Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: Full 2018 NFL free agency preview and analysis

By Peter Panacy

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: General Manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: General Manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 31: General Manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 31: General Manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

The San Francisco 49ers were heavily active in NFL free agency a year ago at this time. Niner Noise sets the table for free agency for 2018 with this all-inclusive breakdown.

The 2018 NFL offseason has already gotten off to a wild start, although the San Francisco 49ers have remained largely inactive.

A flurry of trades and releases, including multiple ones within the NFC West, have dominated the headlines leading up to the start of NFL free agency on Mar. 14. Yet the Niners haven’t exactly been involved in these.

It makes sense why they haven’t.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

General manager John Lynch needs to acquire talent, not part ways with it. And one of the main ways this happens is by sending off precious NFL Draft picks.

That’s not where the 49ers’ surplus lies right now. Instead, that’s cap space.

Even after inking quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to an NFL-leading five-year, $137.5 million deal earlier this offseason, the Niners still had just over $70 million in cap space — fifth most in the league, according to Over the Cap, prior to the Richard Sherman signing, of course.

That’s a lot. And if we learned anything about Lynch a year ago, he won’t hesitate to use this method to make improvements.

Being “aggressively prudent,” as Lynch put things, the Niners will look to solve some major holes this offseason.

There are a few.

But before we start there, let’s take a look at pending free agents San Francisco will likely let test the market this offseason.