SANTA CLARA — The NFL Draft is over but the 49ers’ news never stops. That doesn’t mean it’s necessarily worth alerting you to new jersey numbers for cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (No. 2) and offensive lineman Jason Poe (No. 51). Instead, this mailbag answers more pressing matters:
Did any team call for a Trey Lance trade? (@54_alann)
Unlike a year ago, when Kyle Shanahan said the offers for Deebo Samuel were “not even close” to market value, they didn’t disclose this time what interest Lance received. John Lynch did say before the draft there was “a lot of smoke, really” on trade calls. Lynch said it would take a significant package to move Lance, and why should they? He should be running the on-field practices right now, with Brock Purdy rehabilitating his elbow and Sam Darnold (No. 14) getting caught up to speed in a complex offense. And those trade calls for Lance should come back in October, if Purdy is a healthy QB1.
I know we restructured CMC’s contract, but are there any good free agents out there to add to offensive line or other positions? (@hmongsider)
The 49ers now have $10.7 million in salary cap space, thanks to the “simple conversion” of Christian McCaffrey’s salary, pushing it down to $1.08 million and flipping $11 million into a signing bonus. Lynch said it gave them room to sign rookies, “and we wanted to have some flexibility and it made sense.” Flexibility to land a veteran who’s still a free agent or deemed expendable after the draft? Perhaps. Cameron Fleming (Broncos; Stanford product) and Isaiah Wynn (Patriots) are among the tackles on the market.
Who are we signing with the cap room or is that going to Bosa? (@traviscampbell79)
A slice of that pie goes to the rookies, a slice could be reserved for future signings, and, yes, the 49ers must account for Nick Bosa’s record extension that arrives in, say, three months. But Bosa currently is set to count $17.9 million this year on a fifth-year option, so his new deal should actually shave about $8 million off that figure by spreading out his massive signing bonus and salaries over five years, and let’s call it $162 million total.
Was the Jake Moody pick too high or juuuuuuuust right? (@tecomocards)
The last time the Niners won a Super Bowl, they did so with a rookie kicker from the third round (Doug Brien, 1994). Gifted three picks late in the third round via the NFL’s minority hiring incentives, it made sense to use one on their greatest need: a kicker (and kickoff specialist). They lacked a pick in the more traditional fourth-round range for that position. A year ago, Brock Purdy was picked too low (No. 262).
Why did they not go for an offensive lineman in the third round? (@jr.c1drn_)
They did not think any left at that point would be capable of beating out their in-house linemen. As Kyle Shanahan also said, it’s tough to develop linemen in the NFL. It takes time. These 49ers don’t currently have that time.
Why two tight ends? (@nathan.brower24)
Why not three? The 49ers needed to bolster that unit, not to find George Kittle’s ultimate successor – he is entering Year 7 – but to at least add depth. Incumbent reserves Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley saw their stock drop last season. Cameron Latu (third round) and Brayden Willis (seventh round) are eager to worship and learn under Kittle’s tutelage.
Out of the nine picks, how many can actually play this year and who? (@big.slim49)
That simply could hinge on which incumbents get hurt, to open up an opportunity for a rookie. Hypothetically, here is the order of who might play most: kicker Moody, safety Ji’Ayir Brown, tight end Latu, pass rusher Robert Beal Jr., linebacker Dee Winters, cornerback Darrell Luter Jr., tight end Willis, receiver/returner Ronnie Bell, linebacker Jalen Graham.
Why do the 49ers draft so good Rounds 4-7, and have struggled in Rounds 1-3? (@_r2g_)
First off, just realize it’s primarily up to the players to make the most of their opportunities. Kittle arrived in 2017 as a scrawny fifth-rounder, then returned in 2018 in super-sized form ready to blossom into an All-Pro. Purdy didn’t dwell on being “Mr. Irrelevant” and simply got ready for last year’s door to open. Solomon Thomas didn’t work out for various reasons, and fellow 2017 first-rounder Reuben Foster quickly wore out his welcome with off-field issues. Here’s the thing: When drafts are graded, if a couple from that class excel, it’s a win for the team, regardless of where they’re picked. Unless you’ve mortgaged multiple drafts to move up for a player like Lance, who remains a TBD.
Source: www.mercurynews.com