Now that the Los Angeles Rams have added Ndamukong Suh, it wouldn’t be wrong to wonder what the San Francisco 49ers are going to do in response. Well on Friday, we had a few interesting leads. For one, the 49ers are watching the Odell Beckham Jr. trade talks with the New York Giants very closely. And they are also considered a good fit for New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (note nothing has been said if the 49ers are interested in a trade or if Gronk is even on the trade block in the first place) if he were to be traded.
If the 49ers managed to get both those players, that offense would be absolutely filthy. Maybe the best in the league. It certainly was fun to think about, for five minutes until realizing that getting one of the above would be a longshot at best. The 49ers have been wize with their massive salary cap space and draft picks and despite the Rams desperation to mortgage 2018 on three of the most intense personalities in the NFL (Suh, Marcus Peters, and Aqib Talib). No doubt the Rams are solidifying their team to make a run, and the 49ers did their own version of it by getting Richard Sherman and now Weston Richburg (who I love the more I read about). Regardless of the moves the Rams made, the 49ers are wise to be careful with the resources they have. Last thing anyone wants is to see the team go into salary cap-hell in a couple years.
Furthermore, OBJ isn’t going to come cheap, and I’d almost like to see the Rams make a huge trade for him. I love the logic in marketing your future by giving up your early draft picks for one year with a player that may be way more expensive than your salary cap will allow to extend (oh and when the Rams have other extensions to figure out). Then again the Rams have five draft picks in the sixth round so who needs those early round draft picks anyways?
Hmmmm, a bunch of late-draft picks. Who does that remind me of?
Could Gronk be traded? (Pro Football Talk)
Seven under-the-radar second-year 49ers players (Maiocco)
49ers’ free agency grade will ride on Richard Sherman’s return from injury (Wagoner)
Debartolo on Dwight Clark’s ALS Battle: “It breaks my heart” (Talk is Fame)
49ers on hand at Yale pro day to watch LB Matt Oplinger (49ers Webzone)
Will the 49ers target Rob Gronkowski in a trade? (Biderman)
49ers RB Jerick McKinnon has been taking rigorous AP course this spring (Barrows)
Video: Top-10 Reuben Foster plays (NFL.com)