Three days into free agency and the scene already looks like a lunch buffet raided by a busload of hungry tourists.
There are a few shrimp scattered in one pin, a lone drumstick in another. There’s a clump of mashed potatoes stuck to the inside of the serving spoon.
Yes, it’s slim pickings for teams like the San Francisco 49ers that held back — way back — at the outset. Who’s left to help rebuild a dismantled defensive line that lost starters Maliek Collins, Leonard Floyd and Javon Hargrave over the last two days? Who could help replace Dre Greenlaw at weakside linebacker? Are there any good players who could serve as the team’s swing tackle in 2025?
Here are the top candidates and best scheme fits among those who remain available:
Defensive tackle
Calais Campbell: Trust us. We had a full list of DTs when we began composing this Wednesday morning. But one by one Levi Onwuzurike, Dre’Mont Jones and Dalvin Tomlinson, who seemed like a particularly strong fit, agreed to deals elsewhere. That left Campbell as the only starter-worthy interior lineman available. And he’s only available because he’s 38 years old. Still, he finished last season with five sacks, 39 quarterback pressures and 12 tackles for loss and was strong against the run. If the 49ers’ plan is to use a high draft pick on a defensive tackle, they could do a lot worse than pairing him with Campbell, who’s considered one of the top “glue guys” in the league.
Defensive end
Za’Darius Smith: At age 32, Smith doesn’t exactly satisfy the 49ers’ desire to get younger. But he finished with nine sacks last season, the same number as Nick Bosa. His 67 pressures also ranked 11th among NFL defensive ends, just behind Bosa’s 69. Smith plays with a physical style and ought to pick up the 49ers’ scheme quickly considering he spent the last two offseasons in Cleveland. Despite his age, Smith wouldn’t be cheap. Pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, also 32, agreed to a three-year deal with Seattle on Wednesday that includes $18 million guaranteed.
Azeez Ojulari: Ojulari’s most alluring quality might be his age. He’ll turn 25 in June, making him one of the youngest free agents available. At around 250 pounds, he might not be a three-down player for the 49ers and he’s taken most of his NFL snaps as a stand-up outside linebacker. But he’s shown that when healthy, he can get to the quarterback. He had eight sacks and 42 quarterback pressures as a rookie in 2021, although he hasn’t come close to those marks since then.
Charles Omenihu: The 49ers traded for Omenihu during the 2021 season and the following year, he had 4 1/2 sacks and a career-high 16 quarterback hits. Omenihu went on to have seven sacks for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023 but tore his ACL in that season’s championship game. He returned to the lineup in Week 13 last season and played in every game from that point on. Omenihu has the added benefit of playing inside on passing downs, although the 49ers already have someone with that capability in Yetur Gross-Matos.
Weakside linebacker
Eric Kendricks: We already know the 49ers think Kendricks is a good fit because they agreed to a deal last offseason before Kendricks changed his mind and joined the Dallas Cowboys. He was wary about losing his weakside job when Greenlaw returned, a worry he wouldn’t have this season. Kendricks went on to start 15 games in 2024 and led the Cowboys with 138 tackles. He’d be a considerable upgrade over last year’s veteran addition, De’Vondre Campbell.
Kyzir White: White, 28, is a college safety who switched to linebacker before his rookie season. White finished with 137 tackles for the Arizona Cardinals in 2024, including nine tackles for loss. He moves well in space and while he doesn’t play with quite the same fire as Greenlaw, his energy is palpable when he’s on the field. The 49ers hosted White, then a safety, on a pre-draft visit in 2018.
Jerome Baker: Baker has the speed needed at the position, having run his 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds in 2018. Baker’s been strong in pass coverage over a seven-year career and has been especially good as a blitzer. He had seven sacks for the Miami Dolphins in 2020 and has 24 1/2 over his career. To put that in perspective, Fred Warner, who like Baker was drafted in the third round in 2018, has 10 career sacks.
Offensive tackle
Tyron Smith: The 49ers wouldn’t be getting any younger by adding Smith, 34, but the longtime Cowboy is the most physically gifted offensive tackle still available. He started 10 games at left tackle last season for the New York Jets, finishing with strong grades in both pass protection and run blocking. The downside: He’s missed a lot of games in recent years and hasn’t played a full season since 2015. Of course, Trent Williams hasn’t played a full season since 2013. Maybe the two could work out some sort of timeshare at left tackle.
Joe Noteboom: Noteboom has played for the Los Angeles Rams since 2018, which means he’s already well-versed in the offense — and the zone-blocking style — the 49ers use. Run blocking, in fact, has been his forte in recent years and he’s started games at both right and left tackle, making him a good swing tackle candidate. So why is he still available? He turns 30 in June and has been prone to injuries over his career. He’s never started more than nine games in a season and struggled in pass protection during his four starts last season.
Charlie Heck: The 49ers signed Heck, 28, off the Cardinals practice squad on Dec. 25 after Jaylon Moore was placed on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury. He started the final two games of the 2024 season at left tackle, allowing two pressures and no sacks. Heck’s father, Andy Heck, played 12 seasons in the NFL and currently is the Chiefs offensive line coach. If re-signed, Heck likely would compete for the swing tackle job, perhaps with Austen Pleasants, whom the 49ers also added late in the season.
(Photos of Calais Campbell and Tyron Smith: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images and Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images)
