Three of the top free agents set to be available on Wednesday have already agreed to terms with new teams ... and none of them are the San Francisco 49ers.
Wide receiver Allen Robinson, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars, is headed to the Chicago Bears on a three-year deal worth approximately $42 million with $25 million guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Wide receiver Sammy Watkins, formerly of the Los Angeles Rams, is headed to the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year deal worth approximately $48 million, according to NFL Network.
Guard Andrew Norwell, formerly of the Carolina Panthers, is headed to the Jaguars on a five-year deal worth $66.5 million with $30 million guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Robinson played in one game in 2017, which was Jacksonville's season opener against the Houston Texans, and had just one catch for 17 yards before tearing his ACL. His last full season was in 2016 when he caught 73 passes for 883 yards and six touchdowns. Robinson's best season came in 2015 when he had 80 catches for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. During his first three NFL seasons, He caught 201 passes for 2,831 yards and 22 touchdowns.
The 49ers were expected to target Robinson in free agency, according to multiple reports.
RELATED Steve Wyche: John Lynch makes it sound like 49ers won't go after 'the splash names' in free agency
Watkins' best game in 2017 came during a Week 3 contest against the 49ers when he caught six passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns during the Thursday-night shootout. Before joining the Rams, he spent three seasons with Buffalo where he led Bills offense in receiving yards in 2014 and 2015. Watkins' only 1,000-yard season came during his best statistical year in 2015 when he had 60 catches for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns with Buffalo.
Norwell was named a first-team All-Pro in 2017 and has started all but one of his 55 game appearances over his four NFL seasons with Carolina, including 16 starts in each of the last two seasons. He did not allow a sack, was Pro Football Focus' third-highest graded guard, and the top-graded pass-blocking guard in 2017. In 2016, Norwell allowed just two sacks for the season.
On Monday, the 49ers were among the three finalists that Norwell was considering signing with, according to a report. The Jaguars were not among the three reported finalists.
On Monday, Steve Wyche of NFL Network reported that, according to the impression he received from general manager John Lynch, he didn't expect the 49ers to go after anymore "splash names" in free agency after already signing cornerback Richard Sherman to a three-year deal.
"Speaking to John Lynch, he made it sound like -- remember, the Niners have a boatload of money under this salary cap to pursue free agents -- that they are not going to go after any of what Lynch likes to say, 'the splash names,'" Wyche reported. "Maybe that includes [wide receiver Allen Robinson], just not sure. But they're going to try to build this roster with seemingly some more marginal-type free agents."
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