Who is most likely to be traded? What positions will SF develop? Which free agent will the 49ers target?
It’s been a quiet few weeks for the San Francisco 49ers. Other than the firing of defensive coordinator Steve Wilkes and that little Super Bowl incident, not much else has happened. But the NFL Scouting Combine begins this week in Indianapolis, and free agency is just a few weeks away. Therefore, the situation will soon improve.
general manager John Lynch told reporters Tuesday. And although he didn’t provide a lot of new information, I still wanted to discuss some points. So we opened up your 49ers Webzone inbox to see what questions you have about the team. Let’s take a look.
Who do you rely on (as defensive coordinator)? -Brian J.
I think everyone is expecting a big name from the outside, but I don’t expect that to happen. NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reported Monday that Kyle Shanahan texted Kyle Shanahan about the 49ers’ game with former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley for the defensive coordinator position.
The team announced that it has interviewed coordinator Nick Sorensen, a San Francisco pass defenseman. . 49ers defensive backs coach Daniel Brocks is scheduled to interview later this week, along with several other outside candidates. I understand Staley has had success with the Rams, but his defense is 3-4.
From what I understand, this is a fairly complex defense, but the 49ers prefer a simpler approach so players can read and react quickly. Will Staley change plans to get the 49ers job? That’s what Steve Wilkes did, but it didn’t work. Lynch said Tuesday there are no major changes to the 49ers’ defensive philosophy.
What does Lynch consider a “big change”? I’m not sure, but I think it means the defense won’t move to a 3-4. But Lynch said Staley should not be ruled out and that he has the right talent. It is still doubtful whether he will be selected. Barring a trade, where would the 49ers put their 11 draft picks? And which positions will have multiple elections in April? -Ed H.
Here are the positions I believe the 49ers will address through free agency or the draft.
Attack team. The right side of the offensive line needs help. It’s not that Spencer Burford and Colton McKiewicz are bad, they just aren’t good enough. The 49ers will need to find a tackle to beat McKiewicz, and eventually someone to replace Trent Williams.
I wouldn’t mind an upgrade at center, but the 49ers (especially offensive line coach Chris Forster) seem to like Jake Brendel. Lynch said Tuesday that the 49ers would like to bring back right guard Jon Feliciano. We’ll see how things go, but Feliciano was a perfect fit for the offense. I wouldn’t be surprised if San Francisco selects a tackle in the first round.
Edge rusher/defensive end. Chase Young, Randy Gregory and Clelin Ferrell are all free agents. Maybe some of them will come back, but none of them will. The 49ers need a player who can put pressure on the QB opposite Nick Bosa. Young did this from time to time, but not very consistently.
The 49ers have two young players at the position in Drake Jackson and Robert Beal Jr., but Jackson continues to struggle and Beal missed much of last season due to injury. The 49ers are expected to play defense, probably in the first round as well. Cornerback. The 49ers have two very good corners in Charvarius Ward and Deomodore Lenoir, but after this one is questionable.
Darrell Luther Jr. is highly regarded on the team, but as a rookie he didn’t play well enough to show what he’s capable of. Lynch had good things to say about Luther on Tuesday, adding that the cornerback position is “a position you have to work on every year.” That’s not enough.
defensive grip. The 49ers need a quick defensive tackle. Kalia Davis might be that person, but it doesn’t seem that way yet.
Wide receiver. Lynch said Tuesday that the 49ers want Brandon Aiyuk to stay long-term, and they also want Jauan Jennings to stay. Even if they can keep both, the wide receiver position will need to be addressed. Deebo Samuel is frequently injured due to his physical style of play. And right now, Danny Gray and Ronnie Bell don’t seem like players we can count on for big games. Gray is having problems with his career.
I can confidently say that the 49ers will not take a kicker or punter in the draft. This should ease your troubled mind.
How would the cap be affected if the 49ers traded Deevo or Kittle? I love both of them, but I always struggle with them. -Guillaume S. I doubt Samuel or George Kittle will be traded this offseason. Next year may be different, but for now I think we can confidently expect both to be playing for the 49ers in 2024. The 49ers will likely restructure some bigger contracts rather than trade anyone.
According to overthecap.com, here are the cap implications of trading a player:
Samuel’s 2024 cap hit is his $28,633,765. If he is traded before June 1, the team could save $6,912,765. Trading him after June 1st would save the 49ers $22,001,765. Kittle’s cap hit in 2024 is $21,956,575.
If he is traded before June 1st, the 49ers will save $3.042 million, but if he is traded after June 1st, the team will save $14 million. . Again, I don’t think these will ever go on sale, and especially after June 1st. Another name that has been mentioned as a potential trade option is Arik Armstead. His cap hit of $28,353,236 is the third-highest on the team in 2024 behind Williams and Samuel.
The 49ers would save $2,492,412 if they traded Armstead before June 1st, but they would save $18,039,412 if they traded Armstead after June 1st. Trading players after June 1st doesn’t seem like a good option unless you really want to reduce team-wide payroll costs. But that won’t help the team next season, especially since they’re already free agents after the draft. Therefore, I don’t expect the 49ers to make any trades this offseason after June 1st.
The 49ers have structured some of these big contracts wisely. Armstead’s cap in 2024 is $28,353,236, dropping to $15,547,000 in 2025. Similarly, Samuel’s contract will decrease slightly in 2025, but significantly, from $28,633,765 in 2024 to $8,493,000 in 2026. Such a contract structure should provide some flexibility in the future.
Teams can’t keep all of their key players under the cap. Who is most likely to be traded? I’ve heard that bands like Armstead, Devo, Kittle, and Juice are leaving soon. – Antoine D.
Given the significant cap increase, the 49ers expect to be able to keep their key players for at least one more season. And if they extend Aiyuk, that should free up a little more cap space this year. The 49ers have already released Isaiah Oliver, freeing up cap space for 2024. So, I don’t think the 49ers will trade anyone this year, but as mentioned earlier, it could be a different story in 2025. Especially when you have to pay Purdy.
Seems like a lot of experienced passers… Bosa, Barnes, Mack, Hunter, Chase Young… Who are the best players for the Niners to target? – Nick E. Joey Bosa and Brian Burns are two edge players that many 49ers fans would like to see. But could the 49ers afford a player like that? I don’t know how they can produce such big names as Nick mentioned.
Unless Chase Young decides to sign a one-year deal with the 49ers, we wouldn’t expect him to sign a contract like Javon Hargrave. My guess is that any free agent hitter will be similar to the linebackers the 49ers have signed in the past. Think names like Samson Ebukam, Charles Omenihu, and Clelin Ferrell.
Do you think the 49ers can win the Super Bowl with this team and this coach? Unfortunately, no, unfortunately! – Marcelo S. Yes, I believe the 49ers will win the Super Bowl with this team and this coach. For what? Because they have the best team in football, the best offensive mind in the game, and they’ve already come close a few times.
I know this doesn’t guarantee anything, but I continue to believe that Shanahan and his 49ers will ultimately win. That’s it for this week’s 49ers Webzone posts. He is expected to return in the coming weeks, at the start of the new NFL year and free agency, and during the offseason. mark adams
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