2012 NFL Free Agents: Was 49ers 2011 Philosophy Affected By The Lockout?

by David Fucillo on Feb 11, 2012 2:00 PM PST in San Francisco 49ers News

NFL free agency kicks off March 13, which is just over a month away. The 49ers have some important free agents, while also having a few holes to fill throughout the roster. The return to a normal offseason means they can plug up some gaps through free agency and then move on to the draft to wrap things up. Last year, the lockout forced teams to go through the draft first and then figure out free agency in late July.

The 49ers had a strong draft and a strong run through free agency last season. As they get ready for this season's run on free agents, I find myself trying to sort through what kind of strategy the 49ers will implement. They went with a very patient approach in 2011 and came up huge with guys like Carlos Rogers, Donte Whitner, David Akers and plenty others.

Part of that patient approach might have been predicated on the fact that the team was heading into a season with limited preparation time. They wanted to win sooner rather than later, but given the peculiarities of last season, my thought is that the team figured if things did not work out, relatively inexpensive short term deals would not bite them in the butt. They have to pay the proverbial piper this offseason, but a relatively conservative approach last year makes sense even in hindsight.

However, Coach Harbaugh and his staff and Trent Baalke and the front office now know so much more about what this team is capable of in the face of adversity. They know what they have and what they don't have and they now have a normal offseason to make any necessary changes. I don't expect them to go out and throw money around like drunken sailors, but do they get a little bit more aggressive a year into this thing?

Coach Harbaugh chatted with CSN's Dave Benz down at Pebble Beach. I've posted some video after the jump with some mentions of free agency later in the video.

JIm Harbaugh chats at Pebble Beach

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I really hope not

Getting impatient and writing big checks in FA gives you a better talent pool in the short term but it almost assures that you are then operating in a window that will soon shut. If you get unlucky with injuries or if the high priced FA disappoint then the window shuts a couple years down the road without ever bringing home the Lombardi — and your best players decline or retire or have to be cut as cap casualties and then you are rebuilding again.

Every time Jamie Dukes says something enlightening and informative about football Jerry Rice and I mount up on our flying grizzly bears and claim pirate treasure from the moon. That's how often it happens.

by Ougadas on Feb 11, 2012 2:30 PM PST reply actions

I hope they are aggressive enough to retain our own guys

like Rogers, Brooks, Goldson, and Alex Smith. Obviously only if the money is right (I don’t think Brooks or Alex would be a problem).

I hope they are aggressive enough to bring in a real #1 WR.

by Odekerk on Feb 11, 2012 2:41 PM PST reply actions

Is getting Vincent Jackson and Mario Williams to much to ask?

by Mullester on Feb 11, 2012 3:42 PM PST reply actions

With only 30 million in reported cap space

And I think 19 guys who are now free agents, with Smith, Brooks, Snyder, Goldson, Ginn, Morgan, and Rogers being among them — we don’t have the room to bring in even one of those guys.

by Ougadas on Feb 11, 2012 3:56 PM PST up reply actions

We probably have room for V-Jax, but I doubt we're getting Mario.

And if we got V-jax, we’d have to make compromises elsewhere. Still, he could be the piece that puts us over the top (a la Deion Sanders in 1994), and it’s being reported that he wants to stay in California, so I’d be surprised if we didn’t pursue him aggressively.

I'm just a simple Niners fan trying to make my way in the universe.

by Tim Lincecum's Bong on Feb 11, 2012 5:01 PM PST up reply actions

I don't like vincent jackson he's 2 stiff not athletic enough i look at him n see

another roy wiliams ain’t !$%! coming out of san diego any good if it is its used up why not go after s.johnson kid from buffalo he’s younger n more athletic.

by Jayubb415rebirth on Feb 11, 2012 8:39 PM PST up reply actions

It truly saddens

"Bears are crazy, Willie. They'll bite your head off if you're wearing steak on it."

by Blank x2 on Feb 12, 2012 5:25 PM PST via mobile up reply actions

"I don't expect them to go out and throw money around like drunken sailors"

I always get a laugh out of “drunken sailor” comments, probably because I am an ex-navy man, and have never been drunk in my life.

by HighFive on Feb 11, 2012 4:04 PM PST reply actions

Can wearing your navy outfit or sailor outfit idk the right name but the white one

can that outfit get you laid no disrespect because the movies make it look that way?

by Jayubb415rebirth on Feb 11, 2012 8:45 PM PST up reply actions

Stupid mobile.

It saddens me that you compare Vincent Jackson to Roy Williams.

Jackson is so much better than
Williams, it’s not even comparable.

"Bears are crazy, Willie. They'll bite your head off if you're wearing steak on it."

by Blank x2 on Feb 12, 2012 5:27 PM PST via mobile up reply actions

As ex-Air Force, I Always Felt Sorry For My Navy Brothers.......

1: Everybody called them Seamen.
2: They always had to wear the Popeye uniforms when on shore leave.
But with all that saved up cash, they always got laid.

Agent Dunham....Walternate testified that in his universe, AleX Smith is a pro-bowl QB for the Saints, and broke Trent Dilfer's season record of 6000 yards passing. Walter....Thats nice, more LSD please.

by scrappydog on Feb 12, 2012 8:18 AM PST up reply actions

were a couple pieces away from #6

im a very strong beliver in building through the draft ie Packers, Steelers, Giants, but when were 1 or 2 players away from defenitlly having a SB caliber team i say go hard or go home!!! Get the proven guy(s) we need to make it happen nomatter what the cost!!! Plus i believe since our sucess last year some high profile players will give alittle to come play here and have a chance to get a ring (havent been in that position since Deion came)

by Frisco_Kid on Feb 11, 2012 4:29 PM PST via mobile reply actions

I feel the same way that NFC-champioship was our free-agent interview right there

we loss but how we loss how hard we played wasn’t supposed 2 beat the saints beat them n a couple of plays from the SB" Hey my name is jim harbaugh welcome 2 Ball so Hard University west-coast style"!!!!

by Jayubb415rebirth on Feb 11, 2012 8:51 PM PST up reply actions

Damm i got a man-crush on that dude lmao serious when those free-agents

get off that plane they won’t be coming back they’ll be looking for places 2 live in The Bay.Remember free-agents use 2 visit us n we would think we have them locked up only 2 hear about them signing with the very next team. those days are over with I.can hear jim " hey son are you ready 2 be a 49er man play the 49er way "dude gives me goose-bumps listening 2 him(Hey R.I.P to whitney houston i know its not football but she’s a icon) i mean its not BS when you hear him n our play shows its not BS n if we can take care most of the people who played hard its natural were going 2 lose someone but if we can keep our core-players it shows if you play hard we will go out of our way 2 keep you here as long as its reasonable i just love his passion for everything 49er.

by Jayubb415rebirth on Feb 11, 2012 8:30 PM PST reply actions

Granted the shorter period of FA last year

But i remember this place was almost pulling itself apart with the lack of moves and “Patience” approach. I’d be interested in somebody pulling some quotes from the archives. But Seeing what our FO and coaching staff ultimately did with FA and the draft last year, i’m more than comfortable relaxing and just having faith in whatever moves they make. They have earned it, at least for another year IMO.

by Faithful89 on Feb 11, 2012 11:16 PM PST reply actions