Will the San Francisco 49ers continue to add to their roster in free agency on Day 3 of free agency? Let’s take a look at the best remaining free agents.
3 safety options for the 49ers
If the 49ers are in the market for a veteran safety, Kevin Byard may be intriguing. Pivoting to a ballhawk under Raheem Morris. No player has more interceptions than Byard since he entered the NFL. He’d allow Malik Mustapha to live around the line of scrimmage. Some market projections have Byard getting around $12.5 million annually.
His teammate, Jaquan Brisker, is younger at 27. Brisker is the kind of safety to cause chaos around the line of scrimmage. He’s a good blitzer, solid against the run, and another intriguing option if the Niners want to go the veteran route as opposed to a rookie.
Another player who we’ve been talking about for a few years is Nick Cross from the Colts. Cross, 24, is another box safety who should pique Morris’s interest. Cross finished top-3 among all safeties with 16 pressures last season.
Cross doesn’t lack speed. He ran a 4.3 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. The reason he’s closer to the line of scrimmage is likely due to the last of instincts or feel the further Cross gets away from the ball.
Veteran options at left guard for the 49ers
Joel Bitonio turns 35 next fall. He’s been the Browns’ left guard for 10 years. He has missed two starts in the previous five years. Bitonio has been consistent year in and year out with Cleveland. According to Sports Info Solutions, Bitonio has a blown block rate of 2.2, 2.2, and 2.3 in the past three seasons.
That is below the league average of 2.7 percent. He also only had one penalty last year and did not allow a sack. Bitonio could be signed for a one-year deal under $8 million.
Kevin Zeitler would be a quality option for a year, but he’s been a right guard all of his life.
If the 49ers want to go the younger route, the Raiders’ free agent Dylan Parham is an undersized option. He turns 27 in August. He’s only 285 pounds and 6’3”. However, he was one of the few offensive linemen on the Raiders to have respectable numbers last year.
Parham did have five penalties, but he only allowed one sack, had a blown block rate of 2.8 percent, and should fit in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme thanks to his ability to stay in front of pass rushers.