You are the 49ers GM

You have just been given the job as General Manager of the San Francisco 49ers. Your challenge is to put together a championship caliber roster. Who do you keep? I'm having a hard time finding many players to build around. It's depressing.

What if there were no cap penalties and you could cut the dead weight without repercussions. Who would you jettison from the roster?

In my opinion the future outlook is bleak.

Harbaugh 15mil per!!!and unlimitied kakies!!! go from there

Originally posted by sanjo49er:
Harbaugh 15mil per!!!and unlimitied kakies!!! go from there

and unlimited finger adjustments for his f**ked up pinky

Keep
- Oline
- Dline

Addition
- LB
- Secondary
- WR

Explore
- Trade for Tony Romo lol

Ok, I'll play. My guess is we have to not look at older players like Staley, Bowman, Brooks, Bethea, etc. I would look to focus on young players we have that we can build around. As positions go, this is who I think we have on our roster who could be building blocks for our rise from the ashes. Question marks designate that the position is not solidified for the near/long term future.

QB - ?
RB - C. Hyde (injuries could shorten his time on the team)
WR1 - ?
WR2 - ?
WR3 - Q. Patton (finally beginning to look like a player that should be on the field)
TE - V. McDonald (he is projecting as a solid, if not outstanding, TE option)
LT - T. Brown (I think he will eventually move over and will retain the right side until then)
LG - J. Garnett (definitely a building block, has a lot to learn)
C - ?
RG - A. Tiller (solid young player)
RT - Brown for now. Once he moves to the left, then ?

DE - Buckner
NT - ?
DE - Armstead
OLB - A. Lynch
ILB - ?
ILB - ?
OLB - ?
CB - R. Robinson (looking like a keeper)
FS - J. Ward
SS - J. Tartt
CB - ? (maybe Redmond, but we have not idea at this point)

So are the above players long term studs? Doubtful, though I think a few of them could be future pro-bowlers. These at least seem like guys you can build around and focus on the other areas in the immediate rebuild over the next two seasons and Drafts. I'd say we've got about half of a team, and that's assuming the young players above continue to grow and improve.

Not as bleak as I thought before I started writing, but we have a long way to go.

Fire coaching staff.

Cut everyone, trade as many as possible for draft picks. Forfeit the rest of the season, have open tryouts, promote practice squad players. Probably keep a couple guys on the OL and a couple guys on Defense.

Kyle Shanahan HC.

Sign Alshon Jeffery, Kirk Cousins.

I can't worry about the FO as I expect zero changes with Baalke/Gamble/Kelly.

So what can we build from?

Well, it's been 8 games so it's time to think about next year. Lol.

Who's worth keeping, who's not. Where are the biggest holes?

Offensive Personnel:
QB: Colin Kaepernick; Blaine Gabbert & Christian Ponder
Ponder is the only one worth keeping IMHO. We know what Gabbert & Kaepernick bring and that's next to nothing. That said, we need a humble veteran who knows the system and who 'may' be able to be a bridge QB for your rookie QB who we're expected to draft #1 or #2 overall. Gabbert could be a nice #3. This is assuming Kaepernick wants out.

RB1: Carlos Hyde; Shaun Draughn
RB2: DuJuan Harris; Mike Davis
We have our two set here but could use another top tier bruiser for 'when' Hyde goes down. Mike Davis will once again, have to earn his backup role to Harris/Hyde.

MTE: Vance McDonald; Je'Ron Hamm
TE: Garrett Celek; Blake Bell
Hamm has more upside than Bell. Celek serves as a nice role player and McDonald has big-play ability but inconsistent and not 100% reliable and oft-injured. If we can secure a taller more reliable pass catching FA or top draft pick, we need to consider it to make this a well-rounded strong unit.

X WR (LEFT): Quinton Patton; Rod Streater & DeAndre Smelter (Eric Rogers)
Patton is too small, no clue what we have in Streater and Smelter and Rogers is coming back from an ACL. We badly need a dominant XWR here...big-bodied and reliable. I don't even know if we have depth here. Patton would be a much better slot WR or #3 or #4.

Y WR (SLOT): Jeremy Kerley; Aaron Burbridge (Bruce Ellington)
We found our slot WR. I think Aaron could be another good one in-training. We seem to find this kind of WR rather easily.

Z WR (RIGHT): Torrey Smith
We just have to consider how many TD's he'd have this year with a decent QB and remember his past success and how he opens up everything underneath.

LOT: Joe Staley
LG: Zane Beadles
C: Daniel Kilgore; Marcus Martin
RG: Joshua Garnett; Andrew Tiller
ROT: Trenton Brown; John Theus
Pretty decent group. Could use another top tier T in-training for Staley and a top tier C in FA to push Kilgore. Also, move Garnett to LG, Beadles to backup LG/C and have Tiller fight it out against a FA/Rookie at RG. This is a power OL...perfect for Modkins. Not so much for Kelly's IZ/OZ running system. It's time to bring back a FB as well. That's a scheme/philosophical issue. It's badly needed in short yardage and goal line situations.

Defensive Personnel:
RDE: DeForest Bucker; Quinton Dial & Tony Jerod Eddie
NT: Glenn Dorsey; (Ian Williams)
LDE: Arik Armstead; Ronald Blair
It's safe to say we badly need a pure 2-gap dominant NT. And depth. We have to be strong down the middle especially if you want Armstead and Buckner to find success. We need another strong DE as we're seeing the toll on these two young DE's under a Kelly-run team and poor scheme (O'Neil). This is another case of players not being used for their strengths and injuries wiping out a unit.

WILL: Ahmad Brooks; Eli Harold
TED: Michael Wilhoite; Gerald Hodges (Ray-Ray Armstrong)
MIKE: Nick Bellore; Shayne Skov (Navarro Bowman)
SAM: Aaron Lynch; Tank Carradine
This used to be our strongest and deepest unit. How sad. We need a true pass rushing WILL first and foremost. In addition, we need a starting SAM and TED to be safe and depth. Players like Harold and Hodges are nothing more than cheap depth. Carradine and Harold are huge disappointments.

RCB: Jimmie Ward; Dontae Johnson
SLOT (S/CB): Keith Reaser; Will Redmond & JaCorey Shepherd (Chris Davis)
LCB: Rashard Robinson; Tramaine Brock
This might be our strongest unit when healthy. But that's always the issue. Health. Unless there is a true lock down CB in the draft, we can probably focus less here. In fact, IMHO, it's time to move Tartt and Ward to SS and FS, respectively and see who can start opposite of Robinson; I'd go with Johnson personally but Reaser can play outside as well and it's time to insert Redmond into the slot once he's 100% healthy...next year. Brock should be nothing more than a nickel/dime CB and depth.

FS: Eric Reid; Marcus Cromartie
SS: Antoine Bethea; Jaquiski Tartt
Both Reid and Bethea need to go. They've cashed it in and are playing about 75% effort right now, if that. It's time to start Tartt and Ward. Cromartie is decent depth and this should be a target in the draft and FA.

Special Teams:
LS: Kyle Nelson
PK: Phil Dawson
P: Bradley Pinion
PR/KOR: Jeremy Kerley & JaCorey Shepherd
This might turn out to be a really nice group if things keep heading the same direction. Pinion is having a really nice year as is Dawson and we may have found something with Kerley/Shepherd on punt/kick off returns.

All in all, there are 35-40 players worth keeping; could keep some veterans like Dorsey & Brooks for depth and spot duty. Some are quality starters and some have really nice potential/upside. Ironically, we have the same exact needs we had when I started this thread...QB, NT, OLB, ILB & XWR. Until we get premier play at these positions, we aren't going anywhere.

We'll have this foundation to work with plus close to $75-100M in cap space. The cap space, I'm expecting, is going to be moot given I doubt ANY free agents will come here (again) so we'll continue to be a "draft and development team." That puts additional pressure on the coaches to develop and install quality schemes and out-coach their opponents...of which I'm not confident in at all at this juncture. I don't see Kelly as anything more than a passing game coordinator at this junction of his career and maybe O'Neil, as a defensive assistant/secondary coach.

Health has been an epidemic for three years now. Someone needs to remove that curse stat.

As to coaching:

• Kelly/Modkins MUST work with what they've got and this is a power OL. Go power primarily (Staley - Garnett - Kilgore - Tiller - Brown). Install many more two back sets to alleviate the "tells" for the defense by formation alone. Get a FB again and utilize bigger formations for short yardage and goal line situations. Many more snaps under C too. I think Kelly's done well with the passing game. That should be his focus. Modkins should design all the running game and Kelly should continue to call the sequence of plays while also reviewing his own tendencies this off season that put us in predictable sets.
• O'Neil needs to be demoted to a secondary coach/defensive assistant IMHO. And go all in on a proven veteran DC such as Todd Bowles.
• As to personnel, we have some parts and young building blocks but need the play makers to take each unit to the next level. Go all in on these key play making positions: FQB, ZWR, NT, ILB, WILL (edge rusher). Secondary needs are T, C, RB, TE & DE.

QB - TRADE FOR GRAPPY
RB - DRAFT FOURNETTE
WR1 - JUJU SCHUSTER SMITH (2ND ROUND)
WR2 - PATTON
WR3 - MALICH DUPRE (4TH ROUND)
TE - BELL DOZER
LT - T. Brown (I think he will eventually move over and will retain the right side until then)
LG - J. Garnett (definitely a building block, has a lot to learn)
C - SIGN A VETERAN
RG - A. Tiller (solid young player)
RT - TRADE FOR JOE THOMAS/OR SIGN A FA

DE - Buckner
NT - KEEP DORSEY
DE - SIGN A VETERAN
OLB - A. Lynch
ILB - BOWMAN W/A ROOKIE ON THE WING
ILB - RAEKWON MCMILLAN (3RD)
OLB - SIGN INGRAM (SAN DIEGO)
CB - R. Robinson (looking like a keeper)
FS - SIGH ERIC BERRY
SS - J. Tartt
CB - WARD

^^^ Nice post moon

Re hire harbs and pay him whatever he wants and have him bring his own guys, draft Myles Garrett even if we gotta trade up, sign a Nose tackle , find a legit wr through free agency or draft... we'll start there

I sign Leveon Bell to play RB. f**k it, we have cap space
I sign Dante Hightower or kiko Alonso to play MLB next to bowman.
I sign Brandon Williams or Leonard Hankins to play NT.
I cut Bethea and pursue Eric berry in hopes of moving reid to SS and using him at fs.
I also sign Alston Jeffrey because this is my dream, f**k reality


I draft OLB Myles Garrett in the first and QB Luke Falk in the 2nd.
If Garrett is gone I try to trade down and pick up Trubisky in the first and Corey Davis in the 2nd
I keep kaepernick as a bridge and see what he can do with another year of Kelly tutelage.

I find a new defensive coordinator I respect and let him have my ear on the defensive personally since Chip will have it on offense.
I consider trying to shift the team to a 4 - 3 because I feel our defensive line we are building around might be more effective that way, if they can move inside and clog up the middle on passing downs, hopefully deflecting some passes with their heights

And after we win the superbowl I stick my dick down jed York's throat and he thanks me for it

First Step

Hold meetings where little boys are banned from attending.

Originally posted by NCommand:

I can't worry about the FO as I expect zero changes with Baalke/Gamble/Kelly.

So what can we build from?

Well, it's been 8 games so it's time to think about next year. Lol.

Who's worth keeping, who's not. Where are the biggest holes?

Offensive Personnel:
QB: Colin Kaepernick; Blaine Gabbert & Christian Ponder
Ponder is the only one worth keeping IMHO. We know what Gabbert & Kaepernick bring and that's next to nothing. That said, we need a humble veteran who knows the system and who 'may' be able to be a bridge QB for your rookie QB who we're expected to draft #1 or #2 overall. Gabbert could be a nice #3. This is assuming Kaepernick wants out.

RB1: Carlos Hyde; Shaun Draughn
RB2: DuJuan Harris; Mike Davis
We have our two set here but could use another top tier bruiser for 'when' Hyde goes down. Mike Davis will once again, have to earn his backup role to Harris/Hyde.

MTE: Vance McDonald; Je'Ron Hamm
TE: Garrett Celek; Blake Bell
Hamm has more upside than Bell. Celek serves as a nice role player and McDonald has big-play ability but inconsistent and not 100% reliable and oft-injured. If we can secure a taller more reliable pass catching FA or top draft pick, we need to consider it to make this a well-rounded strong unit.

X WR (LEFT): Quinton Patton; Rod Streater & DeAndre Smelter (Eric Rogers)
Patton is too small, no clue what we have in Streater and Smelter and Rogers is coming back from an ACL. We badly need a dominant XWR here...big-bodied and reliable. I don't even know if we have depth here. Patton would be a much better slot WR or #3 or #4.

Y WR (SLOT): Jeremy Kerley; Aaron Burbridge (Bruce Ellington)
We found our slot WR. I think Aaron could be another good one in-training. We seem to find this kind of WR rather easily.

Z WR (RIGHT): Torrey Smith
We just have to consider how many TD's he'd have this year with a decent QB and remember his past success and how he opens up everything underneath.

LOT: Joe Staley
LG: Zane Beadles
C: Daniel Kilgore; Marcus Martin
RG: Joshua Garnett; Andrew Tiller
ROT: Trenton Brown; John Theus
Pretty decent group. Could use another top tier T in-training for Staley and a top tier C in FA to push Kilgore. Also, move Garnett to LG, Beadles to backup LG/C and have Tiller fight it out against a FA/Rookie at RG. This is a power OL...perfect for Modkins. Not so much for Kelly's IZ/OZ running system. It's time to bring back a FB as well. That's a scheme/philosophical issue. It's badly needed in short yardage and goal line situations.

Defensive Personnel:
RDE: DeForest Bucker; Quinton Dial & Tony Jerod Eddie
NT: Glenn Dorsey; (Ian Williams)
LDE: Arik Armstead; Ronald Blair
It's safe to say we badly need a pure 2-gap dominant NT. And depth. We have to be strong down the middle especially if you want Armstead and Buckner to find success. We need another strong DE as we're seeing the toll on these two young DE's under a Kelly-run team and poor scheme (O'Neil). This is another case of players not being used for their strengths and injuries wiping out a unit.

WILL: Ahmad Brooks; Eli Harold
TED: Michael Wilhoite; Gerald Hodges (Ray-Ray Armstrong)
MIKE: Nick Bellore; Shayne Skov (Navarro Bowman)
SAM: Aaron Lynch; Tank Carradine
This used to be our strongest and deepest unit. How sad. We need a true pass rushing WILL first and foremost. In addition, we need a starting SAM and TED to be safe and depth. Players like Harold and Hodges are nothing more than cheap depth. Carradine and Harold are huge disappointments.

RCB: Jimmie Ward; Dontae Johnson
SLOT (S/CB): Keith Reaser; Will Redmond & JaCorey Shepherd (Chris Davis)
LCB: Rashard Robinson; Tramaine Brock
This might be our strongest unit when healthy. But that's always the issue. Health. Unless there is a true lock down CB in the draft, we can probably focus less here. In fact, IMHO, it's time to move Tartt and Ward to SS and FS, respectively and see who can start opposite of Robinson; I'd go with Johnson personally but Reaser can play outside as well and it's time to insert Redmond into the slot once he's 100% healthy...next year. Brock should be nothing more than a nickel/dime CB and depth.

FS: Eric Reid; Marcus Cromartie
SS: Antoine Bethea; Jaquiski Tartt
Both Reid and Bethea need to go. They've cashed it in and are playing about 75% effort right now, if that. It's time to start Tartt and Ward. Cromartie is decent depth and this should be a target in the draft and FA.

Special Teams:
LS: Kyle Nelson
PK: Phil Dawson
P: Bradley Pinion
PR/KOR: Jeremy Kerley & JaCorey Shepherd
This might turn out to be a really nice group if things keep heading the same direction. Pinion is having a really nice year as is Dawson and we may have found something with Kerley/Shepherd on punt/kick off returns.

All in all, there are 35-40 players worth keeping; could keep some veterans like Dorsey & Brooks for depth and spot duty. Some are quality starters and some have really nice potential/upside. Ironically, we have the same exact needs we had when I started this thread...QB, NT, OLB, ILB & XWR. Until we get premier play at these positions, we aren't going anywhere.

We'll have this foundation to work with plus close to $75-100M in cap space. The cap space, I'm expecting, is going to be moot given I doubt ANY free agents will come here (again) so we'll continue to be a "draft and development team." That puts additional pressure on the coaches to develop and install quality schemes and out-coach their opponents...of which I'm not confident in at all at this juncture. I don't see Kelly as anything more than a passing game coordinator at this junction of his career and maybe O'Neil, as a defensive assistant/secondary coach.

Health has been an epidemic for three years now. Someone needs to remove that curse stat.

As to coaching:

• Kelly/Modkins MUST work with what they've got and this is a power OL. Go power primarily (Staley - Garnett - Kilgore - Tiller - Brown). Install many more two back sets to alleviate the "tells" for the defense by formation alone. Get a FB again and utilize bigger formations for short yardage and goal line situations. Many more snaps under C too. I think Kelly's done well with the passing game. That should be his focus. Modkins should design all the running game and Kelly should continue to call the sequence of plays while also reviewing his own tendencies this off season that put us in predictable sets.
• O'Neil needs to be demoted to a secondary coach/defensive assistant IMHO. And go all in on a proven veteran DC such as Todd Bowles.
• As to personnel, we have some parts and young building blocks but need the play makers to take each unit to the next level. Go all in on these key play making positions: FQB, ZWR, NT, ILB, WILL (edge rusher). Secondary needs are T, C, RB, TE & DE.

Solid assessment. Have to disagree with Torrey though. I liked the signing at the time, but he doesn't put forth the effort on the field. He's just going through the motions. Even when given opportunities he consistently disappoints. Today'a drop on the final drive was no surprise.

The WR position is a huge need for us. Agree with Kelley and Burbridge. We'll see what Rodgers and Smelter can bring, but that's about all we have. Patton is a wildcard and a #3/4 guy. We're desperate for a #1.

Originally posted by strickac:
Solid assessment. Have to disagree with Torrey though. I liked the signing at the time, but he doesn't put forth the effort on the field. He's just going through the motions. Even when given opportunities he consistently disappoints. Today'a drop on the final drive was no surprise.

The WR position is a huge need for us. Agree with Kerley and Burbridge. We'll see what Rodgers and Smelter can bring, but that's about all we have. Patton is a wildcard and a #3/4 guy. We're desperate for a #1.

Yeah, I like the fact that he's hurt and playing every week for us but he has had a lot of drops and doesn't seem to be dialed in by any means. So yeah...you could draft another and slowly work him in next year with Torrey being the transition WR or just cut him loose. We have the money either way. And yes, you could probably add Quinton Patton to that list as the #3 or #4. Like you said, we badly need the true big-bodied go-to ZWR.

If I were GM, and this was my mess, I would draw my sword and fall on it....Trent, are you reading this?