This is a key analysis of the San Francisco 49ers’ moves and starting this free agency season. The draft window begins Monday at 9 a.m. PT and the NFL’s new league year begins Wednesday, when teams officially sign free agents who played elsewhere in 2023.
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March 12: Ferrell, who signed a one-year deal with the 49ers last offseason, is expected to sign with the Washington Chiefs, according to league sources. The athleticsDiana Russini. Ferrell, the No. 4 pick in the 2019 draft by the Raiders, started all 17 regular-season games for the 49ers in 2023. His numbers weren’t flashy — he finished with 28 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks — but he was a solid presence on the defensive end opposite Nick Bosa. The team’s game in Week 18 required surgery and forced him to miss the postseason.
March 11: On the first night of legal fraud, the Minnesota Vikings are expected to sign Darnold to a one-year contract worth $10 million, according to the NFL Network. Sources of the group confirmed the agreement The athletics Tuesday morning. Darnold joined the 49ers last season on a one-year deal and won the backup job under Trey Lance in training camp. He saw action in 10 games for San Francisco last season, mostly as a late pass rusher in losing contests. His only start came in Week 18 after the 49ers held the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. In that game, he completed 16 of 26 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers expected him to be too expensive to keep as a backup for a second season. Earlier Monday, Brandon Allen – the team’s No. 3 last season – agreed to a one-year deal.
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March 11: New York Jets coach Robert Saleh was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator when they drafted Kinlaw in the 2020 first round. Four years later, Saleh will reunite with coach Kinlaw after agreeing to a one-year deal with New York, a league source confirmed. The defensive tackle has overcome a bumpy and injury-plagued start to the 2023 season. His best football with the Jets is too late to get this opportunity. It will be interesting to see where the 49ers turn to back up Javon Hargrave at defensive tackle.
The 49ers added Yetur Gross-Matos to be part of their rotation at edge rusher. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
March 11: The 49ers plan to sign the defensive lineman to a two-year contract worth up to $18 million. basis to the Athletics Jeff Howe A significant portion of Gross-Matos’ contract may be based on incentives, as he was primarily a cornerback during four seasons with the Carolina Panthers. But Gross-Matos showed the same versatility the 49ers liked out of college in 2020. Even with its long frame, it was versatile enough to line up the setup for a few. And that flexibility could come in handy for a 49ers team in need of quality depth on the edge of the defensive line. Position coach Chris Kocurek wants his unit to attack in storms.
March 11: The 49ers have offered a one-year deal to Jawan Jennings, who is slated to become a restricted free agent. The 49ers offered Jennings in the second round, meaning their offer is $4.89 million. Jennings can negotiate with other teams, but the 49ers have the right of first refusal. If Jennings moves elsewhere for more money, the 49ers will receive a second-round pick. At the recent NFL Scouting Combine, 49ers general manager John Lynch said the team is interested in bypassing the tender process and signing Jennings to a long-term extension. The 49ers can still do that. An official extension of this bid could provide an important benchmark for a potential deal.
March 11: The 49ers got a tackle for Nick Bosa in Floyd, who is coming off a career-high 10 1/2-sack season with the Bills. Floyd is 31 years old and will be one of the 49ers’ oldest defensive backs in 2024, but he hasn’t missed a game in six seasons and had at least nine sacks in each of the last four seasons. He knows Kyle Shanahan and offensive line coach Chris Forster, who coached Floyd for three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, and spent time with new assistant Brandon Staley with the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers agreed to terms with Floyd on a two-year deal.
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49ers, Leonard Floyd agree to 2-year contract: Source
March 11: The Atlanta Falcons signed him to a three-year contract worth up to $12 million. His agent is Alex Essex He confirmed the news. He said six teams had offered Warner, who grew up about two hours outside of Atlanta, a contract. The 49ers selected Warner in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. He’s developed into a solid run blocker and a good special teams player, but he’s caught just 11 passes for 120 yards over the last four seasons. The 49ers have been looking for a big-threat tight end to pair with George Kittle. Woerner’s departure could be factored into the compensation formula to help the 49ers acquire a later-round pick in the 2025 draft.
QB Brandon Allen
March 11: The 49ers re-signed Allen, the 31-year-old third-string quarterback, in 2023. A league source confirmed the news. The team is still interested in bolstering the backup QB position behind Brock Purdy, though it’s unclear whether Sam Darnold — who filled that role in 2023 — will remain in their price range. Allen fits within that cost structure, and the 49ers are happy to have a solid veteran in the unit to continue supporting Purdy. Allen previously endorsed Joe Burrow in Cincinnati.
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49ers sign QB Brandon Allen to 1-year deal to back up Brock Purdy
Eric Armstead is set to be released after he and the 49ers couldn’t come to terms on a salary cap. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
DL Arik Armstead
March 10: The 49ers are poised to move on from their longtime player after the two sides were unable to agree on a deal to reduce Armstead’s salary, the team’s third-highest in 2024. seasons and played through an injured knee in the 2023 postseason. However, the 49ers roster is very thin at defensive tackle and Armstead could be dealt if he doesn’t get a better offer on the open market.
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49ers plan to release DT Arik Armstead
March 10: The 49ers agreed to a one-year deal with Bart, who is set to become a free agent on Wednesday. The team signed Bart, 25, off the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad midway through the offseason and appeared in five games. Offensive line coach Chris Foerster said he likes Barch’s quickness and ability at guard and center, where he will compete with Nick Zackelj and others this season. Bart is dealing with a serious knee injury in 2022 and Foerster said the offensive lineman is coming back into form last season.
March 10: The New York Jets have agreed to terms with Oliver on a one-year contract. The 49ers signed Oliver last year to be a nickel cornerback, but by the end of training camp, he began to struggle in that role. By the end of the season, he was practicing a lot at safety, which is where the Jets saw him play. The 49ers cut Oliver last month, freeing up $2.4 million in cap space.
Colton Mackiewitz, a 17-game starter last season, is now locked in for the 2025 campaign. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
March 8: They signed McKivitz, a 17-game starter in 2023, to a one-year contract worth up to $7 million, the agent said. That means Mackiewitz, 27, is now signed through the 2025 season. That doesn’t necessarily preclude the team from moving to tackle him in free agency or especially in the draft, but his extension would give San Francisco some cushion at the position.
Congratulations @CMcKivitz 🎉🎉 @49ers 📈📈 #AMDG pic.twitter.com/1EYZUy3N9r
— AMDG Sports (@SportsAmdg) March 8, 2024
(Top photo of Leonard Floyd: Ryan Kang/Getty Images)