Team Needs:

EDGE, CB, WR, FS, LB, OG

Available Draft Picks:

1(10) via DEN, 2(36), 2(41) via DEN, 3(67), 4(98), 4(106) via DEN, 4(118) via DEN, 6(165), 7(223)

Starting Cap Space:

$76,027,950

Trades:

Pick 1(2) to Denver for picks 1(10), 2(41), 4(106), 4(118), 2020 1st, and 2020 3rd

Trading down here helps the 49ers gather more picks for this upcoming draft and with the amount of cap space that they have, they could be some serious players in free agency as it is so adding young, cheap talent will just help them that much more. They also make up for only having six picks by now having a total of 9 this year and next year.

Restructures:

None

Cuts:

G Joshua Garnett to save $1,718,770

Joshua Garnett has been underperforming since he got drafted in 2016 and he looks to be the odd man out on the offensive line, cutting him here helps make some space to pay the rookies and UDFAs.

Re-signings:

DB Jimmie Ward for 3 years, $15,000,000

LS Kyle Nelson for 2 years, $2,210,000

P Bradley Pinion for 2 years, $4,000,000

S Antone Exum for 2 years, $5,700,000

G Michael Person for 2 years, $13,000,000

RB Raheem Mostert for 1 year, $850,000

K Robbie Gould for 1 year, $2,250,000

OLB Elijah Lee for 1 year, $570,000 ERFA

CB Greg Mabin for 1 year, $645,000 ERFA

S Tyvis Powell for 1 year, $720,000 ERFA

Bringing back this amount of players is a luxury that many other teams don’t have due to their lack of cap space. Jimmie Ward was injured this past season but the versatile defender will be ready to go come training camp. Raheem Mostert excelled on his limited touches so bringing him back on a cheap deal could help the team a ton if they get hit with the injury bug again. Kyle Nelson, Bradley Pinion, and Robbie Gould were all brought back to retain a solid special teams unit.

Antone Exum is a versatile back that performed pretty well this past season so it’s the smart choice to bring him back. Michael Person was a starting guard last year and played really well while out there, so bringing him back for a short-term deal could be beneficial for both sides involved. Elijah Lee, Greg Mabin, and Tyvis Powell are all exclusive right free agents so bringing them back was a very easy decision. Lee was very productive last year and made the most of his opportunities on the field.

Free Agent Signings:

LB Kwon Alexander for 5 years, $51,454,190

DE Dante Fowler Jr. for 2 years, $11,000,000

G Rodger Saffold for 3 years, $37,500,000

OLB Thomas Davis for 1 year, $4,000,000

DE Kony Ealy for 1 year, $950,000

TE Tyler Eifert for 1 year, $3,250,000

This would be an absolutely stacked haul for the 49ers here. Signing Kwon Alexander and Rodger Saffold give you two immediate top-level starters in addition to bringing in Dante Fowler Jr. for passing downs. The Thomas Davis signing would be more for depth and to bring in a veteran presence to the young locker room. Tyler Eifert gets a one year deal with the 49ers to try and show that he can stay healthy while backing up George Kittle. Kony Ealy is strictly a depth signing but he’s a very good depth player at that.

Draft Results:

Pick 1.10 – Byron Murphy, CB, Washington

With the top EDGE rushers going off the board early, the 49ers go BPA here. Although there are those that will say this is a reach, Murphy is the top corner in this draft class in my opinion. He’s a good scheme fit for the 49ers, he’s got the talent, he fills a position of need, and with the strong free agent signings, the 49ers could go BPA. Another reason for this pick is that you can find starter quality edge rushers and offensive contributors later in this class, you won’t find corners who can step in right away and ball later in this class.

(Assuming that the top Dawyne Haskins, Kyler Murray, Nick Bosa, Quinnen Williams, Josh Allen, Clelin Ferrell, Ed Oliver, Rashan Gary, and Jonah Williams have been taken.)

Pick 2.36 – Jaylon Ferguson, EDGE, Louisiana Tech

Slightly falling due to his combine invite getting rescinded because of a fight from five years ago, the 49ers get a potentially starting edge rusher here who plays very well against the pass and run, he’s going to be an immediate contributor in the NFL.

Pick 2.41 – Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State

The 49ers get an absolute burner here in the second round. Although he needs to show some improved hands to be drafted this high, teams will fall in love with his blazing speed and in this offense he can really excel.

Pick 3.67 – Vosean Joseph, LB, Florida

Although he’s a bit thin, Vosean Joseph knows how to shoot the gap with great speed and aggression. Joseph would have to sit for a year probably, but he’d be able to rotate in and fill-in because of injury almost immediately.

Pick 4.98 – Andy Isabella, WR, Massachusetts

Andy Isabella has been the man-crush of many media scouts since his arrival at the Senior Bowl and for good reason, he can ball. Isabella should be able to find success in pretty much any system at the next level.

Pick 4.106 – Elijah Holyfield, RB, Georgia

Drafting Elijah Holyfield would really give the 49ers a great speed option in McKinnon and a great power option in Holyfield coming out of the backfield.

Pick 4.118 – Max Scharping, OT, Northern Illinois

Joe Staley won’t be around much longer at all. Replacing him with a four-year starter at NIU is one of the best moves to make here. Scharping has shown the ability to be a reliable blocker, something that many NFL teams my struggle to find after the first two rounds.

Pick 6.165 – Sutton Smith, EDGE, Northern Illinois

You can never have too many edge rushers on an NFL roster so the 49ers use their second-to-last draft pick to draft someone to rush the passer and that’s exactly what Sutton Smith can do. Either way Smith will probably have to pack on some weight if he doesn’t want to get bullied at the next level.

Pick 7.223 – Kyle Shurmur, QB, Vanderbilt

Kyle Shurmur doesn’t have all of the tools to be a successful, everyday starter in the NFL but given his high football IQ and decent potential, he should be able to carve out a role for him as a career backup that can occasionally come in and impressive.

Cap Space Spent on Re-signings:

$22,490,000

Cap Space Spent on Free Agents:

$36,490,838

Cap Space Spent on Draft Picks:

$9,962,416

Total Cap Remaining:

$4,198,466

Backfield Starters

QB: Jimmy Garopollo

RB: Jerick McKinnon

FB: Kyle Juszczyk

Receiver Starters

WR1: Marquise Goodwin

WR2: Dante Pettis

Slot: Parris Campbell

TE1: George Kittle

TE2: Tyler Eifert

Offensive Line Starters

LT: Joe Staley

LG: Rodger Saffold III

C: Weston Richburg

RG: Michael Person

RT: Mike McGlinchey

Defensive Line Starters

WDE: Arik Armstead

DT: DeForest Buckner

DT: Solomon Thomas

SDE: Jaylon Ferguson

Linebacker Starters

WLB: Malcolm Smith/Vosean Joseph

MLB: Fred Warner

SLB: Kwon Alexander

Secondary Starters

CB1: Richard Sherman

CB2: Byron Murphy

Slot: Jimmie Ward

FS: Antone Exum

SS: Jaquiski Tartt

Special Teamers

K: Robbie Gould

P: Bradley Pinion

LS: Kyle Nelson

KOS: Robbie Gould

KR: Dante Pettis

PR: Dante Pettis