NFL free
agency begins Tuesday and the 49ers are sure to make noise as they acquire
players that will help make their roster better. The 49ers defense was outstanding so I would
just try to bring everyone on the defense back and not make new changes there.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Offense
is a different story so the team needs to make changes there. Here are the
needs I think the 49ers need to address during free agency and the draft.
Get some
wide receivers
It is obvious the 49ers need to get
some wide receivers, considering the team was depleted in that department
towards the end of last season. Alex Smith was forced to throw mostly to his
tight ends because the only big threat at wide receiver was Michael Crabtree. The team should get some help from Joshua
Morgan (if he resigns with the 49ers) returning from injury but that won’t be
enough. The 49ers don’t need just one wide receiver; they need a few wide receivers.
One wide receiver is not going to make up for the shortage of wide receivers
that Alex Smith had to choose from. That is why the team needs to sign a big
name free agent at wide receiver and maybe another free agent wide receiver who
can be the number three receiver for the team. They also should draft a wide
receiver in April but not necessarily in the first round. First round wide
receivers tend to be expensive so the 49ers should draft a wide receiver in the
later rounds as there are just as talented receivers in those rounds as in the
first round.
Get a
running back
Last year Frank Gore signed a
contract that will keep him with the 49ers for three more years but the team
needs depth at the position. Gore is getting older and there are signs of him
breaking down. I wouldn’t sign a running
back via free agency because running back careers are short and the ones on the
free agent market tend to be aging running backs that were no longer wanted by
their previous teams. Free agent running backs tend to be more injury prone as
well. This is why the 49ers need to draft a running back and if they can, trade
Anthony Dixon. Dixon has not been that
impressive as a running back and he won’t get much playing time with Gore and
Kendall Hunter getting the bulk of reps.
I am not sure if the 49ers will be
able to resign Ted Ginn Jr. If Ginn returns to the team, they are set at the
position. If he doesn’t return, the team definitely needs to find a return man
via free agency. Kyle Williams is not a good replacement for the 49ers and he
proved that in the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants. His two fumbles in a critical game cost the
team a victory. Add that to the fumble
he had in college that cost his team a big victory and you got a guy with a
history of choking at critical moments. I don’t mind Williams being a wide receiver; I
just don’t want to see him return a punt again.
Get an
offensive lineman
The offensive line improved a lot
last season but the team needs a quality backup offensive lineman who can play
any of the positions on the line and possibly start at right tackle. Anthony Davis misses critical blocks a lot so
his job shouldn’t be secured. He needs competition from a free agent acquisition.
This free agent acquisition also should be able to play at guard because Chilo
Rachal should not be brought back to the 49ers even as a backup. Every game he
started at guard, the team did worse offensively. The team also should get a lineman who can
backup at center. Jonathan Goodwin is a good center for now but he’s getting
older and the team should look to the future by signing or drafting an
offensive lineman.
Get a backup
fullback
Bruce Miller is the man at fullback
so there is no replacing him. However, what if he gets hurt? We saw how Moran
Norris did when he filled in for an injured Miller last year and it wasn’t
pretty. Alex Smith got sacked a lot more when Miller wasn’t playing. So the
team should find a quality backup fullback.
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