The San Francisco 49ers are off to a rough start in 2024. Coming off the heels of another Super Bowl loss, 2024 is starting to feel eerily like the 2020 season with the list of injuries piling up.
In Week 7, during a Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs, there were injuries before the game, such as wide receiver Jauan Jennings being out due to a hip issue.
Fellow wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. only played a few snaps before exiting the game completely due to an illness. We now know that he had pneumonia.
With all that going on, receiver Brandon Aiyuk who signed a big-time contract extension in the offseason, tore his ACL and MCL in the second quarter against Kansas City. On Monday, the diagnosis was confirmed, and he will miss the rest of the 2024 season and possibly more.
Outside of injuries to wide receivers, some other position groups have also been thin on depth. And some others have just not performed well seven games into 2024.
While some of these holes may be addressed ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline, the 49ers should also be looking to call on some free agents that could make an impact.
Here are three free agents San Francisco should look to sign sooner than later.
David Bakhtiari
The 49ers have had major offensive line issues this season. Outside of perennial All-Pro tackle Trent Williams and up-and-coming rookie guard Dominick Puni, the O-line has struggled mightily.
Right tackle Colton McKivitz has had his fair share of struggles protecting the quarterback. While he's only allowed one sack on the season, he's allowed 19 total pressures and six QB hits. Some help at right tackle might be needed.
It wasn't that long ago that tackle David Bakhtiari was one of the best in the league. The three-time Pro Bowl, two-time first-team All-Pro offensive lineman, however, has struggled to stay on the field after tearing his ACL back in December of 2020.
In March, the Green Bay Packers released Bakhtiari after 11 seasons. He still feels he has something left in the tank, which he stated on The Adam Schefter Podcast.
He could be a great low-risk, high-reward signing for the Niners to add some depth and veteran leadership to their offensive line room.
Richie James
With the multitude of injuries to the wide receiver room, it wouldn't hurt the 49ers to seek out a bargain free-agent signing for that group.
A reunion with Richie James could be beneficial. James, who began his career with the 49ers in 2018, last played for the Chiefs in 2023.
Although James might've lost a step with his speed, he could bring some depth and experience to the receiver room. He could also help a special teams unit that has struggled, given his kick and punt return abilities.
Myjai Sanders
The 49ers' lack of depth on the defensive line is apparent this season. They haven't been terrorizing quarterbacks in the same way they had been the past two seasons with their pass rush.
One intriguing free agent the Niners could look into is Myjai Sanders. The 26-year-old lineman played his rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals in 2022, appearing in 13 games.
In 2023, the Cardinals released him midway into the season, and he was picked up by the Houston Texans. He appeared in seven games for the Texans but didn't make much of an impact on the field.
Sanders is still young, though, and working with a great defensive line coach like Kris Kocurek could be just what he needs to reinvigorate his career.
More importantly, Sanders could be a great depth piece for the 49ers' defensive line rotation that could use some pass-rush help.
