Drafting a TE This Year: Why it Would Possibly Be a GREAT Move

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Hear me out on this, fellas. I have begun to SERIOUSLY start to feel on board with drafting another TE for this Harbaugh system that loves to utilize them. I am beginning to consider that with what we and the Patriots have done, the league may copycat and start to shift towards a 4WR-4TE or 4-4 offensive package where every team has 1-2 TEs that can double as WR's like Gronk/Hernandez and Davis/Walker. What if we (or they, the Patriots) added another monster TE to the team? How do you cover THREE BIG, FAST, TEs running around the field all at once? It's a mismatch nightmare. You have to have someone who can physically matchup with all of them both in terms of size and/or speed.

I mean, think about it. Say we draft Fleener in the 1st and then one or two other receivers to compete with our current corps. This year, we carried 2 FB, 3 TE, and 5 WR (until Braylon was let go). What if next year, we hold 4 TEs and just the one FB. Byham can double as an H-back/FB.

Laying it out, a possible scenario:

WR Crabtree
WR Morgan
WR ROOKIE**
WR Ginn
WR Williams or ROOKIE**

TE Vernon Davis
TE Delanie Walker
TE Colby Fleener**
TE Nate Byham (TE/FB)

FB Bruce Miller
FB Nate Byham (TE/FB)

I actually, after thinking about it, could come to LOVE this idea. Again, mismatch NIGHTMARE. With the development and emerging of these "Super TEs" .. teams are going to have to figure out a way to stop them. These "Super TEs" seem like an especially great idea for us because they can help as much in the pass game as they could with their size and power in the run game.

Think of the packages we could run. Just think about it. Here are a few draw-ups.

Originally posted by hofer36:

OIC, are you grant dohn..he posted column today pushing for the fleener to niners pick

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by hofer36:
OIC, are you grant dohn..he posted column today pushing for the fleener to niners pick

Hah, interesting that more people are jumping on board. I think everyone's starting to see what a good TE combo can do. Teams that currently do this are:

49ers - Davis/Walker
Panthers - Shockey/Olsen
Patriots - Gronk/Hernandez
Texans - Daniels/Dreessen
Lions - Pettigrew/Scheffler

Originally posted by dhp318:

We could even run 4 TE sets. Wutttt

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by dhp318:
We could even run 4 TE sets. Wutttt

What would be hilarious is a goal-line package shift. With Fleener, Byham, Davis, and Walker.. all are so capable at blocking, we could easily run or pass. So think about it.. All 4 TEs in the game... Byham and Walker lined up tight next to the left tackle, Davis and Fleener in tight next to the right tackle.. It looks like a run for sure.

BOOM. SHIFT.

All TE's split out wide except for Byham, who stays on the line. Walker wide left, Davis in the slot, Fleener wide right. "Uh oh."

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:
Only if one of the top WRs is not available. Maybe TE in the 2nd or 3rd rounds, not sure about 1st.

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:

Only if one of the top WRs is not available. Maybe TE in the 2nd or 3rd rounds, not sure about 1st.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:
Only if one of the top WRs is not available. Maybe TE in the 2nd or 3rd rounds, not sure about 1st.

Elite tight end>>>>>average WR.


6'6", 240, 4.6 40 vs 6'1, 205, 4.5 40.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:
Only if one of the top WRs is not available. Maybe TE in the 2nd or 3rd rounds, not sure about 1st.

Elite tight end>>>>>average WR.


6'6", 240, 4.6 40 vs 6'1, 205, 4.5 40.

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:
The only WRs who are signed for next year are Crabtree and Williams. Let's think about that for a second. Morgan might be back but he'll be a big question mark with his injury.

I'd be hoping that we'll draft one of the top-5 WRs available in the draft and that he would be more than just an average WR.