John Lynch confirmed on Thursday that the San Francisco 49ers landed their top two free agent targets in running back and center .
The latter is probably a bit more surprising than the former. Not because Richburg isn’t a fine player, but because most probably expected the 49ers to prioritize finding help at guard. San Francisco had already re-signed Daniel Kilgore which left guard as the more glaring void.
But Richburg’s lucrative five-year contract makes a lot more sense when you consider just how much Kyle Shanahan values the center position. The addition of Pro Bowler Alex Mack provided a huge boost to Shanahan’s offense with the Atlanta Falcons in 2016.