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jahri evans is someone we should target. would provide an immediate improvement.
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Manish Mehta @MMehtaNYDN 10m10 minutes ago
Jets involvement/interest in Colin Kaepernick best described as this at this point: NYJ believes he's headed to the Broncos.
SiriusXM NFL Radio @SiriusXMNFL 8m8 minutes ago
.@AdamSchefter on @Kaepernick7 trade: "Its not a matter of if, its a matter of when"
baalke could easily overpay for a bunch of average players, get fired after next season, and leave us in cap hell that would set us even further back for multiple seasons. he's doing the right thing. this is a process. the foundation has to be organic. patience is a virtue.[h2] Grant Cohn: Trent Baalke’s patience in free agency is the right plan for 49ers[/h2]
This is in praise of Trent Baalke for doing absolutely nothing.
Well, that’s not entirely true. Baalke has done something. He has signed a backup quarterback. Guy named Thad Lewis. Five-year veteran joining his fifth team. Real exciting pick-up. Baalke also has re-signed nose tackle Ian Williams, a good, young player who has spent his entire career with the 49ers.
As of this writing, Williams and Lewis are the only signings Baalke has made during free agency this year.
I am praising Baalke for that. I really am.
Baalke seems content not to spend even though the 49ers have $61.8 million in cap space. He’s waiting, and he should wait. He let the team’s second-best offensive lineman, Alex Boone, sign with the Minnesota Vikings Wednesday afternoon. Just let him walk. Made no serious effort to keep him. Nothing wrong with that.
According to reports, Baalke was more interested in signing Sean Smith, a high-priced, 28-year-old cornerback who played for the Kansas City Chiefs the past three seasons. Smith is a better player than Boone and would have been great addition to the Niners. A perfect fit. The Niners didn’t get him, though. The Oakland Raiders did.
Which isn’t Baalke’s fault. Don’t blame Baalke. He tried. All he could do was offer Smith a contract. Baalke couldn’t force Smith to actually want to join the Niners. Would you want to join the Niners right now if you were Smith or any other player? Or, would you rather join the Raiders? That’s the key football question in the Bay Area.
Easy answer.
The Raiders are ascending. Players see that. The Niners are descending. Players see that, too. Everyone sees that. The Niners won five games last season and had just two Pro Bowlers — NaVorro Bowman and Joe Staley. The Raiders won seven games last season and had five Pro Bowlers – Derek Carr, Latavius Murray, Amari Cooper, Khalil Mack and Charles Woodson. You can bet those five recruited potential free agents at the Pro Bowl. Who did the recruiting for the Niners? Bowman and Staley? The Raiders have a five-to-two recruiting advantage and it shows.”
But, forget the Pro Bowl and the records for a minute. Just compare last season’s performance and future expectations for Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to the past and anticipated performances of the unknown or as-yet-to-be-determined 49ers quarterback. Whether that guy is Blaine Gabbert or Colin Kaepernick or who knows who, free agents have to worry how the 49ers will function at the most important position. Teams almost never make the playoffs without a legitimate quarterback, or at least one who can perform moderately well.
Without the quarterback in place, Baalke would have to overpay big-name free agents to sign them. Which would be panicking. Praise Baalke for not entering panic-mode.
Baalke’s job is on the line — he has reason to panic. One more disappointing season and he may get fired. We would understand if he were under his desk right now in a fetal position calling agents frantically and offering their clients $20 million a year. Trying to make a splash for the sake of making splash just to save his job temporarily.
That’s not the way to build a team in the NFL. That’s the way to set a team back for years. Baalke knows that.
Good general managers build bad teams through the draft, and Baalke has 12 draft picks this year. He’ll build the 49ers the right way, the same exact way the Raiders built their team the past couple of years.
The Raiders couldn’t sign anyone significant until recently. The best they could do was sign old veterans and guys no other teams wanted. Guys like Justin Tuck and Nate Allen. So, the Raiders saved most of their cap space and developed a young core of players through the draft.
All of a sudden, everyone wants to play for the Raiders, and the Raiders have money to sign just about anyone they want. The Raiders played things perfectly.
Baalke, give him credit, is playing things the same way — he’s just a couple of years behind them.
Patience.
kick rocks, homie/hoemie.
hopefully, he signs with seattle. dude is trash.Matt Barrows @mattbarrows 28s29 seconds ago
Cardinals free-agent guard Ted Larsen, who visited with #49ers Thursday, is on his way to Seattle for visit, per league source. #NFCWestWar