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We all know, there is a window of opportunity in the NFL that doesn't last long. Salary cap restrictions make teams gamble every off season. Teams like the Patriots are looking to extend their window, while other teams like Cincinnati are just trying to get it opened and start their run of success...
Thinking about this off-season and also the last couple of off-seasons under GM Trent Baalke, it seems like every move he makes is intended on keeping the 49ers window open as long as possible. Everything he does is some what out of the normal, yet it makes perfect sense. His model for success is to build through the draft. Easier said then done, right? But when you think about it, he has done a masterful job of stockpiling draft picks. He has shied away from high priced free agents, and has not been afraid to let players like Dashon Goldson and Delanie Walker hit the open market. Subsequently he has manipulated the compensatory draft pick rules of the NFL to his advantage. He is also determined to get something out of nothing. Trading players who would normally just be released for compensation has also helped land more picks.
His relationship and obvious open communication with Jim Harbaugh allows for good in-house decisions. Locking up the most critical players often at below open market prices has played out well thus far. Just another way he has maximized what is on the table. When a decision is made to part ways with a player, he often has a younger or more affordable player waiting in the wings. Or he has been willing to gamble on filling immediate needs through the draft or through trades. Some don't agree with that philosophy, but bad decisions can be more costly in free agency, especially if a high priced acquisition doesn't pan out. Of course he can't and doesn't hit on all of his draft picks. But when it is apparent that a player that he has drafted is not the right fit, he has showed fearlessness by parting ways with his bad decision when others in the league might not have.
Realistically, the size and length of an open window in the NFL often hinges on a good QB. And Baalke was not afraid to move up in the 2011 draft to get his guy. The feeling is that Baalke absolutely hit a home run by drafting Colin Kaepernick. This will go a long way in determining how long the 49ers window of success will be open. To go along with the drafting of Kaepernick and just as important is the fact that Baalke hired one of the top and more modern QB guru's in the land. Hiring Jim Harbaugh has payed dividends ten-fold, and all signs seem to point toward success and a firm foundation for years to come.
So far Trent Baalke seems to be covering all of his bases. It appears he recognizes what it takes to sustain long term success in the NFL, and I think 49ers organization is extremely fortunate to have such a cutting-edge General Manager in the fold...
Thinking about this off-season and also the last couple of off-seasons under GM Trent Baalke, it seems like every move he makes is intended on keeping the 49ers window open as long as possible. Everything he does is some what out of the normal, yet it makes perfect sense. His model for success is to build through the draft. Easier said then done, right? But when you think about it, he has done a masterful job of stockpiling draft picks. He has shied away from high priced free agents, and has not been afraid to let players like Dashon Goldson and Delanie Walker hit the open market. Subsequently he has manipulated the compensatory draft pick rules of the NFL to his advantage. He is also determined to get something out of nothing. Trading players who would normally just be released for compensation has also helped land more picks.
His relationship and obvious open communication with Jim Harbaugh allows for good in-house decisions. Locking up the most critical players often at below open market prices has played out well thus far. Just another way he has maximized what is on the table. When a decision is made to part ways with a player, he often has a younger or more affordable player waiting in the wings. Or he has been willing to gamble on filling immediate needs through the draft or through trades. Some don't agree with that philosophy, but bad decisions can be more costly in free agency, especially if a high priced acquisition doesn't pan out. Of course he can't and doesn't hit on all of his draft picks. But when it is apparent that a player that he has drafted is not the right fit, he has showed fearlessness by parting ways with his bad decision when others in the league might not have.
Realistically, the size and length of an open window in the NFL often hinges on a good QB. And Baalke was not afraid to move up in the 2011 draft to get his guy. The feeling is that Baalke absolutely hit a home run by drafting Colin Kaepernick. This will go a long way in determining how long the 49ers window of success will be open. To go along with the drafting of Kaepernick and just as important is the fact that Baalke hired one of the top and more modern QB guru's in the land. Hiring Jim Harbaugh has payed dividends ten-fold, and all signs seem to point toward success and a firm foundation for years to come.
So far Trent Baalke seems to be covering all of his bases. It appears he recognizes what it takes to sustain long term success in the NFL, and I think 49ers organization is extremely fortunate to have such a cutting-edge General Manager in the fold...
