The 49ers’ limited salary cap space and minimal draft capital made it look like they’d be in for a relatively quiet offseason.
That idea was dismissed early in free agency when the 49ers agreed to trade defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Colts for the No. 13 overall pick. That was a domino that set the rest of the offseason in motion. General manager John Lynch and the 49ers’ front office wound up being active in re-signing some players and moving around in the draft to make some key moves that should put the team in position to contend for a Super Bowl again in 2020.
Here are the six best moves the 49ers made this offseason:
6. Retaining Restricted Free Agents
This one wasn’t a huge question going into the offseason since keeping restricted free agents isn’t very difficult in the NFL. The 49ers placed second-round tenders on running back Matt Breida and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne. They wound up flipping Breida to Miami for a fifth-round pick that turned into offensive lineman Colton McKivitz. Bourne could wind up being one of the team’s top two receivers in 2020. He was a go-to target for Jimmy Garoppolo in the red zone and turned 23 of his 30 catches into either a touchdown or a first down. With so many question marks at receiver, Bourne provides some much-needed reliability on the outside.
5. Re-signing Ronald Blair
Blair is never going to put up big numbers because of his role as a rotational defensive end. He was playing about 22 snaps per game last season before tearing his ACL in Week 10. Blair turned 112 pass rush snaps into 10 pressures and three sacks according to Pro Football Focus. He’s also a stout run defender on the edge. Players like Blair who can be effective from multiple positions are essential to a deep pass rush like San Francisco’s, and replacing him wouldn’t have been easy. He should be healthy for the start of the season and providing a spark off the edge while giving Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead some plays off.
4. Re-signing Arik Armstead
It would’ve been difficult to justify letting Armstead walk after he churned out 10.0 sacks to lead the club in that category last season. He wound up inking a five-year deal worth $85 million with $48.5 million guaranteed. Armstead’s versatility makes him a unique and effective player for the 49ers’ defensive line. He can play on the edge where he’s among the best run defenders in the NFL, but he can also kick inside and rush the passer from the defensive tackle spot. The former first-round pick needed a few years to finally break out, but getting him back under contract helps San Francisco maintain continuity along a defensive line that was among the NFL’s best last year.
3. Re-signing Jimmie Ward
The 49ers re-signed Ward last offseason to a one-year deal in a somewhat surprising move. The decision paid off. Ward hurt himself in OTAs, but was available for the final 13 games plus the playoffs, and he played virtually every snap in his 16 contests. Back at his natural free safety spot, Ward turned in an outstanding season in the back end of the 49ers’ secondary. He was the fourth-highest graded 49ers defender by Pro Football Focus, as well as their second-best run defender, and second-best player in coverage. Ward is a key reason the 49ers were the best defense in the league at limiting big plays, and replacing him wouldn’t have been easy. Getting him on a three-year, $28 million contract could wind up being a bargain if he turns in three years like the one he had in 2019.
2. Trading DeForest Buckner
There’s a chance none of the previous four moves on this list are possible without the Buckner trade. The 49ers traded the star defensive tackle to the Colts in exchange for the No. 13 pick. Indianapolis wound up signing him to a four-year, $84 million contract. Signing Buckner to that same deal probably puts the 49ers out of the running for Ward, and certainly keeps them from re-signing Armstead. The draft compensation in the trade allowed them to replace Buckner with a top-15 pick. It’s never easy to move on from All-Pro caliber players early, but positional value and the 49ers’ salary cap situation made this move a logical one.
1. Trading for Trent Williams
San Francisco’s best acquisition during the draft wasn’t even one of their picks. It was the trade that brought left tackle Trent Williams to the 49ers. After getting word of Joe Staley’s pending retirement, the team went to work on a trade for Williams, who was Washington’s first-round pick in 2010 when Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator there. Early reports of a Williams trade indicated it would take at least one first-round pick to pry the seven-time Pro Bowler out of Washington’s hands. San Francisco wound up trading a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2021 third-round selection to snag him and quickly fill the massive void left by Staley’s departure. Protecting Jimmy Garoppolo’s blind side is vital, and there aren’t many players better at left tackle than Williams. Getting him for a fifth and a future third makes this the best move by the 49ers’ front office this offseason.
