The San Francisco 49ers have had a whirlwind of an offseason, stemming from Jimmy Garoppolo trade rumors to the addition of high-priced cornerback Charvarious Ward, who signed a three-year, $40.5 million deal to join the secondary.
However, while the 49ers made relatively minor additions otherwise, such as special-teamers Ray-Ray McCloud, George Odum, and Oren Burks, their arch-rival Los Angeles Rams made multiple splash signings: wide receiver Allen Robinson, who signed a three-year, $46.5 million deal, and linebacker Bobby Wagner, who signed a five-year, $50 million deal.
So, should we be content with how the 49ers have approached free agency?
The answer is: yes and no.
Did the 49ers get better this offseason? No. They lost the likes of Pro-Bowl guard Laken Tomlinson, defensive tackle D.J. Jones, cornerback K'Waun Williams, safety Jaquiski Tartt, and running back Raheem Mostert to free agency, which were several of the key members on this roster.
However, the 49ers planned for the departures of these players, with rookie Aaron Banks now prepared to slot in at left guard, rookie Deommodore Lenoir now prepared to compete at nickelback, and rookie Elijah Mitchell taking over as the top running back on the depth chart.
Additionally, San Francisco has been active in retaining their rotational free agents, providing them with the depth that allowed them to flourish at multiple positions last year, despite the injury bug.
And, when looking at the Los Angeles Rams, the oft-aggressive team has lost a number of key players themselves, with wide receiver Robert Woods(Tennessee), cornerback Darius Williams(Jacksonville), left tackle Andrew Whitworth(retirement), guard Austin Corbett(Carolina), punter Johnny Hekker(Carolina), defensive end Von Miller(Buffalo), defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day(Los Angeles Chargers), and defensive end Ogbonnia Okoronkwo(Houston) all departing this offseason.
Despite the 49ers objectively getting worse this offseason, they've potentially upgraded at the most important position in football, quarterback, and are still in a prime position to contend for the playoffs, and even further, in 2022.
However, where can the 49ers improve still this offseason?
Following their free agency additions, the 49ers still lack a starting-caliber safety opposite Jimmie Ward, another nickelback to compete with Deommodore Lenoir whose yet to prove himself, and some interior offensive line depth, given the uncertainty around Alex Mack and the right guard spot, as well as Mike McGlinchey's status following his torn quadriceps injury.
With three picks within the first three rounds of the draft and the ammunition to potentially gain more, San Francisco could come out of the draft with multiple starting-caliber players from Day 1, given the depth available at multiple positions of need in this draft.
- Rohan Chakravarthi
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Written by:Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
