This time last year, we asked how you felt about the job John Lynch was doing as the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers.
Lynch took over a roster that was arguably the worst in the NFL back in 2017. Lynch had an opportunity to draft two potential franchise quarterbacks that year, but, like every other team in the top-10, passed in favor of another position. The Niners felt like they could wait on a quarterback in 2017. They selected one in the third round.
The 49ers netted an extra third-round pick in 2017 thanks to a trade. They used it on Ahkello Witherspoon. The third-rounder in 2018 will go down as one of the best picks in the history of this regime.
Fred Warner, paired with the linebacker the 49ers selected with their 31st overall pick in 2017, remains one of the biggest “What ifs” if Reuben Foster had never gotten into any legal trouble. Even in hindsight, Foster was one of the best players in that draft. The positional value may not have been there, but he’s the definition of “best player available.”
Fast forward to 2019, and the 49ers went from an afterthought to an overachieving team that had a lead in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. Lynch deserves credit for trading for Dee Ford ahead of the season, signing Kwon Alexander, and acquiring Emmanuel Sanders at the deadline.
Before Sanders, Jimmy Garoppolo’s targets were Dante Pettis, a second-rounder who looks bad when you look back until you realize D.J. Chark, James Washington, Anthony Miller, and Christian Kirk were the other receivers drafted after Pettis in the second round that year, and rookie Deebo Samuel.
That goodwill Lynch built with fans quickly unraveled after trading DeForest Buckner. The team attempted to replace DeFo with a defensive tackle with well-known knee issues that surfaced during the Senior Bowl. Unsurprisingly, Javon Kinlaw’s body. This will be the first season the 49ers enter with a defensive tackle in the same stratosphere as Buckner. They’ve gone that long without replacing him, despite their efforts.
Garoppolo won as a starter, but it never felt like the team was winning because of Jimmy. Garoppolo never caught on after he left the 49ers as a consistent starter elsewhere, somewhat proving that point.
The 49ers took a big swing in the 2021 NFL Draft at quarterback. Multiple first-round picks for a quarterback with an obnoxiously high ceiling, but he only started in college for one season. History suggested this wasn’t going to work. History tends to be right about these things. Unfortunately, an injury and the 49ers’ lack of a plan for Trey Lance meant the team wouldn’t find their franchise quarterback in the draft.
The next couple of drafts were disastrous. The 49ers couldn’t pinpoint a running back in back-to-back seasons. Drake Jackson and Danny Gray never stood a chance. Had it not been for the seventh-round selection in 2022, we may be discussing a different general manager today.
It’s understandable that the 49ers traded their third-round pick in this draft for a defensive tackle with NFL experience. We mentioned Gray and Davis-Price. Those weren’t the only stinkers — and this is somebody who believes Ji’Ayir Brown has value as a starter. The Niners took a tight end in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft who couldn’t catch or hold onto the football. His stint with the team was brief. The third round has been a mess.
Over the years, the 49ers have found gems in the fifth round, like Deommodore Lenoir, Colton McKivitz, and Dre Greenlaw. George Kittle doesn’t count as a gem. He’s the outlier of all outliers. Still, he’s a pick the 49ers deserve credit for.
Not all free agent signings have panned out, like Javon Hargrave. That hasn’t prevented the team from being aggressive, like with Mike Evans this offseason. Ultimately, the team’s success likely hinges on the recent draft classes.
That includes Ricky Pearsall, Alfred Collins, Mykel Williams, Renardo Green, and the rookies from this season. The win-loss column is all that matters in a bottom-line business. There are arguments for both sides. If the team drafted better at the top, they might be Super Bowl winners. With that said, we’re still talking about one of the five-most winningest teams of this decade.
Do you approve of Lynch’s tenure?
About the Author: Insidethe49
