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  1. Your logic is flawed at best, idiotic at worst. Wilkerson is a monster, has shown the abily to play anywhere along a defensive front and would be a huge get for the defense. Same thing goes for Jackson. They are so much superior to what the Niners already have that it would be down right dumb for Baalke to not go after them. If what you say is true, that the team now has to overpay for talent, why would they overpay at a position that they can’t build the defense around?! They could definitely build the defense around Wilkerson and Jackson. You made it worse by saying they should also look past Trevathan. One injury early in an NFL career doesn’t make a player damaged goods. I guess they should cut Bowman also, seeing as he’s damaged goods and all? That’s silly. Trevathan is one of the better young MLBs in the game and paired up with Bow would make the Niners front 7 formidable again. And lastly, even though i don’t much care about Marvin Jones ( mostly because i think that Kearse would be a better fit) his talent can’t be denied. And that talent far exceeds that of Patton and Ellington. If they’re the better players, then adding Jones wouldn’t keep them from excelling in Kelly’s offense and being one of the top 2 receivers on the team. I guess you feel that Baalke should use 12 picks in the draft, and not use a single one on WR too?!? Wouldn’t the draft pick hurt their chances too? Back to the drawing board for you sir. That column was a waste of time…

    1. Armstead wouldn’t have a role on passing downs if the Niners were to sign Wilkerson or Jackson. Someone has to play 1-technique and prevent the QB from scrambling through the middle of the pocket on third down. Armstead would be wasted in that role. He will be the 3-technique on passing downs, and he will be a good one.

      1. Myopic thinking. Signing Wilkerson or Jackson does not mean they are giving up on Dial and Armstead. It means they are making the unit a position of strength which they can rotate heavily. Something they will need to do to offset the impacts of Chip Kelly’s fast paced offense.

        1. It means one of the 49ers’ best players would play only a few hundred snaps next season. Bad move.

          1. How do you figure Grant? Kelly’s offenses gassed his defenses each year in Philadelphia. Signing Wilkerson or Jackson would give them fantastic depth.

          2. I agree with Grant on what he feels the 49ers should do. You have to consider part of the reason Wilkerson and particularly Jackson were so good was because of the talent surrounding them.

            Grant I think they would have Dial play for NT where he played in college if they signed Wilkerson or Jackson but I am more of a fan with him at DE. Also if he was playing NT that would mean we didn’t re sign Williams and I’m not down with that.

          3. I agree with Grant. You have to understand part of the success of Wilkerson and particularly Jackson is the talent they played alongside the past couple of seasons.

            Grant don’t you think Dial would simply move to NT if we signed either Wilkerson or Jackson?

          4. Dial was far from a stud (PFF ranked him out as the 62nd overall interior defender) you saying he’s one of our best DL doesn’t say much when all we had last year was AA, Dial, Williams, Purcell, TJE and a banged up Dorsey.

            Anyone of the players you don’t want would make this team better

        2. Good point scooter. Neither of those guys will be any good if they are winded. But I say, if we are consistently getting off the field on 3rd downs, we won’t need a heavy rotation

          1. It will depend on how many of those third downs the defense will have to face due to the offense either scoring quickly or quickly going three and out.

      2. I thought your logic was flawed. My apologies, your thoughts are idiotic. You prove that time and again. I only click on your articles by accidident – I apologize for that. I hate that I have this story a “click.”

      3. Armstead would move inside on passing downs, next to either Wilkerson or Jackson. That would be a very formidable interior on passing downs. With Lynch and whomever else on the outside, the Niners probaly wouldn’t have to blitz much at all to get pressure on the QB. The key for any GM is to accumulate as much talent as possible. You’re advocating that Baalke bypass elite talent on the hopes that the players already on the roster will turn into something great. That’s flawed thinking. That’s like saying that a GM should pass up on adding an OBJ or Julio Jones cause it would stunt the growth of the lesser receivers we already have. Makes no sense. As much as you critize Baalke for the job he’s done, it’s crystal clear that you couldn’t do his job even if Belichick gave you the blueprint. If Baalke did listen to you, then you’d critize him for not adding elite talent to a team that has very little. I guess he should also draft a kicker in the first cause God forbid he add someone who may challenge other players for a chance to start.

    2. I kind of agree with the Marvin Jones Theory. We have Talent at the Wr position. But the last 5 years they haven’t been featured. Harbaugh and Tomsulas offense was run oriented and TE happy. For all we know, we have 2 hidden jewles in Pattton and Ellington. Smelter and others do that matter. We need a qb that can spread the ball around, instead of focusing on 1 receiver like crabtree. With all the wideouts that have been brought in in 5 years, only crab and Vernon were featured. Chips offense would change that. Marvin Jones had a good year, but can we say for certain QP and Bruce wouldn’t have put up the same numbers in a WR friendly offense?

    3. The Dolphins spent a ton of money on Suh and what productivity did he give them?

      There is more to it than just signing a good or excellent player off of another team’s roster. How does your scheme fit him and his skill set? if you are going to change his position or techniques, how will that impact his performance.

      For example, bringing in a CB who has man coverage skills and expecting him to play a Tampa 2 coverage and its techniques is a waste. Same with bringing in a Tampa 2 or zone coverage CB and expecting him to play press man coverage.

      DL is the same. Also, how much of Wilkerson’s success came from when the Jets were employing the 46 defense? Where will the Niners want him to play and what kind of scheme will they be running under the DC?

      No sense attempting to put square pegs in round holes because they don’t fit.

      1. No one is advocating giving one of those guys the farm. But both players are coming from a 3-4 defense, would be playing the exact same position with the Niners and would greatly increase the talent level up front. We wouldn’t be asking them to go from 3-4 DE to 3-4 OLB.. Add in the fact that Kelly defenses spend a lot of time on the field, it makes sense to add as much talent to the front 7 as possible. Even more so than the secondary, because your front is the engine of your defense. .

    4. Totally agree. Trevathan scored at 86.6 per Pro Football Focus this year. He does well against the run and the pass. And Denver needs to protect others in free agency. Hodges and Wilhite are back ups, at best. In the NFC West you must stop the run. Up front Dial, Williams, (who needs to be resigned), and Dial are adequate and improving. A experienced ILB is desparatedly needed. Plus signing Trevathan allows you to use high drafts picks to bolster your pass rush,defensive Line and QB. And your knee comment about Bowman is spot on.

  2. What an awful article. Let’s forget about going after an Elite talent like Wilkerson or Jackson cause we have Q dial. Instead give Sean Smith whatever he wants. LMAO….. Can he bring Justin Houston and T Hali with him.. Jesus man. One step forward with you then 4 steps back. Thank God your not the GM.. We would have David Fales as hour QB…

  3. Grab Malik and Janoris Jenkins and then draft the best LB with the first pick. I am not convinced Dial is the real deal.

    1. No one said he’s the real deal. He is young and getting better. He’s a 6th round pick and blue collar player that can multiple positions in the trenches.

  4. Well hypothetically speaking, dang near all free agents are overpaid. Trent is to smart to overpay for anyone. So that debuncts that we are the new raiders theory. If Trent wanted to overpay anyone, he would have done it the past couple of years with our own free agents. Coincidentally, for all the moaning and groaning about said free agents, only 1 actually was worth his money from another team, and that was Iupati. Who still is a revolving door pass blocker. Every other niner that we didn’t resign, was not very good on their respective new teams. I agree Sean Smith would be a great pick up. That being said, Dante Johnson would be a great play at the other corner. 2 big strong corners and the play of Jimmy in the slot would help us a great deal… Then we would just need to add another pass rusher to go along with Lynch. Or hope Eli develops into the next Von Miller

      1. That’s why we don’t have any overpaid guys o this team, why we are rebuilding a year early instead of a year to late. It’s why outside of 2012 his drafts have been good not great, its why our team has a great young nucleous, its why going forward we have the offensive mind we haven’t had since Mooch, harbagh pounded the rock, didn’t utilize his receiving weapons, Chip will use both the run and the pass…Trent is smart inmy opinion. And I’m sticking to it

          1. No its not late. He did it right on time, his best guys were getting older and retiring. He let all the guys that were getting older and expensive leave. Without giving guys like suh and Mike Wallace all those millions of dollars to do nothing. Or I should say, nothing worth their contracts. He started just in time. So weather you were filled or not, its done, get over it

            1. “He started just in time. So weather you were filled or not, its done, get over it”

              So whether or not my weather report is filled, Baalke has done a perfectly timed move into a rebuilding phase, and you are a tough guy. Got it.

  5. 2016 defense:

    LDT: Arik Armstead
    NT: Ian Williams
    RDT: Quinton Dial
    LOLB: Aaron Lynch
    MIKE: NaVorro Bowman
    JACK: Draft pick
    ROLB: Draft pick
    LCB: Tramaine Brock
    SS: Antoine Bethea
    FS: Eric Reid
    RCB: Sean Smith

    1. Grant, I can honestly see Tartt over Bethea. That man is a freak with talent. A young, big hitter. And will learn even more in pass coverage

        1. So in other words…Baalke will draft a MLB who will start as a rookie, but not be good enough to stay on the field on passing downs?! Smh…I’m pretty sure that if he drafts a MBL that is that good as a rookie, then said rookie will be pretty good at coverage on passing downs. We’ve rarely used the dime defense over the years becuase of our MLBs and i suspect Baalke would like to get back to that. Even if they employ a big nickle defense with 3 safeties on the field, they’d still be able to leave their LBs on the field.

        1. We need a ballhawk at that position. I don’t think k we have had a ballhawk back there since Merton Hanks. We seem to employ Free Safety’s that always go for the knockout. Instead of sizing recievers up for the knockout , let’s get a guy that thinks interception 1st, sure tackle 2nd

    2. Dante Johnson over Brock. Don’t forget, last year we had coaches who didn’t necessarily put our best players on the field

    3. I really like Malik Jackson, but you make good points re long view defensive FA needs.

      Arguments for Malik Jackson – He is really good. Rotational depth is important in a Kelly defense. Williams might not be e-signed. Always grab pass rush depth when its available… even when its an inside pass rusher.

      Arguments against Malik Jackson – All the reasons Grant pointed out about needs and roles of Armstead and Dial. Lots of interior D-line depth in the draft, so why spend big FA bucks?

      1. Simply put…Grant’s theory of where guys can or will play is flawed. Jackson can and has played everywhere along the defensive line. You don’t want a guy who can only play on one side anyway. Secondly, finding the next Justin Smith isn’t easy and for a team as young as the Niners, you need guys who are ready to contribute on day one. Any rookie drafted is gonna take time to develop. Jackson would come into the locker room as a vet who has a SB championship, yet he’s only 25. He’s just now ready to enter his prime and we could have Justin Smith level production for the next 6-7 years. There aren’t any logical reasons to bypass on Malik Jackson if he wanted to come to the Niners…

    4. Grant…that DL won’t get it done. Armstead is still young and relatively inexperienced. Ian Williams is a good player…but far from a great one. Dial is a b/u, at best. Just a few seasons ago, Pro Bowlers Ray Mac and Justin Smith bookended Williams/Dorsey. They played just about every snap…and it cost the team late in the season and the playoffs because they were worn out. Look at Denver…while DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller got the sacks and glory, the main reason for their success was their talented and deep DL. In a 3-4 defense, everything hinges on how well the front 3 plays. Last year was a testament to that…because our front 3 wasn’t very good, and neither were the b/u’s. Armstead’s not proven…Wilkerson and Jackson are…it’s simple, really. I’m also advocating for Baalke to sign Jets NT Damon Harrison, a real run-stuffer. Our DL is devoid of stars…guys who make the big plays when it really counts. For Kelly’s defense to be good, you have to upgrade the front 3 and have high quality b/u’s. Denver proved that works…so did the NY Giants. Eli and the offense got most of the headlines, but it was their deep DL that wore down teams to get the ball back to Eli and his offense. Our entire defense benefits when the front 3 is big, tough and strong and their b/u’s keep them fresh. It frees up the pass rushers to be successful and minimizes the time the secondary has to cover receivers. There’s a reason for the saying “it all starts up front”, because it does.

    5. Decent defense, but you they need to cut Brock. He was smoked repeatedly all year long and didn’t fare much better in 2014. 2013 was his best year…he got paid, and had underachieved since.

        1. So Bowman’s mother insured him in case of injury during his freshman year which led to him deciding to enter the draft early despite suffering an injury that cost him a entire collegiate season?

  6. 2016 Offense:

    LWR: Torrey Smith
    SLOT: Bruce Ellington
    RWR: Quinton Patton
    LT: Joe Staley
    LG: Andrew Tiller
    C: Daniel Kilgore
    RG: Erik Pears or draft pick
    RT: Anthony Davis or Trent Brown
    TE: Garrett Celek
    QB: Colin Kaepernick
    RB: Carlos Hyde

    1. Grant, Pears was a Tomsula guy. I don’t see him starting at all. The whole nation saw how badd that experiment was

        1. So now you’re saying that Baalke nor Kelly will think that an upgrade to the offensi9line is needed?! There are a ton of FA guards available in FA this year. The team has over 50 million dollars in cap space and you don’t think they’ll spend any on the trenches? Oh yea…you think it’s all going to a corner back…lol.. How does anyone take this guy seriously?!?

        1. I agree that they should resign Boone. He can play any of the OL positions at a high level with the exception of center. That kind of versatility is worth paying a little extra for.

    2. York threw down the gauntlet when he said he expected (demanded?) Baalke to hit a “grand slam” in this draft. (maybe he said “hit it out of the park or something, but you get the picture)

      Just a hunch, but I think a trade up from 7 for a “targeted” player (Goff, Bosa, Wentz, Tunsil) is a bigger possibility than we think.

      1. I think Baalke has to get two day-1 starters with his first two picks considering how high he’s drafting.

        1. Agree. Pick 37 should be a quality player, and he has lots of ammo to trade 37 back into the first. He could go BPA at 7, “targeted” “need” player in the late first.

          To move 7 up, I’m thinking trading CK or AD + day 3 pick(s) if it happens at all.

        2. There in lies one of the problems with your approach to this. It relies on every high draft pick to be a big hit. It also relies on young guys already on the roster to become dominant starters that don’t need to come off the field.

          1. Not sure if you are responding to me or Grant. The “big hit” approach is an unrealistic (but not impossible) demand.

            But Baalke is on a short leash. His boss might not understand (or care) that his demands are unrealistic. Other possibilities… the “Big Hit” stuff might just be rhetoric… or there’s a trade framework already worked out… or they really like the overall talent (there are several players that should go at 7 I really think can help the team.

    3. Now Grant you have lost your Mind, Colin Kap , no hell no and Pears no no just hell no,Don`t really need to sign a CB.

    4. Grant…are you kidding with that offense? Neither Patton nor Ellington have done much as WR’s…and it’s common knowledge Kelly likes big receivers who can run. Assuming he’s healthy, Smelter will play a prominent role. My hope is they can sign Boldin for a team-friendly salary for his last couple of seasons before he retires. Eric Rogers was signed because he fits Kelly’s WR profile…big, quick and a playmaker. I also expect Baalke to sign a FA WR…I do like Marvin Jones. Another WR with good size, speed and is a playmaker. As for the OL, I don’t get why anyone’s excited about Tiller. Kelly will want and need better. Pears is at best a journeyman b/u. If Trent Brown wins the RT job, it’s likely they’d kick AD inside to RG. I’m also not convinced Kap will ever start another game with the Niners.

    5. Smelter will beat out Patton. Baalke should swallow his pride and give Boone a fair contract. That would eliminate Pears. I think Busta will bust out, and give the Niners that high threat that will convert third downs.
      I am glad you chose Kaep. It is about the first positive thing you have done concerning him for a while.

  7. The raiders? After 1 bad season? Ok! Shoot two years ago 8-8 was better than anything those east bay bums have posted in a decade. And break the bank for a CB???
    Yeah I’m sure Clements ghost wouldn’t haunt this team again. Pffft!

    1. Clements was actually decent pick up. Just a breakaway int return killed his time here. Tried to show off and Roddy White had other plans

      1. I remember distinctly watching him get torched on one on one coverage over and over again. Nowhere near worth the money they paid him. He fit well into the bills defense, and couldn’t save the day here

  8. I think we need to resign Ian and we will formidable front, but I need to see the stats that made our d a great run stopping unit from 11-13. Was it because of our front 3 or the linebacking core. We weren’t that good and if it was because of those 3, why not bring in someone like Wilkerson

  9. I agree on Trevathan, Jones and Irvin, definitely. If their smart, the Chiefs will slap Sean Smith with the Franchise Tag….

      1. What a surprise…lol..You don’t tag an okay corner. Sherman, Revis, Norman, Cleveland’s #1 corner..i2can’t think of his name at this moment…those are the guys you tav. Not Sean Smith…who is an okay corner. He’s big and physical, but he’s far from being a shutdown corner. He wasn’t even the best corner on his own team last yr. The rookie was. That tells you all you need to know about the guy that Grant thinks Baalke should break the bank for…smdh

    1. You’d let Berry hit the market over Smith? Not a good idea Razor.

      1. I’d expect them to approach Berry and get a deal worked out with him, and then Tag Sean Smith if they have Cap room….

        1. Berry is probably going to want one of the biggest contracts for a safety – and rightfully so. The Chiefs are going to have to tag Berry and then work out a deal Razor.

          1. Dorsey has shown he is adept at finding Safeties, probably like the eighth most important position on the field. CB on the other hand is probably the third most important. KC is thinking that Peters and Smith on the outside, Gaines at nickel, with Abdullah and Parker roaming the backend, is not the huge gap that getting a deal with Berry probably will be. If you remember after the Seahawks Super Bowl win, they sacrificed DL and OL in F/A to lock up their Safeties. I’ve got a hunch they regret that move, because it nullified their DL rotation, and it caused Wilson to have to run for his life, having been sacked 22 times by the middle of October. The Chiefs also have a decision to make between Poe and Howard on the DL, as they cannot retain both of them either. The biggest loss in losing Berry would be leadership, and I think they try and work something out with him, but I don’t think they’ll do it to sacrifice more important positions….

            1. I expect they’ll ask some players to renegotiate their deals in order to make room for Berry’s contract. I also think they keep Howard and let Poe walk.

    2. Everyone talks like it is a done deal with Irvin, but I bet he will get better offers elsewhere, and he has shown an antipathy towards the Niners.
      Do not know if he wants to play against his former team mates twice a year.

  10. So signing Wilkerson or Jackson will stunt the growth of Armstead or Dial, but signing Smith won’t stunt the growth of the 49ers bevy of young CBs?

      1. Wow, if you made the same rash judgement about Dial after his first NFL season you would be all over Wilkerson or Jackson.

        1. Not all. Those two would block Armstead’s growth. He needs to be the 3-technique on passing downs. Playing Jackson or Wilkerson at 1-technique would be a waste, and playing two two 3-techniques would be unwise.

          1. On obvious passing downs they can play two 3Ts. And again, rotation is important to keep the big hogs up front fresh. More so for a Chip Kelly D. And injuries happen. Dial and Armstead would still get plenty of snaps.

            1. Playing two 3-techniques opens the door for the qb to scramble up the middle. Not smart, especially against division rival Russell Wilson.

              1. Against Wilson don’t do it then. Do you honestly think Wilkerson, Jackson or Armstead wouldn’t be able to win a matchup at 1T on obvious passing downs?

              2. Playing any of those three at 1-technique is a waste. On passing downs, the 1-technique is a controlled rusher whose primary job is to keep the quarterback in the pocket.

              3. Not really. On passing downs the 1T role is to collapse the pocket up the middle, and either flush the QB towards his edge players or prevent him from stepping up into his throw. His job is not to keep the QB in the pocket, but one aspect of his job is to not give him an easy lane up the middle to run and escape. The same can be said of the 3T. It is gap integrity.

                It is never a waste to have a pair of excellent interior pass rushers.

              4. It’s a waste. Most teams don’t ask all four players to rush ferociously upfield. The Giants did that with the Nascar package, but that only works if the quarterback is a statue.

          2. Please Grant…enlighten us as to why it would be unwise to play two 3 techs on passing downs?! I for one can’t see how have Armstead next to Jackson or Wilkerson will hurt him. I’d argue that it would help him immensely to be next to vets of their caliber. I could also see a use for having either of those two FAs playing the 1 tech in passing downs to give everyone else one on one matchups on passing downs. But apparently you know something the rest of us don’t, so please…by all means…shed some of your knowledge onto the group…

            1. Playing two 3-techs on passing downs leaves the defense vulnerable to draws and scrambles up the middle. Teams sometimes play two 3-techs on third and long, but there are only a handful of those every game.

      2. I will differ with you on this one. The Niner DBs have talent, and are fast. However, when the opposing QB has all day to throw, WRs tend to get open. If the Niners can draft some pass rushers, the DBs will play a lot better. I am content with Acker, Brock, Reaser and Dontae. Hope 2 will stand out in TC.

        1. Yep. The 49ers young DBs are good enough if they are given a strong front 7 to play behind.

      3. Grant, you’re well aware that Trent has never paid top dollar for a CB. When it comes to defense, his philosophy is to spend money in FA on the front 7, and either develop CB’s, or sign CB’s who he believes haven’t yet reached their potential.

        Baalke will NEVER over pay, as you suggested, for a CB. It simply goes against his entire defensive philosophy!

        Heading to Kapalua Bay, Maui. Mahalo homies.

      1. Yep, Smith is so good that the Chiefs spent a first round pick on a CB named Marcus Peters. :-p

          1. Which means what exactly other than the fact opposing QBs thought they could get the better of a rookie CB?
            Smith is a good pass defender, but we already have plenty of those CBs on the team. What is needed is a CB that can shut down the best WRs and intercept passes.

              1. RCB is a massive hole on the team and Smith is the best player at that position in the NFL. Good fit.

              2. Poor rebuttal. We already have similar CBs on the roster and need a #1 CB for Jim O’neil’s defense; Sean Smith isn’t a #1 CB.

              3. They have several LCBs and RCBs. What they need is a #1 CB. Adding Sean Smith would just give them another #2 CB.

              4. Grant, why do you not account for the $55M? Where is that $35M extra (after signing Smith and Williams) going?

              5. You keep saying that without the evidence to back it up. How grabbing Trumaine Johnson instead?

  11. That is one of the worst plans I have ever read. Don’t sign a dominant D-Lineman, who is going to get tagged anyway, that can play anywhere on the line and instead sign a CB who is close to 30 has at most two average years left and was never an impact player to begin with. Brilliant!

    1. Yep makes perfect sense……..NOT I agree Marc, why the hell would the 9ers go out and sign a player to a position that the 9ers are not weak in, same applies to Wrs position,although I would draft Doctson.

    2. Aloha!

      Can we all agree that, as poor as Baalke has performed from time to time, that having Grant making personnel decisions would be a lot like letting Barney Fife run our military?

      I am convinced that, when Grant writes these articles, he’ll take the players that make the most sense for the 49ers, thus, the most likely to be targeted, so that when the team does sign them, Grant can be on record saying that it was a bad idea, and that he was against it from the beginning?

      1. It’s what he did during the head coaching search, and I am pretty sure, looking at his mock draft, it’s what he’s doing in regards to the draft as well.

  12. Just an awful game plan. Sign a soon to be 29 year old corner who is tall but is a stiff. Invest in D lineman, Oline and edge rushers. Dante Johnson and Acker can play very well if there if is an actual pass rush. There was not one last year. If you can get Bruce Irvin do it. He has mean streak and brings team speed up. Is he a 10+ sack guy no but he is a soild player.. If you can get Jackson and move Dial inside I’m for it. I believe Dial played the nose a little and played well.

      1. And no one is advocating for giving Norman the farm either. If the recent run of success by the Niners and Hawks and Panthers have taught us anything…it’s that your front 7 is the engine of your defense. A dominant front 7 can mask all or most of the weaknesses of your secondary. Your secondary can NOT mask the weaknesses of your front 7. How will Smith be worth a high dollar deal if he’s giving up catches after being in coverage for 7 seconds?!

  13. The 49ers off season plan should absolutely, 100%, include strengthening the DL as a priority. If the off season ends up with Dial, Armstead, Williams and Dorsey as the top 4 DL again next season it should be considered a poor one, as that group showed last season it wasn’t good enough to consistently stop the run nor consistently get pressure on the QB.

    Replace Williams with Wilkerson or Jackson, move Dorsey to NT (Dial can back him up plus a draft pick if they are planning on reverting to an under front), and have Dial and Armstead compete for the LDE role in base. The loser of that competition should then be heavily involved in the DL rotation. And a rookie can be the 5th DL. This would not stunt the growth of Armstead or Dial, as both players would still see a lot of action as either the starting LDE or rotational DE. And on passing downs, both Armstead and Dial can still be part a primarily 3-man rotation, with Dorsey used exclusively in base D.

    Any top D in the NFL needs a strong DL with depth. Grant’s suggestion would not provide this.

    1. Signing a blue-chip DL for depth when you already have quality starters on the DL and have a giant hole at RCB is absurd.

      1. They don’t have quality starters on the DL. They have ok starters. They need a difference maker to elevate the entire unit.

        1. Armstead is the difference maker. He should be the full-time 3-technique on all passing downs.

          1. He was surprisingly better than I thought he’d be last season, but he has yet to show he can be a difference maker. Let him keep developing while surrounded by talent, rather than thrust him into a role where they rely on him to be the difference maker on an average unit.

            1. He was PFF’s top 3-4 DE in terms of pass rush productivity and he was a 21-year-old rookie. He needs to be the full-time five-technique in base and full-time three-technique in sub, not part of some rotation with Dial. Baalke won’t block his 2015 first-round pick by signing another DL.

              1. That DL would take Armstead’s role on passing downs, relegating Armstead to 1-technique in sub for all but four or five plays a game.

              2. Again, how do you figure given that the Eagle defenses under Kelly were often gaased and faded down the stretch? Armstead would still have plenty of chances to shine.

              3. He needs to continue refining his technique before doing so. We’re in a division with good to geeat RBs and defending the run is one of Armstead’s weaknesses.

              4. Armstead played mostly on passing downs. He was fresh, and knew he could tee off on those downs rather than read pass-run first. That likely resulted in a higher PRP than if he’d been a full time player.

                He was also poor against the run.

                He is not the finished article and is still very young. They don’t need to force him into a starting role before he is ready. As Mid and I have tried saying, he would still play plenty of snaps if they had 3 DEs, most likely as a starter in 4-man fronts and rotational player in base.

              5. Correct. Armstead served notice last season. This kid has a world of potential.

                Just curious Grant, I can’t recall off of the top of my head, how you felt about the Armstead pick post draft, or Armstead as a prospect prior to the draft?

                Your father pounced on the pick, claiming Baalke and the 49ers “blew the first round pick on an unknown!” After questioning why the 49ers got rid of McDonald (which seemed like an absurd question at the time) he called the “Ray McDonald – Arik Armstead exchange, one big minus for the 49ers!”

                http://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/3875861-181/lowell-cohn-49ers-blow-first-round?gallery=3869194&artslide=0

                When it comes to Wilkerson, I think you may be lumping together 4i, 4, and 5 Techniques. In reality, 5-Tech is used about 1/7th as often as 4i, and 4 Technique, and, because the league is now a passing league, teams deploy Nickel on around 60% of defensive snaps, therefore a 3-4 DE play 3-Technique far less often than 5-Tech, because of the nature of pass rushing sub-packages. Muhammad Wilkerson is one of the most versatile lineman in terms of his alignment. Wilkerson essentially has been moving all over the line and playing everywhere for the Jet’s.

      2. I find it hard to believe on the one hand you say they shouldn’t “give up” on Armstead and Dial, which I’m not suggesting as that is a unit that should be rotating a lot anyway so they would see plenty of action, yet you want to do exactly that on Acker and Johnson who have both shown promise early in their careers. Bizarre.

          1. That nobody showed some promise for what was effectively his rookie year. I’d like to see what he can do on a D that has a pass rush. But hey, nothing stopping them from signing Smith as well as a DT in FA, or drafting a CB high. They’ve got plenty of money to spend, and plenty of areas they can improve.

            1. Acker can’t cover hardly any receivers in the nfc west man to man. Decent tackler for a corner, though.

        1. With all the draft chatter about “10 first round grade interior defensive linemen”, there should be great value at 37 (maybe even 68). It should also limit (a little) what might be offered in a bidding war for FA inside defenders.

          f I’m simply listing positional needs I’d go something like O-line, Edge Pass Rush, ILB, QB etc…

          But taking into account its a deep interior pass rush draft, and a Chip Kelly team needs extra D-line depth it can muster… pick while the pickins good.

        2. My above post was meant to say, 3-4 DE’s play 3-Tech FAR MORE OFTEN THAN 5-Tech. As a matter of factual stats, 3-4 DE’s play 4i and 4 Technique 7 TIMES MORE OFTEN THAN 5-Technique!

          Wilkerson is one of the most versatile DL in the NFL. Signing Wilkerson would give O’Neil far more flexibility with his defensive alignments, and give the 49ers the depth required to have the type of DL rotation necessary, to handle the extra snaps that are ultimately a byproduct of a Chip Kelly offense.

      3. I think Trumaine Johnson should be the R&B they should go after. Also, I think Wilkerson will be a great benefit to the front three bc of his run stopping and pass rush ability. Dial is good but his pass rush is only average which means he should play at NT or LDE. Amstead is the future and could play LDE or RD as could Wilkerson .

      4. No..signing a corner back to a high dollar deal when you have zero pass rush and can’t stop the run is what’s absurd!!! The Blue Chip DL as you so rightfully called them would be to start and help this defense get back to where it once was jsut 3 years ago. Wilkerson and Jackson are great vs the run and as pass rushers. If what you say is what you believe, then how much better would the depth of the Niners defensive line be if Dial is moved to the bench in place of a blue chip player? If Dorsey, Dial, Williams, Purcell are rotational, part time players?

  14. Grant,

    I’m going to re-post what I wrote a few days ago when I couldn’t sleep after surgery, and had WAY too much time on my hands.

    For the life of me, I don’t know why you believe that the 49ers will pay Sean Smith $55M for this one year (or some portion of that after signing Ian Williams). I mean, all snark aside, it doesn’t seem like you put much effort into writing a productive article, and decided to again: (a) rip the 49ers; and (b) write what the 49ers should NOT do, instead of what they should do, which would make all the sense in the world if the team was limited to under $20M … but …

    Also, we know Sean Smith is a good-to-great CB, but why wouldn’t you look at Trumaine Johnson, of the Rams, also 6’2″, who led the league (or was 1 off) in INTs last year, and/or DeShawn Shead, who plays for the Seahawks as a Safety, but is a hybrid. In these two moves, the 49ers could acquire two players for the price of Sean Smith, two 26-year-olds who are on their way up in their careers, and could rob division rivals of up-and-comers.

    Without further ado (again), the below. Please comment to your heart’s desire, and express your (dis)agreements with reasoning.

    Here is your opening day 53-man roster. The 49ers will cut Dorsey, Brooks, Bethea, & Brock, freeing up an additional $15M, which brings the team’s total available cap space to $68M. The below scenario spends $57M of that $68M, so there is still room to restructure and/or extend players such as Aaron Lynch, Quinton Dial, and Tank Carradine.

    I researched the compositions of Chip Kelly’s Eagles teams to understand how he employs personnel, and the below represents a 25-25-3 O-D-S split.

    Offense

    Nobody can speak with any certainty about the QB scenario in San Francisco, so I just accept that we keep both Kaep and Gabbert, and bring Adams on board, though I think we could just as easily sign Bradford, drop Kaep, and draft Prescott. Gabbers is safe; at least I know that much.

    QB (3)
    Kaepernick 28
    Gabbert 26
    Adams (R4) 23 $1M

    The OL was a major area of concern; below, you see that Boone has moved on, but that the 49ers have signed younger, cheaper guys in Wisniewski and Schwartz, while bringing back Bam Davis. We now have a young OL with veteran leadership at the Tackle positions, and two veteran centers in Kilgore and Wis who can both play guard. Tiller and Brown have emerged as candidates for the 5th starting position along the line, and this composition will allow Thomas and Martin another year to add strength and prove themselves. If this OL stays healthy, it will be dominant.

    OL (9)
    Thomas G 24
    Tiller G 26
    Kilgore C/G 28
    Martin C/G 22
    Brown RT 22
    Wisniewski C/G 26 $3M
    Davis RT 26 $5M
    Staley LT 31
    Schwartz RT 26 $4M

    The RB position is key, and I have again looked at Chip’s tendencies to determine where the 49ers might go here. I would very much like the team to take Elliott, and pair him with Hyde, but I think we have greater needs elsewhere for our R1 pick. So I will wait to find that R4 draft pick, but in the meantime, the 49ers should pick up Chip’s old buddy LeGarrette Blount, from Oregon. He will be a key bruiser to employ in the second half of games. In a less obvious move, in order to retain Bruce Ellington’s explosiveness, and also in line with Chip’s tendency of keeping a shifty guy (LaMike, DeAndre Thomas, Darren Sproles, Kenjon Barner), I have re-classified Ellington as a RB, but he will continue to line up all over the field.

    RB (4)
    Hyde 25
    Rookie (R4) $1M
    Blount 29 $1M
    Ellington 59 4.3 24

    Chip wants guys that are big and strong at the WR position. In the scenario below, Torrey Smith is the shrimp at 6’0″, but the 49ers will sign Marvin Jones or Alshon Jeffery as well. I predict Jones will be slightly cheaper than Jeffery, and also fits what Chip is looking for a bit better. When I started this process, I was shocked to learn that the 49ers have stockpiled 11 young WRs under the age of 25, all of whom are 6’2″ or over. I looked at a lot of tape to get it down to these guys below. Smelter has size and decent speed, with great hands, like Boldin. White was an explosive element on Amari Cooper’s Alabama team. Dres Anderson and Eric Rogers both possess prototypical size and speed combinations, and both were productive at the lower levels. I could see the 49ers making a play for Josh Gordon or taking a huge speed demon in the draft for development; Charone Peake, Paul McRoberts, and De’Runnya Wilson would be good options.

    WR (6)
    Smith 60 4.3 27
    Jones 62 4.4 25 $5M
    Smelter 62 4.4 24
    White 62 4.3 24
    Anderson 62 4.4 23
    Rogers 63 4.4 24

    It’s hard to know what Chip Kelly wants from his TEs, given that he didn’t seem to use Zach Ertz much on the Eagles. I kept Busta Anderson and Blake Bell from the 2015 draft because they both seem very promising with their size and speed; I also kept Vance McDonald, due to the fact that he improved slightly at the end of 2015 and has always been a solid blocker in a versatile, athletic body. I would like the 49ers to make a play for the 6’6″ Ladarius Green from San Diego, who runs a 4.5 and has shown flashes, but I think that would be unlikely.

    TE (3)
    Anderson 64 4.6 23
    Bell 66 4.6 24
    McDonald 64 4.5 25

    25 on O Ave. Age: 25.2 Added Contract Value: $20M

    Defense

    The defensive side of the ball will belong to Trent Baalke, which is not the worst thing in the world, provided Jim O’Neil is in accord with him, and provided Chip Kelly has the authority to banish Trent from the field if he needs to. Trent is good with defensive personnel.

    Along the DL, the 49ers retain Carradine, despite him being a disappointment so far, because in his new body, he will play fast around the edges. Dial will likely be extended, as he is disruptive and has a mean streak. The team will team Arik Amstead with DeForrest Buckner, another 6’7″ monster who is said to be more NFL-ready than Amsted was. Mike Purcell will emerge in place of Ian Williams as a solid run-stopper and anchor. Instead of keeping Williams, Baalke will go hard after Malik Jackson from Denver, who not only stuffs the run, but also collapses the pocket from the inside. Jarred Reed from Alabama also fits this model, and will be drafted to join the rotation. Notice the youth and size of this group! It needs to be able to really run and dominate. This line achieves that.

    DL (7)
    Armstead DE 21
    Carradine DE 25
    Dial DE 25
    Jackson DT 26 $9M
    Buckner/Nkemdiche (R1) DE 21 $2M
    Purcell DT 24
    Reed (R3) DT 24 $1M

    No position group looked more barren to me than the ILB group, upon early inspection. Willis is gone, and suddenly Bowman without Willis isn’t that scary. Gerald Hodges was a great pickup midseason, because he is young and athletic, and can learn the position. Baalke will sign Danny Trevathan from Denver as a plug and play 3-down ILB. He is solid against the run and ranks 6th among ILBs against the pass. There is a trend in the NFL to go lighter with the weak side ILB in a 3-4, as evidenced by how guys like Tartt, Chancellor, and Bucannon are utilized. I could see Baalke drafting either a prototypical bigger ILB or go with a taller, faster prototype to round out the group.

    ILB (4)
    Bowman 27
    Hodges 25
    Trevathan 25 $5M
    Rookie (R5) 22 $1M

    Ouch. OLBs are so expensive. Von Miller will collect at least $15M next season. Lynch will need to be extended this offseason or next. Fortunately, the salary cap is jumping by $10M per season until 2018, so we can plan accordingly. Baalke should kill 2 birds with one stone by taking Bruce Irvin off Seattle’s hands. Baalke wanted to draft him, but Seattle jumped him. He can get payback now, and get a cornerstone of his defense for the next 5 years or so. He should use Irvin like Seattle uses Michael Bennett, inside and outside and all over the line. Lemonier has been released, for obvious reasons. Noah Spence will be available in the late 1st or early 2nd round, and Baalke should do whatever it takes to get him. With Lynch, Irvin, Amstead, and Spence playing alongside Malik Jackson, with Bowman and Trevathan flying around, opponents will be in trouble. Ray Ray Armstrong is an interesting physical specimen, with great pass coverage abilities from the OLB position.

    OLB (5)
    Lynch 22
    Spence (R2) 21 $2M
    Harold 22
    Irvin 26 $8M
    Armstrong 24

    This is the team’s strongest position group, even without Bethea. Reid is training and studying with Ronnie Lott. Ward is Earl Thomas in waiting, and covered the slot better than any other DB in the NFL at the end of 2015. He is Earl Thomas/Tyrann Mathieu, and Baalke should get his due for this pick. Tartt and McCray (who seems to have been here forever) round out the position group with great speed and physicality, and Tartt seems to play with considerable ball skills as well.

    FS/SS (4)
    Ward 24
    Reid 24
    Tartt 23
    McCray 24

    The CB group is exciting. I remain loyal to Acker and Reaser (though it was difficult to go with him over Cromartie), because they are still so young and physically promising. If Ward falls back to play FS, Reaser can fill in at the slot better than Cromartie. Dontae Johnson will become our shutdown corner in 2016, and Baalke has again hurt our divisional opponents by taking two of their highly talented, young prospects. Trumaine Johnson from the Rams is 6’2″ and has ball skills, but the Rams will be focusing on signing Janoris Jenkins. DeShawn Shead came out of nowhere at the end of last year playing safety for the Seahawks, but he has great size and length, and acceptable speed, coupled with above average ball skills, to play on the outside. Both come cheap, and are young.

    CB (5)
    Acker 60 44 24
    Reaser 510 4.3 24
    Johnson 62 4.3 24
    Johnson 62 4.5 26 $3M
    Shead 62 4.5 26 $3M

    25 on D Ave. Age: 23.9 Added Contract Value: $34M

    Specialists:
    Pinion 21
    Tucker 26 $3M
    Nelson 29

    1. I really like how you broke it down,I just about like everything exceptnot sure you get rid of Brock, but never the less,very good looking team Silicon Chip.

    2. Wow Silicon, you are absolutely “En Fuego”, or as the native Hawaiian’s would say, you are “Ma-Ahi”. You are blowing my mind. LOL!

  15. Oh, and as Razor astutely pointed out, my draft picks were selected based on flawed information, so I would like to see who you guys would draft and plug into the above roster …

    Also, does anybody else hope that we retain Bruce Miller and see what he can do as a hybrid defender, based on his excellent college pedigree as an undersized D-lineman?

  16. Kaep will start? Not a chance. He can’t play that fast. I think he is gone anyway but if it’s an open competition, Gabbert will win it.. I would buy defensive pressure in Free Agency. Re sign Boone, draft Goff with #7, draft RB’s, ILB’s and WR’s. I like our secondary and would try to strengthen with late round or undrafted FA’s. There will be 4.5, 40 guys all over the place-some who can play..

  17. Grant,
    That article was a bunch of terd crap. If you’re going to overpay, you take the guy that gets to the QB and stops the run…Wilkerson. Armstead will still play and get better. Ever heard of acquiring depth and competing for a starting position in the NFL? Hello, perhaps someone with better ideas should take over for you.

  18. OK Sil, here goes. I pointed out the improbability of getting Reed in the Third and Spence in the second, but you acknowledged Razor who also pointed out the changing ratings. So here is my strategy. There are several present Niners who will have to be cut, but maybe it would be better to trade them and get additional draft picks. I would target the bottom teams because their second, is like a high first. The Niners should establish a pool of players that the other team can select from. It would include every player you slated to miss the 53. Niners should offer a 3 for 1 deal where they would offer 3 players for the other team’s second round pick. In that pool, I would also include Patton, Brooks, Vance and Bruce Miller.
    If the Titans and Chargers accept the deal, the Niners will lose 6 players but get the 32nd and 35th picks to go along with the Niner 37th. Niners could easily fill the holes on defense while still getting a very good O lineman. I will be conservative and say that only one team, the Chargers do the deal. Therefor, the Niners could draft Deforest Buckner DE, Leonard Floyd OLB, Ryan Kelly C and Kentrell Brothers ILB.

    1. Seb,

      I acknowledge that this is one of your go to strategies, but I can’t see it happening. No team will trade a 2nd for players that are obvious cast-offs. I’ll eat my words if you can point to any other time where this scenario has occurred. And I’m not talking about Alex Smith type players who was a 1st overall pick who had a known trade market value.

      1. Sil, there is no point outlining Seb why it won’t happen. He is convinced it can happen and nothing you say will dissuade him from that.

      2. I know, it is a longshot, but I am targeting the worst teams that need bodies, and those players may be big upgrades considering their existing squad.
        Also. Bruce Miller, Brooks, Vance and Patton all do have value and played a lot, so I was trying to be realistic and not pass off the dregs.
        I do not postulate these trades on a whim, I am just trying to get something, instead of cutting them, and getting nothing.

        1. Seb I think you’re overvaluing draft picks unproven ability to play in the NFL. As many have said here there are very few guarantees that draft picks will out perform proven FA’s. Why trade all those players for a single or a couple unproven players when you can cut them and their salaries and go buy proven better FA’s of need on the market this spring. This also gives you some space to chose the developmental players you want and give them time to develop. It also gives you veteran leadership which draft picks rarely provide.

        2. I’ve said this before but you don’t want these players and we’re a 5-11 team, what makes you think someone else wants them. Other bad teams aren’t going to get any better picking up the leftovers from a 5-11 team, they are going to go after top talent from winning teams that will help them win. They have value as injury replacements and back ups but not worth trading high picks for.

          1. “I am just trying to get something, instead of cutting them, and getting nothing.”

            This isn’t how it works. Its like when your old car is costing you hundreds of $$ each month in repairs and is non-functional lets you down. You sell it or even trade it in or junk it. Even taking a loss to buy something better that actually performs the way its supposed to and is reliable at albeit higher cost.

            “I know, it is a longshot, but I am targeting the worst teams that need bodies, and those players may be big upgrades considering their existing squad.”

            Do you know the difference between a 2-3 win team and a 5 win team? Just a dozen or so points or plays. Again I don’t think these “value players” are really much different than the players on those squads already. Why go for these players when you have cap space and could go for the best players on the market? Will these players help them win? Why shoot to move from a 2-3 win team to a 5 win team? Nobody wants that. They want real improvement.

            1. w73, either he’s a troll and does what he does to bother people, or he has the mind of a 13-year-old. Very frustrating. I try to stay away from what he posts. It used to be I would read everyone, but because he posts so much, I have to skim and so I miss things. In addition to his being boring, he’s hurt the blog, IMO. Obviously there are people here who like him; otherwise he would be totally ignored and might go away. That’s my take anyway.

              1. Thanks George, point taken. Most of the time I pass right by. He’s made this argument before, sometimes I just reply for fun. Notice how he doesn’t reply to sound arguments that point out his idea is just wishful thinking. This is what he calls “vicious attacks”, they are neither vicious or attacks. As they say “you’re entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.” Daniel Moynihan.

                Have a great holiday weekend.

            2. Wilson, I have never said you have attacked me viciously, but there have been others who hurl insults, taunt mock deride and degenerate into expletives. I have not been viciously attacked for a while, but if you think I have never been viciously attacked, then you have not been reading some of the posts. I say vicious, because they do not care to use logic or facts, but just attack ad nauseum. I have tried very hard to just ignore the snark, but i find that if you let them take an inch, they try to take a mile.
              With George, I do not take him seriously enough, so I just treat him with needling humor. Obviously, he is thin skinned and likes to dish it out, but cannot take it. A troll would haunt his posts, kinda like TrollD does to me, but if you have noticed, I never engage unless addressed.
              I have to laugh. He lets me get under his skin so easily, I almost feel bad about it. Ruining a blog site? Oh please, he is just giving me way too much power.
              Getting back to the multiplayer trades, there is lots of history about multi player trades. They do it all the time in other sports. They even do it in football. Remember the Hershel Walker trade? That involved 18 transactions, so a 3 player trade is very modest. With the Niners, they did not do any multi player trades, but 3 out of the 6 were traded, just singly to other teams.

              1. Seb Quixote,

                Hershel Walker was coveted by the Vikings and likely by other teams as well. It was a terrible trade, but it was for a player that was in demand.

                You’re proposing packaging a bunch of fringe players in trade for a high draft pick(s). It just doesn’t happen.

                You’re driving the wrong way on the freeway, once again.

              2. Seb, So now Brooks, Patton, Miller and McDonald are Walker level talents. People have spent a lot of time pointing out this won’t work at all. These guys are filler. I never said multiplayer deals didn’t happen, I am pointing that these guys you don’t want don’t have value. Go back and answer the questions I posed. We have plenty of picks and with our cap space we’ll fill in the roster through FA over draft picks. Some of these guys will be cut.

              3. Wilson, there were 5 other players included in that deal. I cant answer every single question because sometimes, they get lost among all the posts, but I do try to respond to them.
                All those draft picks may not make the team, especially all the lower ones. maybe it would be better to bundle the tradable 5th, 6th and 7th round picks to move up in the draft and get the players they really covet. Quality over quantity.

              4. Wilson, the Niners were also a few plays from being a .500 team, if they had better discipline and stopped the unforced errors.
                No matter what, I will never say that they should lose to get a better draft position.

  19. Grant

    HELLO?!!!

    You’ve signed 2 guys in your scenario with their $55M. That doesn’t add up. You’re not being thorough enough in your plan, because unless you expect the team to field a team that is $35M under the cap, this doesn’t make sense.

    Please advise. Thanks.

  20. 49ers are the new raiders? We aren’t even close to that sorry ass franchise,they are broke,can’t build a stadium no where,we have one losing season and we are the new raiders,no wonder why you only have a blog job,your a joke just like the Raiders organization,losing season for more than 14 years,Davis is doing everything but to stay in Oakland and the dumb raider fans are even more pathetic,no class,gang bangers,it’s like halloween every Sunday,I can’t wait until the Raiders leave the bay area AGAIN!

  21. If anybody still cares; from PFT:

    “Free agent Reggie Bush (knee) expects to resume running in two weeks.
    30-year-old Bush plans to play at least one more season. He’s recovering from a torn meniscus, but should be ready for training camp. Unlikely to draw interest as more than a third-down back, Bush may cost a near-NFL-minimum deal.”

    I suppose he could be brought back at the near minimum, but I think we should move on. If Sproles is cut by the Eagles, possibility Kelly might bring him in.

  22. Nobody beats the raiders for the having the corner on futility. The raiders are a rouge franchise that like their late owner prefers to thumb their nose at the league because they have convinced themselves that they are proud and relevant.

    No, the 49ers aren’t the new raiders – they are the victims of poor FO judgement. Ridding themselves of Jim Harbaugh may have been a necessity, hiring Jim Tomsula to replace him was tragic.
    It’s taken years for the raiders to get out of their funk, I don’t see the 49ers taking that long. Unless Chip falls flat on his face the 49ers will be back playing competitive football and vying for the divisional title in two-three years.

    Having a good draft and prudently signing FA’s can jump start this team toward that goal.
    I would like the team to go after Wilkerson. He can immediately add strength to out Dline.
    I don’t believe that adding Wilkerson stunts Armstead’ growth. If Armstead has a very good TC he will find his way onto the field.
    I’m not sold on Carradine and have only seen a minimal improvement in Dial. Wilkerson becomes a starter the moment he signs leaving no doubt.

    Sean Smith is good DB, but the last time we had a stout Dline that pressured QB’s players like Carlos Rodgers, Donte Whitner, Terrell Brown, and Dashon Goldson became one of the best secondary’s in the league.
    I’ve always believed that if the core (DL/OL) of the team is strong that all other facets of the team will prosper.
    For a while we had the best defensive front 7 in the league. The C-hawks and Cardinals followed our formula and overtook us.
    It’s time to build our core again – because as we saw last week, defense still wins championships!

    1. AES, good post. Like you, I am a firm believer in a dominant front 7 making the whole D click. It is obviously a symbiotic relationship between front 7 and the secondary, but I firmly believe a great front 7 is more likely to make an average secondary look good than the other way around.

      The 49ers have good safeties and a good slot CB. The perimeter CBs are average, but with a good front 7 are probably good enough. So lets fix the front 7.

    2. ” If Armstead has a very good TC he will find his way onto the field.”

      I recall Tiller playing great during pre-season…..Grant is right on this one

  23. Seb,

    You answered your own question:
    sebnynah
    February 12, 2016 at 10:27 pm

    I know, it is a longshot, but I am targeting the worst teams that need bodies, and those players may be big upgrades considering their

    If teams need bodies, as you point out, why would they take our castoffs rather than supplementing through the draft, a-la, Jimmy Johnson of Dallas?

    Grant,

    We are going to need a CB.

    I’m sticking to my draft scenario–don’t trust 49er passrushers. Get this one, and cross train if needed at DE or DT….Walla, instant pass rush, plug and play

    Robert Nikemdiche, DT, Ole Miss

    https://twitter.com/NFLFilmStudy/status/697215681188638721

    1. Nkemdiche doesn’t play as hard as someone his size and stature should. There’s also his bone-headed move of taking synthetic pot which caused him to walk out of a window.

      1. If Azzinaro is confident he could get Nkemdiche to play every game like he did against Alabama, he would be an outstanding addition to the unit….

        1. That’s a big if though. I was high on on Nkemdiche after viewing his play against Alabama, but his other tape shows a guy that just doesn’t leave it all on the field like he should.

        2. Nkemdiche flatters to deceive. He should be a dominant player, but isn’t. Let him be some other team’s underachiever.

    1. Rotoworld’s Josh Norris ranks Nkemdiche as the No. 14 overall draft prospect. Feb 12 – 6:06 PM

      1. The media and fans most generally love Nkemdiche, but the scouts and their respective teams aren’t as high on him due to his commitment on and off the field.

    2. Mid,
      Was Marshawn Lynch going through town?

      Actually, hope all is well. Living way out in the Central Valley I hear about earthquakes vs. feeling them as when I lived in the Bay Area.

      1. I appreciate your concern AES. It was just one of the small little earthquakes that Kansas has been experiencing for the past couple of years – although it did last a little longer than the previous ones.

  24. Front 7 needs to be real stout. I think we have rotational players fronting as starters. Aside from Bo, Lynch, and Armstead our front 7 is weak. Dial should pack on a couple of extra pounds and man the middle. The rest of our starting front 7 isint on the team yet. Not if we want to get back to that dominance we had for 3 straight years

    1. Not to mention Lynch has already had back surgery, and there’s no certainty as to how long it will hold up….

      1. Not only that, but Lynch has shown the tendency to take off plays. Bringing a veteran like Wilkerson or Jackson could be the type of on field example Lynch needs around him.

  25. TrollD, you keep trying to engage me. Please stop so I do not have to bring up the fact that you talk about breaking into gun safes to create nightmares. Your football acumen is so non existent, you wanted to trade Kaep for Tebow, even with a million draft picks.

  26. Charles Haley was worse–bipolar, pissed on cars. Ronnie Lott actually saved Steve Young’s life when Lott was a Raider. Haley wanted Montana as QB, and went after Young at the Coliseum. Lott ran across the field to 49er locker room at halftime and into Niner locker room to calm Haley down.

    1. Seb,

      Everyone on this site knows your debate M/O by now. You’re the turn around King. YouTurn other’s points against you, and make them your own.
      My focus above was simply football and I heretofore, refuse to engage you about your semi-automatic collection!

      1. By the way, Seb, all we have to research is the # of times you’ve used the Phrase, “Shoot yourself in the foot,” to realize your fascination with artillery…You may have mention “shot in the heiny,” or other anatomical areas we’re not aware of if you care to bring them to our attention.

        The NRA thanks you in advance, Seb.

      2. I am going to do my best to ignore you, so please do the same with me.
        Your unctuous rants make absolutely no sense at all. I do not turn other posters points against me, I use their own words against themselves.
        Declaring that the best way to win the SB is through the draft is imbecilic when the Denver Broncos signed a bunch of FAs, including their starting QB, and just won a Super Bowl.
        Dont worry, I will automatically bring up your own words, and throw them in your face as long as you try to address me. Stop trying to engage me, and I will studiously ignore you. I bet the other posters on this site will beg me not to keep going off on you.
        Your football knowledge is so lacking, you want players who run through windows.
        Hopefully, this will be my last post addressing you.
        Have a nice day.

  27. What about Fleener or Green, SD? Our TE production has been poor at best. Fleener /Green starter. Celek is primary back up. Bell/Busta are developmental projects with promise. Vance Mac is a goner.

    Yes, VM can block, but we need a TE who can block and catch. I think that is a reasonable expectation for TE

  28. Grant,

    You’re doing it again. I am pointing out that your article has a MAJOR logical flaw, which is that it presumes only 2 signings, and leaves at least $35M on the table.

    What is your take on this? Is Jed going to leave $35M on the table after his speech that he’ll spend anything? Is Trent, when his job is on the line?

    C’mon, Grant. If you’re being realistic, please explain where all that other money is going.

    Thanks.

    1. Spending money just to spend it is a bad idea. I’m not in favor of signing Trevathan, Jones, Wilkerson, Jackson, Irvin or any wide receiver or running back. Re-signing Boone would be Smart, though.

      1. Thanks, Grant. I’m not to antagonize, but I also think you could have put forth a more positive, complete plan, rather than tending to the negative. Not in the sense of the fan, but in the sense of when you are asked what you want for your birthday, and your answer is like “Well, I don’t want books.” No, the question is, what DO you want.

        I get it your point, but they are going to spend, and you only named 2, and now 3. The team, IMO, will try to hit a couple of JSmith-like home runs this year. That is, finding superstars who have not yet been fully identified as such.

        I like your Sean Smith signing (and like your Tweet, they should have signed him last time he was available), but I think that is “throwing money away” when you can get Trumaine Johnson for half the price. We’ll see.

              1. How about cutting Brock who is a #2 CB posing as a #1 CB and getting a #1 CB instead?

          1. I wish they’d find somebody other than Davis to back up Hyde. Seems like an easy position to fill with talent through either FA or draft. Davis was awful. Maybe he’ll be better?

      2. Grant, I agree philosophically. Also agree the 49ers already have 3-tech’s for the pass rush role.

        I’d still welcome Malik Jackson depending on price.

        – With (allegedly) “ten first round grade interior defensive linemen” available in April, the market for top DTs might be a cool compared to a typical FA season.

        The rookie D-line glut could also be a reason for skipping Jackson, but a bird in the hand…

        – Jackson turned 26 a month ago. The 49ers will have him in his prime.

        – I can’t get the 1984 Super Bowl out of my head. Rotational D-line depth is key for post season football.

        – I can’t get the 2016 Super Bowl out of my head either. Cosell gushed Jackson was “unblock-able.”

        – We have the Carolina Panthers on our schedule.

        – I’ve seen Armstead get some pretty good pressures from outside. Hows Lynch, Armstead outside… Jackson, Dail inside… in obvious passing downs?

        – Armstead and Dial pressure the pocket, but a high twitch inside rusher is just the ticket vs quick release quarterbacks who get the ball away before the edge guys can get there.

        1. I think Armstead will be better than Jackson. If those two were on the same team, they’d both rush from opposite 3-technique spots only four or five times per game. The rest of the game, one would play 1-technique on passing downs and draw a double team from the center and guard. Neither Jackson nor Armstead should play this spot. Waste of pass-rushing talent.

          1. Armstead and Dial can both rush from the 1T spot. Armstead I think would actually thrive in the role as he is all power, bull rush. He’d be a menace coming right down the centre, collapsing the pocket, and would force 1 on 1s for Jackson.

            1. The Niners didn’t spend the 17th pick on Armstead so he can draw double teams as a 1 tech. They see him as a special interior rusher. He will be the 3 tech on passing downs in his second season.

              1. See my post below. 49ers didn’t mind using a 1st round pick in that role in 97, and Broncos were happy to use Wolfe in that role this year. Worked out ok, I’d say.

                Armstead is great at creating pressure, bad at finishing the play. Good guy to task with the role of taking on double teams.

              2. The Niners drafted Armstead to sack the quarterback, not to draw double teams. They will feature him on defense in 2016, and that means playing him at 3-technique on passing downs.

              3. They drafted Armstead in part to help improve the pass rush. If having him play 1T to accommodate another good pass rushing DL beside him and thereby improve the overall team pass rush, that’s what they’ll do.

                As I have said, having two good pass rushing DTs is never a waste. Jackson/ Wilkerson plus Armstead as the DTs in 4-man fronts is superior to Armstead plus Dial or Ian Williams.

              4. They won’t push Armstead to the side to accommodate an overpriced free agent. The Niners will feature Armstead and spend their cap space on a different position group.

              5. They can do that and sign Jackson. The 49ers had one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL. Adding one rookie won’t fix the issue.

              6. One top 10 pick and the development of a top 20 pick, plus the development of Lynch. That’s all you need.

              7. Seriously Grant? Armstead struggles against the run while Lynch takes off plays, and you say that all we need?

              8. Ridiculous. The Broncos had Miller, Ware, Jackson and Wolfe, supported by Ray, Barrett and Smith. That is how you have a dominant pass rush. Not by hoping two young guys that combined for 8.5 sacks plus a rookie will get the job done.

                You need elite players and good depth. The 49ers have a couple of promising players.

              9. So smart they re-signed Wolfe and offered Jackson a contract during the season. They know how important it is to have that quality and depth. Unfortunately for them they don’t have the money to stretch to everyone.

              10. They know they don’t have the salary cap space to pay him what he can get on the open market. The rumour is they tried to sign him during the season, but when he rejected the offer they shelved talks until the end of the year and focused on re-signing Wolfe. Also interesting that they keep saying they want to re-sign him still. Sounds like they know how important he is to them. But sure, keep going with your theory they are “too smart” to do such a thing.

              11. They signed the cheaper player. Have to make an effort to re-sign home grown talent. Looks bad if you don’t.

              12. They know better than to overpay for Jackson.

                No, it’s the fact that they have a good number of players fixing to hit free agency which includes Manning’s replacement and a Super Bowl MVP. They can’t pay them all.

              13. Why wouldn’t you put a Super Bowl MVP and the QB position ahead of the other pending free agents on your team? That’s not prioritizing; that’s just being smart.

          2. And before you say its a waste of pass rush talent, think about this. Was having Bryant Young and Dana Stubblefield a waste of talent in 1997? Was having Jackson and Derek Wolfe as the DTs on passing downs a waste of pass rushing talent for this year’s SB winners?

          3. “I think Armstead will be better than Jackson.” Could turn out that way, but the interior defense lacks a quick twitch gap shooter. Its not just roles and positions… capabilities come into play too.

              1. He never shot a gap. His strength was his best asset, and he was a non factor as a pass rusher.

              2. He was strong, but he was also quickly into the blockers body. He was not a non factor as a pass rusher, he was an under appreciated pass rusher because he didn’t rack up the stats. This is a ridiculous conversation. All I can say is I seriously hope Baalke doesn’t think the same way you do or this D will get shredded again this year.

              3. He drew double teams as a 1-technique on passing downs. Not something you pay a lot for. He averaged $4 mil a season in his prime.

              4. Justin Smith was all power, which was a unique and un-duplicated pass rush asset, just like quick twitch would be a unique and un-duplicated pass rush asset.

                Dial and Armstead are similar types. The addition of a new type… whether its power like Justin or quick twitch like Jackson… would bring a new capability to the defense.

              5. Grant,I would like to ask you your thoughts about Quinton Couples? I think he played out of place at OLB with the Jets but was put there because of his atlethicism. I do believe he can play DE\DT in the 9ers defense. He does have pass rush skills and some run stopping ability. Also, I believe he can give us great production at reasonable price. What is your take on this?

  29. Top 10 Free Agents the Niners could and should target to sign.
    1. Anquan Boldin WR
    2. Alex Boone G
    3. Ian Williams NT
    4. Brandon Marshall ILB
    5. Danny Trevathan ILB
    6. Nick Perry OLB
    7.Mitchell Schwartz OT
    8. Kendall Reyes DE
    9. Janoris Jenkins CB
    10. Lamar Miller RB.

          1. No, no, You are correct, and I wholeheartedly agree that Buckner should be the first pick at 7, even with all the FA signings.

  30. Ex-49ers WR Josh Morgan Accidentally Shoots Himself, Gets Arrested

    By Ryan Sakamoto – Feb. 10, 2016, 11:45 pm

    According to a crime report by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a home around 9 p.m. on …

    What’s Seb’s location?…Anyone?…and did he shoot from the hip at his foot…that could be more evidence???

    1. TrollD, you seem to be obsessing about guns. I have seen your hysterical rants and have moved on. Now I am saying that the Niners should stop the unforced errors. It could even cost a team a Super Bowl. I have stopped saying that what you alone refer to, because you seem to want to break into gun safes and create nightmares, so any gun reference seems to make you unstable, especially since you seem to be fixated ad nauseum.

      1. Nobody on this site uses gun references except you, Sebster (because like George, we all think you argue like a 13 year old who lost his twinkie), please stay away from your overuse of them and it would ease the situation you’ve created.

        Thank you in advance, your audience.

        George
        February 13, 2016 at 11:04 am

        w73, either he’s a troll and does what he does to bother people, or he has the mind of a 13-year-old. Very frustrating

  31. If they are going to overpay for a CB, then it should be Josh Norman.

    This shouldn’t even be a discussion let alone a debate.

    If you disagree you are wrong. Truth.

  32. Oh Timbo, you do realize that the Panthers said they will franchise Norman if they don’t get a long term deal done with him. Truth.

  33. Good lord this is such a horrific article. Not just that he thinks it would be a bad move not to sign a Mo Wilk or Jackson but to go all in on Sean Smith who has been mediocre at best over his career is a total joke.

    The reasoning for not signing Trevathon is completely dumb too. Guy washed up and broken down because of one injury 2 years ago that he completely overcame and is only 25?!

    Even worse than Grant sharing his awful plan is when he tries to pretend he’s a coach or GM and say you cant have more than 1 3-tech on the field because you’d be vulnerable to a QB draw. Ya coaches are always hate having multiple top tier interior pass rushers.

    13 year old kids playing Madden have a better understanding of football than either Cohn

  34. I see a lot of truth in the article, because those are very talented, but also very expensive candidates. They also will be in high demand, so the Niners must be willing to out bid the competition. Maybe it would be better to find the inexpensive diamond in the rough. Maybe they need to find another Cowboy, who struggled in a previous system but would flourish in the Niner system.

    1. Cowboy got paid big money by SF. He wasn’t a diamond in the rough, one of too FA on the market.

      All FA are overpriced and if you want to make argument they aren’t worth the money, fine but Grant’s reasoning for not signing them is so bad.

      Then to say they should overpay for a CB like Smith is a joke

      1. I said Diamond in the rough, then I started another thought and mentioned Cowboy. Of course, the Niners paid well, but he was worth every penny.
        I agree with you about Smith. I do not see he is superior to the rookie Peters.

  35. I see the Niners signing Percy Harvin this off season. A perfect fit in Chips system. Smith, Smelter, Harvin, Ellington and rookie.

  36. Another reason this is a good offseason for picking up young guys in their primes and paying top dollar for them is that the salary cap is increasing by $30M over the next three years, so signing a bunch of guys to 3-5 year deals works out for both sides: team gets prime talent at prime age, and players get top contracts now and ability to sign more lucrative contracts in future, much higher cap cycles. Pay the full $55-$68M now, get the talent, win some Superbowls and in 3-5 years, do it again.

      1. Grant

        Mike McCarthy isn’t too happy with Ted Thompson over that methodology, and John Elway just won the Super Bowl in opposition to it.

        But more practically, how are you going to spend that $55-$76M? You going to keep rolling it over for the next couple of years?

        And furthermore, I believe that Justin Smith, Donte Whitner, and Carlos Rogers might be evidence of the 49ers becoming markedly better through the use of FA.

          1. Grant, nobody is arguing that (other than Elway), but how do you suppose they’re going to spend that cap money? They don’t have enough homegrown talent to re-sign their own draft picks without committing to mediocrity, so they have to find a few really good players, like Justin Smith, to sign long term. I know Lynch and Ward are just around the corner, and Reid might get done this year, but like I said, $55-$76M, with each of the next 3 years getting bumps of $10M, means they have to bring in players in the 24-26 year old range to pay for the future.

            1. Better to save cap space for next year than overpay for a bunch of veterans. The Niners have to build a core before they gorge out on free agency. The Broncos went to the Super Bowl before they signed Talib, Ware and Ward.

              1. So how much can they roll over, because I won’t disagree with you if you outline your reasoning? This is a good start. Why else?

              2. Yes he is, but you believe that? I thought you said he was finished. Have you a faith rekindled?

              3. Balke will not invest big money on a corner in free agency or taking a corner early in the draft.

              4. I know they can roll cap space, but that much? And also, what is the spending requirement in a 4-year period? I don’t know the specifics.

              5. The 49ers have the opportunity to front load a few contracts this year for the right FAs – guys that can be difference makers for the team. Like Wilkerson or Jackson. That would then make them signed under very reasonable contracts in later years.

                Rolling over cap space is a grand idea, but they don’t need to rollover $20M+. They can afford to supplement the team with a couple of top end FAs, extend a couple of players, and still come out with money to rollover to next year.

                Personally, I think they should absolutely try to sign either Wilkerson or Jackson on a 5 year, front loaded deal, as well as Tamba Hali to a 1-2 year deal (replacing Ahmad Brooks who should be cut). If Ian Williams can be re-signed for a reasonable contract then keep him, otherwise let him go. That would immediately upgrade the front 7, which can be added to through the draft. They can do the above by committing around $15M – $20M of this year’s cap space (with Hali effectively replacing Brooks’ cap space).

                If they want to add a CB, they can still look to sign Sean Smith, or alternatively a younger, cheaper option.

                On offense, they would also have the cap space to either re-sign Boone, or use that money to sign somebody else of similar value to upgrade the OL. They can add a couple of lower priced FAs as well on offense, such as at TE and RB, but offense can mostly be addressed through the draft.

                This plan would still keep a lot of money available to be rolled over to next season.

          2. The need to build through FA is directly linked to poor drafting, also. I don’t know how you propose to build through the draft if there are no (2012) draft picks to re-sign.

            1. Finish building the front seven with the first two draft picks, and finish the secondary with a blue chip corner in free agency.

              1. Ok, I see. That makes sense. Why bother with Smith at all tho, to compete on 2016 and/or to mentor Dontae now and compete in 2017-8?

              2. To complete a defense the team can build around. The Niners need to improve in 2016 so they can negotiate from a position of strength in 2017.

              3. That would have been more useful in the article than just saying the team is no longer attractive, I think.

      2. And nobody is telling Trent to not stockpile picks, or to buy OLD players. Of course he wants to get young, and stay young. Did you even read that opus I put together? It makes a lot more sense than signing Williams, Boone, and Smith to $20-25M worth of K this year and rolling over another $30-55M.

        Wait, did the 49ers draft Steve Young?

        1. Silicon,
          You and Grant are both right in the sense that you build through the draft as well as through FA. But Trent has to hit the sweet spot on both sides.

          Our last few drafts have been mediocre only producing one all-pro in Eric Reid.
          The last time we made the SB we had FA’s Justin Smith, Randy Moss, Carlos Rodgers, Donte Whitner and Jonathan Goodwin.
          Except for Reid, we have yet to replace these players with our current crew.

          Trent has a chance to make a big splash this off season. We could finally replace Justin Smith with either M.Jackson or M.Wilkerson. And we could find our pass rush specialist with our # 7 pick.
          Trent needs to hit it out of the park this year. So far he made a good decision in choosing Chip, now it’s time to get some very good ball’rs to play for him.

          1. AES

            Well said. That’s my take, and I also think the OL should be addressed through FA with either Boone and Wisniewski or Schwartz and Wisniewski. Cut Pears, send Silberman to the PS, and focus on DL depth and LB in the draft. I think DB is an area of strength, with Ward playing either FS or SCB. RB will have to be a major position of emphasis, since the team really only has 1 proven, good back in Hyde, who happens to seem injury prone. If ILB is a need, then I get Jaylon Smith after a trade down with Pick 11-14 or so, and bundle both 2nd Rd picks to jump back into the 1st and get one of the passrushers or DL, Sheldon Day or Andrew Billings.

            1. Silicon,
              I would be ecstatic with J.Smith and Billings! I would consider these two gets a grand slam for Trent.
              Like your OL FA scenario as well.
              We could become relevant sooner than later with a catch like this.

      1. The chances he actually drinks Budweiser are about the same as the odds the 49ers win Super Bowl 51

        1. Who knows what he drinks, but he does own two Budweiser distributorship so he probably hoists a few at selected “public” gatherings.

    1. This would be a huge blow to Payton, Archie, and the University of Tennessee if all the accusations stick.

    1. ” But, I look at that place right now as being in pretty dire straights when it comes to what’s going to happen. For right now, they just gotta learn how to get out of their own damn way. And great example is that thing with the girl scouts. During the Super Bowl, Super Bowl week, really? That does not scream to me that we know what we’re doing.” … Randy Cross

    2. This is what I will forever disagree with. The so called “exodus” that happened, wasn’t because Harbaugh left. Trent could have signed all of those guys. He chose not to, aside from crabs. He probably offered money to alot of them, just not the amount they wanted. Only surprises were Willis and Borland. And whoever seriously thinks they retired because Harbaugh wasn’t retained, then there is no hope for football knowledge. But they are entitled to their opinion. Now look at all the guys that left, name one of the guys that left here, that actually was worth the contract they signed elsewhere. Maybe, just maybe Iupati. I’ll wait!!!!! Exactly. Now I will reiterate, them leaving had 0 to do with Harbagh. It was an organization decision to reload. Or in real life terms, rebuild

      1. He probably offered money to alot of them, just not the amount they wanted.

        A good number of them have said that Baalke never approached them with a new deal, and Crabtree has said the 49ers offered him more money than anyone else, but he wanted to go to a team where the QB could get the ball to him.

        1. I know that about crabs. That’s why I said except crabs. But then saying they were never approached further proves he let them walk. They didn’t freely leave.

      2. Steele

        In retrospect, Dan Skuta would have been worth to the 49ers what he got elsewhere in 2015, due to them losing Aldon, but that was impossible for Baalke to know during the signing period. But that’s it. He’s the only one.

        1. Sil…
          I agree. But that’s about it. That’s why it works e sometimes when people freely say they left because of Harbagh. They left because they weren’t wanted here. Now with that said, cross might be right, on the time table but, I’ll say 2-3 years. Not 5-6

        2. So Baalke let players walk who weren’t worth what other teams paid them. OK.

          Who picked those players in the first place? Oh right, the guy who picked the perfect time to “rewhatever”.

          1. That’s right, and hr knee the right time to get rid of them. Like all gm’s do. Whatever that homie

      3. Justin Smith and Willis would not have retired if Harbaugh was still there. Cox,Crabtree,Skuta,Gore,and Iupati all started and contribruted to their new teams

    3. MWN,
      Randy Cross’ thoughts are definitely something that has been kicked around these parts for some time now. Hopefully the 2015 nightmare season can be put behind us much sooner than later.

  37. Since there seems to be no blogs about how the Niners can improve, I will just start here.
    The Niners need to have a better mindset. Just wanting something will not make it happen, because 31 other teams want it, too. Niners need make winning their entire focus. This crap about being rewarded for having a losing record just makes losing more palatable and should be stopped immediately.
    I will use an analogy and the wisdom of the ages to get my point across.
    Socrates was once asked by an arrogant man to teach him wisdom. Socrates did not say a word, beckoned the man to come with him and walked into the sea up to his neck. Once they were deep enough, Socrates pushed the man under the water and kept him there while the man struggled. Finally, the man escaped, stormed out of the water and furiously yelled at Socrates- ‘Are you crazy!. I came here to learn wisdom, not to be drowned!.’
    Socrates responded- ‘ Until you make seeking wisdom as important as when you are struggling to breathe, I cannot teach you’.
    Posters want the Niners to be hungry for a Super Bowl.
    Brent Jones said they played like they were starved for a Super Bowl.

    1. Seb,

      I don’t understand what you’re getting at. All Baalke said was that getting a high pick was somewhat comforting after a down year. That’s not earth-shattering, and neither does it mean the team isn’t trying to win.

      As you say, there’s no blogs about how the 49ers can improve, so let’s focus on that. Let’s get away from Socrates, shall we? Perhaps focus on football.

      1. I shall write about how I think the Niners can improve, you can follow my writing, of ignore my posts. I use analogies to make a point.
        Football is a brutal sport, but is simplistic in concept. If some one can out think the opposition, he has a much better chance to succeed.
        In any contest of wills, the one using the superior strategies will win. So far, the Niners do not have a clue, and last year was concrete proof that they need to start thinking smarter.

          1. Hmm, I do not think you ever had seen my Socrates analogy, because I never wrote that before. How can that be deja vu?

          2. When you see familiar faces
            But you don’t remember where they’re from
            Could you be wrong?

            When you’ve been particular places
            That you know you’ve never been before
            Can you be sure?

            ‘Cause you know this has happened before
            And you know that this moment in time is for real
            And you know when you feel deja-vu

            Feel like I’ve been here before
            Feel like I’ve been here before
            Feel like I’ve been here before
            Feel like I’ve been here before

            Ever had a conversation
            That you realise you’ve had before
            Isn’t it strange

            Have you ever talked to someone
            And you feel you know what’s coming next
            It feels pre-arranged

            ‘Cause you know that you’ve heard it before
            And you feel that this moment in time is surreal
            ‘Cause you know when you feel deja-vu

        1. They had a clue when they wanted a stadium, so they hired Harbaugh. They failed to realize that Harbaugh has a short shelf life, but they got him to leave without having to remunerate him for the last year on his contract. They had no clue when they hired Tomsula (if you don’t believe that was a ruse hire), but they had enough of a clue to fire him ASAP, and they have enough of a clue to hire Chip Kelly, who lit a stick of dynamite under the fan base. In addition, they have become the youngest team in the NFL if you take away Dawson and the veterans they’re likely to cut this off-season, and had enough of a clue to get their young guys a full season of playing time in 2015. If this draft goes well, they’ll be back very soon, by NFL standards.

          Your analogy makes no sense. Who is Socrates in your analogy? You?!!! And who is the Arrogant? Trent/Jed? You think you’re taking them to the water and teaching them something? They don’t know you exist, Seb.

          Get real. Or pass the pipe.

        2. Are you outthinking the opposition by giving the Texans a surplus of 360 points of draft value with your below proposal? That sounds brilliant, Seb.

          Can I get some of that? Pass it over. Quit bogarting.

        3. “but is simplistic in concept. If some one can out think the opposition, he has a much better chance to succeed.”

          so you agree #7 has no chance succeeding……

  38. 49ers drafted so poorly in 2012 that they have nobody to extend from that class, which means they need to add talent from 2012 via FA.

    From 2013, they need to extend Reid and Dial, and figure out this year whether to sign Carradine, McDonald, and Patton.

    From 2014, they need to extend Hyde, Ward, Johnson, and Lynch, and figure out this year whether to re-sign Martin, Thomas, Ellington, Acker, and Reaser.

    From 2015, they will want to extend Armstead and Tartt, and must determine through playing time what to do with Bell, Smelter, Harold, Brown, and Anderson.

      1. The GOAT, but not talent-wise. Randy Moss still the best WR I ever saw. Bo Jackson the best athlete I ever saw on the gridiron.

        1. Sil …

          Are you kiddin’ … ?

          While Moss was good … he couldn’t
          even tie Jerry Rice’s shoes !!

          G.O.A.T … means
          “Greatest of ALL Time” !!

          (in EVERY sense of the word !)

          1. I’m with MWN, just because you have the talent doesn’t mean your the greatest. “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent” Robert Dinero, A Bronx Tale! Moss couldn’t do what rice did, run tight routes, block,practice me, yea practice, put in the time to be great.. Rice would outwork that man in a heartbeat. And before you bring up the TD record, remember Rice did it in 12 games… Enough said!!

          2. MWN

            I know, I know, this is heresy to all 49ers fans, but I believe it. No worries. I’ve never seen anybody with Moss’s talent, not until Martavis Bryant, who is an alien.

            But yeah, Rice is the GOAT because he had that work ethic, smoothness, high gear, and bricklayer’s sons hands.

            1. Silicon,
              Every time someone brings up Martavis Bryant’ name I shutter. This guy was one of my draft bromances. A combination of size and crazy speed would have been a balm that would have cured all the ill’s of the 49ers receiving dept.
              Arrrrgh!

              1. AES

                Me too, man, me too. Hate the Ellington pick, because it meant no Bryant.

                It’s astonishing to watch that guy run, because as he’s taking his first two steps, you can see the springs in his legs gaining energy and catapulting him forward. I’ve never seen a guy who can run like that. I love what Big Ben is doing with him, motivating him that way through the media, and I loved Bryant’s response. I’m glad he went somewhere he will be properly developed.

  39. One strategy the Niners may employ is to trade back to get 3 picks in the first 2 rounds. Another strategy is to bundle late round picks to move up in the draft. Hopefully, the Niners can think of a way to bundle bubble players to obtain as high a draft pick as possible, since this seems like a talented draft class with 98 juniors declaring.
    Of course, the Niners may be content to select 12 players using their existing draft positions, but I hope they become creative so they can snag the players they covet.

    1. That stragedy will work in the later rounds. In fact he does that every year. Butbi seriously doubt he packages anything to move up in the 1st round.
      He would have to give up this year’s 2 and probably next year’s 1 or 2.. They will have plenty of options at 7. He just doesn’t need to try an outsmart himself like he does in rounds 1 and 2

      1. I want the Niners to make a trade back with the Texans. Trade the Niner number 7 for their first and second. Texans are desperate for a decent QB. They would leapfrog over the Eagles Rams, and maybe even the Jets. The Niners would lose the 7, but gain the 22nd and 54th pick. With their 37th pick, the Niners would have 3 picks in the first 2 rounds.
        Of course, if Tunsil or Buckner is available at 7, the Niners should select one of them, but if they are both gone, they should pull the trigger on that deal.

        1. Seb,

          Get back to making sense. You’ve gone completely off the rails again. Do research, then write comments. Here’s the research:

          Draft Pick Values
          7 – 1500
          22 – 780
          54 – 360

          You want Baalke to trade 1500 points for 1140 points, which would be the same as trading the 7th pick for the 22nd pick and the 54th pick, and then just giving the 54th pick right back to the Texans for no compensation at all.

          Get real, Seb. Or pass the pipe.

          1. Maybe the Texans should give up a later pick to balance out the deal. I want the deal to be mutually beneficial to both sides. Maybe they could give up a second next year, too, to make it equitable.
            I originally thought to have the Niners target the Bears, Atlanta, Indy or the Jets, as candidates to trade back to, but thought Texans have more need to move up.

            1. They would have to give up 2 54th picks to make that deal make sense, which is impossible. More likely, the Texans would give up their 1st and 2nd this year and their 2nd and 3rd picks in 2017. That kind of thing happens, and wouldn’t be bad, but you didn’t say that.

              1. I do not have all the metrics, but I want to say that it needs to be mutually beneficial to both teams, or it probably would and should not work. I want the Niners to win, so it has to be a win-win situation.

    2. Seb,

      Nobody is taking the 49ers castoffs for any picks in the first 4 rounds, not if they’re packaged, not if they’re alone. It’s NOT HAPPENING. Drop it already. It has never happened in the history of the NFL. I looked into it. NEVER HAPPENED.

      1. Wait, are you saying that deals like RGIII or Alex Smith never happened? What about Boldin for a 6th? Granted, it would need to be with a team that has a 3 or 4 win season so they would be desperate for bodies, but if you scour the draft history, there are many examples of teams trading players for draft choices.
        Of course, it must be mutually beneficial to both teams, but I bet both The Titans and Jags, teams who I targeted last year, would have been happy with that sort of deal, with hindsight. Especially when they were beset by injuries, and needed bodies desperately. Maybe I am taking into consideration their desire to improve, and stop being in the cellar every year.
        I am just trying to think outside the box.

        1. Seb,

          You said to package 49ers castoffs for high picks, like the 2nd. I already addressed the Alex Smith scenario, and RGIII was an all-time bad deal for the Redskins. And you’re talking about Boldin for a 6th?

          Do you even read comments, or just get your hackles up and write defensively. It has NEVER happened that a team has traded a 2nd round pick for castoffs. Alex Smith was the highest-rated passer in the NFL over the course of the 2012 season when he was replaced by Kaepernick, and so Andy Reid gave the 49ers 2 2nd Rd picks for a former #1 draft pick. You’ve been talking about trading busts like Patton and McDonald for a 2nd. Don’t change your story now. It’s unbecoming.

            1. It’s going well. My surgeon was the Ski Team doctor in Sochi, and he’s very aggressive, so I’m already weight-bearing with a T-scope brace. The Percocet is necessary because of the intensity of the Physiotherapy, which is excruciating, but it’s interesting because I can now relate to what we read about.

          1. No, I said Brooks, a pass rusher with 6.5 sacks, Patton, who has contributed and does have talent, and Vance who caught multiple TD his last few games, for the second. Those 3 are not busts. They do have talent and have made contributions.
            I am just commenting on the fact that you say no multiple player deals have ever been made, when the Hershel Walker trade had 18 permutations. It is a historical fact, so multi player deals do exist. The 3 player for a second may seem far fetched, so lets just make it a conditional pick so both sides will get fair value.
            There exists many multi picks for a single player, so why not multi playesr for a single pick? I am just thinking outside the box, hoping that both teams benefit.

            1. Seb,

              Silicon didn’t say multiple player or pick trades don’t happen, only that they don’t happen involving kind of players and picks you’re talking about.

              BTW, trades where one team gets a pick or picks are usually (almost always/always) for one player, rather than multiple players for one pick.

            2. Seb

              You said to package scrubs (Brooks, a scrub because he is old and a head case; Patton, because he is non-productive and a head case; and McDonald, because he is a bust) for a 2nd round pick. You can revise your original statement all you want, but I’m not going there. I’m addressing your first statement. And then you mention Herschel Walker, who was supposed to be the second coming of Jim Brown. Again, Seb, what the heck are you smoking, and please, lemme have some.

              Pass the pipe, Seb, and stop trying to change the parameters of this discussion. What you originally said is outlandish and unrealistic.

          1. Prime

            Outside the box thinking is fine if it’s backed up by solid research, wouldn’t you agree?

            1. Now that you have corrected me, maybe I could include a stipulation. make it a conditional pick, so the next years’ pick would be upgraded if the Texans make it to the AFCCG.
              Last year I postulated a 4 player deal, but this year I am going only 3, but would be happy with single trades if they get something, instead of cutting him and getting nothing.
              Remember, this is just idle speculation during the off season. I am not demanding that the Niners have to make this kind of deal.

              1. I want to see Bruce Miller stay on the roster, but I don’t know how it would happen unless they turn him loose on the defensive side of the ball. How is that for some outside-the-box thinking? Bruce Miller, 14.5 sacks as an OLB in 2016.

            2. I just googled the draft valuation, and they said that the numbers are variable, the valuation could really only be determined by player performance and the chart could be skewed so the numbers really do not reflect true values.
              Maybe going with sound economic principles would be better. For any trades for pick, maybe the best determination is to follow the season, and then give value commensurate with performance. Conditional picks. Multi player deals make sense because the team trading a draft pick would get more than one player, whereas a single draft pick could only be used to select 1 player. 2 for 1 is good. 3 for 1 is better. If a team has several needs to fill, getting multiple players for one draft pick is inherently advantageous. These players are also veterans of the league, not some crapshoot rookie player who may not even make the team.

              1. So is the top player 10 times better than the 60th player?
                Is the top player 100 times better than the 152nd player?
                Is the top player 1000 times better than the 220th player?

          2. Hey Prime, aren’t you the guy who said that Kaep took the league by storm? I really hope he does it again.

  40. Statistics, analytics, and pi=3.14

    Just strap on your old Nokona, close your eyes and run like hell !!

    1. No, no, the Niners have tried that. They just ran into the teeth of the defense, and were 5-11. Hopefully, Chip will use deception and allow players to run through undefended gaps.

      1. Seb,

        Please stop with the 49er castoff trades. No one takes you seriously. If you respect the NFL draft strategy, then quit with your clownish provocations.

        Prime Time
        February 14, 2016 at 11:53 am

        Seb stay inside the box. Your outside thinking is what makes you the clown on here!

        Silicon Chip

        February 14, 2016 at 11:40 am

        Are you outthinking the opposition by giving the Texans a surplus of 360 points of draft value with your below proposal? That sounds brilliant, Seb.

        Can I get some of that? Pass it over. Quit bogarting.

        Seb, THE DRAFT CLOWN:

        clown joker You believe you are so cool But your character is of a fool You try to take good down all you do is frown so the court jester is your rule. – See more at: http://limerickpoems.org/category/tags/clown#sthash.qvG3XKOh.dpuf

        1. TrollD, your life is such a waste, you think your life mission is to try and engage me. Too bad you fail, as with your whole life.
          Have a nice day.

          1. It’s not me engaging you, Seb. If you bother to read the vast # of posts about your inane draft proposals you’d realize, like your mancrush on Hayne or Kap, no one trusts your personnel decisions…I, on the other hand try to warn you with limericks, alas, though, your doppelganger–the clown has taken over.

            1. TrollD,there you go again. I would be perfectly happy if you never address me again. Since you are so persistent, I think you may be needed to be taught a lesson.
              TrollD, you are the sort of person who implies that I may break into gun safes and create nightmares. When a former Niner was shot, you wondered where I was as if I might have shot him, even though it was reported that he shot himself. You project vile and sick innuendos ad hominem, so you area cretinous, immoral and offensive pariah.
              Keep on engaging me. I will be glad to point out you delight in schadenfreude and last year predicted the Niners would lose their first game 0-52. You are the one with the imbecilic idea that the Niners should trade Kaep for Tebow.

  41. Although I am a big advocate for them trying to sign Wilkerson,I do think Quinton Couples would be a great low -cost,high production DE\DT! He has the size and pass rush skills to be as good as Jackson and Wilkerson. Jets played him out of position at OLB but was productive at 290 lbs under Ryan. What do you think about him?

  42. Former Niner blasts front office, says rebuild will go into next decade

    “The drain out of the building is something — from a talent standpoint, mentality standpoint, football knowledge standpoint — that’s gonna take them, best-case scenario, at least five or six years to replace,” Cross told
    “I’m gonna be honest with you — I’m not sure if they can recover from that decision to get rid of Harbaugh, which brought on the wave of talent going away, some guys just walking away, others choosing to go somewhere else in free agency.”

    http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/terrell-owens-hall-of-fame-voter-explains-why-did-not-make-the-cut-021116

    1. The above comments by Cross were once stated by Steve Young after the York’s rid 49er headquarters of Steve Marriucci and all things Bill Walsh

      Steve Young: “All of the knowledge (SuperBowl) has left the building…Whose going to replace that?”

  43. Thinking outside the Box for Trent Baalke:

    Sign Bear’s F/A WR, Alshon Jeffries, I don’t trust Trent drafting offensive talent unless Chip’s by his side.

  44. Fan’s,

    Baalke passed on Jeffery’s once, instead choosing AJ Jenkins—time to correct that mistake, Trent, and be the GM you should have been then.

      1. After looking at his film, he looks technically proficient and assignment sound with his coverage. Good motor, decent speed with some versatility. Plays with good leverage, takes good angles and didn’t see him overrun tackles. He demonstrated some ability to get skinny and shoot the gap with disruption. Got some bend and hand strength and extends into the chest. Looks dominant against RB/TE blocks, but seems to have some difficulty with lineman. Could stand to get stronger, and I think his short arms do not make his job any easier. I’m thinking situational pass rusher/special teams, maybe 5th Round? It will be interesting to see how athletic he looks at the combine….

  45. Mitchell Schwartz, RT, Ben Jones, C/G and Alfred Morris, RB would be my three offensive targets in Free Agency. I’d suggest pruning Pears and Devey….

    1. My father once pruned apricots and peaches in Brentwood CA for a temporary living. I suppose pruning pears will have an effect on someone’s living too.

  46. Grant my take on your evaluation of Wilkerson is that you don’t doubt his abilities but you believe that signing him would stunt Armstead’s development. I’m happy you’ve had a turn around on Armstead, I know when I brought up his name last year at this time you weren’t very positive about him. I believe that signing Wilkerson is still a good idea because of Kelly’s offensive philosophy. I believe that the 49ers will need a quality 6 man rotation on the D line, that would include Armstead, Dial, Williams, Purcell, Dorsey and Wilkerson. Wilkerson could be the 2nd coming of Justin Smith and i would love to see he and Armstead along with Lynch and the 1st pick of this years draft possibly Lawson.

    1. The ONLY way you get Wilkerson is by giving up a 1st Round pick, and I don’t think that option is available, now that the Jets have decided to allow “Snacks” to hit the open market. They chose wisely, because someone will overpay for Mr. Harrison….

      1. Razor only time will tell whether Wilkerson signs with NY without dipping his toe in the FA market like I believe he will.

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