49ers mailbag: Should they trade their No. 12 pick? What about Solomon Thomas?
We’re back with our 49ers mailbag following a brief hiatus.
Some of the questions were lightly edited for clarity. Let’s get right to it!
Jonathan asks: John Lynch loves a trade down, could you see him trade down from 12 in order to get more early-round picks to fill the holes in the 49ers roster?
I definitely think trading back is a possibility and a justifiable course.
Remember, the 49ers drafted just five players last year after having classes of ten, nine and eight in their first three drafts since taking over in 2017, respectively. Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan have fewer young players on affordable contracts than the team would have normally largely due to the trades for receiver Emmanuel Sanders and left tackle Trent Williams.
I’m of the mind that getting as many picks as possible in rounds 2 and 3 should be the mandate this season. Those are the rounds where players with the talent to start can be found and for whatever reason they slip through the cracks. And you could make the case the 49ers have pressing needs at outside cornerback, slot cornerback, defensive end, center, guard, strong safety, nose tackle and backup tight end.
Getting extra picks in earlier rounds to fill those needs makes a lot of sense, especially in a draft where it’s unclear if there will be a gem available at No. 12 that would be worth taking over a comparable player in the 20s with a chance at adding extra picks. Aside from the top four quarterbacks and receivers, the top of the draft board seems jumbled which could put San Francisco in a good spot to move down for more bites at the apple.
Ryan asks: What do you think the 49ers do with Solomon Thomas?
I can’t imagine there’s going to be a robust market for Thomas when free agency officially begins March 17. He’s coming off an ACL tear and hasn’t lived up to his draft status as the No. 3 overall pick in 2017. If I’m the 49ers, assuming they want him back, I’d keep the line of communications open and fill out more pressing needs first.
With the salary cap going down to roughly $180 million, my guess is there will be a class of free agents below the high-profile guys that will be on the market for a long time because most teams won’t be breaking the bank for non-stars. It wouldn’t surprise me if Thomas was still unsigned after the draft, with teams opting for college prospects rather then spending money on Thomas as a free agent.
Thomas returning to the 49ers would make sense. He’s developed strong relationships throughout the organization and has value as a rotational player given his athleticism and versatility. And coming back on a cheaper “prove it” contract would alleviate the expectations that he had as such a high draft pick. Perhaps he would play better under those circumstances and set himself up for a nice pay day in 2022.
Assuming he’s healthy, which Thomas expects to be, signing him to a low-cost deal comes with very little downside, in my opinion.
El Guapo asks: What happens to Travis Benjamin? He opted out whats his status this coming year?
Players that opted out last season received a stipend against a future contract. According to our friend Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, Benjamin received $150,000 that he’ll have to pay back if/when he plays in 2021. Players that opted out simply had their contracts pushed back a year.
Benjamin signed for one year and $1.05 million last spring, which is what he’ll be on the books for this year with San Francisco. His status is he’ll be competing for a roster spot come training camp. His speed out of the slot and work in the return game was notably absent from the 49ers’ offense last season.
Bob asks: If the Niners wind up using Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk as starters outside, who realistically goes to the slot; Richie James Jr., Jalen Hurd, a free agent or draft pick?
I think James, right now, has to be the favorite. But Benjamin will be in the mix, as will Hurd, if healthy. It wouldn’t at all be surprising to see the team add a slot receiver in the draft, especially with Trent Taylor slated for free agency after struggling the stay healthy and productive the last couple of seasons.
Someone like Kadarius Toney (Florida) or Elijah Moore (Mississippi) could make sense during the first two days of the draft. James is a decent option but shouldn’t prevent the team from adding a more premium talent if available. Benjamin will be fighting to make the roster and it’s impossible to count on Hurd given he missed his first two seasons due to significant back and knee injuries.
Which all points to the draft being an interesting option. The 49ers have drafted receivers in the first, second or third rounds in the last three drafts.
Scott asks: I’ve seen different takes on whether this year’s lack of film/playing time makes accumulating draft picks this year more or less important than usual. What is your view on how this may influence 49ers’ decisions in trading up / down this year? Scott. London, UK.
All the way from the UK? Welcome, Scott, it’s great to have you.
It’s a good question and one I’ve posed to people with the team and even they don’t have concrete answers just yet. Not having the combine or normal team visits will certainly impact the process, but the film will ultimately be the most important factor, as it always is.
It’s worth keeping in mind that prospects for this year’s class aren’t popping on the NFL radar just now. A lot (most?) of players expected to go early in the draft have been scouted for multiple seasons. Scouts attend practices, speak with coaches, strength coaches, academic counselors, teachers, family members, friends and anyone else they think has valuable information. So while the pandemic makes that more challenging logistically, it shouldn’t prevent scouts from getting on the phone or video calls to find out what they need to know.
In terms of the lack of playing time, that’s a tough one. It wouldn’t surprise me if some teams decide to trade picks with an eye on the 2022 draft when the scouting process is more normal. But given how many needs and picks the 49ers have, I tend to think the weirdness of 2020 isn’t going to prevent them from adding a high number of players. They simply have to because the roster is getting older and more expensive.
But it’s a topic that’s definitely worth exploring whenever we get to talk to Shanahan and Lynch leading up to the draft.
This story was originally published February 24, 2021 at 7:22 AM with the headline "49ers mailbag: Should they trade their No. 12 pick? What about Solomon Thomas?."
