With NFL free agency a month away, we look at five players, aged 25 or under, whom the 49ers should consider targeting with their considerable cap space.
One of the major criticisms of former 49ers general manager Trent Baalke was his unwillingness to spend money in free agency.
Baalke was extremely thrifty last offseason, opting to bring in only low-cost, low-profile free agents in the form of Eric Rogers, Zane Beadles and Thad Lewis.
It is widely accepted NFL free agency is not the route by which you build a team. Successful teams are built by acquiring young talent through the NFL Draft and supplementing those selections with shrewd signings in free agency.
But even with 12 draft picks at their disposal, the 49ers will need to dip into the $80 million of cap space they have, per Over The Cap, to add some players with NFL experience to what is already a very young team.
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However, in the midst of what could be a long rebuild, it is pointless for the Niners to acquire veterans who are reaching the twilight of their careers.
Instead, general manager John Lynch and the staff he assembles should look to add players who have shown they can play in the league but still have plenty of tread on the tires.
With that in mind we look at the five free agents, aged 25 or under, the 49ers should be targeting in the offseason.