Following three days full of surprises, the 2023 NFL Draft is officially in the rearview mirror. With 259 players hearing their names called, they now know where they will start their professional careers in the league. Nine of them will be with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023. With hopes of going further this year, the front office could be scouting the market to find more contributors.
In 2022, San Francisco had perhaps the most surprising campaign across the league. The 49ers managed to reach the NFC Championship Game despite dealing with multiple injuries. Most notably, they had Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy as their starter as both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo suffered major injuries in the regular season. Still, combining the regular season and playoffs, the Niners had a 12-game winning streak that was only snapped by the Philadelphia Eagles in the conference title game.
With the goal of going to the Super Bowl, general manager John Lynch made some big moves in the offseason. Most notably, the Niners signed defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to a four-year, $84 million contract after having 11 sacks with the Eagles last season.
While Hargrave was a big addition, San Francisco might not be done. Since it did not have any picks in the first two rounds of the draft, the team missed out on many top prospects. Because of that, the Niners could still be looking after other players in free agency.
With all that in mind, here are three free agents that the San Francisco 49ers should target after the 2023 NFL Draft.
3. OT Cameron Fleming
Following many key injuries to quarterbacks in 2022, the 49ers might need to think about reinforcing the offensive line. Regarding the draft, the team did not select any offensive linemen, which means it will probably still monitor the market to find rotational pieces.
One player who could be on San Francisco's radar is offensive tackle Cameron Fleming. The 30-year-old veteran has two Super Bowl rings in his résumé, which could be very important as the Niners try to win it all in 2023.
This past season with the Denver Broncos, Fleming played and started 15 games. At right tackle, he earned a 71.9 grade, according to Pro Football Focus.
As of now, the 49ers have Colton McKivitz and Matt Pryor as their main right tackles. McKivitz started just one game in 2022 while Pryor is joining the team after starting nine games with the Indianapolis Colts last year.
By adding Fleming, the Niners would have championship experience on the roster. Also, with injuries playing an important role in recent memory, having more depth could come in handy.
2. TE Cameron Brate
In the third round of the draft, the 49ers selected Cameron Latu out of Alabama with the No. 101 overall pick. Since the rookie is a project behind four-time Pro Bowler George Kittle, the team might go after a more experienced tight end to add to the roster.
One intriguing option is Cameron Brate. He spent the previous eight seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, most as a backup, winning Super Bowl LV in the process.
For his career, Brate has 273 receptions for a total of 2,857 yards and 33 touchdowns. He can also play on special teams, having nearly 400 snaps in the unit throughout his career.
Brate could serve as a backup for Kittle while Latu still develops. Additionally, the veteran could mentor the rookie and share his experience from playing with Tom Brady in recent years.
Based on his recent seasons, Brate should be comfortable as a backup, so he would not take away Kittle's time. Whenever Latu is ready to fully contribute, Brate could move to special teams and still help the Niners both on and off the field.
1. DE Yannick Ngakoue
It is no secret that Nick Bosa is key to San Francisco's aspirations in the near future. The 25-year-old is already a three-time Pro Bowler and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Once again, the Niners could go after depth with the players that remain available in free agency. One player that has starting-caliber talent but is still unsigned is Yannick Ngakoue.
This past season with the Colts, he recorded 29 total tackles with 18 being solo and forced a fumble. Most importantly, he had 9.5 sacks, the best mark on the team.
Without selecting a defensive end in the draft, the 49ers could use some help via free agency with Ngakoue. He started 15 games last year but since he remains in the market, he could accept a team-friendly deal to pursue a title in 2023 and a larger contract next offseason.
If the Niners bring in Ngakoue, they would have two impactful defensive ends on their roster, which can make a difference against strong offensive lines in the playoffs.
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