if re-signed) and Tarell Brown.

Allen would further provide competition for Chris Culliver, a dynamic that would fuel both men to improve their play.

By signing Allen and drafting a corner within the first three rounds of the draft, the 49ers would shore up their secondary, one of the places of relative concern in this fourth-ranked defense.

Mike Tolbert, Running Back, San Diego Chargers

Let me begin with a qualifying statement. I still believe the unstoppable Frank Gore has a couple more productive years in the tank, and Kendall Hunter is the Niners' back for the foreseeable future.

With that said, they should bring in a short-yardage bruiser that is also competent in pass protection. Such football attributes can be found in Mike Tolbert.

He continually won the battles on 3rd-and-short, goal-line situations (what Anthony Dixon could not do) and maintained a respectable four yards-per-carry average.

He can also contribute on special teams, really making the oft-ineffective Dixon expendable.

Tolbert will attract substantial interest from around the league, so it remains to be seen whether the 49ers could lock him up for a reasonable deal.

Otherwise, he would effectively occupy the role as a third-down/goal-line back, even spelling Gore or Hunter at times, and fulfill the ever-important special teams duties for this 49ers team.

Paul Soliai, Defensive Tackle, Miami Dolphins

Rounding out the top five, I decided to look in the direction of Paul Soliai, the free-agent DT of the Dolphins.

Soliai anchored the league’s third-best rush defense in the middle of its 3-4 defensive front.

Isaac Sopoaga, the incumbent starter for the San Francisco 49ers, should retain his starting role for the one year remaining on his contract. On the other hand, Soliai should come in on a rotating basis, making the Niners’ D-line dominant in the sense of having fresh bodies throughout the game (something that the NY Giants do so effectively).

He ranks as the 38th-best nose tackle and higher than Sopoaga in the run game, according to ProFootballFocus. 

He is not the biggest name on the market (think: Sione Pouha of the Jets and Brodrick Bunkley of the Broncos), but would be a welcome addition.

I expect Soliai to command full-time starter’s money elsewhere, but he would really solidify an already-superb defensive front for the 49ers.

Why not make the best aspect of your team just that much better?