Mark Davis did what was right for the Raiders

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Mark Davis isn’t a villain. He’s a victim of selective indignation.

I’ll explain what I mean by that. But first, I want to explain why he acted in good faith and made the right decision to move the Raiders to Las Vegas.

Click here to read my Wednesday column.

This article has 299 Comments

  1. I agree, Davis isn’t a villain. NFL football is a business first, and it’s not the first time the Raiders ownership has sold their fan base down the river.

    The 49ers laid claim to the Bay Area with their unprecedented run in the 80’s and 90’s and, if I owned the Raiders, I wouldn’t want to try and reclaim the bay from the team who owns 5 Lombardi Trophies.

    The only question is …. who’s the biggest winner in this, the 49ers or Mark Davis? It sure isn’t Raider Nation.

      1. That’s true, but there are a whole lot of Raider fans who have to feel abandoned once again. The 49ers moved, but remained in the metropolitan Bay Area. Las Vegas is an entirely different state, 405 miles away from Oakland, and a 9 hour road trip away from the heart of Raider Nation, and the East Bay. If I were a Raider fan, living in the Bay Area, I wouldn’t be angry, but I’d be sorely, sorely disappointed.

      2. Yeah just not huge enough to uncover the tarp of a thousand seats in the Colliseum

      3. Raider Nation are fans from all over the country. They don’t compare to the fans that are vested financially that are season ticket holders and the fans who buy tickets for individual games.

        Like back in 1980 before Al Davis thought it more lucrative to move to LA, these fans have supported their team even during poor seasons.
        And once again, the paying customers get shanked when the team is on an upswing.
        I know that the Oakland city council shares in the blame for losing the team, but the fact is that Mark could not walk away from 7.5mil and no doubt other investors that will likely come on board.
        Still, the raiders have become a big machine that will eat its own in order to accomplish its goals.

        1. And this is exactly why they are to me, and always will be, “The Traitors”. And I’m happy to see the traditionally dirtiest, most penalized team in the league (“Just cheat, baby”) leave my beloved Bay Area, and hopefully take their freak show with them. Once upon a time, I felt sorry for the loyal fan base of the Traitors, when Al betrayed them, and repaid their loyalty by moving to L.A. But when you play with snakes, you’re gonna get bit. Serves ’em right!

    1. You know that the Raiders have the 6th largest fan base of all NFL teams, right? No, I bet you didn’t. The 49ers do well in the region, being #1. But the Raiders are nearly as big in the region and have a much better out-of-region following.

      And there are other teams with huge followings that might surprise you. The Browns, as bad as they’ve been for decades, are #8. The 49ers are 11th.

      The Rams, btw, are #32 having burned St. Louis, the only place in the US they had any real traction. In LA they’re behind the 49ers, Raiders, Cowboys & Steelers. Possibly the Chargers though the Chargers have a very weak fan base, too.

      1. Tell that to all the local Raider fans who showed up to the black hole on Sundays MosesZD. I am sure it will make them feel better to know the Raiders have a large fan base. We’ll see how long it takes for them to start selling out their new Vegas stadium.

        Like I said, it’s good for Mark Davis, and good for the 49ers, but, once again, the Raiders are abandoning a large portion of their fan base for “greener pastures”.

        1. Like last year where they were 30th in attendance percentage at 86.6% and 32nd in gate at 54,584? The team tied for the 3rd best record in football last year was 32nd at gate.

          So somehow I just really can’t shed many tears for a fan-base that can’t be bothered to show up. Especially when even Cleveland whoops your butt in attendance (64,311/game last year) along with the fans of other small market teams like Jacksonville and Tennessee.

          1. MosesZD, here’s the great CHARLES WOODSON on the relocation: “Knowing that fan base as well as I do, this stings like no other,” sad Woodson. “I understand that completely. These are diehard Raiders fans, they bleed Silver & Black, so for that team to pick up and move (again) and now going to Vegas, man, the fans are devastated.”

            DEVASTED!! Not my words, Woodson’s words!

            1. And let’s not forget, Davis might very well have have had an opportunity to keep the Raiders in the Bay Area. The 49ers could probably have been persuaded to share Levi’s Stadium with them. Levi’s may be the Stadium Jed York and Jim Harbaugh built, but the stadium was built to accommodate 2 home teams.

              So there likely were other options for Davis and his Raiders …… just saying.

              1. Personally, as a diehard Niners fan, I am relieved that the Raiders, and their 2nd class fans, will not be sharing the 49ers digs.

              1. Oregoniner, no question Mark Davis made the best business decision for his franchise. I don’t question whether Mark made the right decision, in fact, I am convinced he did.

                But I couldn’t help but take a shot at the Bay Area Raider fan base. If the shoe was on the other foot, I have no doubt Raider fans would be taking this opportunity to gloat.

                I guess you can call me an opportunist. I quoted Woodson because he understands just how hard this is for a large swath of Raiders Nation. Nobody likes to feel abandoned, regardless of the situation. And the fact is, once again the Raiders have made a business decision which includes abandoning a large number of die hard Raider fans.

                Back in the day, I followed both the Raiders and the 49ers, before it was considered a serious taboo. But I stopped supporting the Raiders when they left for Los Angeles, because part of following sports, for me, is about rooting for the home team. And if you live in the Bay Area, the Raiders are no longer the home team. The 49ers will soon be the only game in town, when it comes to NFL football.

      2. I live in Lubbock, tx and I can say there’s more 49ers fans then Raider fans here.

  2. He may be worth $500 million according to Forbes/Business Insider, but his wealth is tied up in the Raiders. And the Raiders, after decades of being one of the worst teams in the NFL, are just not a very profitable football team. Certainly not one that could afford to tote the note on a $ billion+ stadium.

    So even if could get the loan, there is just no way he could build a stadium without ending up with huge cash-flow problems and a possible bankruptcy. So he was pretty much between a rock and a hard-place and had to make a hard choice. Unlike Kroenke whose goal was to move the Rams back to LA no matter what St. Louis did (and St. Louis did meet all of his and the NFL’s demands).

      1. When his dad died, I thought it might have forced his sale of the franchise. The estate taxes would have had to have been in the hundreds of millions based on the valuation of the Raiders against the 40% estate tax rate the estate would have been subject to.

        So I was a bit surprised he’s managed to hold on.

        1. Marks mom is still alive but in poor health, so she technically is in charge of the estate.

    1. No question Mark Davis made the right decision for Mark Davis. Hardly a consolation for East Bay Raider Nation!

  3. Grant,

    Currently I’m living in Salt Lake City, UT.

    A huge 49er fanbase watch them at Legends, 49ers sportsbar.

    Yes, Smith’s grocery stores and sportswear outlets at the shopping malls sell lots of Utes sportwear, however, for years the 49ers Snow caps, jerseys, etc have been displayed right in the front window. That is, until this year, when Smith’s stopped selling 49er wear, mostly due to York lies and/or incompetence.

    This year, with a SuperBowl coach in Shanahan, expect Smith’s to sell the jersey’s again, and the sports outlets to move the 49er-wear from the back row to the front window again.

    The other half of Salt Lake are Denver fans, with a few Raider fans in the mix.

    Denver is the closest NFL team to us, so it’s a natural fit.

    Not lost in this story of the Raiders to Las Vegas, is the fact that large #’s of Salt lake citizens gamble in Las Vegas–only 5 hrs. away by car and 45 minutes by airline.

    So I’m sure money talked in the hiring of Shanahan because the 49ers heard of the Raider move and knew the impact this would have on their profit margin with their other fanbases nearby in Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado (Four Corner’s Region) Montana and Oregon.

    Many will now fly to Vegas as the new, ‘closest city’ to Salt Lake in the fall.

    And retired Salt Lake citizens living in warmer, St. George, are only a couple of hours away.

    1. Salt Lake Metro Region Popultation: 2.9 Million…..Jed, hope your not to late…Eddie visited us. He liked our Sportsbar.

      When will you make the trek from your cabana ?

    2. And there’s the Steve Young connection…9ers were huge in metro Utah during Steve’s playing days.

  4. I frankly don’t care if the Raiders move to Las Vegas. Davis is making the right business decision in moving. Oakland/Alameda County also made the right decision to not built a stadium with public money.
    Us fans need to realize, that while the teams expect loyalty from their fans they offer little loyalty in return. So we should always be weary of giving “our team” our 100% support.
    I disagree with Grant’s point regarding the Warriors. They are not moving out of the area, they are a moving a short BART ride away from where they currently play in Oakland. In fact they are returning to San Francisco where they use to play. The “City” jerseys come from their time in S.F. The Raiders have no connection to Las Vegas other than the money for a stadium.
    I wonder if their will be a “Black Hole” in Vegas or if each game will simply be just another event filled with people from out of town and not all of them raider fans.

  5. Really good article Grant. Your comparison with the Warriors was really on point. While they will remain in the Bay area, they are going to make it difficult for a large percentage of the fan base to continue going to the games both because of going across the bay and the increase in game tickets that almost assuredly accompany the move to the new building.

    The Raiders moving is an emotional blow to a lot of people is my guess. There is a stronger attachment to them than the Warriors and the local politicians are making it seem like Davis and the NFL turned down a great deal in Oakland. The reality is, like you said in the article, Davis didn’t have much of a choice here. The only way he was getting a new stadium in Oakland was if he was willing to wait x number of years until the A’s played out their lease or had a new stadium option of their own. In Vegas he gets a new state of the art stadium and all the local attention as well as the California and other transplanted Raider fans who will schedule trips to Vegas to watch them.

    I think this is going to be a massive success for Davis and the Raiders.

    1. Here is where I disagree. The identity of the teams will begin to matter more and more as the NFL starts to lose tv revenue.

      Loyalty will matter and some fans will walk. They will peruse other endeavors that they can relate to better.

  6. Sakamoto: Why 49ers need to draft ‘LEO’ Pass Rusher DE Derek Barnett

    Outside of Texas A&M DE/OLB Myles Garrett and maybe Alabama’s OLB Tim Williams, Barnett may be the best pure edge rusher in this year’s draft.

    The San Francisco 49ers are clearly in the market to find a pass rusher at the ‘LEO’ position, and Barnett would fit that need to a tee. The ‘LEO’ is aligned on the outside shade of opposing left tackles, right next to a three-technique defensive tackle. At 6-3, 259, Barnett would be a welcomed addition…

    When evaluating Barnett’s game, I see a mirror image of a former NFL player DE John Abraham.
    http://ninerfans.com/sakamoto-49ers-need-draft-leo-pass-rusher-de-derek-barnett/

    1. I’d still take King Solomon over Barnett at 2 without a trade:

      (1)1. King Solomon QB Killer
      (2)34. Patrick Mahomes QB
      (3)66. Ahkello Witherspoon CB
      (4)109. Elijah Lee LB
      (4)143. Jeremy McNichols RB
      (5)146. Robert Davis WR
      (5)161. Jonathan Ford FS
      (6)198. Jonnu Smith TE
      (6)202. Stevie Tu’ikolovatu DT
      (7)219. Aviante Collins OG

      1. That kind of draft will get GMs fired. Thomas and Mahomes are a mistake at those spots.

        1. Probably why I’m not a GM, but it’s not what I think the 49ers will do. It’s what I’d do, and I’m extremely confident in my selections….

  7. Once the newness of it wears off they’ll struggle to fill the new stadium. By year 3 or 4 the place will be half full for games. Good thing for LV folks the blackout rule has been removed.

    1. Recently in Vegas, I was sipping a beer with a local 49er fan, proudly displaying his new 49er cap and jersey.

      It was nice to see.

      We talked about the Raider to Vegas rumors in May, wondering if enough corportate dollars were available to fill those luxury boxes in new stadiums.

      He broke it down like this:

      A. Casinos fly the high rollers in on some sort of game pkg. that would include Casino hotel rooms + Raider tickets

      B. The Casino owners themselves.

      C. Raider fans wealthy enough to fly to Vegas.

      D. Cities such as Salt Lake, Cheyenne, WY, etc., have a small raider base, as does the 4 corner region in general.

      E. Only (8) games are played per season. Not hard to fill an NFL stadium with the above backing.

      1. They were already in the densest fan base they were ever going to be in and they couldn’t fill the place. The Casino packages might account for a few hundred a week, maybe and that’s only if the team is a contender. There aren’t enough “rich” Raider fans that are going to make a weekly dent in the attendance number and you’re assuming that the people in Salt Lake, Cheyenne, Wyoming that like football aren’t already fans of other teams, which they probably are.

        If they couldn’t fill 8 games a year in Oakland then they have zero chance in Las Vegas once the excitement of the “new” arena wears off and especially if the team is doing poorly.

        Add in what I mentioned already about the fact that families don’t live in Las Vegas long enough to ever really identify with a local professional team. If you’re born there you’ll move by the time you’re 12. Your parents moved there as adults so if they’re football fans they’ll already have their own team which as a kid you’ll probably follow too. If not you’ll likely only just be getting serious about football about the time you’ll be moving and will likely latch onto the team that you next closest too or like most kids you’ll probably just like which team last won the superbowl. Point is they’ll struggle to establish a local fan base.

        So likely that list you made will be the only ones that show up, I don’t think you’ve got 60,000 there.

        1. Cfc
          Your comments on LV demographics seem a little flippant without some supporting info. I’m referring to families moving in and out. I spend zero time there but I know three different multi generational families from Las Vegas. Some of the kids migrated away, but in those families cases most stayed as mechanics, bankers, real estate brokers, government workers. Some of our kids migrated away too, my daughter lives in Sacramento, not Sonoma County.
          Your doubts about filling the stadium may or may not be prophetical, but I’d love to see more info on the demographics. LV was one of many Ground Zeroes for the housing bubble burst, but the damage and dislocation there was largely centered with low-income, marginally-qualified borrowers who were encouraged into untenable loans based on false notions of an infallible rising market. There’s a significant city there supporting the Glitz and neon.
          As I mentioned yesterday, Raiders fans fly into Oakland every home Sunday from Oregon, Redding, Reno, Fresno and even LA. some will continue, and the LA contingent would likely grow. We’ll see.

          1. Maybe the Raiders will partner up in the NFL/Vegas Game Day Gambling tour business.

    1. Wow, I wonder who’s doing FA evaluations for the Bears. So, their conclusion is that Mr. Butt fumble is better than Kaep?

    2. Bears are pretty delusional, but they are desperately trying to justify their choices, even though everyone is laughing at them.

      Butt fumbler to the rescue!

    3. Easy cop-out. No team is going to tell the truth as to why they won’t sign Kap. Kaepernick’ silent on field protest and stance is supported by many Afro-American’ and no team wants a player who can cause any disruption or potential lockroom divide.

    4. My guess is the Bears looked at Kaepernick and saw the same thing that Shanahan saw.

      “Colin’s had a great career, and he’s done some really good things,” Shanahan said on Wednesday at the NFL owners meetings. “I think Colin has a certain skillset that you can put a specific offense to it that he can be very successful in.

      “When we first looked at it, you got to look at each quarterback and what type of offense you want to put in. That wasn’t necessarily the direction I wanted to go. I wanted to put in a different type of offense.”

      And for all the nonsense about being blackballed or whatever this is why he’s still on the street.

      1. Nobody shows up at TC with a fully developed bag of tricks…Kaep fell into the outhouse and came up with applesauce…The problem is that even with his good fortune (Harbaugh’s choice) He didn’t continue to grow and his tool bag got smaller ; not larger….If he WANTS to ever play again, it’s going to be in the CFL or as a back-up…and be paid communsuratly….I’m O.K. with that…just as long as it’s not in S.F…..

        1. That has been the hang up on getting him signed along with playing style to a great degree.

  8. Davis did all he could, and then some. Just as in SF, Oakland didn’t step up to the plate. The team’s been losing tons of revenue because the city did nothing to help them. It appears they decided to build the A’s a new stadium, but not the Raiders. I think LV will fool many…that city’s ready for big-league sports. I lived there in 2005-06 and you could tell even then it was only a matter of time. The Raiders will finally make money playing in their new stadium. Bill Romanowski was on The Herd this morning, talking about the Raiders. He said they have “atrocious” facilities in the Coliseum…and for the two home games in Sept, part of the A’s baseball diamond is in the middle of their football field. The team deserves a first-class stadium and all the amenities that go with it. I know it sucks for their fans…but, they should vent all their frustrations at their city government. They failed.

  9. Mark Davis did what was right for him. He will get his new stadium, host a Super Bowl, and ride the current on-field success. Then, he’ll sell the team and pocket the cash.

    1. Mark Davis did exactly what Al would have done. Bet Al is proud of him, where ever he may be.

      1. He is at the Chapel of the Chimes at the top of Piedmont Ave in Oakland,beyond proud.

        1. Ahem, I was referring to his possible view from above, but some may think he is looking up. ;p

  10. Mock Draft By:
    Charlie Casserly, who correctly predicted the last 5 49er 1st picks.

    Solomon Thomas – DE, Stanford

    Pass rush is the 49ers’ biggest need. My question is whether Thomas can provide an outside rush.

        1. +1000…Im crossing my fingers we dont draft him and select one of the top playmakers in the draft..

    1. To me it would seem dumb to have an intermediary site to play in. Very disruptive to football operations as coaches and players and their families would have to move twice. It extends the time of highest distractions by a full season and plunks the team down in foreign territory without the benefit of the locals knowing there is a long term commitment. Texas would extend the travel time and distance on all the away divisional games as well.
      Things would have to devolve mightily with Oakland for that move to make sense.

      1. It’s just the immediate reaction from Oakland city council members that is fueling this. The Raiders will play in the Coliseum for two more years and then the City will have to decide whether they want one more large check from the Raiders to play a 3rd year before they leave. My guess is there will be overwhelming sentiment for the Raiders to stay and play that one more year by the time it arrives especially if they are SB contenders.

  11. The Ringer’s 2017 NFL Mock Draft, Version 2.0
    Danny KellyFollow
    Staff Writer, The Ringer

    Mar 28·

    2. San Francisco 49ers: DE Solomon Thomas, Stanford

        1. Lazy.

          He’s actually pretty damn good, CFC. I think it’s a coincidence that he happens to be from Stanford, rather than a “lazy” connection. Are 90% of the talent prognosticators “lazy”? I don’t believe so….

          1. Believe what you want old friend. Chances are they’ll move on to the next hot pick in the next few weeks anyway.

              1. Ha, maybe if I said safety. :) Safeties see themselves as skinny linebackers and they call CB’s receivers that can’t catch.

    1. John Harbaugh is a company guy. Did you expect him to say anything controversial? Something like “NFL owners are conservative a-holes”. Get a clue Utah freak.

      1. W/O Utah, ASUS you’re minus a few SupeBowls…Try hard…Think ….Holmgren and Young !

        1. Oh, almost forgot my Utes and the one who was the most responsible player in getting the Niners to their most recent SuperBowl, Alex Smith–genuinely regarded as the superior QB to Kap ( now that the dust has finally settled on that topic).

          1. And ASUS, you know by now if Smith had the ball on the 1 yd line with 3 chances at the goal line with a superior O-Line, Crabs, Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Anquon Bolin, Tedd Gin Jr. and Frank Gore, you’d have six Lombardi Trophies in Santa Clara.

  12. All this “Raider Nation” hype is a joke. In their 20 years back in Oakland they were blacked out most every week except between 2000-2002. They even put a tarp on their top deck and still could not sell out. Before that they had almost no sellouts in LA. The Niners on the other hand always sell out even when we suck. Raiders hype-I’m glad they’re gone so we won’t be locked into their games now.

    1. Grant likes the Raiders that’s why he talks up there fan base. In reality the 49ers have more nation wide fans then the Raiders I live in Texas and yes it’s mostly Cowboy fans but I can tell you there’s a pretty large amount of 49er fans here by far and you rarely see a Raider fan. I was at the game in 2014(49ers vs Cowboys) and it was literally swarming red in AT&T stadium in Arlington my cousins that also went to the game and are 15 + years season ticket holders told me after the game that that was the most opposing fans of another team they have ever seen in at&t and the old Cowboys stadium.
      You could say those were bandwagon fans or whatever but even today after 3 bad season and coming off a 2 win season we’re still out here in our 49er gear!

    2. Oakland is no different than any other NFL city really. The Hard core fans will buy their tickets regardless. The key is getting the band wagoners who only show up when the team is good. In that regard the Raiders didn’t offer much for the previous 13-14 years which is why the didn’t sell out very often.

      1. I’m thinking 6th because of his injury and the depth at the RB class. But it is hard to project the back half of the draft. 4th or 5th is certainly possible.

    1. 80,
      A. Jones has skills. I was also impressed with his O-line – especially number 76. He was dominating the LOS.

  13. “A review of recent mock drafts predominantly shows Stanford’s Solomon Thomas following in the footsteps of DeForest Buckner (No. 7, 2016) and Arik Armstead (No. 17, 2015).”

    “Other scenarios popping up with the 49ers’ No. 2 overall pick include a trade with Carolina, or picking LSU safety Jamal Adams. There’s also some buzz around drafting Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer in the first round, but not that high.”

    http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article141372103.html

  14. LOL, gotta laugh. Mentioning the burgeoning metropolis of St George as a source for Raider fans.

    Napa has a bigger population than St George.

    My guess is that 80% of the fans will come from SoCal.

  15. A couple of things, as a Raiders ticket holder (4th yr)…….. there is no money in Oakland and the politicians were late to step up- I have no bitterness towards Mark. The tickets are cheap in Oakland ($25 uppers and $50 second deck), and until last year the stadium still wasn’t full.

    Per the Warriors, I think the Warriors owners viewed SF in part due to the entertainment potential of an arena (Gruber is in the biz in LA) – since it will be the largest venue there, by far- $$$$.

    I was also at the game when Lacob got boo’d, and he handled it well- even when he didn’t deserve it ( and I was a big Ellis fan). Warriors fans have always been awesome, and that makes it hard to accept them moving to SF. But, his success has bought him a lot of leeway.

    1. oh- and I imagine there will be some Raiders ticket holders from up here that hold tickets, and those willing to travel from LA, so that might make up 25-35% right there.

  16. John Lynch mentioned that he wanted the Niners to start behaving as a first class organization.

    I know he was being paid to do it, but maybe he could have waited for the Raider fans to process their grief before inviting them to become Niner fans. He was striking while the iron was hot, but those Raider fans are really hurting right now.

  17. Raiders want to move, or Raiders want to stay. Seriously, who really cares. I like to read about football, stuff like this blog. But to care whether a football team moves? This sport treats players like slaves. Its not like baseball. I would care if Giants left. But Raiders, let em go. It’s freakin football, keep the perspective. Oakland has real problems to deal with, football is not one of them.

  18. Sayonara Raiders!Im laughing my ass off at my Raider buddies..They did the same thing 20 Funny how they all say Oakland this Oakland that,when 90% of there fans arent from Oakland..They love to get all dressed up and paint there faces yet most of them cant even tell you who their starting center is.
    Thats why Im not as upset about the Niners playing in SC..Theres barely any Niner fans with in SF city limits anymore..Its a transient city and most of the Niners fans are from the penninsula and south bay anyways.

    A Raider fan was on the radio earlier today saying how the Raiders own the west coast..I doubt that..Id bet my next paycheck the Niners have a bigger following nationwide than the Raiders,and it was hard to see all those die hard fans when there games were blacked out for 10 years…

    Goodye Raiders!

  19. Since this thread isn’t necessarily about the Niners, I will talk about the U.

    “Miami now has 15 commits in 2018. Penn State has the No. 2 class while Notre Dame is at No. 3,”

    http://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/after-db-halls-pledge-miamis-no-1-class-ranking-grows/

    They have a potential stud WR in Ahmmon Richards. As a freshman, Richards had 49 RECs for 934 YDs and averaged 19 YDs per catch. He did this as the third target behind Njoku and Coley. He also did this with the ever erratic Brad Kaaya at QB. He is expected to take on a leadership role this year. His WR coach has praised his work ethic.

    They also have Freshman WR DeeJay Dallas. Dallas could be electric, but he is extremely raw. With good QB play, the Canes could be in the playoffs this season.

    1. My introduction to American football and the first game I attended was between Brian Bosworth (and freshman QB troy Aikman) and the Sooners and Vinny Testeverde’s (and a host of other future NFL stars’) Hurricanes at the Orange Bowl. Richt is doing a good job but the Canes are some ways off from playoffs at this point.

      1. That’s a nice introduction to football. Ultimately, QB play will determine how far they will go this year.

        The O line struggled early, but played well down the stretch. They have 3 returning starters and transfer George Brown Jr. The O line should be improved or at least more consistent.

        The D line is outstanding and has several players returning. The D line will take pressure off the secondary, which is in flux after losing 4 players.

        They will still have a strong running game, so the new QB won’t have to throw every down. They have a somewhat easy schedule.

        http://caneswatch.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2017/01/09/miami-hurricanes-football-has-14th-best-national-title-odds-for-2017-betting-site-says/

        14th best, the talent is mostly there. They just need solid QB play and a little luck. Winning the ACCCG would put them in the top 4 IMO.

  20. Good luck to the LV Raiders. Sad state of the Raider Nation when they play in a stadium with sewage issues.

  21. I’m surprised no one has mentioned that Mark Davis doesn’t own the Raiders, his mother does. He is the managing general partner. When his mother passes he will have to pay what ever the current estate tax is. If he doesn’t have a publicly financed new stadium in place by then he would likely have to sell controlling interest in the team. So I do not agree that he is doing whats best for anyone other than himself (very Trumpian of him) but I do understand the move any man would want to keep the business that his father founded in the family.

    1. Mark Davis should make a strategic alliance with a billionaire like Larry Ellison. He should sell a 49 % interest, and since they will now be in Nevada, the taxes will drop.

      Ellison would provide the deep pockets to help ensure the Raiders have all the help they need.

      This way, he would solve all his problems, while still controlling the team, like his father would want.

    1. Niners should offer pick number 2 for picks 8 and 40, plus a 2018 second round pick.

      Guess Carolina sees that Fournette will not get past Jax.

      Cam with Fournette would be a formidable combination, and lessen the amount of hits on Cam.

      1. Maybe make the 2018 pick conditional. If Carolina makes it back into the playoffs, it would become a first round pick.

      2. I’d make that trade any day.

        At #8, I’d take the best defensive player in the draft – Reuben Foster. That will leave SF with # 34 and 40 to address other needs. Perhaps they can get Taco Charlton, Obi Melifonwu, Takkarist McKinley, TreDavious White, Charles Harris, Gareon Conley, Cordrea Tankersley, or Chidobe Awuzie.

        1. I would rather trade back a bit more to accumulate another second round pick and select Haason Reddick than Foster, who I am concerned about his character.

          To really know a guy, look at how he handles himself with just common folk. Foster failed big time. Maybe he can learn and not make that mistake again, but this draft is full of high character talented and fast players.

          If Reddick is gone, Peppers or Latimore or Barnett. Who ever is available at that spot. Getting that number 40 pick will allow them to get another possible starter.

          Missing out on Thomas is a loss, but there are other glaring needs than depth on the defensive line.

          1. Sounds like a Baalke strategy to me. How about we just address what we need at the start of each round? DUH!
            This isn’t a BPA draft for the 49ers. This draft is about filling holes at key positions.

            1. Prime, Baalke’s strategy was to pick questionable character guys like Aldon Smith and ACL players.

              Just filling needs may mean they may pass up better talent.

              Maybe the best strategy may be to select the BPA that fills a need. I know you cannot understand that strategy, but it may be the one they use.

              1. Just read the transcript of Lynch. Sounds like he has filled every glaring need in free agency, so now they plan on selecting the BPA.

                Prime, too bad you are against that strategy, but it will be the one they use.

    2. cubus, thanks for the article. My thoughts: If we trade 2 for 8 (and whatever else we get), obviously we lose Thomas, but I’m more concerned about losing Lattimore. Having two possible shut-down corners (Lattimore and Robinson) would be awesome. If we got Lattimore, we’d possibly sew up a starting secondary of Lattimore, Robinson, Ward, and (maybe) Tartt. They’d then be able to fix the linebacker position later in the draft. Pass-rush could be left to next year. We already have guys for the Leo who might work out anyway, including Lynch and Carradine. Harold IMO can’t succeed as a DE. I’d like to see him slimmed down to his college weight and tried at SAM or WIL.

    1. Niners should look to the Saints as a possible trade partner. Niners should trade their second overall, and 4th and 5th round picks to the Saints for their 11th, 32nd and 103rd picks. 3 for 3 swap, and the Niners could sweeten the deal by offering Burbridge and/or Reaser.

      Saints may be looking at Fournette, and realize that they will have to outbid Carolina for him.

      1. No, Niners should trade their 2nd to NO for their 11th, 32nd and 103rd, and thats it. No reason to give up picks, that #2 is worth enough as is.

  22. With a new stadium, a franchise QB and a decent coach and front office, the Raiders will be fine in Vegas. They will grow a new and younger fan base. They will be the only major sports franchise in town.
    They are already spurring new business activity in the neighboring area :)
    http://www.sfgate.com/raiders/article/Raiders-style-brothel-already-planned-for-Las-11034531.php
    Is it just me or are Reggie and Mark beginning to resemble each other with every passing year — soon to be the Vegas Tweedledee and Tweedledum?

  23. No, what Davis should have done was sold partial ownership of this team to another investor. That would have given him the money needed to build a new stadium in the BA, and as we’ve seen from what happened with the 49ers, a new stadium, especially in real estate boom bay area, would instantly increase the value of the team and Davis ownership in it, even diminished, would be that much more valuable.

    He would then have the stadium needed to attract high-end clients, generate more revenue, spending that on talent, which creates a better product on the field. And as we’ve seen from Levis, a new stadium means lots of events, concerts, bowl games, a Super Bowl, etc, that will generate lots of income for the owners. This all happens year over year.

    Davis was short sighted. He saw the pot of gold but ignored the gold mine that is the bay area.

    But as a “raider hater”, bye bye!

    1. You can say a lot of things about Davis, but short sighted is not one of them. He’s been trying to get something done in Oakland for years as his father did and there was little interest in return. The things you just said he could have with a new Stadium in Oakland he will have in Vegas without selling part of the team. Add in the fact the there are no state taxes in Nevada and Davis is going to make out far better financially in Vegas than he would in Oakland.

  24. Excerpts from Lynch interview

    “We had to go quantity (free agency) this year because we had to get better in a lot of places and we wanted to be able to arrive at the draft and pick the best players as opposed to saying “we have this need, this need this need”…”

    “I’m excited to see an Arik Armstead when he’s in attacking posture as opposed to sitting on his heels.”

    “Arik can play both outside and inside. He’s one guy I’m talking about but there’s a lot of guys.”

    “…if you want to oversimplify, you’ve got to find the quarterback and you’ve got to find the guys to knock them down.”

    Full Transcript
    http://www.ninersnation.com/2017/3/29/15098130/john-lynch-nfl-annual-meeting-full-transcript

    1. “…if you want to oversimplify, you’ve got to find the quarterback and you’ve got to find the guys to knock them down.”

      Based on that, it is hard to believe they come out of the first 3 rounds without adding a QB and pass rusher. So perhaps looking at late round edge guys is more about looking to add multiple guys, rather than a thought process of waiting to grab one.

      1. They could be trying to trade down to the 8th pick and then using lower picks to get somewhere in the middle of the 1st to get McCaffrey.

        It’s possible we get Thomas and McCaffrey. I like them both, but if we end up with an extra mid 1st round pick, I would take one of the top 3 WRs (hopefully Ross) over McCaffrey.

        1. “If there’s a knock on McCaffrey, it’s his size and ability to hold up against bigger, more physical defenders in the pros.”

          Yet he’s 3″ taller and almost the same weight as Devonta Freeman.

          1. Exactly, which means he’s a bit more frail. Frank Gore is 5’9 and 215, and we all know how big he was…but a guy at 6’1 and 215 is not build the same.

            1. You’re not drafting McCaffrey to be a down after down between the tackles RB.

              He’s a great piece with a offensive coach that’s creative because he can line up anywhere and be a playmaker.

              1. But why go with a 1st round pick for someone who isn’t an every down player. You want someone who will be a high impact player.

              2. He won’t be an every down player. Situational. His value is limited. I would think second round at best.

              3. He’s not only been an every down player; he’s also returned kicks throughout his time on the farm. He is not thin, but has the body type to put on a few more pounds if he needs to. He’s fast, athletic and can line up anywhere. What’s not to like?

              4. To me me he seems like his frame is more of a wide reserved frame than a running back. Like his dad. I don’t think he will be able to take the pounding in the NFL. I may be wrong. We will see, but I don’t think I’m wrong on this. His use will be limited.

              5. East, he is a moveable piece in the offensive puzzle. He can line up pretty much anywhere and play at a high level. Which is what makes him so attractive. With both he and Juszcyck in the backfield they could create a lot of mismatches and pre-snap movement to get the opposition in bad formations.

              6. Why on earth not two? Its not like they are carbon copies of each other. Juszcyck is your typical HB, while Caff is a RB/WR.

              7. Because at some point you will have to run the ball between the tackles and you will need a player to do just that.

              8. They also have Hyde, and despite what you say, Caff has the vision and patience as a runner to be effective inside as well. It just won’t be his bread and butter. In an outside zone scheme that is fine.

              9. But a RB will need to block DE and LB which McCaffrey isn’t very good at. Remember the ghost of Lawrence Phillips.

              10. You are nitpicking now. Most college RBs aren’t good blockers. He is no worse than most, and better than many, but will have to learn how to do it better just like any RB coming out of college. Keeping in mind he will also be tasked with receiving more than most backs, rather than staying in to block.

              11. Maybe, but it is a knock on him from many evaluators as well in addition to being shown and not being able to being able to take the punishment at the second level in the NFL. He benefited from a large OL at Stanford. I certainly don’t see what everyone else sees in him as a RB. He can catch, he should be a WR but the 49ers already have a good possession receiver in Garçon.

              12. “Maybe, but it is a knock on him from many evaluators”

                By some. Most evaluations I have seen indicate how he is a willing blocker that does pretty well picking up his assignments, just struggles with holding his ground. Marshall Faulk was the same. He managed to make a decent career for himself. Same with Tiki Barber. And Jamaal Charles. And LeSean McCoy. And one thing Caff has ahead of these guys is his route running skills. They are excellent.

            2. Robert Smith 6-2 210
              Marcus Allen 6-2 210
              Reggie Bush 6-0 205

              There is no archetype. Youse gots it, or youse don’t gots it.

          2. 5’11” 202 pounds is what the combine measured him at. That should make him just slightly thicker then the 6’0 205 Reggie Bush who’s missed 42 games over an 11 year career.

            Do you use a first round pick on a player that might only appear in 10-15 snaps a game? You have to be convinced that every time that player touches the ball he can score a TD. Is McCaffrey going to be that special in the NFL? I think I’d let another team take that bet.

        2. I can see trading 34 back into the first for McCaffery if he falls within striking range.

          First Plateau – 1 (Garrett)
          Second Plateau – 2 to 6ish (Thomas, Hooker, Lattimore, Adams etc.)
          Third Plateau – 7ish to ?

          I’d be happy taking well under chart to move back within the top six. I’d better compensation after six because I’m giving up on a (healthy) stud defender.

          – Move back to 12-ish. Get a Ross or edge rusher or top TE.
          – Use a third or fourth rounder to move back into the 20’s for McCaffery or Riddick or TE or edge.

        3. I think both those guys are overrated. Thomas had a bowl game and McCaffrey isn’t built to be a pro back.

          1. I have to disagree here,to say McCaffrey is not built to be a pro back is not only myopic view of the position(agree with Jack above) but really misses the mark on the type of player he is i.e. a multipurpose tool (rather like Dion Lewis )who in KS’ system offers exceptional talent as a back a receiver and return man.if anything, I think atleast, this young man is consistantly underrated .

              1. Also think you may be in love with the player but he strikes me as similar to a Reggie Bush type player college phenom but not a great pro.

              2. I have heard the Reggie Bush comparison and it could be an apt one…or perhaps not.You are correct time will tell.As an aside I’m not “in love with him” I try not to attach too much to an individual player .I remember wanting our team to draft Jordy Nelson and feeling rather crestfallen when it didn’t happen.

              3. Sorry about the word choices, I mean we sometimes become obsessed with the players (I have fallen prey to this). I just think that when we are close to a program we sometimes think more highly of a player. I’m on the East Coast so I don’t necessarily value McCarffrey as highly as some WC folks. Trubisky is the love child of the folks around here. I don’t think that much of him either.

              4. The reason I think the Bush comparisons are off base is twofold – 1, Caff displays excellent vision and patience as a runner, while Bush relied more on his atleticism, and 2, Caff is a legitimate receiver with WR skills while Bush was a very good receiver out of the backfield. The reason why 2 is important is Caff is able to get himself open rather than needing to be schemed open, or put against a LB in coverage to create a mismatch.

              5. East,

                You may want to consider going by film study rather than your gut!
                What’s the basis of your fear that CMac won’t last in the NFL? He’s not going to run between the tackles that often. He has missed only one game at Stanford due to injury.

                If McCaffrey had played WR, he’d be the best receiver in Pac-12, ahead of John Ross, IMO. While Ross has great straight-line speed — CMac has football speed. Watch this clip
                https://twitter.com/RaidersAnalysis/status/846387276422643712

                While Reggie Bush is a good comparison, CMac’s downfield vision and balance is better than Bush’s. He’s not a good fit for a power running team like Buffalo. But I can see him being a powerful weapon in offenses that focus on creating and exploiting mismatches.

              6. Maybe McCaffrey is/should be a receiver? I see him as a receiver but not a running back and that’s the problem.

          2. Mood, I’ve seen a few of his games and that is what I’m basing my gut instinct on what I think McCaffrey is as a player. I don’t think he is a complete player. I know a lot of people think he is terrific but I don’t see it. Same with Ross or Thomas or Kizer. I see decent players who may be pretty good NFL players but I don’t think that they will be transformative. Same with McCaffrey. I see him as dangerous of potential injury waiting to happen.

      1. We take him and I promised Razor to go clown face for a month,a inverse case of lose to win?

      2. Rocket used Trump and Talent in the same sentence. Well done. We don’t see that often.

  25. Shanahan, at the NFL meetings, when asked why he chose Hoyer (and Barkley)
    over Kaepernick as his QB –
    “All these questions about what I like in a quarterback, Brian is like that,” Shanahan said. “He’s obsessed with the game. He will learn your offense. He’ll be able to execute and run it. That gives other guys a chance to perform in your offense. If your quarterback can’t execute it and go through it, it doesn’t always matter what the O-line or the receivers are doing. With Brian, you have a very smart guy who works at it, will hang in the pocket and is fearless, will keep his eyes down the field and deliver the ball to the right spots. It gives people a chance to be successful.”-

    Any other questions? Any dull-minded lingering ambiguity? End of CK story. Speaking of what was to come, Shanny added, “We’ll look to add anyone who can really help us. I’m very happy with the two we’ve got. You know we’re not only going to take two to camp. So we got to see how the draft works out and then you see what else is out there.”

    I look for them to draft one developmental QB in the draft in the 3rd to 6th rounds, then possibly acquire an undrafted camp player or someone who gets cut loose from another team.

  26. We should stay put and go for a big quality impactplayer like Lattimore if we want a fast rebuild,we took enough decent quantity in FA ok the CB group is deep in draft but this dude is special and would make our secondary scary.

    1. Always happens early. The hype for next year’s number 1 should be starting right about now too!

  27. TRADES:  49ers trade the 2nd pick to the Titans for the 5th and 18th
                       49ers trade the 5th and 109th pick to Texans for the 25th, 57th, 130th, and 2018
                       first round picks

    ROUND ONE

    PICK 18:  ILB Reuben Foster
    PICK 25:  RB Christian McCaffrey

    ROUND TWO

    PICK 34:  QB Deshone Kizer
    PICK 57:  CB Sidney Jones

    ROUND THREE

    PICK 66:  CB Howard Wilson

    ROUND FOUR

    PICK 130:  DE Joe Mathis
    PICK 143:  WR Robert Davis

    ROUND FIVE

    PICK 146:  OG Sean Harlow
    PICK 161:  NT Stevie Tu’ikolovatu

    ROUND SIX

    PICK 198:  SS Lorenzo Jerome
    PICK 202:  WR Josh Malone

    ROUND SEVEN

    PICK 219:  OT Jylan Ware

    UDFAs

    QB Seth Russell
    RB Barry Sanders Jr.
    TE Scott Orndoff
    OLB Kennan Gilchrist
    ILB Ben Boulware
    WR Kermit Whitefield
    CB Tyquwan Glass

    1. MWD

      Nice mock midwest…I must admit there are a couple I hadn’t heard of….I’ll study…

      1. I still think John Ross will go in the top three, and the Titans are going to trade up to get him.

          1. Titans dont need to trade up. If Lattimore doesnt fall to them at 5 then they either take Humphreys or Adams/Hooker. They can make a jump from 18 to the 12 range to grab Ross or take their chances he makes it to 18.

            1. The Titans signed Cyprien in free agency, so they don’t need to address the SS position, and I think Hooker slides due to the limited experience along with the fact he could not participate in the Combine or Ohio State pro day. I highly doubt Humphreys will be drafted until the late first round range. He is a good not great CB with subpar ball skills.
              There is an odd assumption by many that Ross will be there in the middle of the first round, but he has shown enough to warrant being considered a top pick in the upcoming draft.

              1. I mean how is he better than Williams and Davis? Plus he is brittle as can be!

              2. Which is what exactly?

                For one, his speed. Also, when watching his draft breakdown, it is very noticeable that he is more than a one track speed merchant. He runs routes rather well and has a juke move which can freeze a DB in his tracks.

                Plus he is brittle as can be!

                Not a very good argument considering Williams lost an enitre season due to a neck injury and Davis is currently recovering from one.

              3. But he is a smaller frame and with multiple injuries already it has to be a major concern.

                Speed is only good if he can escape press coverage.

              4. A bigger frame does not immediately equate to a lesser likelihood of getting injured. Look no further than DeAndre Smelter.

              5. I’m having a hard time seeing one of Ross or Lattimore not being there at pick 5. Not saying it can’t happen. It just looks like an unlikely enough scenario to necessitate sacrificing pick 18.

              6. I would have to disagree with that Brodie. The Bears are in need of a #1 WR and CB, which Ross filling the former and Lattimore the latter.

              7. No but a smaller frame certainly increases likelyhood especially with a history of injury!

              8. No it doesn’t. A injury history does that alone, and the prospects you consider better than Ross are either coming back from an injury or have an injury history of their own, thus the injury angle is not going to work.

          2. The other two are far more polished receivers, can fight for 50/50 balls and are are far more more ready for the NFL.

            1. That is solely based on your beliefs. According to NFL.com/ draft, Williams is not a good route runner, does not play up to his size, and can be out muscled on the sidelines. Meanwhile, there are concerns about the level of competition Davis faced, his speed, and 16 dropped passes during his collegiate career.

              1. Wow! Ok, well I wouldn’t count on it! His value based on projections is much lower.

              2. Projections don’t always work out though. There have always been a good number of prospects that have been drafted higher or lower than expected.

              3. It’s all good Mid. I know it’s all fantasy here. I just wanted to make sure you hadn’t lost your mind. ;)

        1. Do you think the Titans want Ross and want to trade to secure? Who else would pick him first though? I could see the trade if only someone coveted him more but I don’t see that happening. Ross isn’t that special a player in my opinion.

          1. Do you think the Titans want Ross and want to trade to secure?

            Yes. Don’t forget the Titans tried to trade for Cooks.

            Who else would pick him first though?

            I think the Bears are a potential destination, and there is also the possibility of another team trading up ahead of the Titans in order to snag Ross.

            1. I can see Latrimore far more than Ross going at 2. I’m ok with anyone taking the deal and giving us a slew of picks though.

              1. I’m not so sure Mathis will make it to round 4.

                A lot of mocks have him going in rounds 2-3.

                Personally, I think it’s a dangerous pick in round 2, but I can see him going early in round 3.

            2. “Yes. Don’t forget the Titans tried to trade for Cooks.”

              Don’t forget that they didn’t. GM Jon Robinson has said publicly that they never offered #18 for Cooks. This makes sense given that the Patriots gave up less for him. So if they weren’t willing to trade #18 for Cooks why would you be so convinced they would trade up to #2 for Ross.

    2. Do not think the Niners will draft 2 CBs in the first 3 rounds when they really need a pass rusher and ILB help.

      They should also look for a safety before a CB, especially if they are moving towards a Seahawk styled defense.

      I do like that you traded back twice, and I think the Browns, Titans and Saints are the best choices to try a trade back with since they have so many high picks.

  28. What’s not to like at pick # 2:

    1. A once in a generation (Ancient Greeks equate a generation to every 33 years) RB, Leonard Fournette.
    2. A Shutdown corner in OSU’s Lattimore.
    3. An OSU safety compared to Earl Thomas who can cover the entire center of the field.
    4. A Tennessee LB who broke Reggie White’s sack record that stood for 40 years in Derek Barnett.
    5. Alabama’s Johnathan Allen, who many consider the best interior pass rusher (with shoulder surgery for arthritis he may slide a notch or two).
    6. Myles Garrett, considered the top ‘edge rusher’ in the draft.
    7. Solomon Thomas–‘The Stanford Lynch Connection,’ whose meteoric rise to the # 2 spot, including Charlie Casserly’s latest mock, is incredible. He’s compared to Seattle’s, Michael Bennett, because he’s capable of playing any position on the line–had 10 sacks.
    9. LSU’s Jamal Adams–what else needs to be said.
    10. Mitch Trubisky–Considered by many the 2nd pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

    So, anyone who thinks a trade down from # 2 is impossible when a running back like Earl Cambell–not seen in 45 years, think again.

    Earl Cambell Higlights:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUWLVE-UvqE

  29. 49ers at South Dakota pro day, meet with Tyson Graham

    March 29, 2017 at 2:50 PM • 0 comments 49er Webzone

  30. Khorey Kilgore ‎@Kilgore_Khorey5

    @TGraham_JR murdered his pro day. He made a few extra million dollars today. Proud of you bro.

    NFL Draft Diamonds recently asked the 6-foot-2, 212-pound Pompano Beach, Florida native what traits separate him from others. “Physicality, being able to diagnose plays quickly, tackling, and versatility,” Graham answered.

  31. Chase Jordan Kinsey · Mountain View, California

    I’ve seen this reported from 2 different 9ers sources today David James Doyle

    TomD’s Response: Two is a lock, unless a 3rd party steps up to offer more than Carolina.

  32. Shanahan on Trubisky:

    “He’s pretty much like everyone else,” Shanahan said of the quarterback. “He’s got 13 games on tape. He’s had a great college year. Yeah, of course. The more games that are out there, the more coaches like because there’s more to study but that’s not his fault. You only can control what you can control. The opportunities that he got, he played at a very high level and that’s why he’s in this discussion for everybody.”
    http://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/104810-kyle-shanahan-talks-trubisky-other-qbs-upcoming-draft/

    1. Prime:

      If your parse Shanahan’s words (something Seb has an inability at) he states:

      “He (Trubisky) played at a ‘very high level’ and that’s why he’s in the discussion for everybody.”

      Notice Shanny states Trubisky’s in the discussion, not Kap, nor has Kap been in the discussion for any other team….

      Is this the end of the dream ?…Seb’s dream.

      Crowded House: The Dream is Over. Live:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I52eefwAKDE

    2. I tried to explain that to Seby. Pointed out that as a college QB Trubisky probably has a sufficient amount of tape to grade as he actually has more pass attempts to grade that Montana and almost as much as Wentz, yet you never heard any ‘experience’ warnings about them.

      Further that with Montana, despite his poor college stats (52% completion, 25 TDS to 25 INTs) and repeated benchings there was clearly enough tape for Razzano, McVay and Walsh to see a lot of positives in what Montana did and give them a good enough feeling to draft Montana in Round 3 and, eventually, coach him up to being the greatest QB in NFL history.

      Somehow Seby decided, despite there not being a hint of it, that I was saying Trubisky was going to be better than Montana. Despite the fact that Trubisky has yet to take an NFL snap…

  33. Mark Davis suffers from the sins of his father. The deal Al made with Oakland to move the team back — the one that tax payers are still paying for and the one that made the Coliseum even worse — makes people and the City wary of doing another deal with the family. I’m bitter about the Warriors move, but that’s muted by the fact that they’re only moving 7 miles away.

      1. What is the fetish with single use stadiums Grant? Is there any justifiable reason why taxpayers should pony up money for these stadiums for teams?

        1. EC
          No!
          If Jed had proposed a Sonoma County stadium I would’ve voted No!
          No welfare for Billionaires!
          Dude from the Rams can do it, most can do it. Trust Fund Mark Davis can’t;
          Pppffffffttt! Like the Trustafarians in south Marin.
          It’s cool, owners re-establish who they are.

          1. Exactly, why should the taxpayers subsidize the enlargement of their businesses? What does it profit the communities in which they live to have these stations that are useful only for 20-30 years before they want another one or they threaten to move?

        1. Maybe, but I think Raiders fans would prefer anything over being the “San Francisco Raiders.”

          1. True, but as you point out all you need to be is the Golden State Raiders. Black Hole Raiders?

            1. Haha. I’ve never liked the Warriors calling themselves Golden State. Seems like they’re ashamed to be playing in Oakland.

  34. “Mark Davis did what was right for the Raiders” is not exactly the pinnacle of altruism seeing how his family has controlling interests of the “Raiders.”

    The heading might as well said “Mark Davis did what was right for the Mark Davis”

  35. At the end of the day, Davis wins a state of the art stadium….Has anyone seen the architectual model ?…(Google Raiders Las Vegas Stadium then click on images).

    Otherwise, Davis would have had to wait for A’s ownership to screw the Giants in court, while MLB still holds that SF still ‘holds exclusive territorial rights’ over the athletics.

    Davis would be buried and gone by the time that was overturned, as every MLB team holds them…. An analogy would be the viewership audiences the NFL holds when regional blackouts occur.

  36. Given the latest buzz on Kaep, should we take up a collocation for Seb…send him some flowers? He’s a horticulturalist. He’d appreciate them.

    1. And don’t forget to put dead flowers on his grave of KaepSebnick dreams . . .

    2. Cassie ..

      How about taking up a collection (for him)
      to send him to Min -ah -SO-ta… ?

      Perhaps, he could score some free worms..
      from yer pappy !

    3. Cassie, your word usage is deficient. Maybe you meant collection.

      Guess KS just admitted he is not competent enough to utilize Kaep properly, and/or does not even want to try.

      Maybe he should think it through. He should determine if he wants Kaep playing for him, or against him. If Kaep leaves and plays well, KS will look foolish to have thrown away his best chance to win.

      He may praise Hoyer, but Hoyer does not impress me, especially after that KC playoff game. Guess KS thinks that as long as he is the OC, the Niners will be back in the playoffs. Maybe he should also think about the defense and special teams, especially since Saleh has never been an NFL DC before.

      Hope Lynch becomes the grownup, and makes decisions based on facts rather than emotions. The facts are that they are paying Hoyer backup money, so they should not kid themselves that Hoyer is the answer.

      Since this QB class is rated down this year, they should not expect a rookie will be the answer, either. Every rookie QB would profit from sitting a year, studying hard and getting stronger. If Lynch wants to win, he will not only open the door, but will open their arms and welcome Kaep back.

      In my humble opinion, Kaep presents the Niners their best option to give them their best opportunity to win. Still think Kaep will play elsewhere, but probably for less. If he does sign elsewhere, he will probably be going to a team with a decent RB, swift WRs and a stout defense.

      If Lynch offers to pay him what his salary would have been, maybe Kaep would return, and since they have 74 mil in cap space, they could easily afford him.

      Hope Jed shows some courage and tells Mr Manchurian Candidate that he does not care about nasty tweets.

      1. I think you mean improper not deficient.

        By the way, Kap won one game last year. Same one Gabbert won. Not an impressive record. That argument is somewhat played out. Kap does not present the best chance to win which is why the team passed on him. Sad reality to face to be sure, but also true.

        Kap may yet rehabilitate himself but it will take far more work and discipline. He wasn’t able to adapt and that cost him.

        1. East, maybe you did not watch the games, but the defense allowed third string RBs to gouge the Niners for 200 yards.

          No QB is going to win games with such a putrid defense, and Baalke was to blame for assembling a team bereft in talent.

          If you think that Hoyer, Barkley, McCown and Sanchez are superior QBs because they were signed, that is your prerogative. I disagree.

          I said her word usage was deficient, because it could be better.

          1. Which implies lacking something. What you mean to say is that the language usage is improperly applied. If you are correcting someone you ought to use the correct verbiage.

            Also, while the games were largely unwatchable I did watch them (multiple times) and can assure that while the defense was atrocious the offense did little to help the defense along the way. They were ranked dead last in the NFL in passing and near last overall. Kap did little to help that, especially in the 2nd half when it mattered most.

            Cassie was not lacking something but was rather improperly applying a form spelling.

          2. The flip side is that when the 49rs were winning, and padding Kaepernick’s record, it the was defense and Gore’s legs. Not the passing game that ranked:

            2011 – 29th
            2012 – 23rd
            2013 – 30th
            2014 – 30th

            Yep. That’s right. 49ers passing game was, essentially, one of the worst in the NFL under Harbaugh. Under Singletary and Raye, about a pair of incompetent as **** offensive minds you could think of…

            2010 – 18th
            2009 – 22nd

            For all the blow jobs Harbaugh and Kaeprnick got because we won, it was the huge talent influx of 2011, the maturation of the 2010 draft and Fangio’s that made the 49ers win. Not Kaepernick’s ability to function as a QB in the NFL.

            1. There you go again.

              Kaep was more interested in padding his win totals than padding his stats, and many times, they were ahead, so his main job was to hand off the ball in the second half.

              Do not blame me for Gore not being here. In fact, I want the Niners to trade AD, Brooks and Reaser for Gore, and let him return to the team. I want him for his leadership.

              Did I say that I liked how poor the passing game was? Oh, how I long for the Glory Years, when Jerry Rice was tearing up the league. Blame Baalke for drafting AJ Jenkins when Alshon Jeffrey was selected 15 players later.

              Sure, the passing game could improve, and selecting UDFAs along with cut practice squad players is not the way to get decent WRs. Glad Lynch picked up 3 FAs, something I advocated for months because they have proven durable and are battle tested. Rookie WRs need to study and get stronger so they can take the hits.

              The passing game did alright when they had competent receivers like Crabtree and Moss. In fact, they got to the SB. Baalke lowballed Crabtree by not promising him any playing time, and let veteran talent and leadership walk.

              Blow jobs? Why are you admitting that?

              1. Wait who signed Moss? Boldin? Drafted your favorite QB? Sometimes it’s like you live in a bubble Seb and you forget decent stuff Baalke did because of the colored glasses you wear.

              2. lol. You really do live in an alternative universe don’t you? Where somehow the very pitiful 49ers passing game in the Harbaugh years was something special and Kaepernick was sacrificing his stats for wins…

                It wasn’t. It sucked. The 49ers were a defense/special teams/running team using a junk-offense in the passing game behind a completely limited QB.

                And the second the defense fell apart, so did the 49ers behind your crap QB whose QB rating fell apart in 2014 as finished out the 8 games of the season under 77.0 couldn’t get the job done.

                The best thing that ever happened to Harbaugh was getting fired. Because he’d likely not done any better than Tomsula in 2015 without an elite defense to disguise his crap offensive philosophy and crap QB.

              3. East, sure Baalke has made decent moves, but he did not do them in a vacuum. By all accounts, JH was the driving force to get Kaep.

                Do not get me started about Boldin. I wanted Baalke to retain Boldin because of his veteran leadership, and it sure looked like he could still play after watching his production in Detroit. Baalke would not even offer him a contract.

                Also, Boldin was a brotherly hug from John to Jim for not raising too much a stink about the officiating in the SB. Baalke was not the catalyst at all for that transaction.

                Granted, Baalke did some decent moves, but whiffing on an entire draft class and decent FAs avoiding the Niners like the plague, doomed him. His ACL strategy backfired spectacularly.

              4. Moses, more wandering. You just do not have a clue.

                JH was driven away, and the players saw how little loyalty the FO had for the coaches, because the FO doubled down and refused to hire Fangio, when all the players and fans like myself were begging the FO to do so, so they could have some continuity.

                The players showed no loyalty because they thought the FO liked to cut players on the team bus.

                Your ‘crap’ designation just makes me question your football knowledge, because when you call him ‘crap’, you are ignoring his 4-2 road playoff record, his rushing records. and the fact that he came back twice in 2 playoff games to lead the Niners to the SB. One game he was down 17 points and made a furious comeback to win.

                You may call him inaccurate, but then he throws for 400 yards. You may call him one dimensional, then he runs for 100 while throwing for 300. You can say he has no touch, then I see him lay the ball in over the LBs and in front of the safeties. You can say he is crap, but even with a dearth of talent around him, he has a 4-1 TD to int ratio and a 90.7 QBR. You can call him a cancer in the locker room, then he wins the Eshmont.

            2. MosesZD

              March 30, 2017 at 4:09 am

              The flip side is that when the 49rs were winning, and padding Kaepernick’s record, it the was defense and Gore’s legs. Not the passing game that ranked:
              2011 – 29th
              2012 – 23rd
              2013 – 30th
              2014 – 30th

              Yep. That’s right. 49ers passing game was, essentially, one of the worst in the NFL under Harbaugh. Under Singletary and Raye, about a pair of incompetent as **** offensive minds you could think of…
              2010 – 18th
              2009 – 22nd

              For all the blow jobs Harbaugh and Kaeprnick got because we won, it was the huge talent influx of 2011, the maturation of the 2010 draft and Fangio’s that made the 49ers win. Not Kaepernick’s ability to function as a QB in the NFL.

              You either overlooked all the info or just didn’t care because it went against your confirmation bias. I’ve had these discussions with people on here claiming the same thing many times before and I’ll give you the pertinent info that blows up your argument as it did theirs.

              The passing rankings you are using are based on total yards passing which is a worthless stat to base the effectiveness of a passing game on. It it totally reliant on the number of attempts which the Niners were always near the bottom of the league in. If you look at Yards per attempt which is a much better indicator of how successful the passing game was, the Niners ranked 2nd in 2012 and 7th in 2013.

              You are also incorrect that the defense carried the offense during Kaps time as the starter, especially in the playoffs. During the SB run, the Niner defense was awful and it was the offense that bailed the team out, with Kap being the biggest part of that.

              Your claims aren’t supported by the facts. This team hasn’t won since Harbaugh left and Kap was an effective QB during the time Harbaugh was HC. That is because Harbaugh is a hell of a Coach and Kap functions best with a running based offense and play action. He is not a traditional pocket passer and never will be which limits his options as a starter, but as a backup he could be one of the better ones in the league and in a system that incorporates the the elements I listed above, he could win a few games if the support around him was in place.

              1. All good points, Rocket.These selective analyses are tiresome, whether pro-Kaep of anti-Kaep.

              2. Sure are Mood. You can’t change history. What side of the fence you reside on doesn’t matter as much as having the proper info to make a decision with.

      2. Still snivelling in your pillow over old wind up! Man you are one pathetic!

        For you, a ditch digger, pot head, to question the competence of the most highly intelligent offensive minds in the NFL, just goes to show how moronic you are.
        Please Sebnnoying tell me all this is all intentional and your not this dizzy?

        1. Prime, you really are pathetic. Can’t you think of something new, or are you just going to spew insults ad infinitum and ad nauseum?

          Maybe you need a hobby.

      3. Word usage? Perhaps collocation was a Freudian slip. We could get you a one-way Greyhound ticket to help you collocate with Kaep as a Viking.

        Following with your sense of the players he’d be surrounded with–swift WRs, stout defense, etc.–would the DBs also have quick hips and pop? You haven’t said anything about moxie.

        And lastly, I’m sure you’re correct in your suggestion that Kyle isn’t capable of handling a talent like Kaep…

        1. Wrong again. Maybe you should not try to use multisyllabic words if you do not know what they mean.

          Maybe you meant relocate.

      4. “Hope Lynch becomes the grownup, and makes decisions based on facts rather than emotions.”

        This is hilarious considering the source. ????????

        1. Jack, I see you are in fine humor.

          KS is green, and young. He does have a rep for being arrogant, and his insistence to be the OC while also being the HC is just confirmation. Frankly, I want a HC who is competent enough to take any QB and make him better. Sounds like KS just gave up. I also want the Niners to have an OC. Bill Bellichick has an OC, why not KS? KS needs to learn to delegate, because the Head Coaching job is hard enough as it is. He needs to think it through because if the offense stalls, who are they going to blame? The OC, which is him.

          Jed has proven how immature he has been many times.The firing of JH was a doozy. The clueless retention of his friend Baalke until the team imploded was another. Declaring that he wants people to hold him responsible is another. The worst was when Jed declared he would part ways with anyone he found out to be leaking, demoting Paraag, then going back on his word. Still see Paraag hanging around, and Lynch even praised him, so that, to me, was him declaring they will choose a suit over a player.

          Maybe Lynch needs to become more mature, too. While I applaud how he has worked feverishly, and has accomplished a lot in a short amount of time, he should have been more respectful to the Raider fans, and not invited them to become Niner fans until they had time to process their grief.

          Believe it or not, there is a visceral dislike of many Raider fans to the Niners, and that invitation was like rubbing salt in their wounds. Being a Niner fan, I can return their dislike, but even I can feel their pain. One former player said he was devastated, so the best thing would have been not to comment at all. Changing the culture entails thinking things through and walking a mile in the other guys’ shoes.

          I am not going to say I an against Lynch because of his faux pas, but just hope he learns from it. I am happy Lynch is the GM, and to me, he is the grown up in the room. I just hope he wants to win so much, he will utilize every weapon available.

          Both Lynch and KS are rookies, so I will not kiss their heiny like some other posters are doing, you included.

          They will need good advice, and honest feedback. Sure, I expect tons of blow back and more screeds against me, but I will not hold back.

          Hillarious? You are easily amused.

          1. “I want a HC who is competent enough to take any QB and make him better.”

            LOL! You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken poop. And you can water a rock as much as you want, but it’s still going to be just a rock.

        2. The Dunce prattles on, compulsively, obsessively. The mere noise of his own parroting thoughts gives him a sense of being always correct. Yes, indubitably hilarious.

    1. No, he’s 4.45. The minimum error bar on hand-timed is .1 seconds with an average mis-time of .175 seconds.

  37. Mock 3.0 I still think JHKS are going to shock this blog and trade the #2 pick to Washington for Kirk Cousins and the ‘Skins #17 pick, but if that doesn’t happen, they will stand pat, not trade back and pick the following. Washington doesn’t want a QB that wants out, and Kyle wants his guy now. There is no guarantee for 2018. I don’t buy that argument at all. A ton of things can happen between now and next year. If not, …………….

    R
    1. #2 Solomon Thomas, Edge, Stanford
    2. # 34 Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut
    3. #66 Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
    4. #109 Erik Magnuson, OT, Michigan
    4. #143 Jordan Leggett, TE, Clemson
    5. #146 Jeremy Cutrer, CB, MTSU
    5. #161 Fred Ross, WR, Mississippi St.
    6. #186 Vince Biegel, Edge, Wisconsin
    6. #202 Josh Malone, WR, Tennessee
    7. #219 Kevin Davis, OLB, Colorado St.

  38. Grant… I posted a link to the why Kyle​ Shannahan didn’t want kap. Why did you delete it after moderation?

  39. Grant, have you considered that if Kurzweil’s vision of the “Singularity” happens around 2030, and we still have Kyle Shanahan as our coach, what a great position we’ll be in? At that point, when man and machine converge, it will be much simpler to integrate new players into his complex system. You simply download the playbook into the computer chip in their brains. The Seahawks probably won’t be as good by then either.

    At that point, I think the 49ers could have a dynasty that spans decades. Am I getting ahead of myself?

  40. Latest mock after 2 weeks of Free Agency.

    Lynchpin puts on his ‘Trader Bill’ hat, rolls up his sleeves and goes to work.

    Lynch trades back with the Saints. The Niners offer their number 2 pick and 3 players- Burbridge, Bell and Reaser, for the Saints pick numbers 11, 32, and 42. Trade value chart favors the Saints by 280 points, so maybe they throw in a 2018 third round pick.

    Lynch then trades back with the Ravens. For the 11th overall pick, the Ravens offer picks number 16, 78 and 122. This balances out perfectly on the draft value chart. Niners sweeten the deal by giving up pick number 202, a sixth round pick.

    Lynch then trades back with the Broncos, who want to get the best OT in the draft. Niners give up their pick numbers 16 and 161 for the Broncos numbers 20 and 82. It almost balances out perfectly.

    All told, the Niners trade back 3 times, and have pick numbers 20, 32, 34, 42, 66, 78, 82, 109, 122, 143, 146, 198 and 219.

    13 picks. Using the Draftek top 300 and trying to pick within 5 of the number, the Niners could select-

    20- Haason Reddick ILB
    32- Christian McCaffrey RB
    34- Obi Melifonwu S
    42- Teez Tabor CB
    66- Taylor Moton OT
    78- Chris Godwin WR
    82- Davis Webb QB
    109- Dawuane Smoot EDGE
    122- Aviante Collins OG
    143- Derek Rivers EDGE
    146- Jordan Leggett TE
    198- Stevie Tuikolovatu NT
    219- Ben Boulware ILB

    Niners would draft 2 ILB, RB, S, CB, OT, WR, QB, 2 EDGE, OG, TE and NT. 7 defenders and 6 on offense. 11 different positions. This assumes that Christian McCaffrey falls to 32, but if he is gone, Taco Charlton, Takkarist McKinley or Charles Harris may be the choice at 32.

    1. If things shake out like this, I’d consider it a win for ShanaLynch. However, I don’t think Chris Godwin falls to #78. Also, I’m not sure Teez Tabor. He ran a 4.77 at his pro day. His stock is dropping and for good reason. Quincy Wilson – his Florida teammate – is a better CB in my opinion. I would consider him, Adoree’ Jackson, Kevin King, Gareon Conley, or Chidobe Awuzie at #42.

      1. Chis Godwin was ranked 77, and I slotted him in the 78th spot.

        At 42, there are a bunch of good candidates to consider.
        Chris Wormly, TJ Watt, Zay Jones, Davon Godchaux, Cooper Kupp, Curtis Samuel, Evan Engram, Demarcus Walker, Raekwon McMillen, Zach Cunningham, Kevin King, Dalvin Tomlinson, Ju Ju smith Schuster, Ethan Pocic, Jarrad Davis and Chidobe Awuzie.

        Any one of those 16 players would be a good selection at 42.

        As for Tabor, he has good tape, so he could still be a decent selection, and he was ranked at exactly 42, so that is why I picked him there.

    2. SEB

      As much as I have appreciated your trade philosophies, It becomes an exercise in fantasyland if you don’t think that other teams will be trading also and swapping to keep the 49ers behind them in talent. Still, I do enjoy some of your proposed trades. Although I’m hoping to hold onto Reasor, Bell, and Burbridge over Celek, Ellington, and Shepard.

      P.S. Get over the Kaep thing….it’ll give more credence to your more valued posts….

      1. Ore, I am going to support Kaep for as long as he remains a FA. I will jump for joy if he returns because I could then kick his detractors in the teeth, but honestly, I really do think he will move on.

        I am positive that he told Lynch that he did not want to be stabbed in the back, and the retention of Paraag was exactly that.

        I am glad you enjoy my mocks, and they are just idle speculation during the off season, but my main objective is to postulate different scenarios just to show what is possible.

        I am not tied to Celek, Ellington or Shepherd, so if the Saints like them better, and it makes the deal more feasible, I say go for it.

  41. CFL. The playing field dimensions favor his skill set. His only shot to create a meaningful social legacy is to regain the one and only reason anyone listened to him, i.e. be a good football player. He is already entrenching in irrelevance. As Wendy said to Chuck on “Billions”…..”Chuck, you gotta do a 180. Cuz all your choices right now aren’t working”

  42. Hmmm, some one said that the Niners were set with the first 5 rounds so now they would concentrate on the late rounds and UDFAs.

    Maybe they did not tell Lynch that, because he said that he does not know who they will draft at 2, or what they will do with that pick.

    1. The Board is set for the early and mid rounds; yes. That doesn’t mean anyone knows who they will for sure take (given trades, et al). And Duh! If Lynch knew who he is going to take, he’s under no obligation to admit it now.

  43. Grant,
    Not sure if you are up yet but here goes anyways. Yesterday was crazy at work but i read briefly during the day that there were rumors that the 9ers might be trading their 1st for Carolina’s. In your opinion is there any truth to these rumors or is it just more draft smoke?

      1. Still have 4 weeks before the draft. Plenty of time to make moves, although waiting until the draft day before pulling the trigger may be what happens.

        Everyone is holding their cards close to their vest.

    1. If the Panthers are indeed considering that move for Fournette, which I’m not convinced it’s for, but if so then they must be really certain that the Jags are going to take him otherwise they could just wait for him.

  44. I hope the Browns pass on Garrett and not because I’m dying to draft him but because the Browns doing something stupid is part of what makes the draft so fun.

    1. Yowzer. I don’t recall the year, but Brownies had Tommy Prothro as their GM and as their turn came up in the first round they were fiddling around and let their time expire and the Chargers (next choice) ran up with a card for Kellen Winslow. Boom!
      Years later they drafted Kellen’s son in the first round and he tore up his ankle riding a motorcycle and never really panned out as a 1st round talent.
      Historic futility.
      Best coach in the modern era? BB.
      Browns fired him.

    2. That would be fun. Passing on Garrett and drafting one of the QB’s would be par for the course in the factory of sadness.

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