The NFL Free Agency frenzy has been just that. So many huge signings following all those huge trades.
Over in Santa Clara, the San Francisco 49ers have been busy upgrading positions and locking in current players on the roster. Let’s take a look!
Let’s Talk Offense
As we say goodbye to Carlos Hyde, who is heading the Cleveland Browns, the 49ers have agreed to a four-year deal with former Minnesota Vikings’ running back Jerick McKinnon. McKinnon is coming off a 2017 season in which he had 570 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns – averaging 3.8 yards per attempt – to go along with 421 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the air.
Vikings at Redskins 11/13/16
Helping make holes for McKinnon while he protects Jimmy Garoppolo will be former Giants’ offensive lineman and 49er Weston Richburg. It is unclear as to whether he will play center or guard, so stay tuned.
Jerick and Weston were both at the top of our priority list heading into free agency, and being able to lock them in quickly was important to us,” said general manager John Lynch said in a statement. Both men embody the 49ers spirit and check almost all the boxes on the list of characteristics we look for in a player. Most importantly, they are passionate about the game, have a desire to be great and are dedicated to doing what’s necessary to win in this league.
We see Weston as one of the top young interior offensive linemen in the NFL. His athleticism, intelligence and attitude are a perfect fit for our scheme. Jerick has proven to be an extremely versatile football player whose speed, elusiveness and tackle-breaking ability make him a very difficult matchup for defenses. We can’t wait to get them on the field with their teammates and coaches later this spring.
Per Ian Rapoport, the Richburg deal is a five-year, $47.5 million deal with $28.5 million guaranteed.
Staying in the City by the Bay
The 49ers also announced that they have signed LB Brock Coyle to a three-year deal. Coyle saw a lot of time at linebacker in 2017, while he was also a solid special teams player.
“Brock stepped up big for us last season when we experienced some adversity at the linebacker position,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said in a statement. “He’s a selfless guy that does everything the right way. We’ve always known Brock to be a guy we can count on and it was great to see him play the way he did when given the opportunity.”
Numbers Game
Richard Sherman will wear #25. Jimmie Ward will wear #20. Team work is already making the dream work in the 49ers’ secondary.
- On March 12, Raheem Mostert signed his one-year exclusive rights tenders, and the Niners signed punter Jeff Locke to a one-year deal.
Stay tuned for more 49ers’ free agency news and make sure you’re following me on Twitter and Instagram @49ersfangirl for all the latest updates.