SF 49ers: 4 low-profile free agents team should bring back in 2021

The SF 49ers face a lot of tough decisions in NFL free agency this offseason, but these four less-known names should be kept in 2021.

The SF 49ers have a total of 40 pending free agents, in one variety or another, who are scheduled for an uncertain future beyond this season.

A diminishing salary cap getting as low as $175 million, combined with the fact the Niners already have $157 million committed to players next season, will make for some tough challenges for general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. Even if San Francisco is able to retain some of its free-agent talent, the 2021 roster is going to look noticeably different than the one that finished last year with a 6-10 record.

And there are going to be a lot of names gone from the previous season’s Super Bowl team, too.

There are already plenty of top NFL free agency targets Lynch, Shanahan and the SF 49ers would prioritize over the remaining players set to hit the market. Much more focus will be given towards well-known players like left tackle Trent Williams, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, cornerback K’Waun Williams, cornerback Jason Verrett and EDGE Kerry Hyder.

But what about some of the low-profile names who should be retained? They can be just as important, too, and they rarely command anything close to the kind of money the big-name players will get.

Here are four less-heralded free agents the Niners should bring back in 2021.

No. 4: Center Ben Garland

San Francisco had attrition problems within its offensive line all season, and few positions suffered more than at center.

No. 2 snapper Ben Garland wasn’t supposed to start in 2020. But he did in the wake of veteran center Weston Richburg missing the entirety of the year because of a serious knee injury suffered late in 2019. And with Richburg’s hefty contract making him a potential cap casualty in 2021, having a proven veteran at the position would be a wise move.

Even if Garland missed all but five games last year with a calf injury of his own.

At 32 years old, Garland isn’t a long-term option. And the 2021 NFL Draft is deep with offensive linemen, especially along the interior.

While Garland is a noticeable downgrade from Richburg, he was serviceable enough late in 2019 and early in 2020, making him a likely cheap re-sign possibility to at least bridge the gap between potentially moving on from Richburg and developing a young, promising center for the long run.