The San Francisco 49ers previously overachieved and went on a deep playoff run before losing to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game. After seeing how their campaign ended, they will surely have to retool their roster in the offseason in order to put up a more competitive team on the field next season.

However, the Niners should be wise in their decision-making since they only have around $2.9 million in cap space available as of the moment, per Spotrac. Additionally, they also have to address a handful of key position groups and carefully allocate their funds to the right pieces that they think can help them improve in 2022.

With that said, let's take a look at two free agents that the 49ers must avoid in the upcoming NFL free agency.

2 free agents the 49ers must avoid

2. Patrick Peterson

A position that the 49ers must rightfully address in the offseason would be the cornerback unit which was exposed in their season-ending loss to the Rams. To their defense, they didn't have Jason Verrett who tore his ACL in Week 1 of the season. They also resorted to having young guys like Emmanuel Moseley and Ambry Thomas shoulder most of the load in the unit for the most part of 2021.

Despite needing depth, the 49ers must avoid signing veteran CB Patrick Peterson from the Minnesota Vikings. He was formerly a top defensive back with the Arizona Cardinals from 2011 to 2020 though his performance has already regressed through the years. However, Peterson still managed to land a starting role with his arrival to the Vikings in 2021. He recorded 45 combined tackles, five passes defended, and an interception in 13 games played.

He may sound like a viable option, considering that Verrett may not be re-signed as an unrestricted free agent after being injured for the entirety of 2021. However, Peterson is already 31 years old and has also suffered hamstring injuries which kept him out for some games over the past season.

Additionally, he will most likely command a two to three-year deal before finishing out his career in the near future. However, the 49ers' current cap space situation may hinder them from engaging in such deals with a veteran player of his age.

Patrick Peterson's veteran presence and vast playing experience will definitely be of help for the young guys in the group but the Niners would still be better off investing in a young prospect instead.

1. Brandon Scherff

Another position that needs to be improved for 2022 would be San Francisco's offensive line. The group was one of the stronger units in the league for 2021 though they can still upgrade a couple of positions in their line for next season.

Both of their guards in Laken Tomlinson and Daniel Brunskill are set to enter free agency in the upcoming offseason. In line with this, a name that one would likely consider is left guard Brandon Scherff from the Washington Commanders. He only appeared in 11 games due to COVID-19 and an MCL sprain though he still managed to put up a solid season to nab his fifth Pro Bowl honor.

It would definitely be a huge lift for the team to have a prolific lineman to pair alongside All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams. However, acquiring Scherff might be too expensive for the 49ers, especially after he signed a one-year, $18 million deal with the Commanders last season. The Niners will definitely have to pay a hefty sum if they would want to sign him to a multi-year contract.

Moreover, the likelihood of Scherff taking a pay cut just to join a contender next season is extremely low, given that he is still at the peak of his career. He would surely want to cash out as much as possible while he is still playing at a Pro Bowl level.

Ultimately, the 49ers can opt to use the money to re-sign both Tomlinson and Brunskill to new contracts instead. They have yet to reach their full potential but they have already shown continuous improvements on the field as their careers progress in the league. Yes, they need better depth in the offensive line in order to protect their new QB though investing in their own guys might just be the better route to take as of the moment.