During the 2024 NFL offseason, the San Francisco 49ers will need to improve their depth in various areas.
San Francisco expects to lose wide receiver Jauan Jennings and a few defensive linemen to free agency.
The 49ers will not be able to re-sign all of those players, so they should look to add depth in free agency.
Kyle Shanahan and his staff must be picky about which players arrive in the Bay Area because they need everyone to
contribute to the effort to return to the Super Bowl.
That implies that even minor deficiencies in particular players may cause the 49ers to pass on potential deals.
Maurice Hurst will most likely not return for a second spell in San Francisco.
The defensive lineman had a strong 2023 season with the Cleveland Browns, recording 1.5 sacks and three passes
defended.
However, Hurst’s injuries have been a significant topic throughout his career, and the 49ers should be aware of this
personally.
Hurst has only played a full season once in his career, and his 2023 campaign was halted due to a pectoral injury.
Hurst’s injuries forced him to miss parts of the 2021 and 2023 seasons, as well as the whole 2022 campaign. The
49ers cannot afford to sign him if he only misses a few games in 2024.
The 49ers should avoid attempting to raid the free-agent list of one of their closest NFC competitors.
Brandon Graham is one of a few Philadelphia Eagles veterans set to enter free agency, but the 49ers don’t need a
seasoned pass rusher nearing the conclusion of his career.
The 49ers would want to re-sign Chase Young or Clelin Ferrell, or sign someone in a similar mold. A younger player
with something to prove on a low-cost contract would benefit them more.
Graham has 14 sacks over the last two seasons and, more crucially, played all 17 games in each season, but he does
not meet the profile of the 49ers’ desired defensive line depth, which they may lose as Young, Ferrell, and Javon
Kinlaw enter free agency.
