Two Veteran Free Agents the 49ers Must Sign Immediately After the NFL Draft

Now that the 2026 NFL draft has come and gone, most of the San Francisco 49ers roster has been set. However, there were a few depth positions that they could have addressed and did not. Who are two veteran free agents that could fill the voids?

David Njoku, Tight End

The draft came and went without the 49ers touching any of the tight ends. Perhaps the run went before they expected, but it was a deep, tight-end draft, and they did not go in that route. Now, the question is what they do at the position.

George Kittle is expected to miss some time as he recovers from his Achilles tear. Jake Tonges had a strong year in 2025, but he is also much better as a pass catcher than a run blocker, and the run blocking suffered when Kittle went down. Luke Farrell was supposed to make up some of the loss as a run blocker, but he has been a dud of an addition. The team needs to make a move.

The best bet is David Njoku. He is known for being a solid receiver, but he has improved greatly as a blocker throughout his career. Last year, he played in the blocking role to complement Harold Fanin, the pass-catching option. The good thing about Njoku is that he could fill whatever role the 49ers need, which is valuable for a team with Kittle on a fluid timeline.

Taylor Rapp, Safety

The other position that San Francisco failed to address is safety. As of now, the team will have Malik Mustapha and Ji'Ayir Brown starting with Marques Sigle in the dime role. They do not have much depth behind that at all. Rapp is a great fit to make this look better.

He started the past two years with the Buffalo Bills, but an injury sidelined him for weeks seven through the end of the year. He is still just 29 years old, so he likely has some tread on his tires. He could compete to start with Brown, and push Brown into the dime role, making two spots better. He could compete with Sigle in the dime and potentially upgrade that role, and at the very worst, he can slot in as a fourth safety who is there as depth in case anything happens. Rapp has also played special teams. It is a good insurance policy with potential to be more.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as Two Veteran Free Agents the 49ers Must Sign Immediately After the NFL Draft.

Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 9:00 AM.