49ers get just what they needed on defense

The 49ers made some rather major additions to the defense as the new league year begun in the NFL. They added LB Kwon Alexander and LB/DE Dee Ford. Both deals were made official by the 49ers.

The 49ers had a lot of problems last year for sure, and the defense was one of them. While the defense ranked pretty middle-of-the-pack overall, they definitely needed some help there to hopefully reach that next level. The 49ers did just that with these two moves as these two additions are perfect for them and it was just what they needed. 

Firstly, Kwon Alexander should really help the linebacking core, and he is a perfect fit for the 49ers scheme. He is a fast and athletic linebacker that can get downhill quickly and explosively while also possessing great sideline to sideline speed. He is a very effective player against the run and should be able to be yet another good run stopper for the 49ers. The team was a good run-stopping group last year, but they did lack a bit of that at the second level. Alexander will be able to help fix that. 

He can also act as a good spy on the QB in certain situations as his sideline to sideline speed can help keep contain on the quarterback. That speed has also helped him be a thorn in the sides of other teams as he has helped create a good bit of turnovers in his short career so far. Additionally, with Fred Warner’s terrific coverage skills for a linebacker, Kwon Alexander won’t have to drop back in coverage as much, though it wouldn’t be a detriment if he did that too at times. He is a good complimentary piece to Warner as both have different skill sets that make them a dynamic duo.

Dee Ford is just what the 49ers needed and badly. The 49ers were one of the worst pass-rushing teams last year. Conversely, Ford was graded as the best pass-rusher last year according to Pro Football Focus and he had more than twice as many sacks as the 49ers’ top two pass-rushers last year in Cassius Marsh and Ronald Blair, who each has 5.5 sacks each (so Ford with 13 also had two more than those guys combined last year). He also collected 29 QB hits and seven forced fumbles. The 49ers literally could not make a better upgrade based on production from last season.

Based on what we have heard, the 49ers sound as though they are going to use Dee Ford in the way the Chiefs were scared of doing, running him as a mainly defensive end in a 4-3 defense. The 49ers will give Ford the chance to line up on the line of scrimmage and just do one thing: get to the quarterback. 

In Kansas City, Ford lamented the fact that he had to think about his game a lot as the Chiefs forced him to drop into coverage a lot and think about the plays, which might have held him back. He will not have to do that with the 49ers as much as the defensive scheme they play doesn’t call for that. He can focus on lining up opposite of tackles and using his quick first step, one of the quickest in the league, to explode off the line then use his size and strength to overpower the tackle in hopes of getting to the quarterback and disrupting many plays. He also has been known to be used to vastly overpower guards inside as well as another potential wrinkle in his game potentially. 

His presence will help others on the defense as well. The 49ers could have a heck of an interior presence on defense with Armstead, Buckner, Thomas, Day, Jones and others, but the problem is that they never got a chance to make their biggest impact because they didn’t have the pass-rush on the edge that draws attention. With Dee Ford, they now do. So even if Ford doesn’t make an impact on a play, the guys on the interior can as Ford will draw major attention. This will help Buckner more than anyone as he saw double teams a good bit last year and still had major impact as an interior lineman. With Ford outside of him, Buckner should see more one on ones against guards that he can take on. But this could easily help Armstead and Thomas as well. It will be hard for an offensive line to stop everyone, especially if Kwon Alexander comes in from the second level as well on the inside. 

Ford’s presence himself and the trickle down effect it will have on the rest of the defensive line should help the secondary as well. The 49ers only had two interceptions last year, an NFL record-low. The big reason for this was because the quarterback felt very little pressure. Pass-rush has a way of making the quarterback make mistakes, and that leads to turnovers more than anything. 

Ford, himself, also forced seven fumbles last year. The 49ers had seven takeaways all of last year, so having a guy who can force fumbles at a rate like that can really help the 49ers get the ball back and get the defense off the field even more, which was another problem for the defense last year. So Ford can create turnovers for himself as well as cause turnovers for others. His pass-rush will create more quarterback mistakes that lead to turnovers and he will help create opportunities for others to force turnovers as well. And there will be times where he creates the turnover as well by himself. 

The 49ers defense laid a good foundation but they were obviously missing some key pieces that makes a good defense into a great one. And with the additions of Kwon Alexander and Dee Ford, they got some of those key pieces that have the possibility of elevating that defense to another level. They aren’t done though as they still need help on defense, but they are certainly much better in that area than they were just a few days ago. The 49ers defense, especially in the front seven, looks really tough to deal with now. 

49ers to re-sign Jimmie Ward

The 49ers have agreed to a deal to bring back to bring back one of their own. The team re-signs DB Jimmie Ward to a one-year deal worth maximum $5M. 

Ward, 27, was a first-round pick of the 49ers back in 2014 and has spent his whole career in San Francisco.

Ward hasn’t enjoyed the kind of career you’d hope for out of a first-round pick. He has battled both injury and inconsistency throughout his career, and it has been a rather trying career for him overall. He has moved around a lot position-wise as well as he has flipped between being a safety and being a corner throughout his career. 

But he will receive one more chance for the 49ers on a 1-year prove it deal. It would appear the 49ers are going to use him as a safety primarily next season after trying him at cornerback.

The deal functions for what it is. A one-year prove it deal is a decent deal for Ward, but there is a lot of ifs with him. He has to be able to both stay on the field and perform or else he is out of chances in San Francisco. This is his last chance to not be a bust for the 49ers. 

49ers agree to deal with Tevin Coleman

As free agency begins, the 49ers have a couple of pending moves we heard about prior to the actual free agent signing period beginning. However, we all know that that is only the beginning. 

The 49ers made another signing, which also probably won’t be their last. Signing RB Tevin Coleman to a 2 year deal worth a maximum value of $10M.

Coleman, 25, played in Atlanta and has familiarity with not just Kyle Shanahan but Bobby Turner as well. Coleman thrived in Shanahan’s scheme and conversely, Shanahan has always been a fan of Coleman. It makes sense why he’d want that reunion. And it makes sense for Coleman too. 

This move does come with its weirdness though. The 49ers are expecting Jerrick McKinnon back for this upcoming season and have the rising Matt Breida who was good last year in McKinnon’s absence. Raheem Mostert also showed some flashes of brilliance in the run game last year. 

While it’s likely Mostert is going to be a special teams player almost full-time again, the 49ers could have quite the trio at RB this season. 

Jerrick McKinnon nor Matt Breida are high-volume RBs that can carry it loads of times. They are both better when not overused as runners (McKinnon is an effective weapon in the pass game though). Coleman is the type of guy you can give a good portion of runs to and he’ll be productive. Coleman is very capable of catching the ball too as well. Overall, the 49ers can now use their RBs in a more flexible way. 

While it is possible this could lead to the 49ers cutting McKinnon, I doubt it. 49ers like him and gave him all that money last year and have been there with him through his full rehab. I doubt they throw it away now. 

Having McKinnon, Breida and Coleman gives them a lot of weapons to work with that will make defenses have to think on their feet at all times. Shanahan has a lot to work with now, and he has to be licking his chops about drawing up plays for them. 

And for the money, Coleman is a good add. At most, he’s making $5M APY and that’s only if he hits the incentives. This could wind up being an insanely valuable deal for the 49ers for a quality RB that is only 25 with good history in the system. 

I like this deal for the 49ers. It’s not anywhere close to breaking the bank and the 49ers get another speedy offensive weapon with game-changing speed. Shanahan is going to have fun with this backfield. 

49ers have a deal in place to acquire Dee Ford

The 49ers make a big move as the new league year is set to begin, but it’s not for a free agent. Instead, it’s a trade. 

The 49ers are acquiring star pass-rusher Dee Ford from the Chiefs in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick. Dee Ford is expected to sign a deal of 5 years and around $87.5M with the 49ers at the outset of the trade. The trade can’t be finalized until 4 p.m. Wednesday. 

Ford, 27, was placed under the franchise tag for the Chiefs. However, a trade always seemed possible with the Chiefs turning over the defense. Now the trade comes into fruition. 

Ford has had an up and down career, but he was one of the best pass-rushers in the league last season, collecting 13 sacks and 29 QB hits with seven forced fumbles in 2018. Pro Football Focus rated him as the best pass-rusher in the league in 2018-19 and the 11th best edge defender overall. 

And this is a welcome site for the 49ers. Their two top edge rusher last year, Cassius Marsh and Ronald Blair, each had 5.5 sacks last year (Marsh’s were very concentrated as well). So Ford had more sacks alone than those two combined. The team was in desperate need of a pass-rusher as they were one of the worst teams at that last year. Getting one of the best in the game is a major improvement.

But there are definitely questions about Ford. Like the inconsistencies I mentioned earlier. He’s had a good year, some bad or mediocre years, and a great year all mixed into a string of mixed results. The former 1st-round pick has major potential and seemed to finally realize it last year. The 49ers are betting big-time that he does it again and again as he is in the midst of the prime of his career. 

Yes, the 49ers gave up a lot in a second round pick, but that pick will come in 2020, a pick that should be lower than the 36th overall pick they have this year. So I do not mind the trade compensation one bit for a guy of his caliber.

The money they gave him is very similar to Trey Flowers’ contract in Detroit. Perhaps it is a lot for a guy with inconsistent production, but they had to pay for his current production and the position he plays. Besides, I am sure Paraag Marathe worked his contract magic as usual to make it look better than the pure average per year money looks now.

The best part about this trade is that the 49ers still should have just over $30M to work with in cap space to make further moves and they get to keep their second rounder this year, which is a high second-rounder, since they are trading their second-rounder next year instead. Dee Ford is an excellent add, but 49ers still have plenty of resources to improve this team even more. 

49ers agree to terms with free agent Kwon Alexander

The NFL’s free agent negotiation window has begun. While free agents cannot sign officially until 4 pm on Wednesday, this 52-hour window of negotiation beforehand is when players agree to the deals that they wind up signing just a few days later. 

The 49ers got in on the action pretty quickly this afternoon by agreeing to a deal with linebacker Kwon Alexander.

The deal is for 4 years at $54M with $27M of that guaranteed. 

Kwon Alexander, who turns 25 in August at the outset of the preseason, will join the ACL rehab club with Jimmy Garoppolo and Jerrick McKinnon. Alexander tore his ACL in October but expects to be back in time for the 2019-20 season.

Kwon Alexander is an interesting case. While he outplayed his 4th round selection, his flashes of superior potential never showed enough for him to ever become an impact player in his four seasons in Tampa Bay. He was always a decent player that showed enough to warrant being a starter, but he was never an elite player by any stretch, even though it appears he will get paid as such.

The other issue with him has been injury trouble. He missed nearly half of last season and has missed time with other injuries in previous seasons as well. He was also suspended 4 games for PEDs. So he has missed quite a bit of time over his career as well. 

But as I said, Alexander has a lot of potential and if he can realize that and stay out of injury trouble for the most part, he could be a really solid addition. 

One other thing to note of good for him is that he is respected by his peers and is touted as a very nice guy. He is also seen as a terrific presence in the locker room. So he should fit in perfectly with the locker room culture the 49ers have worked to build over the last couple of years. 

The biggest problem people see with this deal is the money fore sure. At $54M over 4 years, it averages $13.5M per year, which a lot of people find to be a major overpay. But we know NFL contracts aren’t so cut and dry.

We will await the structure of the deal, which should be out on a few days, to decide on how the money actually works in this deal because money and cap space can always be manipulated. The $27M in guarantees is the big number that matters at this point, and only half of it being guaranteed gives the 49ers some peace of mind. Paraag Marathe is one of the better guys at making contracts wind up being more friendly for the 49ers than what they look like when the initial numbers come out. 

So yes, they are giving a risky player a lot of money. However, they do fill a need with this move. Alexander will be a good run-stopping cog in the middle of the defense and a decent coverage linebacker. He will line up next to Fred Warner to build the new middle of the linebacker core. Those two will be able to fly around the field and compliment each other well. And with the amount of cap space the 49ers have, I don’t think there is room to worry too much about this, especially if the contract is structured like a lot of the other contracts they’ve done. 

Overall, it is a worthwhile risk to take on a player that has loads of potential and  could benefit from a better fit. He is still young enough where he can grow as a player as well. He also fits in well to the locker room culture, and he should become a very likable player in San Francisco almost instantly. This pickup could be one that the 49ers could drastically miss on, but they could just as easily wind up hitting big on it too. 

15 free agent targets for the 49ers

NFL free agency begins in just under a week with the legal tampering beginning next Monday (though we already know there is tampering anyways). So the NFL is about to see a lot of money thrown around again, and we should know the fate of a lot of the top players on the market by next Tuesday when it gets leaked out, or next Wednesday with official announcements. 

The 49ers have not shied away from free agency the last two years under John Lynch after basically avoiding it under Trent Baalke. And they figure to be in the thick of things again thanks to a still enormous amount of cap space. The cap number around the NFL went up $11M so the 49ers are projected to have anywhere from $65-70M of cap space to work with. They are in no way going to use it all, but they have plenty of space to make a splash or two.

And the market should be ripe for the taking as this is probably one of the better free agency classes in years, even after the franchise tags. Many players will get paid, and the 49ers figure to be in the middle of it all as always with this regime.

There are plenty of free agents in this class that would be awesome fits for the 49ers as well as they try to get back to contention in this all-too-crucial offseason. Let’s take a look at some of the players they could be after.

Preston Smith- LB:

Smith had a quietly great season in D.C last year with the Redskins and figures to come away with a huge payday as a result. The 49ers are in desperate need of some edge help, but with Bosa and Allen waiting in the draft for the 49ers at the number two pick in a nice class for top prospects at that position, one wonders if the 49ers would even find it wise to invest big money in that spot on a player who is a gamble despite his good play last year. I am reminded of Malcolm Smith in this situation right before they drafted Reuben Foster. 49ers are very weary of doing this, as Shanahan has admitted (even to the point where he wishes the draft came before free agency). 

CJ Mosley- LB:

Speaking of that linebacker situation, the Ravens shockingly let Mosley at least have a chance to hit the open market after declining to franchise tag him. The guy was easily an anchor in the middle of one of the most successful defenses year after year in Baltimore, and he has become one of the better linebackers in the league. He doesn’t get a lot of sacks or work too well in coverage, but his run-stopping ability is great. As an inside linebacker, he’d compliment Fred Warner’s abilities in coverage very well as an inside presence to plug the run game. My gut tells me the Ravens keep him though, as that is just what the Ravens do. They do not let players like him get away often, if at all. 

KJ Wright- LB:

KJ Wright might not be a top-level linebacker, but he can still very well help a defense. He comes with the added benefit of playing in the Seattle defense, a similar defense to that the 49ers now run under Robert Saleh. Though, that was also the draw of Malcolm Smith a couple of years ago and that hasn’t worked out too well. 

Tevin Coleman- RB:

The 49ers do not need a running back necessarily with Jerrick McKinnon coming back and Matt Breida’s emergence. However, Shanahan has a connection with Coleman from his days with the Falcons and a reunion might be in order. With McKinnon’s ability to also be used as a receiving weapon as well as a runner (like a Le’Veon Bell lite), it might be a good idea to add another runner back there, especially with the injury problems always a concern at that position. I do not think they spend even more sizable money in the backfield though, so I cannot see it happening too much. But the connection and fit could work in theory. 

Brian Poole- CB:

Another connection to Shanahan, at least sort of. Poole has played on the Falcons and has played a decent bit of snaps for them over the last couple of years. I highly doubt the 49ers would spend top dollar on CB again after signing Sherman last year, and they still like Ahkello Witherspoon. They also might look at the draft for another corner. But Brian Poole would be a decent get at a likely low price as he won’t be seen as a starter for anyone unless one team overvalues him. He could share time at corner and give the 49ers a nice depth piece at the position where they really need it. 

Chris Conley- WR:

Conley is actually a decent role receiver that can help a team. He had decent numbers on a Chiefs offense that has awesome weapons. Yet he still found his share of plays. He also had 5 touchdowns despite only 32 receptions. That is a good rate. He can be a very helpful receiver in many ways, and the 49ers need help at the position. It would give them a handy receiver while they figure out who will be their big-play receiver. He should not come with a hefty price either. He will get a decent payday, but nothing the 49ers can’t afford, especially to help one of the least productive parts of their team.

LaMarcus Joyner- S:

I am higher on this dude than most. I love this guy. He is one of my silent favorites. I hated seeing him on the Rams, but I believe he’d be perfect for the 49ers. They tried to turn Jimmie Ward into a rover/hybrid CB/S last year, and they now have a chance to get one of the better rover safeties in Joyner. He would give the defense and secondary a lot of flexibility to work with, which is very important in the modern NFL.

Za’Darius Smith- LB:

Another cog in that stout Ravens defense was Smith. He’s not a top-tier LB, but he was good for the Ravens on the outside of Mosley. He is projected to get a relatively big payday, and I doubt the Ravens are keeping him. And he may be a better fit as he is an outside linebacker as opposed to Mosley, who would be another inside linebacker like Warner. The 49ers need the most linebacker help on the outside. Perhaps Smith is a buyer-beware type, but the need at linebacker is great enough for the 49ers to need to take that chance. 

Tyrell Williams- WR: 

Tyrell Williams will finally get his chance after being overshadowed in Los Angeles. While not being a number 1 receiver, he certainly is a big target and has potential to be a great fit in San Francisco as just the kind of outside receiver they need as he stands at 6’ 4” and weighs 205 LBS. The 49ers would certainly want to move this guy out to another part of California. But, the issue is that he may get paid close to that of a number 1 receiver when he is a clear number 2 receiver with potential for more. 49ers are not going to want to pay that price fore him, not with the awesome draft class of big receivers coming. Somebody might pay him that high price. 49ers probably not though. He would add decent production through if the price is right. 

Shane Ray- LB:

Shane Ray is a good low risk-high reward signing. Shane Ray has always had all the potential in the world but just never made it work in Denver. Perhaps a new start for him would be good. And if it doesn’t work out, it wouldn’t be a big contract to deal with. With the 49ers in need of linebacker help, taking a chance on Ray may not be a bad idea. 

Adrian Amos- S:

Adrian Amos has gone relatively unnoticed. I mean, playing on a Bears defense where all the talk is about Mack will do that. But Amos has quietly been an elite safety the last couple of years. He likely won’t pick up top safety money despite putting up production akin to that. The 49ers would do good to look into Amos, who could really invigorate a safety group that desperately needs it. 

Brandon Marshall- LB:

No, not the receiver. The Broncos linebacker is a decent player but has declined as he ages a bit. He is a good run stopper as an inside linebacker, so like Mosley he’d be a good compliment to Warner inside. But he is nowhere near Mosley. He could be a helpful addition on a cheaper 1-year deal though if they miss out on other linebacker additions.

Tyler Eifert- TE:

The 49ers had a record-breaking performance from tight end George Kittle last year despite only having Garoppolo for just under three games. Kittle does look like one of the next superstars of the 49ers, but he cannot shatter records year after year. One of Shanahan’s goals has been to get a second productive tight end to compliment Kittle. While drafting one may be the route there, taking a chance on a cheap 1-year deal for Eifert wouldn’t be a bad idea either. Eifert’s health is always a huge concern, but he’s been productive when healthy. Taking a low risk-high reward chance on him could be right up the 49ers alley.

Bradley Roby- CB: 

Roby would be another lower risk/high reward move. Roby might not be a great corner, but he has experience and maybe he just needs a fresh start. Besides, it is never bad to add cheap depth and experience. 

Earl Thomas- S:

Perhaps the greatest safety of the last decade or so is finally a free agent and expects to get a huge payday despite his injury last year. He has easily been the best safety in the league for years. And the 49ers might just have a chance at him too. Given that he’d be familiar with the defense the 49ers are running since it is essentially Seattle’s is a big draw for him. Another big thing is that he would like nothing more to stick it to the Seahawks after the way they handled his contract demands last year. He can do that in San Francisco twice a year, which was attractive last year to one of Thomas’ most important former teammates in Seattle, Richard Sherman. And with all the cap space the 49ers have to go along with all that I just mentioned, the 49ers have multiple things going for them that would attract the generational safety they’ve hated facing for years over to their side. This is easily the most obvious fit in all of free agency in my opinion. I do not know if it will happen, but it makes a ton of sense for so many reasons. 

I think it is reasonable that they may sign at least one or two of these players mentioned. However, they may sign a few players that I did not mention and one or two that nobody saw coming as well. That is just the state of free agency. I expect the 49ers to make a splash or two, but now we just wait and see just who the players are.