Niner Noise
FanSided

Too early look at possible 49ers free-agent targets in 2021

By Jesse Blackard

Joe Thuney #62 of the New England Patriots (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
Joe Thuney #62 of the New England Patriots (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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Shaquill Griffin, Seahawks
Shaquill Griffin #26 of the Seattle Seahawks, left, and Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /

It’s a year off, but who could be some 49ers NFL free agency targets in 2021?

The 2019 season didn’t exactly end the way San Francisco 49ers fans all wanted it to, but being a Super Bowl team does have its advantages.

Free agents love joining winning teams. With numerous 49ers contracts expiring after the 2020 season, what the Niners do next offseason will be key to prolonged success.

So before the 2020 season even gets underway, let’s take a look at some 2021 pending free agents the 49ers should target.

Cornerback Shaquill Griffin

Five of the 49ers’ top six defensive backs are scheduled to become free agents after the 2020 season. I fully expect Emmanuel Moseley, K’Waun Williams and Richard Sherman to return, but it’s what they plan to do with Sherm that remains key in how they approach the rest of the secondary.

If they decide to move him to safety and let Jaquiski Tartt walk, then San Francisco will need to replace Sherman on the outside.

I know what you’re thinking: Jalen Ramsey will be a free agent, too, and the Los Angeles Rams won’t be able to afford him. He is an amazing talent I would love to see play behind the Niners’ front seven, but he demands top dollar, and cap space is an important commodity. There are better places to spend that kind of money that it would take to get him.

**cough Kittle cough**

So the only natural thing to do, in my opinion, is to replace Sherman with the same guy who took over the top spot for him up north with the Seattle Seahawks.

Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin has developed into a quality player and has the kind of character this staff covets. Anytime you can lure a guy like him away from a rival, you shouldn’t hesitate.

Of course, none of this matters if Sherman stays both with the team and on the outside. He may be getting up there in age, but he did just turn in one hell of a season.

Which brings us to our next prospect.