Inside the San Francisco 49ers’ April Agenda
· Yahoo Sports
The San Francisco 49ers were far more active in the opening waves of free agency than they were a year ago, bringing aboard several heavy hitting veterans, including wide receivers Mike Evans and Christian Kirk.
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At the same time, though, general manager John Lynch and team left other needs relatively untouched. In light of parallel developments, one has to wonder if the Niners are merely tabling those needs until the 2026 NFL Draft.
Evans and Kirk provide a case example. Wide receiver was viewed as a glaring need for San Francisco, particularly in light of Brandon Aiyuk's imminent departure following a fractured relationship and rehab issues, Jauan Jennings signing elsewhere, and Ricky Pearsall’s inconsistent health. Rather than pivot solely to the draft to address the void, the additions of Evans and Kirk likely table the 49ers’ desperate need for a wideout early although it doesn't rule it out.
The trade for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa indicates the Niners are set with the interior of their defensive line. Additionally, reuniting with Dre Greenlaw while signing Brett Toth, Vederian Lowe, and Robert Jones helped address linebacker and offensive line depth, thereby tabling those pressing needs as well.
But what about the positional needs that weren’t addressed? What’s remaining to be solved by the draft?
Predicting 49ers' plans for the NFL Draft post-free agency
San Francisco owns two picks in the top 100, starting with No. 27 overall, but they do not currently hold a selection in Round 3 after the Odighizuwa trade. Assuming Lynch will bank on finding starting caliber players in Rounds 1 and 2, grabbing a wide receiver early only makes sense if one of the elite names falls toward the end of the first round.
The same logic applies to an offensive tackle, given the 49ers continue to navigate a contractual resolution with left tackle Trent Williams. Unless the Niners plan on drafting a lineman early to start at guard before eventually taking over for Williams, it’s reasonable to assume a tackle might not be the priority at No. 27 either, despite what many mock drafts suggest.
Effectively, there were two primary positions that weren't adequately touched by San Francisco's free agency moves and those were safety and an outside pass rusher.
- Safety: The 49ers lost Jason Pinnock to the New York Giants and are currently looking at a trio of Malik Mustapha, Ji’Ayir Brown, and Marques Sigle as their primary options. While there is talent there, there is plenty of room for doubt regarding veteran stability.
- Edge Rusher: This became a sudden priority following Bryce Huff’s unexpected retirement at age 27. There isn't a proven No. 2 opposite Nick Bosa, especially with Mykel Williams expected to kick inside on obvious passing downs. With both Bosa and Williams coming off ACL recoveries, the need for a healthy, high impact edge player is paramount.
Based on that assessment, one could conclude the Niners are seeking a pass rusher and a safety with their first two picks. Unless, of course, Lynch simply goes with the "best player remaining" strategy, thereby fooling us all once again.