Replacing Stars And Blowing Smoke
April 26th, 2013
Replacing Dashon Goldson was the 49ers’ top priority last night
It’s feels a little warm and fuzzy to note that the Super Bowl 49ers’ top priority in the draft was to replace Dashon Goldson by trading up in the first round to nab former LSU safety Eric Reid last night.
Apparently, the hole left by Goldson, the Bucs’ top free-agent prize this offseason, was perceived to be that big.
USA Today penned an interesting feature on the Niners’ moves and how they played smokescreen games by not bringing Reid to their headquarters for an official visit, and head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed replacing Goldson was paramount.
“Why would we want to advertise to the rest of the league that we had interest in a player?” Baalke [the 49ers general manager] said.
When the draft began, though, landing Reid was apparently the priority for a team that lost all-pro safety Dashon Goldson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent.
“This was definitely Option A,” Harbaugh said.
As for the Jets drafting Dee Milliner to fill the void of mighty Darrelle Revis, well, Joe knows that unlike the Niners, the Jets are often draft-day fools. So Joe’s not comforted by that move. However, Joe would take Revis over Milliner any day.
April 26th, 2013 at 11:11 am
I keep saying it, but based on the available players in this years draft and FA, the Bucs got the best player(s) available this off season, one via FA and the other via trade. There was not one DB picked last night that I would trade for either Goldson or Revis.
April 26th, 2013 at 11:14 am
Wow, that is the exact thought I had when I saw them take Reid.
On a side note: I was so pissed the Panthers got Star and I was sure New Orleans was taking Floyd. I actually don’t mind Vaccarro to the Saints. (In a “pick your poison” kind of way.)
April 26th, 2013 at 11:18 am
Last year, we had the best rush defense and the worst pass defense. This offseason we’ve added 2 pro-bowl DBs and get Clayborn back healthy. I don’t see how we don’t end up with one of the strongest defenses in the league.
April 26th, 2013 at 11:23 am
The Jets poisoned that well a long time ago, so the Revis situation is very different from Goldson. The Jets over the last 10 years probably have to be one of the worst managed franchises in the league, and that’s despite backing into talent like Revis.
Bucs don’t have much depth, but their starting lineup across the board is coming together very strong.
April 26th, 2013 at 11:27 am
We gotta grab a d-tackle today. Jesse Williams from Bama might be a nice fit
April 26th, 2013 at 11:38 am
Milliner is younger and cheaper than Revis. But he is unproven and had no less than 5 surgeries. I think that was a bad pick for the Jetsies. Time will tell I guess. As for Star going to Carolina, that totally stinks! That guy is good and I’m not excited to see him twice per year. I love the Goldson pickup for us.
April 26th, 2013 at 12:06 pm
I have to say I am not much of a college guy (as far as football is concerned). I imagine that if the Bucs are actually targeting a tight end that it will have to be soon. If they don’t take a tight end soon it will say a lot about how they feel about Stocker.
Me, personally, I would like to see a DT with our next pick. I was hoping “SlyWill” would fall close enough to us. That didn’t work. I’m not sure who the next best DT is and if he is even worth the pick in the second. Maybe Andrew1 knows? Guy seems to know a lot about potential prospects. (More than me at least, haha.)
April 26th, 2013 at 12:12 pm
I am more and more excited with the way Dom has handled this off-season.
We didn’t overspend for average vets: Bennett, Roy Miller, et al.
We also got money back from Wright, Grim et al.
That savings helped us buy super stars.
April 26th, 2013 at 12:58 pm
@charlie b
Much of our defensive struggles were schematic last year. Love what Schiano brings, but he did fall short here.
April 26th, 2013 at 1:35 pm
@Biff
We had to scheme, we didn’t have the backend talent not to. This season should see less blitzing and more man/press coverage from our corners which will allow our d line a little more time to get to the QB.