The 49ers come into this upcoming FA period (starting March 4th) loaded for bear in the draft department. They have (not including their 3 compensatory picks):
1. First round, No. 31 (No. 31 overall)
2. Second round, No. 31 (No. 61 overall)
3. Third round, No. 12 (No. 74 overall): Carolina Panthers via 2012 Draft trade
4. Third round, No 31 (No. 93 overall)
5. Fourth round, No. 31 (TBA)
6. Fifth round, No. 24 (TBA): Indianapolis Colts via 2012 Draft trade
7. Fifth round, No. 31 (TBA)
8. Sixth round, No. 12 (TBA): Miami Dolphins via 2012 Draft trade
9. Sixth round, No. 31 (TBA)
10. Seventh round, No. 21 (TBA): Cincinnati Bengals via Taylor Mays trade
11. Seventh round, No. 31, (TBA)
The Niners will get a 3rd (or 4th) round comp pick plus two 7th round comps for a total of 14 draft picks. That’s a lot of bodies. And they haven’t even traded Alex Smith yet. Who knows how many picks that brings?
Anyhow, this gives Trent Baalke and the braintrust many many scenarios to pursue in order to get their desired players. Frankly, I could see them trading down and getting picks for 2014. And trading for 2014 picks with Alex. The good news for the Niners is this is not a top-heavy draft, but it is a very deep draft for their particluar needs. DL and secondary. This draft is also notable for the fact there may not be a QB taken in the 1st round. Unheard of, but possible. I mean, if Aaron Rodgers can slip to 25, Geno Smith could slide to 35. Matt (hot-tub) Barkley? Hello 47. The Niners will have six picks in the first 4 rounds. They can address their pressing need for defensive backfield help (and depth) and add more stout bodies to the D line. Maybe a DE/OLB pass rusher as well. The mid-late rounds will be reserved for wideouts, and maybe the possible TE if the Niners don’t deal for Ertz. Not likely but possible when you look at the struggles they had in the red zone. You’d think between Crabs and VD, someone would get open, but VD was usually double covered, Crabs drew a lot of attention, Moss was a non-factor, and the rest weren’t up to the task. Also, they’ll get a kicker late. I don’t think there’s much doubt re the fate of David Akers. He of the 63 yard FG in week 1. Although if he healthys up, who knows if Jimbo lets him stay.
I of course look to NJ49er and 12th (among others) to provide the essential need-to-know guys available in the draft. Once free agency rolls around and player moves are made throughout the league, I’ll start paying attention to the mock drafts and such. I don’t know too much about the players this year, but I’ve been pretty good at assessing the Niners needs these past few years. Really!
Forty Niners Forever 
I’m praying to Jesus H. Fucking Christ that Smith goes to Arizona.
No need to bait our hook twice a year. It’ll be like shooting fish in a barrel.
I’m sure Norv would love to have Alex back, and Reid would dig on a guy like Alex after his puppy killer seasons.
I’m still not ready to talk 49er football yet, but if Randy Moss is on this team next year I’ll Christopher Dorner that fucker myself.
I was very disappointed in how that situation turned out. I was thinking Sonny at the causeway in “The Godfather.” Fill ’em full of holes…
The Sanchez contract isn’t an issue. First off, anyone see the Eagles asking Nnamdi to restructure? Why not Sanchez? I know Nnamdi’s owed 4 guaranteed and written up for 15. I don’t know Sanchez’s contract. But I do know the Jets need to fix their team in a big way. I don’t think the Chiefs need to make such a splash even though they went 2-14 or something like that. They were recently competitive under Haley. The other thing is that Reid likes athletic qbs. That’s certainly NOT Alex Smith.
I just read the Sanchez contract extension you guys are claiming is the end of the world. It’s 8 million guaranteed for ’13 That’s it. That’s essentially Alex Smith’s contract next year. Sure, the 49ers are bluffing that they’d pay Smith 8 million to hold a clipboard, but it’s not unfathomable to have a guy on the sidelines holding a clipboard making 8. But if you look at Sanchez and remember how candid the guy is in interviews, he could easily agree to restructure. Easily. I just don’t buy that Sanchez has to be the guy as the starter because of the guarantee. I also don’t buy (considering how much the Jets are dumping right now) that the Jets couldn’t carry both Sanchez and Smith. But the biggest obstacle to a Smith trade with the Jets isn’t Sanchez’s contract, it’s Matt Flynn.
Reid likes a game manager.
He didn’t get that from Vick.
As for Sanchez, he sucks.
It’s not the QB you worry about, it’s the 8+Mil he ties up at the position.
Alex for 8+ or Sanchez for 8+? Advantage Alex.
As starting QBs go, 8+/ is very Cap friendly. Especially in a situation like we have with a young underpaid Kaep.
That’s what makes him somewhat attractive to the right suitor.
Unlikely the NYJ tie up 16+ for both.
Not saying it can’t happen, saying it’s highly unlikely.
Flynn makes more than both combined I believe.
As I mentioned awhile back, Flynn and Idzik are Seattle guys.
Strictly from that point of view, i don’t see Idzik helping us out in any way shape or form.
Woody Johnson on the other hand?
He’s the boss. If Woody says do the deal for Alex who are we to argue?
That’s the thing you guys aren’t realizing, though, about Smith, Flynn and Sanchez. The rookie salary cap drives their value down, and thus the price down. Those guys will all have to take a pay cut next year. You’ll see.
No doubt the Market is getting watered down.
The topic is moving Alex now.
Sanchez may be out of a job next year.
Flynn is under Contract just like Sanchez.
Alex is cheaper than Flynn with more time on his Contract.
It’s not end of the world stuff.
Alex as an $8Mil backup to us is the same as Sanchez being an $8Mil backup to Alex.
Release Flynn or Sanchez, you get beat on the Cap.
Not sure what the hit is with Flynn but, as you know it all gets accelerated to the 2013 Cap if dumped.
We have an out with Alex. Pay $1Mil in March, hope to deal him before April 1.
The game is, who blinks first, us or a potential suitor?
A BIG if, is whether we hold Alex beyond April 1 and hope to deal him or, risk having an $8Mil backup.
Beyond a watered down Market is the fact that nobody entering the Draft is worth squat right away, advantage Alex.
KC could, I believe, dump Cassell and replace him with Alex without much negative Cap impact.
Stories are out there about Andy Reid possibly dealing for his former QB Nick Foles.
Certainly a cheaper option to Alex but, nothing gained for immediate improvement.
I read that Cassel is making about the same as Alex.
Again, not sure what the Cap hit is, in terms of guaranteed money getting accelerated, if he were dumped in KC.
NJ – teams have the leverage even in a guaranteed contract situation. The opportunity of starting is the leverage. Take a guy like Sanchez. You tell him you’ll cut him and he can look for backup work else where and pay him his 8 million guaranteed and he’ll consider staying with his teammates and competing regardless who they bring in. Where would Sanchez go to become a starter? Once the NFL considers you a backup, you’re a backup.
Guys like Flynn, Smith, Cassel and Sanchez will all have to take pay cuts to stay with their respective teams, or be attractive to new ones.. Not all of them will restructure but some of them will. Otherwise, it’s off to a new system, and potential backup status. Think Jason Campbell.
Spit the 2013 money is guaranteed to Sanchez, short of him restructuring.
I’m with you on the leverage, that’s what all this is based on.
We have the starter. He’s proven he can win in the Playoffs and minimize mistakes.
We’re good in terms of what we’re selling.
It’s incumbent on the suitors to drive up his value to us.
KC and Cassel seem to be the best ‘Win/Win’ for both sides.
They have pieces in place and need the QB to make it go.
What I was trying to convey with Sanchez is, he may not see another Contract after this one.
If Woody falls on the sword and cuts him loose, he gets $8Mil to leave.
His $8Mil is all his, thanks to Tannenbaum.
He’s about done in the League right now.
Who pays him starter money after this Contract? Likely no one. Would you part with $8Mil guaranteed? I sure wouldn’t. But, as you say, Sanchez ain’t too bright.
Flynn? Not sure what the terms are but he got a MAJOR deal last year from Seattle.
What’s guaranteed? I don’t know off the top of my head.
Try this on however.
Flynn restructures in order to be traded to NYJ?
Idzik helps himself and Seattle with the same move.
I think it would be smarter for Sanchez to restructure, not dumber. If Sanchez shows he’s reasonable and willing to compete for contracts, that raises his value league-wide and could make him more than 8 million for the rest of the career. That’s what I’ve always believed about football players. Don’t over-leverage one contract and destroy the chance for other contracts.
Just as we hold Alex’s Contract and control his rights, we gamble with $7.5Mil on April 1.
Assuming of course that we hold him with the March Roster Bonus.
It’s a game of Chicken.
Find a Trade partner, preferably 2 and start a bidding war.
Teams know what we have to do with him.
Alex is our property.
Will we hold him is the question.
Mixed messages all the way around.
‘We’ll release Alex early’ followed by ‘It’s unlikely he’ll be let go’.
Who knows?
All posturing at this point.
What if we get low-balled for Alex?
We could still play Chicken and keep him certainly.
Alex has zero options in this process.
I want him to go anywhere that gets us compensation.
Would Baalke hold him?
I can’t see it.
But it’s definitely a possibility.
NJ, your poetry, whether intentional or not, has me thinking.
I like it. That’s all that matters. It caught my eye, and grabbed my attention.
Speaking of attention….get a load of this shit…I had an honest to goodness premonition of your comment…
NJ49er says:
February 23, 2013 at 11:50 pm
Stories are out there about Andy Reid possibly dealing for his former QB Nick Foles.
Certainly a cheaper option to Alex but, nothing gained for immediate improvement.
I read that Cassel is making about the same as Alex.
Again, not sure what the Cap hit is, in terms of guaranteed money getting accelerated, if he were dumped in KC.
When I saw it for the first time, I got spooked.
But I saw it coming.
Anywho, I feel it.
What I really felt, believe it or not, was a dream last night where I’m a ticker taker at Candlestick. I was standing there at the turnstile when a young lady gave me a white placard with the #6 attached. I have absolutely no idea if that #6 placard was worth the price of admission,
Shit. Am I starting to lose it? Feel free to say so.
It’s not the alcohol, I’m being honest. But I think I’m slipping away.
It’s the goddamn fucking super Bowl. I’m still in denial. That’s my problem.
Thanks Del, hope the 6 placard has a Lombardi assigned to it?
Hang onto that one Pal.
SIX is our FIX.
Our SB loss was a wake up call.
Look at the upside.
Kaep was playing in his 10th game as a starter.
Randy was invisible.
The play calling in the Red Zone was moronic considering Ngata was injured and……we almost pulled it off.
Look at the bright side.
We’re young and holding 14 Draft Picks.
Alex is likely moving on too.
All good reasons to forget the SB loss and accept the message that we got there and, gave them a damn scare after spotting them a double digit lead.
I’ve resigned myself to the fact that we didn’t get beat so much as we didn’t play well enough to win.
Think of the Secondary getting younger and faster after the Draft.
Think of another Aldon Smith or a younger Justin Smith getting added to the DL rotation..
Think of a potential WR Group that stretches the Field and gives Kaep some deep threat ability.
Think of Alex playing………ANYWHERE BUT HERE?
Cheering you up yet?
Let’s try this.
Alex who?
It IS the alcohol.
Mark Sanchez signs a 58 million dollar contract in 2012 with over 20 million guaranteed.
Utter bullshit to think he would restructure and the cap hit the Jets would take in doing so in 2013.
The Jets were stupid to sign him to this and now they have to live with it. No way out until after 2014.
NASCAR is really getting gung ho on spectator safety after yesterday’s final lap crash that sent half a motor and every imaginable piece of shrapnel hurling into the stands that injured some innocent fans.
Shit. 49er fans have had to endure much worse. Alex Smith has been flinging foreign objects into the first three rows at Candlestick for eight good years.
There’s no chance Alex is here after 3/31. And there’s no chance NYJ eats Sanchez’,s contract.
Speculate all you want, spotty, but the deal comes down to KC or Cleve.
JAX?
Lol – there’s no chance Alex goes to Cleveland. They have Weeden and McCoy. Weeden has potential.
I think the deal comes down to the Jets and KC, with Arizona potentially being used only as leverage.
And I’m not saying the Jets eat the Sanchez contract. I think they ask him to restructure and compete for the job. Look at what the Eagles are doing with Nnamdi. The Eagles are publically asking him to restructure. He does have half the guaranteed money, but the Eagles are putting PR pressure on Nnamdi to find a number more in line with his productivity. I think the Jets could do the same thing with Sanchez.
And speaking of Nnamdi – the Niners are looking for a number one cornerback. Not sure if that’s Nnamdi anymore, but he’s another potential guy out there who the Niners might have some interest in. Juan Castilla didn’t help Nnamdi’s career any. Who takes an offensive line coach and turns him into defensive coordinator. Whoops! That might be the soul reason Andy got fired.
The non call that haunts me and I feel is the real reason we lost the game was the mugging of Miller on the Ravens kick return first play of the second half. How in the world a flag was not thrown is ludicrous. It took all the “feel good” out of the Niners after the rah rah halftime speech and would have required a record setting comeback after that 7 went on the board.
The last 4 plays and Crabs contact are all issues too, but the Miller mugging is not debatable, it was an indesputable penalty and it cost our team the game.
Tavon Austin WR/PR blazing fast at the Combine…4.25 40..Like the kid alot,would be a great slot reciever,punt returner,ala Percy Harvin.Real game changer player.
Problem is size at 5’8 18O lbs,though he has been quite durable througout is college career.
Patterns his game after Wes Welker,but much faster.
Crazy fast and Marquis Goodwin ran the same time, both unofficially so far. That kind of speed can be a game changer.
More like Trindon Holloway then.
Austin ran a 4.34 officially, Goodwin a 4.27. Wicked fast.
Speed is soooooo overrated at the combine. AJ Jenkins fast, Mohammed Sanu slow. One went late 1st, the other 3rd. Who had the better rookie year? The Ravens Boldin is slower than an Unca cranial neuron. Speed is great, but I’ll take a guy who can run routes, setup DBs with head, shoulder and hip fakes, and can catch a football. In addition, I’ll take a guy who can break tackles. All these small fast guys end up on the bench hurt in the playoffs because they’re small – Manningham, Kyle and Hunter. In this draft, give me guys who are bigger and slower….. we have enough small fast guys.
I want speed and fearlessness at PR Spit. Field position is crucial, it often seemed like Ginn could have gotten 2-5 yds more with stepping inside rather than out of bounds but that would have meant contact.
Vision, lateral moves and fearlessness make a good PR. Speed is important, but it’s not everything.
Not many great PR with average speed out there Spit. After catching ability I would place speed as the next highest priority in the required skillset with guts coming in 3rd.
Hunter had the best YPA of the running backs by 1/2 a yd at 5.2. I feel like he lives in Gore’s well deserved shadow a little bit. He was out of his walking boot on 23rd of January ahead of schedule but I’ve heard nothing since. If he keeps to schedule for an achilies tear he is training full speed at the end of May/mid June.
Not sure why you think Hunter or Manningham are particularly small Spit, Williams is on the small and slight side.
Manningham, Hunter and Kyle are all smaller skill players. Hunter is much more muscular, but he’s not a banger, and we all know he’s short.
Hunter runs between the tackles well and is hard to bring down, has speed to the outside, good in pass pro blitz pick up too. I think he pushes Gore for carries in TC presuming the injury is 100%. Last season saw the team transition from Gore’s team to Kap’s and I think that progression continues with Hunter gaining more prominence in the run game as he was the most productive runner by carry and is entering his 3rd year. Gore will probably be the starter but his carries will be reduced IMO.
I agree, and I love Hunter….. hope he makes a complete return. I just think the 49ers need bigger bodies at the skill positions this draft.
I would like bigger, stronger WR.
Tavon Austin is a game changer.
There’s fast and then, there’s quick, he has it both ways.
Very similar to LMJ in terms of shiftiness.
Ginn is a wimp.
Heads for the sidelines instead of attacking a lane and following his blocks.
What Jacoby did to us in the SB is something Ginn rarely looks to do.
He was hung up on being a WR and didn’t seem to relish the PR duties.
If he had any hands his speed is top shelf.
I’m with you 12th regarding the Bruce Miller MUGGING on that opening second half KO.
He was literally lifted off the ground in the middle of the Field by 2 Ravens.
Show me where lifting someone isn’t considered holding.
Maybe David Blaine gets away with that but……..
I like Austin too, in 3 wr sets he projects as a quick slot guy with breakaway speed.
Whats youre take on Gore, Hunter?
Hunter is a keeper.
Gore is running out of time of course.
I’m anxious to see Jewel in action.
He is very much the Frank clone between the Tackles.
Hunter is fine, gives us the breakaway threat that Frank no longer can.
I’m putting RB Le’Veon Bell from Michigan St on the wish list too.
Big Bruiser with pass catching abilities.
He’d be a nice weapon for us I think.
Keep TE Vance McDonald from Rice on the radar too.
Not the huge target I’d like at the position but, the guy could be an easy answer for Delanie should we fail to retain him.
One can only hope.
Read that Ricardo Lockette is 1 of 3 WRs working in GA with Kaep right now.
Lockette has been hanging on with us for a little while and happened to be one of the Combine Speed Freaks a few years back.
He had KR abilities at Ft Valley State too. One of those sub 4.4 guys.
Very possible he, Chad Hall and AJ are vying for that deep threat position we seem to be so hungry for.
He was listed as a high ceiling guy that needed development.
Sure would be nice to have an ex-Seattle cast off pan out for us.
Dude is ripped and is an ex-Track guy.
Maybe we have the diamond in the rough?
http://nwe.scout.com/2/1068667.html
He is one of half a dozen guys the Niners have on PS and depth chart that appear to be on the cusp of playing time. They have an embarrassement of riches in existing depth and 14 picks or better coming up. Hard to know which of the lesser known team guys can break through. Lockette didn’t do much from memory to stand out but he has been able to stay on the team so maybe.
I know 12th, we’re managing to keep a solid core of developmental guys under wraps.
I have no problems with that.
Having all the additional Picks is a bonus.
Chad Hall has some speed and KR ability too.
As Harbaugh has eluded to time and again, iron sharpens iron.
Keep these guys hungry and promote competition.
Hoping it pays dividends down the road.
Well Cordalle Patterson ran a 4.34 40.If we want to go big 6’3 205.
Still they probably go D first.
Austin is gonna be special though.See him as.aajor force,game changer whocould be the “Man” on PR,field postion,deep threat,dude has breakaway speed,perfect for Kap to use from the slot postion IMO.
Cordarelle is probably gonna be the 1st WR off the board Alleykat.
He’d be a nice option for us certainly.
I’m curious about his team mate WR Justin Hunter.
Both guys are blazing fast and have size.
I’m in the same boat, Defense is probably a better move early.
Tavon has been a favorite of mine however. Very versatile but, very small.
One Offensive position I wouldn’t rule out at Pick 31is a TE if the right guy landed in our lap.
As far as the holding call on the kickoff return, Miller would have had to be taken down for a holding call to be made, by rule.
Gotta like that ‘Forklift’ approach going forward NoFear49er.
Something we can work on perhaps?
Kid has his pads exposed after that play.
Couldn’t believe it.
Ancient history 2 seconds after it happened however.
Hey NJ49er, yeah they doubled him pretty good and held him up until Jones had passed, evidently in a legal play.
I would have added the proper attribution but I can’t remember now where I read that.
Really NF? Does that sound right? I won’t argue the point since I don’t really know but if that play was legal something needs to change.
Anyone read what DE Sam Montgomery from LSU had to say about betting with team mate Mingo while playing at LSU?
What an idiot.
He’s off the list now.
I’m anxious to see FSU DE ‘Tank’ Carradine now.
He’s coming off an ACL and might be worth a Pick as a ‘Value’ guy.
Here’s the piece –
Stupid is as stupid does…….
http://tinyurl.com/af6hcyu