San Francisco 49ers free agency 2020: Top 5 targets

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to avoid the pressure from Chris Jones #95 of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 28: Michael Bennett #79 of the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

4. DE Michael Bennett (Dallas Cowboys)

San Francisco 49ers’ general manager John Lynch certainly has his share of key decisions to make when it comes to keeping the defending NFC champion as together as possible. Arguably, the main focus is on three key performers in safety Jimmie Ward (more on him later), wide receiver Emanuel Sanders and defensive end Arik Armstead.

In the case of the latter, the team stands the chance of not only losing their top sack artist from a year ago but breaking up a quintet of defensive linemen all selected in the first round of their respective drafts.

The ground includes not only Armstead (10) but DeForest Buckner (7.5), Solomon Thomas (2), 2019 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Nick Bosa (9) and one-time Kansas City Chiefs’ first-rounder Dee Ford (6.5), obtained via trade last offseason. Those five players combined for 35 of the team’s 48 quarterback traps.

The addition of Bosa jumpstarted a group that with the exception of Buckner (and Ford, who joined the team in 2019 via trade) had not put up a lot of big numbers in previous seasons with the franchise.

Regardless, the dilemma remains. Will Lynch re-sign Armstead or perhaps slap the franchise tag on him to buy some time? Yes, defensive end Michael Bennett has a lot of football under his belt and will be 35 years old in mid-November. But he’s also accumulated 69.5 sacks in 11 seasons with five different franchises and is postseason savvy as well.

Next: No. 3