Strange Saturday
April 26th, 2020
What did John Lynch know?
Now before Joe gets rolling here, let Joe be crystal clear: Joe is not trying to shat on anyone or anything, just honest questions in the wake of the past few days.
Joe is pretty stoked the Bucs got Tristan Wirfs, the offensive tackle in the first round. Some believe he may be the best offensive lineman to come out of the NFL offensive line factory known as Iowa.
Some very learned football minds are unsure Wirfs can play tackle well in the NFL — they are not saying he cannot. This is due largely to Wirfs’ lack of tape blocking speed rushers.
The worst thing Joe has heard about Wirfs (other than he is a nice guy) is that if he can’t stop speed rushers, then he will be an outstanding NFL guard for many years to come.
Why is Joe bringing this up? Well, the Bucs traded up one spot with John Lynch and the 49ers because the Bucs had strong intel there were teams also wanting to trade up with San Francisco, ostensibly to grab Wirfs.
Not quite two days later, on Saturday afternoon, the 49ers announced they had traded a third-round pick in 2021 to Washington for left tackle Trent Williams.
Then the 49ers announced that long-time fixture at left tackle Joe Staley was retiring.
Wait a minute? So a team in prime position to draft their new franchise left tackle passed on Wirfs?
Per Adam Schefter of BSPN, the 49ers were well aware Staley was retiring as they had already begun negotiations with Washington before the draft.
Did the 49ers not think Wirfs can play tackle on the NFL level?
Or did the 49ers, fresh off a Super Bowl, not want to roll with a rookie left tackle?
Or did the 49ers not think Wirfs could play left tackle?
These are all very interesting questions to Joe.
Regardless, Joe hopes Wirfs is blowing people up at right tackle for the Bucs for the next decade.
April 26th, 2020 at 12:08 am
Fair question. Wirf’s athleticism seems to match the Shanahan scheme. Stil I think if you can fill the OT need for a 3rd rounder to keep your super bowl window wide open, why wouldn’t you jump on the extra pick and take the guy you also need to restock your D line? Niners made the right move to fill the most holes. Meanwhile the Bucs can’t assume that Williams or D Smith would be okay moving to RT and they already have quite a cap problem to unravel
April 26th, 2020 at 12:11 am
Noone expected Wirfs to be there at 13, and they traded away a starting defensive tackle.
April 26th, 2020 at 12:11 am
Trent Williams is a proven player and a top notch one at that. If we had the cap space we probably would’ve signed him. Wirfs may be elite one day but I don’t think the 49ers wanted to gamble or wait for that to come to fruition.
Like I said if we had the money, that would’ve/should’ve been the move. Im not mad one bit about Wirfs. I don’t care if one person says he would be an elite G, maybe he would be but I think he could also be an elite T.
April 26th, 2020 at 12:15 am
Lynch doesn’t mess around – the man filled both holes. Giggity.
April 26th, 2020 at 12:15 am
ill add one more scenario… maybe they knew they were getting williams… or had a good enough feeling that they were going to get him that they rolled with it. no conspiracy.
April 26th, 2020 at 12:19 am
https://youtu.be/7c986quO8Jo This seems to be a pretty good All 22 Breakdown on Wirfs. It is a bit cringe-worthy. He may end up as a Guard. It will not take long for Shaq Barrett and JPP to expose his weaknesses, even in underwear practice
April 26th, 2020 at 12:28 am
Wirfs will be fine without all the conspiracy theories. Because at the end of the day he’s already a Buc and he could use every ones support. This TMZ stuff just looks cheap and feels like manufactured fantasy drama. Ok. So Joe wondering if the 49ers’ evaluation of him led them to think he isn’t a tackle is TMZ?–Joe
The fact is, who cares how he might have gotten here but happy that we got him. I’m happy we got the last out of the top four OT’s in this draft and giving up a 4th for a 7th and move up was worth it’s weight in gold.
Go Bucs!
April 26th, 2020 at 12:29 am
lynch is damn good
April 26th, 2020 at 12:30 am
I think he will be a great player.
April 26th, 2020 at 12:38 am
Cause they got him for a couple cheap picks…
April 26th, 2020 at 12:54 am
Wirfs will be a great player.
Lynch is smarter and better than Lurcht.
Lynch played the Bucs like a Stradivarius.
April 26th, 2020 at 1:08 am
Its obvious they knew they were getting the Redskins guy and were playing Licht for the pick. Big deal Who cares. We got the better guy. No need to dredge up unnecessary garbage so that portion of the fan base can have more ammo for the fire.
Lynch failed miserably because he was unable to squeeze Jason Licht like he did the moron for the bears a few years back in the Trubisky trade.
April 26th, 2020 at 1:10 am
Wirfs will be fine.
The Trade for Williams was in the works already. Their only option was to move the two year starter at tight tackle Mcglinchy to left tackle. Williams is more proven. That’s Why.
Don’t read into this too much Joe.
April 26th, 2020 at 1:15 am
The 49ers may not want to bother coaching up a rookie. As much of a stud as Wirfs is, he still needs to grow and develop. Does Lynch take the risk? No.
April 26th, 2020 at 1:33 am
Wirfs was a great pick by Licht and well worth the 4th round pick we had to give up. I’d much rather have Wirfs than Williams anyway since a quick look at pro football reference.com showed me that Williams hasn’t played a lick of right tackle in the NFL.
I rag on Licht for his inability/refusal to get us a top flight running back , but he has done one hell of a good job otherwise over the last couple of years. Lynch is hardly a mad genius in the gm department either though. Outside of George Kittle, his 2017 draft class is putrid.
We got arguably the best player available at a position of dire need. Even if Wirfs is a bust, Licht made the right decision. Now if only Can Akers were running behind him this year…
April 26th, 2020 at 1:36 am
9ers got their guy.
Bucs got their guy.
We also have Gronk for a 4th pick.
And Brady throwing to him!
We are done here.
In BA I Trust!
April 26th, 2020 at 1:37 am
Also, Lynch over paid kwon Alexander as well.
April 26th, 2020 at 1:38 am
Joe’s whole schtick is reading too much into things. Can’t put out this much content without doing so
This website launched in 2008 as an opinion-driven site that also delivers a lot of news and commentary from all sources. If Joe finds something interesting as it relates to the Bucs, then it appears here. That’s the only standard. Football is 24/7 for many of us, but teams only play 20 games a year plus playoffs. Anyone who is a fan year-round reads into things as much or more than they watch games. Don’t think that’s “schtick,” but ok. –Joe
April 26th, 2020 at 1:40 am
@ Pat I watched it and I hope that it all gets exposed and fixed with good coaching from coaches and players during the offseason. Time will tell. Thank you for sharing that. All we can do is hope.
April 26th, 2020 at 1:50 am
We had lynch in the building……
Now we have trade up when u dont have to Jason
April 26th, 2020 at 1:53 am
SF played it smart they got a beast of a DT to replace Deforest Buckner in the first round and then zeroed in on an all pro LT in Trent Williams who already had a relationship with Shanahan from his time in Washington. I doubt it’s about Wirfs as much as it was about filling 2 voids with high quality players.
April 26th, 2020 at 2:04 am
Lynch>Licht just look how quickly Lynch has turned his team around as opposed to 6 years of Licht… 🙄
April 26th, 2020 at 2:12 am
We should have gotten Williams
April 26th, 2020 at 2:35 am
I just hope OJ comes around and puts any indifferences he may have aside and ball out. We need all hands on deck without the bent up animosity.
April 26th, 2020 at 2:52 am
Staley moved to left tackle his 2nd year in league.
Wirfs was a RT at Iowa. Maybe he will move to LT next year with Bucs.
49ers are in win now mode like the Bucs and needed someone who is left tackle ready now, so they got Williams.
Lynch was shrewd enough to get a 4th rounder out of the transaction.
April 26th, 2020 at 3:24 am
Good grief I’ll give the fans 24 hours before shatting on the draft pick with wild accusations, if it wasn’t you wouldn’t have started off the article with a clarifier. We will all find out. No one has said this in evaluation that I’ve seen
April 26th, 2020 at 4:16 am
Bucs drafted Calais (RB) w/ the 7th rd pick from 49ers. Anticipate his immediate impact as the speed RB. Good trade.
April 26th, 2020 at 4:22 am
“Lol
The Buc sheep giving The Great John Lynch a evaluation
Lynch knows the key to winning is build both the lines
Lynch and Shanahsn is going to run all over the NFL nickel pass defenses with its outside zone scheme
Sheep dont realize what has happened to the NFL
Shanahan has completely figured out to run scheme and destroy the present NFL defense
Shanahan’s outside zone running and playaction has changed the game
Watch and learn”
Kobe Faker
April 26th, 2020 at 4:30 am
Jameis signing with the Saints
April 26th, 2020 at 4:46 am
Left Tackle DSmith …Left Guard TWirfs …Center Marphet….Right Guard Cappa …Haeg…shake this line up …indrafted free agents should bring one new depth guy!!!
April 26th, 2020 at 4:59 am
Perfectly said Waterboy. The 49ers had TWO major starting holes to fill (LT & DT) and filled BOTH with top quality players. Kudos to John Lynch … shrewd moves.
April 26th, 2020 at 5:03 am
Right Tackle Haeg…undrafted free agents
April 26th, 2020 at 5:09 am
BigHog is very positive today and it’s good to see that
April 26th, 2020 at 5:25 am
jason gump has been fleeced for years. His track record for being a sub par manager is an open book. While the bucs were so worried about their failure of a number one pic and disaster at QB, the future of the franchise was hired by the 49ers to manage their team. just sayn
April 26th, 2020 at 5:25 am
we missed out boys… should of fired licht and hired john lynch…
April 26th, 2020 at 5:59 am
Staley was a big loss, so too was DeForest Buckner though. The 49ers valued DT ahead of OL and negotiated a deal making the pick easy.
Plus, you are within a play or two of winning the SB. You don’t want a rookie tackle when you can have Trent Williams.
Lynch is a smart GM.
April 26th, 2020 at 6:22 am
The kid played tackle for three years in college at a high level. I think he’ll make a fine tackle, but he’s no Trent Williams. The 9ers got their OT, and DT plus milked us for a 4th. I would’ve let Lynch trade 13 to someone else and if they picked Wirfs would’ve gladly drafted Kinlaw. I would’ve called Lynch’s bluff, kept my 4th rounder. Kinlaw was probably the better pick anyway.
April 26th, 2020 at 6:24 am
Is this really all that hard to figure out? Lynch saw an opportunity to not only replace Staley with an established all pro left tackle, but also bring in an immensely talented player in Kinlaw to replace Deforest Buckner.
Where is the story here? Why even bring this up if you arent trying to suggest Wirf sucks because Lynch didnt take him?
April 26th, 2020 at 6:51 am
It seems pretty simple to me…….when you have money, things look differently.
SF had the money for Williams…..they got an extra 4th round pick this year and the player they wanted in Kinlaw……and the pick they gave up was next year.
They also wanted a left tackle…..we drafted Wirfs to be a RT…..
I may be the only one here but I’m just fine if he eventually becomes a pro bowl guard…..
April 26th, 2020 at 6:57 am
They wanted Kinlaw to replace Buckner. Salary cap thing or else Buckner would still be there. And if ya gota take Kinlaw may as well get the OT too. Dont think it has anything to do with Wirfs.
April 26th, 2020 at 6:59 am
San Francisco ascended into playoff contention in 2019.
Lynch made a wise move in trading down one slot, taking DT Javon Kinlaw and acquiring a fourth round pick knowing all the while that they were going to get a sure veteran tackle in Trent Williams. Licht got the absolute surety of not losing out on Wirfs. Both teams were in a win-win situation with the trade.
Bruce Arians has already said that Wirfs won’t start until he is ready.
April 26th, 2020 at 7:30 am
This isnt very hard to figure out. They got trent williams for a thrid round pick and drafted a much needed position of need with their first round pick. Hooefully there is a season because this is realllly digging deep
April 26th, 2020 at 7:37 am
Lynch pulled the Trubisky on Licht. On top of that the bucs reached for a right tackle on a guy who clearly isn’t going to be a tackle but a guard. Right tackles and guards are drafted on day two not opening night of the draft. Should have traded down for a right tackle and possibly another day 2 pick stab at RB.
April 26th, 2020 at 8:02 am
Lynch knew they were likely getting williams
April 26th, 2020 at 8:28 am
Let’s also not forget the 49ers overpaid for Kwon. They’re not perfect.
April 26th, 2020 at 8:29 am
If you take Wirfs you lose out on Kinlaw. Lynch Got Williams, Kinlaw and a draft pick.
April 26th, 2020 at 9:12 am
Can we trade for John Lynch?
April 26th, 2020 at 9:15 am
Ricky Ricardo Says:
April 26th, 2020 at 1:08 am
Its obvious they knew they were getting the Redskins guy and were playing Licht for the pick. Big deal Who cares. We got the better guy. No need to dredge up unnecessary garbage so that portion of the fan base can have more ammo for the fire.
Lynch failed miserably because he was unable to squeeze Jason Licht like he did the moron for the bears a few years back in the Trubisky trade.
———————————————————————-
Lynch failed miserably at what? The Trubisky trade involved the moving up at the top of the draft from 3 to 2, much different value than 14 to 13. He got a highly rated defensive tackle in Kinlaw and added 4th round draft pick cause he knew he was trading for a more proven offensive tackle.
And nobody has any idea who got the better deal of the trade yet but seems to me it worked out well for both teams.
One thing that can’t be argued though, is Lynch has done a much better job building a team than Licht has, at least so far.
April 26th, 2020 at 9:22 am
Wirfs comes into the NFL as one of the most athletic, and powerful, tackles IN the NFL. To think he doesn’t have the ability to block speed rushers is just being ignorantly blind to his incredible measurables. He has the ability to be a pro bowl RIGHT TACKLE, which is where he will play, for years. Let’s just hope he never has a major injury, and is a Buccaneer for his entire NFL career.
April 26th, 2020 at 9:27 am
Joe, if they had an understanding already and felt they could get Williams this was the dream scenario for them as they could get Kinlaw on defense and fix their tackle problem by completed the trade with the Redskins. If the Bucs had the cap space I would have loved to do the exact same thing they did. However, I would assume the Bucs did get played for the trade. Probably went like this: Hey Jason, Staley is retiring and we also need a tackle and we are getting a lot of calls about this pick. However, we really like Kinlaw too and we may be willing to let you have Wirfs if you want to make an offer. If Lynch didn’t make a pitch like this he wouldn’t be doing his job. Then just 36 hours they announce the trade for Williams. Smart move as you don’t want to do that prior to your first one or two picks are made.
April 26th, 2020 at 9:29 am
No cap space, what to do with D Smith, trent Williams is refusing a new contract presumably di he can finish his last year and reset the market like Tunsil
April 26th, 2020 at 9:30 am
I see your question mark here joe but a lot of draft folks had Wirfs as the top tackle but could also play guard.
I think what a lot of teams thought was Wirfs has been a stud RT and only played half a season at LT and still thrived there but may not be ready (like most rookies) to play LT right away.
The niners are capped strapped and have a short window. You saw that they needed to trade Buckner bc they would’ve lost him for nothing and drafted his replacement on a rookie deal. They’re lucky to have garoppolo on a cheaper deal for a 27 TD 13 pick franchise winning QB scale.
With Staley retiring, thrusting a rookie to play LT when you already have a deal for Trent Williams was easy decision bc he already played in the scheme under Shanahan back in Washington, plus with no OTA and no rookie camp and a delay to TC on the horizon, it made more sense to replace Buckner with a guy that was probably rated highly on all teams boards, and go with the established LT.
April 26th, 2020 at 9:32 am
Joe says he’s trying not to be negative, but he’s poking holes that lynch doesn’t think he can play tackle. This is going to be the hardest transition for rookies this year if there’s a season so why thrust a young man with potentially no offseason, to play LT on a super bowl team game hen you have a deal in place for a guy that knows shanahans system and fit?
Come on joe. You know the answer.
April 26th, 2020 at 9:39 am
They gave up a third and a fifth. They were able to get stud left tackle AND Kinlaw in the first round. Then used our pick to move back into the first to get WR. Lynch knows what hes doing. Buccaneers were desperate at OT. Lynch capitalized on it.
April 26th, 2020 at 9:40 am
Not to mention Wirf has played mostly at RT and the 49ers needed LT.
April 26th, 2020 at 9:43 am
Does anyone that frequents this site go to other teams sites that are like this one. If so I wonder if those fans are saying the same thing our fans do complaining over every pick that there gm didn’t draft there favorite player from there homestate colleges. Do you think titan fans are mad there team didn’t draft Vaughn and let the bucs steal him. I already saw all the Vikings fans on pro football talk were mad they didn’t get Winfield saying how great he is. And lots of people here are whining about the pick. And I was reading grades on 6th round picks. We were the only team to not get a letter grade we got an excellent for the dt from Nebraska. They said he is going to the best team fit for him and should flourish subbing for suh and vea. And he played out of position out wide his whole college career and still got a bunch of sacks
April 26th, 2020 at 9:50 am
Jimmy…how much…5 mil a year? They have little cap space.
April 26th, 2020 at 9:50 am
And one more point this all just nonsense empty chatter. Williams and kinlaw haven’t played a down for the 49rs kinlaw could be a huge bust and Williams could have lost a lot with his injuries and year off you never know until they play. And Wirfs could end up being a rookie all pro and ten year all pro starter. So until they play you have no clue who had the best draft. I watched a lot of film on kinlaw since he was mocked to us a lot and I just didn’t see the hype on him. Are 6th round pick from Nebraska could end up being better than him you never know. Pryce was better than McCoy even though he was taken in same draft in later round. If not for crazy detached hamstring injuries he was going to be a beast.
April 26th, 2020 at 9:57 am
I think he’s here to play right tackle while Donovan stays at left tackle
April 26th, 2020 at 10:28 am
Dream scenario would be for the Bucs to fire Jason dumbarse and hire Lynch. He’ll give him a percent or half a percent of the team to sweeten the deal.
April 26th, 2020 at 10:56 am
So not… Who are you going to hire as HC, since Licht and Arians are basically part of the same package?
In a couple more years when Arians leaves…when Brady retires… when we rebuild… maybe we could see if Lynch is interested. But to think it could happen now is kind of beyond a dream.
April 26th, 2020 at 11:14 am
SF just wanted to keep the super bowl door open
April 26th, 2020 at 11:23 am
They didn’t take Wirfs because Lynch is smarter than Licht. He got a number 1 d lineman and a o line pro bowler and effectively only gave up his 3rd round pick.
April 26th, 2020 at 12:45 pm
JeffBuc – What the hell are you talking about. Are you saying Price was better than Gerald McCoy???????
April 26th, 2020 at 1:00 pm
In the end would we want the Bucs to stand pat when other teams were trying to move up to get Wirfs? He was one of the four “cornerstone” OLmen on the board and that was a need and want. Both tackles need to be athletic and Wirfs has that. Doesn’t matter what experts think, we got who we wanted and needed.
April 26th, 2020 at 1:52 pm
From everything I’ve seen in Wirfs he’ll be good right tackle or an excellent guard but never a left tackle. We traded up to pick a RT/G with our first round pick. Is the team better with him then we were last year, yes. Was that that the best strategy for the first round pick?
Wirfs is the only draft pick I see contributing in any meaningful way this year.
April 26th, 2020 at 4:57 pm
I think the niners wanted a true left tackle, something Wirfs said he’s not as comfortable at. Plus, I bet we don’t have Trent Williams money and the niners had Staleys departure money. Not to mention that getting him for a 3rd is a pretty good deal
April 26th, 2020 at 6:01 pm
How did we not hire Lynch as GM? Would have righted a lot of wrongs.
April 26th, 2020 at 7:09 pm
Trent Williams is pro-bowl caliber and is expecting a top contract. Bucs were not going to pay him. He would definitely be better short term and maybe long term. But the Bucs line with all the draft picks and the center they signed from Baltimore should be in position to be well above average.
The fact that SF’s Tackle retired the day before made giving up a 4th round understandable. SF is trading a 3 and paying Williams on a new contract instead of drafting Wirfs.