San Francisco has been choosy with its NFL free agency moves during this 2025 offseason as the franchise has been content to get younger and let pricier, veteran free agents walk and come off the books.
In many ways, it’s been a reset button of an offseason thus far for the 49ers. Per Over The Cap, San Francisco has the most dead money in the NFL at $77.8 million.
Still, it hasn’t been devoid of moves. The 49ers found their backup quarterback in former New England Patriots signal-caller Mac Jones and added a veteran wide receiver in former Los Angeles Ram Demarcus Robinson.
Not every move has been lauded, though. Pro Football Focus shared its least favorite NFL free agency move by the 49ers, tabbing San Francisco’s signing of tight end Luke Farrell for that dubious distinction.
While blocking may be optional for some tight ends in the modern game, it’s not for Farrell, who has made his living there. He earned an 82.6 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2024 across just 49 pass sets. His run-blocking metrics, however, are much more inconsistent. He produced a 61.9 PFF run-blocking grade in 2024 but just a 49.6 mark in 2023. – Mason Cameron, Pro Football Focus.
Farrell arrives in The Bay after spending the first four seasons of his career in Jacksonville. The Jaguars selected Farrell with the 145th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft.
A 6-foot-5, 250 pound tight end, Farrell has caught just 36 passes for 318 yards in his career. But, if Farrell is tasked primarily with helping spell star San Francisco tight end George Kittle, then maybe it can be a nice match for both parties.
Farrell signed a three-year, $20.25 million deal with San Francisco. An Ohio State alum, Farrell joins a group of reserve tight ends that also includes Brayden Willis and Jake Tonges.
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