5 lesser-known free agents the 49ers should target in 2018
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Offensive Tackle Sam Young, Miami Dolphins
The 49ers offensive line is the single unit needing the most help this offseason, and the interior spots figure to be most pressing.
With tackles Joe Staley and Trent Brown all but guaranteed starting jobs next year, the need for another tackle is secondary. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Injuries and underperformance have beset the tackle position all season long, and what the Niners need is a worthy swing tackle.
Garry Gilliam wasn’t doing this well enough before getting injured, Erik Magnuson — also on injured reserve — is a raw, undrafted rookie and Zane Beadles is little more than a liability.
Instead, a wise move would be to target Miami Dolphins right tackle Sam Young.
Young was forced into a starting role back in Week 12 and has held his own, registering a modest 67.1 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus, and would be a much better insurance policy over someone like Beadles.