5 free agent signings that could make 49ers Super Bowl winners

#3 - Anthony Barr

Barr would give the 49ers defense a lot of solidity

Anthony Barr was once one of the most explosive linebackers in the NFL. He could rush the quarterback, tackle running backs and cover receivers on routes.

He is no longer that player, which is natural at age 30, but he is still a very reliable player that simply stays on the field. His health and production should be very attractive to the 49ers.

Fred Warner got his money from the San Francisco franchise, but he didn’t live up to expectations in 2021, missing out on the Pro Bowl.

He is expected to return to the incredibly high level he showed earlier in his career in 2022, but adding a player like Barr, who could dovetail with him, take the demands off his shoulders and even allow him some plays to rest would go a long way to securing the 49ers defense.

#4 - Julio Jones

Julio Jones still has the body to cause problems

It's clear that the San Francisco 49ers aren’t in need of an elite wide receiver; however, adding a player with immense talent and veteran experience would be nothing but a help.

Julio Jones showed flashes of the player that was so impactful with the Atlanta Falcons during his 2021 season with the Tennessee Titans.

A return of 434 yards and just one receiving touchdown is the reason why Jones is now back on the free agent market, but he has a body that can create unbalanced matchups in the backfield, especially if he isn’t going to be WR1.

For much the same reason as mentioned with Odell Beckham Jr, Jones would give the 49ers offense just that tiny bit extra. It wouldn’t be necessarily game-changing, but for a roster that is built for success, adding small parts often makes the biggest difference.

#5 - Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick staged an NFL workout during the offseason

Okay, this is a big call, and probably a non-starter, but there is a method to the madness.

Trey Lance is likely to be the 49ers starting quarterback in the 2022 season, especially with Garoppolo’s shoulder injury likely to keep him beyond the first game of the season.

However, Garoppolo’s contract is a huge burden for the Niners, and if they could somehow restructure it or even find a suitor for the former New England Patriot, it would help them immensely.

Despite John Lynch’s assertion that there would be no release of Garoppolo, there is a sense that doing that would be best for the franchise.

It would clear around $25 million against the cap and leave just $1.5 million in dead money for the 49ers. This would allow them to explore the free agent market for options in other roles.

This is where Colin Kaepernick comes in. He wouldn’t be a starter, and he’s said he doesn’t expect to be should he return to the NFL. He would represent a cost-effective and reliable backup, and someone who Trey Lance would definitely look up to and learn from.

Should disaster strike, this is a player that has carried the 49ers to the Super Bowl before, albeit a lifetime ago, and this move wouldn’t necessarily represent much of a risk, even if it was entirely financially motivated.