SF 49ers roster: Making the call on restricted free agents, ERFAs

The SF 49ers have nearly 40 pending free agents of one kind or another in 2021. Niner Noise looks at the restricted free agents and ERFAs.

2021 isn’t going to be kind to the SF 49ers, at least in terms of NFL free agency.

With this year’s salary cap expected to drop as low as $176 million, and with over $157 million already committed to player salaries in 2021, the Niners aren’t going to have a lot of wiggle room in terms of re-signing a number of these players.

But the restricted free agents and exclusive-rights free agents give San Francisco a bit more control and could command a bit easier attention from general manager John Lynch and Co.

Restricted free agents (RFAs) have to be tendered first, and there are different qualifying types — a first-, second- or original-round tender, which have associated salary amounts for each tender. And if another team signs a tendered RFA, they’d have to dish off a draft pick associated with the round back to the team holding the tender.

As for the projected amounts in 2021, they’re as follows:

• Round 1: $4.873 million
• Round 2: $3.422 million
• Original Round: $2.24 million

Exclusive-rights free agents (ERFAs) aren’t technically free agents at all, as they can only negotiate with the team holding their rights.

Still, those teams can part ways with ERFAs essentially at any time with minimal/no financial ramifications.

As far as which of these RFAs and ERFAs the SF 49ers bring back, let’s take some estimated guesses.

All contractual information courtesy of Over the Cap.

SF 49ers Exclusive-Rights Free Agents

WR River Cracraft

The Niners gave River Cracraft some modest receiving duties when they were short at wide receiver, and Cracraft also had some shots at punt returning. But calling for a fair catch when no one was even 20 yards around him wasn’t a good look.

Unless San Francisco is short on receivers this offseason, he won’t be retained.

CB Ken Webster

Nearly all the SF 49ers’ cornerbacks are up for free agency, meaning they’ll at least need some bodies to fill out the 90-man roster into training camp.

Ken Webster stays.

OL Daniel Brunskill

Daniel Brunskill was a hidden-gem find out of the now-defunct Alliance of American Football in 2019. But 2020 proved to be a tough year for Brunskill, as he was asked to transition from right guard to center, which wasn’t a natural move.

Still, Brunskill has shown he can be a starting-caliber lineman and managed to start all 16 games last season. With plenty of other O-line questions this offseason, there’s no reason not to bring him back on his ERFA tag.

S Kai Nacua

SF 49ers fans probably had to look up this player when he made scant appearances late in the season.

The Kai Niners could lose unrestricted free-agent Jaquiski Tartt, and Marcell Harris is also an RFA in 2021.

For that reason alone, Nacua stays.

RB Austin Walter

San Francisco has a recent history of finding hidden-gem running backs, and the potential free-agent losses of Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon open up the door for Austin Walter to crack the back end of the roster as a forth-string rusher and return specialist.

The 53-man roster in 2021 is a long shot, but he should be a camp body at the very least.

SF 49ers Restricted Free Agents

QB Nick Mullens

Nick Mullens made a name for himself as a potential starting-caliber option back in 2018, but his opportunities in 2020 showed more regression than anything else.

His league-high 3.7 interception percentage will make it tough to apply even an original-round tender on worth more than $2 million, although the SF 49ers may need some continuity at quarterback depending what other transactions happen at the position this offseason.

A 50-50 shot Mullens stays.

TE Ross Dwelley

The Niners will likely continue trying to find upgrades at tight end to support George Kittle, but Ross Dwelley has done a good enough job of that the last two years.

Money spent last year on free-agent-to-be TE Jordan Reed will be enough to keep Dwelley around on a second-round tender.

QB Josh Rosen

San Francisco got its hands on a former first-round draft pick, Josh Rosen, when they plucked him off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad late in 2020.

Rosen hasn’t had time to learn the offense, and Mullens likely remains a bigger re-sign priority.

Despite Rosen’s collegiate pedigree, he’s not likely retained.

RB Jeff Wilson Jr.

With Coleman and McKinnon likely gone, the SF 49ers will have Raheem Mostert and JaMycal Hasty as the only two rushers under contract in 2021.

Jeff Wilson flashed plenty of hard-nosed running last season, which included two 100-plus rushing games and an average of 4.8 yards per carry.

He’ll receive at least a second-round tender.

LS Taybor Pepper

Long-snappers usually don’t create a lot of drama, and Taybor Pepper was the most reliable of all the Niners options here in 2020.

He’ll get an original-round tag.

CB Emmanuel Moseley

Just like Webster, San Francisco needs cornerbacks in 2021. Emmanuel Moseley was good enough to start in Super Bowl LIV. And while he fell out of favor somewhat last season, he’s still a decent starting option for a position that could lose Richard Sherman, Jason Verrett and K’Waun Williams to free agency this offseason.

A second-round tender likely applies here.

S Marcell Harris

Against the run, Marcell Harris has proven to be a worthwhile player, particularly when he’s asked only to fill in as a reserve player.

But Harris still struggles with coverage skills, and it was pretty clear in Tartt’s absence late last season Harris wasn’t going to emerge as a long-term starting option.

With Tartt likely gone in 2021, however, there’s a 75-percent chance San Francisco holds onto Harris for at least one more season.