While some names on the list of former 49ers players from 2021 who are free agents aren’t too shocking, others probably should have been signed by now.
The San Francisco 49ers’ foray into 2022 NFL free agency wasn’t quite as challenging as it was entering 2021, yet the Niners still had to navigate some awfully tough decisions with regards to their players hitting the open market.
Of course, the most notable free agents ended up either re-signing with San Francisco or accepting lucrative deals elsewhere, as was the case with now-Denver Broncos nose tackle D.J. Jones and now-New York Jets left guard Laken Tomlinson in the latter category.
Plenty of other 49ers free agents made the rounds, too, yet a number of players are still available on the ever-dwindling list of players who can sign with any team.
Let’s take a look at six players still on the NFL free agency market who called San Francisco home a season ago.
Former 49ers free-agent No. 6: Defensive lineman Darrion Daniels
It would be forgivable if you had forgotten about defensive lineman Darrion Daniels, the undrafted free-agent pickup by the 49ers following the 2020 NFL Draft.
After all, Daniels got into only four games his rookie season before not seeing any at all his following campaign in 2021.
And he might have remained in the forgotten camp if it weren’t for some noteworthy signing skills that made him something of a cult hero during the last two years’ training camps and preseasons, which you can check out here:
https://twitter.com/OurSf49ers_/status/1428906219905818629
Too bad players aren’t signed because of their vocal performances.
To date, there hasn’t exactly been a lot of interest in Daniels’ services around the league, and the Niners’ own defensive line depth likely means they won’t be interested in a reunion either.
Former 49ers free-agent No. 5: Wide receiver Travis Benjamin
There might have been some cautious optimism when San Francisco inked veteran wide receiver Travis Benjamin entering 2020, particularly in light of back-to-back quality seasons in 2015 and 2016 with the Cleveland Browns and San Diego Chargers, respectively, before injuries and other setbacks curtailed his time in Southern California.
However, the pandemic put a damper on Benjamin’s first year with the 49ers, as he elected to opt out.
Still, the Niners were hoping to get that true speed threat capable of stretching the field. And despite him being 31 years old at the start of the 2021 season, Benjamin could still bring that X-factor.
At least in theory.
Despite some modest production during the preseason, Benjamin finished last year’s campaign with a mere five targets, hauling in none of those pass attempts over 10 games played.
Considering the massive influx of talented wideouts via the last few NFL Draft classes, it might be hard for the elder Benjamin to latch on with a new team in 2021.
Former 49ers free-agent No. 4: Safety Tavon Wilson
San Francisco must have a thing for former Indianapolis Colts reserve safeties. This offseason, the 49ers onboarded special teams All-Pro safety George Odum.
A year ago, the 49ers did the same with former Colts safety Tavon Wilson.
Granted, Wilson only spent one year with the Colts, 2020, yet he started 39 games with the Detroit Lions the previous four seasons, meaning the Niners were likely looking to get some insurance for then-starting strong safety Jaquiski Tartt, who carried a noteworthy injury history despite his reliable play on the field when he was healthy.
Tartt missed three starts during the regular season, but Wilson only saw one of those go his way, his lone start of the 2021 campaign.
Additionally, Wilson managed to appear in only eight games where he recorded 10 tackles and a pass breakup, signifying San Francisco was more interested in deploying then-rookie Talanoa Hufanga as a backup to Tartt over the older, more experienced Wilson.
That probably didn’t bode well for Wilson’s NFL free agency stock value entering 2022.
Former 49ers free-agent No. 3: Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has had a long and understandable affinity for veteran wide receiver Mohamed Sanu.
After all, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound wideout played a big role in Shanahan’s Atlanta Falcons offense during that team’s Super Bowl run in 2016, and Shanahan frequently credited Sanu’s presence as a big-slot option that year as being a key reason for success.
Sanu’s first stint with the 49ers in 2020 was brief, just three games, yet bringing him back in 2021 had some merit, especially with question marks regarding the back end of the wide receiver room and the need for a veteran presence.
That said, Sanu was limited to just 15 catches for only 177 yards and zero touchdowns over eight games played, primarily all of them coming towards the beginning of the season before injuries and the emergence of fellow receiver Jauan Jennings put the veteran on the backburner.
As is the case with Travis Benjamin, the soon-to-be 33-year-old Sanu might have a tough time landing a new opportunity with the sheer number of young wide receivers who’ve entered the league in the last three years.
Former 49ers free-agent No. 2: Cornerback Josh Norman
Alright, so maybe it’s not too big a surprise veteran cornerback Josh Norman is still a free agent.
This, after leading the team in defensive pass-interference calls last season and despite him boasting seven forced fumbles during his lone stint with the Niners. After all, and in light of San Francisco’s highlighted cornerback woes for much of 2021, Norman was benched in favor of other options late in the year and never reclaimed his starting job back once the 49ers got into the playoffs.
A one-time first-team All-Pro, some have argued Norman has been on the decline anyway over the last few years, although his own name recognition certainly makes him a commodity worth looking at for other teams in need of a veteran presence.
Whether or not that turns into any meaningful contract for him at any point soon, especially considering he’s 34 years old now, is anyone’s guess.
What’s not up to guess is the reality Norman didn’t finish his 2021 campaign with the Niners in the kind of way he would have hoped.
Had things gone differently, it’d be likely another team would have plucked him up by now.
Former 49ers free-agent No. 1: Safety Jaquiski Tartt
The majority of San Francisco’s decisions in NFL free agency this offseason make sense.
One that doesn’t entirely, though, was the choice not to re-sign Jaquiski Tartt, who despite his own injury history has nevertheless been a vital part of the 49ers secondary ever since he was selected in Round 2 of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Sure, fans may remember the dropped would-be interception Tartt had against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game and cite that as a key reason why the Niners didn’t want him back.
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Looking at the rest of his on-field body of work, however, Tartt was more than just a quality presence.
Instead, San Francisco is hoping others like George Odum and Talanoa Hufanga can fill the void, which is questionable at best, given both players are primarily special teams aces first, defensive starters second.
This might not work, though, and the 49ers may want to entertain bringing Tartt back on yet another team-friendly deal if both contingency plans fail and the veteran remains unsigned.