San Francisco 49ers could find free agency bargain in Minnesota Vikings edge rusher D.J. Wonnum

With the NFL on the cusp of a new league year, the 32 teams should have their free agency plans essentially set in stone. 

There have already been signings of players who were cut before the start of the negotiating window, along with plenty of whispers around what certain teams may look to do when they are allowed to start talking to free agents at 12pm ET on Monday.

There hasn't been much chatter as yet about the San Francisco 49ers and their potential plans for the edge position. They would reportedly like to keep Chase Young around, while it makes sense that Clelin Ferrell will be back for another year after seeing a strong season ended before the playoffs by an ACL injury in Week 18.

I've already looked at three potential external signings in Dorance Armstrong, Josh Uche and Marcus Davenport. Now let's examine the possibility of the Niners bringing in one of that trio's 2023 teammates.

D.J. Wonnum should be a free agent option for the 49ers

Davenport could be a potential target for the 49ers because his injury history and up and down production will likely make the opportunity cost of acquiring him low.

That should not be the case for Wonnum, who is coming off an impressive 2023 season in which he matched his production from 2021, racking up eight sacks and 15 quarterback hits.

The numbers — 20 sacks and 40 quarterback hits — Wonnum has put up in the last three seasons would certainly encourage any free agent suitor, and the Niners should certainly be intrigued by his athletic profile and by the manner in which he has delivered that production.

Ticking all the boxes

Wonnum ticks every box for a 49ers pass rusher when it comes to his physical attributes. 

A fourth-round pick of the Vikings in 2020, Wonnum received an A to Z Sports athletic composite score of 81.9% for his Combine workout that year, with his burst score of 89.7% reflective of the traits he possesses that the 49ers value highly.

Explosiveness off the snap is a pre-requisite for San Francisco pass rushers and Wonnum indicated he would excel in that area before he even entered the league, posting a vertical leap of 34.5in (81st percentile) and a broad jump of 10.25in (92nd percentile) during his workout.