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NFL Free Agency: 5 Players the 49ers Should Target in 2017

By Peter Panacy

Sep 11, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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NFL free agency may be a long ways away, but the San Francisco 49ers would be wise to start considering possible additions to a team in need of talent at multiple positions across the board. Niner Noise looks at five potential targets to consider in 2017.

Nov 26, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) during the NFL game against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving at Lambeau Field. Chicago won 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) during the NFL game against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving at Lambeau Field. Chicago won 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

Only a fool would think the current San Francisco 49ers roster is in good shape right now.

San Francisco sits at 1-2 two weeks into the 2016 season and, statistically, the team ranks in the bottom tier in nearly every major offensive and defensive category.

It’s nearly a carbon copy of what was seen the previous year.

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While the Niners have some nice young pieces in place — such as defensive ends DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead — the team could also stand to make even more upgrades this upcoming offseason.

The NFL Draft has been the primary means for general manager Trent Baalke to do this. He’s not a big free-agency guy. Such actions, and the Niners’ own frugal spending, have put San Francisco No. 2 overall in 2016 cap space — $43,416,067 to be exact, per Over the Cap.

The Niners will have even more in 2017, which means Baalke will have the chance to land a good deal of talent in free agency.

That is if Baalke is still employed by the Niners at that point.

Regardless of Baalke’s future, let’s look at five pending free agents the 49ers should target this upcoming offseason. Losing teams frequently need to overspend, but San Francisco will have the cap space to do this.

And while we don’t know what the context will be when 2017 free agency commences, we can at least take an early look.