After losing to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game, the San Francisco 49ers will now head to the offseason with a lot of work to do. There is a big decision to make on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, and John Lynch will look to fix holes on the roster.
Aside from that, the 49ers will also have to tend to the long list of players who are set to become free agents in the offseason, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Surely enough, the front office will want to bring the band back together, but they must also determine the contracts they should rightfully prioritize in the months to come.
Hopefully, the 49ers will be able to make the right decisions and eventually strengthen their roster in order to make another deep playoff run in 2022 and beyond. With that said, let's take a look at the three best players the team must re-sign in 2022 NFL free agency.
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3 best players 49ers must re-sign
3. Arden Key
One of the most underrated signings of the 49ers in the previous offseason was defensive end Arden Key. He only inked a one-year, $1 million contract to suit up for the team after three years of playing for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Without a doubt, Key performed well beyond the paycheck that he received as he blossomed into solid contributor for the 49ers' pass-rush unit. He played the best season of his career with 22 combined tackles and 17 QB hits to go with 6.5 sacks, which was the second-best tally for the defense behind Nick Bosa.
At the age of 25, the LSU talent is just getting started and will definitely serve as a vital piece for San Francisco if the club manages to retain him moving forward.
2. D.J. Jones
Another valuable defender in the trenches for the 49ers is defensive tackle D.J. Jones. Like Key, he also signed a one-year, bargain deal to have another tour of duty with the team that drafted him back in 2017.
Jones had a career-best campaign as well as he notched 56 combined tackles, three QB hits, and 2.0 sacks in 17 appearances as a starter. Beyond his stats, he also made a handful of big plays for the team over the course of the 2021 season.
Needless to say, Jones has been a vital cog for the 49ers, so securing his services needs to be prioritized if the team wants to have continuity in the trenches in the years to come.
1. Laken Tomlinson
Ever since landing in San Francisco in 2017, left guard Laken Tomlinson has always been a presence on the team's offensive line. He also complemented the play of left tackle Trent Williams and formed a stifling pass protection unit for Jimmy Garoppolo through the years.
According to Pro Football Focus, the 49ers' offensive line was ranked as the third-best in the league for the 2021 season. The stellar performance of the group all year long was also one of the main reasons why they were able to make a deep playoff run despite starting their campaign with a 3-5 record.
In the upcoming offseason, inking the 2022 Pro Bowler to a new contract should certainly be at the top of the list for the 49ers, especially if they plan to make changes at the QB position next season.
