2020 Team Information (Needs)

It sucks so much that the gamble for Sanders ultimately didn't help us reach our end-game goal. It would make it easier to stomach the idea of him not returning. I honestly don't know if we can bring him back, but I can't help but see him being among the number of "trade-offs" Lynch was talking about when it came to making the effort to keep AA. Here's the main guys I think we could lose:

WR Emmanuel Sanders - (see above).

DT Sheldon Day - Very solid, but Kevin Givens is waiting in the wings. Thomas can play the spot too. We could draft depth for Jones, and we still could potentially have Street in there.

S Jimmie Ward - Noted in another thread, Moore already established he is capable of starting and making plays (4th down PBU in week 1, INT in Super Bowl). Draft competition for him, sure, but Moore will be entering year three on the cusp of potentially breaking out while Jimmie is 29 and coming off his first healthy season and would cost extra to keep around.

RB Matt Breida - Wound up in the doghouse big-time later in the year, taking no RB snaps in the Super Bowl and relegated to STs duty. Wilson provides an element of power and arguably a little better receiving skill than Breida and can be kept for cheap. With Coleman and Mostert returning, there's little need to pay Breida when we can have Wilson, another UDFA, and potentially McKinnon competing for the 3rd RB spot in 2020.

I don't expect us to make any splash signings, so our net losses should wind up garnering a comp pick or two for 2021.

The team needs will change quite a bit depending on who we actually re able to resign first of all.

Originally posted by thl408:

imo
Defensive needs:
1. CB - I think the next step for this defense is getting CBs that can man cover to add that element to the coverage. It takes an entire secondary to play man so let's start acquiring them.
2. Edge depth - If the team wants RBlair back (UFA) it should be easy. I doubt another team pays him anything substantial since he'll be rehabbing half of 2020. Need some young blood here to hopefully grow into the 3rd DE role.
3. Nose Tackle depth - SDay is a UFA but isn't really a run stopper. DJJones can't finish a season. Need a backup stout run defender if KStreet isn't that guy.

Offensive needs:
1. Speed at WR - have to get defenses to back up a bit from crowding the middle of the field
2. upgrade Right Guard - Person's pass blocking leaves a lot to be desired. If Brunskill is that guy, then go for OT depth.
3. OTackle depth - Skule is okay, but needs to get better. Some vet depth to push him will be good in case Skule takes awhile to develop.

Superb. The ER depth is the most troubling one, in that with a healthy Dee Ford out there, we have the best DL and front 7 in the league. BUT....if Dee can't go (knees, hammy), then that fantastic DL falls way off. We somehow have to have a talent as good as Dee's, but one that is healthy...and that is no easy task.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Go Bellicheat and focus your resources on coverage units since the NFL officials neutralize our front 4 with allowing offensive lines to hold all day long.

I don't know if copying Belichick's emphasis on drafting DBs is the way to go for our team because:

1) Belichick is a master at generating QB pressure/sacks with his scheme. He can get by not investing resources in the DL because he doesn't need a studded DL to torment a QB.

2) Belichick asks a lot from his CBs. The Patriots defense does many different things in the secondary revolving around man coverage; the 49ers don't do a lot and mainly play zone coverage.

That said, the 49ers definitely need to upgrade at corner. But I don't think a shift in draft philosophy change where DBs > DL is what's right for the Niners.

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Go Bellicheat and focus your resources on coverage units since the NFL officials neutralize our front 4 with allowing offensive lines to hold all day long.

I don't know if copying Belichick's emphasis on drafting DBs is the way to go for our team because:

1) Belichick is a master at generating QB pressure/sacks with his scheme. He can get by not investing resources in the DL because he doesn't need a studded DL to torment a QB.

2) Belichick asks a lot from his CBs. The Patriots defense does many different things in the secondary revolving around man coverage; the 49ers don't do a lot and mainly play zone coverage.

That said, the 49ers definitely need to upgrade at corner. But I don't think a shift in draft philosophy change where DBs > DL is what's right for the Niners.

Great points.

Do you think schematically, there are things they can add to help offset games where we are going to get held or in your opinion, were the late 4Q collapses more due to missing depth on the DL?

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:

Superb. The ER depth is the most troubling one, in that with a healthy Dee Ford out there, we have the best DL and front 7 in the league. BUT....if Dee can't go (knees, hammy), then that fantastic DL falls way off. We somehow have to have a talent as good as Dee's, but one that is healthy...and that is no easy task.

Yes sir.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

The salary-cap tap dance: How the 49ers are trying to improve via contract restructures and more — I break down the financial situation and make my free agent $$ predictions: https://t.co/MoueGErCvb

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) February 12, 2020

I love Lombardi. What's the skinny on this one?

Originally posted by NCommand:
Great points.

Do you think schematically, there are things they can add to help offset games where we are going to get held or in your opinion, were the late 4Q collapses more due to missing depth on the DL?

I mean if they're legitimately holding and not calling it, what can you do? You're just s**t out of luck. The biggest problem with a hold is that there's a big degree of subjectivity to it. And in the Superbowl, those refs wanted to "let them play."

What I used to do was spray pam on my jersey before games. Try to hold me now, motherf**ker.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

It sucks so much that the gamble for Sanders ultimately didn't help us reach our end-game goal. It would make it easier to stomach the idea of him not returning. I honestly don't know if we can bring him back, but I can't help but see him being among the number of "trade-offs" Lynch was talking about when it came to making the effort to keep AA. Here's the main guys I think we could lose:

WR Emmanuel Sanders - (see above).

DT Sheldon Day - Very solid, but Kevin Givens is waiting in the wings. Thomas can play the spot too. We could draft depth for Jones, and we still could potentially have Street in there.

S Jimmie Ward - Noted in another thread, Moore already established he is capable of starting and making plays (4th down PBU in week 1, INT in Super Bowl). Draft competition for him, sure, but Moore will be entering year three on the cusp of potentially breaking out while Jimmie is 29 and coming off his first healthy season and would cost extra to keep around.

RB Matt Breida - Wound up in the doghouse big-time later in the year, taking no RB snaps in the Super Bowl and relegated to STs duty. Wilson provides an element of power and arguably a little better receiving skill than Breida and can be kept for cheap. With Coleman and Mostert returning, there's little need to pay Breida when we can have Wilson, another UDFA, and potentially McKinnon competing for the 3rd RB spot in 2020.

I don't expect us to make any splash signings, so our net losses should wind up garnering a comp pick or two for 2021.

I think you hit on the same guys I expect to lose as well, even though, financially, we could easily bring them all back. The goal is to get better in the off season, not maintain.

The Seahawks were right there with us and have a truck load of cap space and aren't afraid to use it to close the gap. Rams and Cards will probably improve. The NFC is very competitive.

If we want to get back we're going to have to maintain our ID and add a few more playmakers. Period.

But where should those resources go after Armstead, Buckner and Kittle?

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Great points.

Do you think schematically, there are things they can add to help offset games where we are going to get held or in your opinion, were the late 4Q collapses more due to missing depth on the DL?

I mean if they're legitimately holding and not calling it, what can you do? You're just s**t out of luck. The biggest problem with a hold is that there's a big degree of subjectivity to it. And in the Superbowl, those refs wanted to "let them play."

What I used to do was spray pam on my jersey before games. Try to hold me now, motherf**ker.

Meanwhile, the OL is adding stickum to theirs.

Basically, if the DL can't get there, bad things happen.

I guess we're about to find out how they plan on addressing it with personnel and scheme.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Shanahan Draft Tendencies per The Athletic / WZ Member Synopsis:
Trend #1: He rarely drafts Offensive players in RD 1
- Over 10 seasons Shanny's teams have drafted 4 offensive players in the first round and only at 2 different positions (OT: Brown and Williams) and QB (RGIII and Manziel)
- We are set at both of those positions with the acquisition of RT Mike McGlinchey, Joe Staley and Jimmy Garoppolo
Trend #2: He NEVER drafted RB or TE before RD 3
- Only one offensive player ever picked in RD 2 (i.e. Dante Pettis)
- Joel Bitonio in 2014 (Browns) is the only time he's selected an O player in the 2nd round
- Generally finds his offensive talent later in the draft (i.e. George Kittle)
Trend #3: He does draft Offense in RD 3:
- Nine (9) offensive players taken in this round over the last ten (10) drafts
- Finds undervalued players here, it is his sweet spot (notable names: Slaton, Reed, West, Coleman, Hooper)
- Looks for players who are better on tape than their combine measurables
- Very good hit rate here
Tight Ends: The last three TEs drafted by Shanny (Reed, Hooper and Kittle) have all run 40's faster than 4.75 (combine average for TEs), he values athleticism (pSPARQ), route running and catching over pass blocking.
Wide Receivers: Shanny has lacked recent success here as most of his best WRs were already drafted (Julio) or through FA (Garcon). Dante Pettis looks like he can be solid at least.

I think you did a great job on your post except for this section some of it was really confusing or flat out not true. Trend #2 I would say is completely off and might be a good idea to have removed or edited. he has drafted multiple WRs in the second round this alone would make the second statement false, Joel is not the only time he has selected an offensive player in the second round, Pettis and Deebo would like a word. I also think 40% percent is not rarely when it comes to offensive first round draft picks.

Originally posted by Derbucher:
Trend #2 I would say is completely off and might be a good idea to have removed or edited. he has drafted multiple WRs in the second round this alone would make the second statement false

Trend #2 is mainly about TEs/RBs.

Also, I don't have the exact data with me right now, but another trend is that Shanahans have never drafted an interior OL in the first two rounds. And that's like 20 years of draft data.

Originally posted by NCommand:
I love Lombardi. What's the skinny on this one?

Broke down how the Kwon re-structure basically means the team is committed to him for multiple years now. Before the November restructure, he was cut-able with reasonable dead cap, not anymore. Same with Richburg.

Giving Buckner a new deal can help save the team money in 2020 since he won't be playing on the franchise tag.

Possible cuts to save money: Goodwin($3.6), Jet ($4.5), Coleman ($4.9), Nzoecha ($1.5)

Estimated the contract value for Armstead, Ward, Sanders, Kittle.

49ers currently have $13 in cap room and can create an additional $15 via cutting players.