49ers Four Questions: Deebo Samuel and The Draft

Philadelphia wins a ring and the 49ers have a lengthy climb ahead of them to get back to NFC contention. Let’s get to this week’s questions.

1. Deebo Samuel has requested a trade, now what?

Denver, Pittsburgh, New England, and Washington have shown interest. For the Niners though, it’s how much interest? If the 49ers trade Deebo before June 1st, cap guru Jason Hurley of 49erscap.com says they will take a $10 million cap hit this year and $23 million next year. If they cut Samuel after June 1st that cap hit is reduced to $5 million and $8 million respectively.

If a team offers a pick for Samuel, what will that pick need to be for the Niners to take a $10 million cap hit this year? We’re about to find out.

2. Myles Garrett and possibly Micah Parsons are available in trade, should the Niners pursue a deal?

No. The Niners are more than one player away.

We just saw a Super Bowl where Philadelphia used a dominant interior pass rush to collapse the pocket and take away Kansas City’s quick game. A trade can create two dominant edges, but the quarterback still gets the ball out.

What’s needed is a dominant interior pass rusher. That’s rare but this draft has two of them, Mason Graham and Walter Nolen. Pick one. After them, there’s a ton of starting DTs, but run stuffers, average pass rushers, players with an explosive first step or stats but not both. Draft dominance at 11. Get what Saleh’s defense needs, Walter Nolen.

Don’t trust the Niners to get it right in the draft and want guaranteed impact, then deal the pick to Tennessee for Jeffery Simmons, an interior pass rusher and former All-Pro.

3. The Niners have ignored offensive tackle for so long, can they afford to keep doing that as Trent Williams misses more games each year?

No, but Williams has made clear he wants to keep playing and Kyle Shanahan has made clear he’s fine with that. Nearly every national draft analyst has the Niners drafting an offensive tackle at 11 to groom a future replacement for Williams. Nearly every national draft analyst is wrong. Their opinion is what they would do, I doubt it's what Shanahan will do.

The local media says D line or offensive weapon at 11. That’s likely on a number of fronts. It’s what Shanahan does and it’s also what this draft provides.

The last time the Niners forced a tackle in the 1st they took Mike McGlinchey and then four All-Pros were drafted behind him. Best not to repeat that mistake.

The offensive line in this draft lacks the slam dunk tackle picks of last year. LSU’s Will Campbell, great player, exceptional iq, shorter arms that may move him inside - and gone no later than 10. Kelvin Banks Jr. of Texas, number one with a bullet on my do not draft list, and the bullet would be for me.

Ok why? Waist bender, chronic lunger, holds his arms too wide. A player like that is a guard, none of this one day he can move out to tackle stuff. Nope. He is a guard. Only. Probably goes in the 20s.

Josh Simmons, the most talented tackle in the draft. And coming off a patella tendon injury. After Kinlaw the Niners won’t go there. Armand Membou, talented complete player, but undersized and more mid-1st. The rest go later.

So if the Niners pass, where do they take a lineman? If Atlanta keeps Drew Dalman the need will be center. Grey Zabel is late 1st and gone. Jared Wilson is late 2nd but could shine at Indy. BC’s Drew Kendall late 3rd-mid 4th is a fit that makes sense.

At guard or tackle, the best talent is Donovan Jackson of Ohio State. However, he’s projected to go in the 30s. The Niners can move up from 43, but the price can be steep. Shanahan will probably have his eyes on tight end or running back at 43. Another guard to watch is Dylan Fairchild of Georgia, a projected 4th rounder.

4. What do the Niners do for weapons picks?

Running back. Ashton Jeanty is tempting if he’s on the board at 11, but I think his fumbles would worry Shanahan, who looks at TreVeyon Henderson instead, for the lack of fumbles and complete skillset. D.J. Giddens of K State in the 4th, an effective downhill runner. Brashard Smith of SMU in the 5th, a converted WR.

Tight end, the Niners need a two-way player here to plug into 12 personnel and in the red zone. That limits it to four. Tyler Warren at 11, Colston Loveland between the cracks mid 1st, then the two I think they’ll target. Mason Taylor of LSU and Elijah Arroyo of Miami. They need one of the two, then it drops to lesser talents and one-way players. That may force a pick at 43, unless both are still on the board, then the Niners can deal back.

Wide receiver. Tetairoa McMillian could drop to 11 if Carolina passes. Tall, dynamic, 6-5/212, but a long strider, which limits his separation skills. Jayden Higgins of Iowa State is a long 6-4/217 receiver that can be a red zone weapon. If Isaiah Bond of Texas falls to the 3rd he could get a look as a vertical threat. Jaylin Noel of Iowa State in the 4th impressed at Mobile and is a productive slot receiver and kick returner.

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