49ers owner Jed York confirmed Sunday at the NFL owner’s meetings that the team was in trade talks for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. He told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports that a deal never came to fruition because the two sides couldn’t get on the same page in negotiations. His talk with Maiocco also confirms the 49ers made the right move standing pat.
“We were aggressive. But I think (the Giants) wanted different things than we had to offer,” York said according to Maiocco. “I think it would have been very hard for us to just give up a first-round pick and not get a ton in return, other than just the player, knowing that the second pick in the draft is a very, very valuable pick.”
This sounds like the Giants wanted to do the No. 2 pick for Beckham straight across. Maiocco said on Twitter the 49ers wanted New York to include the No. 6 overall pick in the deal.
The Giants eventually sent Beckham to Cleveland in exchange for the No. 17 pick, a third-round pick (No. 95), and versatile third-year safety Jabrill Peppers.
Beckham and the No. 6 pick would’ve been an understandable move for San Francsico. They’d get an elite wide receiver while maintaining a top-10 pick to grab the edge rusher they so desperately need.
Beckham and nothing else for the No. 2 pick would’ve been more difficult to justify. Plugging an exceedingly productive 26-year-old receiver into Kyle Shanahan’s offense would’ve been a significant upgrade for a receiving corps that desperately needs one.
On the other hand, giving up the No. 2 pick would’ve meant continuing to ignore the fact the team’s roster has fatal flaws that need to be remedied with top-tier talent. Passing on an elite defensive prospect would’ve only exacerbated some of the larger issues that led to the team’s ultimate demise last season.
They struggled to rush the passer, consistently stop the run, and generate turnovers. A top-two prospect who could help remedy those issues would presumably be more impactful than a wide receiver, especially when it’s continually proven in Super Bowls that the ability to get stops is vital to winning.
Odell Beckham Jr. would’ve been a huge help for the 49ers, but the front office recognized the myriad holes and question marks on the other side of the ball. They’re still in the midst of a rebuild, and a wide receiver wasn’t going to vault them into contention, especially when head coach Kyle Shanahan has proven throughout his career that he can get production from receivers who aren’t elite.
It might’ve been a difficult decision for the 49ers had the Giants included more than just Beckham in a deal for the No. 2 pick, but the fact they didn’t probably made it a very easy call.
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