The first week of NFL free agency is about to come to a close.
As usual, outlets have begun to hand out grades to teams for their performance in free agency. It's always based on the players they added, let go, and if they managed any bargain deals.
A couple of outlets have not been kind to the 49ers. Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Network have both graded the 49ers poorly with a D. Here is PFN's explanation for their grade.
"It is hard to offer much praise for the moves that the San Francisco 49ers have made so far this offseason. They have allowed a lot of veteran talent to leave, some through free agency and others through either releasing players or trades.
"The 49ers have the cap space to start making moves, but they may want to let the market settle and then add some starters or depth options when the prices begin to fall toward the end of the first wave of free agency and into the second wave. There is time to turn this offseason around, but the transaction table makes for a tough read if you are a 49ers fan so far."
Grading the 49ers with a D is more than fair. I completely understand why anyone would do that or even go as far as to give them an F. It's fair game.
However, after one week of free agency, I'm not down on them yet. The 49ers get a C from me, and it's because this free agent class is meh. There weren't a lot of enticing players to acquire, especially to overpay.
That is what free agency is: an overpayment for good, decent players. I have no issue with the 49ers not electing to do that given there is no free agent worth it this year.
Now, the 49ers have allowed a lot of players to walk. So, that gets taken into account for their "poor" free agency grades.
I'd argue that most of the players who departed were justified, especially with the contracts they were handed. Dre Greenlaw is the only player I believe the 49ers should've ponied up for.
But I get why they didn't want to take that risk. They already have a lot of money tied up in several players who are studs, and they have yet to pay Brock Purdy and extend George Kittle.
The 49ers get a C after the first week of free agency. Let's see if that changes in one week from now.
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