On Tuesday, we looked at 49ers veterans who benefited from the picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. Many of you seemed to agree with the consensus, but were quick to point out that the tight ends also made out as winners.
Today, we look at those who didn’t win. Where there are solid picks to help the roster, some of those already on the roster probably didn’t benefit. Let’s see who they are.
Malcolm Smith
The 49ers linebacker has yet to play a game in uniform and if it wasn’t for circumstances with his teammate, he might have never with the third round pick. The 49ers drafted BYU linebacker Fred Warner and when we heard the position we knew where this was going. For now, the Smith/Warner tandem will exist solely to compensate for a possible Reuben Foster suspension. When Foster returns from that theoretical suspension is where things get interesting. If Warner displays the reasons why the 49ers drafted him, Smith could be on the chopping block.
K’Waun Williams
Tarvarious Moore and D.J. Reed are both cornerbacks, or in in Moore’s case are transitioning to the role. I wanted to put Richard Sherman here, but I think he’s going to bounce back from that injury and keep his position safe. I also wanted to put Jimmie Ward in, but he’s played three positions (safety, outside corner, nickel corner) and provides depth if he can get through this season without a trip to injured reserve. Williams signed a nice extension, but that cornerback room is going to be one of the most competitive in the league.
49ers wide receivers not named Trent Taylor, Marquise Goodwin, and Pierre Garçon
Remember when the 49ers couldn’t draft a wide receiver to save their lives? Not the case with John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. Unfortunately, while Garçon is getting up there in age, he’s not in any immediate danger of losing his job. Besides the above names, the rest of the squad is on notice. Things got tougher with the drafting of Dante Pettis and Richie James. Double that when return duties have gotten more competitive with D.J. Reed’s speed there to take advantage of. The 49ers wide receivers have become an underrated group and a lot of people in there are just trying to eat. The transition has happened with the release of DeAndre Carter. All I hope is Kendrick Bourne sticks around.
Trent Brown
The Mike McGlinchey pick got him a trade to New England, a system where he can thrive. He didn’t lose the draft from a football standpoint. He lost from the standpoint that moving from one side of the country to the other—whether San Francisco to Boston or vice versa— plain sucks.
Which veterans do you think “lost” in the 2018 draft?