49ers’ best, worst and most provocative moves in NFL free agency

Most intriguing NFL free agency move from 49ers: Signing Sam Darnold

San Francisco brought in only four new-face free agents this offseason, at least as of March 18.

There’ll be more, but in the meantime, the new faces are as follows:

• DT Javon Hargrave
• EDGE Clelin Ferrell
• DB Isaiah Oliver
• QB Sam Darnold

Interesting with the Darnold pickup. And we know the 49ers have been interested in Darnold before, so the opportunity to snag the No. 3 overall pick from the 2018 NFL Draft is provocative enough.

It’s more provocative when trying to figure out what Darnold’s role and spot on the roster will be.

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Trey Lance and Brock Purdy are already under contract and vying for the QB1 role this year, but both are also coming off serious injuries. Darnold, meanwhile, has a contract worth up to $4.5 million with $3.5 million of it guaranteed.

That’s not QB3 money.

Is Darnold insurance against Purdy’s recovery from offseason surgery and against Lance not being ready or capable to kick off 2023?

This is probably the case, but there’ll be no shortage of speculation with regard to Darnold’s newfound tenure with the Niners.