5 Available Free Agents Still Within the San Francisco 49ers' Reach
Hardly any free agents are within the San Francisco 49ers’ reach right now.
According to Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area, the Niners have just $6,741,660 in cap space—barely enough to sign all of their upcoming draft picks. The Niners have to create cap space before they sign another free agent of consequence.
If Justin Smith retires—he hasn’t yet decided—the 49ers will have $10,991,660 in cap space, per Maiocco. If Smith retires and the Niners cut Ahmad Brooks after June 1, they will have $15,697,910 in cap space, per Niners Nation's Jason Hurley and David Fucillo. That would be plenty of space to sign a few key bench players, maybe even a starter or two.
If the 49ers free up all of that money, these are the top five free agents they should target in ascending order.
5. Stevie Brown, Safety
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The 49ers might be one concussion away from special teams specialist Craig Dahl playing free safety.
Eric Reid already has had three concussions during his two-season career. How many more can he take? He might never take another one, but the Niners must to prepare for life without him anyway. And Dahl is not a good option to replace him. He lacks the instincts to play safety.
Brown is the best safety left on the market. He played the first six seasons of his career with the New York Giants. In 2012, he intercepted eight passes. In 2013, he tore his ACL.
In February he had foot surgery, but Brown expects a short recovery, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ Advance Media. He should be ready to participate in training camp. He would be cheap, talented, veteran insurance for Reid.
4. Knowshon Moreno, Running Back
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The Niners typically start the regular season with four running backs—two small scatbacks and two big power backs.
Carlos Hyde currently is the only power back the Niners have. They need another one. If they don’t want to get one in the draft—they have plenty of other needs—they can sign former Miami Dolphins running back Knowshon Moreno to a one-year contract.
Moreno is a former first-round pick who is only 27 years old. He produced 1,586 all-purpose yards in 2013, but in 2014 he tore his ACL in Week 6 and missed the rest of the season. He still is rehabbing, according to Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post.
The 49ers should be able to sign Moreno to a one-year deal with almost no money guaranteed. Moreno needs to prove he can recover from knee surgery and stay healthy. If he can do those things, he would be a terrific all-around backup because he runs between the tackles, he catches passes and he blocks well.
3. Red Bryant, Defensive End
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The 49ers need a replacement for former starting defensive end Ray McDonald.
According to NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport, they recently scheduled a meeting with former Florida State defensive end Eddie Goldman. Draft experts expect teams to pick Goldman in Round 1.
Instead of spending a premium pick on Goldman, the Niners can get a similar player who is much cheaper and 10 years older—former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Red Bryant.
Bryant already is what scouts hope Goldman can be—a dominant two-down run-stuffing defensive lineman. Neither Goldman nor Bryant rushes the passer well.
Bryant turns 31 on April 18. He still can play. Pro Football Focus gave him a plus-12.8 run-defense grade last season—tied for third best among 4-3 defensive ends.
Bryant would give the Niners terrific value on a one-year deal. He would start at left defensive end—the position Ray McDonald used to play for them.
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2. Lance Briggs, Inside Linebacker
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The 49ers also need an inside linebacker to start next to NaVorro Bowman. Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee reports they have discussed signing former Chicago Bears inside linebacker Lance Briggs.
Briggs is 34, and he’s too slow to cover tight ends man to man. He’s a two-down linebacker at this stage of his career. The Niners probably prefer to get a young three-down linebacker in the upcoming draft.
But there aren’t many to choose from. I count three—former Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney, former Clemson linebacker Stephone Anthony and former TCU linebacker Paul Dawson.
And Dawson is a stretch. He might not be fast enough to play on passing downs (4.93 40-yard dash). He might be a two-down linebacker just like Briggs. Draft experts expect teams to take Dawson in Round 2 or Round 3.
Instead of spending a Day 2 pick on a two-down linebacker, the Niners simply should sign Briggs to a one-year contract. He played only eight games last season, but he earned a plus-8.6 run-defense grade from Pro Football Focus.
1. Jermaine Gresham, Tight End
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The best tight end remaining on the market is former Cincinnati Bengal Jermaine Gresham.
The best tight end in the upcoming draft might be former University of Miami Hurricane Clive Walford. The 49ers met with Walford at the combine, according to Turron Davenport of The Baltimore Times. Teams probably will draft Walford in Round 2 or Round 3.
Walford is a solid tight end, but so is Gresham. Gresham was a first-round pick in 2010, and he is only 26.
In 2014 Gresham caught 62 passes while four 49ers tight ends—Vernon Davis, Vance McDonald, Derek Carrier and Garrett Celek—combined to catch just 39.
Gresham had back surgery in March for a herniated disk, meaning it shouldn't take much money to sign him. The 49ers can give him a one-season tryout. If he plays well, they can re-sign him in 2016 to replace Davis as the starting tight end.
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