Who are our "core players"?

Every good team needs "core" players, the cornerstones of the team you're building. Typically your core players form the identity of the team. They execute the vision of the coach. In the pat, you could always count on the Niners as being a strong running team that could stop the run. But a lot has changed.
Baalke once said that the team philosophy was to sign their elite all-pro players, while plug and playing the rest with smart drafting and free agency (paraphrasing). So my question is really two fold; Who do you think our core players are going to be going forward and how do you see the identity of the team changing, if at all? I see guys like Bowman, T.Smith, Reid and Hyde as our likely "Core" players going forward, but as it stands, thats about it. Hyde might even be a strech, since he really hasn't proven anything.

After much thought and consideration I would conclude that Bowman, Boldin, VD, and perhaps Reid are among the "core players". Hopefully in the near future running back Carlos Hyde and quarterback Collin Kaepernick can become truly elite players as well as leaders for the football team.

Bowman, Bathea, Boldin, VD and Kep

Kap, Hyde, Torrey, Bow, Reid, Lynch. Those are the cornerstone players for the next 5+ years.

Originally posted by susweel:
After much thought and consideration I would conclude that Bowman, Boldin, VD, and perhaps Reid are among the "core players". Hopefully in the near future running back Carlos Hyde and quarterback Collin Kaepernick can become truly elite players as well as leaders for the football team.

This is a great post. Solid contribution.

Must be why you win the pick-em contest

My picks for core, for better or worse: Kap, Bowman, Staley, Torrey Smith

Borderline core: Bethea, Brock, Brooks

The problem is IMO Bowman is the only proven elite level player among our core....

Originally posted by thl408:
Kap, Hyde, Torrey, Bow, Reid, Lynch. Those are the cornerstone players for the next 5+ years.

This. Over time I think we will see more of the young guys develop into those spots, guys like Armstead, Tartt, Thomas, Harold, Ward.....etc

My definition of "core" player is someone that team will build around for a good 4+ years. This eliminates Staley, Bethea, Boldin, VD. Just my personal definition of "core".

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by thl408:
Kap, Hyde, Torrey, Bow, Reid, Lynch. Those are the cornerstone players for the next 5+ years.

This. Over time I think we will see more of the young guys develop into those spots, guys like Armstead, Tartt, Thomas, Harold, Ward.....etc

Yeah I can see AA, Tartt, Harold, and hopefully both of the young interior guys (Thomas, Martin) as core players, but I want to see if they have what it takes to be legit NFLers first.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
This. Over time I think we will see more of the young guys develop into those spots, guys like Armstead, Tartt, Thomas, Harold, Ward.....etc

Our core players are guys that won't be starting?

Why not just say whoever we draft will be our core players.

Originally posted by thl408:
My definition of "core" player is someone that team will build around for a good 4+ years. This eliminates Staley, Bethea, Boldin, VD. Just my personal definition of "core".

Oh I was just looking at players that we are building the team around for the next 1-4 years, not beyond 4 years.

edit: Its really hard to predict 4 years +.

Only guy that probably fits that is Kap, and that is if he doesn't bust in 2-3 years. He is far from being a franchise QB.

Originally posted by SunDevilNiner79:

Originally posted by susweel:
After much thought and consideration I would conclude that Bowman, Boldin, VD, and perhaps Reid are among the "core players". Hopefully in the near future running back Carlos Hyde and quarterback Collin Kaepernick can become truly elite players as well as leaders for the football team.

This is a great post. Solid contribution.

Must be why you win the pick-em contest

Oh yes sir the old pick-em contest of picking winners of the National Football League weekly games. Laughing out load, that was a magical time of reaching the apex of that contest. I hope to repeat as champion this upcoming season, also good luck to all my fellow contestants.

Pinion and his underwhelming leg...

Great topic. I'm like thl408 in that I define core players as ones you expect to be here for 3-4+ years and who you can build around. And like some of you, I see potential for several others to climb that ladder in the very near future.

Offense:
Kaepernick, Colin - Yes
Hyde, Carlos - Yes
Davis, Mike
McDonald, Vance - Potential
Bell, Blake - Potential
Miller, Bruce - Yes
Smith, Torrey - Yes
Patton, Quinton
Simpson, Jerome - Potential
Ellington, Bruce - Potential
White, DeAndrew
Boldin, Anquan
Anderson, Dres
Smelter, DeAndre - Potential
Staley, Joe
Boone, Alex - Yes
Tiller, Andrew
Martin, Marcus - Potential
Looney, Joe
Kilgore, Daniel - Potential
Devey, Jordan
Thomas, Brandon - Potential
Pears, Erik
Brown, Trenton - Potential

Defense:
Dial, Quinton - Potential
Carradine, Tank - Potential
Jerod Eddie, Tony
Williams, Ian - Yes
Purcell, Mike
Dorsey, Glenn - Possible
Dockett, Darnell
Armstead, Arik - Potential
Lemonier, Corey
Harold, Eli - Potential
Brooks, Ahmad
Wilhoite, Michael
Moody, Nick - Potential
Bowman, NaVorro - Potential
Lynch, Aaron - Potential
Rush, Marcus
Johnson, Dontae - Potential
Wright, Shareece
Ward, Jimmie - Potential
Reaser, Keith - Potential
Brock, Tramaine - Potential
Acker, Kenneth - Potential
Reid, Eric - Yes
Bethea, Antoine
Tartt, Jaquiski - Potential

Special Teams:
Hayne, Jarryd - Yes
McCray, L.J. - Yes
Bellore, Nick - Yes
Ellington, Bruce - Yes
Nelson, Kyle - Yes
Dawson, Phil
Pinion, Bradley - Yes

Hmmm, a bit harder than I thought. May need to revisit. It makes sense you have quite a few core guys who are already established veterans with playoff experience b/c they still happen to be young (ideal). Yet, you have quite a few up-and-comers who could potentially elevate into this status too...b/c they are so young too. Some teams have about 6-8 players who are your core players and the rest are mostly role players.

A core player to me doesn't have to be a star player but one who can lock down a critical position for years to come and play at a high level and affords you the opportunity to build around them.

Jim Harbaugh.