We break down the newest San Francisco 49ers after the first week of free agency: Kwon Alexander, Dee Ford, Tevin Coleman, Jason Verrett, Jordan Matthews, and David Mayo.
On the heels of another losing season and armed with over $66 million in salary cap space, we were prepared for the San Francisco 49ers to be active during the first week of 2019 NFL free agency. 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan — as well as the team’s “chief contract negotiator and salary cap architect” Paraag Marathe — did not disappoint. By the week’s end, the Niners landed six potential starters on offense, defense and special teams. Here’s what you need to know about the newest members of San Francisco 49ers:
LB Kwon Alexander
The 49ers made their first splash move of free agency by coming to terms with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebacker Kwon Alexander during the NFL’s two-day “tampering period.” News of the signing was initially reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
49ers intend to sign former Bucs LB Kwon Alexander to a 4-year, $54 million deal that includes $27 million guaranteed, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2019
Given that the post-Trent Baalke 49ers took a player rehabbing an ACL injury and briefly made him the “highest-paid inside linebacker in football,” the click-bait/freak-out competition between the national sports media and 49ers Twitter did not disappoint. However, Niner fans were no match for their media counterparts, who labeled the deal as “massive,” “eye-popping” and “huge” — often in the same 200-word article.
Once the details of the contract were revealed, descriptions of the front-loaded deal ranged from “team-friendly,” to “team-friendly” to “team-friendly.” Despite the initial overreaction, Alexander’s acquisition isn’t a slam dunk for San Francisco. The 49ers paid top-dollar for a relatively unproven player — despite his lone Pro Bowl appearance — who relies on his instincts and athleticism, as opposed to perfected technique, in order to generate success. Given the team’s recent blunders at the linebacker position, San Francisco better not miss on Alexander, who was known as the heart-and-soul of Tampa Bay’s defensive unit…. Read More on Lockedon49ers.com
About the Author: Chris Wilson
