HEADLINES

Free Agent Market For Cornerbacks

March 1st, 2015 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Our list of 2015 free agents provides a comprehensive position-by-position breakdown of which players are eligible to hit the open market this year. However, that list of names doesn’t include much context or additional information about those players. So, with this year’s free agent period fast approaching, we’ve been taking a closer look at the free agent market for each position. Today, we’ll turn our attention to cornerbacks. Let’s dive in….

Top unrestricted FAs:

Maxwell is widely considered to be the top option on the cornerback market, and looks like a good bet to land the biggest contract of the group this month. However, suitors should approach with some caution when considering the Seattle corner, despite the fact that he played a key role for the league’s best secondary. It’s worth noting that the Seahawks locked up all the other starting defensive backs to extensions, but seem willing to let Maxwell walk. Additionally, while Pro Football Focus grades aren’t the be-all, end-all for player evaluation, Maxwell earned just a -0.2 mark in 2014 (subscription required). Besides Tillman, who missed the season with a triceps injury, only Skrine’s PFF grade was lower than that, among this group.

Of those players who graded above Maxwell in 2014, Culliver and Jackson are a couple worth watching. Both corners are entering their age-27 seasons, and ranked in PFF’s top 15 at the position in ’14. Quarterbacks completed just 50.7% of their passes when throwing into Culliver’s coverage, and Jackson limited opposing signal-callers to a passer rating of 74.2 — for comparison’s sake, players like Geno Smith and Brian Hoyer had better overall marks.

Teams targeting cornerbacks in free agency will have to strongly consider how those players will fit in their systems. The 5’9″ Flowers struggled mightily in 2013 while playing for a Chiefs defense that required him to match up in press-man coverage with bigger, more physical receivers, but had a nice bounce-back season in 2014 playing a different style of defense in San Diego.

There are also a couple instances in this group where multiple corners from one team are eligible for free agency, and the Packers and 49ers will have to decide which of their guys they want to retain. Having already invested heavily in Sam Shields, Green Bay seems unlikely to bring back both House and Williams, and the same can be said for the 49ers, who may not have the flexibility to re-sign Culliver and Cox.

Other unrestricted options:

There’s certainly a drop-off from the first tier to most of these players, but for a team looking for some value in a depth signing, there are a few options worth considering.

When Thurmond made the move from the Seahawks to the Giants a year ago, he looked poised to take a larger role, but a torn pectoral prematurely ended his season. He’ll come at a discount this season, and could be a solid No. 3 or 4 corner. Jimmy Wilson took on a greater role in Miami last season, starting 13 games and playing both cornerback and safety. Although he struggled a little at corner, his versatility is appealing.

The results weren’t always pretty, but Fletcher, Newman, Wright, and Tarell Brown all logged more than 800 defensive snaps for their respective clubs in 2014, and with the exception of Brown’s Raiders, all those teams finished above .500. That doesn’t mean they should necessarily be relied upon as starters again, but if they start out in a reduced role and are forced to take on more snaps, at least they have the experience.

Restricted FAs:

Moore is the standout name in this group, and the only player who saw action in more than half of his team’s defensive snaps. The Cowboys obviously have a few more noteworthy free-agents-to-be to deal with, but I don’t expect them to overlook Moore. He’s the best – and perhaps the only – candidate in this group to receive a one-year RFA tender.

Previous looks at the 2015 free agent market:

PFR Originals: 2/22/15 – 3/1/15

March 1st, 2015 at 3:15pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

Week In Review: 2/22/15 – 3/1/15

March 1st, 2015 at 1:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Key News:

Signed:

Released/Waived:

Extended:

Retired:

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Taylor, McCown

March 1st, 2015 at 12:44pm CST by Rory Parks

The Steelers, much like the division-rival Ravens, rarely make a big splash in free agency, choosing instead to build through the draft and locking up their own premier players before they become free agents. But Pittsburgh has glaring needs in the secondary and at outside linebacker, and as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes, “the Steelers will have more disposable money to use in free agency than any time in recent memory.”

The team recently bought a little breathing room by restructuring the contracts of Marcus Gilbert, Maurkice Pouncey, and Mike Mitchell, and it could create even more cap space by releasing players like Troy Polamalu and Brett Keisel. As such, the Steelers could address their most significant holes in the first wave of free agency next week. Kaboly’s colleague at the Tribune-Review, Chris Adamski, takes a look at some of the most notable names that Pittsburgh could target, and while the team will likely not go all-in for the big-ticket items, the second tier of free agents at cornerback and outside linebacker includes intriguing players that would look good in black-and-gold.

Now for a few more notes from the AFC North:

  • In his second mailbag of the weekend, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com looks at a few Ravens-related topics, including how the team will address the cornerback position. Although the secondary was the team’s biggest weakness in 2014, Hensley does not foresee a major overhaul. Instead, the team will rely on the healthy returns of players like Jimmy Smith and Asa Jackson. Although the Ravens could target an under-the-radar free agent, they will not be major players for the big names that will sign new deals next week, and unless Marcus Peters falls in their lap, there will likely not be an opportunity to make an im,mediate upgrade in the draft.
  • Hensley also believes the Ravens will part ways with backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor and will sign a free agent to compete with last year’s sixth-round choice, Keith Wenning.
  • Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com attempts to explain why the Browns signed Josh McCown instead of making an effort to retain Brian Hoyer. Grossi writes, “It’s obvious to me that the Browns considered McCown the better fit in the role they envisioned – a potential short-term starter and real long-term mentor who will create no waves and do whatever is asked of him.” However, Grossi also feels that Cleveland may have felt threatened by Hoyer’s “smartness and his forthrightness” and did not believe his play outweighed the potential internal strife that he could create by his willingness to question the way things were being done.
  • For his part, McCown says he will do whatever he can to help embattled Browns second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel, writes Marc Sessler of NFL.com.

East Notes: Cowboys, Maclin, Forbath

March 1st, 2015 at 11:23am CST by Rory Parks

Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray have understandably dominated the discussion surrounding the Cowboys‘ offseason, but there are still other decisions for Dallas to make once the Bryant and Murray situations are resolved. For instance, Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News recently predicted that the team would opt not to exercise Morris Claiborne‘s fifth-year option, which is surprising in that it directly contradicts what owner Jerry Jones said last month. And, on the topic of underperforming defensive backs, Machota thinks the Cowboys will retain Brandon Carr but that Carr will probably end up taking a pay cut, which reaffirms what our Ben Levine wrote last night.

Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News takes a look at how the Cowboys will address their backup quarterback situation in 2015. Although Brandon Weeden is still under contract, Jones did not give Weeden a ringing endorsement at the NFL combine a few weeks ago, and the team is high on third-stringer Dustin Vaughan. George does not believe Dallas will ultimately sign a free agent to replace Weeden, but he does note that the Cowboys would not hesitate to do so if the right deal came along.
  • The Cowboys’ decision to put the franchise tag on Bryant is good news for the Eagles, as it prevents Bryant from setting a market price for wide receivers like Jeremy Maclin that Philadelphia would be unable to meet. But Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com tweets that, if the Eagles cannot agree to a long-term deal with Maclin by tomorrow afternoon, then Maclin will also get the franchise tag.
  • Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com passes along Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman‘s thoughts on trading up in the draft. Roseman is generally against such a move, which is interesting given the rumors surrounding the team’s alleged desire to move up to select Marcus Mariota. But Roseman, of course, will not have a say in the Eagles’ ultimate decision to trade up or stay put as a result of his redefined role in the team’s front office.
  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com examines whether Washington should part ways with kicker Kai Forbath, a restricted fee agent. Washington has not been particularly eager to extend an offer to Forbath, who would be the most accurate kicker in team history if he had enough attempts to qualify, and Tandler says the reason for that is Forbath’s leg strength. Forbath was near the bottom of the league in net kickoff average, and the team may choose to trade a little accuracy in field goal attempts below 50 yards for improved field position and the chance to make a long-range field goal every once in a while.
  • After the Bills missed out on Josh McCown, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News took a look at other signal-callers that the team could pursue. The free agent class is, of course, underwhelming, with the possible exception of Brian Hoyer, though Nick Foles or even Jay Cutler could be intriguing trade targets.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com looks at the free agent case of right guard Willie Colon. Colon could make sense for another team looking for a one-year stopgap, but the Jets are likely to seek an upgrade in free agency.

Vincent Jackson To Remain In Tampa Bay

March 1st, 2015 at 10:10am CST by Rory Parks

In spite of recent rumors that the Buccaneers would ask him to restructure his deal or even trade him, Vincent Jackson will remain in Tampa Bay on his current contract, writes Dan Hanzus of NFL.com. There are a number of teams with needs at wide receiver who would have doubtlessly been intrigued by the 32-year-old Jackson if he had become available, but now those teams will apparently need to look elsewhere.

Jackson carries a 2015 cap hit of $12.2MM, one of the largest for a wideout, but he and second-year receiver Mike Evans together should combine to form one of the most dynamic receiving duos in the league, and if the Buccaneers draft Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston as many anticipate, Winston will find himself with some talented weapons at his disposal.

With Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant expected to get the franchise tag, Randall Cobb, Jeremy Maclin, and Torrey Smith make up the top receivers who are set to become free agents if they are not tagged or do not sign new deals before March 10. But Cobb and Maclin would be very expensive, and Smith is a cut below talent-wise. Outside of those names, Andre Johnson, Mike Wallace, and Brandon Marshall are players who are currently under contract but who could become available via release or trade.

A.J. Smith Retires

March 1st, 2015 at 9:41am CST by Rory Parks

Former Chargers GM A.J. Smith, who spent the last two seasons working as a senior executive with Washington, has decided to retire, writes Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The 66-year-old served as San Diego’s general manager from 2003 to 2012 and oversaw a number of successful Chargers teams. San Diego made the playoffs in five of Smith’s first seven seasons, and in 2004, in one of the more famous draft-day deals in recent memory, he drafted Eli Manning with the first-overall pick and traded him to the Giants for Philip Rivers and draft picks that would become Shawne Merriman and Nate Kaeding. In his first year on the job, Smith pulled off one of the steals of the decade, signing Antonio Gates as an undrafted free agent.

The Chargers steamrolled their way to a 14-2 record and the No. 1 seed in the AFC in 2006, but after San Diego was ousted by New England in the playoffs, Smith and owner Dean Spanos made the somewhat curious decision to fire head coach Marty Schottenheimer and replace him with Norv Turner. Despite an appearance in the AFC Championship Game during Turner’s first year in San Diego, the Chargers always seemed a piece or two away from being true Super Bowl contenders over the last several years of Smith’s tenure, and Smith and Turner were both fired in 2012 after a series of underwhelming campaigns.

But Smith was hired by Washington not long after San Diego decided to go in a different direction, and Washington had considered giving him an enhanced role with club this past January. It was also reported that Smith would have been offered a front office job with the Bills had Bill Polian gone to Buffalo, so Smith’s services were still at least in some demand before he decided to call it quits.

Smith said, “It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of the National Football League. I will always cherish my time in the NFL and the friendships that developed over those many years. Looking forward to spending lots of time in Del Mar, Rhode Island, and parts unknown.”

Will The Lions Franchise Suh?

March 1st, 2015 at 8:48am CST by Rory Parks

As expected, Ndamukong Suh‘s fate in 2015 and beyond has been a preeminent storyline over the first few weeks of the offseason, and with the deadline for teams to put the franchise tag on potential free agents looming, opinions about what the Lions could and should do with Suh remain divided. By 4pm EST tomorrow, Detroit will either have to put the tag on Suh and hope they can work out a long-term deal over the next few months, or decline to use the tag and pray they can agree to terms before free agency opens on March 10.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press believes the Lions should tag Suh and absorb the $26.9MM cap hit that such a move would create. Birkett writes, “for a Lions team coming off its second best season of the Super Bowl era, the only thing worse than smashing the pay scale is letting your best player go and getting nothing but a 2016 compensatory pick in return.” Birkett believes the team is poised to make a Super Bowl run in 2015, and they should do whatever it takes to keep one of the game’s most dominant defensive players to help them make that run.

Justin Rogers and Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, meanwhile, believe the Lions should of course re-sign Suh if they can, but they should not put the tag on him. The franchise tag for Suh would force the Lions to create another $9MM of cap room, which they could do by restructuring the contracts of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson and/or by releasing Stephen Tulloch. Indeed, a restructure of Johnson’s deal would create enough cap space by itself. But not only would restructures like that create additional financial problems down the road, the Lions would be hard-pressed just to fit their draft class under the cap if they were to put the tag on Suh, and it would be almost impossible to address their other roster holes in free agency.

Similarly, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes Detroit would be foolish to tag Suh. As he points out, if Detroit were to put a $26.9MM tag on Suh in 2015, the cost of the tag next year would increase by 20% to over $32MM. As a result, any negotiations on a long-term deal the team entered into this year would include about $59MM fully guaranteed for the first two years of the deal. Florio writes, “if the Lions are going to keep Suh, they need to rule out the franchise tag and put together an offer that will match or exceed the package that the Raiders or Jaguars or some other team looking to make a franchise-transforming cannonball into the free-agency pool will put together.”

The Lions will have to make their decision soon, and if they agree with Birkett, one of the year’s biggest free agent dominoes may not even get the chance to fall.

NFC East Notes: Murray, Manning, Eagles

February 28th, 2015 at 10:55pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Cowboys entered the offseason knowing that two of their best players, wide receiver Dez Bryant and running back DeMarco Murray, were unsigned and scheduled to become free agents March 10. Dallas will solve one of those problems, at least temporarily, when it officially places the franchise tag on Bryant on Monday. Doing so will enable the Cowboys to keep Bryant for the 2015 season at approximately $12.8MM. That figure will take a significant portion from the team’s cap space, which will affect Murray, writes the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore. The 27-year-old Murray led all NFL rushers in yards (1,845) and tied for first in touchdowns (13) last season, and he’ll soon test the open market as one of the top skill players available.

“I think DeMarco wants to be in Dallas. We want him here,” said Cowboys COO Stephen Jones, according to Moore.

Regardless of what Dallas wants, it’s tough to envision the club matching any potential mega-offers Murray might receive. Nevertheless, if an enticing offer for Murray to sign elsewhere comes, Jones hopes the four-year veteran gives the Cowboys an opportunity to keep him.

“There’s an expectation that he will get back to us before he signs with another club,” Jones said. “But that would be unfair to him and for other clubs to say he’s going to bring something back.”

While Murray’s time in the NFC East could be on the verge of ending, here’s more from his current division:

  • Dan Graziano of ESPN.com answered fans’ questions in a Twitter mailbag. One of the subjects Graziano touched on was the future of Eli Manning, who is due to count a team-high $19.75MM against the cap in 2015 – the last year of his contract. Per Graziano, if the Giants sign Manning to an extension this offseason, it could save them as much as $11MM on the cap. However, given their sufficient spending space (roughly $25MM) and “no big-money necessities outside of Jason Pierre-Paul,” it might not be necessary. The Giants are “comfortable” with Manning taking up a large chunk of their cap, according to Graziano, and could wait to sign or tag the two-time Super Bowl winner until next year.
  • In a series of pieces highlighting potential free agent targets for the Eagles, Reuben Frank and Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com examined whether the team should have interest in two safeties – Da’Norris Searcy (Bills) and Tyvon Branch (whom the Raiders recently cut) – and Browns linebacker Jabaal Sheard. Frank and Mosher had differing opinions on Searcy, while they both endorsed signing Branch to a short-term deal and expressed no interest in Sheard.
  • Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com took a look at possible free agent outside linebacker options for Washington. El-Bashir doesn’t think new general manager Scot McCloughan will pay big money for a free agent OLB, but he could see the team re-signing Brian Orakpo to a “prove-it deal.”

Offseason Outlook: San Francisco 49ers

February 28th, 2015 at 9:07pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Pending free agents:

Top 10 2015 cap hits:

  1. Colin Kaepernick, QB: $15,265,753
  2. Aldon Smith, OLB: $9,754,000
  3. Patrick Willis, ILB: $8,268,000
  4. NaVorro Bowman, ILB: $7,654,000
  5. Ahmad Brooks, OLB: $7,055,000
  6. Vernon Davis, TE: $6,967,920
  7. Anquan Boldin, WR: $6,909,000
  8. Justin Smith, DE: $6,436,668
  9. Joe Staley, T: $6,400,000
  10. Stevie Johnson, WR: $6,025,000

Notable coaching changes:

Draft:

  • No. 15 overall pick
  • Acquired fourth-round pick from Broncos in deal for Cody Latimer.
  • Acquired seventh-round pick from Colts in deal for Cam Johnson.
  • Owe fourth-round pick to Bills in deal for Stevie Johnson.
  • Owe seventh-round pick to Dolphins for Jonathan Martin.

Other:

Overview:

The 2014 season was a massive letdown for the 49ers, whose recent stretch near the top of the NFL standings surprisingly came to a halt. San Francisco was expected to contend last year after a three-year stretch from 2011-13 that included a combined 36-11-1 regular season record, three straight NFC championship games, and a Super Bowl appearance. Instead, thanks primarily to an ineffectual offense, the 49ers finished an uninspiring 8-8 and missed the postseason for the first time since 2010. That spurred the conclusion of a coaching era and, as the offseason progresses, will surely prompt noteworthy roster modifications.

Coaching Changes:

The 49ers were mired in an eight-year playoff drought when they named Jim Harbaugh their head coach in 2011. The team went an embarrassing 46-82 USATSI_8331329_168380616_lowresand mustered just one .500 season during that time frame. Harbaugh’s arrival brought dramatic improvement in the on-field product, as he helped guide the Niners to a tremendous 44-19-1 regular-season mark and three playoff berths. However, his relationship with CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke deteriorated over time and became particularly discordant in 2014. That culminated in December with the end of the coach’s four-year stint in the Bay Area.

After interviewing several outside candidates, the Niners hired from within and chose longtime assistant Jim Tomsula to succeed Harbaugh. The 46-year-old Tomsula had run the 49ers’ defensive line since 2007 and was their interim head coach for one game back in 2010 (a 38-7 win over the Cardinals).

Tomsula stayed in the organization to replace Harbaugh’s departed coordinators, Greg Roman (offense) and Vic Fangio (defense), with Geep Chryst and Eric Mangini.

Chryst, San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach the past four years, has previous experience as a coordinator – he oversaw the Chargers’ offense from 1999-2000. Although Mangini was an offensive consultant with the 49ers in 2013 and their tight ends coach last season, most of his coaching career has been spent on defensive staffs.

Key Free Agents:

The start of the free agent period on March 10 could bring about the exits of three players who have long been 49ers offensive pillars — running back Frank Gore, left guard Mike Iupati and wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Gore, the longest-tenured member of the trio, has spent all 10 of his pro seasons in San Francisco. Even at 31, he finished last year ranked ninth in the league in rushing (1,106 yards) on a respectable per-carry average of 4.3. Baalke has indicated that the 49ers want Gore back for his age-32 season. “I talked to him the other day on the phone and we’re going to do what we can to get him back as a 49er,” Baalke said earlier this month, according to the 49ers’ official website. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has reported that Gore, who made $6.45MM last season, is seeking $4MM per annum and that people around the league believe San Francisco is the likeliest team to meet his asking price.

Unfortunately for the 49ers, chances are they’ll have a harder time retaining Iupati. The three-time Pro Bowler is primed to become one of the NFL’s top-paid guards this offseason, and, with little cap space to work with, the 49ers seemingly aren’t in the right position to outbid the market for the 27-year-old’s services.

Then there’s Crabtree, the only one of the group who is coming off a subpar season (698 yards, 10.3 YPC). Tomsula recently said he would “absolutely” like Crabtree back, but both the Sacramento Bee’s Matt Barrows and Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole (video link) have reported the six-year veteran will probably end up elsewhere.

As is the case on offense, the 49ers’ defense also has important pieces scheduled to hit free agency. Those defenders happen to be both of the Niners’ starting cornerbacks from last season, Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox. The pair excelled in 2014, combining for nine interceptions and ranking well above average in Pro Football Focus’ grading system (subscription required) — Culliver was 14th and Cox 35th out of 108 qualifying corners. San Francisco is going to have difficulty keeping both, per Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, and the one who’s expected to cost less (Cox) has a better chance of returning.

Positions Of Need:

The 49ers’ offense was the main culprit behind their woes last season, as mentioned earlier. The unit ran the ball effectively, but averaged a meager 19.1 points per game (25th in the league) and its Colin Kaepernick-led passing attack finished 30th in yardage and 22nd in Football Outsiders’ rankings. To Kaepernick’s credit, he greatly aided San Francisco’s ground game with 639 yards, second only to the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson among quarterbacks. The four-year veteran was merely middle of the pack in most relevant passing statistics, though.

In order for Kaepernick to realize his vast potential, the 49ers are going to have to surround him with more weapons. It starts at receiver, where Baalke has already acknowledged that the 49ers are seeking downfield threats. Further, the 49ers’ receivers coaches were among the few members of their staff who attended the recent scouting combine.

Given their dearth of cap space, the 49ers could have trouble filling their receiver void via free agency. That means they probably won’t be able to take advantage of a deep class of established wideouts, which would make drafting one with their first-rounder – the 15th overall selection – a strong possibility. The 49ers need to find a complement to (and potential long-term replacement for) 34-year-old Anquan Boldin, and they might land one in DeVante Parker (Louisiville) or Kevin White (West Virginia) with their top pick.

In the event the 49ers don’t take a receiver at 15, speedsters like Phillip Dorsett (Miami), Devin Smith (Ohio State) and Sammie Coates (Auburn) are potential targets who could be available after the first round. There’s also Dorial Green-Beckham, whom Bucky Brooks of NFL.com sees as a possible fit for San Francisco. At 6-foot-5, 237 pounds, Green-Beckham has elite size to accompany 4.49 speed. Despite that enticing combination, he might drop in the draft because of past off-field transgressions – ones that led to his dismissal from Missouri’s football team in 2014.

Other than receiver, San Francisco doesn’t have any glaring offensive holes. If Gore leaves, the 49ers have an in-house option in Carlos Hyde, a second-round pick last April who averaged 4.0 yards per carry as a rookie and scored four touchdowns. Replacing Iupati would be a tougher task, but another player from last year’s draft class (third-rounder Brandon Thomas) would have the inside track to take the reins at left guard. The 24-year-old Thomas was thought to be better than a third-round prospect before tearing his ACL a few weeks prior to the draft.

Defensively, the Niners were terrific last season, ranking fifth in both yardage and DVOA and 10th in points allowed. Ideally, they’ll be even better in 2015 with full seasons from brand-name linebackers Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith. Those three combined to miss 35 games last season (Bowman lost all 16 because of a torn ACL and MCL), but they’ve also combined to make 10 Pro Bowls in the past. In 2013, when each of them played the majority of the season, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Bowman and Willis first and third, respectively, among 3-4 ILBs, while the site graded Smith as the fifth-best 3-4 OLB. Having those three and a pair of outstanding second-year men in Chris Borland and Aaron Lynch gives the 49ers an embarrassment of riches at linebacker.

The prospect of a deep and dominant linebacking corps is certainly a plus, but the 49ers do have defensive needs. Those needs begin along the line, where one end (Ray McDonald) has already been released and another (Justin Smith) is considering retirement. Although McDonald ranged from good to great during his eight-year 49ers career, the team cut him in December because of poor off-field conduct. Smith, 36 in September, has missed just two games since joining the Niners in 2008. His advanced age aside, Smith was still a crucial part of San Francisco’s defense last season. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) agreed, ranking him as the league’s 11th-best 3-4 end in 2014.

The 49ers have already tried to combat some of their D-line issues by bringing back one of their former players, Ricky Jean-Francois. The Colts released the six-year veteran and four-year Niner earlier this month, but he chose to sign with Washington. Regardless, it’s clear that the 49ers are aware of their line problems. They’ll likely continue trying to address them as the offseason moves forward.

San Francisco’s other defensive questions lie at cornerback, given the nebulous statuses of Culliver and Cox. On the bright side, the secondary will get Tramaine Brock back at full strength next season. Brock broke out in 2013 with five interceptions as a nickel back, which led to the 49ers giving him a four-year, $16 million extension, and then missed 13 of 16 games last season with toe and hamstring injuries. Brock’s return will be a boon to a pass defense that managed to finish 10th without him. Brock’s comeback won’t mean as much if both Culliver and Cox walk, obviously, but even if the Niners can only keep one of the two, they should still be in decent shape at corner.

Possible Cap Casualties/Contract Restructurings:

Odds are the 49ers will release Ahmad Brooks this offseason, considering his recent below-average play and the team’s wealth at the linebacker position. If the 49ers drop Brooks on June 1, they’ll save $4.71MM on next season’s cap.

Receiver Stevie Johnson‘s roster spot is also in jeopardy, even though San Francisco is weak at wideout. Moving on from Johnson, who caught just 35 passes last season, would avail north of $6MM in cap room for the 49ers.

Regardless of whom they part ways with, the 49ers should look to restructure some of their veterans’ deals this offseason. Aldon Smith, Willis and Bowman are scheduled to have the second-, third- and fourth-highest cap hits on the team next season. Combined, they’ll take up roughly $25MM. Both Willis and Bowman have restructured their contracts in the past to create spending space for the club, so there’s precedent with both of them.

Extension Candidates:

The 49ers will have decisions to make regarding the futures of Aldon Smith, Vernon Davis and Alex Boone in the coming year. All three are scheduled for free agency in 2016.

Smith has demonstrated immense ability during his four-year career, totaling 44 sacks in 50 games. Unfortunately, the four-year veteran’s on-field accomplishments have come with serious off-field negatives. The latest, an April 2014 incident between Smith and TSA agent at the Los Angeles Airport, led to a nine-game suspension for the 25-year-old last season. Despite Smith’s problems, Baalke recently referred to him as “a great young man.” Smith will count $9.75MM against San Francisco’s cap this year. Whether Smith is in Baalke’s long-term plans is likely to depend on how he fares both on and off the field in 2015. If all goes well, Smith will have a strong chance to become one of the highest-paid 3-4 OLBs in the league. At the moment, Green Bay’s Clay Matthews has the richest contract at the position in both total and annual value ($66MM and $13.2MM, respectively). Matthews signed that deal in 2013 as a four-year vet with 42.5 sacks in 58 games.

As for Davis and Boone, both expressed dissatisfaction in regards to their contracts during holdouts last year. Davis skipped the team’s voluntary and mandatory minicamps, while Boone sat out the entire summer and reported to the 49ers a week before the regular season started.

The 31-year-old Davis is just two years removed from a 13-touchdown showing, but 2014 was his worst season since 2008. He amassed a paltry 26 catches with all-time lows in yardage and YPC, while his two TDs tied a career worst. Even if he bounces back in 2015, the odds of San Francisco giving Davis a sizable contract extension don’t seem high. Although he has been among the top tight ends in the league for the better part of his nine-year career, it’s fair to wonder if Davis’ best days are behind him.

Unlike Davis, it’s clear Boone has plenty left in the tank. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated the 27-year-old as the 17th-best guard in the league in 2014 – just three spots behind Iupati – out of 78 qualifiers. Boone will make $3.74MM in 2015, the final year of his contract. That’s just below the value of the 10th-highest-paid right guard in the league (Washington’s Chris Chester at $4MM). In all likelihood, an extension for Boone would mean signing him to a deal that would at least get him into the top 10 in total value, yearly value and guaranteed money. With Iupati’s time as a Niner on the brink of ending, San Francisco would be wise to get Boone locked up at some point in the next year. For a team that has prioritized running the ball, losing its two outstanding guards in a 12-month span would be quite a setback.

Overall Outlook:

Despite the failures of last season and the resulting coaching change, the 49ers are still more talented than the majority of teams around the league. Because of that, they’ll have a shot to return to the playoffs in 2015 – particularly if Kaepernick rebounds and Tomsula doesn’t end up drowning in his new role. Nevertheless, the ultra-competitive NFC West certainly won’t make life easy for Kaepernick, Tomsula or the rest of the 49ers.

Information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Load More Posts