The 49ers face some tough decisions in NFL free agency this offseason, and these pending free agents might be hard to see leave the team.
If only NFL free agency was such a simple process: bid farewell to the players who aren’t good and are underperforming while holding onto those who are top contributors.
It doesn’t always work that way, though.
The San Francisco 49ers don’t face as arduous an offseason entering 2022 as they did a year ago with regards to their pending free-agent class, but there are plenty of well-known players who are poised to hit the open market and may not ultimately re-sign with the club.
Even if the Niners trade or release quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, which they’re expected to do, Over the Cap projects general manager John Lynch to have approximately $20 million in cap space to attack the offseason, and roughly $8 million of that will be needed to sign the 2022 NFL Draft class.
Simply put, it might be difficult to retain all of San Francisco’s top pending free agents, and we’ll surely miss seeing these five particular ones if they’re no longer playing in a 49ers uniform next season.
49ers free-agent No. 5: Running back Jeff Wilson Jr.
Underdog stories are always cool, and few epitomize the meaning of exceeding expectations better than running back Jeff Wilson Jr., the undrafted free agent who actually ended up leading the Niners in both rushing yards (600) and all-purpose touchdowns (10) in 2020 when there were few other healthy options available.
Wilson delivered two 100-yard games that season and was the primary reason why San Francisco pulled off victories over the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals in Weeks 7 and 16, respectively.
While a torn meniscus sidelined him for the first half of 2021, Wilson nevertheless managed nearly 300 yards and two touchdowns over nine games played, proving to be an underrated part of the 49ers’ rotation out of the backfield.
An unrestricted free agent for the first time since going pro, the Niners may not have the room needed to retain him even though fellow running back Raheem Mostert is a free agent, too.
Even though Wilson wasn’t a massive part of San Francisco’s offense for any lengthy stretch, he surely deserves to be appreciated.
49ers free-agent No. 4: Cornerback K’Waun Williams
It might be a case where the 49ers have to think about moving on from their veteran nickel cornerback, K’Waun Williams, who returned to the Niners on a cheap one-year deal last offseason when there wasn’t particularly a great market for his services.
San Francisco could easily want to “turn the page” on Williams entering 2022, which is something Niners Nation’s Kyle Posey argued last week, and it would make sense for the 49ers to get younger and potentially cheaper.
Williams, 31 years old by the time the 2022 regular season begins, is likely looking to cash in on what could be his final substantial payout at the pro level, considering he’s hitting the last stretch of his NFL career.
Whether or not the Niners want to reward him in that sense is anyone’s guess, but it does make sense to find younger alternatives. And if those hit the pocketbook a little less, it’s even better.
What would make this tough, though, is the fact Williams has been with San Francisco ever since it ushered in the rebuild under John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, Williams being one of the team’s first free agents signed by the new regime.
Williams has paralleled the return to prominence and played a big role in it, too, making his possible departure a tough one to acknowledge.
49ers free-agent No. 3: Running back Raheem Mostert
Fans probably got used to the idea of Raheem Mostert not being part of the offense after he suffered a season-ending knee injury way back in Week 1, opening the door for 2021 rookie running back Elijah Mitchell to take over as the featured element on the ground last season.
Unfortunately, Mostert has dealt with a lengthy injury history, and that might be reason enough alone why the 49ers don’t entertain the idea of bringing him back.
Although it’s also just as plausible they do, should the contract numbers add up.
The Niners aren’t averse to spending money on running backs (see Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon as prior examples), but the real question is whether or not they’d want to re-sign a player who’ll turn 30 years old before the start of the regular season and has a sizable injury history.
Should Mostert seek what could be his final NFL contract elsewhere, fans will still always remember how he ran rampant over the Green Bay Packers in the 2020 NFC Championship game to the tune of 220 yards and four touchdowns, guaranteeing San Francisco a trip to the Super Bowl that season.
That game might go down as one of the best individual performances by a player in 49ers postseason history.
49ers free-agent No. 2: Defensive tackle D.J. Jones
Like Raheem Mostert and K’Waun Williams, nose tackle D.J. Jones is another player who has paralleled the Niners’ rebuild from 2017 all the way through last season, helping the team make two NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl in that span.
Not bad for a sixth-round NFL Draft pick.
Jones’ ascent began his rookie year, and he was named a starter the following season. And while Jones dealt with ankle injuries for much of his tenure, San Francisco nevertheless felt comfortable bringing him back on a one-year deal for 2021.
It’s possible Jones realizes his fit within the 49ers offense and wishes to remain with a contender. But after three high-quality years in which he’s tallied seven sacks over that span, not bad for a run-stopping 1-technique defender, it’s just as likely Jones wants to seek out what could be his biggest payday yet.
And that could lead to the Niners not being able to afford to keep him around.
Nose tackles typically don’t cost a lot, and serviceable ones are generally easy to find on the open market. Whether or not that means Jones, who has been such a vital part of San Francisco’s defensive line rotation, winds up being retained is anyone’s guess.
Still, it would be tough seeing him sign elsewhere in 2022.
49ers free-agent No. 1: Left guard Laken Tomlinson
Yes, just like Raheem Mostert, D.J. Jones and K’Waun Williams, left guard Laken Tomlinson has been another one of the mainstays for the 49ers ever since 2017, starting every game since that trade with the Detroit Lions that has essentially turned into a Niners steal.
Tomlinson was appearing to be a bust before that deal went down, eventually turning into as reliable a player as one could have hoped for, solidifying his tenure with San Francisco with a 2021 Pro Bowl nomination.
Great for him. And great for “victory donuts,” too. Look it up if you’re not sure what both we and Tomlinson mean.
At any rate, while Tomlinson might not be as flashy or recognized as his linemate, All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, Tomlinson is nevertheless as steady as they’ve come for the 49ers offensive line.
Now 30 years old, Tomlinson is due for what could be a contract worth more than $10 million annually. The Niners may have to decide between players like Tomlinson and Jones, as far as who they’d want to prioritize first on a new deal, and a bidding war for either player could make the choice that much more difficult.
Tomlinson’s name has rarely been called during his San Francisco tenure, which is usually a good thing for an O-lineman.
If he’s gone, and his subsequent replacement struggles, fans will miss Tomlinson in a bad way.