The 49ers saw a slew of their own free agents sign contracts elsewhere this offseason. There are big ones who signed right away like Jimmy Garoppolo and Jimmie Ward. There are others like Jordan Willis and Tarvarius Moore who took longer to find new homes.
While 12 of their free agents have signed deals with new teams and they’ve re-signed 10 of their own, seven players remain unsigned. We went through each of the seven to determine whether they’ll be back with San Francisco next season:
K Robbie Gould
The fact Gould is still available a week into free agency is an indicator that either his market isn’t robust, or he’s being very particular in where he wants to sign. The 49ers should be on the phone with him and his representation as often as possible to get him back in San Francisco where he was one of the NFL’s most reliable kickers over the last six seasons.
DL Kerry Hyder
The 49ers should bring Hyder back. His inside/outside versatility would be helpful on a defense still looking for consistency on the interior and on the edges. He’d also be a relatively inexpensive veteran addition to help the team transition to new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
TE Tyler Kroft
It wouldn’t be insane if Kroft returned to an offseason roster that doesn’t feature much TE depth. The 49ers may be looking to get younger there though, so even if Kroft is back for the offseason he’d have an uphill climb to a roster spot.
QB Josh Johnson
While Johnson’s efforts in the NFC championship game were admirable, it’s unlikely he has a fifth stint with the 49ers.
CB Jason Verrett
While the 49ers need some cornerback depth, Verrett’s injury history has reached a length where he can’t be relied on. A torn Achilles after a long list of ailments will be extremely hard to come back from for a CB turning 32 before the season.
TE Jordan Matthews
There’s definitely a chance the 49ers bring Matthews back for training camp. He tore his ACL in early August which could limit his availability some, but San Francisco’s TE depth isn’t very good and Matthews is still developing at that position.
CB Dontae Johnson
Johnson tore his ACL in a Week 14 win over the Buccaneers. It’s hard to imagine he’ll be available for much of the 2023 season, but if he’s available the 49ers will surely have some interest once he’s healthy.
