The 49ers face some tough challenges and choices in NFL free agency this offseason, so Niner Noise goes through and predicts who re-signs in 2022.
Right now, according to Over the Cap, the San Francisco 49ers are predicted to be $4.478 million above the $208.2 million salary cap for 2022.
It’s not the worst situation of all time, of course, and some minor roster jockeying would likely free up the necessary space to get the Niners’ top-51 contracts under the cap by the start of the league new year on March 16.
And a bigger chunk, more than $25 million, will be freed up if and when the team moves on from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, which it’s expected to do.
San Francisco has a total of 25 free agents of either the unrestricted or restricted variety, plus five more exclusive-rights free agents that can’t sign elsewhere and technically aren’t free agents by the traditional term.
So, which free agents will the 49ers re-sign this offseason?
It’s impossible to know, of course, but let’s make some predictions and see who we think the Niners retain in 2022.
First, let’s start with the restricted free agents.
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Restricted free agents
San Francisco could offer a first-, second- or original-round tender for any of its RFA players, and OTC lists the one-year tenders with the following values for 2022:
- Round 1: $5,562,000
- Round 2: $3,986,000
- Original: $2,433,000
The only way a team can pluck a tendered RFA is if it dishes out that draft pick back to the team offering a tender.
49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair
With Dre Greenlaw missing all but three regular-season games in 2021 because of a groin injury, Azeez Al-Shaair had to step into the fray and did so relatively admirably, finishing second on the team in total tackles (102) while also adding nine tackles for a loss.
It’s possible Greenlaw, who has one more year on his own rookie contract, is dangled as trade bait this offseason, but it’s likely the 49ers do all they can to keep Al-Shaair on the roster for one more season.
Prediction: Round 2 tender
49ers offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill
Daniel Brunskill won the starting right guard position over 2021 rookie second-round draft pick, Aaron Banks, and went on to start each one of the Niners games over the course of the season.
While San Francisco might want to revert Brunskill back into a primary backup role, his value to the depth chart can’t be understated.
Prediction: Round 2 tender
49ers EDGE Kentavius Street
A little tougher a call for Kentavius Street, who was an effective part of the defensive line rotation in 2021, notching 27 tackles, a forced fumble and three sacks while playing just over 32 percent of the 49ers defensive snaps.
Rotational linemen are fairly easy to find, though, so Street probably doesn’t figure to be a major part of the Niners’ future plans.
Prediction: No tender
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Cornerback Jason Verrett
One can rightfully feel terrible for veteran cornerback Jason Verrett, who battled back from all kinds of injuries between 2016 and 2019 to perform at a high level over the course of an almost injury-free 2020 campaign with San Francisco.
Only to tear his ACL in Week 1 of the 2021 campaign against the Detroit Lions, ending his season.
Verrett, who will turn 31 years old by the start of the 2022 season, appeared in only six regular-season games between 2016 and 2019, and one could make the argument the 49ers relied too heavily on him to stay healthy last year.
It’s possible the Niners look to re-sign him on a bargain-basement veteran-minimum free-agent deal this offseason, and that’s likely all that Verrett could command anyway.
That said, one should probably expect San Francisco to look for other options who carry a much better injury history moving forward.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Defensive tackle D.J. Jones
Typically speaking, teams don’t want to dish out a lot of money for run-stuffing nose tackles, even though they rarely command anything close to elite-level defensive tackles or edge rushers.
That said, nose tackle D.J. Jones has proven to be much more than just a par-level interior defender.
Jones might be one of the 49ers’ top re-sign priorities this offseason, so it’s good he plays at a position that doesn’t command a lot of money. In the wake of a quality 2021 campaign that saw Jones register 56 tackles, 10 of which were for a loss, and two sacks, one might figure the Niners want to continue keeping their defensive line as strong as possible by retaining him.
San Francisco will likely have to up the team-friendly $3.455 million deal Jones signed last offseason, potentially into the range of a two-year, $8 million contract.
Either way, it’d be money wisely spent in consideration of his services.
Prediction: Re-signed for two years, $8 million
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Running back Raheem Mostert
There are concrete reasons both for and against the 49ers re-signing veteran running back Raheem Mostert even though his 2021 campaign came to a crashing halt after just two carries way back in Week 1 before he was sidelined with a season-ending knee injury.
The Niners developed and deployed rookie runner Elijah Mitchell well last season, as he notched 963 rush yards over 11 games and looks to be a promising starter going forward. And San Francisco can hope fellow 2021 rookie Trey Sermon can finally find a quality niche after rushing for just 167 yards as a third-round pick.
But the depth chart behind those two is thin, and Mostert’s fit (when healthy) has been undeniable.
That said, Mostert has also battled injuries over the course of his career, and 2021 was merely the latest example. Turning 30 years old this offseason, would the 49ers want to dish out cash for an oft-injured and aging player, or would they rather save it to address other areas of need.
Probably the latter.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Cornerback K’Waun Williams
Another tough choice the Niners have to face this offseason, nickel cornerback K’Waun Williams is another one of those players who easily makes San Francisco’s defense better when he’s on the field.
Even though some may argue Williams saw some slight regression over the course of 2021, allowing opposing quarterbacks a 91.7 passer rating when targeting him, the fact the 2022 free-agent market for cornerbacks isn’t particularly great might be a reason enough for the 49ers to retain him.
There are some modest options available for nickel backs in the 2022 NFL Draft, so the Niners may want to explore that route, too, potentially allowing them to hold onto the soon-to-be 31-year-old defensive back for another season. And typically, nickel corners tend to make far less free-agent money than boundary corners receive.
That’ll work to San Francisco’s benefit here on what’ll likely be a one-year deal.
Prediction: Re-signed for one year, $3 million
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Running back Jeff Wilson
Like Raheem Mostert, running back Jeff Wilson is a player who makes the 49ers offense better when he’s on the field, and Wilson had his own injury challenges to overcome heading into 2021 after tearing his meniscus during the offseason.
Wilson might be little more than a reserve option to beef up the depth chart, which helps keep his price tag down heading into 2022. But he still had 294 rush yards and two touchdowns on 79 rush attempts, starting four games in the process.
Only 26 years old, it’s likely Wilson could be retained on the cheap, potentially for nothing more than a veteran’s minimum.
However, one probably would expect the Niners to infuse some younger talent at the position while also looking to boost up Trey Sermon’s role in 2022 instead.
While Wilson might be a San Francisco cult-hero fan-favorite among some, it might be the case where last season’s campaign was his last hurrah with the 49ers.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Tight end Ross Dwelley
For years now, head coach Kyle Shanahan has been looking for a quality No. 2 tight end to support the likes of the Niners’ All-Pro, George Kittle. And while the biggest name-recognition player during this span might have been the now-retired Jordan Reed, fellow tight end Ross Dwelley probably has the better accolades during his span with San Francisco.
Except for that kind of use dissipated for Dwelley over the course of 2021.
Dwelley caught just four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown last season, and his field time decreased significantly, too, as he saw a mere 195 offensive snaps (17.9 percent) during the regular season.
In contrast, fellow tight end Charlie Woerner managed to get on the field for 249 snaps even though he’s much more of a blocking tight end.
The 49ers are likely to continue a search for a TE2 to pair with Kittle this offseason, but it doesn’t appear as if Dwelley will remain a contender for that role any longer.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Cornerback Josh Norman
In fairness to veteran cornerback Josh Norman, he wasn’t exactly intended to be a full-time starter when the Niners inked him to a one-year deal at the beginning of the 2021 regular season. Only that season-ending injury to Jason Verrett, followed by a serious ankle injury suffered by fellow corner Emmanuel Moseley, pushed Norman into the fray.
Norman, 34 years old, clearly lost a step after being one of the more formidable defensive backs earlier in his career, and that grabbiness resulted in a team-high eight penalties over the course of the regular season, seven of which were either for defensive holding or pass interference.
While Norman had a stretch of forced fumbles, seven total in 2021, he nevertheless allowed opposing quarterbacks a passer rating of 110.6 when targeting him, going along with four touchdowns surrendered.
The lackluster efforts ultimately resulted in Norman getting benched late in the year, and it’ll be hard to find any reason for San Francisco to bring him back in 2022.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Linebacker Marcell Harris
As a safety in coverage, Marcell Harris was a liability. So the 2021 move to linebacker was intended to be a role that would better suit his run-stopping abilities closer to the box.
Perhaps it worked to a small degree, and Harris managed to finish the year as an impromptu starter (making seven starts over the course of the year) with 44 tackles and a sack. But if the 49ers are able to retain Azeez Al-Shaair and decide to keep Dre Greenlaw, too, there’d be little need to hold onto someone like Harris.
Particularly with fellow depth linebacker and special teams ace Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles an exclusive-rights free agent, poised to return.
Fourth- and fifth-string linebackers are rarely safe on any roster, and Harris is likely to be replaced by either a late-round NFL Draft pick or someone plucked off the undrafted wire later this spring.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu
From purely a production standpoint, it makes little sense for the Niners to re-sign an aging veteran wide receiver like Mohamed Sanu.
True, Sanu looked to be poised for some notable contribution early in the season, essentially earning a No. 3 role behind fellow wideouts Deebo Samuel and Trent Sherfield, paralleling those early weeks in 2021 when Brandon Aiyuk was in Kyle Shanahan’s proverbial doghouse.
But Sanu dealt with injuries over the course of the year, eventually finishing with just 15 catches for 177 yards over eight games played. And by the time he returned, Aiyuk had risen back to prominence, while second-year pro Jauan Jennings secured the No. 3 spot on the depth chart.
Jennings, another exclusive-rights free agent, won’t be going anywhere. This doesn’t make Sanu a strong re-sign candidate, although the 32-year-old veteran’s prowess as a mentor to a primarily young crop of receivers might give him a chance to hang around for at least one more year.
Probably not, though.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Safety Jaquiski Tartt
Another tough prediction after a brief string of fairly easy decisions, San Francisco will be wondering whether or not retaining veteran safety Jaquiski Tartt will be the right move in 2022.
Like a number of players already mentioned, Tartt makes the team better when he’s on the field. But has often been the case over his career, Tartt has a lengthy injury history and one that forced him to miss three regular-season games last season.
Not as bad as missing all but seven in 2020, but the point is still there.
Still, Tartt’s impact on the field shouldn’t be overstated, and despite his dropped would-be interception in the 2022 NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams, Tartt remains one of the better underrated safeties in the league right now.
The 49ers may want to explore some strong contingency options, and there can still be hope for 2021 rookie safety Talanoa Hufanga to develop into a starter.
But Hufanga isn’t anywhere close to being that kind of player just yet, meaning Tartt should wind up sticking around for at least another season.
Prediction: Re-signed for one year, $2 million
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Safety Tavon Wilson
The Niners added veteran safety and special teams ace Tavon Wilson last year before re-signing Jaquiski Tartt to a one-year deal, which resulted in Wilson starting a mere one game and primarily seeing all his snaps on the critical third phase of the game.
Special teams contributors are important, and Tartt’s injury history makes it somewhat necessary to reinforce the very back end of the defense heading into 2022.
However, one might assume San Francisco wants to push Talaona Hufanga into a primary backup role at this position, and Hufanga’s prowess on special teams is already established, primarily after his defensive touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs.
With Wilson landing on injured reserve late in the season and turning 32 years old before the start of next season, it doesn’t seem likely the 49ers would have much interest in bringing him back, even if it was for a cheap one-year deal.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Wide receiver Travis Benjamin
The Niners appear set with their top three wide receivers heading into 2022: Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings.
While there are questions towards the back end of the depth chart, and Kyle Shanahan might still want a pure burner to stretch the field, it’s nevertheless hard to envision a scenario where bringing veteran wideout Travis Benjamin back makes a lot of sense.
Benjamin, who failed to catch just one of his five total targets over the course of the regular season, saw only 40 offensive snaps during the year anyway.
For an aging player who only saw scant time on the field aside from some modest usage on special teams, the likeliest of outcomes will have San Francisco looking to beef up the back end of the depth chart with younger commodities.
Meaning Benjamin will likely be seeking employment elsewhere in 2022.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Cornerback Dontae Johnson
It’s inevitable: Dontae Johnson will be back with the 49ers as a reserve cornerback in some capacity in 2022.
Perhaps re-signed, then cut, re-signed again and so on. That just seems to be what’s always in store for Johnson on a perennial basis.
Things are tough for the proverbial 53rd man on a 53-man depth chart, but the Niners seem to value Johnson’s versatility and ability to back up both boundary spots and at nickel. On top of that, Johnson managed to get into 16 regular-season games and started three of them when San Francisco was hurting for experienced starters last year, too.
The 49ers are likely to prioritize the infusion of talent to their cornerback room this offseason, which isn’t necessarily good news for Johnson.
However, the previous history suggests the Niners will want to keep someone like Johnson around, if for no other reason than to add some insurance.
Prediction: Re-signed for one year, $1 million
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Offensive lineman Tom Compton
Albeit for very different reasons, San Francisco seems to appreciate and value veteran offensive lineman Tom Compton much more than the fanbase. And when starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey was lost to a season-ending quad injury halfway through 2021, it was Compton who ended up filling the void.
Compton actually managed to hold his own in run support for much of the year and into the playoffs, although his weaknesses in pass protection were surely noticeable, and the Rams made good use of attacking his side of the line during the NFC Championship game.
Turning 33 years old by the start of the 2022 season, Compton’s would-be return on a cheap deal is almost entirely contingent upon how well McGlinchey recovers from his injury. Ideally, the 49ers develop some of their younger versatile linemen such as Colton McKivitz and Jaylon Moore, both of whom found themselves below Compton on the depth chart.
Still, Compton is the kind of player teams likely seek upgrades over, and let’s go ahead and predict that’s what the Niners will want to do in this case.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: EDGE Arden Key
Niners defensive line coach Kris Kocurek now has a nice little history of turning underachieving linemen into quality players. A year ago, it was defensive end Kerry Hyder putting forth a career-best year.
In 2021, EDGE Arden Key received a similar treatment.
After flaming out with the Las Vegas Raiders and subsequently joining San Francisco on a one-year prove-it deal, Key turned in a career-best 6.5-sack campaign under Kocurek’s tutelage, likely earning Key a substantial raise as a solid reserve pass-rusher heading into 2022.
Key’s 6.5 sacks actually ranked second most on the 49ers behind only EDGE Nick Bosa’s 15.5, and good defenses almost always have at least one or two rotational pass-rushers who can reach these kinds of totals.
And with fellow EDGE Dee Ford dealing with serious back injuries, re-signing Key might be one of the Niners’ biggest unsung offseason priorities.
A new deal won’t be of the bargain-basement variety, but perhaps Key recognizes the value of staying put and agrees to a team-friendly deal.
Prediction: Re-signed for two years, $6 million
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst
Not unlike Raheem Mostert and Jason Verrett, it’s a shame veteran defensive tackle Maurice Hurst wasn’t fully healthy over the course of 2021.
Prior to suffering a calf injury at the tail end of the preseason, Hurst was having an exceptional training camp and figured to be a key cog in San Francisco’s defensive line rotation.
Except that calf injury did happen, and it nagged Hurst over the course of the entire year, ultimately limiting him to just two games played and a mere two tackles, one of which was for a loss.
Hurst will turn 27 years old this offseason and arguably has a lot of football left in him. Yet the 49ers were able to identify and field other quality rotational D-linemen over the course of 2021, essentially making Hurst expendable.
If he had been healthy, the Niners may have wanted to re-sign him. Since they got by just fine without him for much of the year, that won’t be the case.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Center Jake Brendel
Raise your hand if you forgot backup center Jake Brendel was on San Francisco’s roster.
It made sense to keep Brendel on the 53-man roster entering 2021. After all, there weren’t any true backup centers to support the Pro Bowler, Alex Mack, and last year’s fill-in center, Daniel Brunskill, was tasked with starting at right guard.
Mack fortunately stayed healthy over the course of the season, meaning Brendel was relegated almost entirely to special teams duties.
It’s possible the 49ers want to keep a primary backup center on the roster in 2022, which would be good news for Brendel. Yet it’s also possible Aaron Banks takes over for Brunskill this season, meaning the Niners would have a serviceable backup to Mack.
That wouldn’t bode well for Brendel, who’d be on the fringes of the roster anyway if he’s re-signed, which we don’t predict happening.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: EDGE Jordan Willis
It might not be anything close to San Francisco’s biggest NFL free agency question heading into 2022. But retaining reserve EDGE Jordan Willis might be right up there with the under-the-radar priorities the 49ers have this offseason.
Perhaps the decision on Willis hinges upon what happens with Arden Key, but Key is more of an inside rusher, whereas the speedy Willis is truly an edge threat.
That said, Willis’ six-game suspension to start the year didn’t bode well for his stats, him ultimately finishing with 15 tackles, five quarterback hits and three sacks during the regular season.
The somewhat-lowly production numbers from 2021 would make him a cheap re-sign candidate, though, and rotational pass-rushers are always going to be in demand.
If the numbers are right, the Niners should look to retain the soon-to-be 27 year old for the upcoming season.
Prediction: Re-signed for one year, $1 million
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Running back Trenton Cannon
San Francisco wasn’t exactly productive on special teams last season, and the return game was one of the primary liabilities, too, with the 49ers’ average starting field position on their own 26.9-yard line, which ranked fourth worst in the NFL.
Perhaps that figure would have been better if running back Trenton Cannon, one of the Niners’ primary return specialists, didn’t suffer that scary concussion against the Seattle Seahawks during the latter half of 2021.
Nevertheless, though, Cannon’s use as a returner wasn’t exactly something that’d warrant immediate re-sign consideration.
Cannon averaged 20.5 yards per kickoff return in 2021, which is a below-average number. And with San Francisco likely needing to identify and develop someone as a true return threat, there doesn’t seem to be a desperate need to keep him around.
Expect the 49ers to search elsewhere for a return specialist, meaning Cannon winds up suiting up somewhere else in 2022.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Wide receiver Trent Sherfield
Out of training camp and into the opening weeks of the regular season, signs were pointing to Trent Sherfield having a career-best year on offense and emerging as far more than just a quality special teams ace.
Sherfield did, after all, develop a nice preseason rapport with quarterback Trey Lance, and Lance’s foray into the starting role in 2022 could mean Sherfield’s role might increase on offense.
Nevertheless, Sherfield all but disappeared from the offensive game plan as the regular season drew along, ultimately finishing with nine catches for 87 yards and a touchdown after looking so productive during camp practices and in the preseason.
That said, Sherfield was still a vital member of special teams, and one might figure the Niners value his established rapport with Lance as a key X-factor heading into 2022.
Low statistical numbers should keep Sherfield’s asking price on the cheap side, too, meaning he’d likely be back this offseason.
Prediction: Re-signed for one year, $1.25 million
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Wide receiver Richie James
Wide receiver Richie James is something of an anomaly.
Rarely given the chance to impact the offense during his previous seasons leading into 2021, James nevertheless saw ample time as a return specialist and even flashed greatly during that 2020 Thursday Night Football game against the Packers when virtually no other receiver was available to San Francisco.
Yet James ultimately suffered an injury during the 49ers’ preseason program, and the team waived him with an injury designation. Not claimed by another team, James reverted back to the Niners roster and missed the entirety of 2021 with that injury.
James, who’ll turn 27 years old at the start of next season, might not figure into San Francisco’s long-term plans, particularly if it’s looking to beef up its wide receiver depth chart with other options and is also seeking out an upgrade for the return game.
While it might be something of a shame to let James go, that’s probably the reality he faces heading into 2022.
Prediction: Not re-signed
49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Left guard Laken Tomlinson
Perhaps the 49ers’ biggest free-agent re-sign priority heading into 2022, Pro Bowl left guard Laken Tomlinson has been the definition of consistency and reliability ever since being acquired via trade from the Detroit Lions early during the 2017 season.
Emphasizing the point, Tomlinson hasn’t missed a single start since.
Tomlinson certainly isn’t as flashy or as impactful as All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, and Kyle Shanahan hasn’t always put the biggest emphasis on guard play during his tenure with the Niners.
That said, Tomlinson has helped make the left side of San Francisco’s offensive line a massive strength the last few years, and he’ll enter NFL free agency as possibly one of the more sought-after interior linemen available on the market.
And that might drive Tomlinson’s asking price up a lot, potentially into the range of $12 million per year, high for interior linemen but a number he could easily command if there’s a demand.
The 49ers would likely want to offer the 30-year-old lineman a multi-year deal, potentially backloading it in 2023 and 2024 to account for what’s expected to be a sizable increase in the salary cap.
A three-year deal would be worthwhile.
Prediction: Re-signed for three years, $30 million