NEWSLETTER
It was a rough end to the 2022 season for the 49ers. Quarterback injuries in the NFC Championship game cost them a shot at the Super Bowl. Every quarterback on the roster had an injury. Brock Purdy played with an injured elbow in the 31-7 loss to the Eagles. General manager John Lynch shifts his focus to the offseason and the San Francisco 49ers free agency situation for 2023.
San Francisco 49ers 2023 NFL Free Agents Overview
Quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Josh Johnson become 2023 free agents in the new league year. A lot of attention will be on Niners QB Garoppolo who was able to help the team reach the Super Bowl a few years ago. Despite his injuries over past seasons, he’s expected to get a lot of attention during the 2023 offseason.
The team has questions on the offensive line as Mike McGlinchey, Daniel Brunskill, and Jake Brendel become free agents. Right Tackle McGlinchey is the biggest loss for the offensive line. He hits the open market and could be drawn away from San Francisco’s roster.
The secondary has pending free agents Jimmie Ward, Tashaun Gipson, Emmanuel Moseley, and Jason Verrett.
On the defensive line, Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu are pass-rushers headed for free agency. They combined for 9.5 sacks. The duo was second on the team behind Bosa who had 18.5 sacks during the 2022 season.
Steady kicker Robbie Gould is also a free agent this offseason. It’s obvious the 49ers have a long list of decisions to make this offseason as they look to stay near the top of the league under head coach Kyle Shanahan.
49ers Unrestricted Free Agents
To be an unrestricted free agent, there are a couple of qualifications. First, they must have four years of experience and also an expired contract. They can negotiate with any team without any restrictions or draft-choice compensation. Here’s a list of upcoming free agents for the 49ers who are unrestricted.
Quarterbacks
Jimmy Garoppolo – QB
Josh Johnson – QB
Running Backs
None
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Tyler Kroft – TE
Ross Dwelley – TE
Centers, Guards, and Tackles
Mike McGlinchey – RT
Daniel Brunskill – T
Jake Brendel – C
Defensive Tackles, Defensive Ends, and Edge Rushers
Samson Ebukam – DE
Hassan Ridgeway – DT
Kerry Hyder – DE
Jordan Willis – DE
Charles Omenihu – DE
Maurice Hurst – DT
Linebackers
Azeez Al-Shaair – LB
Cornerbacks and Safeties
Jimmie Ward – FS
Emmanuel Moseley – CB
Tashaun Gipson – FS
Jason Verrett – CB
Tarvarius Moore – FS
Special Teams
Robbie Gould – K
Restricted 49ers Free Agents
A restricted free agent is a player who has played for three or fewer accrued seasons and has an expiring contract. The team can assign a tender to the player, which allows them to match any offer the player receives from other teams. The team receives draft compensation if the player signs elsewhere.
2023 NFL restricted free agents for the 49ers
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles – LB
Kevin Givens – DT
Colton McKivitz – T
Salary Cap and Roster
Trent Williams and Arik Armstead have the biggest cap hits for the team at $27.2 and $24 million. The team will have to get creative to free up more cap space to stay under the $224.8 million mark set by the league. Projections don’t show much cap room according to Spotrac.
Joey Bosa, the All-Pro defensive end, has a cap hit of $17.9 million next season. He will hit free agency in 2024. You can figure the team will consider re-signing the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
49ers Free Agency 2023 FAQs
NFL free agency will commence on March 15, 2023. It begins at 4 p.m. eastern time. The date signifies the start of the new league year and the end of all player contracts. Many players are set to hit the market and gain free agency status.
An unrestricted free agent is a player whose contract has expired, and they have no ties to their former team. Starting on March 15, they are free to negotiate with any team in the league without restrictions.
A restricted free agent can be extended what is called a qualifying offer. If offered, they are still allowed to negotiate with other teams around the league. Their current team is allowed to match any offer.
There is a “legal tampering” period that begins on March 13. Teams can talk to certified agents but no signings can be made until free agency is official.
