The 49ers have already signed two free agents and the official free agency period hasn't even started yet. CB K'Waun Williams did not play in 2016 and the team's newest addition, DT Earl Mitchell, was released by the Miami Dolphins as a cap casualty. Because neither was on an NFL roster, they were free to immediately sign with any team despite the official start of free agency not occurring until March 9.
The interesting aspect of the two signings is that each had interest and offers from other teams and they still chose to sign with the 49ers. It is enough to make fans hopeful that the 49ers will once again be attractive enough of a destination to entice even more talent to join.
RELATED

On Saturday, Mitchell joined a conference call with Bay Area media. Grant Cohn of the Press Democrat was good enough to provide a transcript of the conversation. You can also listen to the audio below.
"Right off the bat I could tell it was a first-class organization," Mitchell said. "They treated me with a lot of respect. I was happy to be here because there are a lot of familiar faces that have helped me with my career. So I was really excited to be there, and I had a great time when I was there."
One of the familiar faces who he mentioned was 49ers defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina, who was an assistant defensive line coach in Houston during Mitchell's final season with the Texans (2013). Another was defensive quality control coach DeMeco Ryans, a former NFL linebacker, who played with Mitchell for two seasons (2010-2011) with the Texans.
RELATED
"They have DeMeco Ryans on the staff, which was big for me also because I know the type of player he is, I know how smart of a person he is," Mitchell said. "And just the fact that we played together. I can tell they're building a family-type environment there. That's something I wanted to be a part of with Coach Shanahan and everyone else that's part of their staff."
"A man of high character, [Mitchell] represents everything we want to be as a football team," Lynch said via a statement issued by the team. "Earl is a tone-setter who plays the game with a tremendous passion and the effort necessary to win in this league. We believe those qualities are contagious and will help to make our team stronger."
It would appear that things are headed in the right direction for the 49ers. The official start to free agency and the draft still lies ahead, but the new regime appears to already be chipping away at the rebuild of the roster.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
PFF writer impressed by Brock Purdy in 2024, wonders if 49ers QB's salary will match Dak Prescott's
Critics may argue that Brock Purdy's stock dropped in 2024, as the San Francisco 49ers quarterback couldn't replicate the impressive, record-breaking performance he posted the year before. In 2023, Purdy set a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards while... -
How one 49ers rookie quickly impressed Brock Purdy
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall's NFL career got off to a tough start. After suffering a gunshot wound to the chest, he missed the first six games of the season. However, when he was on the practice field, the rookie quickly impressed his... -
Where PFF ranks the 49ers' 2024 draft class
With the 2025 NFL Draft just weeks away, Pro Football Focus (PFF) contributor Bradley Locker revisited last year's draft, ranking the top rookie classes from 2024. The Los Angeles Rams claimed the top spot after replenishing their roster with young talent and finishing atop the... -
49ers to host Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr. on pre-draft visit
Another top-30 pre-draft visit has been revealed. According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, the San Francisco 49ers are among the teams set to host Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. in Santa Clara ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Fannin was in Indianapolis last month for...