Safety Overhaul

[Rathman44]

Goldson is looking to be the highest paid safety in the league. He is good, but not worth sacrificing the cap space when we have guys like Iupati, Aldon, Kaep, Crabs and others needing new contracts in the next couple years. I think it's a good idea to play hardball with his contract considering how safety rich the draft is and how there are decent options on the FA market.

As far as Whitner...he needs to go. He gave up 8 TDs this year when he was the primary coverage. This led the NFL. He is tough and tackles well enough but in todays passing league we need better coverage. He was by far our weakest link on defense all season long. His Pro Bowl nod was a joke!

The draft is very deep at safety and we'll have plenty of options with 5 picks in the first 90. Vaccaro, Elam, and Ried are all excellent options who could step in right away. I think at least one of them will fall to our first two picks.

In free agency I would go after Glover Quin. He's young, tough, and good in coverage. He will only get better and will instantly be an upgrade over Whitner. Another option is Jairus Byrd - he is great in coverage and average in the box...with our linebackers we need guys who are stronger in coverage (Willis and Bowman can take care of the box). William Moore also fits the bill here. Very physical, very fast, and young as well. Kenny Phillips is also good but I think he will cost more than we would want to spend. I do hope we can sign Goldson to a reasonable contract but these guys are good alternatives for his spot or beside Goldson if we get rid of Whitner.

With improved over the top coverage and a better pass rush I think we can be very good in pass coverage. Spending more on CB in free agency is a waste IMO... we should grab another CB project in the draft and go with Rogers, Brown, Cully, and Cox again. Ramp up the pass rush, replace Whitner, and we're good to go.

 

[deep9er]

Goldson is looking to be the highest paid safety in the league. He is good, but not worth sacrificing the cap space when we have guys like Iupati, Aldon, Kaep, Crabs and others needing new contracts in the next couple years. I think it's a good idea to play hardball with his contract considering how safety rich the draft is and how there are decent options on the FA market.

As far as Whitner...he needs to go. He gave up 8 TDs this year when he was the primary coverage. This led the NFL. He is tough and tackles well enough but in todays passing league we need better coverage. He was by far our weakest link on defense all season long. His Pro Bowl nod was a joke!

The draft is very deep at safety and we'll have plenty of options with 5 picks in the first 90. Vaccaro, Elam, and Ried are all excellent options who could step in right away. I think at least one of them will fall to our first two picks.

In free agency I would go after Glover Quin. He's young, tough, and good in coverage. He will only get better and will instantly be an upgrade over Whitner. Another option is Jairus Byrd - he is great in coverage and average in the box...with our linebackers we need guys who are stronger in coverage (Willis and Bowman can take care of the box). William Moore also fits the bill here. Very physical, very fast, and young as well. Kenny Phillips is also good but I think he will cost more than we would want to spend. I do hope we can sign Goldson to a reasonable contract but these guys are good alternatives for his spot or beside Goldson if we get rid of Whitner.

With improved over the top coverage and a better pass rush I think we can be very good in pass coverage. Spending more on CB in free agency is a waste IMO... we should grab another CB project in the draft and go with Rogers, Brown, Cully, and Cox again. Ramp up the pass rush, replace Whitner, and we're good to go.

yep, given a choice definitely improve the rush before coverage. today's receivers (WR, TE, and RB) are just too good, can't cover them for any length.

if we lose Whitmer, then so be it. we just can't keep everyone every year, tough decisions is part of the business.

 

[4lifer9er]

I would love to see Whitner gone, but it's going to be tough to lose Goldson via FA and then release Whitner. Whether it's two rooks playing deep, or a vet coming in and a rook, that would be two new players to cover the top which is tough to break in on such a win now team. Just my 2 cents

 

[Rathman44]

realistically, goldson will probably walk and we'll keep whitner. to fill goldson's spot we'll bring in one of the FA options i mentioned or draft a safety in the 1st or 2nd. then we'll hope robinson/spillman beats out whitner - who we will then cut before the season begins. this would leave us with 2 new starters and although we'll probably miss goldson i think we'll improve with the subtraction of whitner.

 

[maniax]

I'd cut Whitner and use that money to tag Goldson.

Then bring in 3 safeties via draft and free agency and hopefully we can nab some future starters.

 

[maniax]

Robinson/Spillman are not the answer.

 

[Rathman44]

Robinson/Spillman are not the answer.

how do you know that? especially with robinson?

 

[badazzk9]

Robinson is a carbon copy of goldson.

 

[I_am_1z]

Draft Goldson Jr in the 6th

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Robinson is a carbon copy of goldson.

I don't know that I've ever seen Robinson play, but he's four inches shorter than Goldson and ten pounds lighter - at least than Goldson was at the combine. That said, he also ran the 40 0.14 seconds faster.

I have wanted to move Goldson to SS for a couple years as he's plenty physical and the league has shifted so strongly in a passing direction. Wouldn't mind doing that now, but it's sure looking like we're not willing to spend the coin on him.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Actually, having reviewed this, other than Goldson's size advantage, Robinson tested better across the board. Better bench, forty, both jumps, and the quickness drills (Goldson's pro day three-cone was slightly faster, but was also down 0.33 seconds from the combine, which makes me skeptical...).

 

[deep9er]

I'd cut Whitner and use that money to tag Goldson.

Then bring in 3 safeties via draft and free agency and hopefully we can nab some future starters.

three more? if we tag Goldson, then still three more?

guess it depends on what level of free agent, or how high a draft pick spent?

 

[Flyingiguana]

Reed

 

[DoobieKeebler]

Draft Goldson Jr in the 6th

I hate relying on highlight film since I am not yet someone who follows college football the way I follow the NFL (which I still have much to learn), but this dude looks nasty. Looks like he's from the FCS, but the hits he put on people looked nasty. I'd be more than happy if SF selected him with a late round draft pick, unless Robinson has taken a step up.

With the preface that I have not done ANY study of the guy, I forget any defensive highlights that looked as impressive as this guy's (save for the monster tackle from whats his name in one of this year's bowl games).


(I don't mean Te'o. )

 

[NinerSickness]

Goldson is looking to be the highest paid safety in the league.

So am I. Neither of us deserve to be.

 

[dreday]

Great reply Sick.

 

[threelittleturds]

That'd be kinda funny if the 49ers get Jarius Byrd.... that'll make the 49ers like the Chiefs.

Just like KC brought in Montana, Bono, Grbac, and Smith... the 49ers would have poached Clements, Whitner, and Byrd from the Bills secondary.

As Kansas City says thanks for drafting our QB, we'll take it from here... the 49ers will keep saying thanks for drafting our secondary Buffalo, we got it from here.

 

[Jikkle]

You can scratch the Byrd off your list because the boy just go tagged.

 

[maniax]

three more? if we tag Goldson, then still three more?

guess it depends on what level of free agent, or how high a draft pick spent?

I don't think we tag Goldson, and I think he walks and gets a big deal from one of the teams with major cap space.

So I think with no Goldson we need to bring in 3 more safeties:

Whitner
Robinson
Spillman
high draft pick safety
cheaper free agent safety
low draft pick safety

And I think both safety positions should be up for grabs.

 

[deep9er]

I don't think we tag Goldson, and I think he walks and gets a big deal from one of the teams with major cap space.

So I think with no Goldson we need to bring in 3 more safeties:

Whitner
Robinson
Spillman
high draft pick safety
cheaper free agent safety
low draft pick safety

And I think both safety positions should be up for grabs.

in the post i replied to, you said cut Whitner, then tag
Goldson.