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Defensive Backs - When
Sammy Davis is your nickelback,
you know you're in trouble. The
Niners need a ton of help at the
cornerback position and they
have no impact players at the
safety position. Could really
use two or three starters this
off-season realistically they
will need to find some help in
free agency.
Defensive Line - San
Francisco alternates between a
3/4 and a 4/3, but a big
talented nose tackle would help
with both. The Niners need to
add more talent at the defensive
end position to generate some
kind of pass rush.
Defensive
end Bryant Young will turn
thirty-five within a month and
2006 sixth-round pick Melvin
Oliver hasn’t played well enough
to ensure his job. There’s also
a significant lack of depth at
the end position.
Middle Linebacker - Derek
Smith has become a non-impact
player, and the team desperately
needs someone to make an impact
from the middle.
He tracks
the ball well enough, but isn’t
having the impact that many fans
would like to see from a player
at his position. The team could
scour the market to find a
defensive leader for the role
someone like Donnie Edwards who
can lead the entire defense
would make a big impact.
Wide Receiver - Antonio
Bryant is nearly more trouble
than he's worth, and Arnaz
Battle isn't really a quality
starter.
Quarterback Alex Smith can use
more weapons in the passing
attack. Antonio Bryant
will miss the opening two games
of next season as he completes
serving a four game suspension
resulting from a violation of
the substance abuse policy.
While there is some depth and
youth at the position, the team
will need to find another
option, especially considering
Bryant’s early absence next
season.
San
Francisco 49ers Free Agency
Notes:
With more than $30 million in
cap room, 49ers are expected to
make a play for several top free
agents to supplement a roster
still fairly thin on talent
despite 7-9 finish.
Coach Mike Nolan would love
to land LB Adalius Thomas, who
played for him in Baltimore,
while 49ers also need talented
pass-rusher and depth in
secondary.
On offense, they'll bid for
OT Leonard Davis and WR Donte'
Stallworth before going after
lesser targets.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS:
DL Bryant Young; TE Eric
Johnson; WR Bryan Gilmore; C
Jeremy Newberry; DT Anthony
Adams; FB Chris Hetherington;
LBs Jay Foreman, Hannibal Navies
and T.J. Slaughter; Ss Chad
Williams and Deke Cooper.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS:
P Andy Lee; OL Tony Wragge; RB
Maurice Hicks; S Mike Adams
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