<
>

San Francisco 49ers find stability as overdue rebuild begins in earnest

Brian Hoyer might not be the flashiest quarterback, but his familiarity with coach Kyle Shanahan's system should help bring stability to the 49ers' offense. Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire

The San Francisco 49ers ended their offseason program on June 15. Here's a look at how they fared:

Offseason grade: B

Offseason goals: This offseason for the 49ers was all about trying to finally establish some stability and direction for the franchise. It started with CEO Jed York's exhaustive search for a new general manager and head coach who could work together and be on the same page. It was a dynamic he believes he found by going outside the box to hire Lynch and landing the top coaching candidate on the market in Shanahan. York gave both of them unprecedented six-year contracts -- and the power to begin a long overdue rebuild in their vision. That vision meant landing players such as Pierre Garcon and Brian Hoyer in free agency who know what Shanahan wants on and off the field as a means to establishing a sustainable culture. In the draft, that meant trying to land the best players available to give the 49ers some much-needed star power. They didn't accomplish everything needed to become a contender, but a solid foundation has finally been put in place.

Move I liked: Practicing patience and planning for the future at quarterback. Yes, there were a number of acquisitions that deserve praise, but the best move the Niners made is one they actually didn't make. It had to be tempting to panic and try to get a quarterback who probably wasn't going to be the franchise solution, but Shanahan and Lynch didn't force it. With six-year contracts, Lynch and Shanahan knew they didn't have to go overboard for a guy who might not work out, and they didn't have to trade the farm to land someone such as Kirk Cousins. In the meantime, they accumulated additional draft picks for 2018 and still have a boatload of cap room to go get their guy next year. It speaks to their confidence in themselves and their philosophies that they're willing to take the long view with this rebuild, and that's the type of self-awareness that can serve them well in the long term.

Move I didn't like: Signing linebacker Malcolm Smith to a five-year, $26.5 million contract, with $11.5 million fully guaranteed. Even before the Niners drafted Foster, this move was a bit of a head-scratcher. Smith has knowledge of coordinator Robert Saleh's defense but his previous production didn't merit a deal like this and, more importantly, there has been no indication he is the type of ascending player who will deliver equal value to the money. The move looks even more questionable now that Foster is on board; and while Smith is a better fit as a backup capable of playing multiple spots, this is a hefty price to pay for depth.

Biggest question to be answered in training camp: How fast can the Niners adapt to the drastic scheme changes brought in by Shanahan and Saleh? Offensively, the Niners are going from one of the most simplistic systems in the league to one of the most complicated. The good news is that there are guys such as Hoyer, Garcon and Paulsen who know it and can help their teammates transition. It will still take some time to adjust. On defense, the Niners will have a lot of moving pieces playing new positions as they change to a modified 4-3 front. In addition to that, the Niners are thin at cornerback, and there are questions about how the secondary will evolve.

Salary-cap space: $70,000,433 (source: Overthecap.com)

2017 draft picks: QB C.J. Beathard, CB Adrian Colbert, LB Reuben Foster, DT D.J. Jones, TE George Kittle, DL Pita Taumoepenu, WR Trent Taylor, DL Solomon Thomas, RB Joe Williams, DB Ahkello Witherspoon

Undrafted rookie free agents signed: WR Victor Bolden, WR Kendrick Bourne, RB Matt Breida, OL John Flynn, CB Zach Franklin, LB Jimmie Gilbert, S Malik Golden, OL Evan Goodman, TE Cole Hikutini, S Chanceller James, S Lorenzo Jerome, WR BJ Johnson III, OL Richard Levy, OL Erik Magnuson, FB Tyler McCloskey, QB Nick Mullens, LB Donavin Newsom, DL Noble Nwachukwu, OL Darrell Williams Jr.

Unrestricted free agents signed: QB Matt Barkley, C Tim Barnes, WR DeAndre Carter, LB Brock Coyle, OL Brandon Fusco, WR Pierre Garcon, WR Marquise Goodwin, K Robbie Gould, RB Tim Hightower, QB Brian Hoyer, S Don Jones, FB Kyle Juszczyk, DT Earl Mitchell, TE Logan Paulsen, WR Aldrick Robinson, LB Malcolm Smith, LB Dekoda Watson, CB K'Waun Williams.

Restricted free agents signed: OL Garry Gilliam (from Seattle)

Acquired via trade: RB Kapri Bibbs (from Denver), OL Jeremy Zuttah (from Baltimore).