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Should the 49ers chase OG Josh Sitton or RB Doug Martin in free agency?

By Jeremy Wohlfart

CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 10: Josh Sitton #71 of the Chicago Bears is seen on the sidelines during a preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Soldier Field on August 10, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The Broncos defeated the Bears 24-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 10: Josh Sitton #71 of the Chicago Bears is seen on the sidelines during a preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Soldier Field on August 10, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The Broncos defeated the Bears 24-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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This week, the Chicago Bears released offensive guard Josh Sitton and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers released running back Doug Martin. Could the San Francisco 49ers see a place for them in NFL free agency for a squad with playoff hopes in 2018?

Well, we’re officially entering the beginning of the new season now, as some big names are being released and will no doubt be in the middle of some heavy rumors. Offensive guard Josh Sitton and running back Doug Martin top the list currently, and their situations could not be more different.

Sitton is a veteran at 31 years of age, but has been playing on a high level (Pro Football Focus has him rated the fifth best guard in the NFL this past season). Martin is slightly younger, at 29 years of age, but has been released after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers simply lost patience with him (despite his talent, he ranked 53rd for all running backs).

So let’s have look, should they top a San Francisco 49ers‘ wish list?

Case for Josh Sitton

The case for Sitton is pretty obvious.

While Carolina Panthers guard Andrew Norwell is both younger and rated slightly higher as the third best guard (according to Pro Football Focus) in the league, and thus would be the premier target, Sitton would be quite a nice consolation prize as both a pass protector for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and as a run blocker for whoever has the ball for the 49ers.

It isn’t even out of the question for the 49ers to sign both Norwell and Sitton, add a draft pick in Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson or UTEP guard Will Hernandez.

Both positions can stand to be upgraded, and interior blocking cannot be understated in how important it is for a quarterback, who likes to release the ball quickly like Garoppolo.

Norwell has a lot of fans at Niner Noise, and Sitton should be afforded the same praise.

My take? I would not be unhappy to see two guards added to the starting offensive line, and Sitton can easily be one of those guys.

Case for Doug Martin

Sitton is an easy sell for most 49ers fan, but Martin is a touch harder.

At his best, Martin is a phenomenal back. In his career best 2015-16 season, he ran for 1,402 yards at a 4.9-yard average with six touchdowns and added a handy 33 catches for 271 yards and an additional touchdown.

Well, there’s the problem, his career best season is a couple of seasons ago.

Martin has been so abysmal in the previous two seasons that he didn’t even reach 3.0 yards a carry in either of them.

Clearly, that is not a good sign.

But in saying that, Martin might be the best person to sign for the 49ers if incumbent Carlos Hyde moves on.

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He’s going to be very cheap, and now he’s out of a team he could be inspired back to career-best form. Even if he doesn’t revert to the form that made him one of the most exciting backs in the league, he can easily be cut and the 49ers could go for a young backfield tandem in Matt Breida and Joe Williams.

Breida and Williams, it should be pointed out, are picks (well in Breida’s case, a rookie free-agent signing) of the current John Lynch tenure and thus will be given every chance to succeed. But a trio of Martin, Breida and Williams could provide versatility for Garoppolo and head coach Kyle Shanahan.

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My take? It’s a risk, but very little of one. And the reward would be astronomical.

I’m all for calculated gambles, and I have faith in Shanahan’s offensive abilities to return Martin to the upper echelon of backs in the NFL.

Sitton, Martin, either or none? It’s going to be a crazy signing period with the 49ers being the place to be, and it isn’t impossible to see one or either of them in the red and gold for next season.