ESPN’s Bill Barnwell gives 49ers a C grade on offseason
May 19, 2016 at 9:40 AM
•
Bill Barnwell of
ESPN has been going through each NFL division and handing out grades for all 32 teams. Today, he
went through the NFC West, which he states arguably contain the two best teams in the NFL heading into the 2016 season. No, the San Francisco 49ers are not one of those two teams. They are the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks.
How did the 49ers fare? They earned a C grade for their offseason so far, which includes free agency, the NFL Draft, and more.
So what did the 49ers do right according to Barnwell? They held on to
QB Colin Kaepernick for one. "As toxic as the relationship between Kaepernick and the San Francisco front office appears to have become, there wasn't a real reason for the 49ers to trade their former starter at quarterback. They have plenty of cap space and didn't use most of it this year," says Barnwell. "If the whole thing goes south, they can cut Kaepernick next year and not feel guilty -- nobody's expecting the 49ers to win this year, anyway."
RELATED Barrows: Colin Kaepernick should be cleared to practice in the next few weeks
Barnwell also applauded the fact that the 49ers built up their offensive and defensive lines during the draft, including
DE DeForest Buckner and
OG Joshua Garnett. He also liked the hiring of head coach Chip Kelly. "Kelly isn't a safe bet, and his run as a personnel executive was disastrous, but he managed to get a lot out of Eagles teams with some pretty bad quarterbacks, and nobody doubts his X's and O's acumen," said Barnwell.
Among the negatives for the 49ers offseason, Barnwell pointed out the team's failure to upgrade the rest of the team via free agency despite having a significant amount of salary cap room to do so. "This feels like a team that isn't actively trying to get better, which seems bizarre," he says.
You can read the
entire division analysis, including the 49ers, here.
Grades for other NFC West teams are as follows.
Arizona Cardinals: B+
Los Angeles Rams: C
Seattle Seahawks: B
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Why ESPN analyst hopes 49ers address O-line in the draft
ESPN analyst Matt Miller watches the San Francisco 49ers differently than other teams. As a 49ers fan, he feels more invested in the team's successes and failures than most analysts.
With the draft nearing, Miller made it clear which direction he believes head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch should take with their first pick. In his ESPN mock draft, a seven-round doozy, the analyst had the 49ers selecting former Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan.
Miller recently joined the 49ers Webzone "No Huddle" podcast, sharing why he adamantly hopes the team addresses the offensive line at the end of the month.
"So I
No Huddle Podcast: 49ers Draft Plans With ESPN's Matt Miller
(Episode 329) — Al Sacco is joined by ESPN NFL draft analyst and insider Matt Miller to discuss the best prospect fits for the 49ers, his connection to the 49ers, how the 49ers improve their receiver corp, the state of QB play in the NFL, and more.
The audio for the show is embedded above. Remember to subscribe!
You can watch the interview below.
You can listen to the latest "No Huddle Podcast"
ESPN analyst on Brandon Aiyuk: 49ers shouldn't pay two receivers top dollar
ESPN analyst Matt Miller understands the perspective of San Francisco 49ers fans. After all, he has been a fan of the team since he was a kid. Seeing any of your favorite players leave and put on another uniform is tough.
It's also difficult to pay everyone, and Miller knows that. It's not a formula for successful roster building, including paying two wide receivers top dollar.
The 49ers are trying to negotiate a contract extension with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The team invested heavily in another receiver, Deebo Samuel, just two years ago. Is allowing each of them to consume a significant chunk of the salary cap feasible for a team that hopes to continue being competitive and win Super Bowls?
"I have to separate the fan part of my brain, who
ESPN analyst weighs in on 49ers potentially drafting a wide receiver
The San Francisco 49ers will likely add a rookie wide receiver via the draft, and it has nothing to do with Brandon Aiyuk's current contract situation. Deebo Samuel is about as physical a player as you'll find at the position, so wear and tear, along with his significant salary, has to be a concern. Jauan Jennings is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next year.
The 49ers have tried to address the position recently, drafting Ronnie Bell in the seventh round last year and Danny Gray in the third round in 2022. While it's too early to judge Bell, Gray has played only 87 offensive snaps as a pro. His career stat line is unimpressive, recording only one reception for 10 yards on seven targets.
One ESPN analyst and 49ers fan, Matt Miller, admits to being