The 49ers are entering a critical offseason as general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan look to round out one of the NFL's best rosters before beginning the Trey Lance era in full.
High on the 49ers' offseason to-do list is trading quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to open up $25.2 million in cap savings that they can use elsewhere on the roster. San Francisco has several key players hitting free agency next week. That list includes guard Laken Tomlinson, defensive tackle D.J. Jones, and nickel back K'Waun Williams.
It's unlikely the 49ers will be able to keep the band together this offseason as they did a year ago when players like Williams, Jason Verrett, and Jaquiski Tartt signed one-year, team-friendly contracts last offseason.
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The 49ers will lose some players they'd love to keep this offseason, but they also might be able to find some perfect fits on the free-agent market.
Below, we'll look at six players who could entice the 49ers even if it's unlikely that they find their way to Santa Clara.
James Daniels, OG
It's likely the 49ers will lose guard Laken Tomlinson, who is expected to have many suitors in free agency. Tomlinson has been a reliable and durable member of the 49ers' offensive line, and replacing him won't be easy.
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Daniels, 24, finally came into his own last season for the Chicago Bears at right guard. Daniels has been one of the best pass-blocking guards in the NFL over the past two seasons and excels in a zone-blocking scheme. He also is versatile enough to play center, has his best football ahead of him, and could be a staple for years to come. The bonus: Daniels should come at a lower price than Tomlinson.
D.J. Reed, CB
This one is pretty obvious.
The 49ers didn't want to let Reed go prior to the 2020 season, and the young cornerback thrived for the Seattle Seahawks.
Reed allowed a first down or touchdown on just one-third of the targets he faced last season. He's a good run defender on the outside, knows the 49ers' system, and is coming off a season in which he played 500 snaps and earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 78.6.
It would be easy to see the 49ers bringing back Reed to play on the opposite side of Emmanuel Moseley in 2022.
Calais Campbell, DL
The 49ers are likely to see D.J. Jones walk out the door for a contract they simply won't be able to match. They'll need to find a way to replace the interior presence Jones gave them.
While he'll be 36 when Week 1 rolls around, Campbell still has plenty left in the tank and is in the ring-hunting phase of his career. While he is a better run defender than pass rusher at this point, Campbell still has the length and quickness to win one-on-one matchups and can do so on the inside or outside.
He is scheme versatile and has been durable throughout his career. It's likely Campbell looks for a one-year deal with a Super Bowl contender, and the 49ers would love to slot him in on the defensive line with Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead.
D.J. Chark, WR
The 49ers have an All Pro offensive weapon in Deebo Samuel and a blossoming receiver in Brandon Aiyuk.
But you can always have more weapons, right?
Chark is a 6-foot-4 wide receiver with 4.3 speed who can line up outside or in the slot. His injury history might scare some teams off, which could give the 49ers a window to add him as a No. 3 receiver who can threaten defenses vertically and be a downfield weapon for Lance.
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His slight frame is a bit concerning, but it's easy to see him being an effective third or fourth option in the 49ers' passing game.
Jadeveon Clowney, EDGE
I've mentioned this before and know it's highly unlikely.
But it would be a lot of fun.
Clowney had a resurgent season on the opposite side of Myles Garrett in Cleveland in 2021. It's clear he's at his best when paired opposite a dominant pass rusher, and the 49ers have one of those in Nick Bosa.
Clowney is a great run defender and his snap-for-snap production numbers have been consistent. Last season, Clowney recorded nine sacks, 19 QB hits, and 40 total pressures for the Browns in 14 games.
If he still plans to take the one-year, eight-figure mercenary approach, the 49ers should give him a look. A Bosa-Clowney pairing along with Armstead and Samson Ebukam would give San Francisco a good rotation of pass rushers.