John Lynch - 49ers GM

Even with the signings, and Garcon's price-tag, we still have ... what? $50M in cap space?

Here's how I see it: when you rebuild there are two philosophies: actively tank for 2-3 seasons to build up draft picks and cap space, or make short-term improvements while building for long-term success. I don't think any GM or franchise in the NFL would willingly and publicly embrace the first option.

We barely had an NFL roster last year, and we lost talent even after that. Stocking up in free agency is rarely a way to win championships, but it's a good way to jump-start a rebuild. Here's why:

1) You create a winning system with the talent you acquire (rather than scheme around your weaknesses), and then over the years draft to improve it. This cycles out the "pricey" FAs for home-grown talent who are trained in the system.

2) You provide flexibility by signing shorter-term, front-loaded contracts that don't handcuff you in Year 3+.

3) You establish yourself as a stable, desirable landing spot, not only for high-value FAs but also for your own homegrown talent.

4) A few core players can emerge, and stay with the team to help build a legacy. Think Justin Smith -- a high-dollar FA signed when the team was terrible who became the beating heart of the league's best defense.

The downsides are modest:

1) You lose compensatory picks (but if you make a big splash in Year 1 then are judicious moving forward, this might only be a one-season setback)

2) You potentially move yourself out of contention for a top-5 pick, even while we're still rebuilding.

I'm seeing a pattern here:

All of these guys we have signed know the new system.

3 of these guys have very high level experience be it a probowl or suberbowl.

Originally posted by PhillyNiner:

Originally posted by Lobo49er:

Originally posted by communist:
I was never a fan of huge FA activities.

It usually means you're not very good. And in this case, that's true.

This...the one thing we had going for us was a clean slate, it is allowing us to be super aggressive in free agency, which we need because there is just too much needed to reload through the draft alone, it would take years.

Then it take years. Lynch and Shanahan received SIX year contracts. I don't need success immediately, the only thing I care during a rebuild is development and imho reasonable ppl will see it the same way.
Meeting needs here and there through FA is ok, Baalke did that as well (don't even start discussing, you know that this was true most of the time).
However, right now we are going the Elway-path if not even further. Of course, I will like the success or even the SB win that could be a possible outcome by this approach, yet, I don't like it because it is too much.

Would be awesome if we land Poe.

Originally posted by Joecool:

If Baalke was our GM, he would have said this: "We don't want to rush into free agency. That's when prices are high."

Bwahaha nice!

Originally posted by 9ergang42:

Originally posted by Joecool:

If Baalke was our GM, he would have said this: "We don't want to rush into free agency. That's when prices are high."

Bwahaha nice!

But oh so true. Baalke was terrible.

Originally posted by communist:
Then it take years. Lynch and Shanahan received SIX year contracts. I don't need success immediately, the only thing I care during a rebuild is development and imho reasonable ppl will see it the same way.
Meeting needs here and there through FA is ok, Baalke did that as well (don't even start discussing, you know that this was true most of the time).
However, right now we are going the Elway-path if not even further. Of course, I will like the success or even the SB win that could be a possible outcome by this approach, yet, I don't like it because it is too much.

What are you looking at? We're not signing big name/big contract/over the hill free agents. We're signing professional, experienced role plays to a roster that was void or professional talent next year. Having players that know the system is valuable.

We still have more cap space than most teams, I think you're being completely unreasonable.

Originally posted by Joecool:
If Baalke was our GM, he would have said this: "We don't want to rush into free agency. That's when prices are high."

Most of the time Baalke hadn't this cap space, not even close. Before we lost most of our blood, i.e. two years ago, we were lucky to stay right below the cap.
Nevertheless, Baalke brought useful players like Rogers, Bethea, Boldin, Dorsey, Whitner, Goodwin, Beadles etc. I add Torrey Smith to this list because we needed quality speed badly and iirc, thl suggested Torrey back then.
Right now, we can afford to overpay due to huge cap space we got. But if you don't have this luxury, then you have to look at the price twice. If you start overpaying to the first player, the second one wants more money as well. If the latter one wants more than you got due to the cap, you got a problem. If you negotiate contracts, you have to think in a strategic manner as well, i.e. consequences for the future should be accounted for.

They need talent and depth, KyJo trying to get as much out of FA as they can. Some of these guys they signed may not necessarily be starters going into the season

Originally posted by Stanley:
What are you looking at? We're not signing big name/big contract/over the hill free agents. We're signing professional, experienced role plays to a roster that was void or professional talent next year. Having players that know the system is valuable.

We still have more cap space than most teams, I think you're being completely unreasonable.

Paying Garcon 16 million dollars is unreasonable imho.

Originally posted by communist:

Originally posted by Joecool:
If Baalke was our GM, he would have said this: "We don't want to rush into free agency. That's when prices are high."

Most of the time Baalke hadn't this cap space, not even close. Before we lost most of our blood, i.e. two years ago, we were lucky to stay right below the cap.
Nevertheless, Baalke brought useful players like Rogers, Bethea, Boldin, Dorsey, Whitner, Goodwin, Beadles etc. I add Torrey Smith to this list because we needed quality speed badly and iirc, thl suggested Torrey back then.
Right now, we can afford to overpay due to huge cap space we got. But if you don't have this luxury, then you have to look at the price twice. If you start overpaying to the first player, the second one wants more money as well. If the latter one wants more than you got due to the cap, you got a problem. If you negotiate contracts, you have to think in a strategic manner as well, i.e. consequences for the future should be accounted for.

Still, do you really think he would do what Lynch is doing and would you trust in him to give the big contracts to the right players? His most expensive signing was probably Torrey and he ended up being a dud for us.

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
They need talent and depth, KyJo trying to get as much out of FA as they can. Some of these guys they signed may not necessarily be starters going into the season

Sorry I do expect that these guys start given the price we pay.

Originally posted by communist:

Originally posted by PhillyNiner:

Originally posted by Lobo49er:

Originally posted by communist:
I was never a fan of huge FA activities.

It usually means you're not very good. And in this case, that's true.

This...the one thing we had going for us was a clean slate, it is allowing us to be super aggressive in free agency, which we need because there is just too much needed to reload through the draft alone, it would take years.

Then it take years. Lynch and Shanahan received SIX year contracts. I don't need success immediately, the only thing I care during a rebuild is development and imho reasonable ppl will see it the same way.
Meeting needs here and there through FA is ok, Baalke did that as well (don't even start discussing, you know that this was true most of the time).
However, right now we are going the Elway-path if not even further. Of course, I will like the success or even the SB win that could be a possible outcome by this approach, yet, I don't like it because it is too much.

If you think a team will honor a six year contract if it takes you three to even post a winning season in this day and age I am utterly flabbergasted.

All these FA moves must be upsetting the draft and develop guys.

Originally posted by communist:

Originally posted by Joecool:

If Baalke was our GM, he would have said this: "We don't want to rush into free agency. That's when prices are high."

Most of the time Baalke hadn't this cap space, not even close. Before we lost most of our blood, i.e. two years ago, we were lucky to stay right below the cap.
Nevertheless, Baalke brought useful players like Rogers, Bethea, Boldin, Dorsey, Whitner, Goodwin, Beadles etc. I add Torrey Smith to this list because we needed quality speed badly and iirc, thl suggested Torrey back then.
Right now, we can afford to overpay due to huge cap space we got. But if you don't have this luxury, then you have to look at the price twice. If you start overpaying to the first player, the second one wants more money as well. If the latter one wants more than you got due to the cap, you got a problem. If you negotiate contracts, you have to think in a strategic manner as well, i.e. consequences for the future should be accounted for.

He had cap space for the last year. A bunch of it and he sat out free agency when he hired a new coach who ran a specific system. He got him nothing and drafted him a useless offensive lineman