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Free Agency Moves of 49ers 2015 Opponents

A look at the 2015 regular season schedule for the San Francisco 49ers.

The NFL free agency movement has kick-started excitement for the 2015 regular season.

Beyond what the San Francisco 49ers have accomplished in the first month of free agency, it's worth noting the roster movement taking place in 13 other NFL cities.

Why 13?

Because that's how many different NFL clubs the 49ers will face next year.

So far this offseason, 49ers.com has delivered an update on three of San Francisco's future opponents, those being the ever-competitive clubs that reside in the NFC West.

Now it's time to look at the free-agency movement of San Francisco's home and away competition outside of the division.

HOME GAMES

Atlanta FalconsBiggest addition: OLB Brooks Reed (formerly of the Houston Texans). Reed gives new Falcons head coach Dan Quinn a pass-rushing option on the outside. The fifth-year pro, who signed a five-year contract with the Falcons, recorded three sacks last season and has 14.5 sacks in his career.

Biggest departure: ILB Sean Weatherspoon (signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals). Weatherspoon has played in seven games in the past two seasons. A ruptured Achilles tendon caused him to miss all of 2014. But when healthy, "Spoon" recorded 115 tackles, four sacks and eight pass breakups in 16 starts back in 2011.

Baltimore Ravens

Biggest addition: FS Kendrick Lewis (formerly of the Texans). Baltimore's secondary added a future starter in Lewis, who will compete with Will Hill and Matt Elam for a spot on the first-team defense next season. Lewis signed a three-year contract with the Ravens after starting in all 16 games for the Texans a year ago.

Biggest departure: WR Torrey Smith (signed a five-year contract with the 49ers). Readers of this web site will know all about Smith's big-play ability. One of Joe Flacco's favorite targets of the past four seasons will now become a top option for Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers passing attack.

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Cincinnati Bengals**

Biggest addition: DE Michael Johnson (formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Johnson signed a big-money contract with the Bucs last offseason, but his time in Florida has ended. After being released, Johnson was picked up by his former club on a four-year contract. The Bengals are hopeful the 6-foot-7, 270-pound defensive lineman can return to his 2012 form when he totaled 52 tackles, 11.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one interception.

Biggest departure: None. Cincinnati has 13 free agent but none of them have signed on to new teams. The group includes tight end Jermaine Gresham, who is ranked 73rd on NFL.com's list of top 101 free agents.

Green Bay Packers

Biggest addition: Re-signed WR Randall Cobb to a four-year megadeal. This addition comes in the form of a technicality. The Packers re-signed Cobb and left tackle Bryan Bulaga in the days leading up to free agency. Although Cobb doesn't count as an addition from another team, retaining his services (91 catches for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns last season) and not letting him move on to a new club was Green Bay's biggest win of free agency.

Biggest departure: CB Tramon Williams to the Cleveland Browns (signed a three-year contract with the Cleveland Browns). Williams' departure, coupled with the loss of cornerback Davon House, who signed a four-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars, could equate to Green Bay using a high draft pick on a new cornerback in 2015.

Minnesota Vikings

Biggest addition: QB Shaun Hill (formerly of the St. Louis Rams). Backup quarterback is a valued position in the NFL. That's why the Vikings picked up Hill on a two-year contract to help mentor last year's promising rookie, Teddy Bridgewater. Hill, 35, began his career in Minnesota from 2002-05.

Biggest departure: FB Jerome Felton (signed a four-year contract with the Buffalo Bills). Minnesota's backfield could be quite different in 2015. We know that the team is without the services of its lead-blocking fullback, but will the Vikings trade star running back Adrian Peterson? Should that happen, as some have speculated in the media, that would instantly become Minnesota's biggest offseason departure.

AWAY GAMES

According to NFL.com, these players are the best remaining NFL free agents.

New York Giants

Biggest addition: RB Shane Vereen (formerly of the New England Patriots). Eli Manning will have a new weapon in the passing game in this capable pass-catching running back. Vereen caught 52 passes for the Super Bowl champs last season. He'll be in New York for the next three seasons and will have plenty of chances to become one of Manning's favorite targets.

Biggest departure: SS Antrel Rolle to the Chicago Bears. The game-changing safety instantly adds an impact player to Vic Fangio's new-look defense in Chicago. Rolle signed a three-year deal to join his third NFL club after stints in Arizona and New York.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Biggest addition: RB DeAngelo Williams (formerly of the Carolina Panthers). The Steelers feel like the 31-year-old running back can still be productive entering his 10th season in the league. Williams' two-year contract comes after he posted a career-low 219 rushing yards in six games for the Panthers.

Biggest departure: LB Jason Worilds retired. The 49ers know this feeling all too well. Pittsburgh must account for a retiring linebacker, much like San Francisco experienced twice this offseason. With Worlids leaving the game, the Steelers will look for greater production out of Jarvis Jones, a first-round pick in 2013.

Cleveland Browns

Biggest addition: WR Dwayne Bowe (formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs). The cap casualty in KC was brought in on a two-year contract to help the Browns fill the void of Josh Gordon's upcoming year-long suspension. Bowe's last 1,000-yard season came in 2011 with the Chiefs. He'll look to bounce-back in Cleveland after a 60-catch, 754-yard season in which he didn't catch a touchdown.

Biggest departure: TE Jordan Cameron. The Browns are down to a pair of tight ends on the current roster after Cameron took his talents to South Beach, or the Miami Dolphins. Cameron developed into one of the top tight ends in the NFL, but he was only able to play in eight games last season due to concussion issues.

Chicago Bears

Biggest addition: OLB Pernell McPhee (formerly of the Baltimore Ravens). Besides the signings of Rolle and former 49ers defensive tackle Ray McDonald, the Bears bolstered their defensive front with an impressive young pass-rusher. McPhee's five-year contract will certainly bring on added attention to a player who posted a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2014.

Biggest departure: DT Stephen Paea. The Bears will be without the services of one of the top interior pass-rushers in pro football. Paea recorded six sacks and two forced fumbles last season in 16 starts. He'll look to make a similar impact with his new club in Washington.

Detroit Lions
Biggest addition:NT Tyrunn Walker (formerly of the New Orleans Saints). The Lions have been relatively quiet in the free-agency sweepstakes. While they've re-signed several veterans, they haven't splurged on any newcomers. The most notable addition was Walker, who will look to help fill the void of the biggest departure in all of free agency.

Biggest departure: DT Ndamukong Suh. The Dolphins reeled in the prize of this year's player movement season.  Suh's six-year contract instantly strengthens Miami's division title hopes and throws a wrench in Detroit's plans to return to the postseason. The Lions also lost defensive tackle Nick Fairley to the St. Louis Rams.

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