Last offseason, the San Francisco 49ers endured the largest spending deficit in NFL history. Deebo Samuel, Aaron Banks, Maliek Collins, Leonard Floyd, Dre Greenlaw, Chavarius Ward, and Talanoa Hufanga all departed the team. Despite all the roster losses, as well as consistent injury issues over the years, the 49ers still tend to win a lot of games. San Francisco made the playoffs after going 12-5.
However, it will be tough to sustain their winning ways if the roster keeps thinning out every year. The 49ers needed to get active in free agency, and they've already begun to do so during the opening hours of the legal tampering period. The team made a huge move by signing Mike Evans to a three-year, $60.4 million deal. Evans, who went for over 1,000 yards in 11 straight seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before an injury-riddled 2025 campaign, was one of the best free agents on the open market.
Of all the talent that has departed in recent years, the team has perhaps taken the biggest hit at receiver. On top of their trading of Samuel last year, the team will likely be moving on from Brandon Aiyuk this offseason, and Jauan Jennings could very well walk in free agency, too. Therefore, the addition of Evans was a great start. The team can't afford to stop their spending there, though. San Francisco needs to keep replenishing the roster with free agents, but who should they target?
Greg Newsome has great potential
One area the 49ers should consider adding to is the cornerback spot. The team was just 25th in passing yards allowed (3,951) and 21st in passing touchdowns allowed (29). Luckily, there is plenty of cornerback talent on the open market this offseason. One such player worth investing in is Greg Newsome.
At times, Newsome has looked like a high-level cornerback, but he has struggled with injuries and inconsistency, and he was ultimately traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Jacksonville Jaguars last season. Newsome is just 25 years old and likely hasn't hit his prime yet, though.
In San Francisco, Newsome could truly break out and establish himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the game. He may even come at a discounted rate, too. Finding value signings should be paramount for the 49ers, so Newsome should be a primary free agent target of theirs.
The 49ers might need a Trent Williams replacement
Trent Williams has long been viewed as one of, if not the very best left tackle in the NFL. However, the tackle has a $38.8 million cap hit next season that the 49ers want to reduce, but the two sides haven't been able to come to a conclusion, which has led to the team putting Williams on the trading block.
If the team does, in fact, move on from their 12-time Pro Bowler, they will want to find a replacement. After all, Williams is a huge reason for the team's offensive success, so they can't afford to downgrade too much on the blindside. Rasheed Walker is arguably the top tackle on the open market, so he'd be the best-case scenario replacement for Williams in the unideal scenario where Williams is no longer with the team.
Finding a way to retain Williams at a cheaper rate would be most optimal for the 49ers, but Walker would be a pretty great option if need be. Regardless of who they ultimately target, the 49ers need to ensure they are aggressive in free agency.
