© Kim Klement | 2017 Nov 12
We’re just two days away from the official start of free agency, and the rumors have already started. This one comes via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, who reported Monday that the 49ers and Jets are pursuing likely free agent linebacker Kwon Alexander.
#Bucs are bracing to lose WR Adam Humphries and/or LB Kwon Alexander to free agency. Humphries could get $9-million to $10-million APY with Jets as a big suitor. Alexander is being pursued by the Jets and 49ers and seeking an elite deal between $10-million $12-million APY.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 11, 2019
Alexander, 24, made the Pro Bowl in 2017 in his third season after being drafted by the Bucs in 2015. His 2018 campaign ended after just six games when he tore his ACL during a Week 7 matchup vs. the Browns. He’s expected to be recovered by the start of the 2019 season.
Tampa Bay has reportedly offered Alexander a long-term extension, but the linebacker is expected to be seeking a lucrative deal on the open market, worth between $10 – $12 million per year. The 49ers are in the market for a middle linebacker to pair with Fred Warner, after Reuben Foster’s untimely departure last season. Four-time Pro Bowler C.J. Mosely, 26, is also expected to be available, and will likely be another player the 49ers at least kick the tires on.
San Francisco is slated to enter the free-agency period with over $66 million in cap space, the sixth most in the NFL according to Over the Cap.