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49ers: 3 free agents who could alter 2021 NFL Draft plans

By Nicholas McGee

Nov 29, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Francisco 49ers are not short of needs as they plot a potential return to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season and, with the new league year on the horizon, they will be devising their plans as to how to best address the weaknesses that could hinder hopes of contention.

In a year where the salary cap is set to shrink, teams will have to be more selective with how they attack free agency.

The 49ers are not in the worst position in that regard. Assuming a salary cap of $185 million, they will be over $20 million under the cap, according to Spotrac. However, with a host of key in-house free agents they may attempt to re-sign, San Francisco will still need to be astute about how it  attempts to supplement its talented roster with new additions.

Could free agency alter 49ers draft plans?

As teams adapt to the financial restraints they will face in the new league year, it is the mid-tier free agents who are most likely to feel the pinch and could have settle for below-market deals. That may play into the hands of the 49ers and enable them to add depth to a group that already has plenty of blue-chip players.

How successful the 49ers are in identifying the right free agents and acquiring them at an affordable price will play a role in what they decide to do in the 2021 NFL Draft. Here we look at some free agents who could significantly alter the direction the 49ers take with their selections come April.