John Lynch - 49ers GM

Originally posted by 9moon:

Originally posted by mcwoot:

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by RonMexico:

Wow! thats pretty harsh considering the guys picking have been to two superbowls in the last 7 years.

Maybe if they drafted better they would have won one

we went to 2 Super Bowls having the better team, Shanny just did not know what to do... the game plan sucked, actually, he had no game plan...

Also, we should have gone to 3 Super Bowls, McVay spotted him 10 pts with 1 time out left, and again, Shanny did not know what to do once the momentum was going to the. opposing teams.. He had no game plan, and did attack the Rams' weakness on D.. which was the LBs..

Kyle tends to painic a bit when he falls behind. His teams are designed like a python - to strangle and suffocate teams until dead. They aren't explosive - although he operates an explosive type of Air Coryell/Hybrid short passing Walsh timing offense. Its not a Walsh offense in that sense with the play action zone run game.

Walsh's teams were designed the way Paul Brown designed his teams. Dominating defense, ball control offense. I never get the sense that Kyle puts defense first the way Walsh did. Kyle hasn't drafted a cornerback/defensive back in the first round - for example. We all know Lott was famously drafted in the first round in 1981.

To me, Kyle's defenses are kind of a complement to his offense. Which is fine and win you games, but will fail you (in my opinion) in the championships. Walsh valued his defenses, in part I think, because he was a defensive end in college. Kyle played wide receiver in college. Again all opinions and we all know everyone had opinions and they all...

Originally posted by Leathaface:
He isn't judging the 2026 draft class, just saying the picks were "reaches" based on consensus ranking.

By ranking the class, he is judging the class. Because that's why he leads his piece with, and that's what people are going to take out of it. You and I both know that it's a ranking based on consensus, and you and I both know that ranking based on consensus is meaningless, but he does not go on to explain that to his readers, instead propping up an entire argument on seemingly saying that we have been the worst drafters the past four seasons. Hence, "bad-faith"

Consensus ranking theoretically shouldn't matter but based on the extremely poor draft record in the last 5 years + "reaching" based on consensus ranking, there can be a question as to why our draft board is so different than the "consensus." It would be one thing if Lynch had a great track record. He doesn't.

Consensus falls off a cliff after round one and two. The Rams are the third worst consensus drafting team over tha same span, and no one here pans them the way they do the 9ers. In fact, if you look at drafts VS consensus, you'll see that the best teams and worst teams are scattered throughout the rankings. It's as consensus is meaningless. Which I'd argue it is.

A better presentation would be if Sharp compared Lynch to the draft record of a team who had "value" based on consensus ranking and seeing if their picks were more successful.

Ideally, a look at all teams is required for the argument to hold. Looking at a single team to compare would be cherry picking.

I do agree that the 2024 and 2025 evaluations by Sharp are a bit off. Renardo Green has been mostly good. Upton Stout was very good last year. I really don't care about PFF rankings. That can't be used as evidence. Collins and Sigle both had ups and downs but showed a lot of promise in their rookie years (at least Collins did, for sure).

I agree with all this. I thought last years class contributed quite well considering the circumstances.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
I think what bugs me most about their approach to the draft is that they just don't solve stuff. They went into the draft with major needs at edge, safety, offensive guard and tight end and they leave the draft with all of those same needs.

Height is a nice pickup but if you want to see a team knocking out their issue at edge, look at Dallas as an example. I want them to commit to addressing specific things or simply going best player available. Instead they reach for weird needs and often miss because they are reaching and simply trying to outsmart everyone else while a team like Baltimore makes the smart, conventional picks year in and year out and year in and year out they manage to acquire a bunch of productive players.

Given the cowboys used half their picks on EDGE, I would hope they addressed their issues there. Our issues were a bit different insofar our two high first round EDGEs that were lost to season ending injuries. Height looks like a perfect replacement to Huff, and being back to full health gives us a major boon to the position over last year. We also freed up about 11 million before the draft. I don't think we've finished addressing the position.

I think we addressed G in this draft seeing as we took two. It'll be a competition between Colby, the rookies, and the two FAs to see who takes that position. Seems we're banking on a game of numbers here, and hoping a clear winner emerges.

we didn't grab a S, which also surprised me. I don't know if it was due to where we picked and not loving any player above what we have. I like Mustapha and Sigle quite a bit, but recognize neither is a true center fielder. But who knows, maybe an improved pass rush will alleviate the concern some. Still would have been nice to grab a guy to develop, hopefully one of our UDFAs is up for the task.

TE, I'm less worried. This class seemed pretty weak at the position and we saw last year that we have a capable guy to step in for Kittle.

I agree that we didn't address some of our weak spots, but I'd argue that we did address others. As much as we all hate Black being picked at 90, backup RB is a huge question mark, and a big need with CMC taking a beating year over year. Wish one of the last guys we picked at the position took better, but it is what it is.

I suspect that some of the trade backs happened because players the 49ers may have wanted got taken just before they were going to pick. Dillon Thieneman may haver been a 49er but the Bears took him two spots before the Niners pick. Thast's when they trade back to 30. They may have been hoping to get an O linean at theat spot but a potential pick was taken ahead of them once again so they traded back to 33. I don't know this but I'm guessing it may have happened that way.

Lynch will say he loves the guys they got and some of them may turn out to be good players. However to me it didn't look like they had a solid plan. Last season it was clear they were trying to build up the D line. especially the run defense. This year I didn't see that focus. Taking a WR with the 1st pick was a little puzzlng to me. I saw that as their 4th biggest need. They needed an edge rusher but taking an undersized guy that can't play every down isn't the way I wanted them to go.

Bottom line for me is they did okay but not great in a draft that didn't have a lot of top tier talent. Hopefully one of the O linemen they picked late will be able to play guard and fill that need. There were guards available that they could have taken. A couple of centers too. For whatever reason they passed on them. It's worth noting that the guards and centers weren't flying off the board so I guess the feeling around the league was they weren't great.

we can argue poor value usage of draft picks but it doesn't mean they'll be bad picks overall. I'm really hoping this whole draft balls out.

Originally posted by tankle104:

Demo Lenoir: ranked 319th on the ESPN Big Board (picked 172nd)
Talanoa Hufanga: ranked 212th, picked 180th
Brock Purdy: ranked 362nd, picked 262nd
Renardo Green: ranked 106th, picked 64th
Dominick Puni: ranked 104th, picked 86th
Malik Mustapha: ranked 149th, picked 124th

— Harry Berezin (@HarryBerezin) April 26, 2026

we can argue poor value usage of draft picks but it doesn't mean they'll be bad picks overall. I'm really hoping this whole draft balls out.

This is true, and one thing I think we don't see as fans is the vision. JL & KS wanted dogs, and so they are looking at traits a little different than we are. The Seahawks, Eagles, and Chiefs all build through the draft and for some reason they have all been able to make it to the mountain top (super bowl). The rams take a different approach (trading 1st round picks for proven players) and they too have made it to the mountain top.

JL & KS seem to have a "our kinda guy" approach to the draft, but they also have a priority for each round in the draft. DL & WR get the top two rounds and then everything else falls in line unless there is a particular need.

They have made guys work in the system and some simply don't work. It is my opinion that they value F/A & trades way more than they value the draft when it comes to acquiring impact players.

What is the best pick that they have ever made in the draft?

I think the best pick is Bosa, as he matched the expectation of where he was picked after missing on the #3 overall pick twice. Many will say Purdy, but it feels horrible when we waste those top 5 picks which should be slam dunks.

My response to the question above is based on the fact that I hate losing more than I love winning. I think the way people will differ in answering the question about the best pick JL & KS have ever made is also why we see their drafts so much differently than they do. I honestly don't think these guys value 1st round picks over 7th round picks.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

I evaluated the last 4 years of John Lynch drafts

his performance:

2023: #31
2024: #28
2025: #31
2026: #32

after the draft, Lynch claimed he knows better than everyone else

the data shows he doesn't

I went thru every single "reach" he made

it's grosshttps://t.co/lIiJ1aOWx9

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 26, 2026

Not you too. f**k this tweet with barbed wire around a Louisville slugger.

Originally posted by glorydayz:

Originally posted by tankle104:

Demo Lenoir: ranked 319th on the ESPN Big Board (picked 172nd)
Talanoa Hufanga: ranked 212th, picked 180th
Brock Purdy: ranked 362nd, picked 262nd
Renardo Green: ranked 106th, picked 64th
Dominick Puni: ranked 104th, picked 86th
Malik Mustapha: ranked 149th, picked 124th

— Harry Berezin (@HarryBerezin) April 26, 2026

we can argue poor value usage of draft picks but it doesn't mean they'll be bad picks overall. I'm really hoping this whole draft balls out.

This is true, and one thing I think we don't see as fans is the vision. JL & KS wanted dogs, and so they are looking at traits a little different than we are. The Seahawks, Eagles, and Chiefs all build through the draft and for some reason they have all been able to make it to the mountain top (super bowl). The rams take a different approach (trading 1st round picks for proven players) and they too have made it to the mountain top.

JL & KS seem to have a "our kinda guy" approach to the draft, but they also have a priority for each round in the draft. DL & WR get the top two rounds and then everything else falls in line unless there is a particular need.

They have made guys work in the system and some simply don't work. It is my opinion that they value F/A & trades way more than they value the draft when it comes to acquiring impact players.

What is the best pick that they have ever made in the draft?

I think the best pick is Bosa, as he matched the expectation of where he was picked after missing on the #3 overall pick twice. Many will say Purdy, but it feels horrible when we waste those top 5 picks which should be slam dunks.

My response to the question above is based on the fact that I hate losing more than I love winning. I think the way people will differ in answering the question about the best pick JL & KS have ever made is also why we see their drafts so much differently than they do. I honestly don't think these guys value 1st round picks over 7th round picks.

Right, They have a vision of what they're trying to build on a granular level and not all players will fit that. Even if they're good football players, they may not be the kind of person they want in the locker room. That's something they've done a good job of, getting guys who love football and are team players (mainly). Everyone raves about the culture and the men who play are a vital part of that.

ifll never happen but it would be so cool for the teams to break down their big board and why.

Stribling was a surprise to pretty much everyone but when you look into him - he seems like an excellent fit for what the team does and this offense needs, IMO.

the only pick that still has me scratching my head is carver. Lol Enrique is a super freak athlete who needs development but carver isn't a great athlete (relatively speaking) and doesn't have great film from what I can see. Maybe he will become a stud guard. I think both o line guys drafted are for development next year or so.

would be badass if Enrique played guard and was a stud. Haha two Jayhawks at guard for us.

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by NYniner85:
Thought this was interesting…Tariq Ahmad, RJ Gillen, and Josh Williams explaining SF's draft process.

I watched that earlier. I'm not sure how to feel about what I heard. Dude brought up Dre Greenlaw and George Kittle as proof of their process...my guy, that was seven years ago. You have no new Kittles or Greenlaws to show for the last four drafts.

I feel like these draft issues might be a systemic problem...

They really didn't say much that we all don't already know. One thing that stood out to me is that they self scout two years back and look two years back as to what went right and what went wrong.

So I'm sure they will be reviewing this two years from now.

So that mens they have reviewed the drafts of 2022 and 2023 by now. Admittedly, I feel better about the last three drafts than I do those two. But that's a pretty low bar. 2022 and 2023 yielded absolutely nothing. Whereas as it stands right now, we've only acquired decent role player. In the 2024 draft, I can only see Pearsall and Puni having any kind of chance to be a major player due to having a couple of big games for Pearsall and Puni's rookie year. Hopefully Pearsall can remain healthy and Puni can return to form from rookie year. Mustapha finally gets his first real offseason not as a rookie or injured, so we'll see. But it's all a bunch of projection.

Ditto for Mykel Williams the following year. We'll see what the unit looks like altogether over the course of a year.

Originally posted by Chance:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
I think what bugs me most about their approach to the draft is that they just don't solve stuff. They went into the draft with major needs at edge, safety, offensive guard and tight end and they leave the draft with all of those same needs.

Height is a nice pickup but if you want to see a team knocking out their issue at edge, look at Dallas as an example. I want them to commit to addressing specific things or simply going best player available. Instead they reach for weird needs and often miss because they are reaching and simply trying to outsmart everyone else while a team like Baltimore makes the smart, conventional picks year in and year out and year in and year out they manage to acquire a bunch of productive players.

Given the cowboys used half their picks on EDGE, I would hope they addressed their issues there. Our issues were a bit different insofar our two high first round EDGEs that were lost to season ending injuries. Height looks like a perfect replacement to Huff, and being back to full health gives us a major boon to the position over last year. We also freed up about 11 million before the draft. I don't think we've finished addressing the position.

I think we addressed G in this draft seeing as we took two. It'll be a competition between Colby, the rookies, and the two FAs to see who takes that position. Seems we're banking on a game of numbers here, and hoping a clear winner emerges.

we didn't grab a S, which also surprised me. I don't know if it was due to where we picked and not loving any player above what we have. I like Mustapha and Sigle quite a bit, but recognize neither is a true center fielder. But who knows, maybe an improved pass rush will alleviate the concern some. Still would have been nice to grab a guy to develop, hopefully one of our UDFAs is up for the task.

TE, I'm less worried. This class seemed pretty weak at the position and we saw last year that we have a capable guy to step in for Kittle.

I agree that we didn't address some of our weak spots, but I'd argue that we did address others. As much as we all hate Black being picked at 90, backup RB is a huge question mark, and a big need with CMC taking a beating year over year. Wish one of the last guys we picked at the position took better, but it is what it is.

Someone will win the guard position because someone has to. But no one we have is that talented where we have much of a chance to becoming significantly better as an O-line.

Originally posted by tankle104:

Originally posted by glorydayz:

Originally posted by tankle104:

Demo Lenoir: ranked 319th on the ESPN Big Board (picked 172nd)
Talanoa Hufanga: ranked 212th, picked 180th
Brock Purdy: ranked 362nd, picked 262nd
Renardo Green: ranked 106th, picked 64th
Dominick Puni: ranked 104th, picked 86th
Malik Mustapha: ranked 149th, picked 124th

— Harry Berezin (@HarryBerezin) April 26, 2026

we can argue poor value usage of draft picks but it doesn't mean they'll be bad picks overall. I'm really hoping this whole draft balls out.

This is true, and one thing I think we don't see as fans is the vision. JL & KS wanted dogs, and so they are looking at traits a little different than we are. The Seahawks, Eagles, and Chiefs all build through the draft and for some reason they have all been able to make it to the mountain top (super bowl). The rams take a different approach (trading 1st round picks for proven players) and they too have made it to the mountain top.

JL & KS seem to have a "our kinda guy" approach to the draft, but they also have a priority for each round in the draft. DL & WR get the top two rounds and then everything else falls in line unless there is a particular need.

They have made guys work in the system and some simply don't work. It is my opinion that they value F/A & trades way more than they value the draft when it comes to acquiring impact players.

What is the best pick that they have ever made in the draft?

I think the best pick is Bosa, as he matched the expectation of where he was picked after missing on the #3 overall pick twice. Many will say Purdy, but it feels horrible when we waste those top 5 picks which should be slam dunks.

My response to the question above is based on the fact that I hate losing more than I love winning. I think the way people will differ in answering the question about the best pick JL & KS have ever made is also why we see their drafts so much differently than they do. I honestly don't think these guys value 1st round picks over 7th round picks.

Right, They have a vision of what they're trying to build on a granular level and not all players will fit that. Even if they're good football players, they may not be the kind of person they want in the locker room. That's something they've done a good job of, getting guys who love football and are team players (mainly). Everyone raves about the culture and the men who play are a vital part of that.

ifll never happen but it would be so cool for the teams to break down their big board and why.

Stribling was a surprise to pretty much everyone but when you look into him - he seems like an excellent fit for what the team does and this offense needs, IMO.

the only pick that still has me scratching my head is carver. Lol Enrique is a super freak athlete who needs development but carver isn't a great athlete (relatively speaking) and doesn't have great film from what I can see. Maybe he will become a stud guard. I think both o line guys drafted are for development next year or so.

would be badass if Enrique played guard and was a stud. Haha two Jayhawks at guard for us.

Great post

I actually don't think our guys would do well with multiple first round picks, my wish with our HC & GM is that they keep cap space so that they can build their team with guys that are proven from other teams (CMC/TW/Juice).

We are at our best when the public isn't caught up in the value of the pick: 5th, 6th, 7th round (Purdy/Kittle/Green Law/Lenoir/DJ Jones).

Very few of our top 5 picks pan out (S. Thomas/T. Lance vs Bosa), and even our late first and second rounders struggle with the exception of B.A & Deebo.

John & Kyle have a vision, I get pissed because I don't understand their vision. However, these guys very rarely move backwards. If & when we win the super bowl I am going to be mad at myself for wasting so much energy on my disagreements with a vision that I never understood.

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by NYniner85:
Thought this was interesting…Tariq Ahmad, RJ Gillen, and Josh Williams explaining SF's draft process.

I watched that earlier. I'm not sure how to feel about what I heard. Dude brought up Dre Greenlaw and George Kittle as proof of their process...my guy, that was seven years ago. You have no new Kittles or Greenlaws to show for the last four drafts.

I feel like these draft issues might be a systemic problem...

They really didn't say much that we all don't already know. One thing that stood out to me is that they self scout two years back and look two years back as to what went right and what went wrong.

So I'm sure they will be reviewing this two years from now.

So that mens they have reviewed the drafts of 2022 and 2023 by now. Admittedly, I feel better about the last three drafts than I do those two. But that's a pretty low bar. 2022 and 2023 yielded absolutely nothing. Whereas as it stands right now, we've only acquired decent role player. In the 2024 draft, I can only see Pearsall and Puni having any kind of chance to be a major player due to having a couple of big games for Pearsall and Puni's rookie year. Hopefully Pearsall can remain healthy and Puni can return to form from rookie year. Mustapha finally gets his first real offseason not as a rookie or injured, so we'll see. But it's all a bunch of projection.

Ditto for Mykel Williams the following year. We'll see what the unit looks like altogether over the course of a year.

Originally posted by Chance:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
I think what bugs me most about their approach to the draft is that they just don't solve stuff. They went into the draft with major needs at edge, safety, offensive guard and tight end and they leave the draft with all of those same needs.

Height is a nice pickup but if you want to see a team knocking out their issue at edge, look at Dallas as an example. I want them to commit to addressing specific things or simply going best player available. Instead they reach for weird needs and often miss because they are reaching and simply trying to outsmart everyone else while a team like Baltimore makes the smart, conventional picks year in and year out and year in and year out they manage to acquire a bunch of productive players.

Given the cowboys used half their picks on EDGE, I would hope they addressed their issues there. Our issues were a bit different insofar our two high first round EDGEs that were lost to season ending injuries. Height looks like a perfect replacement to Huff, and being back to full health gives us a major boon to the position over last year. We also freed up about 11 million before the draft. I don't think we've finished addressing the position.

I think we addressed G in this draft seeing as we took two. It'll be a competition between Colby, the rookies, and the two FAs to see who takes that position. Seems we're banking on a game of numbers here, and hoping a clear winner emerges.

we didn't grab a S, which also surprised me. I don't know if it was due to where we picked and not loving any player above what we have. I like Mustapha and Sigle quite a bit, but recognize neither is a true center fielder. But who knows, maybe an improved pass rush will alleviate the concern some. Still would have been nice to grab a guy to develop, hopefully one of our UDFAs is up for the task.

TE, I'm less worried. This class seemed pretty weak at the position and we saw last year that we have a capable guy to step in for Kittle.

I agree that we didn't address some of our weak spots, but I'd argue that we did address others. As much as we all hate Black being picked at 90, backup RB is a huge question mark, and a big need with CMC taking a beating year over year. Wish one of the last guys we picked at the position took better, but it is what it is.

Someone will win the guard position because someone has to. But no one we have is that talented where we have much of a chance to becoming significantly better as an O-line.

How do we know this as fact?

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:
I suspect that some of the trade backs happened because players the 49ers may have wanted got taken just before they were going to pick. Dillon Thieneman may haver been a 49er but the Bears took him two spots before the Niners pick. Thast's when they trade back to 30. They may have been hoping to get an O linean at theat spot but a potential pick was taken ahead of them once again so they traded back to 33. I don't know this but I'm guessing it may have happened that way.

Lynch will say he loves the guys they got and some of them may turn out to be good players. However to me it didn't look like they had a solid plan. Last season it was clear they were trying to build up the D line. especially the run defense. This year I didn't see that focus. Taking a WR with the 1st pick was a little puzzlng to me. I saw that as their 4th biggest need. They needed an edge rusher but taking an undersized guy that can't play every down isn't the way I wanted them to go.

Bottom line for me is they did okay but not great in a draft that didn't have a lot of top tier talent. Hopefully one of the O linemen they picked late will be able to play guard and fill that need. There were guards available that they could have taken. A couple of centers too. For whatever reason they passed on them. It's worth noting that the guards and centers weren't flying off the board so I guess the feeling around the league was they weren't great.

like the defensive picks. It goes with Raheem's multiple front schemes and zone-blitz concepts. The LB, edge, and the defensive back picks were kind of tweener hybrids that can do multiple things on defense.

I am just so thankful that ShanaLynch continues to inject talent into the OLine. From what I gather from the draft nerds is that these OLine picks are day one or two level picks from only an athletic point of view but can potentially be coached up into starter levels in a year or three.

Originally posted by tankle104:

Demo Lenoir: ranked 319th on the ESPN Big Board (picked 172nd)
Talanoa Hufanga: ranked 212th, picked 180th
Brock Purdy: ranked 362nd, picked 262nd
Renardo Green: ranked 106th, picked 64th
Dominick Puni: ranked 104th, picked 86th
Malik Mustapha: ranked 149th, picked 124th

— Harry Berezin (@HarryBerezin) April 26, 2026

we can argue poor value usage of draft picks but it doesn't mean they'll be bad picks overall. I'm really hoping this whole draft balls out.

For the hundredth time, I'm well aware these players could be great.

It's the ASSET MANAGEMENT that bugs me. When you have a 2nd rounder, you don't want to blow it on a player who would've been available in the 4th. It's just flat-out poor value utilization.

We may as well just trade our picks for proven talent at this point. This team would be a ****ing dynasty if they could just manage their assets slightly reasonably.

Originally posted by Fanaticofnfl:
For the hundredth time, I'm well aware these players could be great.

It's the ASSET MANAGEMENT that bugs me. When you have a 2nd rounder, you don't want to blow it on a player who would've been available in the 4th. It's just flat-out poor value utilization.

We may as well just trade our picks for proven talent at this point.

Are you saying Stribiling would've been available in the 4th round?