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The 10 best free agent signings in 49ers history

Picking out the best free agents in 49ers’ history is a daunting exercise.

It’s where Lombardi Trophy nostalgia intersects with risk-reward payoffs. It’s also worth revisiting because free agency arrives again in two weeks. Spending money wisely might never be more necessary, thanks to a reduced salary cap and a need to sprinkle in key veterans for another Super Bowl shot.

Here are which free agents paid off best for the 49ers, dating back the past 30 years:

1. Deion Sanders (1994) This Hall of Fame cornerback won NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and his first Super Bowl ring in his lone season as a 49er. Paid $1.1 million, Sanders high-stepped his way to All-Pro honors, returned three of his six interceptions for touchdowns, and exited the 49ers with an interception in their most recent Super Bowl win (before he defected to Dallas).

2. Justin Smith (2008) After seven years toiling on the Cincinnati Bengals, Smith flourished his next seven on the 49ers. They wooed him with a helicopter ride with Mike Nolan over the Bay Area, late-night beers with defensive coordinator Greg Manusky and, of course, money (six years, $45 million). Smith’s blue-collar ethic and “Cowboy” aura were huge. He earned All-Pro as both a defensive tackle and defensive end to help key 2011-13 playoff runs before his 2015 retirement.

3. Tim McDonald (1993) With Ronnie Lott gone, McDonald swooped in to run the defense at the advent of unrestricted free agency in 1993. His phenomenal leadership went beyond being a hard-hitting safety. He made three straight Pro Bowls (1993-95) and partnered so magically with Merton Hanks.

4. Ken Norton Jr. (1994) Can’t you still envision Norton punching the goal-post pad after a pick-six and igniting the 49ers’ title-chasing defense? After fleeing the rival Cowboys, he became the first player to win the Super Bowl three straight years. He was an All-Pro in 1995 and finished his seven-year tenure with the third-most solo tackles in franchise history behind Patrick Willis and Lott.

5. Garrison Hearst (1997) He produced arguably the greatest comeback in 49ers history, rebounding from a career-threatening ankle fracture in a January 1999 playoff loss at Atlanta. He missed two seasons before he rushing for 1,206 yards on a playoff-bound 2001 team. Hearst ran 1,109 and 1,570 yards his first two seasons, highlighted by a 96-yard, overtime touchdown in the 1998 opener against the Jets.

6. Jeff Garcia (1999) Bill Walsh lobbied for the Gilroy native and San Jose State product as the 49ers painfully transitioned out of the Steve Young era. After going undrafted in 1994 and thriving in Calgary for four years, Garcia eventually won over the 49ers Faithful. He made Pro Bowls from 2000-02 and, in an epic playoff comeback over the Giants in January 2003, when he threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score in the final 18 minutes.

7. Bart Oates (1994) Yes, another from the famed ’94 class, which also brought in Gary Plummer, Rickey Jackson, Richard Dent and Charles Mann. Oates left the Giants to win a third ring with the 49ers and made the Pro Bowl in both of his seasons before retiring. Oates’ spot here is also a nod to other 49ers’ free agent linemen who made their mark for a season or two (see honorable mention list below).

8. Kyle Juszczyk (2017) It’s not just that he’s made the Pro Bowl every year since arriving as the NFL’s highest-paid fullback. His versatility and availability have been instrumental in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, all of which leads him to another lucrative contract this month. If that deal takes him elsewhere, he’d arguably be the 49ers’ biggest loss in free agency since Sanders and Ricky Watters in ’95.

9. Richard Sherman (2018) The 49ers’ arch nemesis during his Seattle days, Sherman brought with him instant credibility, leadership and savvy coverage skills. His pick-six in the 2019 opener set the tone for the 49ers’ march to Super Bowl LIV. Injuries shelved him 11 games last season, which doesn’t make for a great exit in free agency, as expected. But maybe his tutoring of Jimmy Garoppolo and others will bring the 49ers’ future fortune.

10. Raheem Mostert (2016) He was cut by six teams before landing on the 49ers practice squad late in the Chip Kelly/Trent Baalke era. Mostert has averaged at least 5 yards per carry each season since then, highlighted by his franchise-record effort of 220 yards and four touchdowns to clinch a Super Bowl berth 14 months ago. Will this season be his first to hit 1,000 yards?

Honorable Mention: Linebacker Rickey Jackson (1994), linebacker Gary Plummer (1994), defensive end Chris Doleman (1996), linebacker Kevin Greene (1997), guard Kevin Gogan (1997), running back Charlie Garner (1999), guard Ron Stone (2002), kicker Joe Nedney (2005), guard Larry Allen (2006), cornerback Walt Harris (2006), linebacker Takeo Spikes (2008), cornerback Carlos Rogers (2011), safety Donte Whitner (2011), safety Antoine Bethea (2014), kicker Robbie Gould (2017), cornerback K’Waun Williams (2017).