O-linemen wanted: How the 49ers’ first wave of free agency sets up the draft

The San Francisco 49ers were busy in the opening week of free agency, landing four outside free agents and signing — or tendering an offer to — four of their own free agents.

And yet they’ve merely scratched the surface. The team still must add 28 players to fill out its 90-man offseason roster.

Some of that will come in the next week or so as the league transitions into a second, more moderate wave of free agency. The 49ers will continue to search for a linebacker after Eric Kendricks spurned them for the Dallas Cowboys. They’ll likely sign a veteran right guard, perhaps Super Bowl starter Jon Feliciano, who was a pleasant surprise to coaches in the second half of the season.

Both of their 30-something safeties, Tashaun Gipson Sr. and Logan Ryan, remain unsigned, and the team probably wants another trustworthy veteran to serve as a hedge for Talanoa Hufanga, who’s coming off an ACL tear, and Ji’Ayir Brown, who started five games as a rookie.

A nickel cornerback, a return man and a low-cost tight end remain on their free-agent to-do list as well.

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San Francisco 49ers 2024 free agency tracker

Then there’s the draft. As they normally do, the 49ers used free agency to fill obvious holes and will utilize their 10 draft picks — and what promises to be a sizable haul of undrafted rookies — to address looming issues. After most of their free-agency dollars went to defense, look for the 49ers to lean toward offense next month, beginning with ….

1. Offensive tackle

There’s a good chance the 49ers’ Week 1 starting tackles are the same pair that started the Super Bowl: Trent Williams and Colton McKivitz.

Williams has said he’ll be back for his 14th NFL season — he’s eying a 12th Pro Bowl, the most ever for a tackle — while McKivitz got a contract extension last week. That extension, however, is only through 2025 while Williams hasn’t said what he’ll do if he gets that 12th Pro Bowl nod. He’ll be 36 when he finds out.

All of which suggests the team should take advantage of an uncommonly rich tackle class. There could be two players available toward the end of Round 1. Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton lacks experience, but he has the build (6 foot 8 with 34 1/8th-inch arms) of an elite pass protector. He could serve a year as the 49ers’ swing tackle, then compete for a starting role in 2025.

Arizona’s Jordan Morgan might not have Guyton’s length, but he’s more experienced and has the light feet to excel in a zone-blocking scheme like the 49ers’. He, too, could begin the season in a backup role and compete for a starting job next year.

2. Receiver

The team’s big three likely will remain intact for one more season. The 49ers placed a second-round tender on restricted free agent Jauan Jennings earlier this week, which ought to dissuade other teams from offering him a long-term deal.

It’s possible Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch get an offer they can’t refuse for Brandon Aiyuk, who’s in line for a big contract extension. But it will probably require a first-round pick for them to even pick up their phones and there’s skepticism they’d get such an offer. After all, they didn’t get one for Deebo Samuel when he was in a similar situation — and demanding a trade — two years ago, and Samuel was coming off a 2021 season in which he had 1,770 total yards and 14 touchdowns. Aiyuk’s 2023 numbers: 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.

What’s more, the team doesn’t have any sure things in the pipeline, something they ought to remedy considering Jennings is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next year while there’s an escape hatch on Samuel’s hefty 2025 contract.

Day 2 of the draft will provide plenty of receiver options, from fluid route runners like Texas’ Xavier Worthy — he of the record 4.21 40-yard dash at the combine — and Florida’s Ricky Pearsall to pass-catching bullies like Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley and South Carolina’s Xavier Legette, who trains with Samuel in the offseason.

Texas’ Xavier Worthy turned heads with his record 40-yard dash. (Andrew Dieb / USA Today)

3. Nickel cornerback

There’s one defensive position the 49ers ought to hit in the draft — the one that vexed them throughout the 2023 season.

The team went toggled from Isaiah Oliver to Deommodore Lenoir to Ryan, who played 62 snaps in the Super Bowl.

The nickel position usually goes to experienced, veteran defenders. But this year’s draft is particularly deep at the position with Michigan’s Mike Sainristil, Kentucky’s Andru Phillips and Louisville’s Jarvis Brownlee Jr. likely available on Day 2.

4. Guard

Even if the team re-signs Feliciano, it will be another Band-Aid fix for the position considering Feliciano is 32 and, like Brandon Fusco, Mike Person and Tom Compton before him, has been a journeyman to this point in his career.

The 49ers have other options, including Ben Bartch, Spencer Burford and Nick Zakelj. But they probably should consider a more permanent fix at the position. If Duke’s Graham Barton is still available at pick No. 31, he could be someone who slides in at right guard early in his career and takes over at center later on.

5. Quarterback

There’s still time to add another veteran to a group that includes Brock Purdy and newly re-signed Brandon Allen. Former 49ers Jimmy Garoppolo, C.J. Beathard, Nate Sudfeld and Brian Hoyer are available as free agents.

Or the team can take one in the draft. Mid-round options who seem to fit the Shanahan system include Tulane’s Michael Pratt and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler. Lefty Brennan Armstrong from N.C. State could be a late-round project.

(Top photo of Jordan Morgan: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)