Why GM John Lynch Hiring Adam Peters Is Huge for the 49ers

Jan 1, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Fox Sports announcer and former NFL player John Lynch on the sidelines before game between Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Fox Sports announcer and former NFL player John Lynch on the sidelines before game between Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

John Lynch is the new general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, and one of his first moves was to bring in former Broncos collegiate scout Adam Peters. Niner Noise breaks down why this is a big deal for Lynch and San Francisco.

Niner Noise hasn’t had a chance to break down the San Francisco 49ers landing former Denver Broncos director of college scouting yet. But it’s a huge move for brand-new general manager John Lynch.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers

Lynch pulled Peters away from Denver and named him San Francisco’s new vice president of player personnel. You can read more about the Niners’ official announcement, via their website, as well as all of Peters’ accolades covering 14 NFL seasons.

For Lynch, this accomplishes two major things — both of them huge.

We all know Lynch doesn’t have any front-office experience, and his Sunday-night hiring was certainly a shock to most San Francisco fans.

To some, the Lynch hire raised more than enough concerns. Sure, his time as a Fox NFL analyst kept him abreast of the league. Yet that has little to do with actually building a roster.

Sure, Lynch should have a pretty good idea about pro-level players who could help reinvigorate a talent-strapped Niners roster. But that only helps in free agency. Not exactly at the collegiate level.

That’s where Peters comes in.

Lynch elaborated on this, via Joe Fann of 49ers.com:

"When it comes to stars in this industry, Adam Peters is certainly one of them. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from two incredibly successful organizations, and is one of the most respected talent evaluators in the National Football League."

Fann noted how Peters brought in top Broncos talent like Von Miller, Chris Harris, C.J. Anderson and Malik Jackson — all key contributors to Denver’s victory in Super Bowl 50.

A Statement Move for the 49ers

Lynch’s pro career certainly brings clout, in name if nothing else.

Yet that name can go a long way. San Francisco’s new GM isn’t some relatively unknown no-name operating behind the scenes. So if he’s calling, the person on the other side obviously listens.

Peters certainly did.

This is important for a major reason — it’s a statement move. The 49ers are quickly losing their reputation for trying to find quick fixes and stopgap measures to keep the team relevant. Lynch bringing in one of the top collegiate talent evaluators in the NFL says something.

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It’s a proactive measure, which is reassuring to a fan base that has grown used to reactive measures taken by the front office and previous regime under former GM Trent Baalke.

Peters coming to Santa Clara is a big step in the right direction. And with Lynch able to pull this off in such a short amount of time, it’s hard not to have a bit of enthusiasm about the direction this franchise is going.

And that’s exactly what the Niners need right now.

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