49ers draft and off-season (early) thoughts

I can say for sure after next years draft and off-season, we can really judge and grade McCloughan. This is his 2nd full season in complete charge and even though last year's draft doesen't look very good right now, it is still to early to give it a definite grade. Look at the 07 draft, up until this year only Staley and Willis were really producing from that draft but now we have four starters from that particular draft (Willis, Staley, Goldson and Tarrell Brown).

Were going to have some money to spend as is just about everyone else as it looks like there will be no cap. I think Nate Clements is gone, at least his currently 2010 salary ($6mill). I would hope he would restructre and we move him to FS and Dashon Goldson to SS. Aubrayo Franklin is going to be an UFA and that M'Fer went from being a weakness on the team to playing a pro bowl level this year. I would hate to lose him but I would not pay him pro bowl money, at least long term. I would even consider franchising him and tendering him for one year rather than giving hima 5yr deal with a big signing bounes.

Like I said before, I think if Logan Mankins hits the open market, I think we sign him. The last couple of years we have been interested in the likes of Alan Faneca and Jordan Gross, I think we are willing to pay top dollar for a top O-Lineman and Mankins is a guy the team always wanted plus he is a Cali native and would be a major upgrade at LG. He pass blocks like a top left tackle and is a very good run blocker and would also bring a mean, nasty, winning attitude to our offensive line.

Lets talk draft for a little bit....

Carolina's pick I think could be anywhere from 6 to 15. They have a pretty tough up-coming schedule and I fully expect their pick to be in the top 10. Now people will say we have to trade down if it is a top 10 pick, I disagree. #1, a lot more teams these days want to trade down rather than trade up so it's not like it's going to be easy to move down. #2, this team needs impact players. Starters who can be big time players. We don't need to move down and have 13 or 14 picks anymore, we don't even have room or a need on a roster for that many guys. I'd rather get a big time player at #9 than trade down to 22 and get a decent starter and 2 good backups.


As far as our picks goes, I think it could be a top 10 pick to and it could be as high as 22 if we win the division. I think it will be in the 14-18 range.

If Carolina's pick is a top 10 pick, we should have a shot at the top OT's in the draft... Russell Okung from Oklahoma State, Trent Williams from Oklahoma and Bryan Bulaga from Iowa. Okung's stock is really is on the rise and right now I would say he will be the first OT takent. He is more of a LT though and I think a bit more raw than Bulaga and Williams, those he does have more upside. I like Trent Williams from Oklahoma and while he is the starting LT for Oklahoma this year, I think he is a better fit at RT in the NFL and he had been the Sooners starting RT prior to this season. He is a big guy with long arms who has shown he can be dominant in the running game and a good pass blocker. Bulaga is a player that I have watched closely the last few weeks and he is a player. He is a true mauler with a mean strak and I think you can put him at RT and not worry about the posistion for 10 years. I don't think he will be a pro bowler but he will be solid as a rock and he just the big, mean, physical, nasty run blocker Singletary is looking for.

With our 2nd 1st rd pick.....Man I don't know, could be best player available or a guy like C.J Spiller who can play RB, WR and is an awsome kick returner. I think he is very similar but maybe even better than Percy Harvin. Maybe a 3-4 pass rusher but im not that big on Greg Hardy from Ole Miss and he seems to be the top guy and Dunlap from Florida is more a 4-3 guy and im not that impressed with him either. I do love Florida's cornerback, Joe Hayden. One player that is catching my eye more and more is Jerry Hughes the DE from TCU who I think can excell as a rush 3-4 OLB.


Oh and not that I think we will be picking high enough to get him but IMO the best player in the 2010 draft...Eric Berry, S, Tennessee aka the next Ed Reed.

Great post! It is going to be a very exciting off-season. I hope for a combination of Williams & Spiller or Hughes.

A couple of thoughts. If it ends up being an uncapped season Logan Mankins becomes a restricted free agent and will essentially be off the market. The same can be said for pretty much every quality lineman that's about to hit the market. On the plus side (sort of) Baas becomes a restricted free agent and we'll get him back.

Under no circumstances do I cut Nate. 6.5 million is not a ridiculous number and whether we move him to safety or keep him at corner there's a pivotal role for him.

Originally posted by tjd808185:
A couple of thoughts. If it ends up being an uncapped season Logan Mankins becomes a restricted free agent and will essentially be off the market. The same can be said for pretty much every quality lineman that's about to hit the market. On the plus side (sort of) Baas becomes a restricted free agent and we'll get him back.

Under no circumstances do I cut Nate. 6.5 million is not a ridiculous number and whether we move him to safety or keep him at corner there's a pivotal role for him.

ahhh s**t.....

but all this speculation has to be done with assmption that an agreement has been reached.

Great read. How good of a FS could Clements be? Would he be Probowl calibre?

We might be able to get Berry with the Carolina pick and Bulaga with our second pick.

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
Great read. How good of a FS could Clements be? Would he be Probowl calibre?

I think so, I think he can extend his career by a few years and end up being a pro bowl calibar FS like Merton Hanks and Rod Woodson did after moving from CB to FS later in their careers.

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
Great read. How good of a FS could Clements be? Would he be Probowl calibre?

I think so, I think he can extend his career by a few years and end up being a pro bowl calibar FS like Merton Hanks and Rod Woodson did after moving from CB to FS later in their careers.

I think we should cut our losses, it would be about -2 million cap charge. Clements has been a disapointment, he has the heart and has given it all, but he hasnt been the player we thought we were getting when he signed.

Originally posted by Icelandic49er:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
Great read. How good of a FS could Clements be? Would he be Probowl calibre?

I think so, I think he can extend his career by a few years and end up being a pro bowl calibar FS like Merton Hanks and Rod Woodson did after moving from CB to FS later in their careers.

I think we should cut our losses, it would be about -2 million cap charge. Clements has been a disapointment, he has the heart and has given it all, but he hasnt been the player we thought we were getting when he signed.

hes not doing that bad though he shut down fitz and andre johnson 2 best WR in league

Originally posted by Icelandic49er:
We might be able to get Berry with the Carolina pick and Bulaga with our second pick.

I don't thinks so.. Let's just say we have the 10th and 20th picks. I think Berry is off the board by #10, he is just that versatile and good, and Bulaga will likely be gone by # 20 since there just aren't that many really good OTs in the draft. Good OTs come off the board really quickly. Remember 2 years ago, I think 7 were draftedd in the 1st round.

I think we should be thinking OL, OL, OL.. and then just for good measure OL.

Originally posted by DaveWilcox:

Originally posted by Icelandic49er:
We might be able to get Berry with the Carolina pick and Bulaga with our second pick.

I don't thinks so.. Let's just say we have the 10th and 20th picks. I think Berry is off the board by #10, he is just that versatile and good, and Bulaga will likely be gone by # 20 since there just aren't that many really good OTs in the draft. Good OTs come off the board really quickly. Remember 2 years ago, I think 7 were draftedd in the 1st round.

I think we should be thinking OL, OL, OL.. and then just for good measure OL.

I actually think we need a new starting LG, C (yes, Eric Heitman sucks!), RT and possibly RG. I would not give up on Rachal yet but he needs to be pushed in the off-season in TC and im not talking about being pushed by Wragge or Snyder I mean a solid vetran for a 2nd, 3rd or 4th rd draft pick.

I really hope we solidify the LG posistion in free agency. Longan Mankins would be awsome and kill two, maybe three birds with one stone as he is a great pass blocker, run blocker and would bring a mean and nasty attitude to our O-Line which badly needs one!

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by DaveWilcox:

Originally posted by Icelandic49er:
We might be able to get Berry with the Carolina pick and Bulaga with our second pick.

I don't thinks so.. Let's just say we have the 10th and 20th picks. I think Berry is off the board by #10, he is just that versatile and good, and Bulaga will likely be gone by # 20 since there just aren't that many really good OTs in the draft. Good OTs come off the board really quickly. Remember 2 years ago, I think 7 were draftedd in the 1st round.

I think we should be thinking OL, OL, OL.. and then just for good measure OL.

I actually think we need a new starting LG, C (yes, Eric Heitman sucks!), RT and possibly RG. I would not give up on Rachal yet but he needs to be pushed in the off-season in TC and im not talking about being pushed by Wragge or Snyder I mean a solid vetran for a 2nd, 3rd or 4th rd draft pick.

I really hope we solidify the LG posistion in free agency. Longan Mankins would be awsome and kill two, maybe three birds with one stone as he is a great pass blocker, run blocker and would bring a mean and nasty attitude to our O-Line which badly needs one!

I think Mankins would be a great signing, but he won't come cheap. He is going to be looking for Faneca or Hutchinson money. The Patriots will probably tag him so I am not getting my hopes up.

If we get Iupati in the draft, we could compete Baas with Rachal at RG.

Baas has prior experience at RG. This allows Wragge to focus on center.

LT: Staley/Sims
LG: Iupati
OC: Heitmann/Wragge
RG: Baas/Rachal
RT: Rookie/Snyder

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
Great read. How good of a FS could Clements be? Would he be Probowl calibre?

I think he would instantly be a top 3 FS. Then we could move Goldson to SS due to M Lew retirement.

I would like to see Nate be moved to safety next year.