How many players will the 49ers next GM have to replace to fix the roster?

Originally posted by NCommand:
All in all, there are 35-40 players worth keeping (including ST, role players, depth players); 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 we started 2016...QB, NT, OLB, ILB & ZWR. Until we get premier play making play at these positions, we aren't going anywhere.

So between 15-20 with a BIG emphasis on "impact players" and push-starters/upgrades/true depth.

ditto

Seems to me that the question should be--"How many elite players do the niners need to add in order to return to the top echelon of NFL teams?"

During the SB run they had six players with HofF potential. Who do they have now? Of course, with so many young players it's difficult to figure which ones will rise to that level--Buckner? Armstead? Any others? I would hope for Ward, Tartt and Garnett...but that's really reaching.

Gore
Staley
Willis
Bowman
J Smith
A Smith

So...they need elite:

FQB
WR
ILB
OLB

With those additions they could use the talent they now have an reach the playoffs. Four special players could make the difference!

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
Seems to me that the question should be--"How many elite players do the niners need to add in order to return to the top echelon of NFL teams?"

During the SB run they had six players with HofF potential. Who do they have now? Of course, with so many young players it's difficult to figure which ones will rise to that level--Buckner? Armstead? Any others? I would hope for Ward, Tartt and Garnett...but that's really reaching.

Gore
Staley
Willis
Bowman
J Smith
A Smith

So...they need elite:

FQB
WR
ILB
OLB

With those additions they could use the talent they now have an reach the playoffs. Four special players could make the difference!

Great point. Within the ultimate team game, you still need impact players on each unit. Depending on your style of play, some are more important than others. Obviously, you can win Superbowls with a game-managing QB, great running game and outstanding defense (Hawks/Broncos). You can also win with great QB play, average WR's, no running game and opportunistic defense (Pats).

If Jim Harbaugh was here we'd need impact players from you list in this order:
OLB
ILB
FQB
WR

With Kelly it might be:
FQB
WR
OLB
ILB

Originally posted by leakyfausett:
I think it could be done in 2 years with about 10 quality draft picks because no one hits them all. and about 4-6 FA signings each off season. Looking at 18-22

This looks about right.

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Colin Kaepernick
Blaine Gabbert
Christian Ponder - Could be #3 next year

Mike Davis
Shaun Draughn

Marcus Martin
Daniel Kilgore

Bruce Ellington - cannot stay healthy

Antone Bethea
Tramane Brock
Eric Reid

Tony Jerrod Eddie
Mike Purcell

Michael Wilhoite
Nick Belllore


Those would be the main players I would drop the ax on ASAP, the rest can fight for a roster spot.

Yup!

Pretty good Kolohe, Think you got the most likely bunch. Unfortunately most of those need to be impact players. QB, OC, ILB, OLB, NT, another HEALTHY RB, and a #1 WR, or have an Offensively minded HC who knows how to use Torrey. Torrey reminds me of the Nate the great hire, back in NOLN's time. He was great til he got here, and then with nobody to put around him, he fell flat. Same with Torrey...we never had a QB that could get the ball to him.

There's no option for 63. Does this mean we have confidence in our practice squad?

0 pro bowlers

Lol

the term elite is thrown out way too often. we have bowman. you really arent likely to get two elite ILB's - and it definitely isnt NEEDED to win. You need impact players where you can get them and build around those players. You dont target impact players to certain positions, you fill in positions with hopefully solid players to enhance what your impact guys do. whether its NT, CB, FS it doesnt matter - we need two impact guys on D and fill in a few of the holes we have with solid guys - jsut get players

How do you define fixing the roster?

If we're talking by the time we're potentially contenders again we're looking at 2-4 seasons down the road. Given general attrition rates I'd expect about 35 new players by then. The 2013 Raiders who I believe are the most equivalent team to the current 49ers roster have 11 guys in 2016 who were on that squad.

Originally posted by McClusky:
How do you define fixing the roster?

If we're talking by the time we're potentially contenders again we're looking at 2-4 seasons down the road. Given general attrition rates I'd expect about 35 new players by then. The 2013 Raiders who I believe are the most equivalent team to the current 49ers roster have 11 guys in 2016 who were on that squad.

This has been (and is) and interesting comparison! Turnover in the NFL is pretty amazing! Seems like the niners are two years behind the Raiders at a minimum, given no FQB and the decimation of the defense through injury.

Dan Williams is the only DL with over 4 years experience. They signed several veterans--Smith, Allen, Nelson--to bolster their defensive backfield. And their OL has been a key building block focus, and they pinched Hudson from a major rival.

But the key has been Carr, who is a very steady QB. His recent bad game (KC) was mostly due to his finger. We don't know how he will do under the spotlight of the playoffs, but he seems to be a pretty competitive guy and calm.

If Kaepernick turned out to be a FQB the team would be so much closer! Teams can go decades without finding a QB so...

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

Originally posted by McClusky:

How do you define fixing the roster?

If we're talking by the time we're potentially contenders again we're looking at 2-4 seasons down the road. Given general attrition rates I'd expect about 35 new players by then. The 2013 Raiders who I believe are the most equivalent team to the current 49ers roster have 11 guys in 2016 who were on that squad.

This has been (and is) and interesting comparison! Turnover in the NFL is pretty amazing! Seems like the niners are two years behind the Raiders at a minimum, given no FQB and the decimation of the defense through injury.

Dan Williams is the only DL with over 4 years experience. They signed several veterans--Smith, Allen, Nelson--to bolster their defensive backfield. And their OL has been a key building block focus, and they pinched Hudson from a major rival.

But the key has been Carr, who is a very steady QB. His recent bad game (KC) was mostly due to his finger. We don't know how he will do under the spotlight of the playoffs, but he seems to be a pretty competitive guy and calm.

If Kaepernick turned out to be a FQB the team would be so much closer! Teams can go decades without finding a QB so...

I too wish Kaep was the franchise QB.

But cmon, we took him in the 2nd round like Tank Carradine, Lamichael James, Taylor Mays. Etc

The risk IMO isn't that bad, the reward obviously would have been huge

get rid of any player happy w/ the losing...like the jimmie wards who gloat about getting larry fitzgerald's jersey after a drumming from him

focus on the pass rush, we desperately need a strong pass rush, baalke could've solved this w/ bruce irvin and oliver vernon but chose to do nothing, should've spent the monster bucks.

get out of this mentality that you can't pay more for a fa than ur best players...market has changed, pay up.

the OL has pieces, the DB's are decent, we need LB's and pass rush badly

obviously get a qb and some wr's

and definitely get rid of chip, the clown can't coach worth a damn and we need someone who runs an nfl offense and can attract a good defensive coordinator not this clown show

Originally posted by blizzuntz:
I too wish Kaep was the franchise QB.

But cmon, we took him in the 2nd round like Tank Carradine, Lamichael James, Taylor Mays. Etc

The risk IMO isn't that bad, the reward obviously would have been huge

He fooled a lot of people by having amazing athletic ability but never seemed to catch on to reading the field...though I still hold out hope. I know...a late hold out! LOL! But it would be so nice to have him play at a high level! As we have seen, FQBs can be drafted anywhere but the key is to keep trying until you get one. That's why I'm hoping they draft a couple of guys this offseason.

IMO...We need to get better by adding or replacing players at these positions. It doesn't matter who the GM or coach is if we don't it will still be the same results.
1QB
2 OL
1DT
2LB
2WR
1FS
2CB