Niner Noise
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NFL free agency: 5 players the 49ers shouldn’t target in 2018

By Jay Marsdale

NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 24: Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins #12 of the Los Angeles Rams carries the ball against the Tennessee Titians at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 24: Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins #12 of the Los Angeles Rams carries the ball against the Tennessee Titians at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 30: Tyler Eifert #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals catches a touchdown pass during the NFL International Series game against the Washington Redskins at Wembley Stadium on October 30, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 30: Tyler Eifert #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals catches a touchdown pass during the NFL International Series game against the Washington Redskins at Wembley Stadium on October 30, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images) /

No. 3: TE Tyler Eifert

The main mission for general manager John Lynch and the 49ers front office this offseason needs to be surrounding quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with playmakers. One position they may look to improve on is tight end. A good tight end is every quarterback’s best friend and security blanket in an offense. The most highly sought-after tight end in this free-agent class will be Cincinnati’s Tyler Eifert.

Everyone in the NFL knows how good Eifert can be, but he hasn’t been on the field to prove it. Eifert has only played 39 games in five seasons. Out of those five seasons he has never played a full 16 games. He was destined to be one of the best tight ends in football, but injuries have seriously derailed his career.

Just like in the case of Sammy Watkins, many people are going to want to look back at Eifert’s suceess and hope he can reclaim it, but it’s gone. Tight end is one of the most physically demanding positions to play. Eifert’s body has shown it can not hold up.

The 49ers may not need to look any further than their current roster for a solution at tight end. George Kittle did not light the world on fire in his rookie campaign, but he showed some real potential. We have already seen Garoppolo get the best out of every player he plays with. The same might be the case for Kittle.

If this were the Eifert of 2015, I would have given him whatever amount of money he asked for, but not in 2017. The 49ers are looking to build a winning team that can compete for years to come, and Eifert can not be counted on to be a part of that.

Roll into 2018 with Kittle as your starter at tight end and, perhaps, draft another player with promise in the later rounds to develop. It is tempting to try to find that security blanket tight end  for Garoppolo right now like Philadelphia has for Carson Wentz in Zach Ertz, but that player isn’t available this year’s free-agent class.