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NFL Free Agency: Predicting Best Moves for the 49ers in 2017

By Logan Stanley

Jan 1, 2017; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws the ball as New York Giants defensive end Owa Odighizuwa (58) chases in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Giants won 19-10. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws the ball as New York Giants defensive end Owa Odighizuwa (58) chases in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Giants won 19-10. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 29, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; NFC quarterback Kirk Cousins of the Washington Redskins (8) throws the ball during the second half at Citrus Bowl.AFC defeated the NFC 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 29, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; NFC quarterback Kirk Cousins of the Washington Redskins (8) throws the ball during the second half at Citrus Bowl.AFC defeated the NFC 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 1: Quarterback Kirk Cousins

PFF Grade: 85.9

Spotrac: 4 years, $94,705,161 million — $23.6 million annually

The big one. Unrestricted free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins is, by far, the best available quarterback on the open market (free agent Brian Hoyer, who is the second-rated PFF QB, graded out at 80.6). As much as I’ve harped about defense, the destiny of a team ultimately rests in the hands who’s ever under center.

Right now, the 49ers have no adequate solution to their quarterbacking woes and Cousins is coming off his best season as a signal caller. This season, essentially only Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady outplayed Cousins (and the latter three are all MVP candidates):

  • 4,917 passing yards (Washington Redskins single-season record, 3rd in the NFL)
  • 67.0 completion percentage (3rd in the NFL)
  • 307 passing yards/game (3rd in the NFL)
  • 97.2 quarterback rating (7th in the NFL)

The 2016 season ranks as the best season a Redskins quarterback has had. Per Pro Football Reference, Cousins owns the top two passing seasons in Washington Redskins team history.

This is a signing that very well could happen. Yes, the Redskins have options regarding Cousins. They can apply the franchise tag to Cousins in order to retain him — but that means Washington forking over $23,940,000 million the upcoming season. They can pay him even more, signing him to one of the most lucrative deals in NFL history (following in the footsteps of Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck and Ryan Tannehill). Or, they can let Cousins test NFL free agency.

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Factoring in the impending hiring of Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan — who Cousins worked with in Washington — definitely makes the potential of Cousins in a 49ers uniform that more real. But the hiring of general manager John Lynch intensifies that potential of Cousins coming to the Bay Area. Lynch speaking on Cousins during a FOX broadcast in December (h/t Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post):

"You know, there’s a lot of talk in Washington, should this be our guy moving forward, is he really [worth] a $20 million contract?” Lynch began. “You’ve got to take your head off the figure. I think that scares people. That’s the going rate, folks. You may not like it, but it’s the going rate for good quarterbacks. This guy is a really good quarterback. He’s earned the right, in my mind, to be the Redskins quarterback moving forward."

That’s a telling quote. Clearly, Lynch is sold on Cousins at quarterback. And with the cap space available, the 49ers have the ability to easily sign Cousins while not financially strapping themselves for the future.

Cap space left: $10,700,000 million

Next: 10 Big-Name Players the 49ers Should Target in Free Agency

So, even after the signing of five notable free agents, the 49ers theoretically could afford all of them and still have cap space left over. That’s what makes this offseason unique — the abundance of cap space provides the 49ers the chance to be seriously aggressive in free agency, something that has not been seen in recent years from the organization.