The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Voice_of_Reason]

I disagree… but to be fair to Burgy… it’s a very semantics oriented disagree 😆

We need good pass catchers. I don’t care if it’s running backs, tight ends, receivers…

We need guys who can catch the rock, have high FBI (football intelligence) and got that dawg in them.

Preferably we get them at the wide receiver position. But a pass catcher is a pass catcher at this point for us.

I agree to an extent.

I think we need an outside WR no matter what.

We also need a true absolute weapon (like love).

Now, maybe the outside stater is on the roster and we don’t know it yet.

But I think we need a WR AND a “I don’t care what position” explosive weapon who can catch.

 

[Dlts20]

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[COWBOY-KILLA]

I hope we sign Jujuan Jennings, today. ASAP.
Then if Aiyuk comes, cool.
Or if Tate is the pick cool.

We need to do more for Jayden. It's not cute or enough that we tried and failed. Lets Go Adam!!

 

[Bulldog]

I would really like to move back to #10 or #11 and pick up a #2 pick and a middle rounder as well.

This draft seems deep at WR in terms of guys who are going to contribute while there is no runaway star like a Malik Nabors or Marvin Harrison Jr. to take early.

That way we can take the BPA at #10 or #11 and if that's a WR fine, and if not we can take a quality defender (CB or DE) and then look to Rounds 2 and 3 to address WR and RB for the future.

I think some of the talking heads are correct that you have to ignore Aiyuk and pretend he doesn't factor into draft day at all.

The 49ers have to pay him a roster bonus in September but can wait all the way through the preseason before releasing him among the final cuts and whichever team picks him up faces WEEKS of getting him in football shape and learning the new offense here.

If the 49ers expect anyone to trade a pick for Aiyuk without allowing the player to seek a trade first and a NEW DEAL but instead deal for him and then be on the hook for negotiating out of his deal not only the $20M bonus in September but a $41.7M cap hit for next offseason AFTER THE TRADE they are crazy.

The ironic thing is Aiyuk if you look at his numbers has really only put up one blockbuster season in the NFL and that was in a contract year.

 

[Dlts20]

I could see Cager taking Ertz place as a red zone target. We don't have many we can definitely count on currently behind Terry

 

[DWinzit]

I could see Cager taking Ertz place as a red zone target. We don't have many we can definitely count on currently behind Terry

Kudos for keeping up on Cager.

I am not going to hold my breath with him but I see what you are aiming for. He doesn't look like he can separate and doesn't impress on his fight and jump on the ball versus smaller lesser college corners. May be a little more of a pipe dream but you never know I guess. I just still see meh and hope DQ isn't hanging his hat on Cager.

 

[Commander Wraith]

I feel like Cager had some buzz last offseason before he got hurt? I could see this scheme being a little more TE friendly, though I don’t really know. In some ways our TE room “looks” crowded, but if we carry 4 and Yankoff were bumped to the PS, I could see Cager taking some pass-catching reps from Bates/Sinnot. Setting my expectations to zero though, lol.

 

[DWinzit]

I feel like Cager had some buzz last offseason before he got hurt? I could see this scheme being a little more TE friendly, though I don’t really know. In some ways our TE room “looks” crowded, but if we carry 4 and Yankoff were bumped to the PS, I could see Cager taking some pass-catching reps from Bates/Sinnot. Setting my expectations to zero though, lol.

Haha yes low expectations.

I can see a world where another TE is added but feels like they would be via the draft. Then you'd need to ask how much will they be able to contribute this year. I mean there so many players out there with more potential than Cager or Yankoff.

If the team had less holes a 3rd or 5th round TE looks like a great value pick in this draft

 

[Kalu44]

Colts and Kenny Moore have mutually agreed to seek a trade. Any interest? He will be 31 soon, but still a very reliable slot corner. By all accounts the type of human being the FO loves to have in the building.

 

[heisenberg]

Colts and Kenny Moore have mutually agreed to seek a trade. Any interest? He will be 31 soon, but still a very reliable slot corner. By all accounts the type of human being the FO loves to have in the building.

I know its not the be all and end all but I've always been leary of giving up anything for guys who were previously undrafted, I think pedigree increases your chances of success long term and he is undersized, undrafted and on the wrong side of thirty.

How many London fletchers can there be?

 

[Kalu44]

I know its not the be all and end all but I've always been leary of giving up anything for guys who were previously undrafted, I think pedigree increases your chances of success long term and he is undersized, undrafted and on the wrong side of thirty.

How many London fletchers can there be?

I hear ya. However, our secondary depth is thin and I wouldn’t mind a decent Veteran backup that could start if someone got hurt. Colts want to shed salary. A swap of 7th rounds pick would work for me. We have plenty of available cap space.

 

[heisenberg]

I hear ya. However, our secondary depth is thin and I wouldn’t mind a decent Veteran backup that could start if someone got hurt. Colts want to shed salary. A swap of 7th rounds pick would work for me. We have plenty of available cap space.

They want to shed salary cap because hes fallen out of favor with them, he played more sparingly last year than he has in the past.

Is he worth paying ten million still?

Feels like the kind of guy who gets released because hes on the decline and someone picks him up for half of what hes currently due and no draft compensation.

 

[Dlts20]

Dyami Brown's channel. The 2nd video is a short clip from the 1st with Jayden if you don't want to watch the whole thing.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I hope we sign Jujuan Jennings, today. ASAP.
Then if Aiyuk comes, cool.
Or if Tate is the pick cool.

We need to do more for Jayden. It's not cute or enough that we tried and failed. Lets Go Adam!!

Why? He's not signing with anybody else, and he's asking for too much money.

He's going to sign after the draft.

If we don't get a starting WR in the draft, I think he can be a target then. There's really no reason to panic about it.

He's going to want to wait until after the draft because some WR needy team might overpay for him.

There was a SF reporter on with Galdi, I don't remember who, who said the thing with Jennings is a lot of people around the league think that the secret to his success had more to do with Kyle than with Jennings. And sarcastically asked, "if you sign Jennings, are you signing Kyle also?"

And that's fine, he still might be a good WR, but he wants to be paid like a GREAT WR, and the going theory is he is not a great WR. He's good.

If ANYBODY thought he was great, he would have been signed by now.

So now we sit and wait. If we draft Tate, then there's no need to sign Jennings.

I will offer this: I think we will sign one of Deebo or Jennings. If we draft Tate or another outside WR, I could see us re-signing Deebo after the draft. If we don't sign Tate or another outside WR, I could see us signing Jennings.

I think the odds are 70% we sign one of them after the draft.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I would really like to move back to #10 or #11 and pick up a #2 pick and a middle rounder as well.

This draft seems deep at WR in terms of guys who are going to contribute while there is no runaway star like a Malik Nabors or Marvin Harrison Jr. to take early.

That way we can take the BPA at #10 or #11 and if that's a WR fine, and if not we can take a quality defender (CB or DE) and then look to Rounds 2 and 3 to address WR and RB for the future.

I think some of the talking heads are correct that you have to ignore Aiyuk and pretend he doesn't factor into draft day at all.

The 49ers have to pay him a roster bonus in September but can wait all the way through the preseason before releasing him among the final cuts and whichever team picks him up faces WEEKS of getting him in football shape and learning the new offense here.

If the 49ers expect anyone to trade a pick for Aiyuk without allowing the player to seek a trade first and a NEW DEAL but instead deal for him and then be on the hook for negotiating out of his deal not only the $20M bonus in September but a $41.7M cap hit for next offseason AFTER THE TRADE they are crazy.

The ironic thing is Aiyuk if you look at his numbers has really only put up one blockbuster season in the NFL and that was in a contract year.

There's a whole thread on this, but I disagree.

Summary: if there is anybody sitting at #7 where another team is willing to trade a #2 to move up to get him, don't overthink it, just pick that player.

That means somebody thinks there is a blue chip player at our pick, and unless we really don't like the player, then you just pick them. I want a blue chip prospect at #7. The odds of getting a blue chip prospect decreases with every pick.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Colts and Kenny Moore have mutually agreed to seek a trade. Any interest? He will be 31 soon, but still a very reliable slot corner. By all accounts the type of human being the FO loves to have in the building.

I wouldn't give up an asset for an old player at this point.

 

[ES1974]

There's a whole thread on this, but I disagree.

Summary: if there is anybody sitting at #7 where another team is willing to trade a #2 to move up to get him, don't overthink it, just pick that player.

You do realise teams value and rank players differently ?

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

You do realise teams value and rank players differently ?

I do.

But if you're at 7, and a team says "I'll give up my high second round pick to move up 3-4 spots" then either they are completely out to lunch or there's a very valuable player there.

If you assess the other team is completely nuts, then fine.

But most likely, you should just stick and pick.

I know, I'm against literally every draftnik on this. But I hold this opinion VERY firmly. I think the statistics actually say you have a better chance of getting a better player higher in the draft, and so if you have a draft pick, wasting it by not selecting the best prospect is a mistake.

 

[Dlts20]

I do.

But if you're at 7, and a team says "I'll give up my high second round pick to move up 3-4 spots" then either they are completely out to lunch or there's a very valuable player there.

If you assess the other team is completely nuts, then fine.

But most likely, you should just stick and pick.

I know, I'm against literally every draftnik on this. But I hold this opinion VERY firmly. I think the statistics actually say you have a better chance of getting a better player higher in the draft, and so if you have a draft pick, wasting it by not selecting the best prospect is a mistake.

Other GMs are idiots. I'm sticking to my assessments and ranks. They could be completely wrong