Grant Cohn on 95.7 The Game: Fire Baalke and the 49ers could have a quick turnaround
Beat writer Grant Cohn of the
Press Democrat joined Zak and Guru on
95.7 The Game to
discuss all things San Francisco 49ers as the team heads into their final preseason game and gets ready for the regular season.
Of course, he discussed the whole situation surrounding 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. However, one of the more interesting items that he discussed was a way for San Francisco to quickly turn around the roster and the team. It involves the firing of their general manager, Trent Baalke.
"It almost feels like they're tanking," said Cohn. "Like they know that they don't have the roster and they know that they don't have the quarterback. And it's hard to get a quarterback so why don't they just lose as many games as possible this year and put themselves in position to get the best quarterback in the draft next year – Watson, the kid from Clemson.
"To get him, and then free agent wide receivers will want to sign here. No free agent wide receiver is going to want to sign here if Gabbert's the quarterback. But if you draft a good quarterback, then you can use all this $50 million cap space to sign the best receivers possible and then you actually have a team. So this could be a quick turnaround if they lose enough this year."
Regarding Baalke, Cohn believes that the team could turn things around quickly without him at the helm of the roster. "The way I think that it's going to happen this year is that Kelly is sort of setting Baalke up to get fired," said Cohn. "If they lose a lot of games, it's Baalke's fault. It's not Kelly's fault. Kelly didn't pick these players.
"So I think Baalke's neck is on the line and if and when they lose all of the games that we expect them to lose, because they don't have a quarterback or wide receivers ... or a defense really, then Baalke's going to be held responsible. I think that's clear. They promoted Tom Gamble. Tom Gamble's going to take Baalke's job in a few months unless a miracle happens."
Cohn went on to say that with Baalke out of the picture and a "real" general manager in place that can help bring in players that fit Chip Kelly's system, then the team could head in the right direction. "If they lose enough games this year and get Baalke out of the equation, they could have a quick turnaround – theoretically," said Cohn.
You can
listen to the entire interview on 95.7 The Game.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Former NFL exec on 49ers' Brock Purdy: "I think he needs to find more fire"
Brock Purdy isn't one to seek the spotlight. He exudes politeness, respect, and an even-keeled demeanor when speaking to reporters during interviews. Nothing we've seen from the San Francisco 49ers quarterback's time off the field would indicate that it's a facade.
However, on the field, Purdy can show some fire, particularly after a big play or in an effort to ensure his teammates are on the same page as him. While praising the third-year quarterback, one unnamed former NFL executive expressed a desire to see more of that fire from Purdy in the future, believing it is crucial to his development.
"Brock Purdy is one of the most talented arms that I've seen," the former executive recently
Insiders identify late risers who 49ers could target in NFL Draft
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, ESPN contributors have highlighted some prospects who have seen their draft stock rise throughout the evaluation process. Jordan Reid and Matt Miller pinpointed players who could hear their names called at the end of the first round.
Interestingly, both of the prospects identified by Reid and Miller play in the trenches but on different sides of the ball. The San Francisco 49ers are widely expected to draft an offensive lineman with their first selection—No. 31 overall. The team mostly ignored the group in free agency. However, it wouldn't surprise many people if the
Could the 49ers trade up in the draft for a top tackle?
The San Francisco 49ers are likely hoping that a top offensive lineman drops to them at No. 31 in the first round of this month's draft. Fans would like to see the team add someone to compete with Colton McKivitz for the right tackle spot and potentially take over for Trent Williams when the future Hall of Famer decides to retire.
Having two studs bookending the offensive line would go a long way in protecting franchise quarterback Brock Purdy. While tackle may be the first-round target, depending on how the first 30 selections play out, San Francisco might have to trade up to get a genuinely impactful
PFF mock draft has 49ers adding cornerback with 'unique fluidity and size'
Analyst Steve Palazzolo unveiled a first-round mock draft for Pro Football Focus, attempting to forecast the selections for each NFL team within the top 32 picks. While the San Francisco 49ers concentrated on strengthening the defensive line in free agency, Palazzolo envisions the team continuing to fortify that side of the ball.
In his mock draft, Palazzolo predicts that the 49ers will select former Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa with the No. 31 overall pick.
"Tampa's unique fluidity and size for a cornerback make him worthy of a top-75 pick," reads the analysis from Pro Football Focus' big board. "If he can clean up his footwork, he can
