NFL free agency: Grading 49ers, other NFC West moves in 2021

The 49ers mostly held onto their own in NFL free agency, but let’s grade out each of the teams within the NFC West and their offseason moves.

At one point this offseason, the San Francisco 49ers had just over $8 million in salary-cap space, which didn’t bode well for general manager John Lynch’s prospects to re-sign nearly 40 players poised to hit the NFL free agency market.

Yet the Niners still were in the top third of cap space with nearly another third of the league above the diminished salary cap, which dropped to $182.5 million. It wasn’t the worst of all situations. And after San Francisco renegotiated some current deals, freeing up more than $11 million, Lynch was able to retain a sizable chunk of players hitting the market while also bringing in some outside talent, too.

The rest of the NFC West — the Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks — also made notable moves to bolster their roster in what’s still the toughest division within the conference if not the entire league.

So, how did each team do? It’s important, after all, considering the 49ers will play those three teams twice in the regular season.

Niner Noise goes through the NFC West and breaks down each team’s cumulative NFL free agency grade.

Arizona Cardinals

Key NFL free agency additions: WR A.J. Green, EDGE J.J. Watt, K Matt Prater, CB Malcolm Butler

Perhaps the most notable free-agent addition the Cardinals made took place before the negotiating window opened on March 15, pouncing on veteran EDGE J.J. Watt after the Houston Texans released him.

Watt has battled through serious injuries the last five years but still managed a fully healthy 2020 campaign where he recorded five sacks and 52 tackles.

A two-year, $28 million deal for Watt is awfully expensive for a player who just turned 32 years old and is nothing close to his perennial All-Pro ways. But the Cardinals could use some veteran’s prowess, and Watt provides that.

Keeping right tackle Kelvin Beachum and linebacker Markus Golden were smart moves, too, and the hope is former standouts, wide receiver A.J. Green and cornerback Malcolm Butler, can resurrect the kind of success they enjoyed two or three years ago.

If so, Arizona could be dangerous. If not, the red birds will be one of those teams banking too much on aging veterans who are past their primes.