Transcript: 49ers GM John Lynch talks NFL draft, free agency at NFL combine

Editor’s note: 49ers general manager John Lynch spoke at the NFL Combine Friday, answer questions aboutJimmy Garoppolo, free agency, the 49ers’ roster and the 2018 NFL draft. The following transcript was provided by the team’s communications department.

What’s it like coming here with a quarterback?

“It’s pretty good. I remember very much, I was just thinking about it over here, last year that was a primary focus, finding our guy. It was one of the first things after [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] and I got together, we talked about the culture we want to set and all that, but I think we both agreed you have to find that guy at that position. It’s of such premium importance. It didn’t happen in the Draft process last year, but some fortuitous things kind of broke our way during the season. I really commend Kyle for his patience once we got [QB] Jimmy [Garoppolo] and allowing him to take time to learn his system the best he could. Everybody was saying, ‘play him, hey you traded for him, let’s play him.’ He made sure that he was at a spot where we were setting him up for success and then he went in and as we like to say he balled out, he played really well and he made our team better. Then it became a focus let’s get him locked up. I think it was a deal that worked out for everyone. We’re very appreciative to Jimmy and [sports agent] Don Yee and his team that we were able to do it so swiftly. I think that’s a huge bonus for us that we have him locked up going into free agency. I think it makes it a place where a lot of people want to be and we’re excited about that.”

Looking back, last year when we were here you described not having a quarterback as liberating.

“Well, we didn’t have a quarterback on our roster at one point. I’m always an optimist and I was trying to be one there. But, the idea was that we could shape it as we wanted to. We were able to do that. I think what’s even more liberating is having Jimmy under contract.”

What did you like about him?

“Well, we had studied him. One of the things that Kyle and I did is we spent a lot of time when we first got there together, actually [former NFL head coach] Tony Dungy was the guy who said that the best thing for you to do is close your door with Kyle is watch film and talk ball. And so we did that. Kyle had a lot of tapes together at each position and this is what you look for. Some of the clips that were showing up, various guys at the quarterback position, but Jimmy was a guy. I had broadcasted Patriots games and studied him a little bit. But, that tape I kept watching and the physical skills were noticeable and his ability to quickly get rid of the ball efficiently and accurately and all those things. So, we started watching more, there wasn’t a whole lot to watch, but what you watched you really liked. It’s well documented, we don’t like talking about it a whole lot, but we made some efforts right away to try to do something and they were re-buffed quicker than I could ask and so we kind of just moved on. During the season, like I said, some things broke our way and he became available.”

What is it about him that you think can set him up to have long-term success and that last year wasn’t just a flash?

“I think the physical traits. He can really quickly process and get rid of the football in a fashion that I would say is elite. But, then you go and study the makeup of a guy and the only way to do that is to see him around his teammates. To me, the best leaders, the best quarterbacks, they make everyone around them better. We watched our team, I will say that it coincided with we had played a bunch of young guys, we had gone through just a brutal series of injuries, so it also coincided with young guys getting experience and us getting healthy as a team. But, there’s no mistaking that when he came in and started playing it lifted our team and it lifted everyone around him. And then, just his makeup, his work-ethic, he never left the facility. Yes, he was trying to learn a new system and he needed to, but his diligence, the way his teammates just kind of liked being around him, he’s one of the guys, even though he’s not just one of the guys, you know? That whole deal we watched it and it became clear in our minds that this is a guy that we wanted to move forward with and we’re pleased that we’ve done it.”

There are team that go 20 years without a star quarterback. Do you feel like you guys hit the lottery and that one just fell in your lap?

“We also know that there’s a lot that remains. The story is not yet written. And Jimmy knows that. That’s one thing that he’s very cognizant of, that we’ve got a lot of work to do. And we’ve got a lot of work to do as a team. I think [former NFL head coach] Bill Parcells said it best, you are what your record says you are. We were a 6-10 team, we were 1-5 in our division. Did we finish strong? Absolutely. I can tell you that in Tampa when we were trying to turn it around, there were years we finished strong. That doesn’t guarantee success the next year. So, it’s back to try and improve our franchise in every way we can and it’s back to good old fashioned hard work to make sure that we do carry the momentum that we had forward into next year.”

I know every year is different, but what are some of the things that you can take from that finish and carry into next year?

“Well, I think the most positive thing is we had a lot of young players. We were playing 15, 16 rookies throughout last year and they performed really well. They’re guys that fit what we want to be about as an organization. Watching that take place and watching that develop, that has us very excited. Are we still a work in progress? Absolutely. We still have work to do. That’s part of the great challenge. We’re very excited. We want to continue to improve our team through every vehicle that we’re allowed, free agency, re-signing our own guys. We talk about Jimmy, but [DB] K’Waun Williams was last year, [C] Daniel Kilgore our center, [DL] Cassius Marsh is a guy who came to us midstream last year and we got him redone. [OL] Garry Gilliam is a swing tackle that we just re-signed. We want to keep that going. We want to reward our own players. So, every means necessary and at our disposal we’ll use to try to improve our team.”

When you watch defensive backs nowadays, how does that change your evaluation or how different is that for you to evaluate because you were a safety?

“It’s all part of it. The game is much more spread out. They throw the football much more. It’s played much more in space. And so, you better have players who can operate in space and who can do a number of different things. [Alabama DB] Minkah Fitzpatrick is a guy that is highly thought of, and we feel the same about him, but that versatility that he brings is something special. We drafted a kid, [DB] Adrian Colbert, last year one of the things that drew us to him is that we knew he could play corner and we knew he could play safety. That kind of flexibility gives you a lot of options. We also knew at the least he was going to be a very effective special teams player. So yes, those things, versatility, is always a good thing and it’s something I think everyone’s looking for.”

Is it to the point where if you’re a defensive back and you can only do one thing, you better do that exceedingly well?

“I think that’s always been the case though. I think versatility has always been an important part of the game. I do think there is an element though the way the game is being played that you have to be able to do a number of things very well.”

What did you think of QB C.J. Beathard’s performance as a rookie and what do you think his upside is?

“We think very highly of C.J. I can tell you one of the reasons that it was, I wouldn’t say easy, but easier for us to be patient and Kyle was making those decisions with Jimmy was that C.J. was playing well in our mind and was improving each and every week. C.J. has handled this tremendously well, with a tremendous amount of class. It’s motivated him to become even better, to continue working on his craft. We love his makeup, what he’s all about. My message to him, become the next Jimmy Garoppolo. You keep playing well, good things will happen for you. He understands that. I think having been around football in his family, and congratulations to his grandfather [Bobby Beathard] for his induction into the Hall. I was a Charger fan growing up and so I know C.J. is proud of that, but I think that background has prepared him for, yeah there is going to be some adversity when it looked like things were going so well that could have been hard for a young man to take, but he responded in the fashion that we thought he would and I think there’s exciting times ahead for C.J. Beathard.”

What’s the outlook for the young guys from last year in TE George Kittle and WR Trent Taylor?

“Those are good players that we got in mid to later rounds. Again, go back to, I really credit Kyle, they have such a feel for what they want, the position traits, the skills that fit those positions. And so, that allowed us to identify some guys like that that we knew at the right time we wanted to pull the trigger on. Both those guys developed. I think for George, his talent is pretty unique. I think he’s going to continue to have to figure out ways to stay on the field, stay healthy. The injury bug did hit him. That does happen with a lot of rookies, it’s a long season, but we’re very high on him. Trent Taylor has a skill, he can separate, he can get open. When you have a quarterback like Jimmy that can put it on you, that’s a pretty good combination. So, we’re real excited about both those players. They happen to be roommates, so yeah that worked out well for us.”

Are you going to use Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency as part of the recruiting pitch?

“Would you? Yeah, I am. We are. Yes, absolutely.”

Does having Jimmy G accelerate or jumpstart your timetable of turning you from a rebuild to competing?

“Like I said, we’re very much a work in progress, but our goal is to be a team that competes and competes for championships. That’s why I got into this thing. That’s why we got into this thing together. That’s what we talk to our players about. But, I think the important thing, and what Kyle does a great job is just focus on what you can control and that’s our effort each and every day to become that team. Timetables, I’m not going to do that, but yes having a quarterback it makes you better. He made us better last year and we expect that going forward.”