49ers Blog and Q&A

Adam Snyder is back with the 49ers after a one-year sojourn with the Cardinals, but the veteran will find the offensive line more crowded than when he left it. The former third-round draft pick signed a five-year, $17 million deal with the Cardinals last March but was released last week after just one year. The Cardinals used their top draft pick on a guard, Jonathan Cooper, and he is expected to start right away. Arizona gave up a league-high 58 sacks last season.

Snyder, who signed a two-year deal with San Francisco, can play any position on the offensive line, and that versatility is what makes him attractive to the 49ers. However, the five starting spots are set with tackles Joe Staley and Anthony Davis, guards Alex Boone and Mike Iupati and center Jonathan Goodwin. Two young players, Joe Looney and Daniel Kilgore, back up the interior positions on the line.

The 49ers are light at tackle, where Snyder has made 42 career starts. They used a seventh-round pick on Iowa State's Carter Bykowski and signed undrafted free agent Luke Marquardt. They also have Kenny Wiggins (Elk Grove High), who spent last season on the practice squad.

Snyder started 13 games for the 49ers in 2011. He played in 107 games (69 starts) for San Francisco over seven seasons. Along with good friends Joe Staley and Alex Smith, Snyder was instrumental in organizing and running the 49ers' player-led workouts during the lockout in 2011.

-- Matt Barrows

Nate Montana hasn't gotten a contract offer from the 49ers, but he has received an invitation.

Montana, the son of the 49ers' famous quarterback, will attend the team's rookie minicamp that runs May 10-12 on a tryout basis. Montana, who played most recently for West Virginia Wesleyan, attended the team's "local" pro day earlier this month. At the time, Montana said he figured he wouldn't be drafted this weekend but said he hoped to be offered a free-agent contract.

That's what he and his agent, Marty Magid, are concentrating on now, and their hope is that the 49ers offer him a deal after the minicamp. Magid said other, unnamed teams also have shown interest in Montana and that he was trying to secure an invitation for one of the rookie minicamps being held during the upcoming weekend, May 3-5. "A couple of teams have asked about him," Magid said. "We'll find out this week."

Montana, 6-4, 215, was one of 57 pro prospects on hand for the 49ers' local pro day April 17. He's had a roundabout college career that took him from Notre Dame to Pasadena City College to Montana and finally to Division II West Virginia Wesleyan, where he played last season.

While the 49ers took Joe Montana in the third round of the 1979 draft, Nate Montana -- he wore No. 13 at the recent pro day -- said he hoped to join an NFL team as an undrafted free agent and was eyeing the Canadian Football League or the Arena League if there are no NFL offers.

"Coming back here where my dad played, you've just got to put your head down and make your own name," he said April 17. "It's like a blessing and a curse. You just try to ignore the, 'Oh, that's Joe Montana's son. That's Joe Montana's son.' You just go work and show them that you're a different player from your dad."

The 49ers have three quarterbacks on their roster, Colin Kaepernick, Colt McCoy and Scott Tolzien.They drafted another, B.J. Daniels, in the seventh round Sunday. Daniels will start out as a quarterback but may get practice repetitions at running back, receiver and punt returner as well.

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers on Thursday offered an example of how they'll conduct business in coming years.

In March, they allowed a pricey veteran, safety Dashon Goldson, to sign elsewhere in free agency. In April, they replaced him in the draft.

San Francisco traded up 13 slots in the first round for LSU safety Eric Reid, who at 6-2, 210 pounds will be expected to take over Goldson's long-time role as the team's enforcer out of the secondary.

"We feel good about his ability to insert and play a physical brand of football," said general manager Trent Baalke. "Heady ball player. He triggers fast on the run, he reacts well to the pass. It's about learning the angles to the pro game and learning the speed of the pro game. But we feel very confident he's going to be able to do that and do it quickly."

A bonus for the 49ers - Reid, 21, already was very familiar to coach Jim Harbaugh, who recruited him heavily to play at Stanford. Harbaugh said he figured he'd have a hard time convincing Eric Reid, Sr., a three-time All-American hurdler at LSU, that his son should go to school in California. But he thought he had an in with the player's mother, Sharon, who stressed academics to her son and who exchanged a number of emails with Harbaugh four years ago.

The younger Reid, who was was born in Baton Rouge and who was rated the state's top defensive player in high school, said he "bled purple and gold" and ultimately chose his hometown university. Still, he noted that Stanford was the only team that recruited him as energetically as LSU.

"The story comes full circle that he ended up drafting me," said a jubilant Reid, via phone, from New York.

Said Harbaugh: "This time Eric had no choice in the matter, and it feels good to have him."

Larry Grant, who showed he was a starting-caliber linebacker when he filled in well for injured Patrick Willis in 2011, has only received tepid interest as a free agent. On Friday, the league revealed why.

Grant has been suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing substances. Grant (Foothill High) has made free-agent visits to the Chiefs and Patriots but has not signed with any teams. Despite the suspension, Grant is able to take part in offseason practices and preseason games once he signs with a team.

Grant started three games at the end of 2011 and finished with 39 tackles and a forced fumble that preserved a win in Seattle. He mostly played special teams for the 49ers in 2012, recording a blocked punt in a blowout win over the Jets.

Grant's agent declined comment.

-- Matt Barrows

General manager Trent Baalke today said that defensive lineman Justin Smith has "no restrictions, no limitations" following February surgery to repair his triceps tendon and that both Smith and Aldon Smith will "be fine" for the upcoming season.

Aldon Smith had surgery to repair a labrum tear in late February.

"They might be a little conservative with it at this stage, which you'd expect them to be," Baalke said of Justin Smith. "Aldon's coming along as well. He's probably not as far along (as Justin Smith), but he's certainly getting back."

Asked if Justin Smith has returned to the weight room, a smile came across Baalke's face. "Oh yeah," he said. "Oh yeah."

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Baalke said that he and Nnamdi Asomugha had three meetings, including an Easter lunch, before the 49ers signed the veteran cornerback to a one-year deal. The purpose, Baalke said, was transparency.

No, the situation isn't exactly the same and the personalties involved are entirely different. But the 49ers acquisition of Nnamdi Asomugha this weeks feels a lot like their signing of Randy Moss a year ago.

Both players are former stars in their 30s who had all sorts of questions swirling about them and who felt like they had something to prove. "I've had a chip on my shoulder every year that I've played," Asomugha said Wednesday. "It's obviously bigger this year because of the adversity I went through in Philadelphia, but it's always been a part of my game."

More to the point, the 49ers have become the team players like Moss and Asomugha want to join, and that gives the 49ers leverage. Moss last year signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal. Asomugha's is even more low risk. He'll make $1.35 million in base salary if he makes the team. If he doesn't, the 49ers won't owe him anything.

We can argue about Moss' impact last season. He caught 28 passes for 434 yards and three touchdowns. What's beyond debate is that the 49ers ended up needing him. Injuries to Mario Manningham and Kyle Williams, as well as A.J. Jenkins' slow development, thrust Moss into the starting lineup late in the season and throughout the playoffs.

Colt McCoy says he has experience running the read option out of the shotgun, and he has the numbers to back him up. In four years at the University of Texas, McCoy rushed for 1,589 yards and scored 20 rushing touchdowns, and he finished second to Sam Bradford in Heisman Trophy voting in 2008.

Still, it's hard to imagine that McCoy (6-1, 220) would get the same play calls as Colin Kaepernick if he ever entered a game in Kaepernick's place. McCoy, who ran a very respectable 4.73-second 40-yard dash at the combine in 2010, hasn't had nearly the same success rushing in the NFL, albeit in offenses that didn't emphasize a rushing quarterback. He's run 93 times, averaging 3.9 yards and scoring one rushing touchdown. He's also fumbled 12 times, losing two of them.

Instead, the play calls likely would be similar to what Alex Smith received over the last two seasons. Smith also was a very good rusher in college - 1,072 yards, 15 rushing touchdowns in just two seasons - who wasn't nearly as prolific in the NFL. He has 761 rushing yards, four touchdowns and a 3.6-yard average over his career.

Said McCoy when asked about running with the 49ers: "The read option and the pistol - they've obviously done a great job with that with Colin (Kaepernick) and his skills, being able to run and pass, a dual threat. We did a lot of that when I was in in college. I feel capable of doing that. But, again, I need to spend some time in the playbook and get familiar with it first of all before we ever get out on the field."

- Matt Barrows

Appearing on NFL Total Access today, 49ers safety Donte Whitner estimated that the 49ers used man-to-man coverage 70 percent of the time last season. That's what makes Nnamdi Asomugha a "pretty good pickup" for San Francisco, Whitner said.

"In Philly, they played a lot of zone coverage," Whitner said. "When Nnamdi was in Oakland, they played a lot of press, man-to-man; let him get up there, use his long body, length and size to cover those wide receivers. If you look at our scheme, that's what we do. We play a lot of man - probably 70 percent man. He'll get up in a lot of wide receivers' faces and have an opportunity to use our pass rush, and let those guys work for him. I believe he'll come out and have a great year with us."

The question now is how Asomugha will be worked into the 49ers defense, which struggled during the playoffs but was one of the league's best in the regular season. The secondary finished tied for third in passing yards allowed per game and mostly snuffed out long pass plays by opponents. The 49ers gave up 19 passing touchdowns during the regular season. Only six teams allowed fewer.

"We have a young corner in Chris Culliver, veteran guys in Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers, and a great defensive coordinator in Vic Fangio," Whitner said. " If (Asomugha) comes in and really learns our defense, Vic will do everything that is possible to put all of those guys on the field to make plays at the same time."

The 49ers have struck a deal with veteran cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, a league source confirmed this afternoon. Asomugha, who played at Cal, who had his best NFL seasons while with the Raiders and who makes his offseason home in the Bay Area, will sign a no-risk, one-year deal with the 49ers.

He will have the most recognizable name of any of the 49ers' cornerbacks in 2013. However, his spot on the roster, and certainly the starting lineup, is not guaranteed. The contract is worth $1.35 million in base salary with no guaranteed money, meaning the 49ers could cut him with no future entanglements if they so desired. The deal is worth as much as $3 million if Asomugha meets specific incentives. The 49ers had a little more than $3 million in salary-cap space before Asomugha's signing. The team still has enough space to sign its draft class.

That modest salary is fine with Asomugha, who struck a five-year, $60 million deal with the Eagles two years ago and still is owed $4 million by Philadelphia this year. Money is not an issue for him.

Instead, Asomugha, 31, is eager to prove that he is not washed up and that his two painful seasons in Philadelphia were an aberration. According to those who know him, he wanted to join the 49ers to return to the Bay Area and because he felt the 49ers had an excellent shot at returning to the Super Bowl.

If Nnamdi Asomugha joined the 49ers, the cornerback is confident Jim Harbaugh and his staff would utilize his strengths and put him in a position to succeed.

This, according to Asomugha's good friend, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, who was on the same Raiders team as Asomugha and then assistant coach Harbaugh a decade ago. Even though Harbaugh coached offense at the time, Gbaja-Biamila said he was accessible to all players and that he struck up a good relationship with him and Asomugha.

"I know one thing is true - he can connect to players," said Gbaja-Biamila, who now works for the NFL Network. "Not every player may like his style, but I think you respect the fact that he's a former player and he gets it. He's not one of those guys who will have one of those coaching egos, saying, 'This is my way.' Players fit like puzzles, and I think he would know how to use Nnamdi like a puzzle piece, just to be the perfect fit. ... I think Nnamdi was just out of place in Philly."

Now a free agent, Asomugha currently has two offers - from San Francisco and New Orleans. He has been mulling them for more than two weeks. His decision appears to be this: Return to the Bay Area on a 49ers team that has an excellent shot at a Super Bowl but that doesn't have an opening already carved out for him, Or) Play for ex-Raiders coach Rob Ryan in New Orleans.

Kudos to Mike Sando - he works for some outfit called ESPN - for pointing out today something that's been in front of our noses all along but hasn't been fully articulated until now. The 49ers' 14 draft picks this year are valuable not just for filling current holes on the roster but for plugging future ones as well.

Sando notes that several big-name starters - such as Justin Smith and Donte Whitner - are under contract for just one more season. As Dashon Goldson's situation this month illustrates, the 49ers won't be able to hold onto everyone in coming years, especially with a potential mega deal for Colin Kaepernick on the horizon. That's why having 14 draft picks is such a boon to the 49ers right now and so crucial to sustaining success. It gives them the ability to plan for the future with relatively cheap labor.

Here are players scheduled to become free agents in 2014 along with some potential replacements in the draft. The 49ers also are likely to parlay some of the picks this year into even higher picks next year.

* WR Anquan Boldin. He said he'd be interested in extending his contract. If the 49ers are looking for another physical, big-bodied wide receiver in the draft, the best one is located up the road in Berkeley: Keenan Allen.

* CBs Tarell Brown and Tramaine Brock. In my view, Brown, 28, has been the most consistently good cornerback on the team over the last two seasons. Brock, who currently is a restricted free agent, always has been a favorite of GM Trent Baalke. The team has been looking at cornerbacks both in free agency, Nnamdi Asomugha, and the draft, David Amerson, Tyrann Mathieu, B.W. Webb among others. That is, it's a safe bet the 49ers will add at least one more cornerback to the mix by April 27.

The phone call that former West Virginia quarterback Pat White placed to Jim Harbaugh earlier this month hit the mark.

White flew into the Bay Area last night and was on the field throwing the ball with the 49ers coach this afternoon, a source confirmed. White is the only quarterback known to have visited the 49ers, who likely will add two to their offseason roster. The hope, at least from White's camp, is that the he signs with the 49ers before he departs.

White threw for 6,049 yards and had 56 touchdowns for the Mountaineers while rushing for 4,480 yards and 47 touchdowns, and in that way has at least some of the characteristics of the 49ers' starter, Colin Kaepernick.

White placed a call to Harbaugh after West Virginia's pro day earlier this month. White performed for scouts both at the West Virginia and Virginia Tech pro days.

"I pay attention to how his players react to Coach Harbaugh," White told USA Today over the weekend. "They all want to win for him. And he seems to treat them how they want to be treated. I'm excited to get to know him on that level -- if I do get that opportunity. I'm very optimistic about making it back to the NFL."

White, 27, was the 44th overall pick by the Dolphins in 2009 and has been out of football since the Dolphins released him at the end of training camp in 2010. The 6-0, 190-pound White attempted five passes his rookie season ion 2009. None of them were complete, he was sacked once and and he fumbled once. He also rushed 21 times for 81 yards.

White has been working with San Diego-based quarterback coach George Whitfield in an effort to spark an NFL comeback.

The 49ers, meanwhile, have just two quarterbacks on the roster at the moment - Kaepernick and Scott Tolzien. Josh Johnson, who spent the 2012 offseason in Santa Clara, signed with the Bengals last week.

-- Matt Barrows

Yes, Jim Harbaugh and Pat White spoke on the phone earlier this month. But the 49ers' interest in the former West Virginia quarterback may not be quite as strong as previously supposed.

According to a source with knowledge of the conversation, it was White who, at the prompting of his agent, placed the call to Harbaugh, not the other way around. White hasn't thrown an NFL pass since he was released by the Dolphins at the close of the 2010 preseason. He's taken part in recent pro days at West Virginia and Virginia Tech in an effort to spark new interest.

White told USA Today that he hoped to work out in front of Harbaugh and the 49ers coaches.

The Dolphins drafted White in the second round in 2009 when Bill Parcells ran Miami's personnel department. Parcells has since said he regretted the pick. "He just wasn't a prototypical quarterback pick," Parcells told the Miami Herald in 2011. "He was a great college player, and we let that color our judgment."

Parcells, meanwhile, gave 49ers GM Trent Baalke his first NFL scouting job with the Jets, and Parcells has remained a mentor for Baalke.

The 49ers likely will add two more to the roster for training camp. So far, however, there's been little buzz as far as free-agent quarterbacks and none are known to have made visits to Santa Clara. The 49ers reportedly were one of the teams initially interested in Matt Hasselbeck when he was released by Tennessee last week. Hasselbeck, of course, quickly was snapped up by the Colts to be Andrew Luck's backup. Another veteran quarterback, Carson Palmer, may become available if the Raiders part ways with Palmer due to his hefty salary.

The team never showed any interest in Josh Johnson, who spent the 2012 offseason with the 49ers. Johnson last week signed with the Bengals.

-- Matt Barrows

A quarterback who can gobble up yards on the ground as well as through the air? Before Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick made headlines, Pat White was well-known for his versatility at West Virginia.

Now it appears as if White, who threw for 6,049 yards and had 56 touchdowns for the Mountaineers while rushing for 4,480 yards and 47 touchdowns, will at least get a tryout to be one of Kaepernick's backups. White told USA Today on Sunday that he's spoken to Jim Harbaugh by phone and that the 49ers coach is interested in flying him out to Santa Clara for a workout. No date has been set.

"I pay attention to how his players react to Coach Harbaugh," White told the newspaper. "They all want to win for him. And he seems to treat them how they want to be treated. I'm excited to get to know him on that level -- if I do get that opportunity. I'm very optimistic about making it back to the NFL.

White, 27, was the 44th overall pick by the Dolphins in 2009 and has been out of football since the Dolphins released him at the end of training camp in 2010. The 6-0, 190-pound White attempted five passes his rookie season ion 2009. None of them were complete, he was sacked once and and he fumbled once. He also rushed 21 times for 81 yards.

White has been working with San Diego-based quarterback coach George Whitfield in an effort to spark an NFL comeback.

The 49ers, meanwhile, have just two quarterbacks on the roster at the moment - Kaepernick and Scott Tolzien. Josh Johnson, who spent the 2012 offseason in Santa Clara, signed with the Bengals last week. Asked about possible additions to the quarterback depth chart earlier this month, Harbaugh declined to talk about specific names.

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers are not finished shopping for a defensive lineman.

A league source confirmed the team is battling the Chicago Bears for free agent defensive lineman Israel Idonije. The 32-year-old lineman started 11 games last season as a defensive end in Chicago's 4-3 defense, finishing with 48 tackles and a solid 7 ½ sacks. NFL.com was first to report the 49ers' interest. Idonije had a half sack in a 32-7 loss to San Francisco this past season.

San Francisco presumably is looking at the 6-6, 275-pounder to play defensive end in its 3-4 scheme. It's a position the 49ers have been examining during the offseason having already looked at Cullen Jenkins and Desmond Bryant, who ended up signing with the Giants and Browns respectively.

The team's interest in linemen could signal more platooning along the defensive front than occurred in 2011 and 2012 when the starters - when healthy - played virtually every snap. The 49ers' pass rush waned late in the season and into the playoffs.

Through Week 14, the 49ers had 35 sacks, an average of 2.5 per game. After that, they averaged 1.4 sacks per game. Week 14, of course, is when defensive end Justin Smith tore his triceps tendon. He didn't have any sacks in the playoffs and neither did linemate Aldon Smith, who apparently was dealing with a labrum injury at the time.

-- Matt Barrows

For the second time in his career, Charles Woodson isn't feeling the free-agency love. In fact, the Packers free-agent safety today said he felt "shunned."

"I thought there would be a little more interest," Woodson, 36, said on the NFL Network. "I think that, looking back, this is my second time in free agency and I've kind a been shunned both times. I guess this time around I'm a little more patient with it, and just waiting around to see what happens."

Woodson's only reported free-agent visit took place on Thursday with the 49ers. The visitation circuit in general has been quiet in recent days since nearly every head coach and general manager has been in Phoenix for the annual owners meeting. That meeting ended today.

The 49ers are still keeping their options open as far as Woodson, but he is not a pressing need for them after the team signed safety Craig Dahl to a three-year deal. Dahl said he expected to compete for Dashon Goldson's former spot at free safety. Woodson has said he wants to play for a playoff contender.

There's one thing, however, that has Woodson elated. The infamous 'Tuck Rule' was eliminated today. "Hallelujah," he said.

***UPDATE*** Another veteran safety, Ed Reed, has agreed to a deal with the Texans, CBS Sports was the first to report.

-- Matt Barrows

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night ...

General manager Trent Baalke today cited Phil Dawson's bad-weather prowess as one of the reasons why the 49ers thought so highly of the 14-year kicker and why the team signed him to a one-year deal. Indeed, Dawson spent his career kicking on the shores of Lake Erie and in other nearby cities - Pittsburgh, for instance - where the weather turns nasty starting in the late fall.

He hasn't, however, had a lot of practice inside Candlestick Park. Dawson, in fact, is 1-2 in two appearances in San Francisco in 2011 and 2003. One of the questions he asked team officials during his recent visit was weather the stadium was accessible in the offseason. The answer is yes, and Dawson said he'd monitor the weather reports as soon as he brings his family to the Bay Area.

"And when it's supposed to be bad days, you can find me in there," he said. "Because I want to get in there and I want to start hitting balls and I want to see what's going on and get a game plan. That's part of my job. I don't necessarily have an opponent across the line of scrimmage I have to study and be prepared for but I do need to know the conditions I'm going to face."

The 49ers today signed Sacramento native Marlon Moore as they continue to rebuild a special teams that lapsed last season. Moore, who was a Dolphins free agent, signed a one-year deal.

The speedy Moore, 25, plays wide receiver, but he said he expected his initial impact would come on San Francisco's coverage units. He mostly served as a gunner on special teams in Miami, and he could pair with standout C.J. Spillman in that role.

Moore also started two games at receiver last season for the Dolphins, finishing the year with six catches - he averaged an impressive 19.3 yards a reception - and a touchdown. He also ran back two kickoffs for 51 yards.

The 6-foot, 190-pound wideout went from Natomas High to Fresno State where he handled 19 punts. He returned one of them 63 yards for a touchdown in 2008. He finished his career as a Bulldog with 90 catches for 1,374 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The 49ers are not expected to retain return man Ted Ginn, who has made free-agent visits to Cincinnati and Carolina. Moore said he's mostly been used on coverage units with the Dolphins but that he has experience as a returner and would jump at the possibility to do that with the 49ers.

"I'm coming in here with an open mind, and I'm ready to work for whatever need they want me to fill," he said on a conference call.

The 49ers today agreed to a deal with veteran kicker Phil Dawson, who tied for second in field-goal accuracy this past season and was named to his first Pro Bowl. Dawson, 38, broke the news himself on his Twitter account: "I am humbled & thrilled to have the opportunity to continue my career with my new team, the SF 49ers!" He had spent his first 14 seasons with the Browns.

Earlier this month, the 49ers parted ways with David Akers, 38, after Akers went through the roughest season of his career. He made only 69 percent of his field goals and blew potential game winners in two overtime games against the Rams. Akers, who struggled with a sports hernia during the second half of the season, was particularly bad from beyond 40 yards, hitting only 9-19 from that distance.

Dawson, meanwhile, was 13-13 from 40 yards and beyond (including 7-7 beyond 50 yards). Overall, he was good on 93.5 percent of his attempts for the Browns, which tied for second place among full-time NFL kickers. Dawson missed just two field goals last year -- a 28-yard attempt against the Raiders that was blocked and a 39-yard try that went wide right in Week 17 in Pittsburgh where it was 18 degrees wind chill with 12 mph winds.

Dawson is familiar to special teams coach Brad Seely, who coached him for two seasons (2009-10) in Cleveland. Dawson is right footed while Akers is a lefty. That will require holder Andy Lee to switch sides, something the athletic Lee has not had a problem doing over his career.

The length of the Dawson's deal is not yet known.

-- Matt Barrows

****UPDATE**** The Titans today announced the release of veteran Matt Hasselbeck. The 49ers tried to sign the 14-year veteran in 2011. ESPN reported that the 49ers are one of several teams that have shown initial interest in Hasselbeck, 37. The others are: Arizona, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, New Orleans, the Giants and Tampa.

****UPDATE II***** Hasselbeck is reportedly close to a deal with the Colts.

Who will join Colin Kaepernick and Scott Tolzien on the 49ers' quarterback depth chart in 2013? So far, the answer is unknown. The quarterback market has been mostly quiet during free agency, and it's likely to remain so early in the week while owners, coaches and general managers are at the annual league meeting in Phoenix. (One free-agent QBs, Ryan Fitzpatrick, also is in Phoenix; he's reportedly met with the Titans and Bengals).

A year ago, the 49ers signed former Jim Harbaugh protege Josh Johnson, and he spent the offseason in Santa Clara. I spoke to Johnson today, who said he hadn't personally heard from the 49ers. He's visited the Bengals and said "a couple more teams" had expressed interest though he had no visits scheduled as of now. Last year he visited the 49ers and the Redskins. He was picked up by the Browns in late December.

Johnson, who also played for the UFL's Sacramento Mountain Lions last year, said he wouldn't rule out the 49ers despite the fact they chose Tolzien over him at the end of the exhibition season. "It just depends on the situation," he said. "I'm just trying to find the best fit."

Another name that has been linked to the 49ers is Tyler Thigpen. The Coastal Carolina quarterback has been working out alongside Kaepernick and a few other 49ers - including wideout A.J. Jenkins - at CES Performance in Atlanta since mid February. Thigpen has two criteria that Harbaugh holds most dear in a quarterback - he's ultra competitive and he has good athleticism.

-- Bye Nnamdi! Sorry you couldn't play for food stamps! Our origination is so cheap it's unbelievable!!

-- He's not signing here,49ers too cheap..Craig Dahl terrible sign if a starter, white guys don't do well as DB's this isn't 1950

-- I am assuming both Baalke & Pope Harbaugh are aware that free agency period started already! Craig Dahl???

Jeeze-Louise, Trent Baalke sure has been taking it on the chin the last few days, as the preceding comments -- just a smattering from that destroyer of the English language, Twitter -- indicate. In fact, the last time this many 49ers fans thought their general manager was an idiot was 2011. You remember, right?

It was quite similar to the current free-agency period. A few days in, the 49ers had lost several of their own players, including center David Baas. While other teams were reeling in prized free agents left and right, showing them off at press conferences and getting all sorts of kudos on ESPN, the 49ers' only signing was a kicker, David Akers.

Most infuriating to fans, the 49ers had shown some interest in the biggest, most seductive catch of all, can't-miss cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, but backed off the hunt. The Eagles ended up signing him to a massive, five-year deal.

"What are the 49ers doing?!" the fans railed while pulling out their hair, shaking their fists at the heavens, threatening to jump from bridges. "Every other team is getting better! Our team is getting worse!" (Except it was punctuated poorly and every other word was misspelled).

Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, whose first free-agent visit was with the 49ers, also will drop by the New Orleans Saints. Asomugha is on his way to New Orleans tonight and will meet with team officials Sunday, according to a league source. Asomugha was at his best when he was with the Raiders under defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Ryan is now the defensive coordinator for the Saints.

Asomugha, 31, met with the 49ers Thursday and had a physical that night. The next day, one of his former teammates with the Raiders (and one of his best friends), Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, tweeted that the cornerback and the team were in "serious discussions." Gbaja-Biamila, who now works for the NFL Network, hinted at a Bay Area reunion for both Asomugha and former Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson, whom the 49ers have been considering to play safety.

On Sunday, Gbaja-Biamila tweeted that the 49ers' negoations with Woodson and Asomugha were in a "holding pattern." "Despite the crazy week," he wrotes, "not EVERY deal is done in 1 day."

The 49ers Saturday signed another safety, Craig Dahl. His three-year, $5 million deal (with an $800,000 signing bonus) does not preclude the 49ers from signing Woodson, but it also means the 49ers are not desperate to add him.

Asomugha, meanwhile, has other suitors. The Cardinals, Texans and Broncos also have shown interest. Asomugha's New Orleans visit first was reported by CSN Bay Area.

-- Matt Barrows

One day after his visit to Santa Clara, Rams free-agent safety Craig Dahl inked a three-year, $5 million deal with the 49ers.

"It's not the enemy anymore," said Dahl, whose familiarity with the division was attractive to the 49ers. "... I was privileged to play in the NFC West, and I'm really familiar with what's going on here in San Francisco, and the direction they're heading. I couldn't be happier with the opportunity I've been given."

Dahl said he hoped to "mesh well in the secondary and fill the void" created when Dashon Goldson signed a five-year deal with the Buccaneers earlier this week. Dahl also plays the same punt-coverage position that Goldson handled for the 49ers the last two seasons.

After meeting with Charles Woodson and flirting with Ed Reed -- both of them likely hall of famers -- the team went with a far more anonymous safety. Dahl, 27, started all 16 games last season in St. Louis, finishing with 78 tackles, two pass break ups and an interception. He's started 40 games in the last four years in St. Louis.

One safety exits, another enters.

The 49ers will host Rams free-agent safety Craig Dahl, according to Howard Balzer of the Sports Xchange. Dahl, 27, started all 16 games last season in St. Louis, finishing with 78 tackles, two pass break ups and an interception. The 6-1, 212 pounder played at North Dakota State, which is where 49ers general manager Trent Baalke used to be an assistant coach. Dahl was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Giants ain 2007.

That news comes on the heels of Louis Delmas signing a two-year deal to return to the Lions. Delmas visited the Rams and the 49ers before returning to Detroit. The 49ers still are considering veteran safety Charles Woodson, who visited the team facility on Wednesday. They also are still in play for Ravens free-agent safety Ed Reed, who ended his visit with the Texans Friday without a deal.

As has been the case in recent years, the 49ers do not make free-agent decisions quickly and they usually let the market soften before signing a player. There are still many safeties available, and the 49ers will use that to their advantage.

-- Matt Barrows

A former Raiders teammate of Nnamdi Asomugha and Charles Woodson is hinting strongly of a Bay Area reunion.

Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, who played alongside Asomugha and Woodson in Oakland from 2003-04 and who now works for the NFL Network, tweeted early Friday that the 49ers are in "serious discussion" with both players. Woodson met with Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers on Wednesday; Asomugha arrived Thursday afternoon.

Update: The @49ers are n serious discussion w/Asomugha and Charles Woodson. Reuniting these 2 in the 2ndary is a major upgrade. #FreeAgency

— Akbar Gbajabiamila (@Akbar_Gbaja) March 15, 2013

San Francisco is looking at Woodson, 36, as a 2013 replacement for free safety Dashon Goldson, who signed a five-year deal with Tampa Bay earlier this week. Harbaugh on Thursday said the two sides had a good meeting - Harbaugh and Woodson, both University of Michigan products, have hosted a charity golf outing together - and that the team was "still evaluating" the veteran defensive back.

A 49ers team that finished second to last in the NFL in kickoff coverage last season signed a new, would-be special teams ace, Dan Skuta, today to a two-year deal. Skuta, a 250-pound inside linebacker, led the Bengals in special teams tackles in two of the last three seasons.

The 49ers had one of the best coverage units in the league in 2011, one that was led by energetic and charismatic Blake Costanzo. The 49ers, however, allowed Costanzo to sign with the Bears in free agency a year ago, and their 2012 special teams units weren't the same.

They surrendered an average of 26.9 yards per kickoff - only the Raiders were worse - in the regular season. That number doesn't include the postseason, which was marked by a Super Bowl record 108-yard touchdown return by Ravens returner Jacoby Jones to open the second half.

Some of the team's struggles can be attributed to kicker David Akers' relative flat kickoffs, which gave returners extra time to build up speed. Akers dealt with a sports hernia during the second half of the season and had a procedure last month. Two special teams players, inside linebackers Larry Grant and Tavares Gooden, also are free agents.

Skuta was one of three free agents the 49ers hosted Thursday. The group included ex Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, who left the team facility without a deal but who could sign one Friday. The former Cal star hit the open market this week after being cut by the Eagles. Asomugha was the biggest catch in the 2011 free-agent period, and Philadelphia landed him that year with a five-year, $60 million deal. That contract, however, became far too unwieldy, especially after Asomugha, 31, failed to play to expectations.

Looking for a tall cornerback to help with the big-bodied receivers who gave them fits in the playoffs, the 49ers will host ex-Raider and Eagle Nnamdi Asomugha today, a league source said. The long-limbed, 6-2 Asomugha was perhaps the league's best cornerback when he played press coverage for the Raiders, but he struggled in the Eagles' more diverse scheme and was released earlier this week.

The 49ers showed interest in Asomugha, 31, when he was a free agent two years ago. However, he never visited 49ers headquarters like he will do today. This is believed to be his first visit, which always is an indication of strong mutual interest between team and free agent.

San Francisco also promises to be a better fit for Asomugha. The 49ers play sides when it comes to their cornerbacks -- one either plays on the left or right side and doesn't switch during the game. They also like to play press coverage, although there is plenty of the zone schemes that seemed to vex Asomugha in Philadelphia as well.

The Saints, Texans, Broncos and Cardinals also are eyeing Asomugha, who played at Cal, CBS Sports reported Wednesday.

The 49ers also had shown interest in 6-3 Miami free-agent cornerback Sean Smith, but that has cooled since the start of free agency on Tuesday.

The 49ers are looking at another former Raider, safety Charles Woodson. He visited the team facility Wednesday, but no deal has been struck. Another safety, Louis Delmas, is due to visit the team facility today, ESPN Adam Schefter first reported Wednesday.

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers didn't roll out the red carpet for Glenn Dorsey. They sent defensive line coach Jim Tomsula to pick him up at the airport.

And that was plenty.

"He's got a lot of energy, man," said Dorsey, a free-agent defensive lineman who signed a two-year deal with the 49ers Wednesday that's worth as much as $7 million. "He picked me up from the airport last night and he was talking 100 miles per hour. And I was ready, man. He took me to the facility last night and we talked about a lot of stuff. And he knows a lot. I'm excited to get the opportunity to work with him."

Dorsey, 27, is expected to step in at nose tackle after the 49ers lost their starter from the last two seasons, Isaac Sopoaga, to the Eagles on Tuesday. Another 49ers free-agent lineman, Ricky Jean Francois, wrapped up his own visit with the Eagles Wednesday and will meet with the Colts today, his agent said.

Dorsey (6-1, 297) was the fifth overall draft pick in 2008, and his five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs did not produce many accolades. He has only four sacks over that span, and he missed most of the 2012 season with a calf injury. Still, he didn't see himself as a disappointment, and he sounded eager to join a winning club like the 49ers.

After watching several of their free-agents sign big-money deals elsewhere, the 49ers on Wednesday reeled in one themselves - former Chiefs defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey. Dorsey, 27, is expected to mostly play nose tackle for the 49ers after the team lost last year's starter, Isaac Sopoaga, to the Eagles in free agency. Another 49ers lineman, Ricky Jean Francois, also has drawn interest from the Eagles and will visit the Colts on Thursday.

Dorsey has played defensive end in the Chiefs' 3-4 scheme but he said he'd have no problem moving to nose tackle with the 49ers. "I'm ok with everything," he said in a conference call. "Whatever coaches want me to do, honestly. I knew coming here that I can play anywhere. Wherever they see fit. I'll try my best at that position."

Dorsey signed a two-year deal with the 49ers. "We are very pleased to add Glenn to our team," general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. "Glenn brings great versatility to our defensive front, and we look forward to his contributions on the field and in the community."

Dorsey flew into the Bay Area last night and met with defensive line coach Jim Tomsula and others today. Like both Jean Francois and Sopoaga, Dorsey can play multiple position in a 3-4 front. He was a defensive end last season for the Chiefs before a calf injury knocked him out for the season.

Meanwhile, the 49ers lost free-agent safety Dashon Goldson to the Buccaneers. Goldson long had been seeking a deal similar to the $8 million-a-year contract the Chargers gave Eric Weddle two years ago. He surpassed that mark with Tampa Bay, getting a five-year deal worth as much as $41.25 million (avg. of $8.25 million), including $22 million guaranteed. The 49ers will play the Buccaneers in the upcoming season.

A possible replacement for Goldson is ex-Raider and ex-Packer Charles Woodson, who is currently visiting the team. Another free-agent safety, LaRon Landry, will visit on Thursday if he can't reach a deal with the team he is currently visiting, Indianapolis. Landry has other suitors while Woodson is looking at five other teams, all of them would-be playoff contenders, his agent said Tuesday.

-- Matt Barrows

Safety LaRon Landry will visit the 49ers on Thursday if the team he's visiting today, the Colts, doesn't sign him to a deal, a league source said. Landry, 28, is a younger alternative than the safety with whom the 49ers are meeting today, Charles Woodson, 36, but he'd likely be more expensive, too.

Landry also has other suitors, which are believed to be the Cardinals and the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay's first choice at safety is 49ers' free agent Dashon Goldson, and the two sides reportedly are negotiating a deal. ****UPDATE**** The Buccaneers and Goldson have agreed to terms on a five-year deal.

Meanwhile, Chiefs free-agent defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey is currently meeting with 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula and others in Santa Clara. The 49ers lost starting nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga to the Eagles and are in danger of seeing another nose tackle, Ricky Jean Francois, go as well. Dorsey was miscast as a defensive end in a 3-4 system with the Chiefs. It's unknown how he feels about playing nose tackle in the 49ers' defense.

And as far as Miami free-agent cornerback Sean Smith ... The 49ers showed interest in the big (6-3, 218-pound) cornerback in the run-up to free agency, but they are not believed to be one of the teams hotly pursuing Smith now. Astute 49ers followers might recall that this is how the team approached the cornerback market in 2011: They expressed interest in several top names, waited until the market had cooled and then snagged Carlos Rogers.

-- Matt Barrows

Likely to lose starting safety Dashon Goldson, the 49ers are bringing in possible replacements, including longtime Raiders and Packers defensive back Charles Woodson, who will visit Wednesday, his agent said. The 15-year veteran will turn 37 in October, and he missed half the 2012 season with a broken collarbone.

However, he played well in the games in which he appeared. He had five tackles, 1 ½ sacks and a forced fumble in a Week 1 loss to the 49ers. Overall in his career -- he mostly played cornerback -- Woodson has 55 interceptions, 11 of which he returned for touchdowns. He was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 2009.

The 49ers also have shown interest in Jets free agent LaRon Landry, who is similar in size and aggressiveness to Goldson. The Buccaneers reportedly sent a private plane to California to pick up Goldson. It would be a surprise at this point if he returns to the 49ers, who have been reluctant to give him a long-term deal for the past three offseasons.

Woodson has a couple of significant connections on the 49ers. A University of Michigan product, he's hosted an annual golf tournament in Ann Arbor, Mich. with Jim Harbaugh. he's also close to 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers. A source close to Woodson on Tuesday said the defensive back is eyeing several would-be playoff teams and hopes the 49ers "step up" as far as a contract offer. He said Woodson wants to play with a contender in 2013.

Woodson played the first eight years of his career with the Raiders, who hold their training camp in Napa. He has a winery, 24 Wines, that's 2 1/2 miles south of Calistoga.

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers, who are at risk of losing free-agent safety Dashon Goldson this week, are one of four teams looking at Jets free agent safety LaRon Landry, a league source confirmed today. The team's interest in Landry, 28, was first reported by NFL.com's Ian Rappaport, who wrote that the Cardinals and Buccaneers also are in the mix for Landry. Tampa Bay also is interested in Goldson.

Landry (6-0, 220) is similar to Goldson in that he is aggressive and has a reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the league. The former first-round pick finished the 2012 season with 100 tackles and forced four fumbles. He had two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Landry was voted to his first Pro Bowl this past season.

The 49ers also have been linked to Baltimore's Ed Reed, who is 34 and nearing the end of his career. There has been no interest to this point in former Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson, who was released last week.

-- Matt Barrows

****Update**** In addition to Bryant, the 49ers also have shown interest in another FA defender, Washington LB Lorenzo Alexander.

The 49ers are one of the teams interested in Raiders defensive lineman Desmond Bryant, his agent confirmed today. Bryant (6-6, 311 pounds) played defensive tackle for the Raiders, but a better position for him may be defensive end in a 3-4 scheme like the 49ers run. The 49ers are one of 10 teams to have inquired about the 27-year-old lineman. (SF's advantage: He wouldn't have to move).

San Francisco obviously is interested in adding to its defensive front. The 49ers met with free agent Cullen Jenkins last week - he has since signed with the Giants - and also are one of several teams eying ex-Falcon John Abraham. The 49ers did not do much rotating among their front four defenders in 2011 and 2012, something that seemed to work against them late in the most recent season.

In addition, top backup Ricky Jean Francois appears to be on his way out. He has drawn interest from the Eagles, Colts, Titans and Saints among others and will make visits this week. Another lineman, Isaac Sopoaga, is a free agent as well and also could find a new home on a squad that uses a nose tackle more than the 49ers.

Bryant, meanwhile, started eight games for the Raiders last year and finished with four sacks, 26 tackles and a forced fumble. The Harvard product got into trouble last month in South Florida where he was arrested on charges of criminal mischief. Bryant allegedly was inebriated and went into a neighbor's house.

Teams can begin scheduling visits with free agents like Bryant when the league year begins at 1 p.m.

- Matt Barrows

Their division rival Seahawks are poised to make a big move on offense by trading for wideout Percy Harvin. How will the 49ers react?

According to a league source, they are among the teams showing the most interest in Dolphins pending free agent cornerback Sean Smith, 25, who promises to be one of the most sought-after cornerbacks on the market. Smith, who is from Pasadena, was a second-round draft pick out of Utah in 2009.

At 6-3, 218 pounds, Smith won't be charged with covering the speedy Harvin. But he'd be a good matchup against Seattle's Sydney Rice, Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald and the big-bodied receivers the 49ers had trouble covering in the playoffs and Super Bowl. Smith also has fared well against tight ends, such as New Orleans' Jimmy Graham.

The 49ers are expected to have a good salary-cap cushion heading into free agency. It's not known how they would accommodate Smith in a secondary that already has Carlos Rogers, Tarell Brown and Chris Culliver. The Eagles, Buccaneers, Chiefs and Raiders also are expected to make a push for Smith, but the 49ers are considered one of the favorites - if not the favorite - to land him. The free-agency period begins Tuesday at 1 p.m.

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers, who need a punt returner and a wide receiver, are interested in a player who can do both, the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports.

A league source told the paper that the 49ers are one of five teams that have inquired about Browns returner Josh Cribbs, who was second in the league with 457 yards on punt returns in 2012. One of the 49ers' punt returners from last season, Ted Ginn, is a free agent who is not expected back, while the other, Kyle Williams, is returning from an ACL tear.

Cribbs, 29, has good size at 6-1, 215 pounds and has proven durable over his career. He had a career-high 41 receptions in 2011 but had only seven for 63 yards last season as the Browns worked young wideouts into their offense. Presumably, he would welcome a bigger role on offense with the 49ers, who like multi-faceted players and who currently have question marks at the wide receiver spot opposite Michael Crabtree.

Cribbs also is familiar to 49ers special teams coach Brad Seely, who coached Cribbs for two seasons in Cleveland. (Seely might be a connection to another Browns free agent, kicker Phil Dawson).

Randy Moss, who finished the 2012 as the team's No. 2 wideout, Tweeted his farewell to the team last month. Another candidate, Mario Manningham, is coming off a late-season ACL tear. Last year's first-round pick, A.J. Jenkins, gained little experience as a rookie but is doing his part to establish a connection with quarterback Colin Kaepernick this offseason.

-- Matt Barrows

Five teams have called to ask about Ricky Jean Francois, the 49ers' defensive lineman who is scheduled to become a free agent on Tuesday. Jean Francois' agent, Thomas Kleine, declined to say which teams have inquired, but he said they represent teams that run both 4-3 and 3-4 defenses.

He said the 49ers still are interested in re-signing the 26-year-old lineman and that they called at 1:30 a.m. (EDT) to gauge the competition for Jean Francois. The NFL this year is a allowing a 72-hour window in which teams can contact the agents of pending unrestricted free agents like Jean Francois. That window opened at midnight eastern today.

Jean Francois (6-3, 295) can begin visiting teams on Tuesday. He mostly played nose tackle at the beginning of the 2012 season but started two games at right defensive end in San Francisco's 3-4 scheme after Justin Smith suffered a torn triceps Dec. 16. He can play any defensive line position in a 3-4 scheme and presumably is being eyed as a defensive tackle by some 4-3 teams.

Former Falcons defensive end John Abraham is scheduled to visit the 49ers after a meeting with the Seahawks today, writes Mike Garafolo of USA Today. Abraham (6-4, 263) has been a 4-3 defensive end throughout his career but projects to outside linebacker - who moves to defensive end in passing situations - in the 49ers' 3-4 scheme.

The Falcons released Abraham, 34, last week in a cost-cutting move after a season in which he started 15 games and finished with 10 sacks. Abraham hasn't had any fewer than 9 ½ sacks in his last three seasons with Atlanta. Meanwhile, the 49ers are happy with their two starters at outside linebacker - Aldon Smith and Ahmad Brooks - but there is a sense that Smith, at least, wore down at the end of the season when he was dealing with a shoulder injury.

Smith finished with 19 ½ sacks and was named the team's MVP. Brooks finished with 6 ½ sacks and played well in the NFC Championship game - against Atlanta - and in the Super Bowl. He also intercepted a pass for a touchdown Nov. 25 against New Orleans.

The 49ers also have Parys Haralson, who is returning from a triceps tear, on the roster at outside linebacker, as well as 2012 rookies Darius Fleming and Cam Johnson. Veteran Clark Haggans is a pending free agent. He had surgery to repair a partially torn labrum after the season.

It's not known whether the Seahawks will push to sign Abraham before he leaves today. A four-time Pro Bowler, Abraham needs 6½ more sacks to become one of the NFL's Top 10 all-time sack leaders.

-- Matt Barrows