There was no shortage of headline moves made on the first day of NFL Free Agency on Monday. Impact players on both sides of the ball inked extensions, found new homes, and left the franchises that made them stars. The 49ers were firmly on the “goodbye” side of the aisle, as five 2024 starters departed in free agency to sign big money deals elsewhere in the league. The 49ers did basically nothing in the first wave to fill those holes.
Don’t panic, Niners fans. Inaction isn’t always a bad sign, and this is probably one of those times. Reports of San Francisco’s austerity with its finances proved true on day one. Dieter Kurtenbach, filling in Monday for Adam Copeland on Dirty Work, says that the early reluctance to spend top dollar on a crop of players who generally aren’t elite is the right move. But when there’s value to be found in the second and third wave, the Niners need to be ready to pounce.
The Colts plucked Charvarius Ward from the 49ers in the early afternoon. Ward’s departure was far from a surprise. He dealt with personal tragedy off the field in 2024, excusing what was otherwise an underwhelming campaign. The anguish was such that Ward expressed that a change of scenery for him and his family would be best. Happy trails in Indy, Charvarius. Niners fans won’t forget his stellar 2023.
There’s more room for debate with a pair of moves that dominated the headlines in the middle of the day. Talanoa Hufanga and Aaron Banks each left the Niners, Hufanga inked a deal with the Broncos while Banks found a new home in Green Bay. Hufanga had a promising beginning to his career with the Niners, but had horrible injury luck in 2023 and 2024. His days as an elite cover safety and emotional captain of the defense were in the rearview.
Banks, who certainly had his moments in the run and pass blocking game, might be more expendable than people think. Still, it’s unfortunate that a rising cap coupled with a mediocre free agent class made many of these players too expensive for the soon to be cash strapped Niners.
It’s not entirely shocking that Jed York would like to see a better immediate ROI on some of his biggest investments on the field. Murph & Markus highlighted the shortcomings of some of the 49ers most expensive players in recent years, and offered an explanation for why the brass might be reluctant to shell out that kind of money on skill positions in the near future.
Sitting out on Monday was fine. But John Lynch should be ready to write some good value checks when the opportunity presents itself in the coming days.
