NFL free agency 2023: Former 49ers who surprisingly remain unsigned

The 49ers experienced a bit of an exodus in NFL free agency in 2023, yet these former Niners players haven’t found a home just quite yet.

It’s already a cool and popular thing to do, purging the San Francisco 49ers for their players, coaches and executives.

The Niners have lost in all three areas recently. Coordinators like DeMeco Ryans, Robert Saleh and Mike McDaniel have become head coaches, while executives like Ran Carthon and Martin Mayhew have become general managers elsewhere, too.

And then, there are players. San Francisco lost a good deal of starting-caliber talent to NFL free agency in 2023.

Among the notable names are quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, safety Jimmie Ward, right tackle Mike McGlinchey, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, EDGE Samson Ebukam, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and more.

Yeah, it’s a tough offseason. But that’s what happens when a team is good.

The last anyone checked, the 49ers are a good team. Even after these departures.

Interestingly enough, though, a number of former Niners players haven’t been as sought after as one might think.

Let’s see who remains unsigned.

Former 49ers cornerback Dontae Johnson remains unsigned

If we’re being honest, veteran cornerback Dontae Johnson is going to return to San Francisco in some capacity and at some point in the not-so-distant future.

After all, that’s been the trend over the last three-plus years.

Johnson was scantly used in 2022, though, which could signal a trend away from what those three years saw.

However, the 49ers are likely to look at Johnson as a training camp body at the very least, and signing him now to a veteran’s minimum would be an easy move.

It’s probably a bit shocking that it hasn’t happened yet, as it doesn’t seem likely too many teams are clamoring for Johnson’s services, currently.