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BARGAIN HUNTING

March 8, 2013

Seamus Smith

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Under GM Trent Baalke, the San Francisco 49ers are not inclined to throw money at free agents on the day the market opens. They tend to wait out the initial blitzkrieg, opting to look for good value in second and third tier players. Don’t expect the Niners to chase the likes of WR Mike Wallace, DE Cliff Avril, or CB Sean Smith, who will all be too costly to fit in line with the way Baalke likes to do business. There is absolutely no way he gets in a bidding war with teams with three or four times the available in cap room.

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Below are ten lower cost options hitting the market that would help the 49ers fill needs and get them back to the Super Bowl.

TE Tony Fasano (Miami): If the team’s “swiss army knife” Delanie Walker heads for greener pastures, Fasano is a well-rounded and largely undervalued tight end. He and Vernon Davis could absolutely tear defenses up underneath.

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DT Mike Devito (New York Jets): A true unsung member of Gang Green’s defense, Devito is perhaps the Niners’ best option as a pure 3-4 nose tackle to cover the potential loss of both Isaac Sopoaga and Ricky Jean Francois.

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DT Desmond Bryant (Oakland): His recent arrest and hilarious mug shot notwithstanding, Bryant is young, big as hell and only across the water to make a run at.

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DE Connor Baldwin (Houston): Coming off a terrible season where he was ranked among the very worst starting ends in the league (according to ProFootballFocus), Baldwin had a monster season before that and for the right price, may be worth the risk.

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DE Matt Shauhnessy (Oakland): Coming off injuries the last few seasons, Shauhnessy certainly carries some baggage. But for a bargain price, he would be worth suiting up in red and gold.

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DE Jason Jones (Seattle): Not only would Jones be a nice addition to the D-line rotation in SF, but would also take away from their toughest divisional foe in the Seahawks.

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CB Greg Toler (Arizona): Not as flashy as signing Sean Smith or trading for Darrell Revis, but Toler has become a solid pass defender out in the desert. He’s still young and should only improve with time.

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OLB Victor Butler (Dallas): Although the Niners have the best four-man linebacker core in the league, adding Butler would help with depth and additional pressure off the edge.

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S Chris Clemons (Miami): Only 26, Clemons has the size and range to be a solid replacement for Dashon Goldson. He may cost more than SF is willing to spend though considering the depth of safeties in this year’s draft class.

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K Phil Dawson (Cleveland): After an awful season (69% field goals made), David Akers was rightfully released. The 49ers would be well served to grab another kicker pushing 40, but with more consistent recent success.