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The San Francisco 49ers are going to be faced with some tough decisions this offseason as they look to determine which of their free agents will return for 2015.

A number of these lower-tier free agents may not return to San Francisco next season. Some may return on an as-needed role.

But there are a few high-profile free agents who prompt plenty of questions for 49ers general manager Trent Baalke and chief contract negotiator Paraag Marathe.

The 49ers are pressed up against the salary cap next season. According to Over the Cap, San Francisco's top 51 contracts for 2015 amount to $146,863,694.

The 49ers will have some unused carryover from this year's payroll, which can be applied to next season. It's feasible that other contracts will be renegotiated or adjusted and/or cap-casualty candidates released.

Still, the 49ers won't have too much wiggle room to make a lot of impact signings on the upcoming year.

This could prevent San Francisco from retaining some of its own pending free agents. One example is wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who finished an uninspiring 2014 contract year and will likely price himself out of the 49ers' future plans.

Other top players' futures may be more difficult to ascertain.

We'll examine some of the notable free agents upon which San Francisco's front office will have to decide. What contracts will the 49ers offer should they elect to retain these players? Is there a reasonable target range in which San Francisco will start such negotiations?

Let's try to answer that.