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PFF Gives the 49ers a "D" for their Moves in Free Agency

On paper, no team in the NFL has taken a bigger step back during free agency than the 49ers.

Grant Cohn

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) calls a play during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars held off the Titans 20-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) calls a play during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars held off the Titans 20-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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On paper, no team in the NFL has taken a bigger step back during free agency than the 49ers.

They've lost nine starters and signed none. Their most expensive addition has been backup tight end Luke Farrell, and their most interesting addition probably has been backup quarterback Mac Jones.

That's why Pro Football Focus gives the 49ers a "D" in free agency. They're the only team to receive a failing grade.

"Jones was forced into action in Week 10 of the 2024 season due to Jaguars franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s injury, and he struggled to find consistency," writes PFF. "He completed 64.8% of his passes and had eight big-time throws across his appearances, but he also racked up eight interceptions and 10 turnover-worthy plays. Barring injury, he’ll likely serve as Brock Purdy‘s primary backup in San Francisco."

TRANSLATION: Jones might not even play next season.

PFF's favorite acquisition the 49ers have made seems to be wide receiver Demarcus Robinson.

"Robinson has earned a PFF grade of 65.0 or better in each of the past three seasons and is a solid fit for the 49ers offense," writes PFF. "With San Francisco’s loaded skill group — including its top receivers, tight end George Kittle, and running back Christian McCaffrey — he will likely be the sixth option in the passing attack. However, he has been a reliable target, dropping just two of 66 catchable passes over the past two seasons."

Considering McCaffrey missed most of last season due to injury and Brandon Aiyuk could miss most of next season as he recovers from a knee injury, Robinson could make a significant impact in the 49ers offense.

Still, the Rams signed Davante Adams. The 49ers aren't keeping up.

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Grant Cohn
GRANT COHN

Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club. In 2020, Cohn joined FanNation and began writing All49ers. In addition, he created a YouTube channel which has become the go-to place on YouTube to consume 49ers content. Cohn's channel typically generates roughly 3.5 million viewers per month, while the 49ers' official YouTube channel generates roughly 1.5 million viewers per month. Cohn live streams almost every day and posts videos hourly during the football season. Cohn is committed to asking the questions that 49ers fans want answered, and providing the most honest and interactive coverage in the country. His loyalty is to the reader and the viewer, not the team or any player or coach. Cohn is a new-age multimedia journalist with an old-school mentality, because his father is Lowell Cohn, the legendary sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1979 to 1993. The two have a live podcast every Tuesday. Grant Cohn grew up in Oakland and studied English Literature at UCLA from 2006 to 2010. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife.

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