Gary Landers/Associated Press
It’s fun for fans to imagine their favorite team checking off every box on their offseason wish list in a splurge of splashy spending.
That’s rarely how things work out, though—unless you’re the New York Giants in 2016. Usually teams find themselves looking through the second and third-tier free agents after missing out on a primary target or two.
Even if the 49ers were somehow able to fill every need I’ve listed here with the high-end replacements I mentioned, the Niners will still be combing through the bargain bin. There are just too many holes on the roster to fill them all with front-end free agents.
Here’s a handful of reasonably-priced options Lynch might want to consider.
Robert Woods, WR, Buffalo Bills
In four NFL seasons Woods has yet to hit even 700 receiving yards. However, the quarterback situation in Buffalo hasn’t exactly been ideal, and Woods is still only 24 years old. Frankly, his youth and potential may be enough to trigger demand for his services that will bump his salary well outside what one would expect given his modest production.
Austin Pasztor, OT/G, Cleveland Browns
One of San Fran’s myriad issues in 2016 was a line that ranked 26th in pass protection and 31st in run blocking, according to Pro Football Focus. Pasztor isn’t going to instantly fix that, but in 15 starts at right tackle for the Browns last year the 26-year-old wasn’t terrible. Add in that he can play guard, and Pasztor could be a sneaky good addition.
Josh Bynes, LB, Detroit Lions
No one is going to confuse Bynes with Lavonte David any time soon. But Bynes is in the prime of his career, the 27-year-old has started 19 games for the Lions the past two seasons, and he quietly ranked among the top 15 4-3 outside linebackers in the NFL, per PFF, in about 375 snaps for Detroit in 2016. As depth or a stopgap starter, the 49ers could do worse.
Alex Okafor, DE/OLB, Arizona Cardinals
Okafor tallied eight sacks for the Cardinals in his second NFL season, but hasn’t sniffed that kind of success since. The 26-year-old isn’t going to solve San Francisco’s issues in the pass rush, but he’s young and has demonstrated at least some aptitude at collapsing the pocket. Better a youngster like this than an aging retread playing out the string.
Valentino Blake, CB, Tennessee Titans
A five-year veteran, Blake’s already on the third team (and second first name) of his NFL career, and the 26-year-old ranked a so-so 72nd among NFL corners last season at Pro Football Focus. Still, while corner isn’t a position of dire need on a 49ers team filled with them, NFL squads are always on the lookout for cheap depth in the secondary.
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