Cockroaches and Trent Baalke. The two things that never die.
That’s right, reviled former San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke has found another new role in the NFL as the Cleveland Browns have reportedly hired him as a consultant. On the one hand, it’s a surprise that Baalke would find job in the NFL, given his less-than-stellar reputation. But on the other, it’s the Browns, so of course they hired him.
At least he’s not the GM or in a true decision-making position. He’s made it very clear that he’s not cut out for that kind of role after flaming out in San Francisco and with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Baalke was GM of the Niners from 2011 to 2016. Before being hired as GM, he was a scout for the organization and worked his way up through the player personnel department. He does deserve credit for identifying and drafting talent for San Francisco in those years as he helped find some good players, but his people skills were clearly lacking.
A big reason that head coach Jim Harbaugh’s tenure with San Francisco had a premature end was because he and Baalke didn’t get along. Team CEO Jed York chose Baalke over Harbaugh, which proved to be a disastrous decision as the 49ers had two terrible seasons before York wised up, let Baalke go, and hired John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan to usher in a new era.
Baalke, the cockroach he is, doesn’t stay down long, though. After a few years working for the NFL, he was hired by the Jaguars to work in their player personnel department. He was promoted to full-time GM in 2021 and lasted in that role until 2025.
It became very clear that Baalke’s presence was a hindrance to the Jaguars hiring a good head coaching candidates because none of the prospective coaches wanted to work with him. Famously, Liam Coen had withdrawn his name from consideration for the job, but after Baalke was fired, Coen jumped back in and accepted.
That shows just how much people in the NFL don’t want to work with the guy. The Jaguars had a great season after getting rid of him, which tells you everything you need to know.
But maybe a consultant role is perfect for him. He’s giving advice, and teams don’t have to listen to him, but he’s shown some aptitude for identifying talent, so that may be the one place he can still provide some sort of value.
Knowing him, though, he’ll probably work his way up the ladder and become the GM in Cleveland in a few years. That would be the most Browns move possible.
For whatever faults Lynch and Shanahan have, at least they seem to work together well and there’s no more dysfunction like there was during the Baalke years in San Francisco. Then again, pretty much anyone is better than Baalke, but it’s nice to be reminded just how good the Niners have it every now and then.
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