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writer Nick Shook examined the upcoming free agency landscape and played matchmaker between players and teams. In his
latest feature for NFL.com, he picked "one fun free agency fit" for each NFC team. The San Francisco 49ers could see several defensive backs depart, including Richard Sherman,
Jason Verrett, K'Waun Williams, and Ahkello Witherspoon.
The potential losses at cornerback led Shook to pick
Mike Hilton of the Pittsburgh Steelers for John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan's defense.
"The 49ers are going to say goodbye to Richard Sherman and likely Jason Verrett, and they also need to get younger at the position," explained Shook. "A favorite of mine for the last couple of seasons because of his flair for being in the right place at the right time, Hilton would be an excellent fit in the 49ers' defense. With around $12.5 million in cap space, San Francisco has the funds to make this happen and shore up its secondary in the process."
San Francisco may have the funds to add a player like Hilton, but the team also has other needs to address. Left tackle
Trent Williams, whom the team traded for last offseason, is scheduled to hit the open market. The 49ers would like to keep him around for the foreseeable future. However, Williams is expected to be in high demand. Shook's colleague, Gregg Rosenthal,
recently stated that he expects the eight-time Pro Bowl selection to become the highest-paid player in free agency and possibly the highest-paid tackle in the NFL.
As for Hilton, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss in 2016. He wasn't able to stick with the team beyond its final roster cuts and, after a few days on the New England Patriots practice squad, signed with the Steelers.
Hilton, 26, registered 51 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, three sacks, seven passes defensed, three interceptions, and a forced fumble through 12 games with the Steelers in 2020, per Pro Football Reference. He has recorded 237 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 32 passes defensed, seven interceptions, and three forced fumbles through his four NFL seasons.
Shook sees the Philadelphia Eagles as a good free agency destination for one 49ers cornerback about to hit the open market — K'Waun Williams.
"The Eagles have essentially little to no money to spend, but they do need to fill the nickel role in their defense," wrote Shook. "Williams feels like a good fit because of his mix of age and deflated value due to a considerable injury history, and he could probably be had for an affordable amount."
The writer feels former 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Washinton Football Team quarterback Alex Smith might be a solid match for the Chicago Bears.
"Should he be able to stay healthy for a full season, this might end up being the next chapter in Smith's incredible comeback tale -- and could help vault the Bears from a seventh seed to something greater," commented Shook.
Analyst Dane Brugler recently revealed his seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, forecasting all 257 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, set to kick off next week.
"Piecing together a mock like this is time consuming, but I enjoy the exercise, because it allows me to focus on each team's needs, organizational trends and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on '30' visits, league buzz and overall interest," Brugler wrote.
Most expect the 49ers to address the trenches early in the draft, and Brugler has the team doing that. It's just not on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Brugler doesn't have San Francisco
ESPN recently conducted a mock draft involving its NFL Nation reporters, where each assumed the general manager role for the team they cover. This unique process benefits from selectors who are intimately aware of each team's needs.
The San Francisco 49ers are expected to address their offensive line with the No. 31 overall pick, marking the team's first first-round selection since 2021. Nick Wagoner, acting as general manager John Lynch, had to adapt his plan based on earlier selections taking several offensive tackles off draft boards.
With those options gone, Wagoner opted for former Missouri pass rusher Darius
(Episode 330) — Legendary columnist Mike Silver joins the show to discuss the Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors and trade value, priorities in the secondary, Mike's book, and more! You can read Mike's work at the San Francisco Chronicle.
The audio for the show is embedded above. Remember to subscribe!
You can watch the interview below.
You can listen to the latest "No Huddle Podcast" episode above, from
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, it's common for the rumor mill to start churning, especially with players who are actively seeking a new contract. It was just two short years ago that WR Deebo Samuel requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers prior to draft day, only for cooler heads to prevail and eventually agree to a new deal.
Now, it's WR Brandon Aiyuk's turn to try and get paid and rumors surfaced over the weekend that he too would request to be dealt. While that report was quickly shot down by his agent, there's still a lot of discussion about Aiyuk's future and if other teams will come calling on draft night.
Legendary columnist Mike Silver joined
