5 pending free agents 49ers must go all out to re-sign in 2022

49ers free agent No. 1: Left guard Laken Tomlinson

Easily San Francisco’s best pending free agent, Pro Bowl left guard Laken Tomlinson is going to cash in on his first-ever NFL free agency period, having never hit the open market after being extended not too long after the 49ers traded for him back in 2017.

He picked a good year to make it to the Pro Bowl, too, as that’ll drive his asking price up a lot this offseason. And with a number of teams in desperate need of interior help for their offensive lines, combined with a lackluster free-agent market for guards and centers, Tomlinson is sure to garner a lot of attention.

True, there are reasons why the Niners may be poised to move on from Tomlinson this offseason. For starters, if he asks for close to $10 million annually, San Francisco probably won’t be able to afford it.

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On top of that, the 49ers may be looking to push their second-round draft pick from a year ago, Aaron Banks, into the left guard spot despite Banks seeing only five regular-season snaps last season.

Again, though, the fact the Niners are ready to win now still applies here. Tomlinson, for the mainstay he is now, is a vastly better option than the unknown Banks currently is. San Francisco having to rely on Banks next year might not be the wisest of choices for a team with nothing short of a Super Bowl in sight.

The 49ers need to do their best to re-sign Tomlinson, not simply let him walk away without a serious offer.