Geek's Mock Plan: Bye Week Edition

49ers are at a crossroads, and Shanahan and Lynch need to step it up to get this team back on track. A few predictions for this mock:
- 49ers will finish 5-11, picking #7 overall. There will be a QB run early in the draft.
- Jimmy G will be restructured in the offseason (think Alex Smith under Singletary/Harbaugh).
- We will be active in other roster and coaching moves including some surprise trades and departures.  

With that...let's begin.

Coaching Changes -
- Saleh gets a HC job (JAX) and brings Ryans and Oden to his staff. Also poaches McDaniel for his OC.
- We promote Kris Kocurek to DC. He's done an amazing job at our DL coach. Kinlaw, Hyder, Givens, and others have stepped up.
- We hire Raheem Morris (DB coach/Asst. HC), Jeff Ulbrich (LB coach), and Todd Wash (DL coach) as defensive coaching replacements.
- Hightower and Day are fired; we replace them with Chris Tabor (ST coach w. CHI) and Greg Knapp (QB coach w. ATL).

Roster Changes -
Restructure: Garoppolo, Richburg ($20M savings)

Cuts: Ford (June 1st designation), Nzeocha, Benjamin, Brendal ($20M savings)

Trades:
- Nick Mullens (RFA tag 2nd rd) and 6th round pick for Jets 5th round pick. They draft Lawrence, trade Darnold, and secure a vet backup.
- Jimmie Ward for JAX's 5th round draft pick. Saleh gets his guy to lead the secondary. $5M cap savings.

Resign: T. Williams, Sherman, J. Taylor, Hyder, ERFAs and RFAs

Extend: Warner

March Free Agency -

We should have about $30M in cap room to spend on free agents

Curtis Samuel - WR - Panthers
Damontae Kazee - S - Falcons
Cordarrelle Patterson - WR/KR/RB - Bears
Dawuane Smoot - DE - Jaguars
Tyrod Taylor - QB - Chargers


NFL Draft -

49ers pick 7th overall

R1: Zach Wilson - QB - BYU | Shanahan finally evolves his thinking on QBs. Wilson is accurate with a good arm, but mobile to extend plays. We now look to trade Garoppolo.

R2: Jaycee Horn - CB - South Carolina | Size, speed, and agility to thrive at CB for us. Son of Joe Horn - former NFL player.

49ers trade Jimmy Garoppolo and 5th round pick for Patriots 2nd round draft pick. Patriots traded down in the 1st round to recoup picks.

R2: Christian Darrisaw - T/G - Virginia Tech (via NE)| Immediate provides depth and competition at 4/5 OL positions.

R4: Patrick Johnson - DE/LB - Tulane | Pass down rusher or base down OLB. VERY athletic to add a speed threat at the position.

R5: Tariq Thompson - S - SDSU (via NYJ) | Depth at safety that can flex at NB if needed. Should contribute on ST early on.

R5: Sadarius Hutcherson - C/G/T - South Carolina (via JAX) | Raw center, but has ALL the intangibles to thrive in our scheme.

R5: Dicaprio Bootle - CB - Nebraska (via NO) | Depth in the secondary across core positions. Will focus mostly at NB.

R5: Zach McCloud - LB - Florida (comp)| Depth at LB after the departure of Alexander. Ideal scheme fit.

R7: Damar Hamlin - S - Pitt (via NYJ) | More youth and depth at the safety spots. Raheem Morris will have an active role here.

R7: Danny Davis - WR - Wisconsin | Developmental pick that could replace Bourne's production immediately.

June Free Agency Signings -

Alex Mack - C - Falcons | He returns for another year in the league under Shanahan. Richburg moves to RG.
Ryan Kerrigan - DE - WFT | Comes into SF to provide base EDGE containment and pass rush ability. Rotational use only.
Jordan Reed - TE - 49ers | We resign him to be our TE #2 on the team.

Projected Depth Chart -


QB: Wilson*/Taylor*
RB: Mostert/McKinnon/Wilson/Hasty
FB: Dwelley
TE: Kittle/Reed/Woerner

WR: D. Samuel/James
WR: Aiyuk/Patterson*
WR: C. Samuel*/Davis*

LT: Williams/McKivitz
LG: Tomlinson
 C: Mack*/Hutcherson*
RG: Richburg/Darrisaw*
RT: McGlinchey/Brunskill

DE: Bosa/Kerrigan*
DT: Kinlaw/Street
DT: Armstead/Givens/Daniels
DE: Hyder/Smoot*/Johnson*

LB: Warner/Al-Shaair
LB: Greenlaw/McCloud*/Walker

CB: Sherman/Harris
CB: Moseley/Horn*
NB: Taylor/Bootle*
FS: Moore/Hamlin*
SS: Kazee*/Crypien

ST: Gould, Wishnowsky, Pepper

Zach Wilson not Travis Wilson right?

Originally posted by tohara3:

Zach Wilson not Travis Wilson right?

No, his twin brother. We draft him!

Kidding thanks for the heads up. Yes Zach!

So we just let verret walk????

I like it. I like it a lot.

Get rid of a lot of dead wood on the roster and get a new QB of the future.

Only quibbles I would have are in the draft and keeping Verrett. Would much rather add an additional EDGE rusher, IOL or DT late than adding another safety. Agree with JoseCortez that Verrett has earned a spot on this roster. He's been stick in coverage and imagine how good he could be with our pass rush restored. Other than that, a strong plan overall.

I have been a fan of your posts for years, but when you said you want hreg knapp back, you lost me.

I hate knapp. He took a good offense with Jeff Garcia and TO in their primes and turned them into a mediocre group. Once they got away from knapp they resumed their pro-bowl status. Under knapp they could barely function.

Then when knapp went to atlanta, he succeeded in doing something most DC's couldn't he made M Vick (in his prime as well) mediocre, the same effect he had on Garcia/TO. Again, once M Vick got away from knapp, he was able to get back on track.

When he was in Oakland, he again proved he is one of the worst OCs in the NFL, ask Raiders fans!

Let me sum it up, greg knapp SUCKS! Period.

Thanks for the mock.

Horn imo is going in the 1st and I think SF will have to move up for Wilson.

I don't think Kris Kocurek wants to be a DC (I believe I read that somewhere). You can put Morris name in pen as the next DC if this happens.

I don't see Ward getting traded either.

Overall good stuff if it went down like that

I like the extra details and overall game plan but there's no way Bill gives up a 2nd for a 5th and damaged goods Jimmy.

Thanks for the thoughtful feedback.

RE: Verrett - We need a youth movement of HEALTHY players in the secondary. 1 year of good Verrett doesn't mean we're comfortable giving him a large extension. I think another team pays him a good wage. I would love to sign him, but we need to be disciplined here.

RE: Knapp - He's not coming in to be an offensive coordinator. He's coming back to SF to exclusively work with the QB unit. He's worked with QBs that Shanahan has coached before (Schaub, Ryan). He's coached HOF players. Shanahan is missing an experienced vet on his offensive staff. Knapp has been a QB coach, OC, TE coach, and passing game coordinator. Shanahan is still the driver.

RE: Garoppolo trade - There's a premium cost to acquire QBs in this league, especially when they have a team friendly contract. I think Bill and Josh McDaniels push to be reunited because he'd be a plug n play guy. And the Pats can do a better job protecting him with scheme and OL improvements.

Originally posted by JoseCortez:

So we just let verret walk????

He prob gonna be too expensive.

There will be a bidding war for Wilson. Would you consider trading for a young QB like Jordan Love?? Trade down in 1st round and still get a QB with a team friendly contract. Drew Lock, Jordan Love, Dwayne Haskins, Sam Darnold to name a few. All have potential

Why do we fire Hightower