How Free Agency has impacted the Draft

Garrett or trade down for next best pass rusher

Draft Mahomes

Draft Speed linebackers

Originally posted by bkbkeahi:
Garrett or trade down for next best pass rusher

Draft Mahomes

Draft Speed linebackers

No one's going to trade up. No QB will be coveted enough to mortgage the future for... we're taking Thomas/Allen/Hooker/Adams/Lattimore or a QB ourselves, unless the Cousin's trade happens and we swap 1sts.

Originally posted by Rascal:

I disagree. I think Fournette will be much more of an impact player than Lattimore or Adams.

Once you put Fournette into context with Hyde and Juszczyk, we can probably dominate the run game in the league.

Problem is Fournette does nothing for what Shanahan looks for. He will offer literally nothing in the pass game and he is not a fit for our offense.

From NFL.com:

Doesn't see cutback lanes developing as outside zone runner and prefers to keep runs play-side.

Something about Fournette screams Ron Dayne. You can't run over guys in the NFL like he did in college and if he tries he won't last long. He doesn't make guys miss either. He could be great but it's concerning especially if we are considering him at #2.

Originally posted by stonecold590:

Originally posted by ChaunceyGardner:
1 - looks like they have a draft plan for NT and LEO
2 - receiving RB in the mid rounds probably 3rd round or top of 4th
3 - will draft a C sooner than later 2nd-4th
4 - will draft more offensive line later rounds

I hope not other then 3-5 players who will be gone in the first 2 rounds Offensive linemen stink this year. Maybe a player who can play Center/Guard/Tackle late in the draft and let him sit for a couple of years.
Lots of OLine guys coming out but a very weak quality class.

I just don't think they did much to address the depth in FA, maybe they like the guys they have.

Originally posted by ChaunceyGardner:

Originally posted by stonecold590:

Originally posted by ChaunceyGardner:

1 - looks like they have a draft plan for NT and LEO
2 - receiving RB in the mid rounds probably 3rd round or top of 4th
3 - will draft a C sooner than later 2nd-4th
4 - will draft more offensive line later rounds

I hope not other then 3-5 players who will be gone in the first 2 rounds Offensive linemen stink this year. Maybe a player who can play Center/Guard/Tackle late in the draft and let him sit for a couple of years.
Lots of OLine guys coming out but a very weak quality class.

I just don't think they did much to address the depth in FA, maybe they like the guys they have.

Maybe they think next year's Free Agency and draft class look better for OLine. We need to remember this is year 1 of a rebuild

Originally posted by SteveWallacesHelmet:

Originally posted by Ensatsu:

Corey Davis / Mike Williams = I mean, I like these guys, but they're not elite WR prospects. If you're going to reach for a WR here, you might as well get a QB. Especially since you splurged in free agency on multiple WRs.

Could not disagree any stronger that Corey Davis isnt an elite WR prospect. Gotta be kidding me with that.

Maybe he is like Julio Jones, but I don't know for sure.

It'd be tough to spend a #2 pick on him when he did not even workout at the Combine or on Pro Day. That goes for anyone in the draft who is currently injured. Like Foster.

Snyder might come around by draft day and work a trade with Niners. Say it happens and if there is a swap of #2 and #17, then Corey Davis or Mike Williams just might be there at #17 or a choice of Barnett/Reddick/Lamp/McKinley/Harris. RD2 a choice of Kamara/Engram/Jordan Willis/Jarrad Davis/Mahomes/Webb

Originally posted by Karma:
The first wave of Free Agency has crashed on our shores and the result has been a rather large hall. Let's keep track of who is signed and how that will impact the draft:

Signed:

Offense
QB - Brian Hoyer
QB - Matt Barkley
WR - Pierre Garcon
WR - DeAndre Carter
WR - Aldrick Robinson
WR - Marquise Goodwin
FB - Kyle Juszczyk
TE - Logan Paulsen
K - Robbie Gould

Defense
DT - Earl Mitchell
LB - Malcolm Smith
CB - K'Waun Williams

Conclusions we can draw:

1. We are not taking a QB at #2. Of course I could be wrong, but as much flirting as we have done with every FA QB out there and the increased likelihood of Cousins coming here this year or next, I don't think Lynch or Shanahan feel any pressure to force it.

2. It's going to be a defensive draft. Shanahan appears to be loading up the offense with players who already know his system. This year will be dedicated to installing that system and weeding out players who don't fit. We will probably see a WR and a RB taken in the top half of the draft, but the focus early and often will be restocking a talent depleted defense.

3. They know who they want at #2. Lynch's sprinting start to FA indicates to me that this is not a wishy-washy regime. They are decisive and they plan ahead. I am sure Lynch is working the phones and planning for trades, but he has a decision ready to go if everything stays the same. I just wish I knew what that decision was going to be...

4. Lynch is going to draft at least 2 guys who could play LEO. I think Lynch, Shanahan, and Saleh decided early on that there isn't a guy out there in Free Agency who could step in and be the future LEO. Guys like Barwin might get a shot but Lynch is going to load up on guys who could play here and let the cream rise to the top.

5. LB will also be a focal point of the draft. Bowman may not play much, if at all, this year. Ray-Ray started strong last year and will get a shot to show that wasn't a fluke. Smith is a nice signing for his experience in the system. That's pretty much it. Harold might transition here, but he is far from a sure thing. This unit might need the biggest influx of talent.

Thoughts?

I disagree on the 1. and the 4.. I don't know if we are getting a QB at #2 but I don't know if it can be a conclusion, if Trubisky can get some hype before the draft he has a big chance of being our pick. Also I think we may only get 1 LEO because we already have Lynch and maybe Brooks(don't know where he will play or even if he will be on the team but this is a possibility).

Originally posted by Hoovtrain:

Still need pass rush, ILB, probably another CB, really need to beef up the OL (C in particular) and still need to beef up the WR corp, a secondary RB and get a future QB

I think you covered all the angles with this post. Here's how I think it will all go down at the top of the draft:

If the Niners stay at #2, the only two choices would be a pass rusher or a QB. That means it's either Solomon Thomas, Watson or Trubisky.

If the Niners decide to trade down to say the #6 pick with the Jets, QB is out of the picture and then the Niners would have to consider the best defensive back available or a big WR as well. That means they could be looking at taking Thomas, D. Barnett, Hooker, Adams, Lattimore, M. Williams or C. Davis.

Would love to see the Niners take either Mahomes or Davis Webb in the late first to the early third round as their developmental QB of the future.

I have no idea who they will draft at 2 and I love it. Aside a RB I don't think I would have any issues with whoever they pick. Like English said it's BPA. I'm just as curious who they take at 34!

Trade up and get Garrett?

Trade down?

A lot of options....we have the flexibility because the Niners are finally aggressively attacking Free Agency!!!!!

I'm with the OP and think we should double down on the LEO/Edge Rushers in this draft. I'd prefer a predominantly defensive draft with the quality of this class, and would also like to get a RB1B to spell Hyde and Peterman if available in the 3rd.

At the top I'm with the Garret or trade down crowd.

Originally posted by SteveYoung:

Problem is Fournette does nothing for what Shanahan looks for. He will offer literally nothing in the pass game and he is not a fit for our offense.

From NFL.com:

Doesn't see cutback lanes developing as outside zone runner and prefers to keep runs play-side.

Something about Fournette screams Ron Dayne. You can't run over guys in the NFL like he did in college and if he tries he won't last long. He doesn't make guys miss either. He could be great but it's concerning especially if we are considering him at #2.

Yup. I will be very surprised if we take him at 2 if Kyle and Lynch are communicating as well as it seems they have been.

BPA doesn't necessarily mean most talented. Still has to fit what you're trying to achieve as a team and I'm not seeing the Fournette-Shanahan fit.

Originally posted by crew:

Snyder might come around by draft day and work a trade with Niners. Say it happens and if there is a swap of #2 and #17, then Corey Davis or Mike Williams just might be there at #17 or a choice of Barnett/Reddick/Lamp/McKinley/Harris. RD2 a choice of Kamara/Engram/Jordan Willis/Jarrad Davis/Mahomes/Webb

At this point the first round swap for Cousins should be off the table. Redskins have no leverage with everyone reporting Cousins is gone next year. We all know this isn't a win now situation for us or Shanahan. We can wait, use to pick to add playmakers and possibly trade down to add more talent then get Kirk for no draft compensation next year. Hell we may end up in position to draft Darnold, Rosen or Allen next year. I like Cousins but I'd gladly take Cousins with a free agent contract AND one of those guys to groom. Worst case they don't develop into their potential and we move on, best case they show quickly they're future studs and we trade Kirk.

Originally posted by genus49:
Don't think QB is off the board at #2.

The QB position is so important it's ok to double dip, especially if in our case you have the cap room. If we wind up with Cousins and a young QB who pushes him for the starting job that the team can see being better long term well I'm sure another team will be happy to take Cousins off our hands.

Absolutely. If we have to wait for Cousins until 2018, a year is eternity in the NFL and a lot of things could happen from now till then.

You cannot get complacent with the QB position. That is why teams like the Pats can land guys like Garoppolo. 9ers on the other hand like most teams stop looking for QBs once they think they have their guy. But, very often you can be wrong, that was how we were literally caught with our pants down once we saw the true Kap and how crap he was. We simply had nobody else. All we did was we signed a couple of scrubs like Gabbert and Ponder to be back-ups. Where are they now? These are players who shouldn't even be frigging employed.

And what if Cousins plays like sh*t in 2017? And what if he suffers a major injury? Anything can happen. Shanny is supposed to be great in developing QBs, so why shouldn't we take advantage of that and bring up a young talent in the wings? Plus, by the time we go into the 2018 season, Cousins will already be 30. How do you know when he may drop off? Aaron Rodgers sat behind Favre for 3 years. And dare I say, if we pick the right kid and groom him right, given the opportunity he might even be able to beat out Cousins after a year or two. This is how things start, the QB starts to drop off, can't win as many games, start to force balls and throw more picks. And once Cousins misses a couple of playoffs, I am pretty sure we won't even have to tell Shanny and Lynch, they will know what to do. That is precisely why you have to be prepared for all eventualities.