2020 NFL ENTRY DRAFT (no spoilers)

So dlance, the question is, what would YOU have done to make sure the team is better this year than last?

Originally posted by dlance:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Most teams that roll to the SB are focused on not getting worse. They were able to add key players to replace those that left. Most teams that win tend to take some huge hits. This team hasn't.

They lost Buckner, Staley and Sanders.

They added Kinlaw, Aiyuk, Trent Williams plus a hopefully healthy Hurd and will have players coming back with more experience as well as Jimmy G a year further removed from his ACL tear. I don't know if they got a lot better, they don't appear to have gotten worse which means they should be back in the mix to make another SB run.

I agree they pick up for what they lost. I really hope Hurd can get back and healthy. By the end of the year Hopefully Kinlaw is playing well and they can make a playoff run.

I agree with you dlance, and your original point. This team has replaced some lost players with new ones but it's not clear if the team is better. I don't think it is in terms of acquisitions, but maybe players coming off injury like Hurd or Taylor will make a big difference. Or maybe the draft picks will be stars. The point is, that's all unknown.

I'd add that you can look at teams like the Ravens, Chiefs, Vikings and Cardinals and they all seem to have added a lot of "draft talent". I haven't kept up with every move but if they haven't lost stars equivalent to Buck and Staley, then in comparison we have not kept up. That's a problem because the margin between us, the Chiefs and the Ravens was really small last year.

Any team that goes as far as the super bowl has a lot of talent. Talent that wants max dollars. Those teams usually tend to lose a lot of that talent because they can not afford it all. Average or just above average players on a winning team get overvalued in FA.
I wish there was a rule that says no one player can make more than 15% or so of the total cap space. Won't happen, but you end up with 2-3 guys making 60-70% of cap and everybody else gets shuffled around the league going for the max they can get and makes it so it is so hard to have any sort of sustained effort

Did Spencer James get drafted?

Originally posted by CardinalGold:

Originally posted by dlance:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Most teams that roll to the SB are focused on not getting worse. They were able to add key players to replace those that left. Most teams that win tend to take some huge hits. This team hasn't.

They lost Buckner, Staley and Sanders.

They added Kinlaw, Aiyuk, Trent Williams plus a hopefully healthy Hurd and will have players coming back with more experience as well as Jimmy G a year further removed from his ACL tear. I don't know if they got a lot better, they don't appear to have gotten worse which means they should be back in the mix to make another SB run.

I agree they pick up for what they lost. I really hope Hurd can get back and healthy. By the end of the year Hopefully Kinlaw is playing well and they can make a playoff run.

I agree with you dlance, and your original point. This team has replaced some lost players with new ones but it's not clear if the team is better. I don't think it is in terms of acquisitions, but maybe players coming off injury like Hurd or Taylor will make a big difference. Or maybe the draft picks will be stars. The point is, that's all unknown.

I'd add that you can look at teams like the Ravens, Chiefs, Vikings and Cardinals and they all seem to have added a lot of "draft talent". I haven't kept up with every move but if they haven't lost stars equivalent to Buck and Staley, then in comparison we have not kept up. That's a problem because the margin between us, the Chiefs and the Ravens was really small last year.

That's a fair statement. The 49ers were always going to be in trouble cap wise because they have a roster capable of getting to the super bowl. There are a lot of risks right now because we sub in rookies for Buckner and Sanders. Each year is different so I guess we'll have to see.

Originally posted by CardinalGold:

Originally posted by dlance:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Most teams that roll to the SB are focused on not getting worse. They were able to add key players to replace those that left. Most teams that win tend to take some huge hits. This team hasn't.

They lost Buckner, Staley and Sanders.

They added Kinlaw, Aiyuk, Trent Williams plus a hopefully healthy Hurd and will have players coming back with more experience as well as Jimmy G a year further removed from his ACL tear. I don't know if they got a lot better, they don't appear to have gotten worse which means they should be back in the mix to make another SB run.

I agree they pick up for what they lost. I really hope Hurd can get back and healthy. By the end of the year Hopefully Kinlaw is playing well and they can make a playoff run.

I agree with you dlance, and your original point. This team has replaced some lost players with new ones but it's not clear if the team is better. I don't think it is in terms of acquisitions, but maybe players coming off injury like Hurd or Taylor will make a big difference. Or maybe the draft picks will be stars. The point is, that's all unknown.

I'd add that you can look at teams like the Ravens, Chiefs, Vikings and Cardinals and they all seem to have added a lot of "draft talent". I haven't kept up with every move but if they haven't lost stars equivalent to Buck and Staley, then in comparison we have not kept up. That's a problem because the margin between us, the Chiefs and the Ravens was really small last year.

Are Kinlaw, Aiyuk, and Trent better than Buck, Sanders, and Staley. Probably not, atleast not yet but that doesn't mean our team will be worse. You never know how guys will progress. We have a lot of young talent. We have young guys like Deebo, Warner, Mcglinchey, Bosa, Kwon, Greenlaw who can be pro bowl or even all pro next year. They not only have the talent but have shown a progression to where it wouldn't surprise anyone see them reach that level. There's even more young guys we have who could get there too (Witherspoon, E-Man, DJ, Moestert) but let's not even use them as examples.

There's so many variables that go into whether or not we are a better team, it's not as simple as lose 2 studs and draft 2 question marks = not as good.
- If multiple of our young guys take the next step we could easily be better
- If Jimmy goes from a top 10-12 QB to a top 5-8 QB
- If we finally have some injury luck. Do I even need to remind you the amount of good players missed significant time last year for us?

Anyway there several other ways we could end up a better team. I personally think we will end up being a better overall team because we have sooo many YOUNG players that I think are between very good and superstar. We are also getting some injured guys back ( Hurd, Taylor, DJ, Richburg, McKinnon ). Lastly and most importantly I think Jimmy will take the next step in becoming a better QB.

But even if all these things happen and we are a better team, it doesn't necessarily mean we will win the super bowl. You need a little luck too, the best overall team doesn't always end up winning the super bowl. Just ask Eli Manning.

How do you grad this draft? After losing a super bowl the hope has to be to put a better team out on the field than last year. From the get go, I didnt see that happening easily. We were forced to resign players to eat any cap space. I dont expect any rookie WR to out produce Sanders. I understood the reasons to move Buckner.

My hope in the draft was to concede that the WR group and D Line would be weaker, but that by moving back we could obtain more picks and try to make improvements on the O Line and secondary. an ideal draft in my mind looked something like Ruiz, Pittman, Madubuike, Odjemudia. 4 picks in to top 80, trying to make slight improvements across the board.

But Staley retiring threw a wrench in everything. You have to have 1st round talent at LT. The best use of resources was Trent Williams. That was absolutely an A move. You could still argue we could have moved back the other picks, but Williams ate whatever draft capital we had and might have took more had we had it. At the point the strategy really turned into replacing our players. Could not have picked more similar players to replace Staley, Buckner, and Sanders then Williams, Kinlaw, and Aiyuk.

So are we better? Not really on paper. Some teams like Baltimore improved and it's easy to get jealous seeing that. We replaced like for like, although with rookies, and fortunately at a much lower price to add flexibility in the future. It's not easy to go to back to back Superbowls. You always need things to go your way, and after that draft it is imperative that we improve from within. Jimmy has to be better. Has to be more than a game manager, which is what I was hoping was all he needed to be. But now he needs to step up. Deebo needs to continue to make strides and now be a leader in this offense. Even if Aiyuk balls out, one of Taylor, Pettis, Hurd, Jennings has to give something substantial. Theres a handful of other players that need to improve or manage their health and be there down the stretch.

We need to weigh expectations from the draft. Yes, an A rated draft is a load of exciting new prospects. Ultimately, not too many teams got more talent than Williams, Kinlaw, and Aiuyuk. Include Dee Ford as well if you see it that way. KS sees Mckivitz as a potential starting tackle. I was hoping for a blocking TE, and they got their target. Jennings is a flyer, but if he has his head on straight he actually has some good potential in this offense. It's a B+ for me. Let's go to work.

Originally posted by dlance:

I agree with most of what you said and I Understand why Sander is gone and good for him. I think after these move in 2 or 3 year they will be a better team. Just not next year. they where in the super bowl and It feels like they took a step back and are treading water right now. They didn't really improve in any area. In 2 or 3 year they could have a good WR core and then they will need to pay Deebo so will they trade him because he want to much?
I think the reason Sander is gone was because of Ford, Kwon Alexander and Goodwin signing.

Sanders is gone because we didn't want to extend a 33 year old hospital bed

I think Dallas, Denver, Baltimore, Arizona and Minnesota did really well.

Originally posted by adrianlesnar:
So dlance, the question is, what would YOU have done to make sure the team is better this year than last?

I'm not trying to say its easy. I think Staley retiring really hurt. Then the way the draft fell there no OT they wanted at top end of draft. I'm not sure I think maybe I would have skipped on drafting DL help early and traded down more to add picks in second and third round. Stop trade down at 25 and still draft Aiyuk because he was there highest rated WR. Trade down from 31 to add picks, then use those picks on someone like a Blacklock in the second and still have extra picks in the third for OL,DB,or LB. I know there some that can look at the draft and say take that guy and this guy. Well sure that's easy now that the draft is over. I really do not think it easy to run a draft. I would never have traded up for Aiyuk I thought he would make it to 31 but they didn't. I'm not complaining about who they drafted I like the players.
I really like the trade for Williams.
They have stayed the cores and are hoping for improvement from younger player and the return of injured players.

Originally posted by weit53:

I think Dallas, Denver, Baltimore, Arizona and Minnesota did really well.

I love what Baltimore did, Dallas did well (unfortunately), and Arizona had a great offseason . I really like what the Panthers did as well. They went 100% defense.

Round 1 DT Derrick Brown
Round 2 DE Yetur Gross-Matos
Round 2 S Jeremy Chinn
Round 4 CB Troy Pride Jr.
Round 5 S Kenny Robinson
Round 6 DT Bravvion Roy
Round 7 CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver III

Panthers made all 7 picks on defense and yet didn't take a LB to replace Kuechly

Originally posted by weit53:

I think Dallas, Denver, Baltimore, Arizona and Minnesota did really well.

I would substitute Miami for Denver and add the Chargers to that list.

Originally posted by TheXFactor:

Panthers made all 7 picks on defense and yet didn't take a LB to replace Kuechly

They have Shaq Thompson and signed Tahir Whitehead. Not the best, but you could say DB was by far their biggest need.

Originally posted by weit53:
I think Dallas, Denver, Baltimore, Arizona and Minnesota did really well.

Agreed. It helps when first round talent lands in your lap in rounds 2 or 3. I like our draft and player adds, but I would take that Dallas draft class for the 49ers any day.
Minnesota should do well, they had 67 picks. lol
Baltimore always drafts well, they just let the draft come to them.
Denver did well too.