Grading the San Francisco 49ers' Free-Agency Plan Thus Far
The San Francisco 49ers have had a tumultuous past few months. It started with letting Jim Harbaugh go and then looking completely disheveled as they searched for a new head coach and assistants.
The 49ers have many holes to fill, and the draft should help somewhat. The free-agent market is another way to bolster the roster, and until just recently, the 49ers had very limited salary-cap space.
The restructuring of Aldon Smith's contract, along with the retirement of Patrick Willis and the expected retirement of Justin Smith, will give the 49ers some additional cap room.
As reported by David Fucillo of NinersNation.com, Willis' departure frees up over $7.4 million and if Justin Smith retires, that gives the 49ers an additional savings of $4.25 million.
With the signing of Torrey Smith, the 49ers have also released Stevie Johnson. David Fucillo of NinersNation.com breaks down the salary-cap implications of releasing Johnson. The bottom-line result is slightly greater than $6 million in cap savings for the 49ers.
Look for the 49ers to also release Ahmad Brooks after June 1, which will result in approximately $4.7 million in additional cap savings.
The sudden jump in cap space is something general manager Trent Baalke must use wisely. He faces a monumental task of rebuilding a roster that has several major question marks.
To date, the 49ers have made some acquisitions, but they are losing more than they have brought in, thus far. At this stage of the free-agent signing period, Baalke and the 49ers receive a grade of "D+," as the losses have far outweighed the gains.
Of course, it's still early, and now, with some financial flexibility, Baalke and the 49ers can quickly improve on that grade.
Torrey Smith
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Wide receiver Torrey Smith has signed a five-year, $40 million contract with the 49ers. Smith will provide Colin Kaepernick with a deep threat who can stretch the field.
David Fucillo of NinersNation.com reported, courtesy of cap analyst and former sports agent Joel Corry, that Smith will receive an $8 million signing bonus and his cap figure for 2015 will be $3.6 million. That number escalates to $7.6 million in 2016 and tops out at $9.6 million in the final three years of the deal.
This is a good pickup for the 49ers, as they were in dire need of a proven wide receiver to start opposite Anquan Boldin. Smith is entering his fifth NFL season, having played his first four years with the Baltimore Ravens.
In 2014, Smith caught 49 passes for 767 yards and 11 touchdowns. His yards-per-catch average of 15.7 was impressive.
Smith, who is 26 years of age, had his best year in 2013, when he had 65 receptions for 1,128 yards and four touchdowns. His 17.4 yards-per-catch average highlights his ability to get down the field and make big plays.
The Smith signing also enables general manager Trent Baalke to have more flexibility with the 49ers' first pick in the upcoming draft. Instead of selecting a receiver out of pure necessity, Baalke can now look to fill holes in other areas, such as cornerback or defensive line.
Darnell Dockett
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In his prime, Darnell Dockett was one of the best defensive tackles in pro football. Unfortunately, Dockett is coming off a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2014 season, and he will be 34 years of age in May.
Dockett signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract with the 49ers, after spending 11 NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
This signing carries some risk because of Dockett's age and the fact that he is coming off a major injury. However, if Dockett can stay healthy and produce, he will be invaluable to the 49ers.
The San Francisco defensive line will be without Ray McDonald and quite possibly Justin Smith, who is contemplating retirement. Although it is unlikely that Dockett will be an every-down lineman, if healthy, he will definitely be a key member of the rotation.
This was a good signing by the 49ers.
Jerome Simpson
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Jerome Simpson signing a two-year deal makes no sense for an organization whose owner has stated that the 49ers want to "win with class."
GM Trent Baalke orchestrating this signing contradicts what York has said numerous times. In The Press Democrat, York says that he did not know what Baalke was thinking when he signed Simpson. There seems to be a major disconnect between the two top men in the 49ers organization.
At a minimum, the Simpson signing is hypocritical. He has been arrested three times since he joined the NFL in 2008. While in the midst of serving a three-game suspension, Simpson was cut by the Minnesota Vikings and did not play at all in 2014.
In 2013, his best year as a pro, Simpson caught 48 passes for 726 yards and one touchdown. He does have talent, but his off-field issues, involving substance abuse, make him a player the 49ers should have avoided completely.
Simpson is a decent talent, but he's not someone worthy enough to take such a huge risk on. In addition to looking like hypocrites, the 49ers made a move that has the strong probability of blowing up in their face.
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Blaine Gabbert
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Blaine Gabbert will return to the 49ers after agreeing to a two-year, $2 million contract. The 49ers retain their backup quarterback, and fans across the Niners empire must be rejoicing.
In reality, if Gabbert does anything more than hold a clipboard and wear a baseball cap over the next two years, the 49ers will be in deep trouble. If anything happens to starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers are done.
Every team needs a backup quarterback, and Gabbert is the 49ers' man.
Does anybody care?
Kyle Nelson
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In an under-the-radar move, Kyle Nelson returns after signing a four-year contract. Nelson is the long snapper for the 49ers and also doubles as a reserve tight end.
Having a competent long snapper is essential to the kicking game, and Nelson handles the job very well.
Jarryd Hayne
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In yet another attempt by Baalke, trying to show that he is smarter than any other general managers, the 49ers have signed Australian rugby player Jarryd Hayne.
Michael Chammas of The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Hayne's signing.
Baalke has taken the 49ers down this path before. He signed British Olympian Lawrence Okoye back in 2013. Okoye has yet to play in a regular-season game for the 49ers.
Hayne has virtually no football experience and has a ton of learning to do. It is most likely he will either be a special teams player or be placed on the practice squad. Do not expect Hayne to make an impact in the upcoming season.
Key Departures
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More than the new arrivals, a bigger issue for the 49ers is all the talent leaving the Red and Gold.
Frank Gore signed a three-year, $12 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts, where he has a legitimate chance to win a Super Bowl. Gore was still the 49ers' best running back and rushed for 1,106 yards this past season. It marked the eighth time in Gore's illustrious 10-year career that he has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark.
The 49ers believe that Carlos Hyde can step into the void, but I beg to differ. Hyde's running style is too upright, exposing his legs to harder hits. Hyde will be more susceptible to injury than Gore has been over his career.
This past season Gore averaged roughly 16 rushing attempts per game. There is serious doubt as to whether Hyde will be able to handle that workload and stay healthy. I do not see him being able to do that.
In addition, over the past four seasons, Gore has played in every game for the 49ers. Hyde could not do that in 2014, and he will not be able to do that in 2015.
There was no reason why the 49ers could not have used both Gore and Hyde in the backfield in 2015 and beyond. Their reluctance to retain Gore will come back to haunt them.
In 2014, Hyde averaged 4.0 yards per carry, compared to Gore's 4.3. In addition, Gore may be the best running back in the game at picking up blitzes. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck will be the beneficiary of this tremendous skill that Gore possesses.
Showing true class, the very thing that Jed York claimed he wanted, Gore thanked the York family, the 49ers organization and the fans for their support. For the 49ers to allow him to leave is a huge mistake. Gore's message was provided by 49ers.com.
In addition to Gore, several other solid players will also be leaving the 49ers. Left guard Mike Iupati has agreed to a deal with division rival Arizona. Linebacker Dan Skuta has signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Wide receiver Michael Crabtree is unlikely to return, as he is an unrestricted free agent.
Cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox are also testing the free-agent market. There is a strong likelihood that one or both will be moving on. If Culliver and Cox depart, it will leave the 49ers with no proven cornerbacks who played the entire 2014 season.
To make matters worse, star linebacker Patrick Willis has announced his retirement, and defensive lineman Justin Smith may soon follow suit.
Matt Barrow of The Sacramento Bee (via NFL.com's Chris Wesseling) reported that Smith has not completely made up his mind; however, it would surprise nobody if Smith does call it a career. Expect a decision to be forthcoming in the next few days.
With the loss of Gore, Willis and quite probably Smith, the 49ers have lost the top three team leaders. The leadership vacuum is not something easily replaced, especially with a new and unproven head coach in Jim Tomsula.
It can be said with conviction that Gore, Willis and Smith are a main part of the heart and soul of the 49ers. You simply do not replace those types of players easily. Their departure will have a negative impact on the team in the foreseeable future.
The magnitude of the offseason losses far outweigh the players the 49ers have brought in, thus far. In addition to the roster turnover, there is substantial question as to the strength of the 49ers' coaching staff.
The window of opportunity has prematurely closed for the 49ers. Jed York and Trent Baalke are to blame for this occurrence. There are far too many holes and questions that need be answered before this team has any realistic chance to make the playoffs.
Salary data courtesy of Spotrac.com.
Player stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.
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