Who are you keeping? (The free agency thread)

[burgold]

Bates is such a tricky one.

On the one hand, you think it should not be that hard to find a blocking tight end, but Donnie Warren's are getting more and more rare. College football TEs aren't asked to run block much. Bates has a place, but he is limited so he should be replaceable at low cost, but he does have a place.

 

[Hail Raiser]

Chinn, Bates, Igbi and Fowler on long deals. Probably Ferrel, too. The older guys I'd fine with one year deals.

I wouldn't hate BDJ being brought back. I like him, he's tough and physical, although a little too much sometimes. I'd like to see how Iggy does outside. Dude is a former 1rst rounder and young. I definitely want to keep him around, regardless.

This draft has some legit WR1's in it, although I'd LOVE to get Jeanty in the first. Draft also looks like it'll have solid corners, too.

 

[Hail Raiser]

Bates is such a tricky one.

On the one hand, you think it should not be that hard to find a blocking tight end, but Donnie Warren's are getting more and more rare. College football TEs aren't asked to run block much. Bates has a place, but he is limited so he should be replaceable at low cost, but he does have a place.

Bates is having a great year and is such a good blocker. I really hope that he's in our long term plans. There is some high end talent at TE in this draft. 3 guys who legit at Y and two of those are beasts inline, too. Bates inline, Sinnott at FB or Inline and a guy like Loveland, Warren or Fannin would be an incredible TE room.

 

[Primus Porcus]

Im having a hard time thinking of anybody on the roster that is an 'absolutely not.'

I'd be looking at pretty much everybody as possible.

 

[CapsCommies]

I'm signing one of San Francisco's pending FA corners (Lenoir or C Ward) and letting them sort out CB4/5 in training camp.

Of the guys on the list who actually get playing time, I'd give most all of them deals but they may not all make the roster. Dyami Brown could be a clear camp casualty

 

[Hail Raiser]

In FA it would be great to sign Lawrence, Ward and Greenlaw (if Wagner leaves). That would absolutely lock our defense down for a while and allow us to attack offense in the draft.

 

[CapsCommies]

In FA it would be great to sign Lawrence, Ward and Greenlaw (if Wagner leaves). That would absolutely lock our defense down for a while and allow us to attack offense in the draft.

I see Wagner returning for a few years. Player-coach, still effective on the field, mentor for Jayden. I'd still be in on all those guys, though.

Dan Quinn lived in Cover-3 in the Seattle Legion of Boom days. Imagine if we could run Cover-3 with Greenlaw-Wagner-Luvu + Chinn as the underneath defenders and then you have Lattimore, Quan, and CB2 (Ward/BSJ/whoever) covering deep. Newton and Payne disrupting in the middle with our DEs (Lawrence/Fowler/Armstrong/Jean-Baptiste/whoever else) rushing the ends... that could be a great defense. Stop the run and take away the explosive deep passes. Bring Luvu and Chinn on the blitz, move 'em around, confuse the offense. I'd love to see that.

 

[burgold]

I think the Steelers' game was not really eye opening, but a little surprising. We have done such a good job of masking weaknesses that we thought we were further along in roster development than maybe we are. I'm thinking specifically about the o line, but maybe other positions, too. Sunday's showing illustrated that at minimum we need better depth on the o-line. Now, I understand we were playing our third string tackle in place of Wylie and Biadazz was hurt, but the game brough back the worries many of us had at the beginning of the season and while they have played above expectations, I think our o line is still a work in progress.

 

[KDawg]

Wagner and Fowler are the two that need to be re-signed to long term deals.

I'm not sure where Dorance is, but I'd see his market.

This is where EDGE can be a target this offseason. But you can't just sign a big name edge. You need to find someone that is explosive and improving technique wise year over year in FA OR the Draft. You go back and watch Fowler and you can see things were beginning to materialize there.

Besides Chinn, we need a safety. Martin is doing okay, but I just don't think he's a starter back there. I think he's more of a slot like Mike S and in dime packages the two would be invaluable.

I like Noah I at corner...

But right now our corners are:

Lattimore
Sainristil
St Juste
Noah I
Forbes

I'd like Sain to move back to slot. I think Noah can be CB 3. But we need a CB 1/2 and one extra depth piece.

And we still need to address the OL. Jayden masks it... but it's still not ideal.

Wide receiver wise I'm just not sold on any of our guys aside from Terry and N.Brown.

 

[mhd24]

Wagner and Fowler are the two that need to be re-signed to long term deals.

I'm not sure where Dorance is, but I'd see his market.

This is where EDGE can be a target this offseason. But you can't just sign a big name edge. You need to find someone that is explosive and improving technique wise year over year in FA OR the Draft. You go back and watch Fowler and you can see things were beginning to materialize there.

Besides Chinn, we need a safety. Martin is doing okay, but I just don't think he's a starter back there. I think he's more of a slot like Mike S and in dime packages the two would be invaluable.

I like Noah I at corner...

But right now our corners are:

Lattimore
Sainristil
St Juste
Noah I
Forbes

I'd like Sain to move back to slot. I think Noah can be CB 3. But we need a CB 1/2 and one extra depth piece.

And we still need to address the OL. Jayden masks it... but it's still not ideal.

Wide receiver wise I'm just not sold on any of our guys aside from Terry and N.Brown.

I think BSJ is a goner. Just does not have the speed to be a starter on the outside. Forbes is a goner too. His value is probably a 7th+Forbes for a 6th type of deal in the off-season. We'll probably resign Noah I to be CB4, move Saintistil to slot, and sign a vet FA to be CB2 next year while drafting a young DB with either our #3 or early #5 pick to groom.

Our top 3 picks probably have to go edge, WR, and OL in some order. We also have to remember that JJB flashed big time before the injury against Baltimore. He's definitely in our future plans at edge.

 

[KDawg]

I think BSJ is a goner. Just does not have the speed to be a starter on the outside. Forbes is a goner too. His value is probably a 7th+Forbes for a 6th type of deal in the off-season. We'll probably resign Noah I to be CB4, move Saintistil to slot, and sign a vet FA to be CB2 next year while drafting a young DB with either our #3 or early #5 pick to groom.

Our top 3 picks probably have to go edge, WR, and OL in some order. We also have to remember that JJB flashed big time before the injury against Baltimore. He's definitely in our future plans at edge.

Forbes is a foregone conclusion. BSJ likely, too.

I think JJB is a solid depth piece. But I'm not sure he's the explosive, powerful guy that matches a guy like Fowler. Ferrell could be, but that hasn't materialized. But I don't want to chase an edge guy, either. You can sign hungry guys to be productive. Look at us...

We had the "best DL in the League" with Young, Sweat, Allen and Payne.

Now only Payne is on the field and its the best our DL has looked in years - and Payne looks better than he's looked for a year +.

 

[burgold]

Yep, I kept waiting for that D Line to show itself under Rivera. Everyone kept shouting how it was a strength of the team and the envy of the NFL, but it was all on paper. It was never dominant, never made the plays when they needed to be made, never had that extra gear in crunch time like the Steelers displayed yesterday.

I have been surprised with how much pressure we've gotten this year. I mean I would like to be stouter against the run and I don't think any of our guys will be looked at for the Pro Bowl (Fowler?) but it just shows how important "want to" is.

 

[Commander Wraith]

KDawg - I might be reading you wrong, but Armstrong signed a 3 year deal.

I’m with you on Martin. Seems like a solid, smart player, but hasn’t really shown up as a difference maker. Of course, I don’t know how much of that stems from scheme and the corners playing in front of him. I’m really intrigued by Owens, he’s sort of Sean Taylor-esque from a physique standpoint, but don’t know about the mental side.

Assuming we re-sign some of our key guys, I’m thinking at minimum we need oline depth (a quality corner would be helpful too), and then it’s about finding a stud on D and a high end playmaker on offense. Everything after that is gravy IMO.

 

[KDawg]

KDawg - I might be reading you wrong, but Armstrong signed a 3 year deal.

I’m with you on Martin. Seems like a solid, smart player, but hasn’t really shown up as a difference maker. Of course, I don’t know how much of that stems from scheme and the corners playing in front of him. I’m really intrigued by Owens, he’s sort of Sean Taylor-esque from a physique standpoint, but don’t know about the mental side.

Assuming we re-sign some of our key guys, I’m thinking at minimum we need oline depth (a quality corner would be helpful too), and then it’s about finding a stud on D and a high end playmaker on offense. Everything after that is gravy IMO.

I wasn't sure what Dorance signed for - I thought he was another 1 year deal. We signed so many guys it's hard to keep track. Thanks. So he's set.

Need Fowler back at this point.

 

[Riggo44]

Jeremy Chinn is a major extension candidate too--he's been fantastic the last two weeks.

 

[CapsCommies]

SF just re-signed Deommodore Lenoir so Charvarius Ward might well be AP's target for CB2. Dre Greenlaw at LB, too.

Lattimore, C Ward, Sainristil as your top corners with Noah I as a backup.

 

[Riggo44]

This is the big difference from Rivera: Peters won’t sign someone like Ward just because he had him in SF. He will sign Ward of Ward fits Whitt/Quinns defense

 

[KDawg]

This is the big difference from Rivera: Peters won’t sign someone like Ward just because he had him in SF. He will sign Ward of Ward fits Whitt/Quinns defense

I honestly don’t expect a ton of big name moves. If it happens anywhere my guess is that it’s at receiver.

Every other position has serviceable guys that are + starters for cheaper contracts.

We don’t need to skimp but spending to spend once at the floor is a bad strategy. Find the guys that fit and continue to allow tremendous flexibility and make a couple high end impact signings.

And that is exactly what Peters has done so far.

 

[CapsCommies]

This is the big difference from Rivera: Peters won’t sign someone like Ward just because he had him in SF. He will sign Ward of Ward fits Whitt/Quinns defense

Ward excels in man and was until very recently SF's top corner. Here's a quote from current 49ers D Coordinator Nick Sorensen: "I think it gets overlooked that he's a tough player as far as how he tackles. He's a really good tackler, which is essential in our defense. We ask a lot of our corners. Everyone has got to be able to tackle, run and hit, be physical, be violent. He does that and it was just good to see how he got some recognition this year." Plus he had 5 interceptions last year.

He will fit.

 

[Commander Wraith]

I honestly don’t expect a ton of big name moves. If it happens anywhere my guess is that it’s at receiver.

Every other position has serviceable guys that are + starters for cheaper contracts.

We don’t need to skimp but spending to spend once at the floor is a bad strategy. Find the guys that fit and continue to allow tremendous flexibility and make a couple high end impact signings.

And that is exactly what Peters has done so far.

For me, it’s receiver and corner. Both are spots we have a high-priced, high end player, but if we lose them, the unit looks pretty poor. And of course both affect game plans with trickle down effects. I’d still try to re-sign Ighbinoge and Noah Brown though (maybe with Zaccheus as the backup plan).

Right there with you on the rest though.