The 49ers Have the Money to Sign Thomas ... if They Want

So, what should the 49ers do with $37.5 million of cap space? Common sense suggests signing some defenders to shore up a unit that finished 28th in the league in efficiency.

Much of the talk this off-season has been about really shoring up the defense. Now that Baltimore has chosen not to franchise linebacker Adalius Thomas, San Francisco could make a run at the versatile Pro Bowler.

The free-agency period begins next Friday, and Thomas (6-foot-2, 270 pounds) is the dream player for a defense in need of an overhaul. He is a supreme pass-rusher, an ideal outside linebacker for the 3-4 defense, and he has a relationship with Coach Mike Nolan going back to their days together with the Ravens.

The 49ers lost Julian Peterson to free agency last off-season, but Thomas would be an upgrade. Two issues could gum up the process, though. First, Thomas is 29. Not exactly a spring chicken in NFL terms, and teams aren't crazy about forking over a lot of dough -- especially guaranteed dough -- to a guy who may only have two or three good years left.

Second, the 49ers realize that one player won't catapult them into the Super Bowl and they will have to decide if Thomas is worth the humongous contract he will almost certainly command. Scot McCloughan, the 49ers vice president of player personnel, added some perspective:

"We're not one player away. We're a handful of players away. We have to remember that when we address free agency... But you also have to get the best football players, too."

So that's the dilemma. Luckily, San Francisco is flush with cash, so if they decide they really want Thomas, they can probably get him. Or, and this might be the more sensible move -- it worked for New England -- the 49ers could look for quality depth across the roster and build the team that way. I know Thomas is an exciting prospect for 2007, but don't forget: pace wins the race. Or something like that.