Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, and the San Francisco 49ers have been busy during this two-day negotiating window leading up to the start of free agency. It would seem that players are extremely interested in playing for Shanahan and in his offense. On the eve of free agency, the 49ers are poised to sign five players.
WR Pierre Garçon
Washington Redskins
Garçon will be 31 when the 2017 season kicks off, but he is coming off his second career 1,000-plus-yard season. In 2016, he had 79 receptions for 1,041 yards and three touchdowns.
Link to Shanahan: Garçon's best season came in 2013 with Washington when he caught 113 passes for 1,346 yards and five touchdowns. That was the last of two seasons that Garçon spent with Shanahan as his offensive coordinator.
Contract: Unknown
QB Brian Hoyer
Chicago Bears
Over the past three seasons, Hoyer has passed for 7,377 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions through 31 games. Last season with Chicago, Hoyer broke his left arm during a game against the Green Bay Packers in October. He was placed on injured reserve four days later. Through six games (only four were full games), Hoyer passed for 1,445 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions.
According to NFL Network, the 49ers have informed Hoyer that he will have a chance to compete for the starting job in 2017.
Link to Shanahan: Hoyer, an eight-year veteran, started 14 games while Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for a season (2014) in Cleveland. That year, Hoyer passed for a career-high 3,326 yards, completing 55.3 percent of his passes and throwing 12 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions.
Matt Maiocco Fast Fact: In four full games with Chicago last year, Hoyer passed for an average of 329.5 yards. The 49ers averaged an NFL-worst 181.9 yards per game in 2016.
Contract: 2 years, $12 million, $10 million guaranteed, and an extra $6 million in incentives
WR Marquise Goodwin
Buffalo Bills
The former Olympic long jumper who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine spent his entire career with Buffalo, who drafted the receiver in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Last season, Goodwin appeared in 15 games – starting nine – and had 29 receptions for 431 yards and three touchdowns for the Bills.
Contract: 2 years, $8 million
FB Kyle Juszczyk
Baltimore Ravens
Juszczyk was a fourth-round selection out of Harvard by Baltimore in the 2013 NFL Draft. He was selected to the Pro Bowl last season and was a 2016 First-Team All-Pro. Juszczyk has been a factor catching the football as well. He has 97 catches for 769 yards and five touchdowns since 2014.
Contract: 4 years, $21 million, $10 million guaranteed
LB Malcolm Smith
Oakland Raiders
Smith played in 31 games – starting 30 – over the past two seasons in Oakland. During that timeframe, he had 225 tackles, four sacks, nine passes defended, two interceptions, and four forced fumbles.
Contract: Unknown
Out of San Francisco
The San Francisco 49ers officially released WR Torrey Smith and S Antoine Bethea on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday, the team released C Marcus Martin.