Saying Good-Bye to a Legend- The Niners should trade Patrick Willis

Watching former 49ers greats, like Joe Montana, wearing a Chiefs' jersey, or Jerry Rice wearing a Raiders' jersey, is like being part of some strange alternate universe. It just didn't seem real, or right, or __________ (your choice of words). And, yet, the Niners are on the verge of turning the page on a roster full of terrific players that deserve a spot, or at least an argument for a spot, on our best-ever roster. The one I want to focus on in this thread is Patrick Willis,

Willis will turn 30 this next month, and let's be honest, his best football is behind him. In the first five years of his career, there was no one better (better than Ray, better than Urlacher/Briggs, better than anyone). He should make the Hall of Fame someday as the dominant defender of the middle, a three-down stud. But, as we know, Father Time has a way of slowing down the best and brightest, and Willis doesn't have the same impact as he once did in his earlier days, He is not as dominant, not the best in the league anymore. He has come back to simply being very good, which is better than most rosters have across the NFL.

The problem the Niners have with Willis is that: 1) Chris Borland is also very good; 2) Navarro Bowman is also very good; 3) Willis makes about twice as much money as Bowman (who is four years younger), and a LOT more than Borland. Unless the Niners can find a new defensive scheme with 3 interior linebackers, this team has a problem: Which dude do you bench? Even though Willis has been so good to us, it doesn't make much salary cap sense to commit nearly $9 million this year to Willis, when you have a player at the same level, maybe slightly higher or lower depending on your perspective, in Borland, making a fraction of that amount.

As much as it would kill me to see Willis play for another team, the reality of the current salary cap era, the large cap number the team possesses going into 2015, and the list of free agents to either re-sign, or sign from other clubs, and the stellar play of Bowman (in 2012 and 2013) and Borland, simply makes Willis a Niners' legend that is...I hate to say the word...expendable. He, along with Frank Gore, have been the heart and soul of this team for so long, but this will be a new Niners' team in 2015, and the team has too many other needs entering the season to carry a huge cap number in a position of strength.

Trust me: there will be suitors in trades. Watching the Texans this year, they have a gigantic hole at ILB. There are numerous other teams who have the cap space (he would surely have to re-negotiate the contract down) and would love to have Willis on their roster.

All of this argument is based on the idea that Bowman and Borland will come back healthy entering 2015.

Kind of surprised to see you suggesting this. IMO it is too early to crown Borland as his replacement.

wow

no

I see the point you are trying to make, I think they might just restructure him and give Borland some more reps to rest Willis for a playoff run

While I understand what you're saying, and agree on some points, what happens if Bow isn't the same player he was before the injury? That could be a big problem trading P Willy away. Plus I just think P brings more to the team then just on the field, he is a master motivator and like you said, sure would be odd seeing him somewhere else. It sure will be interesting seeing what moves they make this offseason.

Hell. NO.

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
Watching former 49ers greats, like Joe Montana, wearing a Chiefs' jersey, or Jerry Rice wearing a Raiders' jersey, is like being part of some strange alternate universe. It just didn't seem real, or right, or __________ (your choice of words). And, yet, the Niners are on the verge of turning the page on a roster full of terrific players that deserve a spot, or at least an argument for a spot, on our best-ever roster. The one I want to focus on in this thread is Patrick Willis,

Willis will turn 30 this next month, and let's be honest, his best football is behind him. In the first five years of his career, there was no one better (better than Ray, better than Urlacher/Briggs, better than anyone). He should make the Hall of Fame someday as the dominant defender of the middle, a three-down stud. But, as we know, Father Time has a way of slowing down the best and brightest, and Willis doesn't have the same impact as he once did in his earlier days, He is not as dominant, not the best in the league anymore. He has come back to simply being very good, which is better than most rosters have across the NFL.

The problem the Niners have with Willis is that: 1) Chris Borland is also very good; 2) Navarro Bowman is also very good; 3) Willis makes about twice as much money as Bowman (who is four years younger), and a LOT more than Borland. Unless the Niners can find a new defensive scheme with 3 interior linebackers, this team has a problem: Which dude do you bench? Even though Willis has been so good to us, it doesn't make much salary cap sense to commit nearly $9 million this year to Willis, when you have a player at the same level, maybe slightly higher or lower depending on your perspective, in Borland, making a fraction of that amount.

As much as it would kill me to see Willis play for another team, the reality of the current salary cap era, the large cap number the team possesses going into 2015, and the list of free agents to either re-sign, or sign from other clubs, and the stellar play of Bowman (in 2012 and 2013) and Borland, simply makes Willis a Niners' legend that is...I hate to say the word...expendable. He, along with Frank Gore, have been the heart and soul of this team for so long, but this will be a new Niners' team in 2015, and the team has too many other needs entering the season to carry a huge cap number in a position of strength.

Trust me: there will be suitors in trades. Watching the Texans this year, they have a gigantic hole at ILB. There are numerous other teams who have the cap space (he would surely have to re-negotiate the contract down) and would love to have Willis on their roster.

All of this argument is based on the idea that Bowman and Borland will come back healthy entering 2015.

Whoa nelly. No way. Borland shoots gaps. Patrick does everything. He covers Whitten. He tackles Lynch.

We have some time to let things play out. I want to see Patrick with two good big toes.

we have no idea if/when bowman will start, so no.

~ Depends what you can get as compensation. Don't give him away for free or cheap.
~ Depends if he will lower his salary or not.

Him and Ahmad Brooks can go IMO to lower our salary cap obligations and keep more important players around like Iupati.

"trade Patrick Willis"

I think they will trade Brooks and rid themselves of his 9 mil cap number next year and there is no telling if Bowman will return to his old self, that was a nasty injury to his knee

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
~ Depends what you can get as compensation. Don't give him away for free or cheap.
~ Depends if he will lower his salary or not.

Him and Ahmad Brooks can go IMO to lower our salary cap obligations and keep more important players around like Iupati.

i seen what you done there.

I strongly disagree. I think there are other players who could be let go to help with the salary cap. Willis is still one of the guys who gets the defense fired up and is a contributor in so many other ways than just playing the game. You don't trade a franchise player like that to save cap space.

Let Iupati, Crabtree and Brooks go. Would save more than cutting Willis I'm sure and all of those players had down years.

The luxury of having two of the best linebackers is not to be underestimated. Borland is good against the run, yet a liability in coverage, with Willis and Bowman, that isn´t the case.

I say no.

While I think it my be a tad premature, I appreciate the well thought out thread and points you make.