The Impact of Washington Hiring 49ers' Assistant GM Adam Peters
It’s difficult to assess the internal impact of the 49ers losing Assistant General Manager Adam Peters. The lines are blurry in a collaborative organization on which calls he did and didn’t make in the draft, free agency, and trades.
What is known is that Peters is well-respected in the league, his teams have had success, and Washington is making waves early under the new ownership group led by Josh Harris.
The NFC East could have as many as three new head coaches next year.
Entering the playoffs, reports indicate that Mike McCarthy in Dallas and Nick Sirianni in Philadelphia could lose their jobs if they lose this weekend. Bill Belichick could take over the Eagles, Jerry Jones will pursue names in Dallas, and Washington has new respectability in how they’re perceived. With a new owner, a future stadium, and the 2nd overall pick, Washington has gone from a punchline to an attractive job.
Who does Washington hire as head coach?
While Jim Harbaugh and Bill Belichick are on the market, those are now hires. What the franchise may want is someone who has the team in title contention leading into when the new stadium opens.
You don't need to bring in Bob Myers to help evaluate coaches to hire a well-known name like Harbaugh. My read is Washington is looking for the next impact coach, someone who thinks the game differently.
Steve Kerr came into his Warriors interview with Myers and new ownership carrying a thick binder of ideas and notes on what he learned while playing for Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, and Lute Olson. He implemented hybrids from those coaches and won four rings. Myers is now hoping the NFL version of Kerr comes in for an interview.
I expect Washington to be thorough and interview a long list of candidates, but that ultimately it will lead to two finalists with a creative approach. Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
Carolina is expected to be in the lead for Johnson given he’s from Asheville and went to school at UNC. Macdonald may have some of the Kerr dynamic as someone who coached under both Harbaughs.
Why did Peters decide to leave? The Niners could have named him GM.
The 49ers could have given Peters the title and more money, but not the authority. The true GM of this team is Kyle Shanahan, for better or worse he has final personnel control. Peters would never get that in Santa Clara. In my view, that’s a big part of why Peters moved on, to call his shots, and help build what he hopes will be the NFL’s next powerhouse in Washington.
Who will the 49ers name to replace him?
Matt Barrows of The Athletic had a smart piece earlier this week on potential candidates should Peters leave including 49ers Director of College Scouting Tariq Ahmad, Director of Pro Personnel R.J. Gillen, bringing Martin Mayhew back to Santa Clara, or possibly recruiting Tom Telesco, recently let go as GM of the Chargers.
What impact will Peters’ departure have on the upcoming draft?
I believe this is the most important draft of the Shanahan Era. The league’s 4th oldest team has lost depth and needs to reload as the Niners have a full draft cupboard for the first time in three years.
With Peters' impact wrapped in fog, it’s hard to know what will be lost in the war room. My guess is at the very least Peters is a respected voice who can serve as a contrarian view against the biases of Shanahan and John Lynch. That voice will be replaced and the environment will still be characteristically collaborative, but it stands to reason that Peters’ voice would carry more weight than his replacement.
With or without Peters, the Niners could still draft a defensive end in the first round, for example, if twitchy Penn State edge Chop Robinson drops. If so, it will be the fourth time in eight years that the Niners top choice is on the defensive line.
An army of Faithful will show up at the Levi’s parking lot with pitchforks if the first pick isn’t a right tackle. Would a tackle be chosen if Peters had stayed? We’ll never know.
Will a tackle be taken in the first without him? I am holding my torch for Kingsley Suamataia of BYU or Arizona’s Jordan Morgan with the first-round pick, but the draft is a long way out.
Peters gets his chance to run a draft, with the second overall pick, two high second-rounders, and six picks in the top 102. If Peters succeeds, Washington will emerge as a title contender in a few years.
