1) Keeping the coaching staff intact.

I think that this coaching staff should stay together. If Martz doesn’t stay, I would be VERY skeptical of what Singletary can do without him. Singletary better have a backup plan, in case that does happen.

2) Cuts: Jennings, Sims and TBC

I think Sims could be a useful backup tackle. If anything, I think you keep one of Jennings or Sims, you don’t unload both. The 49ers are only going to use one draft pick on an tackle (maybe two offensive linemen total), so why not keep Sims as a backup at a decent, especially considering he’s already signed through next season anyway.

3) Do not resign: JTO, Jaime Martin, Duckett

I can’t say I disagree with any of these. Duckett would be useful camp fodder, though, since he already knows the system.

4) Resignings: B. Johnson (2 year deal, #3 receiver money), Alex Smith (lowball offer for 3 years), Rossum (1 year deal), Spikes (1 year deal), Eric Heitman (4 year deal), Tony Wragge (3 year deal), Keasey (1 year deal), Fields (2 year deal)

I disagree with re-signing Bryant Johnson. He’s shown to be utterly useless this year while Josh Morgan and Jason Hill have shown more potential to be useful. Between Bruce, Jason Hill, Josh Morgan, and Arnaz Battle, the 49ers may only have an opening for a young receiver, and that spot may be already be taken by Zeigler.

I’m a little iffy on giving Heitmann a 4-year deal, because that would imply the bonus would be rather large. I also don’t think you can retain Wragge for 3-years at backup money. He’ll more than likely test the market if that’s all the 49ers are willing to offer (monetarily). The guy has shown he can possibly be a starter. He may sign for one year at a backup price, but no way he signs away three years of his life when he feels he can do better.

Lastly, Smith may restructure his deal and change his base salaries to incentives, but it’s still a very iffy proposition.

5) Signings: JP Losman , Albert Haynesworth

There are plenty of QBs to take a flier on. I don’t know if I would for sure take Losman out of the bunch. Haynesworth may or may not be worth the money it’ll take to sign him. Depending on what the 49ers plan to do with the rest of the defense, I would be a little wary about committing MORE guaranteed money into that defense.

6) Roster Status

As I pointed out above, Bryant Johnson is already useless on the 53-man this year, so there’s not point in bringing him back again next year.

If Sims is retained, it may make Wragge a little more disposable (which he may be already, because he may expect to be able to compete for starting time).

If the 49ers decide they’re going after Haynesworth, Fields is ultimately unnecessary. It’s also possible the team may cut loose Franklin instead. It all depends on what they’re going to do with their front 7 (3-4 or 4-3).

Also, it’s possible that Foster gets challenged by Clayton for the backup running back job next season.

7) Assuming we get Losman and Haynesworth, our weakest starter are Synder (RT), Roman (FS), Keasey (FB), Harralson (OLB), Harris (CB – but only because of age) and _ (QB of the future)

I don’t think Keasey is a bad fit at FB, heck he showed he could be pretty useful early on before his injury. Similarly, I don’t think Haralson would be the weaker OLB. If the 49ers go with a the 3-4, Haralson may ultimately be more useful than Lawson (based on what we’ve seen so far this year). Harris may not be a starter next season. If Hill is the starter in the SAME system with Martz calling the shots, I wouldn’t even really call the QB position a position of weakness.

8) Draft stuff

As has been said before, the first two picks will probably be best spent on outside rushers or guys in the trenches. It’s unlikely they go after a second ILB. If they do, then the team is planning on staying with a 3-4 and that makes Spikes and/or Ulbrich expendable. Going with a 3-4 (and taking an ILB with the first pick) may be a mistake though, as they would still need to find better pass rushers on the outside and a stout nose, still. Finding a player to fill one of those positions will be difficult enough as it is, let alone trying to find players that fill both.

Overall, your general idea seems to coincide with the general consensus of what the 49ers should do. I only disagree with a couple of points as I mentioned above. Very thorough first post, by the way.

While I agree that letting two OTs walk will leave us thin, Sims is way past the point in his career where he can be effective. He’s 34 years old and in the games he did play he got abused. Jennings, when healthy, is actually pretty good. But, as you know, he’s never healthy. Between these two options, I would prefer that we resign Wragge and keep Synder as a backup tackle. However, if Wragge takes the position that he should be paid like a staring NFL guard, and another team agrees, then we certainly shouldn’t pay him that money to be a backup. In that case, I agree that it would make sense to keep either Sims or Jennings. Between those two options, I suppose I’d rather keep Jennings. He’s far more effective and only costs $2 million/year more than Sims. Plus, one would think that he’d be less likely to get hurt as a backup to a highly drafted rookie (right?).

I see the Bryant Johnson cup as half full. He hasn’t had a great year, he has talent, is number two on the team in receiving yards, has had some good games, and, I think deserves more time in the system. While I agree that Hill and Morgan have shown a ton of potential, both have been hurt at different points in time this year. Having a talented, if inconsistent, player on board is not, in my view, a waste of a roster space.

Heitmann is a good starting center and is only 27. I think locking him up for a significant period of time (3-4 years) makes sense.

I agree that Smith may not agree to a restructing or may want to move on. If he wants to come back on a greatly reduced contract, I think he could be a serviceable backup. If he’s not willing to do that, he should be cut.

I do not have my heart set on Losman, but we will need a servicable backup if Smith is unwilling to rework his deal.

I agree that acquiring Haynesworth would make Franklin or Fields expendable. I also agree that a decision on whether to go 3-4 or 4-3 is a necessary precursor to any move. I’m working on the assumption that we retain the 3-4.

I mention Keasey as a weakness because of our inability to convert short yardage throughout the year, including before Keasey’s injury. That said, I agree that he’s somewhat useful and I’m aware that the big physical blocking fullback doesn’t really exist in the Martz system.

I like what Lawson brings more than Harralson. If we stick with the 3-4, we need a pass rusher that is more effective that Harralson currently is – as you mention regarding the draft. Additionally, if we move to the 4-3, Harralson would get very little PT, while Lawson would likely start.

Outside rushers and guys in the trenches are clearly the priority. That said, if we’re picking 15 and all of those guys are gone (the star QBs, the top OTs, and the top NT) I would rather go with a potential star at a position of lesser need (i.e. CB or ILB) than a lesser player at a position of greater need. I’m also highly skeptical of the pass rushers available this year and I am hesitant to invest a 1st round pick in one of them.

I didn’t realize they already resigned him. Thanks for the info grantmp.