Niner Noise
FanSided

Quick Fixing the 49ers: 5 Bold Roster Moves for the 2017 Offseason

By JD Leidy

Feb 8, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers president Jed York during press conference at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers president Jed York during press conference at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 7
Next

The 49ers made some sweeping changes at the top. Now it’s time to do the same with the roster. Niner Noise’s JD Leidy identifies five quick fixes for 2017.

Feb 8, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers president Jed York during press conference at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers president Jed York during press conference at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Baalke’s out. Kelly’s out. Shanahan’s In. York? C’mon. You can’t, ahem, don’t dismiss owners.

In all seriousness, as the 2016 NFL regular season came to a close, a series of wholesale changes swept through 4949 Marie P. Debartolo Drive.

The 49ers fired their first year head coach. They fired their long-standing general manager. They interviewed a bushel (and a peck) of replacement candidates for each. And now, they wait.

Oct 23, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan prepares for a game against the San Diego Chargers at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan prepares for a game against the San Diego Chargers at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

With presumptive 49ers head coach-to-be Kyle Shanahan heading to the Super Bowl, the 49ers are left with little to do these days but twiddle their thumbs. That and pray to whatever totems they hold dear that he doesn’t get cold feet, and that by the time “Lil’ Shanny” (apologies, Kyle) comes to town, there’s still someone with a pulse willing to sit beside him as GM.

But, the head coach/general manager search is only the half of the equation. Of course, it’s critical to be brimful with talent at the top, especially for long-term, sustained success.

However, when it comes to winning in the short-term, which is what every Niner fan really wants, it’s just as much (or more) about the talent on the field.

With that in mind, let’s take a break from all of the front office prattle for a moment, and instead focus on a time-honored activity that even the most casual fan can get behind: some frivolous free agency and draft speculation.

Before proceeding, it must be acknowledged that each of the ensuing suggestions involves significant guesswork, and rational minds could undoubtedly find reasons why either the team(s) or player(s) involved would not (or should not) adopt them.

That said, if Jed York is serious about revitalizing the 49ers’ “winning culture,” and perhaps more importantly, reinvigorating a disheartened fan base, here’s how to do it: Win now.

No card-carrying, flag-waving, game-going member of the Faithful wants to be party to a three-year rebuild. They may be resigned to it, but they certainly don’t want it.

In that spirit, here are five quick fixes that, if executed simultaneously, will instantly catapult the 49ers into 2017 contention.