Four Questions: 49ers Peters and WiIks Draw Interest

If Peters or Wilks departs, the Niners have proven in recent years that they are adept at finding highly capable replacements.

Success carries a price, and for the Niners that means risking the loss of key people. Assistant GM Adam Peters will interview with Washington tonight, and the LA Chargers asked permission to talk to defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.

If Peters or Wilks departs, the Niners have proven in recent years that they are adept at finding highly capable replacements.

Will Adam Peters go to Washington?

New Washington owner Josh Harris has just proven he thinks unconventionally in hiring former Warriors GM Bob Myers. Myers was critical in making the coaching hire that set up the Warriors dynasty and Harris sees Myers’ value in decision-making and culture building.

The Washington franchise could take a meteoric rise. A proven fanbase with a lousy venue and a punchline of a team gets a total reboot and a potential return to prominence.

That’s a great pitch to Peters, help build the NFL’s next powerhouse.

Washington is starting anew, they’ll pick a new team name, a new GM and head coach, a new quarterback with the second overall pick in the draft, and get started on a new stadium - all representing a new direction. 

Washington is also rumored to be looking at Baltimore player personnel director Joe Hortiz for the GM job. He’s been with the Ravens for 25 years. Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is rumored to be a head coaching candidate.

The Raiders and Chargers are also interested in Peters but staying with the Niners or going to Washington are better opportunities. I think the Washington job is being underplayed by fans and media, ownership has changed and the future is bright in D.C. Staying with the Niners is attractive, but even if Peters is named GM Kyle Shanahan has the final say on personnel. That may factor in.

Will Steve Wilks leave? And if he does, who do the Niners bring in?

The Chargers' interest unfortunately seems to be about checking the box on the Rooney Rule requiring that teams interview minority head coaching candidates. After the Brandon Staley debacle, I expect Chargers owner Dean Spanos to hire a big name so that he can then say don’t blame me. That feeds rumors of Jim Harbaugh and Bill Belichick.

While the Chargers may not be a legitimate opportunity, other jobs could be a real shot for Wilks, who offers leadership and stability for franchises that lack both.

If Wilks moves on, external candidates could include Brian Flores, an innovator with great results this year in Minnesota, and he has prior head coaching experience at Miami.

How worried should the Niners be about Jake Moody?

They need to be concerned. In my view, investing a third-round pick locks them into Moody this year. They are hoping Moody is the kicker and a cap cheat code for years to come. Bringing in a potential replacement can mess with that. Fans will say too bad, but so will Shanahan in response. He’s already said no we won’t bring anybody in.

Shanahan has the bad habit of trying to wish things into being and Moody is the latest example. Moody becoming a reliable kicker validates the pick and makes the cap strategy work. Fans fear that Shanahan's wish could derail a championship.

Maybe Shanahan changes his tune if Moody shanks two more in the first playoff game, but anything short of that and Moody stays with no one brought in.

I lack knowledge of kicker mechanics, but I can point to results and ask, why have so few of Moody’s kicks gone down the middle? Why does it seem like every kick hugs a goalpost?

A former kicker on Twitter said the problem is Moody’s plant foot but didn’t expound on what to do about it. The Niners have two weeks to work on Moody’s mechanics and get the ball to go down the middle. For once.

Any takeaways from the Rams game?
A few. Isaiah Oliver played his best game of the year, albeit against backups, and Logan Ryan did a nice job in run support. Both need to step up in case Ji’Ayir Brown can’t go or falters in the first playoff game.

Darrell Luter also had a solid game, and he may be a needed rotation player in the playoffs given that he has the speed to stay on fast receivers and the size to help in run support.

Other players proved why they don’t play.

While Ronnie Bell had a touchdown, I wonder if the Niners may look to the draft for a slot receiver to give them an impact trio. Some mock drafts have the Niners going WR in the 1^st. I doubt that, but wide receiver will likely be a high value on the board at the Niner picks in the first three rounds, particularly if the player is also an impact kick returner.