Well, it seems as if the 49ers at least will be getting a lot of compensatory picks in 2014.
The latest free agent to sign a big-money deal - that's one of the criteria in the formula for compensatory selections - is Ricky Jean Francois. The defensive linemen signed a four-year deal with the Colts worth $22 million overall. Of that amount, $6.5 million is fully guaranteed.
Jean Francois visited the Eagles as well. But he felt comfortable playing under Colts defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, who was his defensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010 in San Francisco. The 49ers used their second of two seventh-round picks to draft Jean Francois in 2009. Not a bad payday for a late seventh rounder.
Sopoaga, tight end Delanie Walker and safety Dashon Goldson all have signed multi-year deals in free agency so far.
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Jim Harbaugh today confirmed that the 49ers are meeting with free agents Louis Delmas, Nnamdi Asomugha and Dan Skuta. The latter is a Bengals free-agent linebacker, who has been Cincinnati's special teams ace in recent years.
The 49ers had one of the best coverage units in 2011 when Blake Costanzo was the centerpiece. But after Costanzo went to Chicago as a free agent last year, the 49ers struggled, including giving up a huge, 108-yard touchdown return on the second-half kickoff in the Super Bowl.
Skuta (6-2, 250) went undrafted in 2009. He's led the Bengals in special teams tackles in two of the last three years. In 2011, he started three games at inside linebacker as injury replacement for Rey Maualuga. The Bengals also have used him as a blocking back in short-yardage situations.
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Harbaugh today spent some time chatting with a couple of San Jose State products, guard David Quessenberry and tight end Ryan Otten. Quessenberry can play every spot on the offensive line, and his draft stock has been on the rise since the combine. I wrote about Otten's Senior Bowl medical nightmare last month. Today he reported he is back to full health, has returned to 240 pounds and plans to do all the drills at Friday's pro day at San Jose State.
Both players met with the 49ers at the combine.
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The Chiefs ended up signing Miami free-agent cornerback Sean Smith, a player the 49ers had shown some interest in just before free agency. With Asomugha heading in for a visit, they obviously are interested in adding a big cornerback. ...Appearing on 95.7 The Game, Woodson's agent, Carl Poston, said he hasn't discussed contract numbers with the team and was waiting for San Francisco to get back to him. He guessed the team could come to a conclusion sometime over the weekend. ... The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that both quarterback Josh Johnson and receiver Ted Ginn visited the Bengals today.
-- Matt Barrows
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