In just a few short days, we all went from being happy that football is back, to bickering over the front office and this free agency. But instead of seeing this as a failure as some have suggested, maybe this is the plan.
Maybe this teams personel is very much all wrong for the kind of team Harbaugh and co. are wanting to build. We have had nearly a decade of horrible to mediocre football, instead of trying to build little by little and trying to turn a group of players 180 degrees, why not blow it up and build from scratch?
If you think about it, it actually makes a lot of the moves, thus far, add up:
Alex Smith: better a vet with little chance to succeed take the lumps during the mass transition.
Releasing some vets: out with the old and in with youth, to be trained in their earliest stages of there careers.
This is my thinking, it may be flawed or right on the money. I think its a risky move and I am for it, I would rather this team set itself up for a long stretch of success than a inconsistant run with lots of bumps in the road.
What do you people think?
There are 296 users in the forums
Are we seeing a horribly managed free agency? Or something bigger?
Jul 30, 2011 at 12:46 AM
- JustMike
- Veteran
- Posts: 1,175
Jul 30, 2011 at 12:48 AM
- Tru2RedNGold25
- Veteran
- Posts: 7,972
Is INN-N-Out still open?
Jul 30, 2011 at 12:50 AM
- SanDiego49er
- Veteran
- Posts: 47,923
We are horribly managed and it is a plan. The move for Harbaugh was to placate the fan base. They do this every so often. Like Clements when we signed him too. They have to make it seem like they are trying. But lots of other teams shelled out top dollar for top FA's this offseason and are very aggressive. And we could be too. But we don't want to be. We want to save money. When FA started they said they weren't going to be major players. So they told people where they stand. But it wasn't like we were great and couldn't improve a lot. We were in fact bad.
Jul 30, 2011 at 12:51 AM
- AXEGRINDER
- Veteran
- Posts: 25,671
it will take a bit longer than people think, but if anyone can pull it of it's Harbaugh.
Jul 30, 2011 at 12:51 AM
- niner4life21
- Veteran
- Posts: 8,426
Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
We are horribly managed and it is a plan. The move for Harbaugh was to placate the fan base. They do this every so often. Like Clements when we signed him too. They have to make it seem like they are trying. But lots of other teams shelled out top dollar for top FA's this offseason and are very aggressive. And we could be too. But we don't want to be. We want to save money. When FA started they said they weren't going to be major players. So they told people where they stand. But it wasn't like we were great and couldn't improve a lot. We were in fact bad.
lol
Jul 30, 2011 at 12:57 AM
- midrdan
- Veteran
- Posts: 1,982
I think the new regime wants to develop their guys. Harbaugh comes from college, he's used to working with youth, and ultimately I think he'd prefer to create "his" team rather than sign a bunch of vets to plug holes. Reminds me of Walsh, who built him team through the draft and signed key free agents as finishing touches. I'm tired of people on this site complaining that we haven't made a big splash in free agency, as if we were a player or two away from greatness. I'd rather watch a young team come up together than a collection of Travis LaBoys.
Jul 30, 2011 at 1:01 AM
- LeftBankeNiner
- Veteran
- Posts: 1,382
Yes. They did say they wouldn't be major players in the FA market. So far, they are sticking to it. I don't like it, but there isn't anything I can do about it.
Jul 30, 2011 at 1:06 AM
- dtg_9er
- Veteran
- Posts: 33,204
New CBA, league in transition, teams either losing FAs, gaining FAs or both. The niners are not close enough to being a super bowl team to pick up a few high price FAs to put them over the top. They need several mid level FAs to fill in around the legitimate talent on the team.
They have a good group of players but will not be able to add enough top line talent in a year to be contenders, so sit back and watch for increased accountability. A player mentioned, after practice today, that if a player did not know what to do he went to the end of the line and someone else stepped in for the play. This is setting a new standard that will immediately make the team better than last year. Can't see the confusion and indecision of Singletary's regime.
They have a good group of players but will not be able to add enough top line talent in a year to be contenders, so sit back and watch for increased accountability. A player mentioned, after practice today, that if a player did not know what to do he went to the end of the line and someone else stepped in for the play. This is setting a new standard that will immediately make the team better than last year. Can't see the confusion and indecision of Singletary's regime.
Jul 30, 2011 at 1:26 AM
- BrianGO
- Veteran
- Posts: 10,300
They are simply not going to overpay for players. I don't see what is so confusing about this.
Its like watching the first part of a marathon and seeing some amateur runner sprint out way far into the lead just so he can be on TV. The webzone would of course cheer him on, saying things like, "Now THATS a winner!", "HE has a commitment to excellence!", "He really CARES about winning!".
Of course, 30 min later, when the Kenyans have their legs warmed up, the tired idiot who sprinted into the lead for short term glory gets passes up by dozens of runners.
UNLESS you feel you have a shot at the Super Bowl, sprinting to the lead while sacrificing the rest of the marathon is simply idiotic. The point is to win the race, not to show off for 30 min and then get passed up by the crowd.
A losing team has to build through the draft, and look for bargains in free agency. When that team makes it to the playoffs, all of a sudden, free agents start to look and think, "Wow, they have really improved." And they are more likely to want to sign with a team on the rise. Then you can overspend, and try to win a championship.
Its like watching the first part of a marathon and seeing some amateur runner sprint out way far into the lead just so he can be on TV. The webzone would of course cheer him on, saying things like, "Now THATS a winner!", "HE has a commitment to excellence!", "He really CARES about winning!".
Of course, 30 min later, when the Kenyans have their legs warmed up, the tired idiot who sprinted into the lead for short term glory gets passes up by dozens of runners.
UNLESS you feel you have a shot at the Super Bowl, sprinting to the lead while sacrificing the rest of the marathon is simply idiotic. The point is to win the race, not to show off for 30 min and then get passed up by the crowd.
A losing team has to build through the draft, and look for bargains in free agency. When that team makes it to the playoffs, all of a sudden, free agents start to look and think, "Wow, they have really improved." And they are more likely to want to sign with a team on the rise. Then you can overspend, and try to win a championship.
Jul 30, 2011 at 1:35 AM
- phatbutskinny
- Veteran
- Posts: 27,247
Originally posted by niner4life21:Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
We are horribly managed and it is a plan. The move for Harbaugh was to placate the fan base. They do this every so often. Like Clements when we signed him too. They have to make it seem like they are trying. But lots of other teams shelled out top dollar for top FA's this offseason and are very aggressive. And we could be too. But we don't want to be. We want to save money. When FA started they said they weren't going to be major players. So they told people where they stand. But it wasn't like we were great and couldn't improve a lot. We were in fact bad.
lol
ur best post so far SD
Jul 30, 2011 at 1:40 AM
- FILTHpigskin
- Veteran
- Posts: 2,530
We're seeing house cleaning.
Harbaugh's got five years. They'll sign their own guys that they like, pick up some mid-level free agents, and continue building through the draft. He's got time.
The most important thing he's doing is installing his offense and changing the culture of the team. I think it's easier to do that with new and/or younger players.
Harbaugh's got five years. They'll sign their own guys that they like, pick up some mid-level free agents, and continue building through the draft. He's got time.
The most important thing he's doing is installing his offense and changing the culture of the team. I think it's easier to do that with new and/or younger players.
Jul 30, 2011 at 1:46 AM
- aussieEd9er
- Veteran
- Posts: 36
Yeah, I think Harbaugh simply wants to wipe the slate clean and build his own thing from scratch. It will be rough at the start, but will hopefully pay off in the coming years. It is a big risk-reward scenario though, and could easily result in a very good team down the line, or a very average team.
From what I remember, I think Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones pulled similar moves in the late 80s. They didn't try and go out getting name players (granted it was pre-FA). They in fact got rid of some of the "stars" on their team (H. Walker, R. White) in order to build with youth through the draft. They had to endure a 1-15 season early on, but 3 years later won the first Superbowl of their dynasty.
I personally am not that frustrated by the players we have not re-signed in FA.
Some are either on the downside of their careers and wouldn't have much of an impact beyond another year or so (Spikes, Clements).
Others are guys, who are not that old, but we know what we are going to get from them on Sundays, and it isn't anything special (Lawson, Baas, even Goldson).
I'm happy to let these guys walk. They are all "average to good" at best. Similar to our team performances the past 6 years.
I don't think the FA market for this year is even that special. So I'm happy for us not to go splurging money on players who are not elite in the way that their signing alone improve us as a team dramatically.
I say let the man build through the draft. Developing young guys, which is what he has been best at in his coaching career so far.
From what I remember, I think Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones pulled similar moves in the late 80s. They didn't try and go out getting name players (granted it was pre-FA). They in fact got rid of some of the "stars" on their team (H. Walker, R. White) in order to build with youth through the draft. They had to endure a 1-15 season early on, but 3 years later won the first Superbowl of their dynasty.
I personally am not that frustrated by the players we have not re-signed in FA.
Some are either on the downside of their careers and wouldn't have much of an impact beyond another year or so (Spikes, Clements).
Others are guys, who are not that old, but we know what we are going to get from them on Sundays, and it isn't anything special (Lawson, Baas, even Goldson).
I'm happy to let these guys walk. They are all "average to good" at best. Similar to our team performances the past 6 years.
I don't think the FA market for this year is even that special. So I'm happy for us not to go splurging money on players who are not elite in the way that their signing alone improve us as a team dramatically.
I say let the man build through the draft. Developing young guys, which is what he has been best at in his coaching career so far.
Jul 30, 2011 at 1:47 AM
- JustMike
- Veteran
- Posts: 1,175
Originally posted by FILTHpigskin:
We're seeing house cleaning.
Harbaugh's got five years. They'll sign their own guys that they like, pick up some mid-level free agents, and continue building through the draft. He's got time.
The most important thing he's doing is installing his offense and changing the culture of the team. I think it's easier to do that with new and/or younger players.
My thoughts exactly, I think he gets a pass this year in terms of win/losses, but I think we see a notable change in the teams play in terms of approach, efficiency, and overall production.
As I said in my OP. Im all for this.
Jul 30, 2011 at 1:54 AM
- PTulini
- Veteran
- Posts: 12,401
I'm going hold back my judgement for now. I think it's just that Trent Baalke was waiting for the FA market to settle down. There has been a lot of money thrown around over the last few days as teams tend to get aggressive. Now it appears we're getting into the 2nd tier of players. There are still a lot of good players available and now we can pay reasonable money for them as the prices fall. I think Trent Baalke is looking at "bang for the buck" scenarios. We have several holes to fill on this roster and now we can begin to spread the money around. I think we're being smart about it. Again, I'm going hold back my judgement for now. We still have a long way to go! Personally, I choose to be optimistic.
[ Edited by PTulini on Jul 30, 2011 at 01:56:41 ]
[ Edited by PTulini on Jul 30, 2011 at 01:56:41 ]
Jul 30, 2011 at 2:24 AM
- 49erFaithful6
- Veteran
- Posts: 30,140
Originally posted by BrianGO:
They are simply not going to overpay for players. I don't see what is so confusing about this.
Its like watching the first part of a marathon and seeing some amateur runner sprint out way far into the lead just so he can be on TV. The webzone would of course cheer him on, saying things like, "Now THATS a winner!", "HE has a commitment to excellence!", "He really CARES about winning!".
Of course, 30 min later, when the Kenyans have their legs warmed up, the tired idiot who sprinted into the lead for short term glory gets passes up by dozens of runners.
UNLESS you feel you have a shot at the Super Bowl, sprinting to the lead while sacrificing the rest of the marathon is simply idiotic. The point is to win the race, not to show off for 30 min and then get passed up by the crowd.
A losing team has to build through the draft, and look for bargains in free agency. When that team makes it to the playoffs, all of a sudden, free agents start to look and think, "Wow, they have really improved." And they are more likely to want to sign with a team on the rise. Then you can overspend, and try to win a championship.
so true....