The 49ers reached an agreement on a three-year contract with free-agent guard Zane Beadles on Thursday morning, a source confirmed to CSNBayArea.com.
Beadles becomes the first potential starter the 49ers have added to their roster via free agency. The 49ers showed interest in guards JR Sweezy, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Arizona Cardinals free-agent Ted Larsen, who remains unsigned.
Beadles' three-year agreement is worth $11.5 million, according to ESPN, which first reported the deal.
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Beadles (6 foot 4, 315 pounds) is expected to replace Alex Boone at left guard. Boone last week signed a four-year, $26.8 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings.
Beadles, 29, is a six-year veteran from Utah. He originally entered the NFL as a second-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos in 2010.
Beadles started 14 of the 16 games in which he appeared for the Broncos as a rookie. He was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl team in 2012. He has not missed a start in more than five seasons. After four seasons with the Broncos, Beadles played the past two years with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
According to Pro Football Focus' grading system, Beadles ranked 53rd of 66 guards who played at least 50 percent of the time last season. He graded out better than Sweezy, Larsen and Jordan Devey, who started nine games at right guard for the 49ers last season.
Beadles will not count against the 49ers in compensatory formula because the Jaguars released him on March 3 to avoid paying the remaining five years, $30 million on his contract.
