Urgent! 49ers looking for General Manager

by Jesse Reed on Dec 6, 2010 7:46 AM PST

OK, so maybe the title is a bit misleading, but I thought that now would be the best time to start exploring the wants/needs of the team going forward to the NFL draft next April.

Put on your gm hats and let us know what you think are the 3 most pressing needs (besides the obvious Firing of Mike Singletary) for the 49ers to address through free agency and the draft.

I have my own ideas about what the team should do:

1) Draft a stud QB. I know how everyone is scared poopless about the failures of our last attempt (love you Alex), but we will not succeed in the NFL in this day and age without a legit stud QB. In determining who the best qbs in the draft are, we should consider accuracy to be the key factor.

2) Aggressively pursue and woo the top pass-rusher in Free Agency next off-season and switch from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3. Our defense has looked stellar at times this season, and I have seen the best results when the team has lined up 4 of our guys to rush straight up against their o-line. We have the size and speed to make the switch at lb, and I get excited thinking about the kind of year Justin Smith could have rushing the passer if he was given the opportunity to play pure end in a scheme with our free agent end, Franklin and Sopoaga.

3) Draft a defensive back who has ball skills. I think our record this year could be reversed if our defense had a playmaker in the secondary to balance the turnover battle. Look at how well the Seahawks and Chiefs are playingright now due to the contributions from Earl Thomas and Eric Berry.

Poll

What is the single greatest non-coaching need that the 49ers need to fill before next season begins?

QB

95 votes

Pass Rusher

8 votes

Secondary

47 votes

O-Line (sadly)

3 votes

153 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.

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Comments

I am going to have to say secondary

but not a safety. We have Mays and he can become great if he has some decent training. If we can get a top CB in the draft and a top CB in the FA our defense becomes so much more legit. The O-Line is great and set for years to come (excluding RG). As for the QB position look at the FA for now sign him for a couple of years (3-4) and draft a QB in the 2012 draft since they have better prospects then this year. I will try to organize my thoughts on FA in my first fan posts after finals.

Kellen Moore is awesome

by manraj7 on Dec 6, 2010 7:54 AM PST reply actions

Give me a viable option for a free agent

quarterback and I like your strategy, but I don’t know who we could pick up that will push us over the top.

by Jesse Reed on Dec 6, 2010 9:14 AM PST up reply actions

mays might be a bust

cant rely on him to a starter at this point

"You know whats funny? I always thought uhm dogs lay eggs and I learned something new today" Peter Griffin

by HUNGRY HUNTER on Dec 6, 2010 9:20 PM PST up reply actions

Keys to improvement

1) Coach
2) QB
3) 4-3
4) DE
5) CB

by jsteez on Dec 6, 2010 9:59 AM PST reply actions

4-3....reallly??

we are in no way ready or will be for a 4-3 defense. not to mention that the 4-3 defense is very limiting and requires BIG guys up front.

A man's life is described either by his actions, words, or even the people who he loves and loves him.

by imjuliooo89 on Dec 6, 2010 1:09 PM PST up reply actions

You can actually get away with a smaller front in 4-3 than you can in 3-4...

Right now, it looks to me like our problem is we have the LBs for a 4-3, and the linemen for 3-4, + a secondary full of guys who should only see the field in the nickle. One reason to go to a 4-3 is that it isn’t fashionable in the NFL at the moment, yet most college defenses are still 4-3. Therefore, there could be more guys available to fit the scheme.

by asleepinSF on Dec 7, 2010 9:19 AM PST up reply actions

say what?

Far more teams run a 4-3 than run a 3-4 in the NFL. A 3-4/hybrid 3-4 is becoming more popular but that’s because it’s easier to defend the run in a 3-4 and it’s easier to get pressure (on average) in a 3-4.

by smileyman on Dec 7, 2010 8:45 PM PST up reply actions

I like our 3-4 defense

When utilized correctly (like last year’s game against the Colts) it works wonders. We just need to get our hands on a really good shutdown corner and maybe a new DC. Have Mays and Smith as starting safeties and when all is said and done, I believe we have ourselves a top 5 defense.

I wear my sunglasses at night so I can, so I can...
Darn you Singletary

by Ikaros on Dec 6, 2010 11:43 AM PST reply actions

The best dbs

are rendered mediocre without a pass rush, and we don’t generate a consistent pass rush with this unit as a 3-4

by Jesse Reed on Dec 6, 2010 12:10 PM PST up reply actions

This was a close choice....

I definately think we need a severe boos t in the secondary. The guys we have back there right now aren’t worth a combined hill of beans. Spencer is playing above his ability , Clements simply got luck and paid for 1 year of playing time in Buffalo. Mays is still too young, and T. Brown is just not cutting it. Althougjh Goldson has looked good at times, he disappears for too long stretches of time, and he like Alex Smith just need to go.

Now on to the crux of the issue. Since “Saint” Alex got to the Niners, we have had almost as many guys playing under center, as we have had as O-Coordinators. Shawn Hill, J.T. O’Sullivan, Tory Smith, David Carr, Alex Smith in and out of the lineup….it’s time for continuity. It has been proven to death that if there is any position that needs continuity, it’s QB. The Niners simply need to get rid of “Sint” Alex and anyone else of his ilk. Start over again fresh.

K.C.Edwards -AKA- "THE" DarkkStarr

by DarkkStarr1 on Dec 7, 2010 10:33 AM PST reply actions