The start of the NFL's legal tampering has been action packed through the first two days. Outside of taking care of their own by extending Mike Person and Kyle Nelson, the 49ers have been relatively quiet at the start of free agency, only signing inside linebacker Kwon Alexander.
There are still plenty of big names available that the 49ers should remain interested in (Earl Thomas, Ha Ha Clinton Dix, Justin Houston, Ezekiel Ansah, Steven Nelson, and Jason McCourty) so the 49ers may not be done.
Where the 49ers have been active is on the trade rumor mill. There has been so much chatter linking the 49ers to trading for Odell Beckham Jr. Fox Sport's Colin Cowherd broke down the situation earlier this morning
As we can see, there's interest in getting a deal done from both sides. The 49ers are really looking to "make a big splash" this offseason, while the Giants and trying to put themselves in the best position to rebuild their franchise.
The speculated trade packages are centered around the 49ers number two pick in this year's draft, and while John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan are eager to make a big move, the second overall pick is a lot of equity to give up for a wide receiver, even if his name is Odell Beckham Jr.
The 49ers' interest in OBJ is with reason. Their leading wide receiver last year was Kendrick Bourne with 487 yards and 42 receptions. OBJ is a massive upgrade to their receiving group and allowing Shanahan to manage an offense with Jimmy Garoppolo, OBJ,
George Kittle, Jerick McKinnon, Kyle Juszcyk, and Dante Pettis would be flat out dangerous.
I would center a trade around a 2020 first round pick and this year's second-round pick (36th overall) for OBJ. That seems like a sufficient package when you consider the Pittsburgh Steelers only received a third-round pick (66 overall) and fifth-round pick (141 overall) for Antonio Brown. Granted, Brown is on the wrong side of 30 and was a big distraction in the locker room, but still as elite of a wide receiver as OBJ.
The issue with my proposed trade is that the Giants are hell-bent on getting this year's first-round pick. While that trade seems steep, it could be justified if the teams swamp this year's first-round picks (Giants hold the 6th overall pick).
While that makes trading the second overall pick more justifiable, the 49ers would be making a mistake if they traded the second overall pick without waiting until draft day.
The first overall selection is still up in the air and belongs to the Arizona Cardinals. If the Cardinals draft quarterback
Kyler Murray, then the 49ers
would have the opportunity to fill a massive hole on their roster with a generational talent in
Nick Bosa. If the Cardinals take the "best available player route," and draft Bosa, then the 49ers could very well justify moving back four draft slots in exchange for OBJ.
So waiting to see what the Cardinals do with the first pick is the most logical solution for the 49ers. There is enough depth at positions of need that the 49ers would still be in a good draft situation if they moved down to number six. Josh Allen, Quinnen Williams, Montez Sweat, and Brian Burns are players that the 49ers could potentially look to draft at the sixth spot.
I'm not saying the 49ers should part ways with the number two overall pick for OBJ. But if the Cardinals decide not to draft Murray on draft day and take Nick Bosa, then it makes more sense for the 49ers to move down in exchange for OBJ.
As draft week unfolds, analysts are unveiling their final mock drafts heading into the annual event. The 2024 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, and ESPN's Jordan Reid released a behemoth of a mock draft, projecting all 257 selections across all seven rounds.
The ESPN analyst has the Washington Commanders leaping in front of the San Francisco 49ers in the first round to select one of the top offensive tackle prospects, leaving John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan's squad to take a different approach.
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The San Francisco 49ers mainly focused on fortifying their defense in free agency, leaving many to believe that the 2024 NFL Draft will be their chance to upgrade the offensive line.
Most mock drafts predict the 49ers will select the best offensive tackle available to bolster the line's weak link—the right side—and potentially provide a succession plan for 35-year-old left tackle Trent Williams.
Pro Football Focus recently examined each team's biggest need heading into the draft's first round and unsurprisingly listed offensive line for the 49ers.
"The 49ers likely won't have the luxury of selecting the top offensive lineman with the 31st pick, but they can still find a quality player to improve a unit that was inconsistent in pass
Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz reports that the San Francisco 49ers were among several NFL teams in attendance for former Illinois defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton's pro day workout. The defender also goes by the name "Johnny."
Illinois DT Johnny Newton, a projected 1st-round pick, just wrapped up an impressive Pro Day — showcasing elite explosion and power after a Jones fracture that he's fully healed from.I'm told the following teams were in attendance, among others:BillsCowboys49ersJets… pic.twitter.com/ggMIiIBkub—
With only nine days remaining until the start of the 2024 NFL Draft, Good Morning Football's Peter Schrager revealed his first mock draft of the year. While most might expect the San Francisco 49ers to target an offensive lineman, Schrager has the team bolstering its wide receiver corps with an SEC talent.
Schrager has the 49ers using the No. 31 overall pick to select former Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey, whose 2023 campaign with the Bulldogs was limited by back and ankle injuries.
"McConkey in the first round? Yes," Schrager wrote. "Above guys like Troy Franklin and Keon Coleman? Perhaps. I've spoken to a
