The San Francisco 49ers didn't add a lot of outside help via free agency. There were a few additions, like center Alex Mack, linebacker Samson Ebukam, defensive lineman Zach Kerr, and others. However, the team's offseason focus has been evident — take care of its own.
General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan firmly believe in the talented roster they have built over the years. Yes, the team amassed just six wins this past season, but it also had to endure a historic amount of injuries that had the depth charge turned upside down by Week 2.
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What did that mean for the 49ers' offseason strategy? Keep the roster together as best they could. And surprisingly, Lynch and Shanahan were mostly able to accomplish that, re-signing key free agents like tackle Trent Williams, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, cornerbacks Jason Verrett and K'Waun Williams, safety Jaquiski Tartt, and many others.
NFL Media's Jim Trotter feels that it is a winning strategy and names the 49ers among two teams that were free agency winners. The other—the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—had a similar strategy, working to bring back much of its Super Bowl roster. Although, they went with the more aggressive route last offseason.
The New England Patriots were uncharacteristically big free agency spenders this year. Bill Belichick is obviously looking for a quick roster fix following his Hall of Fame quarterback's departure last year.
Trotter points out that offseason splurging doesn't always translate into team success. He notes that the Miami Dolphins were among the big spenders last year and failed to make the playoffs. Two years ago, it was the then-Oakland Raiders that committed a lot of money to free agents. They, too, missed the playoffs.
"The cold reality is that over the past 10 offseasons, only half of the 10 teams that committed the most guaranteed dollars in free agency advanced to the playoffs -- and none won a Super Bowl," wrote Trotter.
The columnist likes that the 49ers and Buccaneers, the teams representing the NFC in the past two Super Bowls, used their money to keep their rosters together.
"My winners are those that either strike strategically, finding bargains after the initial wave of big-money spending, or use their capital to re-sign their own frontline players, as Tampa Bay and San Francisco have done," wrote Trotter.
He also understands that last season was probably an outlier for Shanahan's group, and a healthier roster in 2021 could be more impactful than many big-name additions.
"Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo played in just six games and edge rusher Nick Bosa appeared in only two before injuries sidelined them," noted Trotter. "Not surprisingly, the 49ers fell from 13 wins to six. With both returning, as well as a number of others who missed time, the 49ers are in a prime position to make another run -- which highlights the significance of re-signing key free agents ..."
One of the 49ers' most significant re-signings, Trent Williams, believes the team has the pieces in place to contend during the upcoming season. It's one of the reasons he picked San Francisco over the Kansas City Chiefs. Of course, a record amount of money from the 49ers didn't hurt.
"We sat back, and we watched that whole playoff run last year, we watched that whole Super Bowl, and I just know if my team was intact we would be one of those teams [that are] either fighting for position or fighting for that Lombardi," Williams told reporters this week. "... I'm excited. I'm ecstatic. I think we've got every piece of the puzzle we need to win this division and win the conference."
H/t to Patrick Tulini for the find.
