On the surface, it looks like the Niners made the correct decision across the board.
The NFL is a business. The decision-makers can’t sign every free agent they want to during free agency. The same goes for draft prospects at the end of the month or unrestricted free agents that weren’t re-signed to begin March.
With that in mind, looking at how the offseason has gone through the lens of the San Francisco 49ers, are there any players the team will regret not re-signing?
The elephant in the room’s answer is Arik Armstead, but releasing Armstead was less about his talent level and more about the money the 49ers felt Arik was worth. Swap Armstead for Maliek Collins, Jordan Elliott, and Yetur Gross-Matos. Those three players figure to be available, which was the other half of the argument for Armstead taking a pay cut.
Looking at the names of free agents who did not re-sign, there aren’t many, if any, regrettable names. If you’re worried about who the returner on special teams will be, you may answer Ray-Ray McCloud.
There’s no guarantee that Leonard Floyd will be an upgrade over Chase Young. For 2024, he is from a financial perspective. You could play the same game for Javon Kinlaw, Jordan Elliott, Gross-Matos, and Clelin Ferrell.
The Niners would love to see Robert Beal and Kalia Davis take another step in their development. The same is true for Drake Jackson — although he may be running out of time.
The door isn’t closed on names like Tashaun Gipson or Logan Ryan — two veteran defensive backs who are waiting in the wings. Gipson could be insurance for Talanoa Hufanga if he’s not ready.
But outside of Armstead, who left the team without a choice, it feels like the 49ers made the correct decision to inject youth into the defensive line depth and turn the page from the Randy Gregorys.
Who is your answer? Hopefully, it isn’t about the backup quarterback.
About the Author: Insidethe49
