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San Francisco 49ers: Latest News & Rumors Before 2016 NFL Free Agency

By Peter Panacy

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January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke addresses the media in a press conference after naming Chip Kelly (not pictured) as the new head coach for the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke addresses the media in a press conference after naming Chip Kelly (not pictured) as the new head coach for the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

The 2016 NFL free agency period will start on March 9, and the San Francisco 49ers will have the ability to be very aggressive given their current cap space. So what are the latest bits of news and rumors that may affect the Niners’ plans before this date?

The San Francisco 49ers won’t have to worry too much about their collective wallet when NFL free agency kicks off on March 9.

According to Over the Cap, the Niners boast a cap space of $54,963,339 against the projected $155.27 million salary cap, which ranks fourth most out of all 32 teams in the league. It’s a situation in which general manager Trent Baalke and the 49ers haven’t been in for some time.

Given the overwhelming needs the franchise has to revamp its roster this offseason, boasting as much cap space is about as good a thing Baalke and Co. can hope for.

San Francisco does have needs across the board. The offensive line, wide receiver, defensive line, linebacker and cornerback positions could all use some upgrades. And the 49ers may want to consider adding some depth to prep for what may be a competitive and speculation-revealing training camp under new head coach Chip Kelly.

Yet the 49ers may also have some difficulty landing top-tier free agents. The Niners are no longer considered at the upper echelon of NFL teams. Combine this with the high cost of living in the Bay Area, and San Francisco may be forced to overspend on players the team wishes to target.

Will they? It’s hard to determine.

There are a number of key free agents who could find themselves on Baalke’s radar. While the 2016 NFL draft is fairly well stockpiled with front-seven defensive talent, the Niners may be looking to add some bona fide defenders, who have already proven their worth at the pro level.

Or, with such a good amount of cap space, Baalke may elect to address the offensive side of the ball via free agency and focus on the defense with as many as 12 draft picks at the 49ers’ disposal.

So let’s take a look at some of the latest bits of news and rumors floating around Santa Clara and see how they may affect San Francisco’s plans.

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