5 free agents who can make SF 49ers Super Bowl contenders in 2021
By Peter Panacy
SF 49ers Free-Agent Target No. 3: OG Joe Thuney
Remember that part about the SF 49ers offensive line being a primary offensive weakness?
Re-signing Trent Williams won’t solve all the issues, and one could easily make the argument the Niners could stand for an upgrade along the interior positions, both at guard and perhaps at center, should they move on from Weston Richburg as a would-be cap casualty.
If that’s the case, finding an upgrade over Richburg, right guard Daniel Brunskill or perhaps even left guard Laken Tomlinson would be a wise move.
That move could be made by going after New England Patriots veteran lineman Joe Thuney.
Thuney won’t come cheap. He’s currently the highest-paid interior free-agent lineman on the open market with an average annual contract value of $14,781,000 which puts him right in line with the kind of money Williams could make on the open market. Thuney has also been reliable, too, despite all the Patriots’ problems, earning a solid 73.0 overall Pro Football Focus grade for the season.
The 2021 NFL Draft is deep with quality offensive linemen, yes. But to ensure a smooth transition and to all but guarantee impact players up front for the immediate Super Bowl run, San Francisco would be wise to pluck Thuney from the Patriots’ re-sign hopes if it can.