5 bargain free agents 49ers can target this NFL offseason

49ers free-agent target No. 1: Tight end Robert Tonyan, Packers

The Green Bay Packers aren’t exactly in the best of salary-cap situations this offseason, and it’s likely they’re going to bid farewell to a sizable chunk of talent entering the league new year.

One of those players could easily be tight end Robert Tonyan, who made a name for himself in 2020 with 52 receptions for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns before having his 2021 campaign cut short by an ACL tear.

That’ll be something to monitor, yes, but it’s no secret the Niners have long been searching for a quality No. 2 tight end to pair with All-Pro George Kittle. And with fellow San Francisco tight end Ross Dwelley phased out of much of the offense a season ago and poised to hit the free-agent market anyway, it sure seems feasible the team could target Tonyan as a replacement.

Want your voice heard? Join the Niner Noise team!

Write for us!

Tonyan and Kittle are close. That bears monitoring, and it’s possible Kittle vouches for Tonyan as an option to beef up the depth chart.

The 49ers could explore a one-year “prove it” deal with the 27-year-old Tonyan, banking on his ability to be fully recovered from his ACL but knowing he’d be joining a system that’s not unlike that of the Niners.

And if it’s for anything less than $4 million, it would be a quality bargain.