NFL Free Agency: 5 Realistic Free Agents the San Francisco 49ers Should Target in 2016
By Peter Panacy
Nose Tackle Ian Williams
2015 Salary: $1,545,834
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to see 49ers nose tackle Ian Williams on this list. And he remains one of the Niners’ top offseason priorities after posting his best pro year after being selected as an undrafted free agent in 2011.
Williams was healthy for all 16 games as well and remained one of the team’s best run defenders. Pro Football Focus gave him a plus-23.9 run-defense grade and a plus-24.4 overall mark — best among all 49ers defensive players.
It’s no secret Williams will cash in on a big contract this offseason. Yet injury concerns still about and, as Jay Hurley of Niners Nation points out, the 49ers may want to work in some sort of clause to address this:
"I believe Williams should come in on a 3-year deal worth $13.5 million, with approximately $5 million in fully guaranteed money. I also believe the 49ers would give Williams the same game-day active roster bonuses they gave him in his previous 3-year deal, which were $200,000 per year. He stayed healthy this past year, but the 49ers do a good job working these bonuses into new contracts."
Even more important is Williams stock both in the middle of the defense line and within the locker room.
The #49ers can't afford to let NT Ian Williams walk in free-agency. He's too valuable on the field & inside that locker room.
— Ryan Sakamoto (@BEASTwriter) December 29, 2015
It’s generally easier to re-sign free agents than luring them away from former employers. So Williams would be a good candidate here.
Next: WR Marvin Jones