San Francisco 49ers free agency preview

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- At some point, the San Francisco 49ers will have difficult salary cap and roster decisions to make. But not yet.

With the NFL's new league year set to begin Wednesday and the early free agent negotiating window opening Monday, the Niners aren't flush with cap space -- they have $1,096,806 in space, according to ESPN's Roster Management System -- and almost certainly won't be spending money in bulk this offseason.

That doesn't mean the 49ers will be shedding multiple big names with even bigger salaries, either. Coming off an overtime loss in Super Bowl LVIII and a handful of heartbreaking near-misses in their pursuit of the franchise's sixth Lombardi Trophy, the Niners won't take their foot off the gas, especially with quarterback Brock Purdy still counting just over $1 million against the cap in 2024.

"I want to go after it every year," general manager John Lynch said. "I know that's the way we roll; that's the way we think. At some point you've got to have some years you take off and you kind of sit on your hands and still be creative as to how you improve your team. But we're always about improving our team. I think we have an opportunity to do that."

San Francisco's mission is to figure out how it can finally get across the finish line. Since the 2019 season, they've lost two Super Bowls to the Kansas City Chiefs and have a pair of losses in the NFC Championship Game.

Following each defeat, the Niners have been resolute in their efforts to improve, often making at least one splashy move via a free agent addition, trade, or both. Left tackle Trent Williams (2020), cornerback Charvarius Ward (2022) and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (2023) are among the big-ticket additions the Niners have made in recent offseasons.

Just last year, few believed the Niners would pursue a top free agent, but they stunned the football world by signing Hargrave to a four-year, $84 million contract in the opening minutes of free agency.

Which begs the question: Could the 49ers again make a big splash with one of this year's top free agents? At February's NFL scouting combine, Lynch was asked that question and though he chuckled through his response, he didn't dismiss the idea.

"I don't know," Lynch told reporters. "I know it's still very much a fluid thing. We're gathering a ton of information and we'll get back and we'll put it to it into motion."

For the Niners to go big-game hunting, the right player at the right position -- namely a cornerback, edge rusher or offensive lineman -- needs to be available. This week's franchise tag deadline likely removed some potential options -- such as Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who then agreed to a four-year extension -- from the mix.

The 49ers don't look like an obvious fit for most of the remaining big-name free agents. More likely, the Niners will be on the lookout for an ascending, undervalued young player who could outperform any deal. Depending on how high their prices climb, edge rushers such as Houston's Jonathan Greenard or the Jets' Bryce Huff could be in play.

Of course, San Francisco's roster calculus might change depending on what happens with some of their current key players, namely wideout Brandon Aiyuk. Aiyuk has one year remaining on his rookie contract, but the Niners intend to sign him to an extension that will keep him around and make him a key part of their next nucleus of stars.

Such a deal is unlikely to happen soon, and things can shift based on dollar figures and outside interest, but it's possible the Niners will structure a deal for Aiyuk that pushes his bigger cap hits into future years, when some of their other big salaries will come off the books.

"He's served us very well," Lynch said. "And I think we've got a nice track record of extending the players that are important to us, and Brandon's a guy we want to keep around for a long time."

As for the Niners' list of free agents, they'd like to bring a few back. Guard Jon Feliciano, defensive end Clelin Ferrell and quarterback Sam Darnold are among those who the team would like to retain at the right price.

Defensive end Chase Young is perhaps the biggest name slated to hit the open market after the 49ers traded a compensatory third-round pick to the Washington Commanders for him at the trade deadline. While Young had some good moments, he didn't have the breakthrough season that could result in a big-money deal.

Which means Young could be seeking a one-year deal with some upside that allows him to establish his value and try to cash in next year. Fellow end Nick Bosa, who played with Young at Ohio State and counts him as a close friend, has made it clear he'd like Young to get a full season as his running mate.

"I was super impressed with him and hopefully we can get him back, but obviously he needs to do what's best for him," Bosa said. "I think having full camps with people that'll be there the whole year will help."

One more pressing piece of in-house business is receiver Jauan Jennings, who is a restricted free agent. The 49ers want to retain Jennings and have some say in the matter. They could use up to a second-round tender to keep him for at least another season.

According to Lynch, there have also been discussions about doing a contract extension that would keep Jennings around beyond 2024.

"Jauan is really important to what we do," Lynch said. "I think he continues to show that."

Depending on how things shake out, the Niners could be in the market for lower-priced veterans capable of stepping into important roles. A reunion with linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair-- who spent his first four seasons with the Niners before leaving last offseason -- would be ideal given Dre Greenlaw's (torn Achilles) uncertain status, but Al-Shaair might have played well enough in Tennessee to land a much bigger deal.

Guard Laken Tomlinson-- who played for the 49ers from 2017-21 before signing with the Jets as a free agent -- was released by New York in February and could be another option at a reasonable rate if the Niners believe he can return to his previous form. Otherwise, the Niners are expected to have 11 draft picks, including one in the first round (No. 31 overall) for the first time since 2021.

Making the most of those selections will be imperative for a roster in need of an infusion of young, cost-effective talent. The good news is this draft looks loaded at positions of need such as offensive tackle, receiver and nickel back.

And while the salary cap surged nearly $31 million this year and could see another large increase in 2025, the Niners won't have Purdy on one of the best bargain contracts in sports for much longer. Which means now is the time to remain aggressive in their seemingly endless pursuit of a Super Bowl victory.

"We've managed to do it and we'll continue to do that and we'll keep fighting because we got too many good things in our organization going for us," Lynch said. "We'll keep making a run at it."