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5 Players the 49ers Should Avoid in NFL Free Agency

By Eric Gamboa

Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) and quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) practice before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) and quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) practice before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Niner Noise talks 49ers free agency and lists which five free-agent players the 49ers should avoid like the plague during the upcoming offseason.

Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) and quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) practice before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) and quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) practice before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

Newsflash: The San Francisco 49ers were terrible in 2016!

Alright, that’s not exactly stunning news. Neither is the release of general manager Trent Baalke and coach Chip Kelly.

San Fran is set to enter a bold, new era. This new era should absolutely not include quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert.

This season, Kaepernick was a lightning bolt of controversy. But, even before he decided to protest the national anthem, fans had already grown tired of his inability to play the position at a high level.

Gabbert, on the other hand, brings zero controversy. But he also has zero starting talent. Gabbert’s play this season has shown that he is a backup QB at best.

Neither of these guys should remain on the 49ers roster next season. Releasing them would be in everyone’s best interests. The team needs a complete overhaul and there are few pieces on this team worth keeping under the next regime.

Building through free agency rarely yields successful football teams, but some teams have achieved success through smart, calculated free-agent additions. The Denver Broncos, the Oakland Raiders and the New York Giants are some of the three more prominent teams to do just that in recent years.

Still, free agency is a difficult place to maneuver. Some players will be worth their weight in gold. Others will simply be fool’s gold.

The following slideshows will reveal the five players the next 49ers personnel czar should leave on the free-agency aisle.