Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: 3 last-minute targets to consider in NFL free agency

By Aaron Tan

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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 13: Running back Isaiah Crowell #34 of the Cleveland Browns runs the ball during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 13, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Andrew Weber/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 13: Running back Isaiah Crowell #34 of the Cleveland Browns runs the ball during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 13, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Andrew Weber/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Running Back Isaiah Crowell

An offense cannot function without a good starting running back. Carlos Hyde is likely now gone. The 49ers need a good starting running back.

Enter running back Isaiah Crowell, who I believe, is one of the most underrated players in the league. He is only 25 years old and is often overlooked because of him being on a bad Cleveland Browns team.

What people do not know is that Crowell is actually very capable of making splash plays on the field. He has a knack for finding holes in the offensive line to get to open running lanes and does not go down easy. And I can’t forget the fact that he has breakaway speed when he gets in the open field and can catch the ball well, making him an ideal fit for a Kyle Shanahan offense.

Crowell went undrafted in 2014, but Shanahan, being the Browns’ offensive coordinator at the time, picked him up and immediately made him a big part of the offense. Keep in mind that Shanahan kept Crowell over possible 49ers free-agent target, Dion Lewis, who got cut prior to the beginning of the regular season that year.

And from the looks of Twitter, it looks like Crowell wants to reunite with Shanahan:

And you know what? It makes sense. Shanahan, with his genius of an offensive mind, has a chance to make Crowell into a household name.

The best part? He’ll come cheap.