It's mock offseason time!

I don't have the command some of you do with draft prospects or mid-tier potential FAs from other teams, so this is more of a general strategy than a specific name-by-name mock. I also made it a bit more narrative than most I see in here, to give people something to debate/disagree with/add to.


Notable UFA re-signed: D. Goldson, D. Walker

Not sure why so many mocks are breaking up a Super Bowl team. Quite simply, these guys are both worth the amount of money they will command on the market. Teams aren't going to pay Walker to be a primary pass-catching TE. We can keep our Swiss Army Knife long-term for a mil or two a year, tops. And for Goldson, the absolute ceiling on his price tag is 5 years/$40m. He's one of the best all-around safeties in the NFL and we can afford him (and it will probably be a bit cheaper than that). "That's the kind of guy you want to reward." --J. Harbaugh.

Notable UFA lost: R. Moss, T. Ginn, I. Sopoaga, R. Jean-Francois, L. Davis. These guys are completely replaceable.

Notable cuts: D. Akers, P. Haralson, M. Manningham.

Free agency strategy: I'm not sure where my above plan leaves us against the cap. I think Rogers and Whitner are candidates to be cut if things are too tight. They are productive starters and I think our first choice would be to keep this unit together, but they can probably be replaced by cheaper guys in free agency. I'm hoping to see the bargain shopping FA strategy that has become Baalke's MO and that I've seen reflected in several people's mocks. Wait a few days, and then sign young-ish potential starters from other teams to short-term deals.

One highish-profile target: WR

Greg Jennings comes to mind. I can't see him getting big money with his age and recent injuries, but he could replace Manningham for us on a short-term deal. Whether Jennings or someone else, we need to bring in a veteran #2 WR to round out the corps with Crabtree, Williams, Jenkins, and draftee(s).

Draft:

1 - Datone Jones, DE, UCLA, 6'4" 283 lbs
2a - Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama, 6'3" 323 lbs
2b - Rush OLB
3a - CB
3b - TE


Rounds 4-7: Hoping to use some of these picks to move up and secure targets in rounds 1-3. With the leftovers, add another OL, WR/KR, S, K, and QB.


We've probably been the healthiest team in the NFL the past two years. Use two blue-chip picks on the DL because that is by far where we are the oldest and thinnest and it's the anchor of our defense. Next pick on a pass rusher; even though we have young studs in Aldon and Brooks, another specialist to share the load and compete with Cam Johnson and Darius Fleming is key. Keep mining in the middle rounds for future starting CBs like Brown and Culliver before. Finally, grab a long, pass-catching TE to complement Vernon Davis. I don't think drafting a TE and keeping Delanie are mutually exclusive, as Walker is essentially an H-back and core special teamer. But I think using our #1 on one of the big two TE would be a huge misallocation resources.

Luv goldson but he makes dumb mistakes N dumb mistakes at horrible times N at $9mill a yr no thanx walker at a mill or 2 is crazy for someone that goz on dropies streaks like he does ... think we should draft tha te ouuta UCLA he's a bigg red zone TD machine

Also Jennings maybe looking at a nice pay day with bowe signed N Wes close to signing bac with pats...

Originally posted by tatdwolf49:
Luv goldson but he makes dumb mistakes N dumb mistakes at horrible times N at $9mill a yr no thanx walker at a mill or 2 is crazy for someone that goz on dropies streaks like he does ... think we should draft tha te ouuta UCLA he's a bigg red zone TD machine

In 2011 Weddle got 5 years $40m $19m guaranteed at age 26 to remain with the Chargers. I think it's clear Goldson cares about money, but we can assume he'll stay here if we're willing to match what the market bears. That's $8m a year at the absolute worst.

Yea N goldson 29 now are u really willing to pay 8+ mill to a 33-34 yr old that mite get worse N frm what I heard we offered him bigg money N he still wantd more .. no way we can pay everybody on defense 7+ mill a yr N keep key offensive players also ...

Originally posted by tatdwolf49:
Yea N goldson 29 now are u really willing to pay 8+ mill to a 33-34 yr old that mite get worse N frm what I heard we offered him bigg money N he still wantd more .. no way we can pay everybody on defense 7+ mill a yr N keep key offensive players also ...

No one in the NFL ever stays around for their whole contract. Players say they want the "security" of a long-term deal, but when they actually need is the security of that guarantee before they become another cap casualty. Sign Goldson for 4 years, $32m with $16m guaranteed and then cut him when the cap space becomes more important elsewhere.

I'd rather take a shot at tha safety frm det younger has had a few injurys so we could bring in on tha cheap hopefully or even a one yr like Rogers N draft a safety or 2 cus whitner has 1 yr left

I am sold on the first two picks, but I don't think we can afford both Goldson and Walker. The market would have to really bring their asking price down to earth for that to happe.

You have us keeping Walker and drafting a TE in round 3? Who's going to play WR?

As for Goldson.... it's not that we can't afford him now. We could easily make room for him. It's 2 years down the road that I think Baalke is worried about. Our offense will get much more expensive with Kaepernick, Crabtree, A. Davis, and Iupati all with extensions looming. And we can't forget about Aldon Smith. Premier pass rushers are almost as expensive as franchise QBs.

Can't pay a safety $8M. Even a good one. Not worth it.

Originally posted by blm7754:
You have us keeping Walker and drafting a TE in round 3? Who's going to play WR?

As for Goldson.... it's not that we can't afford him now. We could easily make room for him. It's 2 years down the road that I think Baalke is worried about. Our offense will get much more expensive with Kaepernick, Crabtree, A. Davis, and Iupati all with extensions looming. And we can't forget about Aldon Smith. Premier pass rushers are almost as expensive as franchise QBs.

Can't pay a safety $8M. Even a good one. Not worth it.

I get the salary cap concerns for 1-2 years down the road. But does that really make it so we have to lose our All-Pro safety this year when we are SB favorites? Isn't there a win-win contract we could come to that gets him a sizable guarantee but it's front-loaded?

As for Walker, I really think he's important. Not as a TE, but as an H-back and special teams player. I think he does enough to warrant a new contract, and it would be harder to replace him through the draft or free agency.

As for pass-catchers, I think it should be our highest priority in FA. Our WR group is just too thin, and I don't think the draft is going to be the place to get an immediately productive #2. If Jennings is too expensive, maybe Brandon Gibson or Brian Hartline or whoever. I like the idea of getting a tall RZ type TE to create additional matchup problems with VD.

Although I didn't put one in my top few picks, I think we should also take a WR or two down the line.

Goldson's deal will be similar to Bowman and Brooks' deals, low signing bonus, plus 750k roster bonuses, 100k workout bonuses, and incentives. If not, forget it.