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

Originally posted by TheRatMan13:

Originally posted by Afrikan:
"trade Patrick Willis"

Best. Post. Ever.

the sad thing is that it actually came from a poster who has all of his little red boxes filled up so much for my theory

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.

Good thread man ! Well explained ! Not like most fans who can only write bullshlt or post a smiley. Reading other opinions i'd say it's probably a year too early. Because we'll only know for sure about Borland longevity and Bowmans health when next season is halfway. Plus you lose a tremendous leader in a year of transition (most probably). It would be a risky move. I would wait for another year. Ask me again next offseason. Your question is a good one, the kind of question that Baalke is certainly asking himself.

Good thought.... No.

The idiot who posted this thread should be drawn and quartered. Willis isn't going anywhere. Borland makes plenty of tackles but his lack of speed hurts him in pass coverage and he'll never be a Willis.

Originally posted by kezarvet49:
The idiot who posted this thread should be drawn and quartered. Willis isn't going anywhere. Borland makes plenty of tackles but his lack of speed hurts him in pass coverage and he'll never be a Willis.

U do know u are getting Warned right?

This is a G rating forum buddy i should know

Originally posted by kezarvet49:
The idiot who posted this thread should be drawn and quartered. Willis isn't going anywhere. Borland makes plenty of tackles but his lack of speed hurts him in pass coverage and he'll never be a Willis.

the idiot is a hall of fame member. Know your role, noob!

Originally posted by pdizo916:
I guess I'll side with the minority and I somewhat agree with Maddog. I don't think he should be traded in 2015, but in 2016. We gotta see if Navarro can come back 100 percent and that Borland can continue his rise as a very good player. We'll be taking alot of unnecessary risk by trading him after the season. But there is no question that Willis isnt the same player that he once was. Alot of posters don't want to trade him due to sentimental reasons, and I can understand that. But Bill Walsh once said that it's better to get rid of a player a year too early than a year too late. I'm just glad that Maddog had the balls to say this.

this is a sentiment I agree with but doesn't apply here, Willis has a ton of good football left, we're nowhere near the time where we need to think of getting rid of him for fear it will be too late.

Originally posted by matt49er:

Originally posted by pdizo916:
I guess I'll side with the minority and I somewhat agree with Maddog. I don't think he should be traded in 2015, but in 2016. We gotta see if Navarro can come back 100 percent and that Borland can continue his rise as a very good player. We'll be taking alot of unnecessary risk by trading him after the season. But there is no question that Willis isnt the same player that he once was. Alot of posters don't want to trade him due to sentimental reasons, and I can understand that. But Bill Walsh once said that it's better to get rid of a player a year too early than a year too late. I'm just glad that Maddog had the balls to say this.

this is a sentiment I agree with but doesn't apply here, Willis has a ton of good football left, we're nowhere near the time where we need to think of getting rid of him for fear it will be too late.

That's why I also suggested 2016 to evaluate Willis in 2015 to see if he can return to the same player he once was. By 2016, Baalke can determine if Willis is worth his salary.

no

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

3) Willis makes about twice as much money as Bowman (who is four years younger)

It actually appears that over the next two years, the remaining years on Willis's contract, that Bowman's cap $ is more than Willis's.

I am no expert but here are the figures.



http://overthecap.com/salary-cap/san-francisco-49ers/

Originally posted by pdizo916:
That's why I also suggested 2016 to evaluate Willis in 2015 to see if he can return to the same player he once was. By 2016, Baalke can determine if Willis is worth his salary.

This...maybe. Definitely not this offseason, maybe next depending largely on how Bowman looks in his return and at what level Willis is playing at as well.

hahahaha.


no.

Originally posted by pdizo916:

I guess I'll side with the minority and I somewhat agree with Maddog. I don't think he should be traded in 2015, but in 2016. We gotta see if Navarro can come back 100 percent and that Borland can continue his rise as a very good player. We'll be taking alot of unnecessary risk by trading him after the season. But there is no question that Willis isnt the same player that he once was. Alot of posters don't want to trade him due to sentimental reasons, and I can understand that. But Bill Walsh once said that it's better to get rid of a player a year too early than a year too late. I'm just glad that Maddog had the balls to say this.

Not the same player he once was? I would like to see him back and playing before I comment but I certainly take issue with the "but there is no question that". Several posters here question the statement, as do I.

Regarding Walsh's comment about getting rid of a player a year too early rather than a year too late, having watched the team trying to replace Roger Craig and Ronnie Lott I believe the statement needs a qualifier. If you are confident of the replacement. And, as I commented earlier, it is way too early to crown Borland.

This is the type of scenario that the best teams employ - trade away players at the top of their game before they take a nose-dive. Willis is WAY better than Borland - obvious. BUT - for a rookie, Borland has shown unbelievable ability and instincts which should only improve. Bowman getting the rest of the year off is GREAT and should get him back to form come training camp. Getting a late 1st or 2nd rounder for Willis would be a great team/business decision.

About 75% of the responses here have just been "no"...and I really believe that is because of the emotional attachment.

Good Thread!

With all the money we will save with not resigning over priced free agents, restructured contracts, and releasing over priced vets the salary cap won't even be a factor. Willis stay's at least for another year.