"Busy" would be an apt word to describe the San Francisco 49ers first week of the new league year.
John Lynch and the 49ers had their hands full making several moves during the start of free agency. Those upgrades included bolstering its defense with Pro Bowl-caliber talent while providing Jimmy Garoppolo with two new offensive playmakers.
Marcus Mosher of Bleacher Report compiled a list of "The Biggest Winners and Losers of Early NFL Free Agency" and he named the 49ers as a team who has improved its roster this offseason.
San Francisco signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Kwon Alexander, former Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett and former Carolina Panthers linebacker David Mayo. The 49ers also traded for former Kansas City Chiefs pass rusher Dee Ford and subsequently signed the pass rusher to a five-year deal.
The team also added former Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman and veteran wide receiver Jordan Matthews. In addition to the outside signings, San Francisco also brought back defensive backs Jimmie Ward and Antone Exum and offensive lineman Mike Person.
Mosher was keen on the addition of Alexander.
"Alexander is coming off of a torn ACL, but he is one of the best cover linebackers in the league when healthy." Mosher wrote. "He and Fred Warner will instantly make the 49ers defense drastically faster."
Acquiring Ford from the Chiefs was another move that made a lot of sense in Mosher's opinion.
"Heading into the offseason, finding a pass-rusher was easily the team's biggest need. Now, Ford will fill some of that void as he has proved to be one of the league's best sack artists," he wrote. "While he has dealt with some injuries in the past, there is no doubt about his production. In his last 41 games, Ford has tallied 61 quarterback hits, 35 tackles for loss and 29 sacks. Now that he is joining a team with DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, that production should only improve."
Verrett and Coleman were also tabbed as low-risk moves that could benefit the 49ers greatly in 2019. For Mosher's full comments on the 49ers as well as his other "winners and losers," check out the full article here.
