3 Players the 49ers Should Avoid in Free Agency

The San Francisco 49ers made the Super Bowl just two seasons ago and will have their eyes set on returning there in 2021. However, they need to make a few more moves this offseason in order to build a balanced roster that is ready to compete in the NFC West.

The free agent market is full of top tier players as well as experienced veterans ready to contribute right away, but it is important to sign the ones that fit the team the best.

With that in mind, here are three free agents the 49ers should avoid signing.

1. Patrick Peterson, CB

It may seem like an interesting option for the 49ers to sign a veteran player they have been facing for years in Patrick Peterson, but it is not a smart one. It is no question that San Francisco needs to address the cornerback position as they are losing both Jason Verrett and Richard Sherman to free agency. However, Peterson heads into next season at 32 years old and with his best playing days behind him. In fact, quarterbacks had a 100.8 passer rating when targeting him in coverage last season. It would be better for the 49ers to target a younger cornerback in free agency or through the upcoming draft.

2. Andy Dalton, QB

Another area of need for the 49ers is in the quarterback room as both of their backup options in Nick Mullens and CJ Beathard are set to be free agents. The team will need to find someone new to slot in behind Jimmy Garoppolo on the depth chart, but it should not be Andy Dalton. Dalton led the Dallas Cowboys to a 4-5 record as their starting quarterback last season and averaged a career-low 197.3 passing yards per game. San Francisco would benefit more from re-signing one of their previous backups who know the system well. The 49ers could also spend draft capital to select a top quarterback prospect instead.

3. AJ Green, WR

The 49ers are on the edge of becoming an elite NFL team, but need to sign a spark on their offense to line up alongside starting wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. While they could end up signing a veteran player, the 49ers should avoid AJ Green this offseason. Green was only able to haul in 47 passes for 523 yards and 7 touchdowns last season. Those were all career-low marks and he has shown to be prone to injuries in the past. If head coach Kyle Shanahan truly wants to build depth, he would be better off looking at other options in what is a deep wide receiver free agent group.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.