The San Francisco 49ers missed out on the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, and now have a new head coach in Jim Tomsula. This team still has championship expectations, but they’ll look to improve their roster through free agency. However, the wrong signing could send this team in the opposite direction. Who should they avoid this offseason?
RB Ryan Mathews
San Francisco is in the market for a running back, and Mathews is one of the bigger names on the market. He has been productive in his young career, but had dealt with numerous injuries and was limited to just six games last season. The injuries will drive the price down for Mathews, but the tag will still be relatively high. The reward just doesn't outweigh the risk for the 49ers for the amount of money they'd have to spend on him.
S Nate Allen
Upgrading the secondary is one of the 49ers’ biggest priorities this offseason, but in a weak free agency class at the position, Nate Allen is one of the better options. He should be entering the prime of his career at age 27 that will likely cause a team to overpay for his services even though he’s just not that good. Allen allowed a 106.2 passer rating, five touchdowns, and a terrible 17.5 yards per completion for the Eagles last season, making it clear that he’s not a consistent starting-caliber guy.
DE Greg Hardy
This one is pretty obvious - taking a flyer on Hardy after his domestic violence charges were settled in a civil suit to invest even a fraction of Hardy’s $13 million franchise tag value from 2014 would come with intense scrutiny and major risk. The 49ers would like an upgrade on the defensive line, but San Francisco will be better off finding 80-85% of his talent with 90% less baggage on the free agent market.
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