The case for offensive tackle at No. 13.

Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs at the NFL scouting combine.
(Photo: Associated Press)

By Phil Barber

Greetings, 49ers fans.

Most of you probably heard by now that Grant Cohn, who has captained this site for most of a decade, has moved on to another role. Grant is now managing Sports Illustrated’s All49ers page. He’ll do a great job. For those of you who have formed a close-knit, passionate, occasionally warring community here on the Press Democrat’s “Inside the 49ers” blog, we are not abandoning you during this critical period of the NFL offseason.

Many of you probably know me. I have written about Bay Area sports for the Press Democrat, including tons of 49ers coverage, for 16 years. I will be here this week, flogging the Niners to the finish line of the NFL draft, covering various facets of the team’s needs, prospect availability and suitability, and the overall draft process. Thanks for reading.

Leading things off: And hear me out. Offensive tackle.

The totality of 49ers draft coverage over the past month has generally focused on ranking wide receiver prospects and deducing which of them would be the best fit for Kyle Shanahan’s offense. I get it.

The SF receiving corps improved from weak (even if you included tight end George Kittle) to adequate over the course of the 2019 season. It never truly became a team strength, and now one of the 49ers’ starting Super Bowl wide receivers, Emmanuel Sanders, is gone. Jimmy Garoppolo needs another dynamic weapons, and this draft is a diamond mine of pass catchers.

Assuming the 49ers stand at pick No. 13, a wide receiver like Jerry Jeudy or Henry Ruggs III or CeeDee Lamb indeed makes a lot of sense. But I’m surprised there isn’t more talk about offensive tackles. The 49ers need one. And this draft has some great candidates. And let’s be honest, it’s easier to find plug-and-play wide receivers than starter-caliber offensive tackles in this league.

Left tackle Joe Staley and right tackle Mike McGlinchey both missed time with injuries last year, but by the time the 49ers hit the playoffs, both were playing well. That said, Staley is 35 years old. He’ll be 36 when the 2020 regular season starts if the 2020 regular season starts. He is a lighter tackle who has kept himself in great shape, more so than most players at his position. Neverthless, Staley is nearing the end of his NFL run.

The 49ers believe they are poised to challenge for another Super Bowl this season. But they have a chance to build something more – a lasting run of success that spans years. To accomplish that, they need to find Staley’s successor. They also could use an immediate upgrade at swing tackle, should Staley or McGlinchey get hurt again. I don’t know that Justin Skule or Shon Coleman is that person.

Take a look at the top of this draft, and you’ll see several guys who have the potential to lock down one of the 49ers’ O-tackle positions (I’m not sure if the long-term plan calls for McGlinchey on the right side or the left). Alabama’s Jedrick Wills, Louisville’s Mekhi Becton, Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs and Georgia’s Andrew Thomas all are consistently showing up among the top 15 or so overall prospects.

Assuming the 49ers don’t trade up, Wills may well be gone by the time they make their selection. Becton is a 6-foot-7, 364-pound behemoth. He’s a classic pass-blocking OT, but he probably isn’t the best fit for the 49ers’ run-oriented, mobility-heavy blocking scheme. (Think Trent Brown, whom Shanahan deemed expendable.) Those other two guys? Keep your eye on ’em.

Thomas was the SEC’s offensive lineman of the year in 2019. He can play either side adeptly and is known for his fundamentals. That latter trait is an important one for the 49ers, who run a fairly complicated run blocking scheme. Thomas is a little rough in pass protection. But hey, even Joe Staley, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, struggles against elite edge rushers.

The ideal pickup here would be Wirfs, if he’s available. At 6-5, 320 pounds, he’s big enough. And he is a superior athlete. Wirfs was a state champion wrestler in high school – in Iowa, the cradle of wrestling. That means strength, agility and, most important of all at offensive tackle, a low center of gravity. He ran a 4.85 40-yard dash at the combine, faster than four tight ends.

I know, none of these are football skills. And to be honest, some scouts question Wirfs’ effort level, calling him inconsistent. But he’s not a schlub. He’s technically advanced, with sound footwork. He’d be an intriguing fit for the 49ers. And if Wirf’s effort has been uneven, who better to work with, and learn from, than Staley and McGlinchey?

I’m open to suggestions, so let me know what else ya’ll want to read about this week. And look for a recap of John Lynch’s video conference later this afternoon.

Phil Barber

This article has 103 Comments

  1. Welcome back, Mr. Barber. I had a feeling you’d be the placeholder until they found someone.

    Wrt to the OT. Going by what position Shanny prioritizes, it’s a distinct possibility. QB, DE and OT are his 1st round positions. While taking an OT would be smart, I’m not sure how it helps this team in 2020.

    As for topic ideas for the week, I’d like the focus to be on what you’re hearing and seeing with your inside access and sources.

    1. “While taking an OT would be smart, I’m not sure how it helps this team in 2020.”

      I am not sure on how much help is really needed. Going into his second year if JG is the QB we think he is he should be able to raise the bar and make his receivers better.

      1. Ok, but Jimmy can’t run the routes, get open or catch the ball for ’em. It’s kinda like going to the car dealership. You want the Dodge Challenger(Lamb, Jeudy, HR3) and the wife wants the Honda Accord(OT). You know the wife’s choice makes much more sense, but the rebel in you wants to raise some offensive hell!

        1. Puts a smile on my face every time I hear challenger.
          I love the +^*+ out of mine. Fun car.
          The wifey gets hers next year, (probably some foreign SUV) she won’t budge on the track hawk. ? so she had no say this time. As I will have none next year.
          She picked the house, colors, tile, and everything else. I put my foot down with this one.
          With all of that said. I think you know where I’d go with the pick.
          ?

  2. Welcome back on board Phil. Thank you for ensuring that the Inside the 49ers Blog will remain intact for this blog community.

    I’ve been a staunch supporter of the team drafting one of the top 3 WR’s at #13. Kinlaw has been my second choice if these WR’s are snatched up.

    But I have (couple of weeks ago) brought up the possibility that if the season is canceled the team needs to look into using this draft to supplement its needs for 2021.

    If that becomes a reality, then picking a OL and CB this week is a strong possibility. Replacing Buckner and Sanders becomes a moot point if there is no football in 2020.

    1. I’ve said it before, we will have NFL football this season. No doubt in my mind weeks ago, and no doubt now.

      1. I hope you are right.
        .
        Maybe they need to screen the fans, and only allow young healthy fans who have been tested and shown to have the antibodies, so they may be hopefully immune.
        .
        Maybe another screening method may be to use thermal imaging, and people who have an elevated temperature would not be allowed in.
        .
        Of course, it should only be allowed if the curve is flattened, and the mortality rate decreases. Let the medical experts determine the best course of action.

        1. The death rate is under 1% according to the New England Journal of Medicine by Dr. Anthony S. Fauci and Dr. H. Clifford Lane, both of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Robert R. Redfield, director of the C.D.C.

      2. Raz,
        I appreciate your confidence and hope you are right. It’s hard to imagine a year without football, but I also love baseball and basketball and they are not playing.

        However, that is why I prefaced the word “possibility” because there are no real answers at the moment. Hence, my thinking that the team could go into this draft with 2021 in mind.

        1. Never had any interest in baseball or basketball. Just football. Americans can’t live without football. There would be a Riot In The Dungeon!

          1. Raz,
            You have point. Football has almost become an American Right (lol).
            My wife recently put me in check, and as much as I did not want to accept it, she was right when it comes to our personal household.
            As longtime Sunday church goers (since we both were children) we stopped going a few years ago because we started using our Sundays to watch football.
            Obviously, this doesn’t resonate with everyone here, but she told me that football had become my idol and that this present situation should remind me to reset my priorities.
            Only speaking for myself, that comment sure hit a nerve.
            Having said all that, I still need football, but will also work on realigning my priorities.

          2. AES season is a long way away.
            A lot of heat coming this summer which will more than likely kill any viruses going around.
            If this thing last through a California summer, then we are all in real trouble.

            1. A lot of heat coming this summer which will more than likely kill any viruses going around.

              Miraculously disappear, right? Where did you hear that? Oh, wait.

              Somehow that didn’t work out for Southern Hemisphere locations this winter.

              https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-interactive/2020/apr/20/coronavirus-australia-numbers-how-many-new-cases-today-deaths-death-toll-covid-19-stats-graph-map-by-postcode

              In particular the “Timeline of coronavirus measures v daily case count” chart. Data corresponds with national measures introduced to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Nothing to do with the heat.

              1. “Nothing to do with the heat.”

                You’re probably right as there doesn’t seem to be universal support. Still, I’ve been wondering why there are so few cases in Hawaii given the high levels of tourism from all over the world.

              2. Am I seriously having to explain why flu’ and virus’ are seasonal?
                Make that two thirsty idiots on here. I expect that from onelame who apparently got a degree in idiocy.
                But you’re better than this Ribico.
                Putting words on my post isn’t going to make your point any better.
                It’s this simple.
                Virus thrive in colder air, virus’ die in 70 degree heat.
                If you two clowns want to belive your cnn newscast. More power to you.
                I’ll be back in the beginning of summer to remind you two Rachel madow followers why I said this.
                Again y’all some thirsty a** fools.
                And remember Go Biden!! ???

            2. ????….what a dumbo…did he just say the heat will kill the virus.

              This is why you should have gone to school…

              1. You idiot virus’ die in 70 degree heat. Why do you think flu’s don’t last throughout the summer.
                Swear to god you’re thirsty.
                Tfooh

      3. Which one of us posters would be one of 70K to show up at a NFL stadium come September? Razor? AES? Seb?

        1. Ha! I’ve been to the old (now demolished) Candlestick park and the new Santa Clara stadium and can say without reservation that watching the game in the convenient comfort of my home works perfectly well for me.

          Ticket prices, parking issues along with waiting in food lines and restrooms, oh, and living over a hundred miles away from the stadium make me appreciate the old homestead ?

          1. I sold my season tickets to a guy from Eureka in the 90s. That’s about 280 miles one way. Now that’s what you call a Faithful.

            1. Whine,
              Can’t argue with that. Traveling that far will definitely earn him a Faithful badge ?

        2. I would. And guess what? I’ll live.
          Question is.. why do you wear a mask while driving? ??

          Ice cube said it best.
          “If you a scared MF go to church”

    2. While I’m not quite as certain as Razor, the team has no choice but to plan and proceed as if the season will happen.

      1. Cubus,
        Your right, you plan for this season, but there also has to be level on planning for the future during the state of our present situation.

        Did you happen to catch the 49erswebzone this morning. David Bonilla says that the team may be looking into the possibility of trading players Dee Ford, Kwon Alexander and J. Tartt to garner more equity in the 2nd – 4th rds.

        This is a hard report to believe especially considering the fact that Alexander recently restructured his contract. But, Dee Ford still has good value in the trade dept and could get us some picks in the 2nd and 3rd rds. Ford’ chronic knee issue no longer guarantees that he will give us a full season. If we can get a good return in the draft for him, I would listen.

      2. cubus
        As a young man, a wise man once told me to hope for the best, but plan for the worst! I’ve found them to be wise words indeed!

  3. Mr Barber, welcome to this site.
    .
    I will miss Grant, but he is on to bigger and better things. I think he may even have a good chance for a career in television. His spiel is a rapid stream of consciousness, and the delivery crisp and coherent. He thinks quick on his feet. I like his podcasts, and his work with Lowell is pure gold. Grant also is a professional. He took that ribbing by Mark Ibanez and Joe Fonzi about his 6-10 prediction with grace and humility.
    .
    I may vehemently disagree with some of his opinions, but he can frame an argument, and defend it with facts and logic. He was right about Bowman, and spot on about the Brady speculation. However, I think he was playing Skip about JG.
    .
    I wish him well, and hope you can be the new Blogger on this site. I will try my best to tone down the squabbling, ignore my detractors, and be civil and polite to all. If we can all just stick to football, this site can continue to be a great place for 49er fans to post their comments and opinions.
    .
    Back to football and your comment on the first pick. Maybe the best option would be to use the value of that fourth O lineman to trade back with a team that wants to leapfrog ahead of the Bucs, and possibly select Andrew Thomas, Mehki Becton or one of the other top 4 O linemen. Both the Broncos and Dolphins have bigger needs for an O lineman than the Niners. If the Niners could obtain a third round pick from either of those teams to move back 2 spots or 5 spots, that may be the best option. This draft still has twenty O linemen in the top 100 ranked players, so if the Niners can obtain picks in the second, third or 4th rounds, they may be able to tap into the sweet spot of the draft.
    .
    However, if Kinlaw falls to 13, the Niners should use that 13th pick to select him. He would be a very good replacement for Deforest Buckner. They could then either trade back from 31, or select a WR like Justin Jefferson, Tee Higgins, Denzel Mims, Brandon Aiyuk or Jalen Raegor. I think Laviska Shenault is talented, but he is also injured, so I hope the Niners pass on him.
    .
    Thank you for giving us a new post. 800 was a little much to scroll past.

    1. Haha!!!!!!!
      “I may vehemently disagree with some of his opinions……….” Sebs, your a riot!!!!
      out of 100 opinions of Grants, you probably disagreed with 2 percent!
      I ought to just go to your house and properly pay you–you would have given Johnny Carson a run for the money!

      1. I made it a point to disagree with Grant, just to avoid the appearance of being a toady. It really was not hard to disagree with Grant, because he had such strong opinions, and liked to stir the pot.

  4. First, it’s good to have Phil back again for keeping HMS Niners Asylum afloat in these trying times. His reasoned and thoughtful penmanship (keyboardship?) stands in contrast to Grant’s later years where the latter came fully untethered from reason and data as he sought to rise to multimedia stardom.

    Second, I agree that the Niners may well draft a OT in early rounds. But unless they are in love with a specific player at #13, I see them trading down. Going by the record of the #13 picks over the last 10 drafts, it’s probably not a god idea to fall in love with a specific player in that range.

      1. Aah, yes, The Curse of The Donald that upsets my apple cart. But if you look at the entire #13 haul over the last decade, there is a case to be made to trade down 5-10 spots. Some are solid starters, but drafted higher than their production justifies:
        DE Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles
        DT Nick Fairley, Detroit Lions
        WR Michael Floyd, Arizona Cardinals
        DT Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets
        DT Aaron Donald, Rams
        G Andrus Peat, New Orleans Saints
        OT Laremy Tunsil, Miami Dolphins
        LB Hasson Reddick, Arizona Cardinals
        DT DaRon Payne – Washington Redskins
        DT Christian Wilkins, Miami Dolphins

  5. Huh??!

    The #49ers have made the following players available for trade, per
    @mlombardiNFL
    :
    – DE Dee Ford
    – LB Kwon Alexander
    – S Jaquiski Tartt
    – WR Marquise Goodwin

    The team is light on draft capital and strapped for cash, but Ford, Alexander and Tartt all on the block is unexpected.

      1. Good question George. But some might say when the Yorks talk, if you look real close, you can see Paraag’s lips moving. Just saying.

    1. Probably blowing some pre-draft smoke on 4/20 while putting together candidate draft-day trade packages. But I like Shanalynch’s aggressive trading positions. Trading in NFL has been one of the under-utilized tools.

    2. Alexander-Greenlaw showed he’s ready.
      Tartt-??Moore, Thieneman? Nah, certainly not Harris.
      Goodwin-As expected
      Ford-Might put Chaisson in play at #13

    3. The fact that Kwon is on that list is a big red flag that this is rubbish. He costs cap space to move.

      I can imagine the team would entertain offers for these players, but outside of Goodwin I highly doubt they are being proactive in trying to move them.

        1. Didn’t see you post when I posted above, but yeah. Ford’s health is a legit question though. When he’s on the field he’s lights out but….

    4. And so was Garoppolo remember?

      With that said trade them all to the chargers for the other Bosa.
      Because let’s face it. He isn’t staying with that team after his first franchise tag.

  6. Hi Phil, nice write up. Grant and I agree on this one, a nice big WR is the way to go in this draft. They can run some good route’s too, and the Red Zone stat is not boding well for the Niners and we can have a double banger here. Trade with Denver, and we hand them the elite WR and we could take that receiver like Michael
    Pittman from USC, Collin Johnson from Texas, at #95, or even a Tee Higgins sooner, and still have an Andrew Thomas OT get to us from Georgia at #15. Even if he falls through chance of getting a C.J. Henderson CB, or the DT Javon Kinlaw would be real great, both exciting needs.

  7. Welcome back Phil. Your experienced perspective will be appreciated here. Santa Clara is a bit of a hike for you, but a shorter commute than Vegas, eh?
    OT is a foundational position so a blue chipper is always a good investment.
    At#13 I suspect that a true difference maker at OT, WR, or on D could get the call, but some opinions out there are that best value of this draft is Day#2, so we’ll see.
    #31 probably should be dealt to an interested party since the bottom half of Round#1 are more or less equivilent values to Round#2.

    1. Hi Phil. I do not believe I have seen you on here before, but I did find this blog right around when Grant took over, so that is probably the reason.
      If the 49ers are unable to trade down from the 13th pick, I agree with you that an OT might be the best choice for the 49ers. Pass protection is the area that I believe is the biggest need for the team due to the OL finishing as the seventh worst in pass protection in 2019 and Staley nearing the end of his career.
      I read an article recently that had an executive saying that the tackle class is overrated, and I tend to agree with that assessment. That is why I think the 49ers could trade down and still nab one of the top four OTs in the draft. Of the four you mentioned, Wirfs and Becton are the two who fit the offensive scheme run by Shanahan.

      1. MWD,
        You are one of the few who recognizes just how bad the oline is in pass pro. The only playoff team with a worse line in this regard was Seattle. If we want to see the best of Jimmy we have to protect him a bit better… this will also help our receivers get open.
        That said I disagree that the OTs are overrated. They are not all a great fit but McGlinchey wouldn’t even be a top 5 tackle in this class.

  8. Welcome back Phil…!

    I’m another of the MM holdovers…and I have always appreciated your entrees on the blog; I was sorry to see you leave previously…but good to have you back…..

    My first post has to do with Justin Skule, whom I believe should be Joe’s replacement for the next 10 years….Quick and accurate footwork, good size, and with more ‘snaps’ will claim the LT spot. Brunskill was a total surprise to me, (as well as every other HONEST niner fan)…I would guess that he won the OT race between the two, but he has a bit more experience than Skule in that his Mormon mission brings him as a second year player at 26 (?) years old…No matter, I believe that barring injury, both of them offer quality for many moons.

    I believe that Solomon Thomas should be traded as well as our 5th RB…I agree that Wirfs and/or Andrew Thomas would be excellent at OT
    Once again, ‘happy to have you back….

    1. Thanks, OREGONINER. It’s amazing how many folks have followed this thread through Maiocco, me (briefly), Eric Branch and Grant. Loyalty!

        1. MD,
          Same ?
          And we also survived the Alex Smith wars (lol).
          One of the old posters Hofer67 was good and went missing after AS left the 49ers. Yup, we’ve been here for a minute.

  9. Well, if they trade away all their players, who’s going to play. The backups to the starters from last year or do they have something in the works (like a Jamal Adams trade). They won’t get nothing for Goodwin, Lee was just released by the Jags. Kwon is owed lots of money and they will have to eat 9 million this year in dead cap due to the restructure they did on his deal. Tartt maybe a 6-7 round pick maybe 5th round. Dee Ford if healthy could get 3 or 4 round pick. If they where smart they would package those players to get better players along with adding draft picks. The only issue is how many teams call and what they are willing to give up. Now how will those players feel about being on the trade block. I would hope the team called them to let them know.

    If they can’t trade those players and just release players Ford, Kwon, Tartt, Goodwin and along with Coleman, what would they do with all that extra cap space. If no Dee then need a pass rusher. Bosa can’t do it by himself. Kwon can be replaced. Tartt, I would say try and get Jamal. Harris is not the answer. Goodwin is replaceable but we already need a WR, CB, OG, OT and DT.

    Then also they are trying to trade 1 or both their first round draft picks. That would be smart to be able to pick up more players but need top talent not just to fill in the roster. They are a win now team. Do they trade back and still keep at least 1 first round player and keep trading back to have a setup like 2 second round picks 1 third and 1 fourth or veteran good players. But they could also just keep both first round picks and have the 5 year options and draft the biggest needs WR, CB and or DT for a win now team.

  10. The Niners may be shopping players. That is a good draft strategy. They do not need to trade too many away, and releasing them may come back to haunt the Niners. Trading them to specific teams will allow the Niners to direct the players out of the division. Grant mentioned that Breida and Goodwin may improve the Rams, but that would be self defeating, if the Niners help the Rams to win.
    .
    They do have 13 mil in cap space, so they are in good shape for the draft. Creating more cap space will allow for the Niners to negotiate a new deal with Kittle, who deserves every penny. Most trades will be implemented during the draft, so there is no movement, because things will change as the draft unfolds.
    .
    They should target players to select teams with needs. They might trade Ahkello Witherspoon to the Falcons, who just released Truffant. They could trade Tevin Coleman to the Bucs, who would help Brady with his running, and have a new weapon to help in the passing game, too. The Broncos are looking hard at Ruggs, so Marquise Goodwin may be a good option, since he runs a 4.27 forty, too.
    .
    Should the Niners trade back to get as many players as possible? No. They need to get draft picks in the second, third and 4th rounds, because they do not have any picks in those rounds, so they are missing out on a lot of talent between the 31st and 156th picks. The Niners need to find the replacement to Buckner and Sanders. They also should look for eventual replacements for Staley and Sherman.
    .
    No matter what, there will be 40 players cut, so later round picks may be on shaky ice. Fortunately, the Niners have kept all of their draft picks from 2018 and 2019, except for Kaden Smith. Trading away players will create room for their draft picks. This squad was talented enough to make it to the SB, so there are no glaring weaknesses, except for DT and WR.

  11. I can definitely see them considering an OT in round 1, either at pick 13 for one of the top 4, or after a trade back to take Jones (who is the only one of the top 5 OTs the team is known to have met with). Wouldn’t surprise me at all, and long term it would be a good move to secure a high end OT to play opposite McGlinchey.

    1. Ezra Cleveland met with the 49ers. He’s been on the ascent.

      Pauline:

      If they don’t end up with Thomas, I continue to hear that Ezra Cleveland is a hot name in the Dolphins war room. I’m told the Dolphins would also consider Isaiah Wilson or Josh Jones with their final pick in round one if they don’t select a tackle with their initial two selections.

      1. Consider my mind boggled. He just doesn’t look like a 1st round talent on film to me. Good movement skills, but waaaaay too passive.

        1. May be a case where he has all the physical tools, but lacks that mean streak. I know a lot of scouts were questioning his functional strength prior to the combine, and he goes out and puts up a 30 burger on the bench. Leads me to believe technique could also be in play….

    2. Scooter-enjoy reading your comments, you clearly know your stuff…..having said that, wouldn’t Brunskill get the first look there? He did a pretty fine job filling in for Staley…………I think he could do the job-he did fine in the run game and didn’t give up a single sack.

  12. Welcome Phil
    I have always enjoyed reading your articles because they are “reporter” based and not just stirring the pot like bloggers tend to do. My hope is you become an active moderator and clean up the cesspool that Grant has left behind. If you can keep the blog to football and get rid of the political posts and petty fights, the blog will be a much better place.

    1. That’s just it, we don’t know if he is healthy. The team is bound to know more about his health status than we do. At the same time, if I’m a GM, I’d be skeptical about trading for Ford if for no other reason than the difficulty in having him medically tested (and I’d wonder what the 49ers’ motive were).

      1. I think the Niners are just floating stuff out there to draw interest. Both this guys make a lot of money and cap implications most teams can’t take on.
        Cubus, do you think Niners should trade out of 13 and 31?

        1. Yeah, everybody has a price and unless a buyers know a sale might be possible, they’re unlikely to make an offer.

          I haven’t had time to work on the draft, so don’t really have an opinion. I thought your reasoning for taking a CB first was sound, but I can see WR and OT as well.

          1. All three are a need so the position the Niners are in is wait to see what falls to them at #13.
            So many teams above them have the same needs.
            I’d be happy with one of Henderson, Ruggs or Beckton.
            Wild card guess here, I think Derrick Brown is the guy they are targeting to move up and get.

            1. Prime,
              That’s not a bad wild-card scenario.
              Many football pundits have Brown as the best DT in this draft and surprisingly head and shoulders above Kinlaw. If he is truly that highly regarded the FO should do their due diligence to explore this.

              1. I don’t think he’s head and shoulders above kinlaw by any means. Teams that value pass rush more tend to prefer Kinlaw, those that value run D prefer Brown. They are pretty close.

    1. I’d take a 6th right now for him. He doesn’t have the passion for football. He’s a track athlete. That’s it. Stone hands to boot so whatever you get for him, take it.

    2. It’ll happen at some point. Highly doubtful he is on the roster this year regardless. Same with Breida.

        1. A 2nd? Not happening. But I suspect he will get moved for a day 3 pick at some point. Might be a 2021 day 3 pick though, and after the draft.

            1. No. That’s the bargaining point. Teams like the Titans and the Jets were sniffing around, and that’s why they put the 2nd round tender on him. You ask for a 2, they offer a 4 and hopefully you meet in the middle. I’d be happy with a 4….

  13. Peter King: A rumor is making the rounds that the Chiefs would like to trade up to select Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs.

    1. That would take some serious draft capital. So it’s hard for me to give any credence to that rumor.

  14. we are not abandoning you during this critical period of the NFL offseason.

    Music to the rabble’s ears, Phil! Here’s hoping you don’t abandon us beyond this critical period either.

  15. Pot…Kettle
    QUESTION: Are we still doing the mock draft beginning tomorrow morning? If so, I’ll post Clevelands #1 draft pick tomorrow morning.

  16. Welcome back Phil. Will it just be for this week?

    Hope if you’re sticking around you’ll be willing to reply and engage with us. Grant had his failing but one main reason this board has really thrived was that Grant was mostly very interactive with us.

    If they just want someone to post their articles on here and split, then I’d suggest they just go ahead and shut it down.

  17. Interesting. The NFL did a dry run, testing the system. There were a few glitches, but JL said it went fairly smoothly, and it made them internalize a lot.
    .
    I think the picks were a smoke screen, because Derrick Brown went third, and Miami did not draft a QB at 5. The Chargers did not move up, and Tua fell into their laps. Okuda lasted until 8, the 3 WRs were gone by 12, and the Niners picked CJ Henderson and Tee Higgins.
    .
    The Bucs took Andrew Thomas, so both the Broncos and Dolphins may want to leapfrog ahead of the Bucs and get Thomas. If the Niners move back with the Broncos 2 spots, they could still get Kinlaw, because he went at 16 to the Falcons.
    .
    I still think Grier is going to take Tua, because he has such a high upside, and if he fails, it just sets them up for the Lawrence sweepstakes. The Chargers will be happy with either, and it did not cost them a high pick.

      1. My bad, It was posted right after the news about the practice run, and said NFL Live, so I assumed it was the results of the practice run. They have not disclosed who was picked.

  18. Welcome Phil! I’ve always considered you among the top writers around. I’m excited that you are here. It was definitely time for Grant to move on, and I wish him luck. I will miss The Drone Zone, and of course all the Film Study and super positive pieces he wrote. He didn’t have a negative bone in his body concerning the team. Wink wink. Furthermore, his football acumen was beyond reproach. Just ask him. I will always be bewildered that an NFL team never picked him up as an adviser, or even coordinator or assistant coach. I expect to see a statue of him outside on the grassy knoll alongside Old Redwood Highway. Ok, excuse me while I remove my tongue from my cheek. Welcome aboard Phil. Good argument for the OT Phil but that’s not going to happen, IMHO. Haven’t done my yearly one and only mock where I always get as many right as Seb. Lol. I’ll give you a hint Seb. 3rd and 17. By the way Seb, been out of the country, how did the surgery go? :)

    1. I am still here! Thanks for asking. ;p
      .
      I think there will be a trade back, maybe even 2, so I will be happy.

      1. Good to here Seb. I know surgically removing ones nose from someone’s a$$ (yours from Iggy’s) can be dangerous. I’m happy the procedure went well! ;-)

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