Prior to the 2021 draft, Kyle Shanahan described what he perceived as the perfect quarterback.
“A lot of much better athletes are also learning how to play the quarterback position. So, man, you want to find Drew Brees who can move like Lamar Jackson,” said Shanahan.
A dream of many 49ers fans took a step forward on Tuesday when the Baltimore Ravens placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on the 2019 NFL MVP quarterback. Under the nonexclusive tag, Jackson can engage in contract talks with other teams. If Jackson signs an offer sheet with another team, the Ravens have the right to match the offer to keep him or take two first-round picks as compensation. The nonexclusive tag would pay Jackson $32 million this season.
The 49ers don’t have a first-round pick in 2023, however that does not eliminate them from being able to acquire Jackson.
As Bill Barnwell of ESPN pointed out, an option for San Francisco would be to negotiate a deal with Baltimore and do it as a sign and trade.
By waiting until the beginning of the new league year, the 49ers could offer a package which includes their 2024 and 2025 first round picks.
Another option for San Francisco would be to sweeten the pot with a former first round quarterback. A package which includes Trey Lance along with future first round picks is something no other team could offer.
Trade compensation is just the beginning of the puzzle. San Francisco has several players already near the top of their positions in salary and needs to work out an extension for Nick Bosa.
Remember, the salary cap isn’t a myth however teams can move money around in a number of ways to add players they truly want.
One of the many options would be for San Francisco to offer a contract similar to the one Kansas City gave Patrick Mahomes in 2020. The use of a signing bonus upfront and future roster bonuses allows the Chiefs the flexibility necessary to keep a competitive team on the field.
With Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy at quarterback, San Francisco scored an average of 30.5 points per game over the final ten weeks of the regular season. Imagine how explosive Kyle Shanahan’s offense would be by adding Lamar Jackson to Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel.
Time for Paraag Marathe to live up to his “cap guru” nickname.
I don’t think the 49ers have anything to trade with. The non-exclusive franchise tag is TWO FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS.
Besides, Jackson is at best a zip code passer. He’s not the most accurate or precise of passers. He’s not a pure passer. And honestly that’s what the 49ers need. A guy that can pass the ball when the run game isn’t working. That’s more like a traditional pro passer.
Also, as a passer in terms of skills, how far behind Jackson (who is a former MVP but not because of his passing skills) is a coached up Lance? Jackson is obviously a lot better. But is he multiple first round picks and $200M better? I don’t think so.
Most QB player better when they go to other team. You cant judge on how Lamarr Jackson will player if he is traded to MY NINERS
Did you not just read the article? Give them your 2024 and 2025 firsts by waiting until the new season. Throw in Trey Lance or a Deebo
Jackson is not a Shanny QB. Purdy is. Trent, apparently, is not trusted enough to start, healthy or not. Trent is fast but not quick and not strong. But most of all he lacks accuracy. No way he is or ever was worth 3 first round picks.
we haven’t even seen what Lance can do. Sometimes you peeps are just mind boggling…………
The fans got irate, and blamed Kyle, when Lance suffered the broken ankle…but, his mobility and ability to extend plays with his feet were a big part of why the 9ers drafted him…now, you’re saying, and many fans agree, that the 9ers should go all in for a QB that runs almost as much as he throws? What happens when Jackson gets hurt, whether it be on a designed QB run, or an ad lib on his part..what then? $35M/season and draft choices for a QB that’s on the sideline because he got hurt running the football? Makes no sense to me….and to me, fans that love this idea are grasping at straws….
There’s a difference between having a passer that can extend pass plays and gain some yards with his feet on a scramble….or even the occasional designed roll out run option on the outside and a DESIGNED inside run play for the QB. On the outside there is space, and you’re up against, Corners, Safeties and smaller off the ball outside linebackers….against bigger DEs/OLBs there’s space to run away or better avoid a big hit. The difference with DESIGNED (like the inverted veer) inside run plays is that it has your QB run up the middle on option plays where DT and Middle Linebackers lurk in tighter space.
I’m all for a mobile QB. But not a running QB. I do not like making the offense dependent on it. So yeah, I’m in agreement with you about Jackson being the answer (and expensive answer) for the QB position.
I think you put a hammer to your skull. The pie hole spewing is just amazing from this cat. I have an idea, let’s trade lance which we gave up multiple first round pics and more to get Jackson for 2 first rounders and lance and probably more? you my friend are as clueless as they come. L
ucky for you they wont fire you for this bs crap.
I love Lamar, but Jack, how does he make it to the playoffs upright? Kyle won’t change. That’s the issue facing the entire organization, Kyle refuses to change. Over/under on Lamar is eight games.
Can’t believe Jack wrote this column. What were you smoking this afternoon?
I love Jackson. I don’t get the chance to see him play that often but the 3 or 4 times I do see him I see a pretty damn good passer. I would give up the 2 number one picks and Lance. Which would leave Purdy as a cheap high quality backup for at least 2 more seasons. I just don’t think they can afford him. Jack you use KC and Mahomes as an example, there is one huge difference KC has one (after releasing F. Clark) high paid defensive contracts that being C. Jones. After signing Bosa the 49ers will have 5 high paid defensive players. C. Ward, Bosa, Armstead, Warner and Greenlaw. Looking at the other side of the ball you have Williams, Kittle, Samuels, CMC and soon Aiyuk all with large contracts. I understand there is flexibility in the cap but if you look at KCs contracts I think you will find that they are at this time not paying too many of their players large contracts.
Jack,
“The 49ers don’t have a first-round pick in 2023, however that does not eliminate them from being able to acquire Jackson.”
Interesting thought about Jackson. But, although we don’t have a 1st rd pick this year, we do have one from 2020.
There seems to be a group of 49ers fans that are sour on Trey Lance. They say that he’s injury prone and doesn’t have enough accuracy.
The only significant injury that Lance has had is the ankle injury that put him on the shelf for virtually all of 2022. Can anyone show me the other major injuries he’s suffered?
Regarding Lamar Jackson. He’s like a rain cloud that doesn’t produce water. He definitely is one of the most exciting players since Michael Vick at the QB position. But, where is the hardware to justify Lamar’s body of work?
Heck. Purdy has already proven that he’s a better QB then Jackson, without all the “wow” factor.
Jackson would be a huge NO for me. I would rather bring Brady out of mothballs than sign Lamar.
Jack you’re smarter than this and I know you are.
He is not close to smart. Hes a jack -off ,not hammer that talks just for clicks, like many on social media. Hes another Gant Cohn Manpon. Unless air, hence why I hardly ever go to pressdemocrat.com
I don’t think this is going to happen and I hope not. The quote by Shanahan at the top of this post says it All. The problem is that Jackson is in no way comparable to Brees as a passer. Also the last 2 years he’s missed almost 50 % of his games with injuries. There is no way we could accommodate him anyway as he wants a huge deal all guaranteed and that’s not going to happen with the Niners. I doubt the Niners give this anymore than a passing thought.
all we need some offensive line help , corner and most of ALL ONE MORE LIKE BOSA and for Sure superbowl bound this year God in Christ Jesus willing. don’t make it complicated. I hope lynch will see this request this year.
This would be a foolish move that would quickly shut the Super Bowl window closed shut. Jackson has won nothing, is frequently injured, and will soon be grossly overpaid. Mahomes seems be the only highly paid QB that can justify what he is be paid. The rest of them kill roster building and end upwith teams that look good, but always flame out to teams with lower paid QB’s and much stronger rosters (like Philadelphia and SF were doing this season).
Heck Shanahan would probably get him broken again in 5-6 games. Jackson might be in a better passing offense here, hard to be worse coming from a career under Greg “1970’s” Roman, but he hasn’t really shown that he is more than a mediocre passer with elite running skills. Still waiting for when one of those wins the SB. Lets just try and develop Trey Lance as a QB, and learn the lessons of Jackson and Murray (and most other running QB’s) that those runners get beat up and don’t last long. Maybe Lance isn’t the guy, but it is a sport crime to not let him start and see if he can develop. In fact most organizations would considered it a fireable offense the way Kyle has failed so badly, and seems to continue to shy away from trying to develop Trey Lance.
Yea another injury prone quarterback is exactly what we need…
When it comes to the 49ers the term “injury prone quarterback” is redundant.
So you already gave up on Trey
Nice….
Only football lineage can see what this is and where Shanahan goes with the scheme.( Instituts W.C. offense and traditional Niners run dominance) Two S.B. 1 with the Niners, 2 straight NFC Championship games. Without A great pocket passer or mobile QB under center. So how how about pick one when you have the option. And if you call yourself A fan then we should know the Niners IDENTITY ( both sides of the ball) is Bully Ball!! It’s A run Heavy offense in no need of A dime dropping pocket passer. In this scheme the QB just needs to not make mistakes, no need for threading the needle into double coverage, it’s all timing. That makes L.J. perfect. Exceptional maneuverability and good ENOUGH in the pocket. And he won’t have to carry A team on his back trying to do more than he should causing those injuries. Which really makes Jackson even more dangerous. ( Just fyi most the other QB’s with great rosters around them are still on rookie deals. That’s why Mahomes is the prototype situation). Excellent piece of possible foresight in this article. Don’t think it will happen but still… Great. Oddly enough I think Bills comments in New England lead me to believe he has discovered an offensive transcendence that he wants Lamar to run.
Last but not least the Niners have never drafted A Great QB since Joe and have been cursed at the position since handling him wrong before he retired.( and if someone says A.S. then you shouldn’t be commenting) Missing lots of years at the QB spot
Yeah…I don’t put much stock in “fans”.
Yes, bully ball….run first. establish the run and set up the pass (roll outs, play action, RPO….etc…). Nothing wrong with that philosophy. It makes a fine PLAN A. Just like the classic West Coast Offense of throwing controlled short passes to set up the run and longer passes is a fine PLAN A. Whatever works best for your personnel.
But what do you do when PLAN A isn’t working? When either because of the score or the down and distance you can’t rely on gadget/gimmickry to set up your passing game? What happens when the defense can stuff the run game? When the defense no longer has to honor the run? Your QB can’t rely on the play design as the primary driver for simplifying reads and getting receivers open (play action and RPOs). The QB needs to be able to read a full field (roll outs tend to cut the field in half and reduce reads and receiving options). You also can’t rely on your QB to constantly and consistently run to make up for backs getting stuffed in the run game. Or to put it simply sometimes you have to pass when the defense expects you to pass and that means your QB and Receivers have to beat the coverage.
You don’t spend $200M and multiple 1st round draft picks on 1990 Randall Cunningham (and I loved to watch Cunningham play) a running QB that could pass (note: a decade later in Cunningham’s career he would eventually become a good passer and lead the league in passer rating in 1998 with the Vikings) . You spend that kind of money on 1992 Steve Young; a precision pro style QB that could also scramble to extend plays.
You know what Shanahan has valued more than anything in his QBs? ACCURACY and PRECISION. Yes, he runs lots of play action passes. But he also runs many variations of West Coast passing concepts. But for either play action or standard passing concepts: Kyle values YAC. You know what gets YAC? HITTING A RECEIVER IN STRIDE. Walsh was an incredible stickler on this point. Kyle Shanahan is no different.
Could Shanahan coach up and make it work with Lamar Jackson? Sure. It’s POSSIBLE. Jackson is an incredible talent and Shanahan is a great coach. Is it worth the risk of two 1st rounders and $200M+? NOPE.
If they want to have a SB roster, I wouldn’t advise overpaying for Lamar. Yes, he’s a baller, but after a few years doing his thing he’s hurt. Big picture, they’ll have to pay Bosa, who’ll likely become the highest paid defensive player in the league. Trent Williams will play this coming season, but for how much longer. Shanahan would prefer to have a vet at LT, which means big bucks. Aiyuk will most likely get a sizeable contract. McCaffrey will continue to get paid very well. Like it or not, it’s unlikely they’ll be willing to tie up a ton of cap space with any QB. I get SB winning teams have elite QB’s. Yet, we all know the Niners should’ve beaten the Chiefs in the SB with Jimmy G. It’s a tough call…would Lamar make Shanahan’s offense even more potent…if he can stay healthy, yeah. Big question is are the Niners willing to commit a big chunk to any QB. Guess we’ll see.
I live in Maryland and my son is an avid Ravens fan. Just no. This guy is injury prone and not a fit to the 49ers locker room. We have the most stacked team of any league. If 49ers would invest in O-Line and Shanny would stop getting cute with his plays (such as Lance between the tackles or hmm.. Kroft blocking an Elite DE against PHL), I’m sure we had the team to go all the way. Jack: What has the PD job done to your logic? You’ve fallen far from what you were when you working with Cohn. I had respect for you, but between this and wanting to overpay for McFloppy, who also did his part in getting all of our QB’s injured, I’m not sure your articles aren’t overreaching to be “different”. You are better than this.
Only an idiot would want jackson on this team! Jackson has horrific accuracy, cant read a defense, and isn’t a qb you can put into any offense. They made an offense for him in Baltimore that played to his skillset. The coordinator made him who he is. When he makes it to the playoffs and faces defenses that can adjust, he can’t. therefore he loses. he’ll ne er take a team to the superbowl, he just can’t carry a team on his right shoulder and everyone that know football knows it. That’s why so many teams have already announced they are put of the running for him. Baltimore, not Jackson control the reigns
Needed some clicks Jack?? Or should I say Grant? My god….
Jackson would be the best QB this team has seen since Colin and it is not even close!
Can’t imagine Denise and John York would ever sign off on this.
Well Jack, now you know how the fan base thinks of this idea. Some of us love Lance, some of us love Purdy and some of us love both. There is no need for Jackson.
I love Lance’s potential, hate how fragile he is.
I love Purdy as a backup, hate thinking about him as a starter.
Neither one is half as good as Colin, or Lamar until they prove it. The Yorks would be insane not to pursue Lamar. But this is the same team that let Colin go so it’s a surprise to nobody. They are content to be an OK team that will never win the big prize.
I’m not a huge Lamar Jackson guy. The 49ers will never be able to trade for him so it’s a moot point. Even if they could, I don’t think he’s a Shanahan type of QB. Super athletic and super inaccurate with questionable ability to read defenses. He’s certainly better than a number of starting QBs in the NFL but Im not leveraging my future to sign him.
On the 49ers off season needs:
Defense: Find a Cowboy type player to line up next to Bosa. Feel bad for Kinlaw but I’m resigned to the fact that the knee will never be healthy enough for him to reach his potential. Find another more effective DE to play opposite Bosa. Find another CB. Lennoir played pretty well. Im hoping Womack grows into a great slot player. If you aren’t sold on either guy then sign a FA CB to fill that need.
Offense: Find a real live NFL quality starting Center. Brendel is not the guy. Replace McGlinchey and then fill the RT spot in house. If Burford is the guy then he needs to take a huge leap over last year. He was not good. Have a viable backup plan. Going into 2022 with Jake Brendel as your Center and Spencer Burford as your RG was roster malpractice. I still can’t figure that one out. Also, would like a more reliable backup to CMC. I really like Mitchell but he can’t stay on the field.
I agree with the Patriot. Jackson can run and is very athletic but not much of a factor in the passing game. I don’t view him as a premier QB. Running QBs are rarely successful. But I do agree with our host in assuming Trent is unproven and perhaps a flop that many suspect he is and was from the start. 3 picks was a silly, emotional, fan-driven choice I believe.
Strange attitude regarding Brendel. I don’t get how some people here dismiss his good play. He only gave up 1 sack in the regular season and 0 sacks in the playoffs. Sure, he needs to get better at limiting his penalties, but considering that he was new to the Center position, Brendel more than proved his value.
He proved his value to the point that he likely played himself out of the 49ers to a much larger paycheck elsewhere. In this sense, yes, the 49ers will need to find a new Center. Brendel is too good to afford.
Jake Brendel has only ever played Center. In college he played all 4 years at Center. In the NFL, all he played Center and backup Guard. Prior to 2022, Brendel is a Center. That’s a weird comment.
I understand the stats say he didn’t give up sacks. That’s play design more than anything else. I understand people were pleasantly surprised by his play. You start with very low expectations and you’re pleasantly surprised when you avoid disaster. It’s like going on a blind date and your friend describes the girl as very nice. You expect a 2 to answer the door and when a 4 shows up, you’re ecstatic. That’s Brendel. He only got Trey Lance put on IR this year. I guess you could say it was an accomplishment for Brendel that he wasn’t also the cause of Jimmy and Brocks injuries. Go back and watch some game film this year. Against teams with a true 0 technique Brendel got destroyed. Al Woods treated Brendel like he just insulted his kids. It was embarrassing. Against teams with 1 or 3 techniques where there were more combo blocks Brendel didn’t get the QB murdered. If you want to call that an accomplishment then go ahead. There seems to be a positive narrative around Brendel that people have picked up on and regurgitated without really watching him play. He’s not a good NFL Center. 49ers need to upgrade.
Haha! I like your blind date comparison.
This is Brendel’s first year as a 49ers starter at Center. What he did in college is only remotely considered because he has never started as a Center in the pros until this past season.
Alex Mack was close to a perinnial Center throughout his illustrious career and he gave up 2 sacks as a 49ers starter whereby Brendel only gave up one, and that includes the playoffs.
Mack played for a shade under $6mil including a nice signing bonus.
Brendel played for a shade over $1mil., and according to PFF was the 15th best Center in the league. Not bad for a $1mil dollar player.
As I said earlier, the 49ers can no longer afford Brendel – not because he’s bad, but because he’s good.
Now, who do you suggest the 49ers bring in to play Center at anywhere near the vicinity they payed Brendel?
Very curious, where are you seeing that Brendel was the 15th rated Center by PFF? The PFF chart I’m looking at puts Brendel as the 30th rated Center. That’s overall grade. Are you looking specifically at Run or Pass block grade?
I confess it may have been a different website. I look it up for you.
But if you look up all the FA Centers listed on Walter Football there are around 18. Listed at #6 is the guy you place little value on – Jake Brendel.
Btw, you could use this same link as a reference to name a Center that you would like to take Brendel’s place.
1.9,
Here is a recent 49erswebzone article re Brendel…
“San Francisco 49ers center Jake Brendel went from being undrafted to the starting center of the 49ers. He ranked 11th in blocking amongst 50 centers in NFL, per Pro Football Focus. In his first entire season as a starter, Brendel has given up 14 pressures (one sack, three hits, and ten hurries). He had the opportunity of snapping the ball to not one, not two, not three, but four quarterbacks during the same season. Jake is unique, memorable, and, most important, a trustworthy person to have on a championship team.”
I guess Brendel does have some value. So here’s my take on Brendel. The 49ers should resign JB at a contract that satisfies both parties.
Waiting for your candidate.
My candidate was Creed Humphrey, the best Center in the NFL. 49ers could have had Trey Lance & Creed Humphrey in the same draft. Still chaps my hide. Instead 49ers dropped and took Banks. Possibly Lance doesn’t get his ankle crushed if Creed Humphrey was blocking Al Woods on that play instead of Brendel. Haven’t looked enough at the current opportunities at Center. I’ll let you know when I have an upgrade I like. All I know right now is, Center is a position of need.
1.9,
“Instead 49ers dropped and took Banks. Possibly Lance doesn’t get his ankle crushed if Creed Humphrey was blocking Al Woods on that play instead of Brendel.”
Interesting way of thinking. Why don’t we add that if Humphrey could go back in time and block for Joe Theisman, perhaps he could keep Lewrence Taylor from ending Theisman’ career.
I know, that’s a far-fetched and sarcastic scenario, but my point is that in a fierce contact sport, injuries are bound to happen.
Blaming Brendel for a big defensive player falling on Lance’s ankle after Trey locked his foot in the grass is quite a reach. Is this the only reason why you want to replace Brendel? Because, other than that, Jake’s 2022 stats were very respectful as I have already noted.
Gee, there’s that common sense thing again from you. Some people cling to their emotions instead.
7 days until the FA signing period and still no major roster renegotiation. If something doesn’t change soon we are in for the most uneventful FA period ever.
Coach,
Perhaps the 49ers are going into the off-season with the attitude that they will rely on their current players under contract and the draft.
The cap space may be limiting their chances at signing the “splash” FA.
But, it’s still early and we all know that Maverick Lynch can make a deal. Who would have thought during the 2022 off-season that Lynch could bring in CMC?
I think free agency is mostly overblown anyway. If you’re drafting and trading right you should be trying to avoid spending in free agency as much as possible. You should definitely try to avoid big ticket items in free agency as you’re usually buying a B grade player for A money. The 49ers struck relative gold with signing Charvarious Ward last season. He’s a upper mid-tier player and was paid like it. But other than that free agency should be quiet as possible.
All that being said, I hope they find a Center even if it’s a lowly move like resigning Brendel because right now the in-house candidates have no experience at such an important position.
I wonder if the 49ers will go with an inhouse solution for Right Tackle like Moore or a low level (re)signing like McKivitiz. Both in limited snaps weren’t bad.
The big question mark is the need for a QB1/QB2/QB3 player. How they see this and the market is a mystery.
Allfor,
“You should definitely try to avoid big ticket items in free agency as you’re usually buying a B grade player for A money.”
Great interpretation.
B Talent being paid A money in free agency is close to what I think is going to happen to McGlinchey, Omenihu and Garoppolo.
Maybe not A money but
Garoppolo is a B- QB that will likely get A- to B+ QB money
McGlinchey is a B Right Tackle that is going to be paid A level RT money.
Omenihu is a B- player that will likely get B+ DE money.
I certainly have no issues with a player making more money that teams are willing to give them. Considering the players bumps, bruises and sometimes broken bones, it’s a good deal in many cases.
Unfortunately, the 49ers aren’t in position to re-up most of their own FA’s. Just hoping that they can find suitable replacements.
I have no problem with players getting paid. Players getting more than they’re currently worth is just how free agency works. A B player might be the best player at their position available. So teams will have to pay top dollar to upgrade that position with a B player. Those teams that can afford to do that are usually teams that don’t have the salary cap limitations of contending teams like the 49ers. It’s the price of parity in the NFL.
I don’t want Jackson for all the above reasons, but if I were to offer a trade it would be Trey Lance/Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa and maybe a middle-round pick for Jackson. Not having to pay Bosa 30+million would make Jackson’s contract palatable, avoiding having to undermine the roster. OK, but the defense, the defense without Bosa!
I think Jack said that having a competent O-line and a great quarterback guarantees post-season contention, and I agree. The defense will live or die with great linebacker play and maybe a great secondary, too. And we’d still have our draft picks.
I agree that you should bring in outside free agents with caution. The Niners Do a good job of bringing in FA for back up roles which don’t cost much and have been excellent on the few big moves they’ve made, Ford being the exception.
The opposite strategy is to do what the Rams did. Yes the won a SB but are paying the price now big time. They may not be competitive with the Niners again for years to come.
I would like to see one major signing for a C, OT, DT or DE. IF not a major signing then wait a week or so into FA and pick up 2 or 3 bargains. They have done the latter a few times and scored big but they won’t be doing either without renegotiating a few contracts. It just seems odd to me that we haven’t even heard a whisper of a rumor of renegotiating
“So, man, you want to find Drew Brees who can move like Lamar Jackson,” said Shanahan.
Well, Purdy proved the first part and Lance disproved the second. I had hoped that when Shanahan said that, it was just after he had finished a bottle of wine, you know, when your mind starts to wander beyond its rational boundaries.
Reid, who imo is the standard after Walsh, doesn’t play Mahomes that way, and neither should anyone who wants stability in the qb position, especially with all the weapons we have. It strikes of desperation, and the outlay of all the cash and draft capital would only shorten our time in the sun. Let’s not forget what’s happened to the Rams.
Instead of spending all that, invest a fraction of it in our offensive line and secondary. This imo would reestablish the dynasty.
Isn’t Purdy going under the knife today? Hopefully we will be getting good news soon.
Friday
David Lombardi is reporting that J. Ward may be returning to the 9ers as a nickle back.
It sounds like Jimmy Ward has a different attitude now. He has made several comments now that would indicate he is thinking his market value isn’t as high as he originally thought. Who knows but he could just be keeping his options open.
If the desire is to go all in, then I would go for A. Rodgers not Jackson. We already have huge injury problems at the QB position, why double down on that.