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San Francisco 49ers: 5 Best Decisions the Team Made This Offseason

By Peter Panacy

Feb 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 26, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon defensive lineman Defo Buckner speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon defensive lineman Defo Buckner speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 1: Building Up the Trenches in the 2016 NFL Draft

The 49ers could have spent one of their first few picks in the 2016 NFL Draft trying to land a flashy playmaker, franchise quarterback, highly touted running back or whatever. And this might have satisfied the cravings of many fans — “Hey, we got the best wide receiver in the draft!”

But general manager Trent Baalke didn’t go that route. No, he focused on what rebuilding teams should do during the draft — build from the bottom on up.

In football terms, this means focusing efforts at the line of scrimmage. Drafting within the trenches is the NFL equivalent of constructing a foundation before putting a roof on a building. San Francisco’s foundation needed a lot of help.

And the 49ers got it. The Niners tabbed two first-round selections in former Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner and former Stanford run-mauling guard Joshua Garnett.

Additionally, the Niners tabbed former Appalachian State pass-rusher Ronald Blair and added rookie tackles John Theus and Fahn Cooper to reinforce the offensive line.

It all starts in the trenches, right?

Buckner brings a presence capable of being felt day one. And Garnett is a plug-and-play starter, who should be able to reinvigorate what was a horrendous run-blocking O-line a year ago.

Any worthwhile production from the remaining draft picks is only a bonus at this point.

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Baalke also tabbed three cornerbacks in the draft, which may go a long way in finding some young pieces to bulk up a questionable secondary.

San Francisco’s general manager might not have had the perfect draft, but the strategy makes more than enough sense for a team needing a complete overhaul. If Buckner and Garnett prove to be high-level starters at the NFL level, and a handful of the remaining picks work out to be serviceable players, the 2016 draft efforts should be considered successful.

We won’t know the results for some time. But the strategy was what Baalke needed to employ here.

Next: 5 Biggest Mistakes the 49ers Made this Offseason

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.