WR is NOT what the 49ers need.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
We need a 6'3" CB who will hold all the way down the field and talk trash everytime a camera is in his face.....

Actually, I think this is our biggest need, other than the trash talking.

1> CB
2> DL (can't have enough pass rushers)
3> WR

Originally posted by sfninerfanMax:
We need to shore up the secondary and the D line, the LB's are strong unless Bowman can't be Bowman anymore.

We need a new center, a physical aggressive center. We can always use another WR, we still don't have that one superstar WR that some teams do have.
Red zone offense remains the Niners biggest weakness, it has been that way for many years. We need to be able to run the ball and call pass plays that make it easier to score touchdowns. Relying on fade routes is not the key to red zone success.

A more creative OC would go a long way.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by mayo49:
If Boldin doesn't come back we'll need a wr.

Maybe. But we don't need it necessarily in the 1st round. I would rather have a CB or S or even a pass rusher there. Or even a big, powerful D Linemen. We can get one in the 2nd or 3rd round. We don't have to reach. We have Patton open all the time and he doesn't get the ball thrown his way anyway.

I agree with not needing to reach on a WR... but AFTER the 2014 season, we will likely need a WR badly. So it makes sense to draft a good one now and develop him for a year before requiring a lot of him. If we can keep Boldin, then we have enough firepower for 2014... but I still say draft a quality WR for the imminent future. This is a thick draft for WRs in the first 4 rounds.

I'd like to see BPA at WR, S, CB... maybe interior OL, as I don't see us paying Iupati to stay... and no one knows the progression of Kilgore and Looney.

The concerns about the defensive side of the ball are not without merit. But we realistically could be looking at Quinton Patton as the only receiver under contract after 2014 concludes right now. There are receivers available in this draft and we need to take them. We can afford to use two, possibly three picks at the position. It will give us depth, insurance in the event of injury, we'd be able to go on without Boldin and/or Crabtree, and can add some serious top end spend to the position to take advantage of Kaepernick's arm (who loves to go deep, imagine if he had someone that could fly downfield and he could throw the deep pass to him?). It also would be the best way to counter the Legion of Boom. The physical/illegal style of Seattle has to be countered with one or two deep threats. It also would open up everything underneath for the other players, including the running game.

On the defensive line, we have some players and we have depth. Of course we can't depend on Justin Smith forever, however for the time being, he is here, and we have a potential replacement. I just can't see us spending a high pick on the 4th DE at this point in time. Not with the guys ahead of him. I don't object to picking a DE early however. I want us to take Dominque Easley in the third. However Easley likely wouldn't even play next year, unless absolutely necessary, but it still allows us to bring in a very talented guy to add to the rotation.

In the secondary, we can revamp that unit entirely with our picks in the 1st through 5th rounds. I can see us taking two corners and a safety, especially if Eric Wright is not resigned. I do believe we can retain Whitner for the time being, which would give us Tramaine Brock, Chris Culliver, Eric Reid, Donte Whitner, Perrish Cox, along with three other rookies.

I would draft an ILB, but keep in mind we do have Skuta, Moody, and Wilhoite. I'm also wondering how much Fangio will play with the idea of Smith, Willis, Brooks, and Lemonier in small doses, especially if he intends to use the blitz the way he did in the playoffs.

I think we can cover everything with some contract restructures and taking advantage of the talent available in the draft at all positions of need. Even if you feel Kaep is a one read QB, it would be crazy to allow another season to go by without having quality depth and receiver.

Also, why would anyone think we would have to reach in the first round? There will be crazy talent available at the receiver. IMO there are more receivers that will get first round grades than will be actually drafted in the first round. It does mean we can go after another position (CB, S, etc) and get the receiver in the 2nd as was suggested, but drafting a Jordan Matthews or Allen Robinson at 30 doesn't mean we are reaching because we choose to go that route.

I don't see the 49ers being able to afford Boldin

Patton will be our #2 eeeeeeeeek

We need to draft a few WRs, 2-3 at least

Slot type, and a speedy deep threat with return ability

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
A WR is not the greatest need for this 49ers team. Both in FA and the draft the value would be minimal. We have a 1 read QB who doesn't know how to read defenses, adjust on the fly, find a 2nd or 3rd option and go to his alternate options. He doesn't use the WR's and TE's he has on the field right now. He has Boldin, Crabtree and Davis and he is easily capable of a 150 yards passing game with all that talent. You don't need perfect weapons. Tom Brady makes the WR's and TE's around him better even though they are scrubs. Brady doesn't have anywhere near the talent Kaep is throwing too.

Look at the Ravens and Joe Flacco. They gave him a big $20 million a year contract and the team imploded. Lost all their key FA's, can't afford salaries anymore of supporting players and they did a nose dive into mediocrity.

This 49ers team is built for DEFENSE, O LINE, and RUNNING GAME. That's how we made the NFC Championship game 3 years in a row with 2 different QB's I might add. The 49ers will decline massively if the D goes. Just like the NFCCG it was the only thing holding us in the game. A good special teams will always help this team too and should be emphasized. We need better kick coverage.

Justin Smith is getting older. Ray Mac tore his arm and was less effective. We lost or NT to injury early in the year. Navorro Bowman perhaps one of our most instinctive players got his knee shredded. He may or may not be ready for the year when it starts. He may or may not be the same ever. Our CB's are a little suspect IMO. Rogers is making way too much and will be gone as a cap casualty. Brown may leave in FA. Culliver is coming off injury. I like Brock a lot and he is very instinctive and aggressive with the ball in the air but he doesn't do everything perfect. Plus he needs help out there. I like Reid a lot and he has a great future but Whitner who played really well may leave.

We have big needs at DL, ILB, S, CB. We should build that out with some fast, big, younger players who are cheaper on the cap and are the future for the long term. This team will go as far as the DEFENSE carries it. That has been proven out by 2 different QB's for 3 seasons now. This is not an offensive driven team. Certainly not an air attack which ranks near the bottom routinely.

The WZ wants a WR in FA or draft every year for the last 10 years. They are Matt Millen. But it doesn't matter who your WR's are if your QB will just look at 1. And when the game is on the line he will throw to Crabtree who is covered like a glove by Richard Sherman while ignoring all other aspects of the field including wide open WR's. It doesn't matter how many WR's you have on this team.

A defense holding the other team down is this teams best chance to win. No way in the world Kaep wins with an average defense. He's just not capable of it right now. Will he be in the future? Who knows? He's not right now. That is for sure.

I'm convinced this guy is not a true 49ers fan.

Oh how quickly folks forget the first half of the season when we starting WRs that wouldn't make most teams rosters. Marlon Moore, Kyle Williams, Jon Baldwin.... that is what we had.

Even if we have Crabtree, Boldin, and Patton as our top 3 going into 2014 (assuming we retain Boldin), we still need to draft a guy with speed that can be groomed as a replacement for Boldin and maybe even Crabtree.

This all depends on Jonathan Baldwin. I feel he wasn't given a Fair shot at playing time. Jonathan Baldwin has all the physical tools, he's 6'4 230lbs with good speed but bad habits. If I were the 49ers, I'd try to develop this guy. He could be an asset in the vertical game. I wouldn't give up on him just yet.

1. Re Sign Boldin and develop Baldwin
2. Re sign Terell Brown to Fair market value
3. Let Whitner walk. His coverage and unnesary roughness penalties have been costly
4. In the draft with the 1st round, take the BPA at either CB or DT or WR.

The niners have drafted and kept two CBs over the past six years--Brock, 5th round 2007 and Culliver, 3rd Round 2011. They've taken numerous shots at Safeties but only Reid was a big hit and is still on the team. Goldson was a great pick as a 5th rounder.

So is it likely they will go high in the draft for a CB? Or will they go FA again...or stay with the young guys--Brock, Culliver, Morris and Cox. There are close to 50 FA Cornerbacks out there this off season.

I think WR will be addressed, we may have Boldin back, i hope. The key to making the offense click is Kap, I agree he is a one read and run QB.
I like Kap but, I love the thought of more Lombardi's.
There needs to be more development as a passer( accuracy, reading defenses and knowledge of the game.
It hurt me to hear Kap say," I knew who I was going to throw the ball to before the play( Crab)". Harbaugh needs to correct that before the other receivers stop playing to win.
I think we need to get a SS Hitners future replacement, 2CB press type , WR burner ( Boldin future Replacement) , QB, OIinemen and OLB.
This team is stacked and remember we have 3 draftees from last year redshirted.

Originally posted by dsmith_49erz:
I think WR will be addressed, we may have Boldin back, i hope. The key to making the offense click is Kap, I agree he is a one read and run QB.
I like Kap but, I love the thought of more Lombardi's.
There needs to be more development as a passer( accuracy, reading defenses and knowledge of the game.
It hurt me to hear Kap say," I knew who I was going to throw the ball to before the play( Crab)". Harbaugh needs to correct that before the other receivers stop playing to win.
I think we need to get a SS Hitners future replacement, 2CB press type , WR burner ( Boldin future Replacement) , QB, OIinemen and OLB.
This team is stacked and remember we have 3 draftees from last year redshirted.

I agree with those.

Originally posted by LottOfDefense:
It all depends on FA and the status of Boldin, Whitner, and Brown. I would rank the 3 in the likely hood of resigning as Boldin > Brown > Whitner. I just don't think their is going to be that big of a market for Brown after the injury. I am more worried about safety, as Whitner should go for big money.

But your right about Kap, if he is not going to develop peripheral vision, progression, and checkdowns than they need to be an elite defense with a strong running game. Luckily Kap is still young and is still developing and wants to develop. Hopefully this offseason without all the hype, he will focus on what makes him a better QB and not a better entertainer (athleticism, marketing, etc).

Whatever they do, they need to start grooming players with the mid round picks to be the heir apparent at all these positions and the interior line.

Assuming we loose all of our big FAs, I would rank our needs in this order:

WR
CB
S
C

I would also add ILB, QB and OT as the top needs for solid depth. Fortunately, we have the draft picks to do it. As long as Baalke picks the right players, we should be set up well for the future after this draft.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by dsmith_49erz:
I think WR will be addressed, we may have Boldin back, i hope. The key to making the offense click is Kap, I agree he is a one read and run QB.
I like Kap but, I love the thought of more Lombardi's.
There needs to be more development as a passer( accuracy, reading defenses and knowledge of the game.
It hurt me to hear Kap say," I knew who I was going to throw the ball to before the play( Crab)". Harbaugh needs to correct that before the other receivers stop playing to win.
I think we need to get a SS Hitners future replacement, 2CB press type , WR burner ( Boldin future Replacement) , QB, OIinemen and OLB.
This team is stacked and remember we have 3 draftees from last year redshirted.

I agree with those.

Apparently you guys don't take in Johnnydel's or thl408 threads. They've shown numerous times Kap is NOT a one read QB.

Originally posted by blm7754:
Oh how quickly folks forget the first half of the season when we starting WRs that wouldn't make most teams rosters. Marlon Moore, Kyle Williams, Jon Baldwin.... that is what we had.

Even if we have Crabtree, Boldin, and Patton as our top 3 going into 2014 (assuming we retain Boldin), we still need to draft a guy with speed that can be groomed as a replacement for Boldin and maybe even Crabtree.

Agreed...actually I say draft 2, if not 3.

Originally posted by C-Train85:
I think we need the best possible football players, at any position. In my opinion, the Seattle game became unmanageable partly because Gore was completely unable to gain yards in the backfield after any contact. I hope that Marcus Lattimore will be able to fix this; he's a guy that(big IF healthy) can gain positive yardage even if the defense gets to him in the backfield. This would inch us closer to third and 4 type situations where either CK can manage to get the first with his legs or arm (think option bootleg style that Young was so great at!) . In terms of the draft, one WR I absolutely love is Brandin Cooks. Cooks, in my humble opinion, is THE guy to get; never missed a game, incredibly live and explosive legs, and can really work off of screens and end arounds. If you have some time, I implore you to please check out the tape on him. He's everything that we wanted Kyle Williams to be(like, in an actual good way), and can probably be had with our first second rounder!

If you watch his highlights, I'd skip to the 2:00 mark (the beginning is like intro fluff type stuff)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfJvQEYRJsw

Gore's blocking was horrific because Seattle loaded the box, that's it. Gore is a beast still and the Seahawks don't respect our passing game.