The 49ers could have looked at Drew Dalman as a serious upgrade, but his deal with the Bears was too good to pass up.
The San Francisco 49ers sorely need an upgrade at center over Jake Brendel.
Free agency could have granted the Niners a perfect replacement, now-former Atlanta Falcons veteran center Drew Dalman.
Sure, San Francisco is expected to pinch pennies this offseason in an attempt to curtail cash spending. But the need to upgrade over Brendel was apparent for much of 2024, many viewing him as the offensive line's weakest link.
Unfortunately for the 49ers, there won't be any chance to land Dalman, who is signing a lucrative three-year deal with the Chicago Bears that includes $28 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter:
ESPN sources: Former Falcons center Drew Dalman reached agreement today on a three-year, $42 million deal that includes $28 million guaranteed with the Chicago Bears. The deal makes Dalman the NFL’s second-highest center. Steve Caric of Wasserman negotiated the deal with Bears GM…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2025
San Francisco likely wouldn't have paid that much money for Dalman in the context of this offseason.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has long preferred veterans at center instead of up-and-coming youthful players, so Dalman would have fit the bill.
And the Niners haven't shied away from throwing big money at center either, including substantial deals for former centers like Weston Richburg and Alex Mack.
True, the 2025 NFL Draft is notably deep with interior linemen, but that doesn't appear to be the avenue of approach for Shanahan, who likes experience at this spot. Sure, Brendel is still under contract, too, but the general consensus is he'd be better suited as a backup at this stage of his career, and San Francisco has likely squeezed the maximum out of his abilities in recent seasons.
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