Veteran QB Options

This is my first post on here. I've been lurching for about a week, I like what I've read. I hope I can add some good stuff. I want to break down the veteran QB options, both Free Agents and trade. I know this all hinges on the CBA but, whatever. I strongly believe that we should have a vet QB starting next year. None of the rookies really jump out at me. We should draft one, between 1st and 4th rounds for sure. However, if we have a rookie starting it just starts a rebuilding process. If we do that we might as well go all out and trade Frank Gore... Not really but maybe.

First with the free agents. Obviously the perks of this would be saving draft picks. I can imagine some teams overpaying on the trade market for a QB this year. It shouldn't be us. I honestly believe we need one pick on every level of defense (Early pick on CB, Pass rusher, a true oversized NT) SPEEDY skill player on O, FB, Draft a QB even if we trade for one, continuous O line depth and maybe even a kicker. Think about the purpose of a vet QB on our team next year. It would be to stay competitive while we groom our QB. Getting a FA QB makes a lot more sense to me. Investing in a trade for a QB and even a mid round draft pick on a rookie QB seems counter productive in a lot of ways. I could see it happening and making a lot of sense but I still would give a huge handicap to an UFA. I'm going to make this a pretty inclusive list, just for completeness. I'm just pulling from a list that doesn't specify RFAs.

Seneca Wallace: I actually haven't even thought of him until I brought up a list of free agents to write this. His career stats are pretty solid but hard to gauge for a career back up. Last year 8 games 4 starts 64/101 63.4% 6.9 avg 4 TD 2 INT. I don't know much about the Browns but I know their WRs are awful right? I remember him more as a runner but he only had 7 rush attempts last year. More fumbles than you'd like. Ran WCO all his career I think, 8 year vet, 30 years old from Sac. Not too old, would keep us from rushing a rookie out. Durability issues I think. Kinda underwhelming I know but I would actually be more optimistic about him then I would be McNabb at this point, plus the draft pick saved.Remember Rich Gannon? Just sayin.

Matt Hasselbeck: There's a lot to like about this actually. Numbers aren't great but I'm hesitant to put too much weight in that because of how bad his teams have been. Major durability issues and he's 35 it's only going to get worse, along with his play. Knows the division. 12 years in a WCO and has a coach on the field type thing that Harbaugh might really be drawn to. Help the team with the transition, valuable in case of CBA situation. Sign him and a high pick on a QB. Would only be a one year starter, even less if we're out of contention early. Would he even want to come to that?

Tarvaris Jackson: Ran WCO whole career. I really see him as Minnesotas Alex Smith, all things considered. That makes him very hard to gauge. I can see how it might work but a its very underwhelming option.

Matt Lienart: I don't want to think about a plus side to this but there is one. He was in Houston last year and they run a WCO and I think they ran it AZ a couple years also. Knows the division and can give us insight on AZ and maybe even Carroll. He's 27 and I can actually see Harbaugh working some magic on him. Might be humbled, hopefully. Don't want him if he's still all D-baggy though. NOT as a starter but I'd take him over Carr and maybe T. Smith.

Stanton, Edwards, Moore, Thigpin, Croyle, Quinn:  We'd be better off with a rookie starter. If we want a mentor type we kind find better ones.

K. Collins, Bulger, Pennington: The only one I can make a case for is Pennington. It's not a very good case though.

Now for the trade options. I remember watching something with Jimmy Johnson and he was talking about the transition from coaching college to the NFL. Something that struck me was him saying how much that helped him on his first draft. I forgot which players he selected but he stressed the level of scouting that came with coaching against a lot of those players. I expect us to put quite a few chips into this years draft. I also don't expect us to let go of more than a 3rd round pick in any realistic trade. I can see us being active on draft day though.

Kevin Kolb: He's not leaving Philly. He was a high second round pick and he's only improved his stock. He has a low salary and plays behind an injury prone QB. He's good but he's not the type of guy I'd want to give up two first round picks for.

Carson Palmer: The biggest reason I don't see us getting him is because I imagine another team putting up a high second round pick for him. What it would take for us to beat that wouldn't really be worth it for us. I can see AZ making a push for him in an effort to keep Fitz happy. Honestly, when I think of Palmer I get visions of Drew Bledsoe. We shouldn't give up too much. If the price is right though he could be the best option for the next 3-4 years if we snag him.

Donavan McNabb: You can make some excuses for him because I'm pretty sure Shannahan is a megalomanic or something. Last years stats/Age/Health look very bad for him though. There are enough QB hungry teams out there and I don't think he will hit the open market. He knows the WCO but if we give up more than a 4th for him it would be a mistake. If we give up a higher pick on a QB it has to be someone we can count on being the starter for at least 2-3 years. I think its a mistake to choose McNabb for that. I grade him about the same as I would Hasselbeck so why burn a pick? If he is cut it wouldn't happen til after the draft and we shouldn't let that possibility effect our draft board at all.

Vince Young: He's obviously got some red flags. He's got this weird ghetto Forrest Gump vibe. The dude can play though. Has pretty good stats and he's had a sub-par WR corps in Tenn for pretty much his whole career. He's the only QB I think we can get that would effect our draft strategy. If he can be focused and buy in to a QB guru like Harbaugh he would be the guy that I would want out of all our potential options. We could realistically get him for a fifth I think because Titans have so little leverage. A third should be all it takes and it has its gambles, the potential payoff is higher than any other QB not in the draft.

Josh Johnson/Matt Flynn: Good, young, cheap back-ups have value to their current teams. I think we would have to over-pay for either one. If we trade for Johnson I would think of it more like drafting him in place of the QB we would have taken with that pick. If we do that is a huge vote of confidence from Harbaugh, so I would support it. 4th rounder at the highest. 

Those are all the players I can think of mentioning.  Now for my realistic dream scenario. 

1. Trade for Vince Young. I don't see him hitting the open market, between SF, CAR, AZ, MIN, MIA, BUF, Maybe even CIN. Somebody will give up a pick for him and he'll work his contract to get out. If we target a QB in the trade market we need to be aggressive.

2. a. Draft A.J. Green. If Peterson doesn't fall to us in the draft A.J. Green might. Maybe just the madden fan in me but VY + Green + what we already have = Oh my god. If things click that's a nightmare for any D. When I think of one player that would raise our level of play the most in the draft it's A.J. Green. Drastically change our identity on O.

2. b. Draft Peterson/Prince.

3. a. Draft best cover corner we can.

3. b. Draft a skill offensive player in McCluster or Harvin mold.

4. Sign Champ Baily and move him to FS.

5. Sign either Woodley or Hali.

Again, easy to make a case against Vince Young but his floor to ceiling seems much more favorable than any other option. If he can be had for a 3rd its a worthy gamble. if its going to take a 2nd we might as well see if Locker falls or maybe trade back into the first for a QB. Off topic a bit but I do like Green at the 7 pick. Especially with the CB depth there seems to be this year. Imagine Green/Crabs/Morgan/Ginn/Walker/VD/Gore. Could be scary.