The San Francisco 49ers have added speed, youth, and talent to an already loaded roster this offseason through free agency and the draft, and with rookie minicamps around the corner, one might think that the last of the ink has dried. They shouldn’t stop now if they are truly trying to win a Super Bowl at the end of the next season. With all three division rivals improving and the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs restocking with a monster draft alongside the Hollywood Brown signing, they have to continue to improve their roster.
While everyone in the national media is screaming about the wide receiver room, General Manager John Lynch has done a great job of loading up the offensive skill positions, but there are three holes on the roster that have not been filled through the free agency period or draft. These three late free-agent signings would help the team not only this year but in the long run.
Free Agents The San Francisco 49ers Should Consider After the Draft
Justin Simmons, Safety
It was reported that injured safety Talanoa Hufanga wasn’t guaranteed a starting position next year, and with Ji’Ayir Brown coming off of a solid finish to his rookie season, the 49ers are probably still looking to add another safety. They did just that by drafting Malik Mustapha out of Wake Forest in the fourth round of the draft. Mustapha isn’t known for his ball-hawking center-field ability but rather as a run-stopper.
Simmons is a top remaining free agent, a former all-pro, and a proven defensive leader. It would make sense to add him to their back four. Hufanga was proven to be a bit of a liability in coverage at times, and Simmons would be an upgrade in this area. Being 30 and a safety means his contract should be manageable over the next couple of years. I know there is smoke around former Seattle Seahawk Jamal Adams, but Simmons makes more sense.
Donovan Smith, Offensive Tackle
The re-signing of starting offensive guard John Feliciano was a sign that he will probably be their starter this year, giving them three decent options for their two guard spots, plus third-round draft pick Dominick Puni. They extended right tackle Colton McKivets this offseason, but we can’t believe that he is the answer long-term.
Smith is a left tackle, but bringing him in for a year or two to play the right tackle position while future hall of famer Trent Williams finishes his career, then taking over the left tackle position would make good career sense for Smith. This would mirror when the 49ers signed Charvarius Ward from the Kansas City Chiefs after they beat them in the Super Bowl the first time around.
Stephon Gilmore/Adoree Jackson, Cornerback
Second-round pick Renardo Green, the cornerback out of Florida State, might have been the biggest reach of the 2024 draft. The 49ers’ history of not trusting rookie cornerbacks makes the pick even that much more of a reach considering the desperate need the 49ers have to find a top corner to start opposite Ward. That’s what this signing is. Even if they signed one of these two to a one-year prove-it contract, that would give their slew of cornerback draftees over the past two seasons time to either step up into starting roles or allow the team to start over next offseason, while still playing to win a Super Bowl this season.
Will the front office in Santa Clara sign any of these players? Who knows, but one thing is for sure, the 49ers roster building should not be considered complete.
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