2014 Team Needs - Updates

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:

My point is that we had our de replacement targeted last year with Carradine. Why are they saying we need another? The consensus is we will be targeting DBs + outside speed. Last year's draft was supposed to be our defensive depth year after the dline faded down the stretch.

Justin and McDonald are getting old. We will need to replace them.

Last year, we drafted Carradine to replace one of them and we did have the needed depth on the line last.

I guess that site thinks that we still have one to replace.

That site could feel that this draft is deep enough in wide receivers and cornerbacks that the proper pick in the first is a defensive tackle.

It is no more than their opinion. I do not believe that they are only site suggested we take a DE first. I may wrong. Also, I believe some members of this forum have suggested that we draft a DE in the first.

It is not really important if one agrees with them or disagrees with them.

Who Baalke and company decide to draft is important, not a mock done by a talking head.

It's obvious we need at least a CB and S with our first 4 picks. And I'm talking talent, not development and not reaching for the unknown. We can't afford another 2012 draft with no production from our top picks. We should trade up again and take the best available CB or WR, then take the other with our next pick, then take a safety.

We're solid in pretty much all other areas. Much like last year, we don't have the roster spots to work in 11 new draft picks, so trade up and get 5-6 talented guys that can make an impact. Our defensive backfield is a joke right now outside of Reid. Bathea is a solid vet but we need some youth back there. Our CBs are unknowns with Culliver coming off an ACL.

On the defensive front, we'll get another year out of Smith and McD. Dorsey is still solid and we'll have Ian Williams back. We'll have more depth with Carradine and Dial in the mix as well. Their key to our defense this year if they can make an impact and keep the older guys fresh.

We'll get another productive year out of Gore, but need to see what Lattimore can do. And we need to work in more screen plays for Hunter and even LMJ if he's on the team. Those guys could do some damage out in the flat.

We could use another swing OL later in the draft and we always seem to do well finding those guys. Hopefully Martin will be able to give us some depth as well.

WR...our track record isn't great here so we probably need to go after a guy with one of our first 4 picks. I like Patton a lot, we know what we'll get with Boldin and I think Vance should see more opportunities as a wide out in some formations.

But our biggest needs right now are CB and Safety. Need to hit homeruns there in the draft.

Originally posted by buck:
Not according to them.

In their mock draft New England Sports Network had us taking Ra’Shede Hageman, defensive end, Minnesota

because, in their words:

The 49ers need disruptive five-technique defensive ends for their defense to shine. Both Justin Smith and Ray McDonald are getting up there in age.

http://nesn.com/2014/03/2014-nfl-mock-draft-patriots-find-replacement-for-vince-wilfork/

They do not even hint that Carradine is shot in their mock draft.

Perhaps because Tank cannot play each side at the same time???

Originally posted by DrGonzo00:
It's obvious we need at least a CB and S with our first 4 picks. And I'm talking talent, not development and not reaching for the unknown. We can't afford another 2012 draft with no production from our top picks. We should trade up again and take the best available CB or WR, then take the other with our next pick, then take a safety.

We're solid in pretty much all other areas. Much like last year, we don't have the roster spots to work in 11 new draft picks, so trade up and get 5-6 talented guys that can make an impact. Our defensive backfield is a joke right now outside of Reid. Bathea is a solid vet but we need some youth back there. Our CBs are unknowns with Culliver coming off an ACL.

On the defensive front, we'll get another year out of Smith and McD. Dorsey is still solid and we'll have Ian Williams back. We'll have more depth with Carradine and Dial in the mix as well. Their key to our defense this year if they can make an impact and keep the older guys fresh.

We'll get another productive year out of Gore, but need to see what Lattimore can do. And we need to work in more screen plays for Hunter and even LMJ if he's on the team. Those guys could do some damage out in the flat.

We could use another swing OL later in the draft and we always seem to do well finding those guys. Hopefully Martin will be able to give us some depth as well.

WR...our track record isn't great here so we probably need to go after a guy with one of our first 4 picks. I like Patton a lot, we know what we'll get with Boldin and I think Vance should see more opportunities as a wide out in some formations.

But our biggest needs right now are CB and Safety. Need to hit homeruns there in the draft.

Well done, sir!

Thanks, except in my haste, i wrote "their" instead of "they're". Forgive me.

Let me also add we need, in the later rounds, a FB/SWAK that can do everything. I still miss Delanie Walker a lot. I like Bruce Miller, but I'd like a pass catching/running/blocking/ST FB/HB. A lot to ask i know, but I love those guys. I also think losing Dixon will hurt our special teams so we need to find that kind of role playing team guy.

And finally, I know with Bowman hurt there may be some looking for us to take a ILB, but I think we're fine there. We have Skuta and I really like Wilhoite. Brooks can move inside at times and we'll also have Lemonier to slide in at OLB. I dont think ILB is a big need for us.

With Osgood signed, we only have who left to sign internally? QB Colin Kaepernick, LG Mike Iupati, WR Michael Crabtree and OLB Aldon Smith (down the road in 2 years). Also both CB Carlos Rogers and CB Perrish Cox are still unsigned IIRC as well.

Bottom line: Fantastic job by the FO!

Originally posted by NCommand:
With Osgood signed, we only have who left to sign internally? QB Colin Kaepernick, LG Mike Iupati, WR Michael Crabtree and OLB Aldon Smith (down the road in 2 years). Also both CB Carlos Rogers and CB Perrish Cox are still unsigned IIRC as well.

Bottom line: Fantastic job by the FO!

of course this is the truth. i would rather resign cox than rogers. teams that take care of their own, draft well and make clever use of free agency can make a deep playoff run every year and that is exactly what we have seen( did get lucky though with the one bad draft out of three years)

Originally posted by DrGonzo00:
Thanks, except in my haste, i wrote "their" instead of "they're". Forgive me.

Let me also add we need, in the later rounds, a FB/SWAK that can do everything. I still miss Delanie Walker a lot. I like Bruce Miller, but I'd like a pass catching/running/blocking/ST FB/HB. A lot to ask i know, but I love those guys. I also think losing Dixon will hurt our special teams so we need to find that kind of role playing team guy.

And finally, I know with Bowman hurt there may be some looking for us to take a ILB, but I think we're fine there. We have Skuta and I really like Wilhoite. Brooks can move inside at times and we'll also have Lemonier to slide in at OLB. I dont think ILB is a big need for us.

You bet! Watch out for FB Alex Debniak. He is a pure FB and was in line to backup Miller but was lost to I.R. all year. Also, TE Derek Carrier was talked about late last season and may be looked at as the next pure H-back in the mold of Delanie Walker.

I tend to agree with you re: the ILB position. We also have Moody as well. In fact, Wilhoite, Skuta and Moody are also good ST players. So if we bring in a higher ILB pick, he'll need to be clearly be better than these 3 and have more upside AND show more potential on ST as well. Most likely though, Baalke will want another Skuta-like veteran there that we can obtain for cheap (closer to the draft) or right after it. Why a veteran? B/c he'll need to be able to pick up our scheme quicker and jump right in should something happen to Willis/Wilhoite.

Originally posted by NCommand:
You bet! Watch out for FB Alex Debniak. He is a pure FB and was in line to backup Miller but was lost to I.R. all year. Also, TE Derek Carrier was talked about late last season and may be looked at as the next pure H-back in the mold of Delanie Walker.

I tend to agree with you re: the ILB position. We also have Moody as well. In fact, Wilhoite, Skuta and Moody are also good ST players. So if we bring in a higher ILB pick, he'll need to be clearly be better than these 3 and have more upside AND show more potential on ST as well. Most likely though, Baalke will want another Skuta-like veteran there that we can obtain for cheap (closer to the draft) or right after it. Why a veteran? B/c he'll need to be able to pick up our scheme quicker and jump right in should something happen to Willis/Wilhoite.

do you think signing some cheap vet as backer or a corner will be done, if its done, after june first? i am thinking by then we would have had the draft, maybe a mini camp and the coaches would have a decent idea of what the team looks like? and will have a titch more money than we do now

Originally posted by cciowa:

Originally posted by NCommand:
With Osgood signed, we only have who left to sign internally? QB Colin Kaepernick, LG Mike Iupati, WR Michael Crabtree and OLB Aldon Smith (down the road in 2 years). Also both CB Carlos Rogers and CB Perrish Cox are still unsigned IIRC as well.

Bottom line: Fantastic job by the FO!

of course this is the truth. i would rather resign cox than rogers. teams that take care of their own, draft well and make clever use of free agency can make a deep playoff run every year and that is exactly what we have seen( did get lucky though with the one bad draft out of three years)

I'm still not sold that 2012 was 100% all on Baalke. Looking at the picks, this was the first real draft he had time with his position coaches that year and to me, it sure seemed like each pick was for a certain position. Plus many of these picks were rolled into 2013 picks that were very nice.

30 A.J. Jenkins WR - Morton (and Morton blows)
61 LaMichael James RB - Harbaugh pick (no question here)
117 Joe Looney G - Solari (could save this draft next year if/when Iupati bolts; looks like a quality pick with much upside)
165 Darius Fleming OLB - Leavitt (I.R. two years running but may pay dividends this year if he can make the team as an ILB this year)
180 Trenton Robinson S - Donatell project
199 Jason Slowey G - Solari project (I actually was pulling for this kid at Center)
237 Cameron Johnson OLB - Leavitt project

In fact, knowing Baalke's M.O. now, NONE of these picks even fit into his mold...in any fashion, actually.

Originally posted by cciowa:
do you think signing some cheap vet as backer or a corner will be done, if its done, after june first? i am thinking by then we would have had the draft, maybe a mini camp and the coaches would have a decent idea of what the team looks like? and will have a titch more money than we do now

Looking at the transaction history, Baalke will pick up a "meh" veteran DB FA signing around a month before the draft and another two or so after the draft. And at least one of them will really pay off big for us.

Now that Dixon is no longer with the 49ers. Who is going to carry the flag at home games?? I think that's a "need" for 2014

Originally posted by sanjo49er:
Now that Dixon is no longer with the 49ers. Who is going to carry the flag at home games?? I think that's a "need" for 2014

Damn right it is!

Some good quotes to help curb expectations a bit (maybe a little late for a few fans) but still:

"You never have enough draft picks," Baalke said. "The fallacy that you have too many picks doesn't work with us. If we could have 20 a year, we'd take 20."

"It all depends on how the draft falls and what we need to do to get the players on our roster that we target in the draft, whether that means moving up, standing pat, moving back. There's a lot of flexibility. As you've seen the last few years, we're not opposed to using any of them."

"It's never over. It's an on-going process," Baalke said. "We've never been big players in the early part of free agency. This year is no different. We feel good about the football team that we have. There are things we know we need to address and we will address. But this is no different than any other year for us."

"Yeah, we think we have," he said. "Time will tell. Once again, free agency is not over. We still have a draft with 11 picks, so there is a lot of work to be done. This offseason, right now, is shaping up just like the ones previous."

http://www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/baalke-there-lot-work-be-done

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by cciowa:

Originally posted by NCommand:

With Osgood signed, we only have who left to sign internally? QB Colin Kaepernick, LG Mike Iupati, WR Michael Crabtree and OLB Aldon Smith (down the road in 2 years). Also both CB Carlos Rogers and CB Perrish Cox are still unsigned IIRC as well.

Bottom line: Fantastic job by the FO!

of course this is the truth. i would rather resign cox than rogers. teams that take care of their own, draft well and make clever use of free agency can make a deep playoff run every year and that is exactly what we have seen( did get lucky though with the one bad draft out of three years)

I'm still not sold that 2012 was 100% all on Baalke. Looking at the picks, this was the first real draft he had time with his position coaches that year and to me, it sure seemed like each pick was for a certain position. Plus many of these picks were rolled into 2013 picks that were very nice.

30 A.J. Jenkins WR - Morton (and Morton blows)
61 LaMichael James RB - Harbaugh pick (no question here)
117 Joe Looney G - Solari (could save this draft next year if/when Iupati bolts; looks like a quality pick with much upside)
165 Darius Fleming OLB - Leavitt (I.R. two years running but may pay dividends this year if he can make the team as an ILB this year)
180 Trenton Robinson S - Donatell project
199 Jason Slowey G - Solari project (I actually was pulling for this kid at Center)
237 Cameron Johnson OLB - Leavitt project

In fact, knowing Baalke's M.O. now, NONE of these picks even fit into his mold...in any fashion, actually.

I'm not sure I really agree with that. I think it was just a bad draft. I think what you are saying there just makes it seem too much like Baalke was a puppet for that draft. I just have to respectfully disagree that he did not have the majority to do with picking those players.