The 49ers haven’t had a loud free agency, but what they’ve been quietly doing is reconstructing the roster that took them to the Super Bowl last season.
Their two biggest moves both happened the first day the free agent negotiating window opened when they traded DeForest Buckner to the Colts and signed Arik Armstead to a big extension.
Outside of that, their moves haven’t been more than small blips on the larger NFL radar.
We went through all of their moves so far and gave them a grade from a 49ers perspective, because some of the acquisitions that’ll be inconsequential to the rest of the NFL, could wind up being the difference in another deep playoff run for San Francisco.
Re-signed DE Arik Armstead
Armstead was a candidate to get the franchise tag, but instead he inked a five-year, $85 million deal with the 49ers. The structure of the deal gives the team small salary cap hits in each of the first two years, giving them added flexibility to maneuver under the cap.
They also retained a versatile defensive lineman who’s a stout run defender and led the team with 10.0 sacks last season. While Armstead may not be the singularly dominant player DeForest Buckner is (more on him later), he’s still a very good defensive lineman who fits well within the framework of the 49ers’ defensive front. If Armstead continues rushing the passer like he did in 2019, this deal may wind up being a bargain down the line when the cap inflates.
Grade: B+
DeForest Buckner trade
The 49ers sent their Pro Bowl defensive tackle to the Colts in exchange for the No. 13 overall pick in this year’s draft. Buckner got a huge extension from Indianapolis that was going to be difficult for the 49ers to fit in with a slew of other extensions they had or had coming. They could’ve fit Buckner in but likely foregone the rest of the offseason, so getting a mid first-round pick for a player entering the final year of his rookie contract is very good value.
The big risk here is that Buckner winds up turning into a Hall of Famer while San Francisco struggles to replace him and whiffs on their use of the No. 13 pick. Overall though, general manager John Lynch and the front office took a long-term view with this move and calculated that this is the best way to extend their championship window.
Grade: B
Re-sign FS Jimmie Ward
Trading Buckner and limiting Armstead’s 2020 cap hit allowed the 49ers to retain another key piece of their defense. Ward was terrific in 13 games as the free safety last year. He can play up high, creep down into the box to defend the run, and cover any position. Ward’s versatility makes him a key chess piece for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, and his skill set isn’t easy to replicate. San Francisco also got him at a good price of $28.5 million across three years with $17 million guaranteed. There’s also a small cap hit in the first year. That’s a good price for a Pro Bowl caliber safety in the back end of the secondary.
Grade: A
Re-sign DE Ronald Blair
Depth was such an important aspect of the 49ers’ dominant defensive line last year, and while they’ll be missing Buckner on the interior, bringing Blair back on a one-year deal ensures they’ll retain some of that depth. Blair has become a reliable member of the 49ers’ defensive line rotation, posting 8.5 sacks in 25 games over the last two years. He tore his ACL in Week 10 and his status for the start of the year is up in the air. However, once he’s back, he’s a valuable piece of one of the NFL’s top defensive lines.
Grade: A-
Restructured RB Jerick McKinnon
The logical response to McKinnon’s return isn’t a positive one considering he’s missed the last two years with knee injuries. Casting him aside to save a little money would jibe with the cutthroat business of the NFL. However, the 49ers brought in McKinnon in 2018 to be the focal point of their offense. They’re going to ensure he gets every opportunity possible to be healthy. His deal was restructured so that he’s making the league minimum in 2020 with per-game roster bonuses. He’ll be a free agent in 2021. It’s an extremely low-risk deal for a player that could wind up being a big-time contributor for the 49ers this season.
Grade: B+
Tendered WR Kendrick Bourne
Giving Bourne a second-round restricted free agent tender is a testament to how important he is for the 49ers. That tender is worth $3.259 million for the former undrafted free agent. He’d receive a nice pay day with the 49ers, but he’ll still have an opportunity to negotiate with other teams. If a team signs him to an offer sheet and the 49ers don’t match, they’ll receive a second-round pick as compensation. This is a good move for San Francisco to all but ensure they’ll get back one of their most reliable wide receivers.
Grade: A-
Tendered RB Matt Breida
Breida and Bourne are in similar spots. The running back also received a second-round tender from the 49ers. While he fell out of favor at the end of last season, he’s still arguably their fastest back, and he’s averaging 5.2 yards per carry on over 250 attempts the last two seasons. That’s very strong production that they’ll surely get to bring back into their running backs room.
Grade: B+
Re-signed OT Shon Coleman
Coleman was supposed to be the swing tackle last year before a dislocated ankle and broken fibula in the first preseason game ended his season. Offensive line depth was a vital part of the 49ers’ success last year after injuries hit four of the five positions throughout the season. Coleman’s one-year deal is low risk and gives them a chance to improve on their depth at the tackle spot.
Grade: A-
Re-sign OL Ben Garland
Garland wound up starting the final three games and all three playoff games last year after center Weston Richburg went down with a knee injury in Week 14. The ability to effectively play center along with both guard spots makes Garland a very valuable piece of the 49ers’ offensive line. He could wind up starting the year in the middle of the line if Richburg isn’t ready by Week 1.
Grade: A
Sign OL Tom Compton
Shortly after releasing last year’s starting right guard, Mike Person, the 49ers signed Compton, a journeyman offensive lineman with experience in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Compton has started 24 games across the last three seasons, including five with the Jets last year, 14 with the Vikings in 2018, and five for Chicago in 2017. He’ll be in the mix for the starting job, but he’ll have to leapfrog several players to get there. Compton is more than likely to wind up as a depth piece if he makes the team.
Grade: C
