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Quick Fixing the 49ers: 5 Bold Roster Moves for the 2017 Offseason

By JD Leidy

Feb 8, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers president Jed York during press conference at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers president Jed York during press conference at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 19, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) carries the ball as Philadelphia Eagles free safety Jalen Mills (31) defends during the second half at Soldier Field. Philadelphia won 29-14. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 19, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) carries the ball as Philadelphia Eagles free safety Jalen Mills (31) defends during the second half at Soldier Field. Philadelphia won 29-14. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Sign Free Agent Wide Receiver Alshon Jeffery

Alshon Jeffery is an elite talent at a position of irrefutable need for the 49ers.

Per Pro Football Focus, Jeffery graded behind only Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown and Atlanta’s Julio Jones in the 2015 season. Not bad company, at all.

Despite playing a mere 516 snaps that year, he finished with 807 yards and four touchdowns (or a 94.2 overall score).

His 2016 campaign was not nearly as successful, largely hampered by injury and a four-game PED suspension. However, these are just the sort of hiccups that could cause his free-agency value to dip, making it a choice time for a team like the 49ers to snap him up.

Forget “winning with class,” Jed. Let’s try winning with talent for a change.

Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Jeffery is by far the best wide receiver option in this year’s free agent crop and would make a fantastic, big-bodied compliment to a QB like Romo.

Additionally, his No. 1 receiver status would draw scads of defensive attention, meaning the 49ers might actually begin to reap some value from the $6.5 million a year that they’re paying fellow WR Torrey Smith.

Signing Jeffrey would represent another sizeable hit to the Niners cap space. Let’s presume it’s a cool $15 million per year.

So, with Romo and Jeffrey in tow, the Niners will have committed $33 million in cap space. That’s the “bad” news. The good news? They’d still have almost $50 million remaining.

Other Names to Consider:  DeSean Jackson and Michael Floyd