The 49ers may look at the second run on players in NFL free agency in 2022 to make some moves, and these five could be had on the cheap.
It wasn’t too surprising to see the San Francisco 49ers be relatively quiet during the opening week of NFL free agency, their only big-splash signing being cornerback Charvarius Ward.
The Niners, despite losing nose tackle D.J. Jones and Pro Bowl left guard Laken Tomlinson on the opening day of free agency, nevertheless have a playoff-caliber roster and one which might only need a handful of tweaks to make it to the Super Bowl this upcoming season.
Therefore, going all-in for NFL free agency wouldn’t make a ton of sense.
However, with one week of free agency now complete, general manager John Lynch might consider combing the market for less-expensive players who’d likely be available for much cheaper than they would have a week ago at this time, given the demand for their abilities isn’t necessarily sky high.
San Francisco currently has just a shade over $8 million above the salary cap, according to Over the Cap. And while roughly $7 million needs to be reserved to sign their 2022 NFL Draft class, the 49ers could still engineer some roster tweaks to free up space to go after some now-cheaper free agents.
Such as these five bargain-type players Lynch and Co. could go after.
49ers bargain free agent No. 5: EDGE Kerry Hyder
How about a reunion?
Two seasons ago, the Niners ended up helping veteran pass-rusher Kerry Hyder enjoy the most productive year of his seven-year career in which he recorded 8.5 sacks and led an otherwise banged-up San Francisco defense in that category.
That subsequently led him to inking a two-year, $6.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks the following offseason, but after only 1.5 sacks in 2021, the Hawks ultimately elected to part ways with him.
The 49ers, namely in the wake of Jones’ departure, could still look to reinforce the defensive line and find another decent pass-rusher to pair on the outside with EDGE Nick Bosa. Plus, Hyder’s prior work with defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, who also helped generate eight sacks during Hyder’s 2016 campaign with the Detroit Lions, might be something of interest for both parties.
If the Niners want to try capitalizing on Hyder’s success under Kocurek, and with the knowledge Hyder hasn’t exactly succeeded elsewhere, it’s likely this could be an awfully team-friendly deal.
49ers bargain free agent No. 4: Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Perhaps San Francisco is satisfied with its wide receiver trio of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings heading into 2022.
Jennings, in particular, came on strong his second season in the league with a number of high-value catches in clutch moments, yet his straight-line speed is less than desirable, and one might view him solely as a fourth option on a depth chart anyway.
Sure, Samuel and Aiyuk have speed. But the 49ers would be wise to at least explore adding a big-bodied target who has blazing-fast speed, too.
Enter former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
The 6-foot-4, 206-pound Valdes-Scantling ran a 4.37 40-yard time during his NFL Scouting Combine workouts in 2018, and his 20.9 yards-per-reception average in 2020 actually ended up leading the league.
When the Niners were featuring quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo under center the last few years, they didn’t necessarily need a deep-threat field-stretcher on the roster given Garoppolo’s weaker arm.
However, with strong-armed quarterback Trey Lance taking over and likely wanting to push the ball down the field, a player like Marquez Valdes-Scantling could make a big difference.
49ers bargain free agent No. 3: Tight end Gerald Everett
Update: Gerald Everett is reportedly signing with the Los Angeles Chargers.
It’s unclear whether or not San Francisco was in on former Cleveland Browns tight end Austin Hooper, who ultimately signed with the Tennessee Titans. But 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan wanted Hooper before, and the longstanding desire Shanahan has to pair another decent tight end with All-Pro George Kittle likely hasn’t gone away with the passing of another year.
Hooper could be a No. 1 tight end on most rosters, but former Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks tight end Gerald Everett probably doesn’t have the capacity to rise above being a No. 2.
Still, that’s precisely what the Niners could use.
Everett, who signed a one-year deal with the Hawks a year ago and caught 48 passes for 478 yards and four touchdowns, has familiarity with a Shanahan-like offense from his days in LA, which should make for a relatively seamless transition.
And with San Francisco apparently not interested in bringing back its former No. 2 tight end behind Kittle, Ross Dwelley, adding on someone like Everett might be something of an upgrade.
Without much of a market developing for Everett, it’s likely the 49ers could look at bringing him in on the cheap.
49ers bargain free agent No. 2: Cornerback Kyle Fuller
The Niners already signed Charvarius Ward to help bolster what was a notably weak cornerback room in 2021, and it’s entirely possible they stop with any further major additions here from this point onward.
If that’s the case, San Francisco is likely comfortable with Ward as the No. 1 name on the depth chart, assisted on the boundary by either Ambry Thomas or Emmanuel Moseley, with the other player likely working inside at nickel back in the place of still free-agent K’Waun Williams, who doesn’t seem poised to be re-signed.
However, there’s still room to upgrade and beef up the cornerback spot.
Going after 30-year-old veteran cornerback Kyle Fuller, who was effectively phased out by the Denver Broncos last season, wouldn’t be a bad play. Especially considering Fuller could play both boundary and nickel spots and is only three seasons removed from a Pro Bowl campaign with the Chicago Bears.
And in 2020 over 16 starts, Fuller still managed 65 tackles, an interception and eight passes broken up with opposing quarterbacks posting an 89.8 passer rating when targeting him.
49ers bargain free agent No. 1: Safety Jabrill Peppers
Safety Jabrill Peppers might not have turned into the All-Pro kind of defender he was anticipated to be coming out of the 2017 NFL Draft when the Cleveland Browns selected him No. 25 overall.
Still, Peppers has nevertheless put in a decent career ever since, split between those two years in Cleveland and the last three with the New York Giants, enjoying a career-best 2020 campaign in which he recorded 91 tackles, eight of which were for a loss, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and 11 passes broken up.
Peppers suffered a torn ACL midway through last year, so a team like the Niners would have to monitor that and hope he has a full recovery. But at 26 years old, he’s still plenty young and would surely be an immediate-impact starter if signed.
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San Francisco does have a need, especially with its former strong safety Jaquiski Tartt unsigned and potentially not looking at returning in the wake of the team signing backup safety and special teams ace George Odum in NFL free agency.
Peppers would start over Odum, though, and he’d be younger than Tartt while having a modestly better injury track record, too, although the ACL tear contradicts that to a point.
Still, that injury likely keeps Peppers’ market thin, and the 49ers may be able to go after him on a relatively inexpensive deal.