2014 Team Needs - Updates

Just read that the niners are looking at CB chris cook from Minnesota.

Originally posted by NCommand:
Remaining FA CB's:
Tarell Brown 5'10"
Tracy Porter 5'11"
Aqib Talib 6'1"
Captain Munnerlyn 5'9"
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie 6'2"
Walter Thurmond 5'11"
Husain Abdullah 6'0"
Phillip Adams 5'11"
Javier Arenas 5'9"
E.J. Biggers 6'0"

These are the only two I consider in the Baalke-mold (that are realistic) as 2nd Tier FA's but not sure on their market value.

On par, Baalke loves the tall, physical press CB's with long arms. He's now also looking at Nolan Carroll who's 6'1" who is visiting the Bills today, but also the Vikings free agent Chris Cook. Cook, 27, stands 6'2" and weighs 212 pounds. We lost a 6'2" Marcus Cooper last year. Last year, Baalke also went after then-free agent Sean Smith and ultimately signed Nnamdi Asomugha. Both are tall for their position.

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2014/03/tall-order-49ers-interested-in-vikings-fa-cornerback-chris-cook.html#storylink=cpy

Not so much team needs but draft plans

CB is their biggest need. A Nickel and a possible replacement for Culliver if he bolts. Given Baalke's lack of activity in the CB compared to everything else he completed yesterday, I am assuming he has at least 1 CB circled for the draft. However they still might go bargain shopping, also Cromartie, DRC (both over 6'), and home grown T. Brown out there. I don't need to mention that Revis guy.

WR could be a bigger need long term than CB, but their is no reason to address this in FA. No quality WR wants to sign here knowing their best chance to see the filed is as a #3 WR. Watching Whitner, Goldson, , Walker, etc leave for top dollar, there is no doubt that Crabtree is gone next year and Boldin is a year older. None of this has not been dissected before. Draft 2 WR one early, the only thing up to speculation is how soon do they draft the 2nd WR? Do they draft a late round developmental guy or do the draft a mid round pick that is more of a sure thing?

SS while not a big need the Bethea signing tells me that Baalke was not enamored with any of the early round safeties. Since they went with an older safety, while they could have got TJ Ward for around the same price, I think he is enamored with a mid-late round developmental safety. A head scratcher of a draft pick, that everyone moans about they could have got with a later pick.

Everything else is back up BAP. Can't really say ILB as a draft choice because Bowman and Willis our locked up long term. Interior OL, 3rd TE, may be. DL with Dobbs tendered, don't have a position available.

Draft #30 has to be Nix, Tuitt, Hegeman or a CB like Fuller. I think for WR, we can get a Santonio Holmes or Miles Austin for short term and draft a youngster in round 2.

Originally posted by LottOfDefense:
Not so much team needs but draft plans

CB is their biggest need. A Nickel and a possible replacement for Culliver if he bolts. Given Baalke's lack of activity in the CB compared to everything else he completed yesterday, I am assuming he has at least 1 CB circled for the draft. However they still might go bargain shopping, also Cromartie, DRC (both over 6'), and home grown T. Brown out there. I don't need to mention that Revis guy.

WR could be a bigger need long term than CB, but their is no reason to address this in FA. No quality WR wants to sign here knowing their best chance to see the filed is as a #3 WR. Watching Whitner, Goldson, , Walker, etc leave for top dollar, there is no doubt that Crabtree is gone next year and Boldin is a year older. None of this has not been dissected before. Draft 2 WR one early, the only thing up to speculation is how soon do they draft the 2nd WR? Do they draft a late round developmental guy or do the draft a mid round pick that is more of a sure thing?

SS while not a big need the Bethea signing tells me that Baalke was not enamored with any of the early round safeties. Since they went with an older safety, while they could have got TJ Ward for around the same price, I think he is enamored with a mid-late round developmental safety. A head scratcher of a draft pick, that everyone moans about they could have got with a later pick.

Everything else is back up BAP. Can't really say ILB as a draft choice because Bowman and Willis our locked up long term. Interior OL, 3rd TE, may be. DL with Dobbs tendered, don't have a position available.

Very nice post and I like your line of thinking.

CB - I have a feeling this will be our #1 pick esp. if he doubles as a dynamic returner (he can play on ST and on nickel/dime sets until he wins a #2 spot next year). I also feel Baalke, as noted above, isn't done bringing in FA CB's either. The question will be, will Baalke go 1 or 2 CB's. Look to the bigger CB's either way.

WR - great point. Given we haven't developed a WR here...ever...we better go for a first round talent like we did with Crabtree. But fortunately for us, first round talent will be available in round 2 as well; someone like Donte Moncrief who fits that bigger mold but he's also a H/W/S guy as well.

SS - great point. Get the veteran at SS with two established backups in Dahl/Spillman (experience and ST value) behind him. Given the CB & WR needs and a smaller pool of blue-chip S's, this is a security pick-up. If someone like Pryor IS there at our pick, we'll take him. If not, we'll draft one next year in round 1 to develop behind AB/Reid for a year to start in year 3.



I was very pleased with our pre-FA and Day 1 FA moves but now and through the end of the draft is where I feel Baalke REALLY earns his money. Watch!

Originally posted by LottOfDefense:
Not so much team needs but draft plans

CB is their biggest need. A Nickel and a possible replacement for Culliver if he bolts. Given Baalke's lack of activity in the CB compared to everything else he completed yesterday, I am assuming he has at least 1 CB circled for the draft. However they still might go bargain shopping, also Cromartie, DRC (both over 6'), and home grown T. Brown out there. I don't need to mention that Revis guy.

WR could be a bigger need long term than CB, but their is no reason to address this in FA. No quality WR wants to sign here knowing their best chance to see the filed is as a #3 WR. Watching Whitner, Goldson, , Walker, etc leave for top dollar, there is no doubt that Crabtree is gone next year and Boldin is a year older. None of this has not been dissected before. Draft 2 WR one early, the only thing up to speculation is how soon do they draft the 2nd WR? Do they draft a late round developmental guy or do the draft a mid round pick that is more of a sure thing?

SS while not a big need the Bethea signing tells me that Baalke was not enamored with any of the early round safeties. Since they went with an older safety, while they could have got TJ Ward for around the same price, I think he is enamored with a mid-late round developmental safety. A head scratcher of a draft pick, that everyone moans about they could have got with a later pick.

Everything else is back up BAP. Can't really say ILB as a draft choice because Bowman and Willis our locked up long term. Interior OL, 3rd TE, may be. DL with Dobbs tendered, don't have a position available.

Very good! Yeah are mock drafts are going to be filled with people arguing between the bigger need of CB or WR. And not necessarily for this year...

It's like when the webzone was split a couple of years back when we had the 7th pick. Do we go pass rush or secondary? It was a lot of Robert Quinn vs. Prince A....

I personally would rather go with a wr. They seem to take a longer time to develop and if Crabs or Boldin do leave then we will want to have the offense going without skipping a beat. Our deep threat right now is also our TE which is a shame because our QB has a rocket arm. I would like to see us get someone to stretch the field. Baalke just seems to like those mid round Corner's as well.

Originally posted by ElephantHaley:
Draft #30 has to be Nix, Tuitt, Hegeman or a CB like Fuller. I think for WR, we can get a Santonio Holmes or Miles Austin for short term and draft a youngster in round 2.

No thanks, injuries have done a number on those two.

Whoever Baalke gets will undoubtedly be someone I don't know much about...but I bet he gets value. The guy is like Mandrake the Magician. You are looking one place (like, "what are we going to do if we lose Whitner"), and next thing we know, he signs Bethea, equally good hitter, but way better in preventing pass completions. Bethea was a 2nd or 3rd tier FA, but a gem. Baalke is on a roll. Also, TB didn't drop our load on a $57mil CB, nor on a $52mil CB. You know that is ultimately going to screw up their payrolls and create animosity on both teams. Ultimately there will be more guys on both teams wanting more money. Baalke his assiduously managed to NOT do that.

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:
Whoever Baalke gets will undoubtedly be someone I don't know much about...but I bet he gets value. The guy is like Mandrake the Magician. You are looking one place (like, "what are we going to do if we lose Whitner"), and next thing we know, he signs Bethea, equally good hitter, but way better in preventing pass completions. Bethea was a 2nd or 3rd tier FA, but a gem. Baalke is on a roll. Also, TB didn't drop our load on a $57mil CB, nor on a $52mil CB. You know that is ultimately going to screw up their payrolls and create animosity on both teams. Ultimately there will be more guys on both teams wanting more money. Baalke his assiduously managed to NOT do that.

Totally...this is the time where things slow way down and if Baalke's M.O. holds true, we'll see a few scattered under-the-radar 2nd and 3rd tier picks come in...and then pan out big for us.

NCommand, team is now $5.2M under. Add in a part where Rogers' money becomes available June 2nd, and likely for a Kap extension.

Originally posted by AB81Rules:

NCommand, team is now $5.2M under. Add in a part where Rogers' money becomes available June 2nd, and likely for a Kap extension.

AB, you think a Kaep extension is likely this year? Will the Niners let him play out his contract and franchise him?

Originally posted by NinerBuff:

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
NCommand, team is now $5.2M under. Add in a part where Rogers' money becomes available June 2nd, and likely for a Kap extension.

AB, you think a Kaep extension is likely this year? Will the Niners let him play out his contract and franchise him?

I almost think they have to get his extension done now as opposed to gambling until next offseason when the salary cap should increase and he has a chance to taste his value on the open market. Kap's price would be sky high by then perhaps if he stays injury free and progresses.

Playing a dangerous game if Kap has a good season and he enters FA.

Originally posted by SaksV:
1. I don't have faith in Michael Wilhoite being able to play the MIKE position in Fangio's D. It requires a lot more diagnosing and I have seen Wilhoite struggle in that particular department this past year when he played TED for Patrick Willis.

2. I haven't seen Dan Skuta play inside in this team. He played an entirely different role in Cincinnati that I don't believe converts to our scheme quite as seamless as people assume it is.

3. Nick Moody barely played linebacker in college. He was a converted safety and special teams ace. The team has him listed as an inside linebacker but I haven't seen any reports of him getting reps at the position, nor any indication that he's in the running to replace Bowman to open camp. Just because he's listed as ILB on the team website doesn't mean much to me. Perhaps he can play Mike but I highly doubt it.

These are the three main reasons I think an inside linebacker is a Top 5 need on this team this year. I understand some of your faith in our reserves, but I don't share that faith. Call me crazy.

I can definitely see drafting an inside linebacker fairly high in the draft, but I wanted to mention that I think that it may be possible to move Brooks to inside linebacker - at least on occasion. Skuta and Aldon could cover the outside linebacker spots. I'll bet Brooks would be pretty good as an inside linebacker.

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:
Whoever Baalke gets will undoubtedly be someone I don't know much about...but I bet he gets value. The guy is like Mandrake the Magician. You are looking one place (like, "what are we going to do if we lose Whitner"), and next thing we know, he signs Bethea, equally good hitter, but way better in preventing pass completions. Bethea was a 2nd or 3rd tier FA, but a gem. Baalke is on a roll. Also, TB didn't drop our load on a $57mil CB, nor on a $52mil CB. You know that is ultimately going to screw up their payrolls and create animosity on both teams. Ultimately there will be more guys on both teams wanting more money. Baalke his assiduously managed to NOT do that.

Agree Paso--but Bethea was rated an A FA whereas Whitner was rated a B-. So he's already hit a homerun as far as replacing a guy with an upgrade...for less! Many will argue with this but Whitner really has a target on his back from the refs and Bethea does not...add that into the equation and it's really a big boost. Justin Smith was the only FA signing that seems nearly as high profile in recent memory...but then, my memory is not as good as it used to be!