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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.
The first week of NFL free agency is in the books, and there has been a lot of movement made by the San Francisco 49ers. The team added defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, quarterback Sam Darnold, and others to the roster.
As is the case every year, departures are inevitable. Gone are some high-profile names like quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (Raiders) and tackle Mike McGlinchey (Broncos). Key players like cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (Lions) and offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill (Titans) have also found new NFL homes.
San Francisco has tendered a one-year deal to exclusive-rights free agent wide receiver Jauan Jennings. In addition, the following eight 49ers restricted or unrestricted free agents have returned to the team.
C Jake
Soon-to-be former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to be in good demand when free agency kicks off on Wednesday. That demand will start today, actually. NFL teams can begin contract negotiations with impending free-agent players from other teams starting at 9 a.m. PT.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Garoppolo can expect to receive some phone calls from the Houston Texans and the Las Vegas Raiders, the two teams anticipated to pursue the veteran quarterback. Garoppolo has familiarity with both coaching staffs. He was with Raiders coach Josh McDaniels in New England and Texans coach DeMeco Ryans in San Francisco.
Another team that could be interested in the quarterback is the New York Jets. However, they are also reportedly interested
According to ESPN's Dianna Russini, the Tennessee Titans are expected to sign former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, an unrestricted free agent.
The Titans are expected to sign former 49er Azeez Al-Shaair, per source— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 14, 2023
"I want him to go be
The San Francisco 49ers have opted not to tender a contract to restricted free agent linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, immediately making him an unrestricted free agent and free to sign anywhere. He may also return to San Francisco on a new contract.
The 49ers did not tender RFA Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. The linebacker is now an unrestricted free agent.— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) March 15,
