Geek's Mock Plan v1.0

Resign - ($13M in 2013)
Dashon Goldson - FS
Ricky Jean-Francois - NT/DE
Tavares Gooden - ILB
Leonard Davis - OT/OG
Darcel McBath - FS

Release - ($7.5M in savings)
Parys Haralson - DE/OLB
Jonathan Goodwin - C

Extend - ($6M in savings)
Justin Smith - DT/DE
Donte Whitner - S
David Akers - K

Free Agency - ($2M in 2013)
Desmond Bryant - DT/DE - Raiders
*Bothered by a couple of injuries in 2012, Bryant was a nice rotational player in 2011 for the Raiders. He's good in run support, but has a nack of applying pressure to the QB. 6-6, 310+ frame, he'll add depth to the position.

Antwan Barnes - DE/OLB - Chargers
*Barnes has had a quiet 2012 after a breakout performance of 11 sacks in 2011. Coached by Fangio in the beginning of his career, Barnes can add a nice wrinkle to our pass rush arsenal as a rotational player. He'll be a cheaper option than keeping Haralson.

NFL Draft -

49ers trade up in 1st round via 3rd round pick

R1: Jesse Williams - NT/DE - Alabama
*Williams instantly replaces Isaac Sopoaga on our defensive line. Effective at demanding double teams and closing running lanes, Williams also does a nice job of applying pressure to the QB on passing situations. Needs to work on his tackling ability and lower body technique, but that's a coaching thing.

R2: Quinton Patton - WR - LA Tech
*With Randy Moss retiring, Patton is a nice replacement in our WR unit. Great size at 6-2 with a large wingspan, Patton has deceptive speed on short and intermediate routes, and has a knack of getting YAC. He also doesn't mind doing the dirty work in the running game. Also, remember....Moss and Ginn are gone, and Manningham is in the last year of his contract. We need the pipeline of talent, and Patton is a big upgrade to Ginn in the passing game.

R3: Kiko Alonso - ILB - Oregon (via Carolina)
*If it wasn't for his off the field issues, Alonso would be a late day 1, early day 2 pick. Outside of that, Alonso has great size (6-4) and does it all...tackle, cover, and has had a handful of INTs this year for Oregon. Potential replacement for Bowman perhaps?

R4: Jordan Reed - TE/FB - Florida
*Reed is a smooth route running and pass catcher in his hybrid TE/FB/WR role at Florida. Reminds me a bit of Delanie Walker. Needs to improve blocking technique, but provides a bigger #2 option for Alex Smith at the TE position.

R5: Graham Pocic - OG/C - Illinois (via Colts)
*6-7 center that will transition to guard in the pros.

R5: Micah Hyde - CB/FS/ST/PR - Iowa
*Hyde was arrested in mid-Oct which will cause teams to drop his value or remove him from their draft boards. But assuming he's worked his issues out, Hyde can be a nice add to the team. While he needs to improve his game in man coverage, Hyde does a nice job providing value in other areas. He's seen time at FS, PR, and as a gunner on special teams. Replaces Brock on the depth chart.

R6: Joe Vellano - DT/DE - Maryland (via Dolphins)
*Nice late-round prospect to compete with Bryant for the final defensive line spot.

R6: Brad McDougald - S - Kansas
*Additional competition at the safety spot vs. Trent Robinson.

R7: Ryan Otten - TE - San Jose State (via Carolina)
*Competes with Celek for the #3 TE role.

R7: Bruce Taylor - ILB - Virginia Tech (via Bengals)
*Competition with Gooden for the last ILB spot.

R7: Brett Maher - K/P - Nebraska
*Potential developmental prospect to succeed Akers. Good leg strength.

Depth Chart -

QB: Smith/Kaepernick/Tolzien
RB: Gore/Hunter/James/Dixon
FB: Miller/Tukuafu
TE: Davis/Reed*/Otten*

WR: Crabtree/Patton*
WR: Manningham/Jenkins
WR: Williams

LT: Staley (Boone/Davis)
LG: Iupati/Pocic*
C: Kilgore/Looney
RG: Boone/Davis
RT: Davis/Wiggins

LE: Smith/J. Williams*
NT: Jean-Francois/I. Williams
RE: McDonald/Bryant*

OLB: Smith/Fleming
ILB: Willis/Gooden
ILB: Bowman/Alonso*
OLB: Brooks/Barnes*

CB: Brown/Rogers/Hyde*
CB: Culliver/Cox
FS: Goldson/McBath/Robinson
SS: Whitner/Spillman

ST: Akers, Lee, Jennings

I like your first 4 picks a lot! Particularlly Jordan Reed TE/HB. It will be tough to resign Delanie Walker as I think he could get starter money elsewhere.

I don't like the idea of taking receivers so high in the draft in back to back years, i'm sure there are bigger receivers that can be had later in the draft, but hey if it's BPA then go for it

IMHO we wont take a WR before day 3 this seasons unless he is BPA and we can't find a trade partner to move back (see Looney - we could've taken him in the top of the 3rd?(IIRC) and we traded all the way back to the bottom the 4th rather then taken BPA in the 3rd and getting Looney in the 4th via another trade or selection).

We'd have to really want a WR to take him early and the only receiver with an early pick that we've heavily scouted is Robert Woods, other then that all of the WRs we've spent time intensely scouting are later prospects like Erik Highsmith(UNC), Marcus Davis(VT), Dyrell Roberts(VT), I know sending scouts to games doesn't tell us who were looking at but we've sent scouts to 4 UNC games and 5 VaTech games so we're obviously keen on certain players at those schools.

Woods or even Marqise Lee(for next year) definitely has the attention of Baalke and Gamble as our beat writers reported seeing them on the field watching the USC WRs do pre-game back in week 3 and since then we've sent scouts to 2 other USC games.

2013 WR's? In no particular order.....
AJ Jenkins
Kyle Williams
Michael Crabtree
Draft Pick**
Mario Manningham

Nice job . my only concern is resigning goldson. i just think he will cost to much.

Nice work. I think re-signing Dashon should be priority #1 for Baalke this off-season. The only concern I have is at center...is Kilgore ready to replace Goodwin so soon? I'd rather see if I can re-sign Goodwin and let Big Leonard Davis walk....

nice plan but GEEK, Dolphins pick is 6th round, and the 5th is Colts pick, so you're missing a pick.

Thanks for the kind words, all.

AB83 - Modified my mock draft accordingly. Thanks for the heads up.

In regards to drafting a WR early, look at teams like the Packers and Giants. Even with Jennings, Driver, and Jones on the roster, the Packers drafted Jordy Nelson...and he's one of the best WRs now. The Giants drafted Randle in the first round even with Cruz, Hicks, and Hagan ahead on the depth chart. Randle has found a niche in his rookie year, but oozes with potential.

Free agency and injuries deplete team's abilities to have continuous talent at the WR position. But by having a pipeline of talent, you can avoid that situation. Jennings has been injured for the Packers and Driver has declined, but Cobb and Nelson have stepped up.

Crabtree is nicely developing into the go-to WR for us. But it's been quite the journey for him to develop into the clear cut 1 WR. And behind him? We use a rotation of players (Moss, Manningham, Williams), but lack a clear cut 1B or even 2 option at the position.

I'm a firm believer that competition breeds success. And with Ginn and Moss out of the picture in 2013, Patton is a guy with Dwayne Bowe talent that will see the field in his rookie season.

SaksV - Remember in the beginning of training camp when we thought we were screwed with Boone at RG? Look how that turned out. If the coaching staff believes Kilgore can take over, then I wouldn't worry about it. Plus, Looney has seen time at center. And my mock drafts a center/guard player.

The minute you wrote KIko Alonzo as a replacement for Bowman, I stopped reading. There is no way the Niners let Bowman go.

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:

The minute you wrote KIko Alonzo as a replacement for Bowman, I stopped reading. There is no way the Niners let Bowman go.

You really think I want Bowman gone? I said potential replacement if we lose him. I hope we can extend Bowman this offseason, but it may not be likely.

As we look ahead from a cap standing...we are going to have to resign Iupati, Davis, Hunter, Crabtree, Manningham, Aldon Smith, and many others in the next 2-3 years...along with Bowman.

But at the very least, Alonzo provides a security blanket for us if Willis or Bowman get injured.

Originally posted by GEEK:

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:

The minute you wrote KIko Alonzo as a replacement for Bowman, I stopped reading. There is no way the Niners let Bowman go.

You really think I want Bowman gone? I said potential replacement if we lose him. I hope we can extend Bowman this offseason, but it may not be likely.

As we look ahead from a cap standing...we are going to have to resign Iupati, Davis, Hunter, Crabtree, Manningham, Aldon Smith, and many others in the next 2-3 years...along with Bowman.

But at the very least, Alonzo provides a security blanket for us if Willis or Bowman get injured.

Just checking geek. I like the first two picks, but don't think the Niners will have to trade up o get Williams. Free agency plan is solid.

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:

Originally posted by GEEK:

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:

The minute you wrote KIko Alonzo as a replacement for Bowman, I stopped reading. There is no way the Niners let Bowman go.

You really think I want Bowman gone? I said potential replacement if we lose him. I hope we can extend Bowman this offseason, but it may not be likely.

As we look ahead from a cap standing...we are going to have to resign Iupati, Davis, Hunter, Crabtree, Manningham, Aldon Smith, and many others in the next 2-3 years...along with Bowman.

But at the very least, Alonzo provides a security blanket for us if Willis or Bowman get injured.

Just checking geek. I like the first two picks, but don't think the Niners will have to trade up o get Williams. Free agency plan is solid.

Oh yeah, no worries.

You may be right about Williams if there's a rush on QBs in the first round.

who is the return man?

As long as we draft a tall, more physical WR. We tried Braylon Edwards (FAILED) and we know Randy Moss is only a short-term solution. I think we need a WR with a combination of size and speed.