The 49ers need a defensive end and Brian Burns will be a free agent. Will they sign him?
Currently, they don't have enough cap space, but they easily can restructure contracts to free up some spending money, which they surely will do. And that's why the oddsmakers expect the 49ers to make a run for Burns.
Here are the teams most likely to sign Burns (assuming he doesn't return to the Panthers), according to BetUS.
1. The Baltimore Ravens: +400
2. The Jacksonville Jaguars: +500
3. The Los Angeles Rams: +600
4. The Detroit Lions: +700
5. The Philadelphia Eagles: +700
6. The San Francisco 49ers: +800
So the 49ers aren't the favorite to land Burns, and there's a good chance he'll end up in the AFC. But if he signs with an NFC team, the oddsmakers expect most of the top teams to be interested in him. And if Burns signs with the Rams or the Lions, he could tilt the balance of power in the conference. Remember, the 49ers beat the Lions by a mere three points at home in the NFC Championship Game -- the difference between the teams is miniscule.
The 49ers have lots of needs on their roster, and they're already heavily invested on the defensive line with expensive starters such as Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead. But the 49ers still don't have a suitable defensive end opposite Bosa, and they've been looking for that player ever since they traded for Dee Ford in 2019.
Remember, the 49ers traded a second-round pick for Ford, then gave him a five-year, $87.5 million contract. Then this past year they traded a third-round for Chase Young.
Don't be surprised if the 49ers make another big investment at defensive end this offseason. Burns is the best one available. Let's see how aggressive the 49ers will be.
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