49ers place CB Will Redmond on I.R.; sign RB DuJuan Harris

The San Francisco 49ers just announced they have placed rookie third-round pick Will Redmond on the Injured Reserve List, and have replaced him with veteran running back DuJuan Harris.

Redmond had a torn ACL when the 49ers drafted him this spring, but General Manager Trent Baalke insisted Redmond would recover in time to play this season. Baalke was wrong. Does this move change your opinion of Baalke or merely confirm it? Please explain your answer.

This article has 66 Comments

    1. Apparently he punched a 70 year old guy in the face, breaking bones and sending him and his son to the hospital.

      Twitter @KTVU

  1. Grant, do we know for sure its “season ending” IR for Redmond? Its my understanding players moved to IR prior to the 53 man countdown must be “season ending.”

    But the 53 man roster’s already established. Its possible Redmond could be available later this season. Maybe Smelter too. If that’s the case, its just part of the typical NFL roster gamesmanship.

    1. “#49ers CB Will Redmond goes on IR. He’s eligible to come back. Teams can decide later which player returns from IR”

      Maiocco Twitter

    2. Jack Hammer says its been reported non season ending. If that’s the case, its a nice roster doh-see-doh.

      – We get Hyde, Draughn, Davis, Harris for RB. Taylor on PS. That’s five running backs available for the season.

      – Redmond will be available later this year. If Chris Davis gets hurt, Ward can slide back inside.

      All rosy… except for the Bruce Miller move. (gack)

      What did I write about Baalke’s people management last night? He’s great on process understanding. Not so great managing people.

      1. Grant, thanks for the update. My main gripe with Baalke’s “red shirts” (our designation, not Baalke’s) is most fail from a talent-fit standpoint. He’s somehow scouting them differently. Like Thomas (play) or Carradine (scheme fit).

        1. Don’t forget, Jim Tomsula was pretty involved in the scouting of Carradine as the draft got closer that year.

      2. I’m pretty sure Redmond is eligible to return this season since he made the original 53 man roster. Ends up it was always their plan to make this move and bring DuJuan Harris back. That’s a savvy move if you ask me, and I feel much better about the RB position after this move.

        I think Baalke said he was certain Redmond would be medically cleared in time to compete for a roster spot in camp. And that is what he did, so Baalke was right on this one.

        Redmond would have been available to start the season if the team needed him. He did in fact get quite a bit of work and camp and preseason, but Chris Davis emerged as an absolute stud, so it’s an opportunity to give Redmond more time to strengthen that knee. Redmond looks like he could be a keeper, and have some versatility to him at CB. He’s a high twitch CB with excellent athleticism, and he’s got some confidence in the way he plays.

        Hard to complain about this group of DB’s Baalke has assembled. Young, fast, physical, big, and talented.

        If only Trent had made WR the same type of priority as he did this group.

  2. Nope….I still think Baalke is one of the 5 best GM’s in the league……we are lucky to have him in the org.

    1. Interesting observation. My list of the 5 best GMs happens to coincide with the 5 best teams. I guess we differ.

      1. Whine, the NFL is cyclical. The only teams that don’t go through lean years where they have to reload their roster are the few teams with elite QB’s.

        Maybe Baalke should found us an elite QB by now, but I’m sure if we would have drafted Aaron Rodgers instead of Alex the noodle arm, things would be entirely different for this organization. And that decision isn’t on Baalke!

        I like the direction they are taking right now. If they can upgrade the WR position, with Chip Kelly at the helm, good things are going to follow!

    1. Its possible (not predicting) Redmond, Smelter (and maybe even McCray?) will be available this season. All on active roster preseason, but got the IR designation post 53 man cut down date.

  3. Enough is enough. This guy needs to go. He just doesn’t get it. Mackensie Alexander was right there and he picks this injured bum. This guy has drafted 60 players since 2011 and what do we have to show for it?? He should’ve accidentally drafted a star by now but takes these flyers on injured scrubs who never pan out. We just cut smelter too. Baalke is one arrogant SOB but looks stupid now. I called for this guy to get fired like 3 years ago and nobody listened. Well I hope you’re listening now.

    1. Is the problem Baalke or is it the ownership. Parcels once said he wants to be able to make the shopping list. While I’d love to pile on Baalke I believe the ownership has severely limited who he allowed to pursue. Baalke has been forced to take fliers because the ownership wants to run a bargain basement team.

      1. The problem is definitely Baalke. Rookie draft picks don’t command they big of salary. Plus I doubt execs want their personnel team to draft a bunch of nobodies and not be competitive. Free agents might be another thing but draft picks no. That’s how you build a team and Baalke has done nothing but make us worse.

    2. Baalke is certainly part of the problem. He’s constantly bargain hunting on draft day. The “ACL club” strategy is backfiring on him now. The good news is that he’ll most likely be gone after this season.

  4. Baalke is wrong more times than not so no surprise here… I’m all good with bringing back Harris though as a change of pace back. In fact, I won’t even be surprised to see Hyde miss the season opener either with his lingering concussion symptoms.

  5. It confirms what I think about Baalke Grant.

    In 6 years this story has repeated itself over and over and over.

    I don’t know how many times it has to repeat itself before you realize the only way for this team to get better is for Baalke to be gone.

    Even if problems arise then at least they will be different problems.

    After 6 years I am ready for some new problems.

  6. And the great knee jerk cycle continues.

    People were mad we didn’t carry 4 RBs. Now we have 4 RBs + Taylor on PS.
    Reports its not season ending IR. Redmond will be available later this season. If the CB group is healthy, the 49ers can choose to keep Redmond on IR all year, which locks him up as RFA in 2020.

    1. Brodie, if he’s on IR all year, it still counts as one year accrued as he wasn’t on an injured list through TC.

      1. Scooter – thanks for the info. I thought it was x number of games to accrue a season.

  7. Dr Baakle (ACL) expert and enthusiast should be fired! Way too many misses as far as ACL players. Only able to find defensive talent. He couldn’t draft a offensive skilled position if his life depended on it. Only one with potential (Hyde) is made of glass. He took over loaded roster and now it’s one of worst in entire league. No qb,wr,te, that teams fear or specifically have to account for. He simply doesn’t understand football. Yes defense wins championships but you gotta have offense to balance it out.

    1. Our defense isn’t good though either. He sucks all the way around. We actually need corners on this team so why would you IR a guy you drafted in the early rounds? Shows hes still not healthy and why would he be? Baalke drafted him.

  8. Glad Harris did not get poached by another team, but bet they talked with him ahead of time and told him their intentions to IR Redmond and bring him back.

    Bruce is his own worst enemy.

      1. So Ward, Reid, Armstead, McDonald, Carradine, Dial, Hyde, brown, Tiller and Ellington were bad picks? Give me a break.

    1. You know what they say East, where you stand depends on where you sit. My friends in Charlotte just laugh about us.

      1. Whine-
        Yeah. My team may suck, but I’m glad I’m here and not there! DamnSam! I’ve been to North Cackalackkie. You know where I’ve been. Pass.

  9. Miller is gone. In my opinion he was probably one of the last guys to be kept on the roster anyway.

  10. This was an obvious move. 7 CBs were kept, so no need to have Redmond active. Let him finish healing. If they need him later in the season they can activate him. Smart move.

    1. I agree. It’s a move geared toward letting him have maximum time to heal.

      They also needed another rb on the roster so it makes sense.

  11. This does nothing in terms of how I view him. For 2 years I’ve seen Grant and others give Baalke no credit for picks they deem part of the McLoughan era. im not sure that is fair, but I will play along. Here is Baalkes draft pick record based on % of players who are still on the team from the first four rounds starting in 2012:

    2012 = 0% Horrible. No argument
    2013 = 66% Solid (Reid, Carradine, McDonald, Patton)
    2014 = 71% Solid (Ward, Hyde, Martin, Borland, Ellington)
    2015 = 83% Nice (Armstead, Tartt, Harold, Bell, Davis)

    Now many of you will point to players who are injury prone. IMPOSSIBLE argument. Ellington, Harold, Hyde are all nice draft picks, no one can predict injury or durability. I’m not referring to Baalkes red shirt picks…I’m talking healthy talent who catch the bug. Now if anything the data above points to Baalke getting better with each draft….but let’s continue into the later rounds, I’ve consolidated all the years for conciseness:

    Rounds 5-7: 26% made the roster. (Dial, Brown, Reaser, Lynch, Pinion) Late round picks, anything above 25% is respectable. Now in addition, that doesn’t include the multiple picks that were traded for more picks which means we still got value. Baalke has also acquired very solid free agents Boldin to Bethae to Torrey to Carlos Rogers to Donte Whitner …etc.

    This all points to Vaalke being an average at Worst Gm, but likely in the top half of the league and only getting better. Case in Point the 2016 draft:

    All picks in rounds 1-4 made the team. you can remove Redmond since Grant is writing him off (validity? TBD) however, he also added Blair, Theus and Burbridge. All made the team from later rounds. 2016 is still so fresh in left it out of initial analysis bit Buckner, Garnett, and Robinson all look like nice future impact players. Final thought? We could do a lot worse than Trent Baalke.

        1. I was going to edit the last comment but a bug flew on my tablet and when I tried to squish him I accidentally hit send.

        2. Ha..I have those all the time. Any way all about how you look at it. Honestly for me Baalke’s short comings are not in draft or player acquisitions, they are in calling shots. He should have been able to put his foot in the sand with Tomsula, which everyone pretty much agrees was all Jed. I don’t think Baalke could save Harbaugh because quite frankly Harbaugh disrespected the owner, and that was a wrap. Doesnt matter who you are, if my employee disrespects me that’s a wrap.

          1. Jed and Baalke started a whisper campaign against JH. the leaks tuned into a flood. JH was peeved and his actions mirrored his sentiments.

            When JH disrespected Jed, he knew he was gone, and did not care. Jed has only himself to blame.

          2. Nick,
            I agree that Baalke is overly criticized for some things, even possibly the Harbaugh deal. One could argue the fact that Harbaugh told Jed the meeting was for men only says a lot about who the friction was really between and that Baalke was capable of working with Harbaugh in spite of the friction… as I believe he is similar to Harbaugh and used to this in his relationships. This is not to say he didn’t play a role in the firing.

            That said, I believe more in the view espoused on the Better Rivals podcast… Baalke is exceptional at working the draft, getting good value in trades and obtaining more picks. Unfortunately, he is not very good at making the selections with those picks. I’m not talking about home run picks, but just getting players that can step in and start, by the numbers in this regard he is below average. Interestingly enough, Scott M. was ranked very highly in this regard and Seattle has not drafted nearly as well since he left.

    1. We could do a lot better than Baalke.

      Aldon did well but imploded , but they could have gotten Watt 4 picks later.

      Jenkins was invisible. They could have drafted Alshon Jeffrey. Doug Martin, David Wilson, Brian Quick, Coby Fleenor, Courtney Upshaw and Derek Wolf were the subsequent picks.

      Ward is OK, but they could have selected Roby, who went next pick and helped Denver win a SB.

      Armstead was a good pick, but Marcus Peters, who became the DROY, was the next pick. Baalke should have traded back farther and still would have gotten Armstead.

      Niners could have done a lot better. The ACL strategy has been a dismal failure. Player assessments were lacking.

      1. Picking with hindsight now being 20/20 is extremely convenient. Baalke doesn’t have a crystal ball, no GM does. The argument that they should have done this or that is weak. What you are hoping for is a return in your picks. I’m not saying Baalke is the greatest but I am saying his drafts are getting better and that’s in itself is a good sign. And for you to say we still could have gotten Armstead is pure conjecture. You are entitled to it but there is no way for you to know that. Again, just like there is no way for Baalke to know that. This is all guess work. As for Aldon Smith, again NO way to know he would implode. Simply no way to do that. You have to roll the dice on talent with the information you have at the time. Ask Ozzie in Baltimore about Ray Rice, and he’s he best GM in the game by most measures

        1. Analyzing past actions helps assess how well they did. Draft selecting is an art, and few are masters.

          Baalke, having whiffed on a whole draft class, is not perceived to be omnipotent.

          Baalke, having the personality of a honey badger, should not be in charge of personnel. He should be crunching numbers, something he is good at. Baalke needs to work on his people skills.

          Baalke, whose 2 FA acquisitions this year were Zane Beadles, and Jordan Freakin Devey, should hang his head in shame. Decent players are avoiding the Niners like the plague because of Baalke. That is a sure recipe for failure.

          You can make every excuse in the book to let Baalke avoid criticism. I am not.

        2. Nick – There is a consistent theme in all posts here: the 49ers roster has improved (how much is up for discussion) but it is still far from good compared to the rest of the league. What I see is a GM that ran the roster into the ground and is now trying to build it up again. I disagree with a management strategy that does not hold accountable the person who ran the roster into the ground. Others seem to want to say, what is done is done, let’s look forward. I can’t say you are wrong, but if Baalke fails, Jed is going to have to answer to the fans and probably more importantly to himself (and maybe mom and dad). It is a fact that the 49ers were once again competitive for three years and they have now been run into the ground. When that happens their must be a reason. If it is not Baalke, please tell me the reason that this train wreck occurred?

    2. Nick4983,

      Making this roster should be used as a gauge for draft success. Baalke’s draft picks would have a hard time making the roster of better teams. So your argument doesn’t carry much weight. Baalke sucks. End of story.

  12. Sigh, Baalke should have traded Miller. There were teams who either needed a better FB, or their FB got injured.

    WC, I will finish it for ya.

    Baalke is a legend in his own mind.

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