Niner Noise
FanSided

Refuting complaints about the 49ers’ 2018 NFL free agency class

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) /

There are some arguments the San Francisco 49ers didn’t do enough in NFL free agency this offseason, or made bad moves altogether. Here’s why those complaints are wrong.

The San Francisco 49ers weren’t exactly big players when NFL free agency officially opened on Mar. 14. They signed some guys, sure. But general manager John Lynch came nowhere near to the sheer number of moves he made a year ago at this time.

Some fans and pundits were upset by this. After all, the Niners entered the offseason with more cap space than anybody else and still had roughly $70 million available after inking quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to the largest contract in NFL history.

This prompted Niner Noise’s Aaron Tan to ask 49ers fans to “relax.”

Pretty much. But let’s take it a step further and break down why some of the more notable complaints and claims are incorrect. And if you need reference, just click here.

This isn’t an apologist’s list for San Francisco. If the team signed a bad deal, or if one of the free-agent pickups come back to haunt the Niners, we’d be the first to admit the mistake. And it isn’t a fanboy approach either.

No, there are notable reasons why the 49ers didn’t make mistakes or gaffes in free agency this year.

Let’s start off with the obvious one, Lynch and Co. weren’t active enough.