A lot of words are being written about the San Francisco 49ers' approach to free agency right now.
While there have been some surprising shifts in philosophy when it comes to players being allowed to leave the Bay Area, one of the more interesting shifts has also come from the players who have been acquired.
The first three signings -- former Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Luke Farrell, former Atlanta Falcons safety Richie Grant, and former Tennessee Titans linebacker Luke Gifford -- all have one thing in common: aptitude in an area where the Niners have been found wanting during the head coach Kyle Shanahan era.
Special teams.
In Grant and Gifford, San Francisco acquired two players who played above 300 special teams snaps in 2024, and while Farrell projects more as an offensive piece, particularly after the release of fullback Kyle Juszczyk, the former also logged a significant number of special teams snaps, picking up upwards of a hundred.
This could represent a significant change in emphasis. Shanahan has been known to almost deride special teams as a concept, his primary focus being the phrase "don't screw up." But actively recruiting players who play special teams at a high and consistent level represents something new from the front office.
The likeliest reason for this shift in approach is the hiring of new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer.
Boyer has directed a number of high-quality special teams units during his coaching career, and it's unlikely he would accept what previous less-heralded coaches like his predecessors, Richard Hightower and Brian Schneider, would: the bottom third of the roster (a.k.a. players who aren't playing meaningful snaps on the supposedly more-important other two sides of the ball).
Related story: 49ers free agency tracker 2025: Latest signings, departures and updates
These signings could even be part of an agreement between Boyer and Shanahan, perhaps of the eventual 53-man roster, Boyer can choose a handful of players to fill vital special teams roles. If so, at least two of these three seem like the first steps towards that.
This wouldn't be anything new to the 49ers either. Under former head coach Jim Harbaugh, special teams coordinator Brad Seely often got to choose a handful of players for his special teams units. That led to 49ers cult heroes like C.J. Spillman, Kassim Osgood, and Blake Costanzo, among others.
It benefitted the team, too, with the infamous "Tony Montana squad" being a huge part of those 2011-2013 sides that thrilled, spilled, and almost came home with a Super Bowl ring on a few occasions.
It's arguable the Niners' special teams units have never been quite as good since.
While this present nebulous unit has some way to go before it can rank among those ones, this is a positive first step in the process of creating something that isn't just a neutral crop for San Francisco but something of a net benefit to the overall team's performance.
All eyes will be on these three players as that process begins.