:::[Official] San Francisco 49ers 2024 Season Thread [2-2 vs Cardinals 10/07 1:05PST]:::

[dland24]

The Trent Baalke School of Trading is open. Still.

Now that we see the final product of what the Niners gave away and received in the Alex Smith trade from 14 months ago, we can judge one thing about San Francisco GM Trent Baalke: He is calculating, he is fast, and he knows how to set up his team for the future.

The result, first, of the 2013 trade of Smith to Kansas City for a pair of second-round draft picks. The two second-round picks, or their tributaries, were traded a total of five times over the past two drafts, and here’s how it shook out after this year’s draft.

Surrendered
QB Alex Smith

Acquired*
DL Tank Carradine (second round, 2013)
LB Corey Lemonier (third round, 2013)
LB Chris Borland (third round, 2014)
RB Carlos Hyde (second round, 2014)
WR Stevie Johnson (acquired for 2015 fourth-rounder)

* Lemonier was acquired in part with a tributary pick stemming from the Smith trade, and Johnson was acquired from Buffalo on Friday for a fourth-round conditional pick in 2015. That’s included here because San Francisco obtained a fourth-round pick in 2015 from Denver for the second-round pick that originally belonged to Kansas City—so the two picks, arguably, will end up canceling each other out.

Now the story. In the span of 22 minutes Friday, Baalke consummated three trades. One: He traded the 56th pick in the second round (the second Kansas City second-rounder) to Denver for the 63rdand 171st this year, and the Broncos’ fourth-round pick next year. Two: Baalke traded the 63rd and 171stpicks just acquired from Denver to Miami for the 57th pick in the draft; Baalke got the player he would have picked at 56, Carlos Hyde, at 57 … while adding the fourth-rounder next year that replaced the pick used to get Stevie Johnson. Three: He traded his own second-round pick, 61st overall, to Jacksonville for the 70th and 150th picks.

Baalke explained that he and COO Paraag Marathe work the phone and line up prospective trades, and it was hectic because there were a couple of other teams calling in that 22-minute span trying to get one or more of the Niners’ picks at 56 and 61. “That span you talked about was a little bit of a grind,” Baalke said late Saturday night. “A lot of action, a lot of things to consider. Paraag’s the best in the business at lining things up, and then we make the decision. After we made the trade with Denver, I thought we might be able to get Carlos at 61, but then we called [Miami] at 57 and figured we could use what we got from Denver in this year’s draft and keep next year’s pick and move up to make sure we got him. And it allowed us basically to get our four back, which we used to trade for Stevie.”

This isn’t a case of San Francisco fleecing Denver. But it is an example of Baalke doing the smart thing, and waiting till a needy team is either on the clock or frothing after a certain player. That was Denver with wide receiver Cody Latimer, who the Broncos project to replace Eric Decker right away. If he works out the way John Elway thinks, surrendering the four next year will be nothing.

Time will tell if Baalke made the haul worth it. The five pieces the Smith deal yielded:

1.  Carradine will get on the field healthy for the first time as a Niner this month. He missed all of last season with an ACL tear. He’ll be the third man in the 3-4 defensive end rotation with the aging Justin Smith and Ray McDonald, and move inside on some four-lineman snaps. He’s being groomed to start in the 3-4 scheme when Smith or McDonald are gone.

2.  Lemonier played 284 snaps, mostly subbing for the idle Aldon Smith last year, and will be in the outside-linebacker rotation with Michael Wilhoite and Nick Moody, competing for time.

3.  Borlandis an accomplished college player, and produced an amazing 27 turnovers in his Wisconsin career. But he’s only 5-11 ½, and he could be a first-down player only (against the run). “It’ll be interesting to see if his game translates to the NFL,” said defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. However, with NaVorro Bowman expect to be sidelined until at least November rehabbing a sere knee injury, there’s a spot on the Niners’ D at inside ‘backer waiting to be won, and Borland will get a solid crack at it. “I’ve heard people talk about his size, and his short arms,” said Baalke. “But he’s a guy with instincts. All those short did somehow was rack up over 400 tackles in the Big Ten.”

4.  Hyde should be able to make the move from the Big 10 to the NFL much easier. He’s the heir to Frank Gore, a 230-pound bruiser with enough moves to be an every-down back. That is, if Gore ever slows down.

5.  Johnson is still only 27, but he had a down year last year with the Bills. He’s not the speedster the Niners sought this offseason to help de-pressurize Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree, but he should be a good third receiver and an adequate piece to San Francisco’s underachieving receiver group.

I asked Baalke about his feelings on the trade now that the chips are known. “Mixed emotions,’’ he said. “I have so much respect for Alex Smith and his family, and great regard for him as a player. He’s the epitome of a good man and teammate and a good player. I know the Kansas City Chiefs staff, and they are thrilled to have him. We’ll see how it works out for us. It’s still early.”

Baalke

 

[red80]

baalke 

 

[moe200069]

baalke might as well be jesus, turning water into wine in the draft

 

[red80]

we need a baalke jesus photoshop asap

i know we got to have a graphic designer in the niner empire

 

[hyper cutter]

#TeamBaalke or #TeamRed

 

[lightweight champion]

I'm surprised y'all haven't figured it out yet.

Red IS Baalke.

 

[chris82790]

I'm surprised y'all haven't figured it out yet.

Red IS Baalke.

would not be surprised one bit.

 

[red80]

 

[49ersaaron8]

Reveal your face red the people need to see your face?

View media item 967061

 

[red80]

ok enough with the lies and deceit; i will reveal who i truly am....

 

[dland24]

Kick rocks then Red!!! You dont fumble in the Superbowl, and you have a ring with your name on it!!!

 

[moe200069]

I don't know who red is, but one thing is for sure, my dude should stick to football and stay away from photoshop

 

[red80]

I don't know who red is, but one thing is for sure, my dude should stick to football and stay away from photoshop

bruh that was paint 

 

[moe200069]

bruh that was paint 

it's all good fam. you're still a good dude in my book, lamichael

 

[nothingtol0se]

i will bless this thread with a PS of baalke shortly*



*by shortly, i mean...sometime this week or next.... =X

 

[moe200069]

trent has gotten us some gems..he's certainly recovered from 2012, when he out reggie-mckenzied reggie mckenzie

 

[nothingtol0se]

2011 - aldon, kap, culliver, hunter, kilgore, bruce
2012 - .... lol. smh
2013 - reid, vance (meh), lemonier, patton, moody // still waiting on tank, dial, marcus,

...then there is this year. exciting stuff

 

[red80]

2012 never happened 

 

dont forget 2010. that was baalke's work as well. that drafted yielded anthony davis, mike iupati, navarro bowman and boobie.

 

[moe200069]

considering dudes like justin blackmon and trent richardson went top 5, I think the entire league, outside of the Seahawks and indy, wants to forget abt 2012

 

[sylvestermcgrizzly]

2012 wasnt a bad draft at all. A lot of good players...there were some reaches but alot of good players nonetheless, we just didn't get any of em

 

[red80]

some pics(not mine) from today's 49er football school. looks like all the rooks are here

the jimmie rustler in the building

carlos hyde aka el guapo 

chris borland too

bruce bruce 

borland, skov and lynch

somebody asked about lawrence okoye  

 beast of a man

 

[wooster]

Does Lattimore have ice bags tapped to his knees?  

 

[red80]

 thought so at first but  looks like some underarmour type pants rolled up. hes definitely wearing a knee brace on his left leg. probably will wear that the rest of his career.

honestly dont expect lattimore to get a lot of touches this year. they will probably ease him in very slowly, starting by giving him about a touch or two per game.

 

[wooster]

I understand gradually easing Gore out of the rotation but Hunter has been great with the limited opportunity that he's been given here and it seems like we're about to show him the door.  I don't get how he would fit in nor would he want to if there are so many RBs on the roster.  

 

[red80]

 i feel you. hunter is a great complimentary back and i was pretty dissapointed with the lack of touches last year especially when we were running something outside the tackles. this is his walk year and i really dont expect him to return but who knows. if marcus lattimore doesnt pan out it's possible it could be hyde and hunter going into the future.