49ers Mock Offseason
Before I tell you what the 49ers should do this offseason, let me tell you where I'm coming from.
The way I see it, the 49ers are way overinvested in their defensive line. They spend too much cap space and too many high draft picks on that position group. They should use some of those assets to improve their weakest position group -- the offensive line.
A good offensive line is much more difficult to build than a good defensive line. The 49ers have proven that. And it's not smart to put an expensive quarterback behind a dollar-store offensive line. The 49ers have proven that, too.
With those things in mind, here's what they should do:
1. The 49ers should trade Nick Bosa to the New York Jets for the No. 2 pick. Bosa is an excellent player when healthy, but he seems to miss every other season with an injury. He's had three major surgeries since high school, including two torn ACLs. And the latest one was worse than a torn ACL, because he damaged other things in his knee, too. The 49ers should trade him before he suffers another injury, misses more time and torpedos his trade value. As of now, Jets head coach Robert Saleh just might trade the No. 2 pick for Bosa, because Saleh loves Bosa.
2. The 49ers should trade the No. 2 pick to the Atlanta Falcons for picks 4, 35 and 68. Those are Atlanta's first-, second- and third-round selections. They'll trade those so they can jump ahead of the Miami Dolphins and take the quarterback of their choice.
3. With the fourth pick, the 49ers should take Oregon left tackle Penei Sewell, the best non-quarterback in this draft. He will be an elite starter for at least 10 years.
4. The 49ers should trade picks 12 (the 49ers' first-rounder) and 35 (the second-rounder the 49ers acquired from the Falcons in the Bosa trade) to the Cincinnati Bengals for the fifth pick. The Bengals will trade down because they want Sewell, but the 49ers took him already with the fourth pick.
5. With the fifth pick, the 49ers should take Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith, the best wide receiver prospect to enter the draft in years.
6. The 49ers will have turned Bosa into three players -- Sewell, Smith and the third-round pick, whoever that ends up being.
7. The 49ers should re-sign Trent Williams.
8. The 49ers should trade Jimmy Garoppolo and Mike McGlinchey to the New England Patriots.
9. The 49ers should draft the best available quarterback in Round 2, and let him compete with Josh Rosen for the starting job. Any quarterback who's accurate and can throw downfield should flourish alongside Sewell, Williams, Smith, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Raheem Mostert.
Bottom line, the 49ers must invest in a strong offensive line.
This plan is one way to do just that.
