Contending or not, 49ers will learn plenty about looming free agents as 2020 winds down
Kyle Shanahan’s job is to win games. But throughout the process of trying to keep his team afloat for the remainder of this disappointing, injury-plagued campaign, the 49ers head coach will make determinations about the future of the roster, including the team’s handful of big-name free agents.
“I want guys who are always continuing to improve, whether you’re a rookie or you’re a 10-year vet,” Shanahan said Friday. “If you’re not improving, you’re on your way out.”
Shanahan said the evaluation of players is happening on the practice field and inside the team’s facility daily, which blurs the lines between trying to win games and think about who he wants to keep around in 2021. Presumably, the 49ers are hoping to jump back in the championship mix. They figured to be in contention before this season was derailed by injuries to just about all of Shanahan’s most important players.
“I think, trying to do the best you can each week, every practice, I think that goes hand in hand with evaluating guys, what they are now, what they’re going to be next week, how they’re going to help us finish out this year and what they’re going to be in the future,” Shanahan said.
Shanahan spent the week getting his backup quarterback Nick Mullens prepared for another trip to play the New Orleans Saints, almost a year to the day of last season’s epic 48-46 victory that might have been the most entertaining NFL game played last season.
And the stakes couldn’t have been higher given both teams were vying for the No. 1 seed in the conference. That’s true for the 6-2 Saints this year, while the 4-5 49ers have been the league’s most downtrodden team when it comes to injuries. According to Spotrac, the 49ers have a league-leading $85 million worth of player salaries on injured reserve. The Dallas Cowboys are second at $54 million.
Shanahan said he’s hoping to use the adversity as part of his evaluation process. After all, every season presents its own set of challenges, and Shanahan wants players who embrace them rather than use them as an excuse.
“My biggest thing and what I’m getting guys to focus on is just getting better,” he said. “That’s a cliché you say a lot, you get better or worse, but when guys are down, you better make sure you don’t make it worse. That’s why we just started out at practice on Wednesday, that our goal is to just go out there and focus each person individually and getting better.
“I was really proud of the guys for that. We had a few low days after that Green Bay game and sometimes it’s hard to get back up for work, but guys came in that Wednesday practice, guys were grinding. (I) thought we had one of our most physical practices yesterday, on Thursday, in both of our team run drills, which was real exciting to see. That gives me confidence in our guys that we can keep getting better. Hopefully, we’ll get a few guys back as this goes through the end. And to me, when guys just worry about that stuff, it helps us know what they are, how they’re responding to adversity, how they’re going to be going forward.”
Let’s take a look at the 49ers’ biggest free agents and where they stand ahead of their looking free agencies in March.
LT Trent Williams
Williams didn’t get off the start this season he might have envisioned. He allowed four sacks in his first five games, according to Pro Football Focus, which was more than his previous three seasons combined. Williams would likely chalk that up to rust after sitting out 2019 or communication issues that plagued the offensive line in the early going.
Since then, things have evened out and Williams has been stellar. He’s PFF’s top-graded left tackle for the season and hasn’t allowed a single pressure in three weeks. The question becomes, what could the 32-year-old garner on the free agent market? He likely paid very close attention to Ronnie Stanley’s new deal with the Ravens for five seasons and $98.75 million he signed late last month.
Stanley is 26 and Williams likely won’t get a five-year contract. But if he continues to play like he has in recent weeks, the market would likely dictate a contract in the top tier for offensive tackles, which could mean something in the neighborhood of $18 million per season. It’s a steep price, but it’s arguably the most important position on offense outside of quarterback. And whether it’s Jimmy Garoppolo or a rookie, the 49ers want to make sure the signal caller’s blind side is protected by one of the league’s best.
CB Richard Sherman
Sherman has only played in one game this season because of a calf injury. He’s expected to return to game action following the upcoming bye week, which would give him six games to prove he’s healthy and still one of the best corners in the NFL.
But Sherman’s situation is part of a larger discussion. The 49ers have exactly zero cornerbacks signed beyond this season. It’s fair to assume Sherman is a top priority, just behind Williams, given the value he has on the field and also as a presence inside the building. The other free agent corners include Jason Verrett, Emmanuel Moseley (restricted), slot corner K’Waun Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon.
The problem for Sherman, however, is the market might not be hot for a 33-year-old cornerback coming off a season dampened by injuries. That could benefit San Francisco if it allows the 49ers to bring Sherman back on a cheaper deal than his three-year, $27 million contract he signed in 2018.
DL Solomon Thomas
The No. 3 pick in the 2017 hasn’t lived up to expectations coming out of Stanford. Thomas has six sacks in 48 career games, and his potential breakout campaign in 2020 never materialized because he tore his ACL in Week 2. Thomas was expected to get more opportunities at his best position, defensive tackle, following the DeForest Buckner trade to the Indianapolis Colts.
Perhaps a change of scenery would be good for Thomas. On the other hand, he built a strong relationship with general manager John Lynch, who offered guidance while Thomas dealt with the death of his younger sister in January 2018. Thomas is well-liked and still considered a good scheme fit despite his lack of production. It could be he’s brought back to familiar surroundings on a short-term, low-risk contract in 2021 to prove he’s worth a bigger payday down the road.
FB Kyle Juszczyk
Juszczyk’s contract made waves when he signed with the 49ers in 2017 to a four-year, $21 million deal making him the highest-paid fullback in league history. And while that’s certainly a high number for a fullback, it’s commensurate with his value to Shanahan’s offense. As a blocker, he’s imperative to Shanahan’s run-first attack, and he’s one of the few fullbacks who offers value in the passing game (his deep catch versus Seattle in Week 17 last season comes to mind).
And while the $5.1 million salary seems steep, it’s in line with middling tight ends and H-backs. It’s hard to see Juszczyk playing elsewhere in 2021 given his fit with Shanahan, though other teams might be willing to pry Juszczyk away from San Francisco while the team is in cost-cutting mode with more expensive potential free agents to pay.
Other notable free agents: strong safety Jaquiski Tartt, nose tackle D.J. Jones, running back Tevin Coleman, receiver Kendrick Bourne, defensive end Ronald Blair III, center Ben Garland, defensive end Kerry Hyrder, running back Jerick McKinnon, tight end Jordan Reed, quarterback C.J. Beathard, quarterback Nick Mullens (restricted), offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill (exclusive rights), receiver Trent Taylor and strong safety Marcell Harris.
This story was originally published November 15, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
