Linebacker Kwon Alexander comes with high price tag for 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Kwon Alexander (58) celebrates in the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018. The Buccaneers won 48-40. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Are the 49ers repeating their Reuben Foster mistake?

According to published reporters, the 49ers agreed to contract terms on Monday with Foster’s replacement — free-agent linebacker Kwon Alexander, who played the first four seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Alexander will take Foster’s position as the 49ers’ starting weak-side linebacker. The 49ers released Foster on Nov. 25, 2018, roughly a year and a half after trading up from the second round to draft him with the 31st pick in Round 1 of the 2017 draft.

Alexander’s contract is a four-year deal worth up to $54 million, with $27 million guaranteed. This contract will make him the highest-paid inside linebacker in NFL history — he will make an average of $13.5 million per season from the 49ers. The contract will not be official until free agency begins on Wednesday at 1 p.m. Pacific Time.

Alexander, 24, comes with issues. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) on Oct. 22, 2018. There’s a theme here. His $13.5 average annual salary is the second highest on the 49ers behind quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who also tore his ACL last season. The fifth-highest average annual salary on the 49ers belongs to running back Jerick McKinnon, who tore his ACL last season, too.

The 49ers have many millions devoted to ACL rehabilitation projects.

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This article has 170 Comments

  1. The amount of the contract isn’t really that big of a deal. I’m willing to bet the structure of the contract is designed to mitigate risks so that if he is often injured; the Niners can release him with little future financial impact. One thing is fairly certain; the 49ers are willing to spend money to mitigate risks. Meaning they often appear to pay money up front or structure big periodic (roster, active roster..etc..) bonuses and big salaries with little signing bonuses. They’re willing to pay for the ability to cut bait with little future financial consequence.

    The Rueben Foster mistake? Sure he missed time for medical reasons. The Niners didn’t release him for those reasons. So I don’t know why you made that comparison.

  2. The Good.
    He ran a 4.55 forty. 24 reps, 36 vert, 121 leap, 7.14 three cone and 4.2 twenty yard shuttle.
    He has 380 tackles and 7 sacks in his career.
    He is only 24.
    He is a 2017 Pro Bowl player.
    He was a team captain.
    At least decent Free agents are not avoiding the Niners like the plague.
    No O lineman fell on his leg while being injured.
    Rehab is progressing and he is allowed to jog.
    He is a good replacement for Foster, and will not be rushed back due to Elijah Lee performing well.
    Niners are spending their salary cap.
    .
    The Bad.
    Niners over spent.
    He missed 78 tackles.
    There were better alternatives.
    4 years is too long.
    He played in only 72 % of the games.
    He was suspended for PEDs.
    He might have lost a step.
    He may not be available for TC and the start of the season.
    Niners may seem desperate.
    .
    The Ugly.
    He tore his knee in HS.
    He is an ACL player.
    .
    Considering all those factors, he may be a C- pickup. He might turn out to be an A, but he also may be an F.

    1. I’m not sure it’s an overpay. Think of the extra money as buying insurance (the ability to cut him lose with little financial consequence). It looks like that is standard operating procedure for the 49ers….so whomever they sign it’s going to look like an overpay.

      1. I think they should have signed him for 2 years, with a promise to renegotiate a deal if he stays healthy.

        1. it’s the same thing. again, it depends on how the contract is structured.

          It’s a 4 year $54M deal. $27M in “Guaranteed Money”.

          So what if it’s structured as a $4M signing bonus. Guaranteed (start of the year) Base Salary: Year: 1: $2M. Year 2. $5M Year 3. $8M Year 4. $12M And weekly active roster bonuses that totals of $6M/Year. If the Alexander doesn’t work out, they can cut him next off season for only $3M in dead cap money. And if he keeps getting hurt, he doesn’t get the prorated $6M roster bonus (if it’s payed weekly).

          Maybe the roster bonuses aren’t quite so risk adverse in their structure and the active roster bonuses are paid out at the beginning of the season. Still, that gives the 49ers the ability to cut him with minimal loses.

          It gives Alexander all the incentive to sign with the 49ers because he has the chance to make money if he’s healthy and performs. The Niners spend more but are paying to mitigate their risk.

          I doubt he’d take a 2 year deal. But the Niners effectively gave him a sweet year to year deal.

    2. Additional Good:
      Kwon plays like his hair is on fire
      Kwon’s energy is contagious in the locker room, on the sideline and on the field.
      Kwon has 6 INT and 6 FF which not many linebackers can say over what amounts to three seasons.
      Alexander has averaged 7.75, 8.05 and 9.0 tackles per game in the three seasons prior to blowing out his ACL.

      So what about the ACL injury? Aside from Adrian Peterson and Frank Gore, how have defensive playmakers done post ACL? Consider how you have seen Vonn Miller (2013), Thomas aDavis (2001, Tyrann Mathieu (2014) play in recent years.

      Yes, he was overpaid. Aren’t they all?

      Yes, Jerrick McKinnon suffered an ACL injury after signing a huge deal. So did Jimmy Garoppolo. It is not logical to put that on John Lynch, or project it to Kwon’s future performance.

      Honestly, I am more frustrated with Jimmy Ward and Arik Armstead consuming $9.5MM a season with half the contribution or impact that Kwon has generated over four years.

      1. No, considering the physical toll on their bodies and brains, they are shamefully underpaid.

        1. Yeah Seb. Playing a game for your career and making millions is “underpaid” man those cops, firemen, construction workers, oil drillers and other blue collar workers are feeling real bad for them.
          Oh those poor poor athletes.

          1. Perhaps we turn to a more socialist model in compensating NFL players. Rather than having unfettered competition within the marketplace determine player ‘value’, just pay players a graduated salary based on seniority–with no regard to perceived value. Who determines value anyway? Read on.

            Start at $15,000 for rookies, then 2% annual increases yearly. At this rate of compensation, only those who truly love the game would play. And football is only a game. Blue collar America–most anyway–could feel better about player commitment and equity in compensation across the land. Certainly, the quality of play would be improved markedly once ‘pay me what I’m worth’ athletes are culled from the game.

            Oversight of the NFL’s Bureau of Compensation (BOC) would be provided by the Compensation Oversight Board (COB)–a total of three part-time members. To ensure the best connection to working Americans, none of the board’s members could have an annual income of over $50,000, and none could be employed by any NFL entity or be otherwise compensated by any commercial entity. The COB would be limited to two year terms, and be selected through a national lottery process.

            Without this change–or something similar–players will continue to be paid outrageous sums as determined by the American marketplace. Perhaps it’s time–because football is a game–that NFL players be compensated at a uniformly conservative rate, insulated from the mechanics of the American marketplace. Sounds American to me.

      1. Well, the Niners signed an ACL player, so he has more possible downside that a fully healthy player.

    3. Sebnynah – One other factor I considered in the signing of Alexander – the Tampa Bay staff because of its termination now is scattered across the league. Dirk is in Atlanta, the O-line coach is in J’ville, Duffner is in Cincy, etc.

      There are 17 or 18 former Bucs coaches now elsewhere in the league; yet, not one of them was convinced enough of Alexander’s play-making ability to sell their new club on the ability of Alexander to sign him as a FA?

      And most of them have been with Alexander for several years pre-ACL injury this past October.

      Not to attempt to read the tea leaves, but that tells me something!!!!!!

      1. Mike. I am happy that least they are trying, but wish they had targeted a different player.

  3. Yes, there is always some inherent risk in signing a player coming off of an ACL, though thanks to advancements in medicine, it isn’t the risk it used to be. However, to give you an idea of the potential rewards that come with this risk, consider these numbers – Tampa Bay Bucs rushing yards allowed per game in 2018:

    WK 1) 43
    WK 2) 91
    WK 3) 78
    WK 4) 139
    WK 5) 70
    WK 6) 119 – Kwon Alexander tears his ACL –
    ————————————————————————
    WK 7) 138
    WK 8) 179
    WK 9) 116
    WK 10) 163
    WK 11) 148
    WK 12) 168
    WK 13) 100
    WK 14) 42
    WK 15) 80
    WK 16) 109

    Wow, just WOW!

    Listen, contracts get richer and richer every season, as the league raises the salary cap, and inflation takes its toll. Take a look at Landon Collins deal with Washington – an in the box Safety in deep Free agent market, and a draft class deep in Safety talent – breaking the Redskins bank with a 6 year, $84 Million deal. Kwon Alexander didn’t come cheap, but he certainly won’t be the highest paid ILB by weeks end, I can assure you of that. You find a young, premium player who fits your system perfectly, at an important position of need in Saleh’s scheme, you either pull the trigger, get stuck in a bidding war for the top remaining talent, or get you left with the scraps, looking for “value deals” while the top players find teams who are willing to pay the going market rate. This is one of the worst ILB draft classes I’ve seen in a years. I have a hard time envisioning the 49ers finding anything close to an upgrade at a position they felt was important enough to fill by trading back into round 1 during the 2017 draft. Yes, it’s unfortunate things didn’t work out with Foster. But that’s in the past, and it hardly means you simply stop trying to upgrade the position. In fact, after what has clearly ended as a draft mistake, a strong argument can be made that it makes more sense to fill that position with a Pro-Bowl player with a proven track record, who just so happens to be younger than the player he is ultimately replacing. Yes, Kwon Alexander, who led the league in solo tackles as recently as 2016, is younger than Reuben Foster. Try that on for size!

    1. Oh, and did I mention Landon Collins is also coming off of an injury, a torn Labrum? And he’s a frickin in the box Safety who got 6 years, $84 Million, $45 Million guaranteed, from a Washington Redskins team strapped for cash, in a market flush with FA Safeties and a draft class stacked with Safety talent?

      Yah, the cap is rising and so are contracts, but that one was simply inept! The Skins are the new Browns. They simply cannot get out of their own way!

      1. 49reasons

        I must disagree with one of your recent statements…”The Skins are the new Browns…” correct to the 49ers are the new browns…Just what the hell are we doing aside from standing on the sidelines cheering the Packers FO for going after ZaDarious Smith, Adrian Amos, and Preston Smith; presumably before JLynch is even out of bed…or do we not think that ANY or ALL of these players could help us (49ers) ? Mr. Lynch…our patience is growing thin…..

    2. I’m not sure where you got those rushing numbers, but they’re not accurate. I posted a lengthy counterargument against those in the other article, so I’ll defer to that post without putting it in both places.

      My problem with this signing is that the 9ers are tying up money in a player who might be watching from a tracksuit while his backup plays 12 games. That philosophy keeps this team from being able to move forward, because we never see the anticipated starters on the field.

      I guess I’m more skeptical about the competence of this team as it pertains to building a winner than you are, which is fine. I just don’t think the 49ers under the Yorks have demonstrated the ability to consistently make good decisions. Frankly, I think the good years under Harbaugh were attributed to sheer, dumb luck rather than a calculated plan, hence the clowncar we’ve seen trot out there since 2014.

  4. Either the York’s are the dumbest family on Earth or they’re completely screwing with their fan base..How the hell does the same ownership commit the same dumb mistakes over and over again…uuugh..This whole acl fiasco never worked with Baalke now our starting qb,rb and linebacker all are coming off acls and there going after Earl Thomas who has broke the same leg twice?I’m not saying I know everything but I just can’t understand the stragety of this organization…Stove says hot how many times do you have to get burned to know it’s hot?….Jesus Lynch makes me worry

  5. 2017 Run Stop Leaders:

    1. Reuben Foster – 11.4%
    2. Luke Kuechly – 11.3%
    3. Jake Ryan – 11.2%
    4. Lavonte David – 11.2%
    5. Mark Barron – 10.5%
    6. Wesley Woodyard – 10.2%
    T7. Kwon Alexander – 10%
    T7. Bobby Wagner – 10%

    Missed tackles on defense 2015-2017:

    1. Kwon Alexander 70
    2. Telvin Smith 64
    3. Ryan Shazier 53

    1. Yep, and as for those missed tackles …. all 3 of those guys absolutely fly around the football field, and all 3, are, or were (Shazier’s injury just goes to show it can happen to any player, on any given play, knock on wood) vital cogs in their perspective defenses, and considered 3 of the most exciting young ILB’s in the game.

      The 49ers defense just got more athletic, faster, and they got themselves a big time defensive playmaker!

  6. Seb, good analysis, but on the positive you forgot to mention that he hasn’t beat up his girlfriend, and or wife. :)

  7. No, the 49ers are not making another Reuben Foster mistake, and even trying to compare the two is just bad journalism in itself. And why exactly would the 49ers say anything about when Alexander will be ready to play if the contract cannot be finalized until Wednesday? Are you wanting the 49ers to get in trouble?

    1. Thank you for your sane and sensible take. Grant raising the specter of Rueben Foster…what is that about?

      1. Trading up into the first to take Foster, who a number of teams had downgraded was an unnecessary risk that blew up in Lynch’s face.

        Making a guy coming off a torn ACL the highest paid ILB to cover up that mistake is doubling down on the initial mistake.

        The point seemed fairly clear.

        1. don’t get too caught up in the amount of money. it’s the terms that are the most important.

        2. That does not equate to the move being another Reuben Foster mistake. There are more differences than similarities between the two players and the situation each one was in.

          1. People forget that Rueben Foster still carries dead money on the year (2.4 M). So Keon is even costlier. To be fair anyone would be but it does inflate the price of an already inflated price point.

        3. Jack,
          Except for the fact that Foster was an addict and a scum bag while Alexander seems to be a leader and great locker room presence.

          1. Not to mention he’s an equal opportunity playmaker, because he loves the interception as much as the fumble.

          2. OC,

            The comparison had nothing to do with them as people or really players for that matter. It’s about how one mistake is leading to another.

    2. Wow, Jack comes to defend Grant once again. Who’d a thunk. In reality you are both right. There are some similarities related to injury and missed time due to NFL suspension. But I agree the similarities are far outweighed by the differences. Foster was a character risk from the get go. Alexander appears to be a leader with good character. Comparing Foster & Alexander is kinda like comparing Ben & Jerry’s Salted Caramel Core and Cherry Garcia. Both are ice cream. Both are served cold. But literally everything else about them is different.

      1. Actually the ice cream comparison is similar to Grant’s comparison. Aside from a few minor differences (cherry flavors versus chocolate flavors) both are essentially the same and prone to the same issues (melting points, health issues, etc).

        1. Apparently you’ve never had Salted Caramel Core or Cherry Garcia because they are absolutely nothing alike. Drop whatever you are doing right now and go to the store. You won’t regret it.

            1. It’s a damn tough decision but I have to say Cherry Garcia has to be my favorite. Blue Bell makes an ice cream called Pecan Pralines & Cream which is right up there with Cherry Garcia.

      2. That’s a good boy.

        Wasn’t defending anyone. That some can’t see the reason for the comparison is interesting to me. A number of writers pointed out yesterday how the signing was due to the Foster mistake. In this case Grant is saying they’ve made another mistake.

        Really isn’t hard to follow.

        1. @ Jack,
          Somewhere along the line we got off on the wrong foot and I’d like to remedy that right now. You were clearly defending Grant once again. Denying it makes me respect you less so just go with it. There’s a reason my little nickname for you is ‘Luffa Boy’. What other metaphor could more accurately describe your deep, penetrating love for Grant’s writing other than equating your devotion to a healthy consensual intimate relationship? Clearly, you love, adore, and cherish nearly every letter typed by our fearless host. You normally defend Grant’s every opinion with an unbridled passion usually reserved for a young bride or maybe a prom queen on her prom night. You write comments parroting Grant’s opinions in breathless anticipation hoping Grant notices you. Your defense of Grant is quite sweet really. You are the Jeff Gillooly of this blog- Looking to take out knees of anyone who even slightly challenges Grant. I only hope to have someone as blindly devoted to me as you are to Grant. You are so many things to Grant. You are Jeff to Grant’s Tonya. You are Viola to Grant’s Orsino. You are Igor to Grant’s Dr. Fred Frankenstein. You are Avenatti to Grant’s Stormy. You are Woogie to Grant’s Mary. You are Theon Greyjoy to Grant’s Ramsay Bolton. Honestly my nickname for you is a celebration of true love. I hope you will come to see ‘Luffa Boy’ for what it is: A term of endearment meant to convey your unconditional love and unquestioning acceptance of every letter Grant strikes. Embrace the Luffa. Bravo, my friend. Bravo.

              1. CFB,
                I’d rather have these guys stick to football. Houston and Hammer are the guys I look to for great football material.
                It’s unfortunate.

  8. This move was all about solidifying a weak spot on the team which matches up with a weak position in the draft, and on that basis alone I like the signing. It’s (hopefully) not their marquis move this week but it was a necessary one.

    And by not overpaying for Flowers, they signaled that edge is a top priority in the draft. Only other option out there IMO that would keep them from staying at 2 with Bosa or Allen would be getting Dee Ford in a trade.

    1. Well, I’ll certainly say this …… Kwon Alexander better not be the only marquis move this team makes in free agency.

      I still have Justin Houston and Earl Thomas at the top of my list if the price is right, among other players at WR and CB.

      And according to sources, OBJ still remains a trade possibility, so we hopefully haven’t let all of the dogs out just yet!

      1. According to a link I posted on the previous page, sources with the Giants have indicated that it would take the 49ers or any other team offering their first round pick and then some for the Giants to even consider listening to an offer. In other words, offer several high end picks for OBJ and only get OBJ in return.

      2. 49reasons,
        I have to wonder just how attractive a losing and rebuilding Org looks to potential FA’s.
        Veteran players are more likely to sign on with a winning Org where they can play in post season games.

        The only attraction that the 49ers have to offer FA’s is the big contract until the core (drafted) players gell into a perinnial winner.

  9. Having a ton of experience with athletes and ACL injuries, including a daughter who plays Div 1 soccer with a recent past ACL injury, the worst part of the injury is the rehab and recovery time, being nine months to a year to return to near 100%, even with the special treatment and rehab pro players have access too. With todays advancements (mentioned above), the knee actually is stronger in most cases post op than before the injury. It’s then the knee that hasn’t been reconstructed that becomes the liability in most cases that I have seen with multiple ACL injuries. As for the money, who cares? It’s so far past the point of lunacy in pro sports what these guys are making that everyone just shrugs their shoulders. I do. I can care less as long as we get a “player”. Bryce Harper, based on 600 at bats, and 4 pitches per at bat, makes roughly 11k per pitch! How he survives is beyond me. ;-}

    1. Harper is playing in a band box, which will inflate his numbers.
      .
      I hope Farhan can sign Carlos Gonzalez He is older,but still can hit HRs.

      1. The only thing that matters for the Giants when signing older players is if there will be any value in them at the trade deadline to pick up some prospects.

        1. I hope Farhan can obtain Cargo, Khris Davis from Oakland or a foreign player, to bolster the outfield.
          Then , Bochy may go out on a high note.

    2. Agree with this Juan. There are certain cases where the knee is even more structurally sound after surgery than prior to the injury. Not all ACL injuries are the same though. Alexander’s recovery will totally depend on the degree of the injury and which type of reconstruction was chosen. My son tore his ACL playing football in high school in 2017. The surgeon recommended using part of the Patellar tendon to replace his ACL. When they did the surgery they discovered significant cartilage damage which ended up requiring a second surgery. My son was still thinking he might play football in college but after they discovered the cartilage issue that pretty much ended that thought. The doctor actually took cartilage debris from his knee, put it in a test tube, and sent it to a lab in Boston where they grow cartilage from scraps. The way the doctor explained it to me is it’s like growing grass on a petri dish. Once enough of his own cartilage was grown they cut out the size and shape of cartilage off the petri dish and plugged the holes in his knee so he could have his own natural cartilage back in his knee. The recovery time for that surgery is about 1.5 years. The cartilage has to harden in the knee which takes time.

      So back to Alexander, this is why I asked the question if Ben Peterson was able to examine Alexander before the signing. I would think the 49ers would have wanted their own medical opinion of Alexander’s recovery time and long term prognosis.

      1. Agree. I’d think the 9ers had their medical staff–doctors on retainer as well as Peterson–review Alexander’s records and consult with his surgeon.

        Advances in orthopedic medicine over the last 30 years have been staggering–and it’s only getting better.

        1. What doctors can do now is absolutely fascinating. The guys who dream this stuff up are freaking geniuses. My wife uses a 3D printer for certain applications and in learning about it we watched this video of how doctors are using 3D printers to print out a patients body parts prior to surgery so they can practice the surgery prior to performing it. Simply amazing.

        2. One of the reasons a lot of young players end up with stronger knees after recovering from a torn ACL is the rehabilitation process itself. Extensive rehabilitation tends to strengthen the entire knee joint. That’s simply a fact.

          There are players who’s bodies react poorly to the procedure though. Some, like RB Derrius Guice, develop infections in the knee post surgery, while others, like DE Tank Carradine, develop extensive scar tissue in his knee during recovery. But both of those issues are actually quite rare, and you can usually tell pretty quickly how well the knee is responding post surgery. If Kwon’s knee checked out well at this stage of his recovery process, the odds of a full recovery are actually very good.

          And for the record, I wish it were the case that Navorro Bowman had simply suffered a torn ACL! He blew all 3 ligaments, which required his entire knee joint to be reconstructed. That’s an injury that ruins careers, and is on an entirely different level. Very different than a simple, clean, ACL reconstruction of one ligament in the center of the knee.

      2. The problem is that the medical staff made similar assessments of Foster and Smith and neither were playing at optimal level.

        With the history of this bunch, it’s like every time we say “Hey, they got this one right, don’t worry!” Some of us have gotten off that train and see the moves the organization makes for what it is (a big reach) rather than praying everything works out ok.

  10. Well, we won’t know if this is a good or bad signing until we get to see him play and if he can stay healthy. But I have to say I am worried about this signing – a lot of money for a player with an injury history. But he has also shown the ability to play at a high level (if not necessarily consistently), is young, and is a noted leader.

    I don’t hate the signing. I don’t love the signing.

  11. That would be nice Seb. Right now, Longoria’s team leading 16 HR’s last season (what a laugh) would rank 10th on the Dodgers, 5th on the Diamondbacks, 5th on the Rockies, and 4th on the Padres. Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Sorry, back to football. :)

  12. Roby > Desir. Niners are screwed in regards to safties, going to have to draft one to replace bum Tartt.

  13. To be honest this is a ho hum signing where the niners paid more money in order to have the option to release him quickly.
    The only thing that keeps this from being a complete F is Paraag’s contract negotiation magic.

    If you ask me, it was a terrible gamble and the niners would have been better off shelling out a bit more for someone like Mosley or Barr. Kwon’s biggest asset was his ability to cover, the problem is the ability to redirect is critical in this skill set… so while offensive linemen and some one cut runners can do well after returning from such injuries, corners seldom do. Bowman was pretty decent for a number of years in coverage (he replaced Willis in nickle packages) but he was a shell of himself as a pass defender after his ACL injury.

    The problem is the niners essentially bet half their stack with a pair of 2’s. Yes, It might pay off big but the odds are far greater that he wont improve this garbage heap of a roster at all. Worse yet, he might actually hinder them from signing someone who would.

    1. Guess we can feel better after seeing what Mosley got in FA…

      Mosley deal is worth $85 million with $51 million in guaranteed money. That’s bigger than the four-year, $54 million deal that Kwon Alexander agreed to with the 49ers and would set a new standard for inside linebackers.

      1. Yeah, $51M guaranteed is huge. Though I suspect a chunk of that is just guaranteed for injury. But still, $17M per year and $51M guaranteed makes Alexander’s deal seem a bit more reasonable. Only a bit though.

          1. Hmm, where have I heard this before?

            Kwon Alexander didn’t come cheap, but he certainly won’t be the highest paid ILB by weeks end, I can assure you of that.

            Not to pat myself on the back but ….. why do I always seem one step ahead of the game?

    2. Bowman’s knee injury was on an entirely different scale Shoup, he blew out his entire knee. Big, big difference. Frank Gore tore 2 ACL’s in college, and went on to become the 49ers greatest all-time RB! In fact, he’s still playing at 35 years old, for crying out loud!

      1. Here is an article that helps explain why Grant and some of the other board members don’t like signing players coming off an ACL injury.
        It also shows why the Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson stories are so exceptional and why Kwon would probably be better served not to play next season.

        https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/11/acl-injuries-sports-athletes-careers

        Despite the importance of the internal factors in recovery from ACL injuries – attributes like strength, coordination, mobility and muscle function – outside influences frequently play a significant role. In the NFL, without guaranteed contracts, players are pressured into returning to the field, often before fully ready. One recent study found that ACL injured players in the NFL earned $2,070,521 less than their uninjured peers over the four years after injury.

        In the NFL, like other sports, a lasting return to play is also influenced by the player’s pre-injury position – 20% of running backs and wide receivers never return to the NFL and for those that do return, performance drops by a third. However, because their performance is less tied to lower body speed and explosiveness, 12 out of the 13 of NFL quarterbacks studied after ACL surgeries were able to resume playing at pre-injury levels.

        On the defensive side of the ball, just published research by the Aune and the American Sports Medicine Institute, the injury research think tank started by Dr James Andrews, indicates that 72% of NFL defensive players return to play at least one game after an ACL injury. But behind that relatively optimistic stat, the news isn’t good for those players on the margins. Average NFL players that tore an ACL saw their performance drop to below average. In time, performance might very well return to normal, but since the NFL is a produce-now league, those players often never return to play or last only for a short period of time before getting cut or released.

        Generally, those who successfully returned were above-average NFL players before their injury but relatively average after their return. In other words, after an ACL surgery, a Pro Bowl level defensive player regresses to the performance level of an average player and an average player drops below the NFL standard.

  14. Congrats to OT Trent Brown signing a four-year, $66 million contract that includes $36.75 million guaranteed with the Oakland Raiders, per source, making him highest paid OL in NFL history.

    Now the haters can stfu…..

    1. Nobody hates Brown, it’s just that nobody in their right mind wants to commit to making an OT who struggles with weight and conditioning, and doesn’t fit their blocking scheme, the highest paid OL in the league. We know the Niners didn’t want to, and neither did the Patriots!

      Good luck with that, Raiders!

      1. So instead, the 49ers paid an ILB coming off an ACL tear as if he’s an ILB who isn’t coming off an ACL tear. Brilliant.

        1. I keep saying but no one is paying attention….wait for the terms of the contract.

            1. typical Niners deal is to pay for the ability to walk away from a contract (small signing bonus larger roster bonuses…etc..)….which especially makes sense for signing an injured player. It’s like buying insurance.

              1. given the volatility of an NFL player’s health….it certainly makes some sense to hedge your bets.

              2. AFFP:

                What you say makes sense. But if he isn’t able to come back at full strength, then it was not only a wasted effort but one more hole that still needs to be filled. Shoup posted some information below on players returning from ACL injuries that is not overly encouraging. Couple that with the field condition at the house that Jed built………..

              3. Cubus

                It’s not that big of a risk if you consider what the worst case scenario is. If we were talking about up grading the Free Safety spot the worse case scenario is that they return with Adrian Colbert who rates as one of the worst players at his position.

                But in the case of Alexander, the fallback position is Elijah Lee who grades out as an average linebacker. Not what you want as a starter but not a black hole of an option either.

                The ACL injury recovery thing is scary given the Niner’s track record. Hopefully the new medical and training staff that was recently hired does a better job than the previous medical staff.

          1. Where’s the fun in waiting to discover what the deal’s structure is? Scorched earth always comes first. And never apologize later. Them’s good credos to embrace.

        2. So instead, the 49ers paid an ILB coming off an ACL tear as if he’s an ILB who isn’t coming off an ACL tear. Brilliant.

          Or they could have paid Mosley $17 Million per, and $51 Million in guarantees (as opposed to the $27 Million in guarantees they gave Kwon) only to have him suffer an injury during the first QTR of the first game, of his new contract. After all, Mosley suffered a bad hip injury during the BCS National Championship Game, and was carted off of the field just last season with what many people originally thought was a torn ACL.

          The point is, injuries are always a risk Grant. It’s inherent to the game of football. And with that being the case, a strong argument can be made that the 49ers actually took less of a risk while signing Kwon to far less money than Mosley, both per year, and in guarantees.

          On that note: I’m sure glad the 49ers took a risk by drafting Frank Gore, aren’t you? He suffered not one, but two torn ACL’s and his meniscus, while playing for the Hurricanes. How did that “risk” turn out for the Niners. Frank is the greatest RB ever to put on a 49ers uniform, as far as I am concerned! Heck, he’s still playing RB at age 35, how many years after suffering two torn ACL’s and his meniscus?

          1. Or they could have signed Adrian Amos or Adam Humphries instead of pretending Kwon Alexander didn’t tear his ACL.

            1. BTW, who’s pretending Kwon didn’t tear his ACL? You know very well that high end free agents aren’t getting any cheaper Grant. And they aren’t taking one-year prove it deals either. As the salary cap increases, so do contracts. As I told you yesterday, the 49ers regime is structuring most of their contracts with the idea that they can can get out from under them in short order without getting strapped over the long haul, while paying a player who suffers a serious injury, and/or fails to play at their perceived potential. Sure, you end up paying more on the front end, but it lowers the long term risk, and I would think for someone who is so concerned with ACL injuries, that you’d support this kind of strategy.

              And BTW, more often than not, ACL tears are merely a bump in the road for today’s 24 year old athletes (knock on wood). Heck, many of them end up with stronger knees as a result of the grueling, extensive rehabilitation process which often strengthens the entire knee joint. Sure, it doesn’t always work out that way, but with the ever evolving advancements in medicine, guys are recovering faster and stronger than ever before.

              But like I said, football is a violent sport. Every player who steps on the football field (knock on wood), is one play away from finding a new career path. I’m all for frontloading deals with fewer dollars in guarantees because, the less guaranteed money the better, as far as I am concerned.

              1. How much do you think Kwon Alexander would have gotten on the open market had he not torn his ACL? He would have gotten pretty much what the 49ers gave him yesterday.

                “BTW, more often than not, ACL tears are meley a bump in the road for 24 year old athletes.”

                Except for all the 49ers’ athletes with torn ACLs save Frank Gore.

              2. Young players coming off of ACL tears are getting paid these days. It’s simply the way the NFL free agent market is currently working. The 49ers can either work within the current market environment, or get left out in the cold.

                Look at the way the Bears structured Allen Robinson’s deal last year. Robinson was coming off a torn ACL the prior season, but the Bears gave him $42 Million over 3 years, with $25+ Million guaranteed. He earned a base salary of $4 Million, a signing bonus of $6 Million, and a roster bonus of $5 Million, while carrying a cap hit of $11 Million, and a dead cap value of $18 Million. His cap hit increases to $15 Million this season, however, if he struggles to return from his knee injury, or suffers another injury, the Bears can get out from underneath his contract at the end of the 2019 season, with a dead-cap number at only around $2 Million in 2020.

                Like I said Grant, that’s the way the market is currently working in the NFL. And when you factor in the tax implications, the 49ers are going to have to be aggressive nowadays, if they want to sign top-shelf free agents. That’s just the way it is. Thankfully, Paraag Marathe is good at structuring these kinds of deals.

              3. I never said there wasn’t any risk.

                As for Kwon, he probably would have got somewhere in the ballpark of $1.5 Million per year more, but there is no question he would have ended up with a lot more in guaranteed money Grant, and that’s my point. Heck, CJ Mosley got $51 Million in guarantees, and he’s 2 years older, and was considered by some scouts as damaged goods coming out of college.

                As for Trent Baalke’s ACL whiffs? Off the top of my head, Tank Carradine is one player I can confidently say who’s ACL tear prevented him from reaching his full potential. But he ended up with a fairly rare condition which required additional surgery to remove excessive scar tissue which had developed in his knee, and this condition severely limited motion and flexibility in his knee, even after those additional procedures.

                The rest of Trent Baalke’s ACL projects who didn’t end up working out, were probably like so many of Trent Baalke’s otherwise healthy acquisitions who didn’t work out, they were simply not very good football players in the first place, or were dealing with other issues.

                Bowman’s injury doesn’t count, because as you know, his injury was far more serious.

              4. He would have gotten pretty much what the 49ers gave him yesterday.

                That is a poor assumption Grant. Factors such as a second Pro Bowlor an improvement on his 2017 stats would have potentially pushed his total much closer to what Mosley received.

              5. No, Allen Robinson dealt with a whole host of issues, but I’m not talking about Robinson the player. I’m talking about the free agent market.

                We just talked about the NFL’s ACL epidemic a few weeks back Grant. I don’t have the numbers, but I know they are staggering. Every NFL team is dealing with their fair share of ACL tears. For whatever reason, ACL tears have become commonplace in the NFL, and many of them are coming on non-contact plays. It’s just a fact of life. Hopefully the changes the 49ers have made to their strength and conditioning program will help them get ahead of the curve, but you can’t simply run scared.

                Bottom line: I don’t believe that it’s necessarily a bad idea to sign a young player coming off of an ACL, if he’s a really good player who fills a need, fits your scheme, and has the kind of character and leadership qualities that Kwon has. Especially since it means because of that tear, you can get away with paying him a lot less money in guarantees, limiting your overall risk.

              6. That is a poor assumption Grant. Factors such as a second Pro Bowlor an improvement on his 2017 stats would have potentially pushed his total much closer to what Mosley received.

                That’s another excellent point MidWest! Who knows how much more Kwon would have made if he had continued on his pace last season, and hadn’t suffered his injury. It probably would have been closer to Mosley. Heck, Mosley probably would have made more with another fine ILB vying for top dollar, if Alexander hadn’t suffered his injury.

                One thing we can say for certain … the 49ers would have had to shell out a heck of a lot more $$$ in guaranteed money for Kwon, creating an entirely different set of long term risk, so it more or less evens out, IMO.

                No, I take that back … factoring in the long term risk, the 49ers actually come out ahead, IMO.

              7. Nah. Alexander is Telvin Smith 2.0, except Smith never tore his ACL. Alexander is making more than him.

              8. Yes, of course Alexander is making more than Telvin Smith. Smith signed his extension last season, and as we know, contracts go up every year Grant, and players often sign for less than free agent market value, when they sign extension. That said, Alexander isn’t making much more. The Jags signed Smith to a 4 year, $45 Million dollar extension, with $20 Million guaranteed. However, because it was a restructure, the Jags are on the hook for a cap hit of $12.5 Million this year.

                Similar players yes, but Alexander is about 10 lbs heavier than the 2nd team All-Pro, Telvin Smith, who BTW, was groomed by the Jags former LB Coach – Robert Saleh! In fact, I’m betting Saleh recognizes Alexander as being the same kind of player – Telvin the taller and more wiry of the two, while Kwon is the heavier, stronger athlete.

                Comparing them physically – they both ran the 40 in the low 4.5’s, with nearly identical 10 yard splits at the combine ( a difference of 1/100th of a second), but, at 9 lbs heavier, Alexander absolutely smoked Smith in the vertical (by 4.5 inches), and on the bench (by 8 reps).

                I’ll take the heavier, stronger, more explosive alpha team leader of a WILL linebacker any day of the week, even coming off an ACL injury.

              9. You just made my point for me. The 49ers signed Kwon Alexander as if he never tore his ACL and is the second coming of Telvin Smith.

              10. I’m puzzled with your notion that I somehow made your point Grant?

                Smith signed last year, and he signed an extension, which isn’t the same as signing a player on the open free agent market in 2019. I get that you don’t like the fact that Alexander is recovering from an ACL tear, heck, maybe you don’t even like him as a player? Maybe you like your WILL linebacker’s bigger than 230 lbs?

                I think highly of Telvin Smith, and I think he’s in the mold of what the 49ers were looking for when they signed Alexander. They were looking for a fast, rangy, WILL linebacker. Really, smaller, faster WILL linebackers are in vogue right now. And Alexander is the heavier, more explosive athlete, between the two. In fact, I personally think Alexander has a higher ceiling and brings more to the table than Smith, provided he comes back nicely. But that’s me. Putting Kwon’s knee injury and contract aside, I’m definitely going to defer to ShanaLynch, Saleh, and my guy …. four time Super Bowl Champion 49ers LB – Keena Turner (love that guy!) when it comes to the type of player they were looking for to pair up with their other promising young ILB, Fred Warner. Sure, the Foster pick went belly up, but not because he wasn’t talented, he just doesn’t have his head on straight. And I think ShanaLynch learned a lesson with the Foster debacle, when it comes to character, and Kwon Alexander is a shining example of the kind of football character they are now using as a model moving forward.

              11. You never seem to understand my comments, yet respond with 1000s of words.

                The 49ers gave Kwon Alexander the 2019 equivalent of Tevlin-Smith money even though Alexander tore his ACL and Smith never did.

          2. On another note, nobody took a bigger risk than the Raiders did, giving Trent Brown a staggering $36.75 Million over the first two years, all of which is fully guaranteed (save for the workout bonuses)!

            Hah, that is an absurd commitment to an OT who has a history of weight and conditioning issues and was just recently rejected by 2 different teams! I’m even hearing rumors that the Raiders are planning on moving Trent back to RT (not a huge surprise to me), even though the rookie – Kolton Miller, was a flat-out disaster at LT last season. Then again, Gruden drafted Miller with every intention of making him a mainstay for the Raiders at LT, so ….. yah, I don’t have a lot of confidence in Gruden’s ability to evaluate OT talent!

  15. Of course, all league FA ‘signings’ are not official until tomorrow at the earliest. We should learn much more about how all are structured, which may mitigate some concerns. Who knows, Alexander could be out of the league by July….

    Anyone looking at the $$$ being thrown at this year’s FA crop? Kinda much, but that’s what happens with the NFL–(most) owners and GMs want to win, and many FAs will be overpaid (or so it seems). And we all appreciate what prudent, level-headed advice we fans bring to the process.

  16. Grant / Anyone * Longtime Raven Terrell Suggs surprisingly signs with the Arizona Cardinals. After 16 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Terrell Suggs has reportedly signed with the Arizona Cardinals, according to Ian Rapoport. In a move that was “shocking” to the Ravens, as Suggs reportedly told the team on Monday that he did not intend to re-sign with them. Later in the afternoon, he is presumably a member of the Cardinals. https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-longtime-raven-terrell-suggs-223751560.html

    * Q: Anyone believe signing T. Suggs means Arizona will not draft Bosa or Allen?
    * Q: Anyone believe Arizona will now draft OK QB Kyler Murray with draft pick number one?

    1. Suggs went to school at Arizona State, so perhaps there’s a bit of sentimentality in play…some. And he attended public schools in AZ before that. “As a teenager, he attended multiple schools, the first being Chandler High School. He later transferred to Hamilton High School where he set the Arizona Class 5A record for rushing yards in a game with 367 against Yuma Kofa as a junior in 1999.”

      Turning 37 in October, he has a lot of miles on the odometer so I don’t think he’s a long term solution for the Cards by any means. AZ could still take an edge rusher in the 1st. Having said that, I’m thinking they’ll likely take Murray.

      1. Cassie
        * Tks for the info, didn’t know he attended public schools in AZ.
        * Do you know if he has family in AZ?

        1. His family moved to AZ when he was a kid. Have no idea if any remain in the area. Probably has friends in the region from his high school and ASU days.

  17. Holy crap!, this is a game where “wheels” define the player and Lynch and co have bough another player with a bad leg!
    Of course this comes on the heels of the 9ers resigning Malcolm Smith…

  18. I saw an interesting discussion over on NN regarding the team possibly moving Tarvarius Moore to free safety. That’s the position he played in college. According to Matt Barrows, it was Hafley who convinced the FO and CS to draft Moore as a CB.

    “When Tarvarius Moore ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash — blistering for a 200-pound safety — at Southern Mississippi’s pro day on March 29, there was jubilation from Moore’s camp. At 49ers headquarters, the reaction was a bit different. I remember talking about it, Adam Peters, the 49ers vice president of player personnel, said recently. We were all kind of p—- that he ran that fast because now we would have to take him a little higher.

    The team’s interest accelerated further when the 49ers coaches became involved in the process in early February. Until that point, the 49ers had been looking at Moore as a free safety, his college position. Secondary coach Jeff Hafley, however, wondered if he had the traits to play cornerback in the 49ers system, which covets instincts, maneuverability, speed and, above all else, size………Hafley began piecing together instances in which Moore was in man-to-man coverage in college, even going so far as to dig up his Pearl River tape. He produced a cut-up of those plays he used to make a case for converting Moore to cornerback.”

    This won’t impact the need for signing a veteran safety, but perhaps it puts more emphasis on also signing a veteran CB and drafting CB instead of free safety.

    https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article213614184.html

    1. I always thought CB was a big need. Bigger than safety.

      The two biggest needs on the team are Pass Rusher, CB. The three biggest needs are PR, CB and a Interior Lineman. Then WR and S, in my opinion.

      Glad our first signing is for an ILB! Though, to be fair, there are so many holes on this team (Except QB and kicker).

        1. Did we overpay for KJ, or is KS simply not using him to the extent most thought he would based on KJ’s compensation and based on KS stating that he is an OW?

  19. I can’t fault Kwon for signing the massive big deal. If somebody was offering me that contract I would take it too. That’s what the 49ers do over pay players. Now that could be because they don’t want to play their but for the right price or 49ers management thinks it has to over pay to sign them, IDK but the 49ers management is not that good. Jordan Hicks would of been the better player to sign, yes he’s older but not by much and is the better player at ILB. I’m sure he would of took this deal as well unless he does not want to play for the 49ers or thinks he can get more money. CJ Mosely got over paid but that’s due to his name and the team he played for. Looking at all the ILB those 3 names really were the best players, there was a few more names but not many. These 3 names will get the most money. Let’s see if Hicks gets less than Kwon or in between Kwon and CJ.

    Yes contracts are going up and theirs more money to spend, but would you pay a player who is not an all-pro almost 13.5 million who’s coming off an injury? His deal will get passed by other current or future ILB deals but why do the 49ers management have to over spend. They did it with Jerrick, Smith, Pierre, and the FB even though he was the best FB at that time but was over paid. A 35-40 million dollar deal would sound better.

    1. “Why do the 49ers management have to over spend?”

      Because if they didn’t overspend, no one would want to play for the 49ers.

      1. Oh, and a question… Are any other NFL teams overspending during this free agency period?

  20. Alexander’s acquisition marks Chapter 3 of the story, as Robert Saleh remakes not only our defense, but all NFL defenses to come. Alexander is a safety who plays linebacker. Be patient folks while the 49ers continue their trial and error scheme polishing (which some might call reinventing the wheel, but who knows for sure?). I for one am not concerned because I have it on good authority that Paraag has modeled the permutations and combinations of $h-t that they can throw up against the wall before something actually sticks. Our approach may seem unconventional, but be assured that there is a solid plan being implemented. We are actually witnessing something akin to the invention of the T formation right before our eyes.

  21. So with 70 million we signed a guy who might not play a single snap with us if his all doesn’t fully recover. But if it does and he is able to recover his old abilities he will be really good.

    Now we will sign a veteran pass rusher who will get 5 sacks next year in limited playing time.

    Finally we will use our lowest number of draft picks in years to select 1 or 2 players who can jump in and play right away.

    Then we will trade away 4 picks from next year to select a couple players in the 3 round who had 7th or free agent grades on them.

    Not the best for a team that needs ateast 9 new starters or primary back ups

    ol
    Te
    Wr
    Lb
    Edge
    Safety
    Corners x2
    Rb

  22. Adding this again, as its somewhat separate from the original tropic.

    Here is an article that helps explain why Grant and some of the other board members don’t like signing players coming off an ACL injury.
    It also shows why the Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson stories are so exceptional and why Kwon would probably be better served not to play next season.

    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/11/acl-injuries-sports-athletes-careers

    Despite the importance of the internal factors in recovery from ACL injuries – attributes like strength, coordination, mobility and muscle function – outside influences frequently play a significant role. In the NFL, without guaranteed contracts, players are pressured into returning to the field, often before fully ready. One recent study found that ACL injured players in the NFL earned $2,070,521 less than their uninjured peers over the four years after injury.

    In the NFL, like other sports, a lasting return to play is also influenced by the player’s pre-injury position – 20% of running backs and wide receivers never return to the NFL and for those that do return, performance drops by a third. However, because their performance is less tied to lower body speed and explosiveness, 12 out of the 13 of NFL quarterbacks studied after ACL surgeries were able to resume playing at pre-injury levels.

    On the defensive side of the ball, just published research by the Aune and the American Sports Medicine Institute, the injury research think tank started by Dr James Andrews, indicates that 72% of NFL defensive players return to play at least one game after an ACL injury. But behind that relatively optimistic stat, the news isn’t good for those players on the margins. Average NFL players that tore an ACL saw their performance drop to below average. In time, performance might very well return to normal, but since the NFL is a produce-now league, those players often never return to play or last only for a short period of time before getting cut or released.

    Generally, those who successfully returned were above-average NFL players before their injury but relatively average after their return. In other words, after an ACL surgery, a Pro Bowl level defensive player regresses to the performance level of an average player and an average player drops below the NFL standard

    1. Excellent info Shoup. What seems to be ignored to me is that Alexander’s injury was a non-contact injury like Jimmy G’s and McKinnon’s. These type of injuries can have a different effect on a player’s return to full strength than one where a knee is taken out by a violent hit during a play. A non-contact injury is self-inflicted whereas the other is not. Unfortunately, they have not yet turned football players into robots so the human mind is affected differently as between the two. Once injured, you never forget that it was your own movement that caused your injury and your body will always be on guard to protect you from a reoccurrence. This sometimes causes one to favor other joints over the previously injured one and can lead to injury to other joints involved in your movements. Remember, this injury is one that you gave yourself and you never forget that fact. We all have limited information here so we all must speculate from a weak position, and it will rarely be obvious how the 49ers brain trust makes their decisions. That said, this move looks like a continuation of too many of the previous player moves in that they seem to be acting desperately rather than methodically.

  23. Ok he tore his ACL but I like this signing cuz of his leadership,presence and mentality that molds what we want for our team.
    Never can have enough high character guys who make other guys better that’s the way to win Super Bowls .

    1. If that is all the 49ers need shouldn’t they just bring back Bowman on a much cheaper deal?

  24. I’m betting that if Ansah isn’t signed by Fri the 9ers will swoop in on the cheap and then draft Allen.

  25. I would have take zadarius or Preston smith over this guy. You look at the guys this FO is spending big money on. Westburg-sucks, McKinnon-hurt before and surprise hurt now 3rd down back we paid top dollar for, Malcom smith-he’s made about 1 tackle per million he’s made. Haven’t drafted right outside of kittle and mcglinchy. I don’t think KS and JL survive another year of 6-10 BS and overpaying someone that’s not a position of need doesn’t make any sense to me

      1. Grant… That question again. How many other teams are overpaying in free agency this year? Just the 9ers?

        1. Some teams are, but the Rams didn’t overpay for Eric Weddle. The Titans didn’t overpay for Adam Humphries.

          1. So, FA overspending isn’t just a 9er trait. Seems fairly widespread across the league–acknowledging that some teams are more prudent than others perhaps. Of course, it’s not common knowledge which teams failed to land coveted FAs and what they were willing to spend.

            Thanks.

          2. Adam Humphries was an overpay. $9 million for a slot receiver completely resets the market. Plus, to pull stats from Bill Barnwell, over the past four years, Humphries has turned just 11 percent of the routes he has run in the slot into receptions, which is the lowest rate in football among wideouts with 100 slot targets or more in that time. Humphries has fumbled six times on 376 touches. He has caught 191 of 270 passes the past three seasons, which is good for a 70.7 percent catch rate, but the NFL’s Next Gen Stats suggest that an average receiver would have caught … 190.7 of those passes. He’s a decent wideout, but he hasn’t exhibited the sort of ceiling that would make this deal more tantalizing.

            Cole Beasley, another slot receiver, just signed with the Bills for just over $7 million a year.

            Weddle is definitely the best signing of free agency so far.

  26. You overpay in free agency for positions of need. I think this team had many more needs than this….imo

  27. Maybe the 49ers sign Thomas, trade for Odell Beckham Jr. and Alexander works out, we’re talking playoffs!

    49ers look to add veteran edge rusher in free agency before NFL draft (Maiocco)

    1. Hey Grant. The conversation with Don Yee (above) should help you focus that interview with Denise.

  28. A backup kicker, ILB coming off an ACL, and now the suspended long snapper.

    This is doing Free Agency right folks.

  29. 49ers showing ‘some interest’ in WR Jermaine Kearse, per report…..

    For sure winning the offseason if we get him!!

      1. You have contacts within the organization, I presume. Dig a bit and debunk or confirm.

      2. Gotta get past the position and focus on the player.

        If they can flip Solomon and get something out of it then taking a DT really wont be that bad.

        1. No. That’s a Matt Millen move. When you spend a high first-round pick on an interior rusher four out of five years, you neglect the rest of your roster.

          1. Regardless if it’s from the inside or out they’re going to use their first pick on someone that improves their pass rush. Williams is the best choice at #2 for that purpose. If they’re truly locked on deciding between Williams and Bosa do you really want them to go with the lesser player just so it’s not a tackle? That’s myopic.

            1. They can take Josh Allen or trade down. Anything else would be a mistake. Unless, of course, I’m wrong.

  30. Get ready for a headline that reads 49ers have signed jimmie ward to 5 years 70 million.

    If they draft williams they better trade Thomas and Arik or release Arik. To me that would be biggest mistake to draft williams not due to his talent but what the teams needs like pass rush and CB

  31. Coffee’s for Closers says:
    March 12, 2019 at 10:37 am
    Multiple sources with the 49ers say the team is torn on Quinnen Williams

    Reply: That’s because Williams has been drawing comparisons as a larger, faster, Aaron Donald:

    It’s been a trend the last three or four years to hype up seemingly every short or light defensive tackle as “the next Aaron Donald”. First it was Grady Jarrett, and then it was Jonathan Bullard, and then even just last year it was Taven Bryan. But most of those hope-filled comparisons have been mostly wrong, because I feel like people have mischaracterized what makes Donald so incredible in the first place.

    Donald’s extraordinary dominance is not just about being ultra-explosive, or super flexible, or having a natural leverage advantage because of his size; rather, it’s about vision, instinct, and mastery of technique. There are a lot of fluid and explosive freak athletes in the NFL, but there’s only one Aaron Donald because he knows how to maximize his gifts to be the best possible football player he can be.

    I have waited for five years to see another defensive tackle come out of college with the same uniquely terrifying combination of power, quickness, technique, and instincts as Aaron Donald. I’ve been waiting to see someone we can truly compare to Donald – and with Alabama’s Quinnen Williams entering the NFL this year, I think we have finally found our guy

    Reply: Admit that Solomon Thomas hasn[t lived up to expectations and draft the next Donald—-Free Buckner of those nasty double teams now….By the way, Ninerland, 49er execs, Mayhew drafted Ziggy Ansah and their DL coach coached him…Rumors are that 49ers sign him.

    https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-film-room-video-breakdown-gifs/2019/2/14/18224919/the-film-room-quinnen-williams-is-the-best-defensive-tackle-prospect-since-aaron-donald

  32. Maybe it really is an ownership issue with the 49ers. They met Scott M go because he had some health issues instead of sticking with him thru it. He drafted great players for us. Then hire Harbaugh to only let him go after 4 seasons 3 straight NFC champ trips, to then replace him with nobodys. And this doesnt include the HC before Jim.

  33. Scotty M with shannahan as coach might have worked better.

    Shannahan and lynch I like but their decision making together on free agents and draft picks and management of resources (trades of draft picks, contracts) is definitely not great.

    It’s been a tragedy since 2001 and they have not been able to ever allign the talent on the team with the right combo of coaching and mangement.

    It’s still not right

  34. Y’all are so dumb. It’s a market rate deal that can be gotten out of in year 2 with little dead money. Overreact much?

    1. Jack no! It’s a disaster, didn’t you know??I guess we can call them the disaster-clingers.

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