Originally posted by CorvaNinerFan:
Going in, Baalke has 5 picks in the 1st 3 rds...#31, 34, 61, 74 & 93. After all your trades, you still have 5 picks in the first 3 rds...you gained a 1st rd pick in 2014, assuming the Bills would make that trade. Instead of picking at #31, the first pick is #42. The risk I see in doing what you propose is we'd arguably make the first pick after most if not all the best DL are off the board. I'm also against drafting a "pure" NT...i.e. a player who only plays that position. There are a number of elite "bigs" who can play anywhere on the DL...by trading out of the #31 and #34 slots, that could be too late to get one of them. If Slay's still on the board at the end of the 2nd rd, great. However, his stock has been rising since the Senior Bowl & combine, so he could be taken before Banks. I understand that Amerson could be a FS...for me, I'd rather see Baalke draft a FS with experience (in that position), like Phillip Thomas. I'm all for getting more picks in the #20 - 70 range...NFL experts agree that's the best pocket of talent in this draft. I'm just not sure Baalke would need to sacrifice the first two picks to achieve that. He's got late 3rd, 4th, 5th and even 6th rd picks to use...if he can net 7 picks in the 1st three rds, that could well be enough to come away with. There's arguably a finite number that stand to make the roster, anyway.
Good post, good thoughts.
The Bills pick later than the other qb needy teams. G. Smith is gone at #3. If they could jump teams for their qb in the trade and still have their original 2nd too, the trade is plausible, because they may feel theyll be a better team next year. I think they'll be in the hunt for the number 1 pick.
My first reasoning for the trades are that no dominant dl are just going to appear in late April. To be a great defense, you have to stop the run. Why pick one with queston marks on thursday (J. W.) when the value isn't there and you have the stock to target a fierce NT with penetrating ability the next day? I like B. Williams to anchor and shut down the run. In the Nickel, bring in the four man front with dorsey on the depth chart.
I love Slay. Cover corner. Depth at cb. Hope he is there and we target him.
Amerson is one of my fav defenders. He has range and speed to play on the backend. A little over aggressive sometimes but can read the qb well and has great hands. Doesn't Amersons versatility just scream, "the 49ers way"?
I may have misunderstood what you meant by coming away with 7 picks in the first 3 rounds but I think Baalke wants more ammo for early picks next year so that our early draftees can be staggered with their contracts also. And there's plenty of players on the roster today capable, but bringing in early picks for comp IS the 49ers way.
And Baalke is a master at taking all the advantage he can with giving a little to gain a lot. All of us see the qb needy teams and where they are slotted. Baalke is thinking what he does every year, trying to gain higher picks for the future.