Originally posted by LifelongNiner:I agree with your overall point of assessing the team position by position.
At QB, I think Gabbert can be had on a one-year deal for vet minimum with no guaranteed money. He can be retained to compete with a rookie QB and UDFA. Perhaps the 49ers will sign another free agent QB under a similar deal. However with Kap's development over four seasons, I'm beginning to believe this staff may be incapable of developing a QB. We haven't truly seen it yet. All I'm expecting is a guy that is safe (won't turn the ball over), won't get rattled under pressure, and can keep the offense going.
At running back we have Carlos Hyde and Kendall Hunter. As for Frank Gore, he wants to continue playing and I'd like for him to retire as a 49er. He has already stated he is willing to play for another team. What the team should do in my opinion is really based on what how long Frank wants to play. If he only wants to play another year, then by all means, sign him. If he has visions of going beyond 2015, then we are going to have to do the painful thing and part company in the offseason. It will hurt, but we've been here before with letting great players go. Kendall Hunter is a capable backup and I think Carlos Hyde can do better with more carries.
We seem to be solid at receiver with Johnson and Boldin as starters, and Ellington and Patton. We have a decent core group.
At offensive line, I think we are much better than what we have shown. Give us some consistency and health and I think this group performs better.
On defense, we could have some holes at corner depending on what happens in free agency. I'm hoping that somehow we retain Cox and Culliver which will give us a lot of flexibiity at corner. We'd essentially have four guys that can start (Brock, Culliver, Cox, and Johnson), not to mention Keith Reaser and Kenneth Acker will be in the mix next season.
Nothing needs to be said at linebacker and defensive line. We are strong all across the board at those positions and have good depth, which brings me to the draft.
You questioned many of the original posters draft picks, but where would you suggest we go? Avoiding receiver in the first round just because of past history and no RB in the second because we have Hyde and Hunter, so where should the 49ers go with those picks?
Even though any receiver we draft isn't likely to get playing time, we have to keep in mind Anquan Boldin's contract expires after next season and he will be 35 years old. We need to have another receiver in the mix that can potentially start. There will be plenty of receivers that we can look at. I'm hoping that we draft two, just as I did last season. I wanted Jordan Matthews and Robert Herron. This year, I'll go with Jalen Strong if he falls to us and Phillip Dorsett ( a necessary deep threat). We can pick up Strong in the first and Dorsett as a late pick. I can't agree with the idea that we should avoid a first round receiver simply because of a few bad picks. Most people knew AJ was a bad pick the moment it happened. Rashaun Woods was as well (who didn't want Vince Wilfork at the time?). The JJ Stokes pick was a gamble, which I can understand. I think history has taught us that trading a boatload of picks for a first round receiver is NOT worth it. Even if Stokes lived up to his potential, receivers rarely turn a team around. I'd be ok with packaging A third or fourth with our first to move up and take a receiver in the late teens or twenties, but that's about it. Nonetheless, we need to prepare for some holes we will have at receiver in the future.
I think we do need to take a back because even though I like Carlos Hyde, we don't know for certain if he can be the guy just yet. There are also some exceptional backs that are likely to be available in the second. Ameer Abdullah, Duke Johnson, and possibly Melvin Gordon though I don't think he will fall to the bottom of the second. I think if the 49ers have the chance to take any of them, especially Gordon, they should do it. It's clear the 49ers are open to having the three headed monster when we were set to roll with Lattimore, Hyde, and LaMichael James or Kendall Hunter long term. I expect that Hunter will do well next season and will move on the following year.
In the third round, I'm thinking we may need to look at a TE. I don't know what Vernon Davis's deal is and as much as I like Vance McDonald, we need a guy that is a natural pass catcher.
It seems like a pretty flashy draft, going for skill positions with the first three picks, but we need to get younger, cheaper, and with some playmakers at those positions.
I like how you think. The Niners can use a heavy dose of help at the skill positions (QB, RB, TE and WR) with maybe another OLB/pass rusher if Ahmad Brooks is sent packing. With Gurley's injury, Gordon will be the first RB taken, which would leave Gurley as a great potential draft pick for the team in the second round. Nice post.