The 2025 Free Agency Thread

[Enforcer]

I don't know if they fit what we are looking for right now, age, etc -- but just thought it was interesting that for the offensive line, familiar names Morgan Moses and Brandon Scherff will be available.

 

[burgold]

It would be hard to go back. Then again, considering the entirely new staff I'm not even sure it counts as going back.

 

[Captain James]

For me, if improving the OL also gives us an above average running game, then we could consistently be that nasty offense we kept seeing early in the season. Of course we want to protect #5 better, but dang was it nice when our RBs were also contributing huge runs. Don't know if we just need some new linemen, or if we need an RB upgrade. I'm assuming both.

 

[KillBill26]

I concur with your post by-and-large, and quoted this to kind of dig into it. I'm not sure how many players really fall into this category.

Free Agents by year post 2025:

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2028 is just the 2024 draft class, and 2029 is just Sam Cosmi.

For 2026 FAs, Terry would have value but he is a core player. Wylie, Ekeler, Reaves are too old to hold much value. BRob could have had some late round value IF this draft was bad for RBs, but it's great, so no one is gonna take him. Everyone below that I don't think has any real trade value. It's basically just Allen who might actually have some value.

For 2027 FAs, I think Payne, Luvu, Biadasz could carry some trade value above a 6th, BUT I think Luvu and Biadasz are locked in as core players.

So it's basically just Allen and Payne as possible options to move for value, unless we're talking about like, maybe getting a 6th for Quan (and I think Quan sticks even if he isn't a "core" player).

I do think if you're AP you shop them both and see what you can get. While conventional wisdom says move Allen, keep Payne bc he's younger, and also Allen had an injury, but that also may mean Allen isn't gonna get much value back, plus it's a one year rental b4 you gotta pay him again. So maybe instead you're moving Payne? What does he fetch? A 3rd?

And if you do move Payne or Allen, where does the unit go in '25 and beyond? Presumably we'd bring in someone from FA who costs a lot less than either of them. I saw the name Osa Odighizuwa mentioned. I'd like to kick the tires on Poona Ford for the run game. If you do that and moved Allen, you got 2 years to figure out what to do once Payne's deal expires. Maybe we just extend him; he'll only be 30 when it expires, so if he looks capable of play thru 32-33, maybe just give him a few more years at potentially a reduced rate.

If instead you move Payne, you've got a bit more urgency to get something done. Allen will be 31 and done after '25. So unless you bring in 2 FAs or draft someone high, you're gonna have Newton and, again assuming we add someone in FA, that FA, and you're gonna have to go back to the well.

Part of me is just in the "F it we ball, blow it up" mindset where we move BOTH and replace them with Osa and Poona and roll with Newton/Osa/Poona. But that might be too wacky, and I dunno if that's going to create some culture issues.

When taking into account the size of their salaries, I don't think Payne or Allen have much trade value. I don't see anything higher than a 6th if we are lucky, but a well respected GM gave us a decent haul for jahan Dotson, so I guess you never know.

 

[Riggo44]

When taking into account the size of their salaries, I don't think Payne or Allen have much trade value. I don't see anything higher than a 6th if we are lucky, but a well respected GM gave us a decent haul for jahan Dotson, so I guess you never know.

I think Allen is a rework his contract or cut candidate

 

[TakeCommandRollTide]

Upgrade OL and Defense. Those should be the priorities for this team. I'm not as concerned about WR as the fans on Twitter seem to be

 

[TakeCommandRollTide]

I think Allen is a rework his contract or cut candidate

I bet he reworks his contract if the team is open to it. He seems like a team guy who wants to win.

 

[Die Hard]

I would think that if the team is going to pay good $$$ for a legit #2 WR, they better be a good/tenacious run blocker.

That’s probably not Hollywood.

 

[the evil genius]

Something tells me the asking price for Aiyuk/Deebo will be a lot less this off-season. They have Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall behind them and can basically fill either of those top 2. The prob is the dead cap money from trading either might make the Niners hold on to them.

 

[Hogwallop]

I don't know if they fit what we are looking for right now, age, etc -- but just thought it was interesting that for the offensive line, familiar names Morgan Moses and Brandon Scherff will be available.

Did Moses ever start getting flagged for false starts? His timing was always too fast for my tv

 

[method man]

I don't know if they fit what we are looking for right now, age, etc -- but just thought it was interesting that for the offensive line, familiar names Morgan Moses and Brandon Scherff will be available.

Scherff is pretty washed this stage in his career. Still ok in pass pro but done as a run blocker. It’d be like bringing Norwell in

 

[CapsCommies]

Scherff is pretty washed this stage in his career. Still ok in pass pro but done as a run blocker. It’d be like bringing Norwell in

Gee, thanks. I’d already completely forgotten about Norwell.

 

[Commander Wraith]

Upgrade OL and Defense. Those should be the priorities for this team. I'm not as concerned about WR as the fans on Twitter seem to be

I’ve kind of gone back and forth on this, more recently landing where you are. But… there’s definitely a part of me that wonders what trickle down effect adding a stud receiver would have. You wanna stack the box, blitz or spy the qb? Well, good luck in coverage…

But our run game issues on both sides of the ball were so dang glaring for much of the latter part of the season. Gotta make strides there.

 

[Hailtoem]

I still say Ty Johnson is being slept on. He averaged over 5yds per carry, 18 receptions with an average over 15yds per catch. His snap count from week 17 throughout the playoffs was almost equal to Cook.

 

[HTTR]

I still say Ty Johnson is being slept on. He averaged over 5yds per carry, 18 receptions with an average over 15yds per catch. His snap count from week 17 throughout the playoffs was almost equal to Cook.

I think it’s because he’s been in the league for a while and never established himself as more than a part-time player. And the generic name doesn’t help either. I agree he is a solid player, and I like that he is a Terp. But is he really an upgrade over what we have?

For running back, I like the idea of taking stabs with mid round picks and hoping to unearth a gem

 

[burgold]

It's an old truism that it's easy for the defense to take one thing away no matter how good that thing is. For instance, when Hurts was injured and Washington didn't fear a running quarterback or the passing game, we basically shut down Barkley. We couldn't do that when it was Barkley plus Hurts, plus multiple receivers playing well. Likewise, one of the reasons that Terry is sometimes limited is because he's nearly the only weapon that defenses feel they have to stop.

As compromised, we have a bunch of players who can be effective, but only two things that scare defensive coordinators. That's Terry and Jayden Daniels legs. Ekeler, as good as he is, doesn't really scare defenses, neither does Ertz, BRob, Brown, Brown, or OZ. This makes me certain that we have to chew bubble gum and walk at the same time. I think it is imperative that Daniels have a better pocket and the run game gets more powerful blockers. At the same time, the team needs weapons that back defenses off because they know that Jayden will burn them if he gets any time.

So, our offensive offseason priority number one for me is a right tackle. Offeseason priority number 2 is a speed merchant weapon.

 

[Anselmheifer]

I didn’t think he was going to be available, but the Ravens only have 9 million in cap space. I’d sign Ronnie Stanley. He’s only 30. That settles LT for. Few years.

And I thought Higgins would be franchised, but based on comments from their director of player personnel, sounds like the Bengals want Higgins back, “if the numbers work.”. He’s going to be available.

Adding Stanley and Higgins, and an outside corner, like Ward, would be such a massive upgrade for us and allow us a lot of flexibility in the draft.

 

[SkinsGuru]

I didn’t think he was going to be available, but the Ravens only have 9 million in cap space. I’d sign Ronnie Stanley. He’s only 30. That settles LT for. Few years.

And I thought Higgins would be franchised, but based on comments from their director of player personnel, sounds like the Bengals want Higgins back, “if the numbers work.”. He’s going to be available.

Adding Stanley and Higgins, and an outside corner, like Ward, would be such a massive upgrade for us and allow us a lot of flexibility in the draft.

would certainly help . . . but we still need to be able to stop the run and pressure the QB . . . d-line upgrades across the board are required IMO

 

[HTTR]

would certainly help . . . but we still need to be able to stop the run and pressure the QB . . . d-line upgrades across the board are required IMO

No doubt. But it’s not feasible to replace them all. Is there anybody in free agency that you think would make a big difference as an upgrade?

 

[SkinsGuru]

No doubt. But it’s not feasible to replace them all. Is there anybody in free agency that you think would make a big difference as an upgrade?

from a FA standpoint there isn't a ton of quality . . . but, BJ Hill would be pretty good. IMO (and PFF's) he would be and instant upgrade at either DT spot, far better against both the run and pass than Allen or Payne. From a draft standpoint, it depends on who is available when we pick . . . Would love someone like Kenneth Grant from Michigan or Tyleik Williams from Ohio State. They will both be taken somewhere around the end of round one so we may or may not have a chance to grab one of them.