MichiganCardinal

I don’t think it’s about drafting for need. Of course you draft for need. They’re not taking a QB, WR, or RB at #17, because they don’t need one. It’s about not forcing your hand. At #17, what if the best defensive player on the board is inexplicably there, because six teams in the top 16 took an offensive tackle. It’s bad business to resign yourself to taking the 7th best tackle because you didn’t prepare for the possibility in free agency.

I think that’s fine. I agree with it. But a team who wants to win a Super Bowl this year should have a short-term solution, or at least a reliable Plan B, in case that desire doesn’t play to fruition. I don’t see it. They’re pigeon-holing themselves.

Planning in March to draft a player in April who you intend to start 100% of your snaps in September is a recipe for disaster. And it goes against what this team normally does in free agency. If Mauigoa, Fano, and Proctor are gone, what do you do? Take Freeling, a one-year starter in the SEC, and hope he’s athletic enough to get up to speed?

This is frustrating. I would have given him more than this. He’s a really good OT and it’s a bad, bad idea if they are planning to go into the draft without a second starting offensive tackle (unless they really think Borom should start). Rasheed Walker is still out there but likely outside the Lions’ budget. Same for Trent Williams if the Niners move on. Trent Brown is available, but is effectively Decker 2.0 between age and injury concerns. Cam Robinson is no better than Borom. Blah.

Who needs game day threads when we have offseason reaction threads?

Raymond doesn’t move the needle for me the way Lopez and Robertson did. He didn’t really have a place on the roster after TeSlaa was drafted. Presuming Vaki is the new return man?

The Raiders are the kid at the candy store who found a $100 bill in grandpa’s jacket and knows he won’t miss it. They’ll have a stomach ache later. They usually do.

Of course, the regular season caveat comes because he did miss a few against Washington in the playoffs. You don’t need a world beater. Goff is a durable QB, and nearly every NFL team’s season would be derailed by a serious injury to their starting QB (God forbid). In the event your backup is in, you really just need someone who will take care of the ball and get it to your playmakers. Hope to score 20.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Kyler gets a one year deal in Minnesota and has the opportunity to beat out JJ for the starting gig.

I wonder if it means the Lions are counting on Levi (again). Dangerous proposition.

I’d bet it’s a years over dollars thing with him. He got pissed with how the Bengals treated him with the franchise tag. He probably sees that he’s only got one more big contract in him, so he’s hoping for 3-4 years instead of 1-2. He’d probably take 3/70 over 2/50.

If by the end of the week we sign a couple guys like Braden Smith, Bradley Chubb, and maybe two DBs, all to short-term deals, I’ll feel a lot better. It’s OT and the defensive backfield that worry me the most.

I want to be patient. I know Holmes is likely hard at work. But it’s hard not to be at least a little concerned.

If the Niners have to trade Trent Williams, I wonder what he will fetch, knowing the recipient has to pay him.

Manu won’t start. That would be reckless.

I'm hoping they aren't done yet on the OL. Borom is good depth and can play any position on the line (except maybe center). But I don't like the idea of going into the draft pigeon-holed into taking a tackle in the first round. That's how you end up taking 2nd round talents at 17.

He's from Detroit, went to Brother Rice.

I think JK Dobbins fits their profile nicely. Downhill runner who stacks YACs. Of course, he's also very often hurt.

Mike Evans to the 49ers for three years? Have to imagine it's a two-year deal in sheep's clothing. He's old and hurt.

They're just being stupid.

Rapoport's agent-speak and team-talk is getting too confusing for me. The Ravens were only offering a two-year deal? That's not a "strong offer." This is like how a 4+7+Scruggs = 5th round value.

That's just bidding war pricing. I know the schtick this time of year is "if your team signs him it's a great deal, but if someone else signs him it's too much money." But I get it at $27MM APY.

Maybe not, but I dispute they couldn't afford it. They had Decker, Ragnow, and Sewell all under contract for 2026. Was the plan all along to make one of them take a major paycut? I'm hoping these at least means they aren't done fixing the OL and we will see one of Braden Smith or Jermaine Eluemunor next.

Wanted Linderbaum, but Mays is a good second place prize. He and Mahagony will be an interesting duo, assuming Mahagony is the LG. Mays is good at pass blocking and mediocre at run blocking. Mahagony is good at run blocking but was atrocious in the pass block.

That's a hole.