NFL: San Francisco 49ers prepping for rebound season through free agency
The San Francisco 49ers want to bounce back from a disappointing 2020 season, and they're using a strong NFL Free Agency strategy to accomplish that goal.
The 49ers entered this offseason in a tricky salary cap situation, yet they've still been able to re-sign multiple free agents, including cornerback Jason Verrett and fullback Kyle Juszcyk.
But perhaps the team's most notable move so far was signing lineman Trent Williams to a massive six-year, $138 million deal, making him the highest-paid offensive tackle in NFL history.
Bringing Williams back should prove to be a massive help for the rebounding 49ers. Not only is he extremely talented and productive, but he brings a veteran presence to a locker room looking to stay the course under coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
With the entire NFL dealing with money losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the free agency market hurt because of it, the San Francisco 49ers re-signed multiple free agents to short-term deals. The team promises familiarity and another opportunity for players who may normally have gotten better deals elsewhere.
"What we tried to do is say, 'Look, if it's a one-year deal, we know you, you know us, this is a great place for you to go show your value so that next year you can go do this again,'" Lynch told ESPN. "Maybe at that point, we can be a be a part of it."
San Francisco 49ers have lots to offer NFL free agents
There's a lot for the 49ers to pitch to free agents, chief among them their body of work two years ago.
San Francisco went 13-3 and advanced to Super Bowl LIV, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. While their recent 6-10 campaign was a disappointment, and they've had three losing seasons in four years under Shanahan, 2019 was enough to prove that they can succeed with the right amount of talent and injury goodwill.
Plus, Lynch is respected not just as an executive, but in football in general. A Hall of Famer, he has followed up his stellar playing career with an impressive tenure in the front office. His pedigree can surely draw in players with tough decisions to make.
The 49ers have also proven that they will make the necessary moves for a brighter future. They recently acquired the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and are widely expected to draft their quarterback-of-the-future. It was a gutsy trade, one that exemplifies the commitment the franchise has to regain the magic of 2019.