Golden Nuggets: Filling the Need

The 49ers started quickly out of the gate when the free agency period began bringing back into the fold key veterans Anquan Boldin and Phil Dawson. They went on to replace a key starter in Donte Whitner who went to Cleveland by grabbing Antoine Bethea, a solid if unspectacular option. He should fit in well as a mentoring presence to Eric Reid who has shown flashes that he can be a dynamic playmaker in the secondary. Chris Cook is another body who was brought in to compete.

So far all these moves have been consistent with Trent Baalke's script for team-building which is:

• Find good draft value
• Extend key in-house talent,
• Target bargain value free agents
• Do not get in bidding wars for free agents
  
• Make low risk deals on under-performing talent

Although the team has done their due diligence on free agents at the CB and WR position, it seems quite clear that they are confident of addressing these positions in the draft. Rightly so because this years incoming talent has been lauded by experts as abundant in both positions of need. Look for Trent to be busy again on draft day, possibly moving up and down the board and creating future draft picks where available.

Lack of cap room dulls chase of impact FAs (Williamson)

Thurmond, Sanders land elsewhere; 49ers' draft to likely fill needs (Maiocco)

NFC West free-agency update (PFT)

Draft needs? FA options dwindling at CB and WR (Branch)

Mario Manningham slated to visit New York Giants (NFL)

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