49ers panicked and botched free agency signings

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman talks to reporters during a post-game press conference following an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

They signed a few solid players who fit their scheme. They protected themselves financially. They improved their roster.

There are legitimate reasons to like the moves the 49ers made in free agency. I understand if you do.

I don’t.

I like the overall direction the 49ers are heading — don’t get me wrong. I think they could be Super Bowl contenders in 2019 if they add a few top-shelf players. But, they’re not contenders yet. They’re not in win-now mode. And they should be.

They botched free agency. Here’s how.

No. 1. They didn’t get one top-shelf player.

Click here to read the rest of my column.

This article has 487 Comments

  1. Already been through why I disagree with your take on getting the consolation prizes, but I do agree they haven’t done enough to take this roster to a SB contender. But then I didn’t expect that to happen either. I know most fans wnated them to spend huge ond get every single one of the top FAs. But that was never going to happen. This is year 2 of a complete rebuild. With a good draft and a couple more prudent FA pickups that fulfil roles and fit the scheme, this is a squad that could compete for the playoffs. And that is quite frankly amazing given where they were 14 months ago.

    1. Grant rants are just to get fans to click here. It works. Most click here to see his next ridulous remark about the Niners. It works because he likes to act like he knows more then the people making the decision for the 49ers . He better hope his paper keeps him because he would be hard pressed to geta real job in sports. And i thought his dad was bad.

      1. Yes indeed. We know for a fact that financial newsletter writers attract the most subscribers when they write bombastically about doom and gloom. The same in sports. Cohn is pulling a con, always writing with negativity.

      2. Make no mistake, his Dad was bad. The apple didn’t even fall off this tree. Both are rotten

  2. McKinnon may be small, but he’s never had a significant injury to the best of my knowledge. No surgeries. He showed he could run inside at Minnesota too. He’s got good contact balance, vision and explosiveness between the tackles. Difficult to arm tackle when he hits the hole with speed. Still, I think he’ll be a monster in Shanny’s OZ out of 11 personnel, plus Shanny is going to have fun using him as a chess piece in the receiving game, and in Red Zone situations. Wade Phillips will have his hands full trying to stop this offense now, even with Peters/Talib….

  3. classic Grant, people give him good rebuttals to his opinions (in many cases more knowledgeable opinions)….and he doubles down with a new post. well, at least he isn’t boring….wrong and stubborn…but not boring!

    1. Yep, as long as they just change his title to Santa Rosa Press Democrat Internet Troll then all is right in the world!

    2. Every morning I go to 49ers Webzone (which I find is better for 49er links than Bleacher Report) and click through the links to catch up on what’s going on in 49er land (while avoiding this site which went to the dogs after Lynch left). I succeed in avoiding this crap most every day.

      Today, I failed. And read yet another article that proves he’s dumb as a box of hammers with delusions of competency.

      The evidence, from last year, clearly indicates (at least on the offensive side) that Lynch and Shanahan clearly know what they’re doing. The defense is harder to judge since the one half-way decent player they picked up last year(Smith) got hurt.

      What Lynch and Shanahan are doing is eerily similar to what Belichick does now — find players who fit the system instead of finding a bunch of, frequently over-rated, ‘big name’ FAs that ‘everybody knows.’ Which is why he’s successful year-after-year and all the ‘big name FA teams’ tend to crash and burn under the cap and mediocrity.

  4. Grant , your kidding Right ?

    If I was a player on the 49ers , I wouldn’t speak or give you the time of day .( Making interviews impossible)

    There goes that job,
    A wise man once said, you get more ? s with honey ,than you do vinegar .

    Disagree with you completely, again ?

    1. Grant would be quite pleased with being shunned in the locker room. He’d wear it as a badge of honor.

    2. What was the last interview that Grant posted to this site? What was the last news item that he broke…ever?

      He’s not a reporter, he’s a blogger with about as much access as guys on SB Nation. And if you disagree with his take, and he responds, he will never admit if he might be wrong, he’s infallible (in his own eyes).

      1. c’mon dude! I play along with your “click bail troll” persona……but emjay is right! and this time your crossing the line grant! John Lynch is on record as saying as saying ” they were never interested in Norwell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! never made him an offer, hes a big mauler that dosent fit their system and that’s he has no idea where the ” its down to the 49ers,giants and colts” headline from last Monday came from”!!!!

        You must understand this “system fit or not” thing ……as you act like we don’t have 22 yr old first round draft pick in J.Garnett……..you write him off as a big slow dope that dosent fit the system……but then you criticize the FO for not going after the same type of guy………..this…….is proof………THAT YOUR A TROLLL!

        Yes, Sherman has issues………but we fleeced him!!! id rather pay the former all-pro the pittance we gave him than break the bank for Butler or Johnson.
        And as far as D.Lewis vs JM……..lewis might be better known and more accomplished, especialy playing for the pats……but I also think he’s pigeonholed himself into the role of being JUST a pass catching rb. The pats have a revolving door at rb and he never solidified the job. youll find the ONE stat that helps your argument , like YPC…….but the Vikings were more of a running team……pats a passing team. And Lewis was THE 3rd down back, the receiver…….they caught guys off guard when he actually ran the ball

      2. Me grow up? Hahahaha, you need to grow up. You are incapable of taking any criticism, you get defensive, banning people even, get out of the industry if you can’t take some criticism.

        And tell me where anything I said was wrong? For the life of me I can not remember when you last broke a news story ( you haven’t) or when you had a legit sit down 1 on 1 with someone in the Niners ( it could have happened, but I don’t remember…and your 1 question for the coach during media sessions doesn’t count).

        You notice you get a LOT of flack, something Maiocco and Barber never really got. You have an undeserved hubris, you feel you are infallible, you believe your insight is Walsh-ian, that you know more than guys who’ve played and coached for as many years as you’ve breathed oxygen.

        Heres what, we can talk in person about this. I work not but 2 minutes from Levis…Great America Parkway, next time you’re down there for a big interview, let me know, we can talk, it might be fun.

        1. You can tell by the time gap that it takes a big empty space for me to peek into this endless cycle.

      1. Classic Eeyore…

        “End of the road… nothing to do… and no hope of things getting better.”:

  5. Well grant you know I disagree with all of this. But here’s the main reason why. This team still isn’t setup to win now. So they don’t need that big money Julio Jones type player. They need to continue to build, brick by brick. I love their free agents because, it’s what they wanted scheme wise, and locker room wise. A team can never underestimate the power of locker room unity. You say these guys were consilation prizes, but the head men themselves say, these 2 were their top choices in free agency and they lucked into Sherman. Paraag is doing a great job with the cap because it’s not being hamstrung because of bad contracts. You don’t replace guys like that. You promote them. As for dion Lewis, he will not have anywhere near the same production as last year. Especially being 2nd fiddle to Henry. His stats will decline and Jets will drastically improve, and you will see what overpayment is. It’s a reason Kyle chose jet over Lewis. Oh and it’s not because they lost out on Lewis. They never offered him a contract.

    1. Remember it was the fans who were saying Robinson and Lewis and norwell and Jimmy Graham, not the front office. The only guy they had but would have had to pursue harder was talib. Aside from that, they got everyone they WANTED!!

  6. Richburg is a huge upgrade. Shanny values the C position more than any other position on the OL. Richburg will be the ‘center’piece of the OL for years to come. It’s a great signing.

    1. Agreed, I could also see a trade happen to a cap strapped team for a guard they valued possibly? Other than that get a couple T and G in the draft and build from within.

      Other than Richburg they got the best RB athlete in the NFL and the best corner over the last 5 years, and have given them both deals that are easy outs after 2 years.

      I don’t know what they were thinking other than building the right way.

      1. McKinnon’s receiving ability is huge. Both McKinnon and Juice can catch. This opens up Shanny’s massive playbook.

        Bobby Turner is a great RB coach. McKinnon will benefit from his expertise.

        1. Yeah don’t disagree, I think he’s just great in the scheme and could put up big numbers. Kyle’s wants different personnel then when him and his dad were together and the NFL is changing as well. He wants to attack and try and score on every play and needs home run hitter with athleticism. Mckinnon brings that with skills, and can block. It might be a lot of money $, but even before this signing I was saying I’d rather have Jet than Dion Lewis. Age and ability are better.

        2. McKinnon is the YIN to Juszczyk’s YANG. The Jet and The Juice, soon to be known collectively as The Juiced Jet!

          With the new prototype Center in Richburg, I see this running game really taking off (like a Juiced Jet) if they can shore up Offensive Guard. And if they can start running the football more effectively this season, Jimmy G will simply own the competition!

    1. What???

      Did lil cohn predicted Bowman would ask for his release after being told he would get less playing time??

      Didn’t think so.

    2. lol, even a broken analog clock is right twice a day.

      Panicked and botched? Umm …. No!

  7. I think your a little too into yourself buddy nobody cares what you think no top shelf players you must have bumped your head pretty hard

  8. Remember… Grant called out Shanahan as a ‘glorified OC’ and advocated sharply for trading Garoppolo.

    Through Grant’s eyes, it’s certain that the 9ers are being led by a panicky GM/HC duo.

    Panicked — Action resulting from “a sudden overwhelming fear, with or without cause, that produces hysterical or irrational behavior, and that often spreads quickly through a group of persons or animals.”

    Really Grant?

    1. Grant also said that Shanahan had lost the locker room while they were still losing early on. Grant just lives in an alternate reality. Of course the things he claims generally can either not be positively proven at that exact moment and by the time they become more obvious it usually forgotten. Of course it doesn’t matter that both Lynch and Shanahan have claimed that McKinnen and Richburg were their first choice and then went into extensive detail as to why. I suppose he wants to believe that they are just doing damage control in response to his calling them out .lol

  9. Mr. Nepotism strikes again! This is why I subscribe to The Athletic. Once a hack, always a hack.

  10. A usual article full of pi55 and wind… by a man who never admitted to be totally wrong on sitting JG, ridiculing Goodwin, blaming the draft (Akhello is terrible), praising Hoyer (PRAISING Brian-freaking-Hoyer)…

    1. ‘lil cohn said Hoyer was an A performer – franchise. Never rated Jimmy G an A. Pathetic.

  11. You stick to your guns, no question. Good write-up Grant. Not saying I agree with it, but it was well written. This is what happens every year. You put this big plan, blue-print, the Niners need to follow, or they are completely incapable fools. They of course have a different outline that they’ve worked on for months within the FO and you completely knock down every single move and your theories on how they failed. You set it up from the very beginning. I applaud you for that at least.

    Anyways, I’m not completely sold on this off-season, I suspect that they did miss on some primary targets, but there’s really no shame in that, its expected, and that’s why you have secondary targets, I would hardly call that panicking. Definitely overpaid for Mckinnon, but as for Weston I’m sure that’s just the market for a potential top 10 Center that is young. I’m looking forward to the rest of FA and draft. I think we will be competitive next year, but we are building.

    1. Good points.

      We’ll know if the 9ers really paid too much for McKinnon come late December. He could be a complete disaster (4 lost fumbles, 2.1 yards per carry, <330 total yards), he might be injured in preseason and placed on IR, he might have 1400 total yards and 6 TDs. I guess we'll know for sure later this year.

      Gonna be fun.

      1. Earnings his pay through the course of his contract and overpaying according to his current market value are 2 different things. I think there’s no denying they overpaid. I suspect KS pounded the table for him and they went into a bidding war with NYJ, plus of course our crappy state tax adds another premium. I’m fine with it for now.

        1. They wanted him and two other teams did as well. It’s about supply and demand and the supply had the upper hand in this instant. He was not their second choice. I and others recognized that with our own eyes long before the front office validated that by their statements. He is a perfect fit for the system and it is obvious that Shanahan has specific things he is looking for in the players he wants to plug into his system. Those specific skills are different than your standard offense. When they see a player who fits they will not scrimp to make sure they get their guys.

          I liked his statement in there presser about how does not go by stats alone. I find it interesting that the example he gave was a 60 yard run that any other rb might have made. He was referencing Hydes 61 yarder through a hole that I could have run through. He had another big one in that same game under the same sort of circumstances. Too many posters on this site did not recognize that that 100+ yard game against Seattle was not accomplished by Hydes individual talent but purely through opportunity. Even though that was his best stat game Hyde had better games with lesser stats at the end of the year.

          He judges players on their production based on the opportunities they are presented with. What I noticed about his offense is that there are often no holes to run though. More often than not. But then their will suddenly be a huge hole that becomes available. That is why players with quickness and speed do better at taking advantage of those situations. That is why between the between the tackles power runners would not do well in this offense. The opportunities in that area would be far and few in between. More than likely in short yardage they would not even run, but pass to the back much like Montana did to Craig. McKinnen is far more explosive than Craig ever was.

          Besides strength is also tied into how low your center of gravity is and how compact your mass is. McKinnen is short and he runs low so his 220 ( or what ever it is ) packs more punch via leverage than a 230 Rb. who runs upright. Gore major skill set was his ability to get low and sqweek through small hole”s. Bullets do not weight very much but they hit you hard.

          1. He also said this.

            “A good run is when you get more yards than what it was blocked for,” Shanahan said. “Sometimes, runs are blocked for negative 1 (yard) and the best run in the game was a 1-yard carry … Numbers do tell stuff, but it’s never an absolute.”

            Too many people dissed Hyde when he got tackled at or near the line of scrimmage. Those carries served a purpose, they softened up the DL. I posted a link detailing this against Jacksonville.

            Hyde is a decent HB. He’s just not a good fit for us. He’s not great, but he’s not a bum either.

  12. “Look at me, look at me. I’m smarter than Shanahan and Lynch. Yes indeed. Believe me.”

  13. This is a clear case of a writer that doesn’t know football or at least the 49ers that well. AFirst what is a top shelf guy?..a name or athe best fit for your team, because they got the best possible center for their system and a running back that can be Marshall faulk or at least Christian Mcaffery in kyles system, also the best fit a corner for them who btw is a HOF player and not even 30yrs old yet plus resigned Goodwin before his price went way up with another good year. So we greatly upgraded at 3 key areas and they botched because they didn’t pay ARob to catch a few fade routes because for what he costs he wouldn’t have the production because we have 3 guys already and Norwell got way too much for a guard and we still have garnett and the draft for that!! Botched??!!…lol i dont think so!! #brickbybrick

  14. It seems they paid over-market for McKinnon and Richburg. Time will tell. Overpaid or not, they’re good system fits that will likely improve the team. Much like Kyle Juszczyk.

    It also seems like the 49ers get in unlikely bidding wars. Remember how the price for Kyle Juszczyk seemed to balloon? Some say it was a bidding war with the Bills, but maybe the 49ers were bluffed. I have no way of knowing. I’m not a fly on the walls of McKinnon, Richburg, Malcom Smith or Juszczyk’s agents offices .

    If Kyle says to Lynch “so-and-so is perfect for our system” I think its a good thing. Hopefully over time the 49ers will get better at knowing when to call an agent’s bluff (or have better leverage because they’re winners).

    I was hoping to go into the draft with as few glaring needs as possible. I like the Sherman signing, but his health means cornerback is still a question mark. So is guard. You can say “interior lineman” as you want, but the guard spot is just as much of a void as it was a week ago.

    I like the players the 49ers added this week. I think they can help the 49ers win. Free agency isn’t over, and a Boldin/Garoppolo type trade with a salary cap short team is still possible. But as its stands the 49ers are just as guard and corner uncertain as they were last week.

    Like – The new players
    Concerns – Key roster holes remain unfilled, limiting draft flexibility.

  15. Fuller four-year deal worth $14 million per year. 18 million signing bonus, payable within 10 days. $1 million base salary in 2018, $500,000 in per-game roster bonuses, and a $500,000 workout bonus. $20 million in the first year. $29 million year 2, and it’s $42 million through three. The full value of the deal is $56 million over four.

    1. Really enjoyed the rant about Lowell … but where did it go???

      Don’t tell me that the censors red pencil struck again.

      “Argue with me, agree with me, or just read the posts” but critique my dadda and you be history.

  16. Grant: THE BRITISH ARE COMING!!! THE BRITISH ARE COMING!!!
    Child walking with his mother: Mommy, why is that man running away from those two red cars?
    Mother (who is quickening her pace): I have no idea sweetheart, and I don’t !@#$ing intend to find out either!

  17. Yeah because every Superbowl winner signs the top players in free agency the season before.

    Yeah right.

  18. This is how we will beat Seattle twice next year.

    http://www.weei.com/articles/column/tomase-garoppolo-showed-patriots-exactly-how-carve-jaguars

    “The 49ers did not take a single shot down the sidelines at either corner in Jacksonville’s Cover-3 defense, which was by design.”

    “Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk caught five passes for 76 yards”

    “Garoppolo went a perfect 12-for-12 throwing to running backs and tight ends, with a touchdown to tight end George Kittle.”

    “The 49ers softened that front four with 35 rushes, virtually all of them between the tackles, and many right at the 6-foot-8 Campbell, who set a career-high with 14.5 sacks.”

    “They similarly attacked 255-pound defensive end Dante Fowler, a pass-rushing specialist.”

    “The 49ers frequently bootlegged him to exploit Jacksonville’s aggressive pursuit, sending a running back one way and Garoppolo the other.”

      1. The Niners being good makes Grant panic. Witness the panic when Shanny is named Coach of the Year in 18 or 19.
        : -)

    1. Yeah, that’s what I said during the game. What a difference when you have a QB that can execute it instead of some guy who’s now spending his days acting like Uncle Rico in Houston or wherever he’ll show up next.

  19. According to Maiocco, “The team did not even place a call of interest to the agent of free-agent guard Andrew Norwell, who was not considered a fit for Kyle Shanahan’s blocking scheme.”

    1. Actually that was according to John Lynch the GM.

      But hey, let’s not allow facts to get in the way of lil cohn’s fake news.

    2. I love Matty, but I don’t buy it. There were reports that they were finalists for Norwell. They re-signed Kilgore because they were targeting Norwell, not Richburg. But the team never will admit that.

      1. Wow, you mean a team with heaps of cap space and a need at interior OL may have been used by an agent for leverage? That’s just crazy talk.

          1. Will do. Btw, love your retweet on interest for Norwell. Funny how the team he signed for wasn’t on that list though. That insider must have known exactly what was going on.

              1. Right. Or, you know, teams say whatever they want to say. They’re not under oath.

            1. Hah, great point Scooter. So much for that “smoking gun”.

              Like I said, good FO’s hedge their bets. Kilgore was the hedge, IMO. And the fact that Norwell signed with a team whom wasn’t even mentioned to be in contention for his services just goes to prove that you cannot rely on the NFL rumor mill when it comes to free agency, or the draft.

              I was initially skeptical about the McKinnon deal. It seemed like a waste of money for a part time RB. However, after listening to Kyle discuss McKinnon’s potential within his scheme, the more I like McKinnon’s chances to produce big numbers over the next few years. Kyle has the ability to take full advantage of Jerick’s duel threat ability, provided they shore up OG.

              And I don’t care if McKinnon is 205 lbs. He knows how to play through contact, and that’s important in terms of durability. I’ll bring up Marshall Faulk in terms of similar size. McKinnon is about the same size as Marshall, and Marshall was more than durable enough to handle a heavy duel threat workload. Some guys just have a knack for understanding how to protect themselves through contact, and McKinnon looks to be one of those guys.

              And besides, it’s not my $12 million dollars paying for McKinnon’s 2018 season, so why do
              care what the numbers are this season if Kyle believes he can be that guy? They don’t have any salary cap limitations this year, and they have outs with this deal after next season, so I say, let it rain money like an tropical storm, if it makes them a better team, without mortgaging the future.

              GO NINERS!

              1. I like the McKinnon signing too. I don’t like the money he is getting, but as I said previously that doesn’t really matter as they can afford to overpay. I don’t know that he is a 1,000 yard rusher, but I really like his potential as a dual threat out of the backfield.

          2. Grant you have spent too much time around Trent Baalke and the previous Niner front office. They spent most of their time hiding their true agendas. They were good at fooling most of you for far too long. So now in reaction you now chose to create scenarios where the do not exist. Grant-you are just not very good at reading between the lines. You intuition ( or what ever you might call it ) is distorted by you running agenda to look for a muck racking story. I don’t smell one here except your being guided by your own desire for one to exist..

      2. There were also reports of Sherman having a meeting set with the Lions. All kinds of stuff gets reported by anonymous sources this time of year.

      3. Not necessarily. They re-signed Kilgore well in advance of free agency. Who’s to say Kilgore wasn’t an insurance policy in case they weren’t able to land Richburg?

        Good teams hedge their bets Grant, to cover themselves for this kind of scenario. Richburg could have very easily decided he wanted to stay on the East Coast. Do you even know if he has a family? There are so many factors that dictate free agent signings and it’s not always as predictable as being the highest bidder.

        And heck, California does in fact have high state taxes, so naturally California teams are going to have to pay a premium to land top talent. The key is to find other ways to offset having to overpay for your most coveted top shelf free agents. And that’s what Marathe does, and does well. I could make a case that Richard Sherman’s deal could end up being the bargain of the decade. If Sherman’s deal goes the way I predict it will, his contract offsets the premiums they paid for their top targets.

        And there is no way in the world you are ever going to convince me that Kyle preferred Dion Lewis over Jerick “The Jet” McKinnon, as a featured RB.

          1. Except, A) you buy insurance in advance, not after the fact, and B) you made it very clear that Richburg isn’t a Guard?

            You’re spinning a web Grant.

            I’ll give you this much on McKinnon Grant: If Breida looks better running the football this year, then it was a bad deal. Let’s see how it plays out.

              1. How did I misunderstand. You don’t buy an insurance policy after the fact. They signed Kilgore before Richburg, in a sense hedging their bet. There were never any guarantees they could sign Richburg in the case that they missed out on Norwell, so how could he be insurance?

                I think you mean Richburg was their fallback option to help on the interior, in case they missed out on Norwell. Except the problem with that argument is that, according to you, they play two different positions. You told me 2 days ago that Richburg wouldn’t be much good against the Aaron Donald’s of the world if they slotted him at OG.

              2. The plan was to sign Kilgore and Norwell. The backup plan was to sign Richburg and trade Kilgore.

              3. Even if that were true, and how do we know it is, how is going to plan B the equivalent to panicking and botching free agency? Free agency is a frenzy with 32 teams vying for a select group of players. Every team wants the best players. So what are they supposed to do if they miss out on their number one target? Close up shop? Stop working the phones for the next best options? How does that make them a better team? My god, they are absolutely flush with cash right now, they cannot just sit on it.

            1. And in terms of Richburg, you know I was initially a bit puzzled due to the fact that they had just signed Kilgore to an extension, and I wasn’t convinced they would be able to trade him without taking a hit. I was thinking they must be at least considering Richburg at OG for 2018. Kilgore isn’t as good as Richburg, but he looked pretty good in the second half of the season, which happened to coincide with him, not only getting healthy, but also seeming to have found chemistry with Jimmy G.

          2. Last year you were saying the 49ers needed to find their Alex Mack, because Shanahan needs a centre. You were 100% correct. However, now they have gone out and gotten their centre apparently it was actually the OG Shanahan needs, and a centre was a consolation prize. Sorry, you should have stuck to what you said last year.

            1. Can’t it be both? The FO wanted to go after a good interior lineman. Both Richburg and Norwell were in their sights. Kilgore was the bird in hand but was made superfluous by the Richburg signing (which wasn’t assured). The plan may have been to slip Kilgore to guard with Norwell or sign both or Richburg.

              They had multiple plans but one overall strategy which may not have worked out to their complete satisfaction so they went with plan A3 vs A1 or A2.

  20. Once again Grant doesn’t know he market. Ryan Jensen now highest paid Center in league. Richburg much better and a better fit in SF offense. Grant knows nothing.

    1. That Jensen deal is nuts. I know a few people on here wanted him, but the 49ers got the better player and for less money.

      1. I wanted him and I knew he would get big money. My biggest concern with Richburg was the concussion, but, I’m happy he’s on the team.

  21. Name a team in the nfc you know for sure will beat a healthy 49er squad next season.

    Offense will be better than last season with just Garcon coming back, you have a burner in the backfield who can catch and break big ones. The chemistry with Kittles was growing each Sunday, the o-line looked better,
    In a nutshell the offense will be top 3 in the league. Book it!

    Sherman is an upgrade with two bad Achilles and one arm, Malcolm will be back, upgrade.
    Harold will be a backup.. upgrade.
    Still questions on Solomon but he got better as the year went on, positive.
    Who knows who they will pick in the draft. It could be a huge help for the defense.

    If there is any gripe warranted it’s the defensive side of the ball and moves that weren’t made. But as it stands right now, it’s still looking better than last season.

    So I ask again name a team we know for sure can beat the 49ers going into the new season.
    I can’t name one that for sure wins against this team. And to me that means they are in the running for a Super Bowl title.

  22. Grant chums the water and we all go for the bait lol. We are a sad school of fish. All of a sudden, Talib, who is a locker room cancer and about 2 years away from an old folks home, is a top tier sign. Had we actually signed him, Grant would have sung a different tune. He makes no mention of the players we signed being scheme fits. Grant, when you can bench 225lbs x 32, let me know again about how you stood next to McKinnon and he didn’t measure up.

    1. hands back- Grant just automatically inflates his own stature when comparing himself both physically and intellectually to others.

  23. Grant jealous again, then he will be hating again after the draft like always… The niners didn’t go after Norwell, Talib would be a 49er if he would have been happy there. Who cares if they landed Dion Lewis. They got a C who has only allowed 4 sacks in 1000 plus snaps in Richburg. Mckininnon, Shabby can turn any RB into a decent to great RB.

  24. OT Kolton Miller is the first OL prospect to record 1.67 10-yard split or better at the Combine since 2006 (Chris Chester and Daryn Colledge both had 1.67’s that year).

    Top 10-yard splits from the Combine

    1.47 – Denzel Ward(Marshon Lattimore posted the best 10-yard split last year 1.48)
    1.48 – Troy Apke
    1.49 – Levi Wallace
    1.50 – Anthony Averett, Avonte Maddox, Parry Nickerson
    1.51 – DJ Chark

    1. Miller has large hands and decent speed burst for someone his size. Have him line up as a tackle eligible or 2nd TE on the goal line.

  25. I’ve got it from the horses mouth that LITTLE IGGY gets paid by the number of responses to his cocaine induced hallucinations. You guys are making him rich.

    1. I think everyone realizes it, but it’s sort of an addiction to come on this site and rant. lol. People who buy drugs do not care that the pusher gets rich. We just need our fix.

  26. This article is completely wrong on so many levels. But, hey, what’s new? Years of this malarkey, never ends…

  27. Grant nice job! Glass is always half empty in your world my friend. Hey you are entitled to your opinion but you continue to make me laugh. You wanted niners to trade Jimmy GQ, you called Kyle shanahan a glorified OC, and now the world is over!

    All I can tell you, the fan based is pumped baby. Go Niners

  28. Would like Grant to share some in-depth thoughts on those who ended the season on IR and/or the practice squad. What do these players bring to the mix as we approach the draft?

  29. Man I’m glad you feel this way, it gives me great confidence the team made the right choices. After all, we were a 9-7 team before Jimmy G right?

    I do generally enjoy reading your articles, analysis, and thought process, we just generally have to toss out the conclusions and the advice lol.

        1. Gladiator events at the Coliseum would be a complete debacle if John and Kyle were running the show–they’d settle for loser gladiators–not top shelf.

  30. Grant, Dion Lewis is not a top shelf RB. He is a good role player. In my opinion this was not a strong FA class so the 9ers were right to not overspend and go in too deep. If Sherman can be healthy and we have a good draft this will be a playoff team.

      1. I wanted Lewis on the team, but even I know that saying he was the best free agent RB is not exactly a compliment considering how weak the group was.

      2. Let’s agree to check-in on Lewis and McKinnon when the regular season closes–compare numbers and assess team impact. Okay?

          1. Hey now, I want in on this action. Mckinnon vs lewis total yards from scrimmage grant. Ive got 500 on mckinnon. Put your money where your loud mouth is.

          2. Done. We evaluate the full spectrum–total yards, yards per attempt/catch, scoring, overall contribution to season success/failure, etc.

      3. Damaged goods with knee surgery and scores a 1 out of 5 from Sports Injury Predictor on their durability scale.

  31. Too soon to grade the signings until we see their contribution on the field.

    However I do feel the contracts deserve scrutiny. It’s important to realize that the salary cap has increased by at least 10 million dollars the past five seasons, that’s at least, last year it was 12 million. The contracts handed out to these players might appear on the richer side today but in a season or two they’ll simply be average numbers.

    The contract that surprises me though is McKinnon’s because they’re paying him like a bell cow running back when he’s more likely going to be a part of a 3 headed attack.

    If the players produce on the field nobody will be discussing their contracts. Let’s put this discussion on hold for another 7-10 months.

          1. Yeah, but not as effectively. Crimminy! That’s rude to Jerick. Marshall is HoF royalty.
            Think of Robert Smith of Vikes past. Different body type and shape, different running style, but McK may closely match Smith’s productivity run/receive.

            1. One thing that hasn’t been brought up is McKinnon’s pass pro, and how important it is to protect Jimmy. The fact that McKinnon excels in it made the decision to overpay him much more palatable.

              1. If he is good at pass protection and they use him rb/wr/te then $$ make sense…..

    1. They panicked and reached because Norwell and Weston were signed… terrible signing :D

      On a serious note, I wish we would have gone after him as well or maybe Sitton.

  32. “Bucs signed Center Ryan Jensen to a four-year, $42 million deal with $22M guaranteed, source said” – Tom Pelissero

    Center don’t come cheap nowa-days

  33. Here in fandom and the media morass, we assume our echo chamber is reality.
    Many of our assumptions about who were the ‘Top Free Agents’ don’t match the teams’ assessments. And since they’re the ones choosing and paying…..well, you know……
    ….just sayin’.
    There’s also Value.
    Ferrari Barchetta is a gorgeous machine. Not reasonable purchase for me.
    Love my Tesla S though! ….just sayin’

    1. Parted ways with my Austin Healey Sprite years ago. Was a great value–if you didn’t take into account the constant maintenance headaches… Miss it.

  34. Don’t agree with very much of this piece, but an entertaining read Grant.

    “Even Trent Baalke wouldn’t have signed Sherman. And Baalke loves signing injured players”

    Miaow!

  35. I think Jack Newhort is still available in FA he would help our o-line a lot.
    And Jordan Matthews would give us more competition at WR.

  36. And that’s the biggest problem with these free agent signing in my opinion. These guys are signed just because they are big named guys. But how many are paid to fit systems? Like Allen Robinson, the bears paid him all that money but they don’t know if he fits their system, they just know he was a good player on another team. Kyle and John are paying these guys because they are good system fits. Dion Lewis went to the Titans to take Derek henreys place while Henry becomes the lead back. Lewis will not repeat his Patriot year from this year, meaning he will be a waste of money. He’s not a system fit. The list goes on. It’s precisely why big money free agents fail year after year, they chase the money, it is exactly why teams waste money every year, they chase the name. It’s also why John and Kyle are doing a good job, they are chasing the perfect system fits.

  37. I disagree on Paraag Marathe.

    He has gone on record saying ““John and Kyle decide if he’s the man. If he’s the man, then we pay the man”. So I don’t think he is the reason that free agents are not signing.

    It is more of a scheme fit.

  38. Post Combine/Free Agency Mock Draft:

    9)…..Harold Landry, Edge, Boston College
    *Trade*49ers trade pick#59&#74 for Jets #37
    37)…Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
    70)…Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, ND
    128).Quenton Meeks, CB, Stanford
    143).Azeem Victor, ILB, WA
    184).Colby Gossett, OG, App St.
    223).Armani Watts, FS, Texas A&M
    240).Chad Kanoff, QB, Princeton

      1. I’ll revise it using the Harvard Trade Chart:

        9)…..Harold Landry, Edge, Boston College
        *Trade*49ers trade pick #59&#128 for the Vikings #30
        30)…Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
        70)…Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, ND
        128).Quenton Meeks, CB, Stanford
        143).Azeem Victor, ILB, WA
        184).Colby Gossett, OG, App St.
        223).Armani Watts, FS, Texas A&M
        240).Chad Kanoff, QB, Princeton

    1. Raz,
      That would be a nice haul.
      I’ve been withholding my mock because I see the 49ers making some serious moves in this draft.
      But if they stand pat, your mock looks good.

        1. James is my second favorite behind Nelson, but I went with position value/need, and the fact that we just paid 8.5 million to Ward. Landry comes equipped with some elite traits to put pressure off the edge immediately. That should feed the quarterback right into our 3t monsters….

              1. As of right now, it looks as if it will be Ward at FS, Tartt at SS, Witherspoon CB, Sherman CB, Williams NC. Colbert backing up both safeties, and can play corner too.

        1. I am thinking Miller will be one of many OL the 49ers work out. The main thing I find interesting about it is that he is strictly an OT, which makes me think they could be looking for a long term OT option fairly early in the draft.

          1. Makes me think Brown might be trade bait if the new OT looks good in camp, and subsequent game opportunities, given Brown’s injury….

    2. Nice mock Razor. I would like this one a lot. It addresses need while also being realistic about where the players might be had.

      1. Looks like 3 quarterbacks will come off the board, 1, 2, 3. Jets will probably get Mayfield, Browns, Darnold and Giants trade out to Bills, who will take Rosen….

        1. It will be interesting to see who Jets are targeting. In your scenario I could believe Bills might want strong armed Allen up there in blizzardville. He can sit behind McCarron as a rookie.

          1. Could be, Brotha but I’m looking at it a little differently. Rosen is the most pro ready, and the Bills do not have a proven quarterback developer on their staff. They have a defensive mind at HC, and Rosen showed his arm ain’t no slouch when he threw a 70 yarder with pinpoint accuracy….

        2. Razor / BT
          * How do you see the Brown’s OT Joe thomas retirement affecting their draft?
          * “IF” the Browns, Giants and Jets take QB’s with picks 1-3 and Browns take Saquon Barkley with #4
          will Denver take Nelson with #5, or will Elway take a QB also?

          1. Geep
            Browns will have to address OT at some point, trade or 2nd day of draft. I think Dorsey wants to be mostly strategic rather than bandaids.
            Wild guess is unless Mayfield is there Horseface skips QB. Might even trade back a few. Or might panic and botch it. We experts will be the judge of that.
            ?

              1. I think an OT at 4 would be a reach this year. They prolly have the ammo to trade up from Round 2 to last 10picks in the first to grab a competent Left Tackle, or even trade back from#4 to say #12 for an OT. This scenario could arise if Giants don’t take a QB.

      1. I’d heard that the Bills and Colts were working on something; maybe Colts didn’t want to go back to #12.
        Good Chinese Checkers move by Jets. They improve their odds of getting a guy they want and out-position a division rival for coveted need. Even if Bills jump ahead of them, worst case is they get a choice between 2 of top 4 QBs. This move is relatively early for the draft.

        1. I like the move. Think it was slick. Early but they get the worm. I think they want Mayfield, and he’s the most likely to be there at #3.

      2. Yeah, Bills may well be left with the 4th guy. Gotta feel bad when you have so much ammo to move up but it won’t get you where you need to go.

  39. Grant is somewhat correct , but misses the bigger point. The free agency mistakes mean there is no room for error in the draft.

    1. Top Shelf: I agree that we could have changed the trajectory of the off season if we had landed Norwell , CB Amerson and Allen Robinson. Whoa, what a “splash”. We had the money. We came into FA with significant cap space. Signing these three or 2 of 3 would have taken a lot of pressure off the draft. Now we are heading into the draft and still need a G , possible a 2nd G, Edge/LEO, a primary ball carrier, CB if Sherman doesn’t recover …

    2/3 Over pay/Paraag: SHerman deal was not an overpayment but Mckinnon and Richburg were. Is this Paraag’s fault or is he acting on Jeds orders. We dont know.

    4. Small RB: I made the point the other day. Who carries the ball on 4th and goal from the 1? What drives me nuts is that this is a RB rich draft. Lynch said as much during the combine. If we had landed Norwell as a FA, our first could have been Davenport/Landry and 2nd Ronald Jones. Mckinnon and his contract make zero sense.

    5. Sherman risky: Yes, but I like it. It was a smart calculated gamble at a good price point. What wasn’t smart was bringing back Ward for 8M ?

    All of this , is contingent on Foster and his legal proceedings. We may find ourselves in need of MLB in addition to everything else. In that case Edmunds has to be a consideration at 9. Not a horrible idea considering he could replace Eli Harold next year if necessary.

    Bottom line, is that now we have to draw near perfect hand in the draft and hope these speculative free agents live up to their contracts and heal from series injury.

    1. Edmunds play MLB in 18 and potentially replace Eli Harold in 2019 is what I meant to say.

    2. I think Attaochu has a good shot of getting rid of Harold this year, because I believe he can play SAM.

  40. Wow! This article is actually depressing. And way off from most of the other reviews of FA pickups who actually take Shanahan’s scheme in consideration.

    PFF gave the Sherman signing an A+: he will be motivated to come back and be a star and signed a contract that protects the 49ers and gives Sherman the money he wants if he is as good as he believes he will be.

    Richberg was the 4h ranked center in 2016 and considered one of the league’s best when healthy and more importantly can get out and block like Alex Mack of the Falcons. He is a great fit for Shanahan’s offense, a way better fit than Norwell. Sounds like the 49ers ranked him the best middle offensive lineman on their FA board. Sure he had a concussion (like tons of other guys) but it was his first.

    And McKinnon was their highest ranked back on their FA board – higher than Dion Lewis. He had better comps in the combine than Shaquan Barkely, including lifting 32 reps! This guy is as strong as an ox and his size is comparable to Dovonta Freeman. And even better Shanahan said McKinnon will be utilized in several roles to get the ball in his hands as much as possible – running back, receiver, move TE. I can’t wait to see how Shanahan schemes McKinnon.

    I just can’t understand why Grant thinks he knows what the 49ers want and need more than Lynch and Shanahan. It makes no sense to me.

    1. I sense Grant has a very keen, very clear idea of what the 9ers need–no matter the scheme in use, no matter what the GM and HC desire as a future state. If the 9er world view matches Grant’s priorities perfectly, then great. Yay! If they don’t, Grant will apply the acid–and quickly. Grant loves to pounce on what he feels is 9er deceit and stupidity–looking to widen and exploit any crack he can (may even find cracks that simply aren’t there). He calls out 9er leaders for panicking. Most of us are familiar with his feelings about Shanahan and what he thought of Garoppolo’s place with the team.

      I don’t expect Grant to be a mindless homer; however, the insights he brings–occasionally very good–are often tainted by his vigorous, over-the-top dismissal of all things failing to align with his reality.

      1. Yes agree Cassie. I enjoy Grant and find his insights often good – Hyde and Bowman were perfect examples. He swings and misses on way too many though – he thought Witherspoon was a bad pick at that spot and would not play in 2017, that Beathard was an “F”, that Trent Taylor was drafted as a punt returner (and there were better punt returners out there), and that Colbert wouldn’t even make the team. But I know others miss too so that is not a big deal. At least Grant puts his opinions out there.

        But this article was so negative I couldn’t even finish it. It was more like a hit piece than his normal opinion pieces. It seemed less based in fact than his other articles too. And yeah it seemed like he was pouncing on “49er deceit and stupidity” – and what have Shanahan and Lynch done that makes them deserve that awful moniker? It’s not like we are talking about Baalke (sorry Cassie) and Tomsula. So yeah it bothered me.

        1. Beachie:

          Many posters (especially the old timers) come here primarily for the comments section of the blog. Trying to pound some reality into Grant is simply a plus :) …. but hardly ever works. Still, Grant has his moments where he produces some very good work. Unfortunately, the frequency of those moments has been diminishing of late.

      1. Why not mention PFF? My son works there and he’s pretty stoked about McKinnon.

  41. Trade charts can fluctuate up/down near the top of the draft, but still…

    Colts gave up pick 3 – 2,200 points

    Jets gave up picks 6,37,49 – 2,540 points (+ 2019 second round pick)

    A hot quarterback market really impacts the the top of the draft. Cost the Jets three second round picks to move up a few spots.

      1. Trade looks even better for the Colts with the Harvard chart

        Colts traded pick 3 = 342.4
        Colts got picks 6, 37, 49 = 658.5 (+ 2019 2nd round pick)

        The 2019 2nd rounder makes it a huge grab for the Colts no matter what chart. Charts can go out the window in a hot quarterback market.

        I use the standard Jimmy Johnson chart not because I think it makes the most sense. I use it because alot of teams still use it (or something close to it). I assume teams modify their charts a bit every year.

    1. The NY Giants at pick 2
      A – Like one of (Barkley, Chubbs, Nelson) so much they turned down a huge pick haul
      B – Have a trade set up with another team offering more/better picks
      C – Might trade back depending on who the Browns take
      D – Will take a quarterback at 2 no matter what the Browns do

        1. Don’t think so. I think the Giants are taking a quarterback otherwise the Jets would’ve just traded up with them to #2 instead of #3. The Bills just telegraphed their intentions and the Jets spoiled their plans….

        2. Interesting. Even if the Broncos offer a trade up from 5? Would give the Giants the 2nd best non-quarterback+ picks.

          They’ve been making noise about beefing up their O-line. Could be lying season stuff. Interesting none the less.

          Nelson or Chubb + Picks at 2 or Barkley at 5?

        3. Could the Giants spook the Jets into trading up to pick 2? Unlikely, but the Giants could get picks+ best non-QB at pick 3. Would be funny.

      1. So many holes. NY will trade #2 to a QB desperate team (Bills or Broncos). Trading with Denver would still allow them to get Nelson or Chubb.

      1. Its great news for the Browns. They can get their quarterback at pick 1. A good chance their favorite non-QB will be there at pick 4. A dream draft.

        Its also good for the 49ers. We want as many QBs taken top eight as possible. Good BPA at 9 or trade up targets.

        Also increases the chance Nelson or Chubbs falls to within trade-up distance.

  42. This was not a great FA class, maybe the whole class is botched. Richburg is a much better center then Killjoy. I have been hollering for a center for four years, we finally got one. Sherman could have both legs amputated and still be a better corner then Johnson. McKinnon is a definite improvement over Mr. Hyde and seek. Attaboyochu is an insurance policy signing. I believe that the Niners wont get Chubb and Landry at nine is over drafting. I think the Niners are going to trade back and hope they get Landry but in case it doesn’t happen there is Attaboyochu.

    Still need a excellent edge rusher, and a OT and a guard. As far as overpaying, it will only matter if the players fail to produce.

    1. Interesting thoughts, Dave. Why do you think the 49ers would risk losing out on Landry if he’s the guy they want? Whether you take him at 9 or 19 doesn’t really matter. 9 may be a little rich, but when you consider Beasley went at 8, Leonard Floyd at 9, I think Landry is at least worth the 12th overall pick, based on his first step explosion, limbo bend, flexibility, and production….

      1. Razor, I don’t mind them reaching at all. Firm believer if you want a guy go get em. Not sure if that’s the niners thoughts though

        1. I hope they don’t get too cute. If they can get the player they want while trading down for more capital, more power to ’em.

  43. This is true the 49ers did botch the free agency. They over paid on their signings just like they did last year. Now if the money is up front and rest of the years are small salary cap numbers then thays ok but really should of pushed harder for A-tier players for the same price or alittle more. Now it would depend if those players wanted to be here but money talks. They should of at least paid fr a WR or Jimmy G the TE. I think Shanny and Lynch are just too hard headed but that goes for alot of teams.

    Example look at the Browns they are getting players just like the Eagles did last year. Look at the Rams they are getting players and took some loses but made the choices. The niners should of released Ward and Beatles and saved like 12 million to sihn a WR. Instead they paying Ward 8 million to be on IR like he has been all 4 years. They should trade Arik but they havent yet. They dont want to make the logical choices. We still need WR, still need RB, still need LB and CB. They cant just hope the players they have can be good or match their system. They need high level players then develop younger players to take over on cheaper contracts. Instead they are over paying tier 2-3 players big contracts. Lets just hope they play up to their contracts which inludes JG

    1. Niner, who’s list had them A type players? Because according to John, they got their A list players…

    2. ‘Example, look at the Browns…’
      The 1-31-0 Browns? Those Browns who’ve had high choices for years and years?
      Yeah, yeah, new GM; (who was seeking employment because, you know, he was unemployed).
      I’ll wait to see what they can get done before I accept them as a model for success.

  44. To all my Celtic brethren out there, and those who want to celebrate with us, Happy Saint Paddies Day. Enjoy the day and evening with a designated driver or an Uber App.
    Be safe

  45. Jimmy Johnson vs. Harvard Chart

    I don’t know which one best reflects the talent curve. And all charts near the very top of the draft can become fiction depending on the quarterback market.

    But I still use the Johnson chart. Outside the very top of the draft, most teams trades still seem to go by Johnson chart reasoning.

    Since the purpose of guessing trade scenarios is based on the intentions of two teams, it makes sense to use the most common chart.

    But there are exceptions. The previous Browns management was heavily Harvard chart. They wouldn’t trade up to save thier own lives. I never had Browns trading up mocks.

    It would be great if someone marked teams Standard or Harvard based on their GMs past trades.

    1. Well it’s good and bad for the niners. Bad because they are losing their trade partners, good because if they stay put, they should be able to get a dominant number 9 pick. Chubb, Barkley, Nelson, Fitzpatrick, or james will be their for the taking

      1. I was thinking teams would be more likely to trade up to picks 7 or 8 for a QB. In the now obsolete Bills trade up from 21 model, I’d see one of the Bucs or Bears saying yes to the same trade offered to the 49ers.

        But I agree in general a big trade back is now less likely.

  46. I was hoping for a top proven WR like a Allen Robinson or Danny Amendola. Immediate impact players that can take us over the top right away. I think the way the team finished last season gave people the impression they are all in on reaching the top this coming season. It’ll be a good draft. They’ll get the right players..

      1. Yep. Players have their agents float a story for leverage against a team they’re really in contact with, and or the Niners float a story for their own leverage against a player they’re actually in contact with. Happens all the time, I would presume.

  47. Grant,

    I’ve been one of the largest ‘throw Paraag under the bus’ yesmen.

    The true scope of this picture (and I agree with you that players in their prime will not touch Marathe’s K’s w/o the standard 30-50 million guaranteed) is who hired this analytics expert and continue to run this system in spite of the 5 game walkouts by the fans 2 years ago.

    Hate to go biblical on you, but Moses had to elicit plagues, turn the Nile River Blood Red and Part the Red Sea on Pharoah and his soldiers to get their attention…Lets hope ‘we fans’ don’t have to go that far.

    I am hopeful they r headed in the right direction by this PFF article:

    “Not everyone has praised the San Francisco 49ers’ moves in free agency, but analytics site Pro Football Focus has given the team high marks.”

    “The 49ers have handed out nearly $281 million worth of contracts with $144 million in guarantees since the Super Bowl, according to OverTheCap.com. The potential sum of the contracts is almost $100 million more than the next team – the Chicago Bears.”

    http://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/114675-big-spending-49ers-receive-high-marks-offseason-signings/

    1. Nope that’s completely wrong. Grant said they wanted Lewis the most but he didn’t want to take more money to join SF. He wanted the security of an extra year even though it paid less than 1year with SF.

  48. Attaochu’s 2015 campaign is nothing to scoff at. Per Pro Football Focus, he earned a respectable 77.0 overall grade that year. And his PFF pass-rush productivity rating that year was 9.9 — higher than other second-level pass-rushers like Trent Murphy, Alex Okafor, Brian Orakpo and Jadeveon Clowney.

    That’s what the 49ers are hoping to get.

    Jeremiah Attaochu’s Fit with the 49ers Defense
    Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh prefers shorter, speedier edge rushers to handle his right defensive end duties. The LEO position, as it’s so called.

    At 6-foot-3 and 252 pounds, Attaochu seems to fit the mold.

    https://ninernoise.com/2018/03/16/49ers-breaking-edge-jeremiah-attaochu-fit/

  49. No. 3: Cornerback

    A name to keep an eye on here is Stanford’s Quenton Meeks. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Meeks embodies the tall, long defensive back coordinator Robert Saleh likes for his defense. Don’t overlook the Stanford connection with Sherman and John Lynch either.

    NFLDraftScout.com puts Meeks between Rounds 3 and 4 of the draft

    No. 2: Offensive Guard
    some of the lower-ranked first- and second-tier guards are worth keeping eyes on — players like UTEP’s Will Hernandez, Auburn’s Braden Smith or Clemson’s Taylor Hearn.

    No. 1: EDGE
    What’s needed is a true edge bender.

    Picking up Jeremiah Attaochu is a low-risk, high-reward move. But he’s been plagued with injury and hasn’t quite lived up to his second-round NFL Draft status.
    Because of this, the Niners are likely going to need to use one of their top picks on a quality outside pass-rusher in the draft.
    https://ninernoise.com/2018/03/17/49ers-ranking-top-nfl-draft-needs-free-agency/4/

  50. Scooter, as a percentage, how set is the 49ers board right now? I’m guessing at least 90%.

    1. I would expect it was 90% set before the combine. It should be almost complete by now. Just some minor tweaks here and there as they cross people off following meeting with them.

    1. Well, there’s Juszczyk at the moment if we’re wanting to see a bruising back in those situations. Wouldn’t be surprised if a ‘straight ahead’ physical back is added through the draft, UDFA signing, or a cut from another team during preseason. Guess we’ll see…it’s only March 17th. What does Shanahan prefer to do scheme-wise in those short down/distance conditions?

      1. Cassie do you think Williams can be that short yardage back? He is bigger than Breida and McKinnon. I am sure they will draft a RB also.

        1. Williams isn’t easy to read. I saw a few of his games at Utah. He does have the ability to push ahead through tight/bunched spaces here and there. I would think his playing weight, now that he’s in the league, is up a bit from his playing days in Salt Lake (~205). Would think his strength has improved too. His combine numbers:

          Height: 5106. Weight: 210 40 Yrd Dash: 4.41 20 Yrd Dash: 2.62 10 Yrd Dash: 1.58, 225 Lb. Bench Reps: 14

          Camp will be very interesting.

          1. I would trust Brieda more to pound the rock. Yes, he us smaller but Williams has a fairly upright running style, which doesn’t lend itself to surviving big hits.

    2. 3rd and 4th and one. Juice or qb sneak. No need to hand it off if it’s really short yardage.

    3. My question is when it’s time to grind the game down and use clock, you need a guy who can run between the tackles. Do we have that type of back? I don’t think McKinnon is the type of back to control the clock and grind out tough yards.

      1. Did the Falcons have a typical short yardage back? Didn’t seem to be a problem for them.

        1. I just like the idea of having a bruising back when it’s late in games and your RB can simply over power the defense.
          Finesse works better when supplemented with power.

          1. Per Scooter, Shanny’s Atlanta guys got in the end zone. Our guys plus Juice should work well enough.
            4Q You can run ‘em wide and off tackle to distraction when their tongues are dragging, then counter inside to gash them.
            Not second guessing, but I’d love to see Shanny incorporate the famous
            Roger Craig-Tom Rathman Flare Right Route.

            1. Yep. 2016 Falcons top 2 RBs had 19 rushing TDs between them. Neither guy is bigger than 210 lbs. I don’t think Shanahan feels he needs a bruiser RB.

              In evaluating players the 49ers need it is important to understand the scheme. The offensive scheme is predicated on creating mismatches through speed and short area quickness. Not size. Both at RB and receiver. Which is why I don’t think the 49ers will feel they need to go get a big bodied WR like so many fans want them to. At least not one that doesn’t also provide the necessary speed and quickness that Shanahan desires.

            2. I don’t agree with the comparison of the current 49ers to the Falcons. Completely different personnel.
              I get that it can be done without a big back. I’m just saying big backs can really help when you look at the defensive lines in the NFC West.

              1. “I don’t agree with the comparison of the current 49ers to the Falcons. Completely different personnel.”

                Not that different, and getting more and more similar. Shanahan has a type that fits his system and he is building the roster to meet it.

              2. If we get a Julio Jones then I’ll agree with you.

                Off the record. Jimmy G is no Matt Ryan. He’s better!

              3. As Shanahan himself has said many times now, guys like Jones are very rare. Guys like him don’t make it to FA, and there sure as sh!t is none like him in this years draft.

                But if you are basing the 49ers not being like the Falcons because of 1 unique type of player then you are missing the big picture. The offense being built is very similar to the one Shanahan had at the Falcons. Which should come as no surprise at all as that is his offense.

                Shanahan had some success with more of an inside runner at Washington (Alfred Morris), but that was for an offense designed around read option with RGIII. Given the money they just gave McKinnon it seems quite clear they are looking for more of a dynamic running attack in the same vein as what he had at the Falcons.

              4. Scooter I don’t see the same similarities in what he ran in ATL as he is in SF.
                Did Shanny do any drafting with the Falcons?
                I don’t think so. He was just a a great play caller there.

                The drafting and connections to free agency seems to be all Lynch so far. It seems to me Shanny is the salesman and Lynch is the architect.
                As for scheme, yes he wants a certain type of player. But I don’t agree it’s the same model as Atlanta’s.

              5. Well, I really don’t know what you are seeing then. If you are saying its not the same offense because they don’t have a Jones then I guess yeah, its not 100% the same. But that’s a very myopic viewpoint. Its the same concepts. Speedy WRs to stretch and open up the D. A tough possession WR to work the middle. Speedy, dynamic RBs that are threats as runners and receivers and can stretch teams horizontally. TEs that can both catch and block. A centre that can be relied on to block 1 on 1.

                It is exactly the offense Andrew Hawkins described as well. He played for Shanahan. He knows.

              6. I think you just described what over half the NFL is trying to do offensively.

                Regardless, this team in my opinion is being built with John Lynch’s blue print with aid from Shanny. I simply disagree it’s the Atlanta model.

          2. Prime Time

            Here’s a couple of BIG, FAST, STRONG, RB’s…I’ve already mentioned Royce Freeman out of University of Oregon…. Yesterday was Oregon State University’s Pro day, and everyone was oohing and aahhing about Ryan Nall… who turned in a 4.55 40…both around 235+ Freeman holds the UofO rushing records…In our own back yard !! I’m a Duck, and it’s a toss-up between them….Go Ducks…Go Beavs…GO NINERS…!

      2. Yes, Brieda will be used more for this role. In short yardage plays he was in the field as much or more than Hyde because of the way he hits the hole. And while he is shirt he has tree trunks for legs.

  51. I’m sure Jimmy has mastered Brady’s dip n hesitate until the hole opens up, quarterback sneak. Always good for a yard.

    1. Hey Razor,

      What should 9ers do about ILB? I am done with Reuben Foster and we can’t count on him. I think we need to draft one in the first 4 rounds along with CB, OG, OLB.

      1. Luckily for us it’s a deep class. I think you can wait until day 3 to draft an ILB.

  52. The Browns are taking Barkley with there first pick its to logical after they signed Hyde and they will pick a QB at #4 probably Allen or Mayfield.
    I hope we try to sign OG Jack Newhort cuz he fits our ZBS, if not try everything to get Quenten Nelson so that our o-line is devastating the next decade!

  53. I was scrolling through my twitter feed, hoping to find a thoughtful, well reasoned article discussing the 49ers’ FA signings. Instead, I stumbled on Grant’s article.

    Since I hadn’t yet found a smart, well written article, I panicked and clicked the link to Grant’s article, then really botched things by reading it.

    This isn’t to say that The 49ers FA signings are above question, they aren’t, but go the life of me, I don’t understand why Grant continues to write these kinds of pieces. They might as well be written by a rabid Seahawks fan who hopes the worst for the 49ers (I have inlaws in this category, so I know what they sound like).

    I’m not saying grant is actually against the 49ers, but his writing is outside two standard deviations to the negative side.

    1. Wow…. You panicked. Then botched. Nice! I share your assessment!

      Grant loves stomping in puddles–the more people close by to get wet, the better. The more he can rankle people, the better. He’s entitled to his opinions (some with merit)–and is quite free to share them. His sharp edged, accusing delivery method (which he is most comfortable with) detracts from the point he is trying to make–in my opinion.

      The 9er GM and HC are deceitful, panicky, stupid, and bungling. And one is a glorified OC.

      1. I believe Grant has provided us with this season’s Rally Monkey Blog Whoop.
        We’ve previously had:
        > If you take away his good runs, then the bad runs are…bad.
        > Legs are gone
        > Who the H is going to play Slot Corner?
        > Staley is done
        > Roman is deliberately calling plays that won’t work to pad his resume for OC somewhere else
        > Harbaugh doesn’t understand the concept of the roll out pass
        > Glorified OC
        For the 2018 Vintage we have:
        “Panicked!” And “Botched”
        I’m sure we will come across more gems to incorporate thematically as 2018 unfolds.

      2. Cassie Baalke

        Great metaphor…stomping in puddles…If Razor eater gets wind of it, Grant will have a long time living it down….

  54. Guess he’s not expecting any one on one interviews with these men.

    Except where you hear , I told you so .
    From the HC,GM,FO, not to mention the players.

    Note to grant ,must plan to be more apart of the team , try positive feedback .
    Just a thought. Should help with the clicks

  55. I say that we ignore this idiot and from this point forward BOYCOTT his articles. Like a spoiled 2 year old throwing a tantrum for attention, it’s all about how many hits he generates. If the 49ers botched free agency, then why does Pro Football Focus list them as one of the top 5 winners in free agency? Let’s not forget, this is the football guru who wanted the 49ers to trade Garoppolo!

    1. That’s the problem nowadays, everyone trying to boycott everything they disagree with. Grant can have his own opinions, wrong or not lol. He’s entitled to it especially since this is his blog. As hard headed as he is, we still like the guy, or like to argue with him. Feel free to not come back here, dont let the door hit u on the way out.

  56. Eric Branch opining that Niners are about done in FA this year. Reserving Cap space for some extensions.
    Lynch has proven to be fast on the trigger as an opportunist, but Branch thinks he’s set for now.

    1. Their is no player on the team that deserves sn extension at this time. They are keeping Ward at 8 million who will get hurt again, hes Mr. Glass. If they can rework the deal for 3 years for 10 million then good deal.

      Arik another Mr. Glass deserves no extension. Should be traded. Tartt another injuried player but he could play if stays healthy. Eli is just a backup player so maybe cheap deal but they will probably give 25 million 12 quranteed.

      Trent Brown is good but people say doesnt fit their scheme, if thats the case why not trade him instead of letting him walk or giving a big contract too.

      Then u got Garnett who knows how that will go if he will be a backup, starter or released. Then u got Foster probably the most talented player on the team but has issues going on right now.

      1. Branch is passing along his views or what he’s learned about Lynch’s current thinking. Lynch’s thinking is relevant to what has and what will happen.
        I disagree with your assessments, not that it matters much. Our opinions don’t effect the outcome, we’re spectators.

  57. Truth be told, I nor anyone else know whether the FO panicked. In my opinion they didn’t. They had a multifaceted plan and while they had high tier targets (which Grant points out), they also had targeted other players too (which many posters have repeatedly pointed out).

    I think the more interesting non-committal was Talib. If the rumors are true, and I have no idea if they are, then perhaps Grant’s hypothesis regarding Marathe may have some justification.

    Coaches and front offices routinely lie and throw shade. This is a given. Reporters and columnists stretch facts and circumstances to build their narratives, also true. Fans waver from hyper excited praise to over critical abandonment.

    Will all these new players be good or great? Remains to be seen. Did Lynch say that we should watch for FA moves and it will be something to watch. He said something to that effect. Have the Niners done this? Depends on who you ask. Did they overpay. On some signings they did (McKinnon), but on others it could be argued they underpaid (Sherman).

    1. “I think the more interesting non-committal was Talib.”

      I agree. That one hurt.

      1. It’s not uncommon for a team to target a guy and not get him. For whatever reasoms, they didn’t get their first choice. I think that’s the game of free agency or trades.

      2. Maybe, but if Sherman works out, don’t you think he would be a better teammate and less likely to cause problems on the field?

        1. Isn’t Sherman the one who got in Russell Wilson’s face and yelled, “You f—— suck!”?

              1. No, just asking the question. Some of Talib’s antics were caught on tape.

                Would explain why Seattle got rid of him.

              2. Did Sherman cost the team though? I’ve seen Talib tossed out of games and get costly penalties?

              3. Grant admitted–after being asked directly–that Sherman would be a more effective mentor to DBs in the locker room than Talib. Mentor in the sense of leading/teaching and imparting his knowledge.

              4. Grant,

                Are you really trying to say that Sherman is a worse guy than Talib?

                Wasn’t Talib charged with firing a gun at someone and didn’t he admit he shot himself, after claiming an unknown assailant shot him? Hasn’t he had other episodes of physical violence?

                While he’s an a-hole, Sherman hasn’t done anything remotely like Talib. It’s actual violence vs trash talk, no comparison.

    2. What rumors are those East? It’s my understanding Talib simply wanted to go to a team who’s scheme he was familiar with, which, like Sherman, makes sense for an aging veteran. And that was either NE, or the Rams, with Wade Philips running the show. I’m not convinced it had anything at all to do with the Niner’s FO.

      You have to approach FA with a certain level of flexibility, right? There are often unforeseeable factors that come into play. What do they say about the best laid plans?

  58. I read an article about 8 to 10 years ago about how the Patriots built and maintained their roster. Very simply the GM and Belichick said in free agency sign two B level players as opposed to signing an A level free agent, you get better at 2 positions and don’t put yourself into cap hell and have to tear your team apart and start over. You get your A level players through the draft or by coaching up your B level signings into A level players. That sounds just like what the 49ers are trying to do but we can’t really know until the season starts. All arrows up if you ask me. imho

    1. The patriots have cheated their way to winning for many years now. They got caught twice now for cheating and their OC future coach who went to Denver also got caught cheating. They also got that fumble call against the Raiders. Then really their kicker is the won who won most of their SB not Brady or the coach

      1. Niner,
        I agree regarding the cheating but it doesn’t take away from how they built and maintained their roster. imho

  59. Grant
    * “Talib committed three penalties last season. Sherman committed eight in nine games.”
    * Are there things a player can do that are worse than committing penalties, like a QB throwing an interception that cost his team a Super Bowl?
    * Would you have been so noble as to say, thanks for all the good times, you’re the man? Or, he panicked and lost the game? Kind of like….the 9er GM and HC are deceitful, panicky, stupid, and bungling and the HC is a glorified OC…or was that that just “A RUMOR” too? Guess what, what goes around, comes around?

  60. http://www.ninersnation.com/2018/3/17/17135276/who-is-in-play-at-pick-9-it-s-a-short-list

    Pretty much sums up what I am thinking, though I would add Wynn to the list as I think he could also play OT in the pros.

    Interesting point on OG too. I disagree to some degree in that I think the ideal is more than “adequate”, but it does seem Shanahan doesn’t place a priority on it. If they draft an OG early I suspect it will be a guy with a potential future at OT.

    1. I was just gonna post this Scooter. One of the better fanposts I’ve read over at NN. Like you I think he is pretty much correct in his assessment, but do you agree on his assessment of Chubb? If he’s right, then forget Chubb. As he says we already have enough of those guys on the team.

      1. Yes I do. I have said so before in fact. He is a very good all round DE. But he’s not a Leo. He would be more the 6T in this D, and have plenty of guys for that role already.

        1. Chubb has adequate speed off the edge. He can convert speed to power. He can play LEO. Being an all around good DE is a bonus.

          1. Yeah, fair enough, I shouldn’t have been so black and white in my post. He can play Leo. I just think his better spot in this D would be 6T. And that someone like Landry would be better suited to the Leo.

            1. Depends on what Saleh wants. Chubb could play LEO, SAM, and 6T. Saleh might favor that versatility with Chubb being a chess piece that never leaves the field, he might favor the the elite speed rush potential of Landry. Either guy would be an understandable pick.

              As long as it’s not Davenport.
              :-)

              1. Really, amigo? I think he’s an excellent 6, and a a possible Sam or Leo. not worth a 9th.

              2. I think Chubb could play all three well, and with his polish and work ethic, his game should translate to the pro’s pretty quickly.

        2. Why do people get so worked up over the LEO position considering its a single down role?
          What the team really needs is pressure off the edge on the 2 downs its not in its base defense.

          That is a major reason they were one of the defense was so poor. It did a great job of getting to 3rd down but had one of lowest 3rd down success rates.

    2. I’m afraid Shanny may have to learn the hard way to value OG facing Aaron Donald twice a year. I agree it comes down to Landry or Smith. I think they’re interested in a pure OT rather than a guard that can play one, and there isn’t one worth taking that high. Landry makes the most since, and right now, I feel confident he’ll be the selection….

  61. What Grant was thinking on 24 January–Free Agents the 9ers should target. Nothing against Grant, just a look back as we close in on the spring…

    “…..these are five players I think the Niners will target and try hard to sign.

    1. Justin Pugh, OG, New York Giants. Twenty-seven-year-old former first-round pick and one of the best left guards in the NFL. Has the speed and athleticism to thrive in Kyle Shanahan’s outside-zone running game unlike many other big-name free-agent offensive linemen, such as Andrew Norwell from the Carolina Panthers.

    2. Isaiah Crowell, RB, Cleveland Browns. Carlos Hyde probably will sign with another team for more money than the 49ers are willing to pay him. So, the Niners will sign Crowell, who is 25 — two years younger than Hyde. Crowell averaged 4.1 yards per carry this season, and played for Shanahan as a rookie in 2014.

    3. Taylor Gabriel, WR, Atlanta Falcons. Twenty-six-year-old deep threat who caught six touchdown passes and gained 579 receiving yards as Shanahan’s No. 3 receiver in 2016. Would give the 49ers a speed receiver other than injury-prone Marquise Goodwin.

    4. Bruce Irvin, DE/OLB, Oakland Raiders. This is if the Raiders release him. Under contract through 2019. Thirty-year-old edge rusher who would make the 49ers defensive line faster, and unlock DeForest Buckner’s potential as an interior rusher.

    5. Sean Smith, CB, Oakland Raiders. Again, this is if the Raiders release him. Under contract through 2019. Thirty-year-old corner who broke up 11 passes in 2016 for Ken Norton Jr. and his Seahawks-style defense, but broke up only four passes in 2017 playing mostly quarters coverage under John Pagano. A good fit for Robert Saleh’s Cover-3 system.”

    1. Follow-up on Sean Smith…. (AP) LOS ANGELES — Prosecutors say former Oakland Raiders cornerback Sean Smith has been sentenced to serve a year in jail after admitting he beat his sister’s boyfriend in July.

      The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office says Smith pleaded guilty Tuesday to a felony assault charge. He was also sentenced to five years of probation and was taken into custody after the court hearing.

      Prosecutors said the cornerback beat his sister’s boyfriend after the man tried to intervene in an argument between Smith and his sister.

      They said he stomped on the man’s head, causing “serious bodily injury.”

      The Raiders released Smith on Monday.

      The former University of Utah star played for Miami from 2009 to ’12 and Kansas City from 2013 to ’15.

    2. CB,

      What’s your point? Everyone of those guys on Grant’s list is a “top shelf talent”.

      Well except for, Pugh, Crowell, Gabriel, Irvin and Smith.

  62. Rant Alert ?
    A few years ago around draft time, Jerry Jones consented to an on camera interview.
    Imagine that, Jerrah agreed to be in front of a camera! Anyway, to really drill home what a big shot commander-in-Chief he is of the Boys, he held it in the Cowboys War Room. While he pontificated their Board was visible behind him.
    It took careful examination of the tape (zoom mag), but it was laid bare a few days after the actual draft.
    It was very interesting to see how their valuations on players were significantly different than the media consensus or Kiper or McShay or Rang or Mayock or Walter or Bleacher(!), DraftTek, any of them. Based on choices made, different than the Niners as well.
    So what?
    It points that different teams rate draftees differently. Shockingly, they also rate FAs differently as well. One team’s ‘No way, no thanks’ is another team’s Flea Market Gem.
    We’re still learning what a Shanahan Guy is and what a Lynch Guy is. We need a larger sample size to get that dialed in.
    In the meantime we’ll be hard pressed to guess FA signings and draft choices ahead of the fact.
    Of course a select few people know they have a superior pov and are smarter than the Forty Niner brass.
    And Raiders brass, and A’s, and Giants and Dubs and Sharks and Earthquakes brass.
    ?

    1. Well said Brotha. I’ll add, these scouts, coaches, GM’s, personnel experts get to talk to these guys. So as valuable as tape is, one on one meetings could make the difference in what makes these players “their guy”

      1. Much agreement PrimeTime. My business relations invariably went better after some face time. Harbs used to talk about “knee-to-knee conversations.”

  63. The only thing shocking about Grant’s article is how long it took for him to write it. Expected. Yes. Earth shattering. No. Obvious coming from him. Yes. Really matters much. No. The usual. Yes. Unbiased perspective. No. Irritating little snot nosed brat. Yes. Expect more of the same. Yes. Gouge my eyes out. Yes.

    1. As long as it takes literally 5 seconds to scroll down to the bottom of the comments; grant has done his job- success for him.

            1. Since you guys are talking about him, what happened to Seb? Was he banned or did he leave on his own volition?

              1. Seb used his real name and left the blog because he feared for his safety. He still makes an appearance every now and then, usually after people speak his name. He’s like Beetljuice or Bloody Mary now.

              2. Definitely. And he was underrated in Jackie Brown, which was an underrated movie.

              3. Agree. I think it’s my favorite Tarantino movie, even though it’s not his most iconic.

  64. Since there isn’t much else happening right now in 49er land, I thought I would take this chance to discuss a player a few people on here have outlined as a player they want at #9, and a player I have seen mocked to the 49ers quite a lot – Tremaine Edmunds.

    First off, I just want to say that if he is the 49ers pick I will be fine with it. I will understand it. And I will see the potential. However, for reasons I will outline shortly I wouldn’t be thrilled with the pick, and would have grave reservations about how well the pick will pan out.

    The positives of the player are very obvious and I won’t go into it in detail. But suffice to say Edmunds is a tremendous athlete for his size and offers position and scheme versatility. Plus he is just 19 years old. More on that later. I see him as a good fit for the SAM spot in this D, and he could fill in at MIKE as needed. Plus with his size and speed combo there is belief he can be used as a pass rusher in nickel.

    I want to focus on the negatives though, as I think they are more pertinent here. Because as good as an athlete he is, he just isn’t a very good football player right now. Sure, he made some wow plays in college, but they were all based on athletic gifts. And athleticism just isn’t enough in the NFL. For every wow play there were two (or more) really bad plays, where he either misread the play, took a bad angle or just simply took himself out of the play through poor fundamentals (a key one being his tendency to lean and step forward at the start of the play no matter what). He will get found out repeatedly in the NFL.

    Now I know a lot of people will forgive this because of the tantalizing athletic talent. And the fact he is just 19 years old. I get it. But those are excuses and rose coloured glasses thinking. There is a lot of work to be done on his game, no matter which way you slice it. Just because he has great athleticism or is only 19 won’t change how long it will take to get him coached up. Or how quickly both fans and coaches will lose patience with him. And this is just to get him NFL ready as a LB, the position he has most experience in. For those thinking he can be the answer as a pass rusher he has a VERY long way to go – and chances are he will never get there.

    So while I can see the potential, especially as the SAM LB, I think Edmunds would be a bad pick for the 49ers.

    1. Scooter,
      While I agree with a lot of what you say, I think you have overstated the negatives.
      Stating he is not a good football player is an incorrect statement. Poor Football players or players who have 2 negative plays to every positive play do not get named to All America teams or All ACC teams.

      Simply put, I would say he is a very good football player, who relies to much on his Athleticism. He appears to have questionable instincts. So the question becomes, will this be developed with more playing time, as he is so young, or will his questionable instincts continue to hold him back from realizing his full potential?

      These questions marks move him down the board for me as well, as I would grade him out as a mid to late first rounder.

      1. Shoup, I think Scooter cherry picked some of this straight off of NinersNation.

        While a LB or EDGE would be in play, Edmunds is a 19 year old kid who is a freak athlete but isn’t really either. He’s already borderline too big to stay at LB and very likely isn’t done growing yet. And unfortunately good athletes who are too big to stay at LB can’t just become great EDGE players. This is all in addition to the one thing that nobody seems to be talking about – his tape is very good for a 19 year old athletic specimen, but he simply isn’t a great football player yet. Sure he flashes, but he also has waaaaaaaaaaay too many times where he’s out of position, late to recognize what’s going on, etc. Think of it this way: every year, we look forward to the next crop of draft-eligible 19 or 20 year olds and make way-too-early draft boards. And every year, those boards go to heck with another season of actual playing time. I’d rather not gamble our top 10 pick to see if he’s just another athlete who never quite gets there his tape is very good for a 19 year old athletic specimen, but he simply isn’t a great football player yet.

        Yes, Edmunds is a freak athlete, but he’s also a very good football player. Like you said Shoup, All-American and All-ACC speaks for itself. Does he have room to improve, of course, he’s 19 years old. Part of the draft process is projection. Projecting the kind of NFL player Edmunds has the potential to become. I think the skies the limit for this kid because he’s such a unique, versatile player. Whether he fits what the Niners are looking for is another question.

        1. Sorry Scooter, while I think Edmunds is a better football player than you are giving him credit for, I shouldn’t be so dismissive of your evaluation of Edmunds. We all absorb information from around the web.

          I do question exactly where he fits in this scheme. If he’s going to play ILB, I don’t think he can afford to get much bigger. However, he’s a very tough player to find a good comparison for, because he’s so unique. For instance, NFL.COM mentions Urlacher as their player comp, probably because both players are much bigger than average for ILB. But, aside from their physical attributes, they aren’t all that similar, IMO.

          The reason I cannot discount Edmunds at #9 is because of his potential versatility. I think he can lineup at all 3 Linebacker positions, with the wildcard being his potential out wide at the LEO. Versatility adds value. Edmunds ability to excel at the Mike, in addition to WILL and SAM, would go along way to shoring up our linebacker situation. If Reuben Foster wasn’t such a flake, Edmunds would make less sense to me as a round 1 target. Given the situation with Foster, Edmunds would give the 49ers a guy who can fill in at MIKE without much of a drop off, and he can be the heir apparent to Smith at the WILL next season, while adding much need depth at both positions. I can also see him as a fit at Strong Side Linebacker, and if he does add more technique and is able to develop his pass rushing repertoire, who knows, maybe he can contribute at the LEO as well. That’s a lot of added value in terms of versatility.

          1. Wasn’t Urlacher a Safety in college that was converted to LB in NFL? He turned out to be pretty good.

            While 9 may be too high a pick for Edmunds, he could be a good pick if we trade out from 9 to a mid Rd pick if he is still on the board.
            My draft day scenario would be to mimic what Lynch did last year in the draft with Thomas and Foster.

            That said, Lynch and Shanahan will obtain to players they need to improve the team on offense and defense. The draft is 3-5 deep at almost all positions into the 3rd and maybe 4th rd, so I anticipate a good haul no matter who the players turn out to be.
            Can’t wait!

            1. Urlacher was a Safety out of high school. He converted to Linebacker as a freshman at New Mexico, and then converted to “Lobo-Back”, a cross between a linebacker and free safety, in their 3-3-5 scheme, as a sophomore. He eventually got too big for that role, and converted back to Linebacker.

              He was drafted by the Bears at 9th overall (what a coincident), and played both OLB and ILB early on, winning Defensive Rookie Of The Year in 2000. He soon settled in at MIKE Linebacker, at 6’4.5″ and close to 260 lbs, making him one of the biggest Middle Linebackers in the league. Urlacher then went on to be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, and eventually named All Decade Team for 2000-2009.

              For what it’s worth, NFL Network’s Mike Mayock has Edmunds rated as the best ILB prospect in this class.

              Mayock’s 2018 NFL draft position rankings:

              1. Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech
              2. Roquan Smith, Georgia
              3. Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State
              4. Rashaan Evans, Alabama
              5. Uchenna Nwosu, USC

              I think this kid is a good football player as well as athlete.

              1. 49,
                Thanks for the correction on Urlacher. My point is that a player with special athletic qualities can make the minor transitions to become an impact player in the pros.

                Edmunds seems to be that type of player. But I agree with Scooter that #9 could be to high.

        2. I assure you I wasn’t intentionally copying others work, and in all honesty I don’t even know if I have read the article on Edmunds from NN before. But I have indeed gone over numerous draft profiles, cut ups and videos of him. So no doubt much of what I have written is in line with what others have said about him.

          Regarding him being an All everything LB in college, plenty of players get great accolades in college and do nothing in the pros. And plenty of great athletes look like great footballers in college.

          1. Scooter,
            I agree, but we don’t know how a player like Edmunds will do in the pros. He might fit the profile you present or he may become the player most talking-heads are lauding him to become.
            We just don’t know.

            Your pause regarding Edmunds could be said about any player coming out.
            What we call a “can’t miss player” today could be the next Sammy Watkins (average player) or worse case scenario
            Aaron Curry.

            1. No we don’t. But you can minimise the risk of a player being a dud by drafting players that demonstrate excellent football acumen and instincts in college.

              Every talking head lauding him about his potential do so with a massive caveat – its what he could be if his game develops to match his physical attributes. Amobi Okoye, eat your heart out.

              1. Scooter,
                What player at 9 do you see fitting your profile?
                There may be a small group of players that fall in the high football acumen list.

                But just pointing at one player in particular, Sequan Barkley who’s noted as a can’t miss type. How do we know he is not the next Kejanna Carter who was also branded a can’t miss.

                R. Smith, Q. Nelson and Chubb have very good football acumen but will that guarantee that they will be better than a player like Edmunds?
                Someone stated about a month ago that Edmunds reminds them of Anthony Barr (nice standard) but I see more of Bruce Irving type.
                Can’t go wrong if he can play like either one of them.
                I will tuck this away in my TBD list for now. And revisit at the end of the year.

              2. I’m not as high on Barkley as many.

                Smith, Nelson and Chubb definitely fit the profile of high football acumen. Fitzpatrick and James also. Jaire Alexander and Denzel Ward. I know people will scoff at the idea, but I think Landry also displays pretty good football instincts and skills as a pass rusher. There are others too.

      2. Shoup:

        Perhaps the difference lies in what it means to be a good football player. In my opinion, it’s much easier to get by on athletic ability in college than in the pros. Good football player in college doesn’t necessarily translate to good football player in the NFL, especially when the player relies too heavily on his athleticism.

        1. Cubus,
          That could be true… but normally if a player is simply a freak athlete, they don’t perform all that well, even at the collegiate level, unless they a space player. Additionally there was plenty of talent in the ACC, which in theory should make it harder to put up the numbers he did. And Last, He appears to be the highest graded as a top 10 player by Kiper, Jeremiah, Mayock and McShay… its hard to get the kind of consensus when your only an athlete.

          Now that I have said all this. I feel I need to specify, I believe Scooter and I are most likely in agreement on Edmunds, as a prospect. I just didn’t like the wording of the argument, as I felt it was a little too strongly stated. I believe he is a good player and a first rounder, but agree that his instincts and play recognition are a bit slow sometimes… and so I also would drop him a bit for that.

        2. Exactly cubus. Great athletes dominate in college quite often. But if they don’t have the game to match their skills they get found out in the NFL. From what I have seen of Edmunds his game is well behind his athletic gifts.

          Shoup, as I said in my post, I intentionally focused on the negatives. We are talking about taking him at #9 here. Way too high for my liking.

    2. If it looks like Foster will be suspended for any significant amount of time, Edmunds must be considered at 9. I would draft him over landry who I think is an even bigger gamble. I dont dispute there will be a learning (like with every player) but I dont accept that it is insurmountable. In the current realistic set of mock scenarios, he is the only player I would take at 9. If not Edmunds, niners must trade back and draft a G.

    3. For the reasons Scooter mentioned I’d think Edmunds to be a somewhat Iffy pick that high. I’d prefer R.Smith even though it doesn’t address Edge.
      We tend to fall in love with measurables.
      There are many examples of guys with great triangle numbers who flopped. In this case one who comes to mind is Aaron Curry who the Seahawks drafted high (#4?) in 2009. Agile, mobile and hostile. Fast and ferocious.
      1st round bust. Traded to RayDuhs. Let go. Disappeared.
      He was a Can’t Miss Prospect. I bought in along with the media experts and the Seahags.
      Whiff.

      1. Funny you should mention Curry. He was exactly the guy I was thinking of when I was reading about/ watching Edmunds. Not that they play the same specifically, but just how great athletes making wow plays get elevated in the eyes of many, but get found out if they don’t have the knowledge and football skills to back it up in the pros.

    4. Ive been pushing the Edmunds name since day 1. Nothing would make me happier than to see his name selected at 9. I’d take a Nelson name if he’s there. Wouldn’t make me as a pumped as TE but I’d understand the huge need.
      Kids only 19 years old too. Check out his highlights on YouTube. I know they’re only highlights, but it shows the speed and length of this kid.

      1. His highlights look amazing. Take only the plays where he gets to display his elite athletic talents and he’s an all pro in the making for sure. His full game film is less impressive, and highlights a lot of issues in his game. And as I said in my post, the fact he is 19 gets used a lot to excuse his lack of understanding and processing of information on the field, but it won’t change how much time he will need to get up to speed.

    5. I really couldn’t agree more. The guys that scare me the most are the great athletes that you have to project because they haven’t shown it on the field. I have the same reservations about Josh Allen and Marcus Davenport for the very same reasons. The physical skill is incredible but when you watch them play the ability to play the game doesn’t come close to matching the talent. Edmonds is an athletic phenom, but I don’t see a special player when I watch him. I have trouble picturing where he fits best in a defense and the speculation that he could become a great edge rusher is based on nothing but the measurables because he hasn’t done it at the College level. If I’m going to take a player in the top ten I want as few question marks surrounding him as possible and I want to see elite level performance on the football field. That’s why I would take Smith over Edmonds without hesitation if I was looking for a LB with that pick. He’s not as physically gifted, but he’s a superior football player and that is what the decision should be based on imo.

      Great take Scooter.

      1. Agreed, it’s hard enough to hit on useful players in the draft, no need to reduce your chances in the early rounds.

      2. Thanks rocket. I agree completely that drafting high needs to be about more than elite physical skills. Elite football skills often get underrated because people believe they can be taught, but when taking players really high you want to feel confident they have the capacity to learn and understand the game, where they need to be. In football instincts are more important than athletic abilities, as every player in the NFL is a great athlete.

        Project athletes are for later picks.

      3. HIs age can be used as an excuse.
        We know nothing about anyone they may pick. So we have to go by film breakdowns and highlights.
        I’ll say this. A lb job is to hawk and kill. Yes they must recognize schemes but that position is one of the easiest to learn.
        Cb are the scariest because they must have that extra something to cover another fast athlete. LB must learn to come off of blocks and athleticism helps that learning curve immensely.
        Foster had the same knock on him coming out. He learned very quick, so who’s to say our coaches aren’t good enough to mold these green rookies?
        I think it would be a bad choice to pass him if he’s there. But I guess we will ha e to see what happens after the season.

        1. Foster did not have the same knock on him as Edmunds. Not at all.

          Who was the last off ball LB taken in the top 10 that didn’t come with the description of “excellent instincts”? I can only think of one that panned out – Anthony Barr. And he didn’t play LB until college.

      4. I hate the fact that I am on here defending Edmunds, as I would not take him at 9.
        However, I feel people are overstating the negatives in regards to his play. He is not like Josh Allen or Marcus Davenport, their questions stem from below expected college production, relative to their athletic traits. That is not the case with Edmunds.
        As a true sophmore he had 94 tackles and 4.5 sacks, and as a Junior he had 108 tackles and 5.5 sacks and was Butkus award finalist… you know, the award that goes to the best linebacker in college? People with terrible tape don’t go here, its an award based on production, not measureables.
        Does he showcase great instincts? No.
        Does he get by on athleticism too much? Yes.
        Does he have below average instincts? No, I would say they are average.
        Does he get fooled sometimes? Yes
        Is he a good tackler? Yes, his tackles are seldom beaten.
        Is he good in coverage? Yes.
        Is he a good pass rusher? Yes

        How does he fit on this team? This is where I struggle with selecting him. I think he is best as a weakside defender as I see him more as a chase player because of his athletic traits and his average instincts… while everyone else seem to think of him as a Sam backer. That would make him a Leo in our system… and I would rather develop Landry in this role due to his role in sub packages. If I wanted a LB for SF, I would lean towards Smith, as he appears to have exceptional instincts, which would help him fill the middle and Sam role better.

        1. Shoup,

          I don’t mean to imply the kid sucks; just that the hype doesn’t meet the on field product. That is where my comparisons to Davenport and Allen came in. Edmunds is a good player. I just don’t see an elite player worthy of a pick that high. Most of the excitement revolves around his measurable and potential more so than his play. I don’t think he’s nearly as good as the accolades he’s received make him seem but we all have our own opinions.

          1. Fair enough,
            This may largely be a semantics argument, where we are very close in our assessments but disagree on the wording. Anyways I’m ready to leave this one behind.

    6. Edmunds would be MIKE/WILL for at least the first six weeks. Foster’s immaturity is the reason Edmunds and Roquan are in the conversation. Edmunds could stay at MIKE/WILL when Foster returns since Smith and Coyle aren’t anything special. His potential as a pass rusher shouldn’t be the main focus. When I mention taking Edmunds, it’s usually followed by taking a true Edge in the 2nd or 3rd. But he does have pass rushing ability, which is an added bonus for an off ball LB.

      I agree with Shoup. He is more than just an athlete. He was a Butkus Award finalist and finished third.

      Does he get by with his athleticism at times?
      Does he need to improve his game?
      Yes and yes. Same with Landry. Same with a lot of prospects.

      We can’t expect to get a slam dunk pick at #9. If we are, all of them would be bad picks and we should trade down.

      1. The problem with Edmunds is the bad is really bad, and comes about due to clearly not understanding football concepts and having bad fundamentals. Landry on the other hand displays good football instincts, but needs to keep developing his skills. Skills are much easier to teach than instincts.

        1. Fundamentals can be taught. Concepts can be taught. Instincts could improve with more experience, he’s only 19.

          You can teach Landry how to convert speed to power, but does he have the necessary power to do that? If Landry doesn’t work out as an Edge, (it’s possible) then he would be a total bust. Edmunds could still play ILB. I’m not trying to bash Landry, but he’s a high risk-high reward prospect too.

          1. I think we will just have to agree to disagree on this one. I see Edmunds as a significantly higher risk than Landry.

            1. I pretty much agree with your assessments, except I see Edmunds more as a MIKE/WILL than a SAM. But Edmunds has multiple floors/ceilngs. IMO, Edmunds’ versatility makes him less risky than you are making him out to be.

              “I think we will just have to agree to disagree on this one.”

              It’s draft season, we’re bound to disagree here and there.
              :-)

          2. As for being 19 and that being an excuse. Remember Amobi Okoye? He was a physical specimen as a DT, dominated in college, and is the youngest player ever drafted (younger than Edmunds will be). Everyone raved about what he could be, because he was just a kid. Didn’t matter that he relied almost entirely on athletic gifts to dominate in college. He never developed into anything more than a role player.

            1. Okoye went at #10.

              “Everyone raved about what he could be, because he was just a kid. Didn’t matter that he relied almost entirely on athletic gifts to dominate in college.”

              Exactly. You take a chance and swing for the fences with a high pick because you don’t ever plan on picking that high again. The higher floor guys can be had later on. The potential elite players go higher and there are risks with every prospect.

              1. Yeah, this is something I really disagree with. You take the top talent available. Top talent is not the same as the top athlete.

                Picking top 10 doesn’t mean you can afford to miss on the player by going the high risk prospect.

              2. We would have took Foster at #3 if the Bears took Thomas. Foster was a huge risk because of his shoulder and off the field stuff. But they took that risk because he had an elite ceiling.

                Edmunds, Landry, and Smith all have elite ceilings and could be considered risky. I’d be OK with any of them at #9.

              3. #80,

                Very different situation with Foster. There was no question about his ability. The only questions were his attitude and the shoulder. Edmunds hasn’t shown that level of play which is why Scooter and I are questioning the logic of taking him at #9. Nobody is arguing against his athleticism and potential. He has big time talent and could wind up being a great player. The decision comes down to whether you want a prospect who has played at a consistently high level in College, or a physical marvel with potential who may show flashes but is not a consistent performer? I will always go with the guy who plays great consistently. There is no reason to take a risk with a first round pick when you have that many options available.

                The other issue, at least for me, is that if I’m going to gamble on talent, it’s going to be at a higher impact position like an Edge or DB. You aren’t going to get the return from a LB in this defense as you would the other positions. No way I would have drafted Foster #3 overall last year, and I’m not sure if Lynch really believed that or was just playing the “we got a great bargain” game after the fact, but bottom line is: there are going to be some top drawer talents sitting there that are not as big of a question mark as Edmunds. Only way I would even think about taking Edmunds would be after a significant trade down.

            2. Sure Foster was a proven talent. The only knock on his game was block shedding. Something I argued that he was capable of, he just didn’t have to much at Alabama.

              The shoulder surgery didn’t take according to some. We saw him miss plays this year because of his shoulder. He had the off the field stuff and lo and behold, he will likely be suspended for six games. He was the epitome of a risky pick. But his high ceiling won out.

              “You aren’t going to get the return from a LB in this defense as you would the other positions.”

              They were willing to take a risky LB at #3. Reread BT’s post. We don’t have enough to go on to say what Lynch/Shanny/Saleh will do yet.

              1. It seems best to go by what the 49ers actually did, rather than what they said. Them saying “we would’ve taken Foster at 3, if Thomas wasn’t there” is only talk. No one will ever know if they would’ve taken him there, because the opportunity never presented itself.

                What did happen is the 49ers got Foster much later in the first round than his potential justified. For the reasons given by Scooter and Rocket, this is the type of “discount” I would want before the 49ers draft Edmunds.

  65. BB shopping at The Dollar Store. Or maybe the Five & Dime Store for those who remember. Pats sent a 2018 late 5th Round pick to Oakland for Cordarrelle Patterson AND an upper 6th Rounder. Yard sale.

    1. Pats’s salary cap situation is interesting. They have healthy cap space ($15M), but their cap against the kicker is more than the cap for Edelman. Also, 2 of the top3 cap hits are for their CBs who combine for over $24M — that’s more than the hit for Brady ($22M). They released several players, but I expect them to re-sign one or two who are still free agents, and at a lower cost, e.g., their swing tackle Fleming. I follow the Pats personnel management because that’s the model that the Niners are using.
      https://overthecap.com/calculator/new-england-patriots/

    1. The 49ers had to go all in for McKinnon after Lewis was off the table, as I wrote in my column.

      1. The 49ers had to go went all out for McKinnon after Lewis was off the table, as I wrote in my column since he was their #1 FA target.
        There, corrected it for ya. You’re welcome :)

      2. But that and the amount Lewis got are strong indications the 49ers did not panick. Also, if the 49ers were truly all in on Lewis, then I am pretty sure they would have offered Lewis the deal McKinnion ended up signing.

        1. The 49ers obviously weren’t all in on Lewis. But they almost certainly preferred him. When he was off the table, they had to go all in for McKinnon. The Jets pushed the 49ers higher than they expected to go.

          1. But they almost certainly preferred him.

            Until you quote your source, Grant, you stand on quicksand.

          2. You keep going back to that Grant, but is that not how the free agent market works? One team outbids the other team(s) that are interested in acquiring a free agent? Again, that is not a sign of panicking.

            1. I wonder how Lynch and Shanahan would react to an emergency while outbound to Mars–buttoned up tight in a small capsule. Would they remember their training? Would the panic? Would they botch their mission abort procedures? What would media pundits say about their chances? Any backseat piloting?

              1. Emergency plan? You mean when he’s down 0-16 to Notre Dame on the road and on the bench after a hit and watching his replacement missing tackles? Well, Lynch would just shake it off, chat briefly with his coach, run in and hit a nasty one on Jerome Bettis causing him to fumble, then pick off a Mira pass in the end zone, and make sure that the Irish would not score again.

                The recording at 3:20, 8:15 and 11:00 of this highlight reel of the game shows “what would Lynch do” :) The whole 15 minutes is worth a watch just see the The Lion in Winter orchestrate the quintessential WCO at college level. Warning: this one’s not for Razor!
                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qBZEmkdIFE

    2. They might have been in on Lewis, but if he was their first choice they would have gone higher as they wound up doing with McKinnon. They didn’t, so it seems likely they preferred McKinnon. I’m not sure what the Jets offered, but the interest in McKinnon was higher than it was for Lewis, who got less and spread over two years from the Titans.

      1. “If he was their first choice they would have gone higher as they wound up doing with McKinnon.”

        That’s a good point, but it’s clear the 49ers thought they could get McKinnon for much cheaper and the Jets surprised them. Lewis was off the table, so the 49ers had to beat the Jets offers for McKinnon.

        1. As I stated above, that is not a sign of panicking, but outbiding the competition.

        2. That’s possible Grant, but it’s also possible that they didn’t feel Lewis was worth pursuing at the price required to get him. The fact they have overpaid for a few players now leads me to believe they would have done the same for Lewis if he was really their top choice.

          1. “It’s also possible that they didn’t feel Lewis was worth pursuing at the price required to get him”

            I think that’s true, in large part because they felt they could get McKinnon for cheaper, so why overpay for Lewis? Turns out, they couldn’t get McKinnon for cheaper. Now, they have to sell to the fans that he was their top choice all along.

              1. The 49ers had to come back over the top, and they won the hand by front-loading McKinnon’s offer and giving him $12 million the first season and some extra money for the last two years, which McKinnon probably won’t get.

                Total conjecture and still not evidence that the 49ers panicked. Everything is pointing to the 49ers having little to no interest or a mild interest in the free agents connected to them amongst the free agency rumor mill, while they had strong interest in free agents that few thought Shanahan and Lynch would consider the top of their priority list.

              2. Razor

                That would be my first question….

                McKinnon is going ALL PRO this season….

              3. Grant,

                Your scenario for the Lewis-McKinnon negotiations works only with a number of moving parts aligning AND the 49ers being incompetent negotiators.

                All evidence is to the contrary.

                Just as when you said the 49ers were definitely in on Norwell and Maiocco said they definitely were not.

                You said it was spin by the 49ers that they were never interested in Norwell. Your claim was they were in on him, bigly, despite Norwell not being a scheme fit for the 49ers AND Shanahan’s belief that it’s center that is critical in the interior, not guard.

                What makes the 49ers alleged interest in Norwell less believable is their openness through the Talib episode.

              4. There were reports that the 49ers were finalists for Norwell. We didn’t hear a report to the contrary until after Norwell picked the Jaguars. Norwell fits any scheme. If you want to know why, I’d be happy to explain. He’s an All Pro. Of course the 49ers would want him. And John Lynch was publicly campaigning for Dion Lewis on Twitter. Can’t undo that.

            1. I think that’s true, in large part because they felt they could get McKinnon for cheaper, so why overpay for Lewis? Turns out, they couldn’t get McKinnon for cheaper. So, now they have to sell that he was their top choice all along.

              The teams know what these guys are going to cost during the legal tampering window, so I find it hard to believe the Niners didn’t know how much it would cost to sign McKinnon or Lewis. As I said, it’s also been shown that the Niners don’t mind overpaying to get who they want. So based on the info I have at my disposal, I’d say they got the guy they wanted and had to overpay for him due to the Jets also being aggressive in their pursuit of him.

              I would have passed on both and signed Crowell, along with drafting one in a deep group of RB’s, but Shanny obviously wanted McKinnon, as he did Jus last year.

              1. It’s a poker hand. The 49ers made an initial to offer to McKinnon that I’m fairly certain was lower than what the Titans gave Lewis. Then, the Jets came out of nowhere and blew the 49ers offer out of the water. The 49ers had to come back over the top, and they won the hand by front-loading McKinnon’s offer and giving him $12 million the first season and some extra money for the last two years, which McKinnon probably won’t get.

              2. During the legal tampering period they would have fleshed out all the details on what it would cost to sign either player. The Jets would have made them go higher on McKinnon sure, but Lewis signed for substantially less, so I have little doubt the Niners would have gone higher if they really wanted him.

              3. Maybe they did maybe they didn’t. That doesn’t change the fact that if the Niners really wanted Lewis they would have gone higher on him.

              4. This ‘conversation’ has the vibe of new car buyer going round and round with a sales manager over charges for an extended maintenance plan, slipped quietly into a purchase contract…a plan swathed in smoke and mirrors. Grant would do quite well as a NorCal Toyota dealership manager.

              5. Not if they thought they could get McKinnon for cheaper.

                They would have known what both players were asking by the time FA opened Grant. I have no idea who they talked to first, but it sure looks like the Niners were fixated on McKinnon. The Lewis deal is significantly lower in the first year and overall, so it would not have kept the Niners from increasing the bidding if they had truly wanted him. Even if the Jets upped the ante, which we also don’t know, McKinnon was commanding more than Lewis was.

              6. It’s not a question of what McKinnon was asking. It’s a question of what he could get. And the Niners clearly never thought he’d get the offer he got from the Jets. That surprised the whole league.

              7. That’s exactly right rocket. By the time Lewis signed his deal the market for McKinnon would have been rolling too. They would have known if they could get him on the cheap or not.

              8. Not if the Jets made their offer for McKinnon after Lewis already signed with the Titans.

  66. They’ll get their slam RB in the draft. A couple of good ones are Rashaad Penny (San Diego State) and Royce Freeman (Oregon). Also, don’t be surprised if they draft CB, ILB, DE/OLB, and OG.

    I think the 49ers have done well this offseason – Jimmy G, R. Sherman, J. McKinnon, W. Richburg, J. Attaochu, and resigning Goodwin, Watson, and Gilliam.

  67. Ian Rapoport
    ‏Verified account @RapSheet
    21m21 minutes ago

    The #Chargers signed C Mike Pouncey to a 2-year deal worth $15M… and get a hard-nosed leader along with it.

    Cue Grant’s I told you so in 3,2,1…

      1. No doubt, but why so cheap? And to the Chargers? Doesn’t make sense, especially with 2 big money contracts for centers being signed last week. He needs to switch agents.

        1. Captain Obvious would explain it as Pouncey agreeing to his market value. But an insightful explanation calls for some level of incompetence by someone involved ;-)

          1. Also, he’s a player who just forced his way off of a team that had at least some interest in him. Malcontent discount? Fewer landing spots available?

  68. Prime Time says:
    March 17, 2018 at 7:49 pm
    I just like the idea of having a bruising back when it’s late in games and your RB can simply over power the defense.
    Finesse works better when supplemented with power.

    Prime,

    You’re right. No way Shanny doesn’t draft a back that can wind down the clock. It’s like having a dependable playmaker back on 3rd downs.

    Pay attention to this guy: Kerryon Johnson, Auburn Highlights

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swLPYs2ZF8s

      1. TomD

        I gave you a couple yesterday…I watched some of their tapes yesterday and they have Ryan Nall listed as a FB…Royce Freeman is a RB…if we miss on both of them, I’m gonna’ be pissed….

        1. Yeah OREGONINER, we need something more to control the clock. Walsh had his big backs pkg.
          Thanks for the videos. I like Nall and reviewed Freeman earlier this season.

          After we draft a top talented guard, either of those backs could run clock for the 49ers.

  69. In an article today, Matt Maiocco wrote,

    “Tomlinson showed reasons for the 49ers to be optimistic about his future as his play got better as he acclimated to the offense. Among the guards already on the 49ers’ roster, Tomlinson appears to be the most likely to be a starter in 2018.”

    Also:
    “With a scarcity of offensive linemen available in the draft and free agency, right tackle Trent Brown could be set to cash in with an enormous deal next offseason – either with the 49ers or some other team.”

    In general, the article addresses the cap issue:
    http://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers/49ers-set-aside-cap-space-eye-future

  70. https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/03/19/kirk-cousins-minnesota-vikings-free-agency-guaranteed-contract-mmqb-peter-king

    “There’s a good chance the Colts aren’t done trading yet. After dealing from three to six, I could see them moving down one more time before the April 26 first round. GM Chris Ballard said as much to his team’s website Saturday, and I can add a confirmation to that. Ballard’s going to try.”

    “That’s why if he could turn the sixth pick into something in the 10 to 12 range and add another second-rounder, I believe he’d do it. At six, he’d likely have a chance at pass-rusher Bradley Chubb or guard Quenton Nelson. At 11, let’s say, he’d have a chance at a desperately needed rangy linebacker like Roquan Smith or Tremaine Edmunds.”

  71. Laken Tomlinson will have a full training camp with the Niners to get better situated in the offense.
    I would not bet against him not starting.
    Here is my guess on the starting 5.

    RT: Trent Brown
    RG: Joshua Garnett
    C: Weston Richburg
    LG:Laken Tomlinson
    LT:Joe Staley

    I’m also guessing Eric Magnussin is the swing tackle.

    1. Nice to see you back here Benny.
      My guess is Magnussen is back up mostly at Guard, but has the flexibility to fill in at OT. They have Gilliam and Williams now at OT, but can only dress so many on game day.

  72. Temple’s Jullian Taylor, a player not graded by scouts coming into the year, displayed next-level athleticism during the pro day. Taylor measured 6-foot-4-inches and 295 pounds. He timed as fast as 4.83 in the 40, completed 31 reps on the bench press and touched 33 inches in the vertical jump. He then put that athleticism on display during position drills.

    Taylor, who we presently grade as a sixth round prospect, was never mentioned by scouts entering the season. But a terrific senior campaign, including a 10-tackle, 4.5-tackle-for-loss performance against Central Florida, helped put him on the map.

    Prior to today’s workout, Taylor had five private workouts for NFL teams, and tomorrow he’ll be working out for the Tennessee Titans. He has three official visits on his schedule, including the Arizona Cardinals. Last night he had a working dinner with the San Francisco 49ers.

      1. Just tried to post the link. It didn’t go through. Same thing probably happened to Razor. It’s from Tony Pauline at DraftAnalyst.com.

        1. I tried to as well after I read it on 49erswebzone this afternoon. One of the reasons I asked for the link is because Razor stated most of what was in the article verbatim.

  73. ESPN update on my phone…tagline “Why the 49ers are one of the most improved teams”…

    Who should I believe?

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