What strategy do you use for next year's draft?

If it was up to me, I'd try to draft good players. But maybe the Niners will try to incorporate a different strategy...

IMHO. BPA

This organization has shown an ability to bring in second tier FAs who blossom. Why? Because the coaching and systems are elite. The defense has some stars but many of their players are just fitting into the scheme and are smart enough to know this.

With this in mind:

1) Many FAs will want to stay at a lower cost (Rogers).
2) Team tends to draft for the future and fill in with Vet FAs as necessary (L Davis, Cox).
3) Will not go much over the cap so outrageous offers from other teams will take a few (Morgan & Snyder).
4) Team needs quality in the draft more and more so I can't see them using all their picks next year. Will trade up.
5) Winning a Super Bowl will make many FAs want to stay but a few will cash in...Moss? Probably not. He will likely stay unless he doesn't like the offense.

Baalke and Harbaugh have created a team atmosphere that can be self sustaining...players want to play here, stay here. They understand that the team has to fit everyone under the cap and they are bringing in guys who have the character to appreciate that fact. I have been listening to all the camp interviews this week--catching up after a vacation--and really like what I'm hearing from vets and rookies. These guys are mature and really down to earth. That is not an accident. Compare that to the Jets, where the coach is the biggest loose cannon in the NFL...players feel that gives them the right to mouth off as well. Very disrespectful atmosphere back east.

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
This organization has shown an ability to bring in second tier FAs who blossom. Why? Because the coaching and systems are elite. The defense has some stars but many of their players are just fitting into the scheme and are smart enough to know this.

With this in mind:

1) Many FAs will want to stay at a lower cost (Rogers).
2) Team tends to draft for the future and fill in with Vet FAs as necessary (L Davis, Cox).
3) Will not go much over the cap so outrageous offers from other teams will take a few (Morgan & Snyder).
4) Team needs quality in the draft more and more so I can't see them using all their picks next year. Will trade up.
5) Winning a Super Bowl will make many FAs want to stay but a few will cash in...Moss? Probably not. He will likely stay unless he doesn't like the offense.

Baalke and Harbaugh have created a team atmosphere that can be self sustaining...players want to play here, stay here. They understand that the team has to fit everyone under the cap and they are bringing in guys who have the character to appreciate that fact. I have been listening to all the camp interviews this week--catching up after a vacation--and really like what I'm hearing from vets and rookies. These guys are mature and really down to earth. That is not an accident. Compare that to the Jets, where the coach is the biggest loose cannon in the NFL...players feel that gives them the right to mouth off as well. Very disrespectful atmosphere back east.

Very well said and no doubt the entire team reflects Jim Harbaugh's attitude. You can tell by the way they act, answer the medias, questions, how they play and train, etc. So glad we don't have a team with players that criticize each other to the public. I like how Jim put an end to the fighting early on by sending Tyms to the locker room. Other coaches would encourage it. Like Jim says that does not help us accomplish our goals. One of the best ways to have a good team is to have players that play for each other and their coaches. Nobody wants to let their teammate or coach down. Same with the coaches.. they all don't want to let each other down or their players. Plus the open dialog and Jim being a coach that listens to everyone on his staff and isn't a guy who acts like he knows everything. Also, I love how the attitude changed and players/coaches all gave each other credit while deflecting any positive attention from themselves.

Anyways, back to the draft I would agree that most of our own free agents should re-sign next year. Baring guys wanting too much don't see how we don't get anybody back that we want. Then again we might have to make some sacrifices to stay under the cap. I would also agree that we do a bunch of trading up. We will have some depth to fill but probably not more than 1 or 2 starting spots. I hope we use some of those extra pics to move up in rounds. If we keep doing this right we can keep reloading and keep building for the future. Personally, I wouldn't take too many risks in next year's draft. We are a good enough team so I would be looking for sure things, good solid players. If you do take risks use the later picks to gamble.

I still think drafting good players is the way to go.

I would definitely trade up with some. We don't need that many picks. And we will pick real late. So we need quality. Not quantity. To achieve it I think we need to move up some. But that can be moving up in the mid draft too. It doesn't have to be at the beginning necessarily. But if you have that much amo with not that many positions on the team available it's foolish not to use it IMO.

I thought they would trade up this year but they fooled me and seemed to do what the situation called for...if a player did not fall in a spot they estimated they traded down. They traded up for certain players. It seems they target specific players and positions and take the best they can get.

It is a good way of working the draft but we have become a team so loaded that bad teams will really watch our cuts making it more difficult to hide or stash players.

With Gore, Smith and Moss having limited playing time left, I think it might be the window to trade up and get impact players.

Our team doesn't seem to have any immediate holes to fill in the next year or two. I wouldn't mind using a play out of the Patriots playbook and trade our 1st rounders the next couple of years or high draft 1sts for multiple seconds....I think thats how you rebuild in this era.

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:
Our team doesn't seem to have any immediate holes to fill in the next year or two. I wouldn't mind using a play out of the Patriots playbook and trade our 1st rounders the next couple of years or high draft 1sts for multiple seconds....I think thats how you rebuild in this era.

it deoends how this year develops but moss is on a 1 year contract if we resign goldson to a longterm deal i wouldnt mind trading up for an elite big bodied WR such as justin hunter to replace moss

also i think of we have a chance to get that TE from ND who is supposed to be a beast (best recieving TE to come out in a while) we should land him

If Goldson is back, we re-sign RJF/Sopoaga for starting NT, Boone works out, and the WRs do well I would have no problem trading back out of the 1st for say a 1st next year and an extra 2nd and/or 3rd. I think if our only problem is potentially a future center (if they don't think Kilgore is the future) then we could trade back and get one in the 2nd. If Goldson isn't back I see no reason to trade down unless they think Spillman is the answer. I would take a FS in round 1. Otherwise, I think we could target WR again if nobody steps up. Side note, I think we want Walker back since he is so versatile. If he isn't I don't think we spend a 1st on a backup TE. Especially if the WRs finally step up.

BPA at #32

And draft a 3-4 DE in the 2nd or 3rd round to groom behind Justin Smith for the next couple of years

Originally posted by Gore_21:
If Goldson is back, we re-sign RJF/Sopoaga for starting NT, Boone works out, and the WRs do well I would have no problem trading back out of the 1st for say a 1st next year and an extra 2nd and/or 3rd. I think if our only problem is potentially a future center (if they don't think Kilgore is the future) then we could trade back and get one in the 2nd. If Goldson isn't back I see no reason to trade down unless they think Spillman is the answer. I would take a FS in round 1. Otherwise, I think we could target WR again if nobody steps up. Side note, I think we want Walker back since he is so versatile. If he isn't I don't think we spend a 1st on a backup TE. Especially if the WRs finally step up.

Agree with this completely. S is my major concern next year and that will depend, as you stated, in the younger guys stepping up or signing Goldson.

Just wanted to update my needs (or potential needs) for next year:

FS - Will Goldson re-sign and are they comfortable with Spillman starting?

C - Goodwin could be replaced after this year. Is Kilgore the future at center?

WR - Ginn and Moss would be FAs leaving Manningham, Crabtree, Jenkins and Williams (maybe Chris Owusu/Palmer if they make it on the PS all year). If Moss does well and is back then it might not be a concern.

NT - Sopoaga and Ricky Jean-Francois are free agents. Look for us to re-sign at least one of them. Not sure Ian Williams could start.

Depth:
Backup T - Boone looking more and more like permanent RG, Davis might make it over Person for one of last OL spots. Nobody standing out as 3rd T. If Boone plays well at RG we don't want to be shifting him around and being the backup T.

4th OLB - Between an injured Cam Johnson, an out for the season Darius Fleming and a journeyman we could use another guy to rush the passer. Who knows what those guys bring long term.

Backup SS - Maybe if Spillman is thought of as the backup FS/SS we will be ok. Also, does Colin Jones make the roster?

ILB - Only if we lose Larry Grant and/or Tavares Gooden to FA

Down the list... CB, DE, 2nd TE (If we lose Walker to FA)

Must say, only one preseason game, but Kenny Wiggins looked pretty solid at RT to me.

People may chuckle, but I'm also starting to think Dobbs has a real chance to develop into a good DE starter. Maybe he really can be the heir apparent to Justin. Lots of draft picks, but not really seeing a lot of needs. I can see us going with yet another WR at pick # 32.