Surprisingly, the answer isn’t Javon Hargrave
Teams are already negotiating and signing their unrestricted free agents to new deals before the free agency window opens. The San Francisco 49ers have released a cornerback but haven’t reached a new deal with any of their pending unrestricted free agents yet.
During the NFL Combine, general manager John Lynch said the team would welcome back Jon Feliciano after a Twitter spat with Spencer Burford: “I think no one is going to be perfect, and I think what I was proud of — he owned his mistake right there and Spencer knows that.
That’s a tight group. Nobody is tighter than the O-line. Feliciano said something to try to defend one teammate and, in the process, felt bad about what he did to another, and he owned it. Nobody is going to be perfect, but when you make a mistake, own up to it and know that we are tight enough and have been through experiences that we’ve got each other’s back.”
Feliciano went from not playing at all to starting at right guard after the bye week for the 49ers at right guard. He provided more consistency than Burford. According to PFF, Felciano was the Niners highest graded free agent from 2023:
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: G JON FELICIANO (79.8)
Feliciano closed out the 2023 season as one of PFF’s highest-graded interior linemen. The versatile guard was instrumental in the Niners’ late-season success, particularly in the run game. From Week 14 through the postseason, Feliciano generated a 20.4% impact block rate on runs.
Aaron Banks, Burford, Sebastian Gutierrez, and Nick Zakelj are current guards under contract on the roster. Signing a veteran during free agency feels inevitable. But the 49ers could run it back with the tandem of Feliciano and Burford if they don’t like their options in free agency or the draft.
For those wondering, Javon Hargrave, the prize signing from the 2023 free agency class, graded 73.9 overall. Hargrave, the pass rusher, was elite, where he graded 87.2 overall. He was one of the most productive interior rushers in the NFL.
However, his run defense graded 49.0. That, plus a low tackling grade, brought Hargrave’s overall number down.
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