The San Francisco 49ers' linebacker position may be in flux thanks to the offseason actions by Reuben Foster, but the team has targeted at least one impending free agent -- and he is one the 49ers are very familiar with. General manager John Lynch said San Francisco is interested in bringing back linebacker Brock Coyle.
"We have interest in bringing Brock back, and we're working towards that," Lynch said on Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. "He played well for us. We want him to be a part of us."
Coyle played most of last season alongside Foster and was chosen to wear the defense's communications system that is used to get the plays into the huddle. While the 49ers would like to see Coyle return, don't expect an announcement soon.
"I"m not saying it's imminent or anything, but we're working towards it," Lynch said.
The 49ers signed Coyle to a one-year deal on March 10, 2017, after he spent his previous three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. In 2017, Coyle appeared in each of the 49ers' 16 games (10 starts) and registered 64 combined tackles, half a sack, a pass defensed, and a forced fumble.
On Wednesday, Lynch stated that the 49ers would meet with running back Carlos Hyde's agent at the combine. However, meetings between teams and agents are common at the combine.
On Thursday, Lynch made it a point to relay that no re-signings, including a potential one for Hyde, are imminent.
"We've had discussions with Carlos all the way through the season," Lynch said. "We haven't been able to come to an agreement, but those discussions are ongoing. This is a great opportunity. His representatives are down here. We'll continue to talk.
"I kind of yesterday was making a general statement about all of our free agents. We have an opportunity, and we will talk to all of them right down to the wire. I wouldn't say anything is imminent there."
The 49ers are also considering reworking the contract of veteran left tackle Joe Staley.
"It's something that we are considering," Shanahan said via the Sacramento Bee. "We've got to see how this all plays out."
As for the 49ers' other starting tackle, Trent Brown, he will not be getting a contract extension anytime soon.
"I think there's more pressing things right now," Lynch said on Thursday via the San Francisco Chronicle. "That's not to say that that couldn't happen in the future, but right now there's some other things that are more pressing.
Brown is signed through the 2018 season and is not scheduled to become a free agent until next year.
