49ers Offseason To-Do list

Was it a Jedi Mind Trick? Does he work for the mob? Or is he just that good?

With the recently announced (not 100% official until March 12) trade of Alex Smith for KC's 2nd round pick (#34 overall) in the draft this year, and a 3rd rounder that can become a 2nd rounder in the 2014 draft, it's pretty clear that Trent Baalke wanted to get a big lead in the GM of the Year race.

The Niners now have 15 picks in the upcoming draft (plus if you want to look head, 9 in 2014. 7 of their own, a late Carolina pick for trading Colin Jones and the KC 2nd rounder).

1. First round, #31 (Own pick):
2. Second round, #34 overall (from Kansas City for Alex Smith trade):
3. Second round, #61 overall (Own pick)
4. Third round, #74 overall (from Carolina)
5. Third round, #93 overall (Own pick)

6. Third round, #97ish (Comp pick)

7. Fourth round, #31 (Own pick)
8. Fifth round, #24 (From Indianapolis)
9. Fifth round, #31 (Own pick)
10. Sixth round, #12 (From Miami)
11. Sixth round, #31 (Own pick)
12. Seventh round, #21 (From Cincinnati for Taylor Mays)
13. Seventh round, #31, (Own pick)

14. Seventh round, #45ish, (Comp pick)
15. Seventh round, #50ish, (Comp pick)

Let's start from a point of education. Keep the date March 12 at 1:00 p.m in mind. On March 12 the Niners have to be under the salary cap, and with a projected salary cap of $123 million, the Niners are currently about half a million over the cap. So they need to clear a small amount of money to be in compliance with the league. This includes Alex Smith's contract of $8.5 million because he can't be traded until after 1:00 p.m on March 12.

So, with all this ammo what do the Niners do. Let's hold off on that for a moment because before the draft, there are other things to do. Franchise Tag. Use it on Goldson or possibly Delanie Walker? Who do you target in free agency? Who do you let go?

Starting in reverse. I'm letting Ted Ginn walk, in fact I'm holding the door open for him. Clark Haggans was a non-factor and considering his age (36) can move along. I'd be open to bringing Randy Moss back for essentially the $1 mil plus incentive contract he played for last year, but his comments at the Super Bowl about wishing he had a bigger role make it seem he may look elsewhere.

I'd like to bring Ricky Jean-Francois back, but he's only 26 and very versatile, thus valuable, and other teams will offer him more money. I'd also like to bring Isaac Sopoaga back at NT, but it will have to be a team-friendly number because the Niners have Ian Williams and DeMarcus Dobbs, two young guys they've kept on the roster the last two years ready to take over.

LBs Larry Grant and Tavares Gooden have proven to be valuable linebackers and special teams contributors, and both should be inexpensive. Some team may throw money at Grant after seeing him fill in for Willis on occasion, but he was a free agent last year and no one did, so I'd think the Niners can bring him back. I really want to bring Delanie Walker back, but he's not the Niners #1 TE and shouldn't be paid like it. However, he could be another team's #1 TE and if they show him the money, he'll be gone.

This is one BIG reason I would not use the Franchise Tag. The Franchise Tag needs to be given by march 5, so if you gave it to Goldson, that would be an addition $7.4 million you'd need to clear because once the tag is applied the Niners would need to get that amount under the cap. Yes, in theory they could do it, but clearing half a million is nothing compared to trying to clear $7.4. And by clearing money, that means cutting players or restructuring contracts.

So let's assume they cut David Akers and his $3 million contract. That gives the Niners plenty of room to meet the March 12 1:00 p.m. deadline on being under the cap. And allow them to give contracts to Grant and Gooden. OK, done.

Now, who do you target in free agency? They need a backup QB now that Alex is a Chief. Guys like Matt Cassell, Kevin Kolb and Ryan Fitzpatick may all get the boot so a veteran like that could be added, but even though they'll be down-and-out they could be seen as starters by some QB-starved team like the Jaguars, Raiders, Cardinals (obviously not Kolb), or Browns.

If I were running the Niners this wouldn't be a very high priority, I'd like to get one in sooner rather then later just so they can start learning the playbook and such, but this isn't a high priority. With that said, I'd look to bring back Josh Johnson who is set to be a free agent. He was in Niner camp last year and was with Harbaugh in college, so he could be an attractive option. Or I'd look at Matt Moore. Moore is essentially Alex Smith without the history of being a #1 pick. Moore demonstrated he could be serviceable 2 years ago when he was a starter in Miami and although he isn't the athlete Kaepernick is (no QB is), should he need to play I think he would be fine. And he'd be cheap. That would give you CK7 as your starter, Moore as your more veteran backup, and Scott Tolzien as your young #3.

The Niners are also in need of CB help (stating the obvious I know), so where do they go with this position. The screaming for a trade to the NY Jets for Darrell Revis have already started, and while the draft picks to trade are there, there is too much uncertainty regarding Revis health, and too much history regarding his contract demands.

Assume for a second that the Niners could trade two 2nd rounders and a 4th rounder to NY for Revis. Revis is coming off ACL surgery, so health is an issue. He's also only signed for one more year. And Revis has already made it clear he doesn't want to be one of the highest paid CBs in the league, he wants to be one of the highest paid defenders in the league, around $15-16 mil per year. And I'm not sure that flies on a team with Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Aldon Smith, Navarro Bowman, already on the defensive side of the ball.

Quick side note, Michael Crabtree, Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis are all going into the last year of their contract. And Kaepernick and Aldon Smith are eligible for new contracts next off season. So those are 5 players that are pretty-high to extremely-high priorities. All much higher then resigning Revis.

Which leads to the question of trading for a player like Percy Harvin. Same situation. You'd have to give up picks, THEN pay Harvin. And he'll want to be paid like a superstar, and the money given to him will come at the expense of one of the five guys listed above, most likely Crabtree.

But players are needed, not doubt. Let's start at CB. How about signing Leodis McKelvin, who can also double as a punt returner, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jerraud Powers, or Cary Williams. All are free agents, and all would be significant upgrades at the position of most immediate need for the Niners. The player I'd really like is Nnamdi Asomugha should he get cut from Philly.

One name I left off was Aqib Talib. Possibly the most talented CB on the market, but the Bucs, a team in desperate need of defensive back help, traded him to NE for a 4th round pick. New England in turn, another team in desperate need of defensive back help, hasn't made signing him a priority. When these two organizations decide that a player is too much trouble to deal with, regardless of his talent, it's probably best to not bring him in to a locker room where the motto is "The Team. The Team. The Team."

Other players I'd look to bring in would be Sammie Stroughter, WR, and I'd inquire about Mike Wallace, WR. While I'm sure Wallace will be WAY TOO expensive, I'd see if there was a way to structure something amicable to both. I doubt it, but he's a guy I'd be interested in.

This brings us to the draft. The Niners aren't going to make 15 draft picks. There aren't 15 jobs to be had on this team, and if there aren't 15 positions, knowing these guys would be cut would make it a virtual wasted pick. So look for the Niners to be moving plenty during the draft. Including trading picks in this draft for picks in next year's draft.  But focusing on this year, the 2nd rounder that the Niners got from KC is hugely important. As the 2nd pick on the 2nd day, teams will have almost 24-hours to go back, look at their board and see if there is a player they want to move up and get. Say Matt Barkley, or one of the other QBs is still on the board, the Niners could easily look to trade that #34 overall pick for a first rounder in 2014. So don't look for the Niners to trade that pick, unless they are going to make a REALLY bold move and trade into the top 10 of the 1st round.

It's not their style so I'd say they won't do that, but I can see them packaging their 1st rounder and their own 2nd rounder to move up to #19. With this pick you'd be looking at probably the top couple WRs (Cordarrelle Patterson, Tenn; Keenan Allen, Cal); the #3-4 CB (Xavier Rhodes, Florida St.; Jordan Poyer, Oregon St.) or possibly even grabbing Zach Ertz, the TE from Stanford.

Now if you wanted to be bold, and throw in your 3rd round pick, in addition to the 1st and 2nd rounder, you could get up to about #15 where you could grab a guy who unexpectedly has fallen out of the Top 10. Possibly Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama; Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas; Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington; Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri. All of those guys would be nearly instant starters, and real difference-makers for the team.

I'd jump all over Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina if he were to slip to the 3rd round. I'd even consider him in the 2nd round with #62 overall. He was going to be a lock top 15 RB before he ripped his knee apart, and with no need to use him this year because of Gore, K. Hunter, & L. James he'd have plenty of time to rehab and he could be a steal because of the injury, just like Gore was when he came out. Remember, Gore was considered too damaged from his time at the University of Miami, thus he slipped to the 3rd round.

In the mid rounds I'd look to pick Brian Schwenke the center out of Cal. Goodwin is not only getting old, he's a player who may be asked to restructure and without it may be cut. I think he will restructure, but having a replacement at center would be important. Currently Daniel Kilgore is the backup center.

I'd also look to draft the top ranked kicker with one of those 6th rounds picks.

That, as things stand right now, is what I'd do if I was sitting in the Jedi Master's chair. Things will continue to shake out as March 12 approaches, players will be cut, and franchise tags can be applied, but with a Super Bowl roster, most coming back, and a dump truck full of draft picks, the Niners are in good shape.