San Francisco 49ers: 5 Offseason Moves the 49ers Should Have Made

If the San Francisco 49ers had made more of a splash in offseason moves, maybe new head coach Jim Harbaugh wouldn't be talking with quarterback Alex Smith right now.
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Every NFL season, only one playoff team finishes the postseason with a victory. And they’re the ones holding up the Lombardi trophy.

For the remaining teams that play into January and February, as well as those squads whose regular seasons didn’t secure them a playoff spot, change is inevitable.

The 2011 San Francisco 49ers have the skill players on both sides of the football to make a run at the postseason. However, with new faces in management comes a likely change in personnel on the field. President Jed York, general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Jim Harbaugh aren’t going to sit back in their new roles and just play the hand they were dealt.

While there are good arguments for keeping things the same and seeing how things shake out, the NFL and its teams are always looking to the future. A future that is really more of a three-year plan, with little margin for error, as opposed to being “in it for the long haul.”

The 49ers were quiet in the 2011 offseason. The NFL lockout didn’t help matters. But resigning themselves to the draft, as well as some cost-cutting moves and pickups for a maligned secondary that were more about depth than talent, the Red and Gold didn’t make the type of splashes the Niner Faithful were expecting after the Harbaugh hire.

With that, here are five offseason moves the San Francisco 49ers should have made to improve their 2011 chances of returning to the playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens Wide Receiver Lee Evans

Baltimore wide receiver Lee Evans makes a catch in stride past Washington Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall.
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The glory years for the 49ers always had two great players on the receiving end of the passing greatness that was quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young. There was Jerry Rice and John Taylor. Or Rice and Terrell Owens. 

But the 2010 duo of Michael Crabtree and Josh Morgan didn’t evoke or conjure up such memories of the Niners dynasty era. Nor does Crabtree and Braylon Edwards for this upcoming season. While no one matches up with the likes of Rice, none of these three are even No. 1 receiver material yet. They’ve shown glimpses, but nothing consistent enough to warrant the anointing of top receiver billing.

Lee Evans came into his own during his last two seasons in Buffalo. He made the most of what little the Bills’ had at quarterback. But even with Stevie Johnson’s breakout last year, Evans still managed to turn in a fine campaign.

Losing was tough for Evans in Orchard Park, so a change in scenery was overdue. Unfortunately for the 49ers, Evans went to Baltimore and a sidekick role with Anquan Boldin, while preferring an up-and-coming Joe Flacco throwing to him. He would have been a better addition to the Niners receiving corps than Edwards, and he could have turned in some good seasons in what is the prime of his career.

Houston Texans Cornerback Johnathan Joseph

Houston Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph will be a busy man in the secondary.
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The 49ers secondary got torched last season, so help at corner and safety was a top priority once management could make moves. Letting Nate Clements and his overpriced salary go didn’t shed too many tears at team headquarters in Santa Clara.

But, whether they didn’t want to overspend on a high-priced, big name free agent or were just late to the party, former Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph took his services to Houston. And based on the Texans’ lack of any defense last season, which ultimately did in a very potent offense, Joseph was a prime target for them.

San Francisco may not have had a chance at Nnamdi Asomugha from across the Bay in Oakland—he took his services to Philadelphia. But Joseph was a very good backup plan, and it didn’t seem they made much of a pass or impression to draw him over.

With the rapid improvement within the NFC West at quarterback, as the St. Louis Rams’ Sam Bradford progresses and the Arizona Cardinals’ Kevin Kolb arrives, the 49ers face yet another daunting task this season at stopping teams who will be more than willing to take it to the air against San Francisco.

New Orleans Saints Running Back Darren Sproles

New Orleans Saints running back Darren Sproles eludes a Hosuton defender.
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Signing Frank Gore was a top priority for the 49ers to solidify their backfield situation. But the very next task was to find suitable backups. Gore is 28 with some mileage. Anthony Dixon was serviceable in 2010, and rookie Kendall Hunter made some waves in the 2011 preseason to take over the current No. 2 position. 

But Darren Sproles, who left San Diego and the logjam there with Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert to go to New Orleans and a similar situation, would have been a worthwhile move. He has quick bursts and great pass-catching ability, key third down attributes to keep Gore fresh late in games and throughout the season.

Sproles also could have helped in the return game, where the 49ers have struggled and rotated candidates whose poor hands and decision-making has cost them field position or the ball, which puts added pressure on the offense to make up for such costly blunders.

Seattle Seahawks Offensive Lineman Robert Gallery

Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Robert Gallery takes on a Minnesota defender.
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The 49ers spent two first round draft choices in 2010 on offensive linemen. While year two should show improvement there, it's never a bad thing to have suitable linemen waiting in the wings or showing the young guys a thing or two.

Enter Robert Gallery, who followed Tom Cable from Oakland to Seattle to help their struggling line. With hopes of pass protection for raw quarterback Tavaris Jackson and running lanes for the thunder and lightning duo of Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett, Gallery was seen by the Seahawks as a huge play in the offseason.

And, while Gallery’s health at the end of the preseason is in doubt, the acquisition of such a tenured and talented player on the offensive line would have told the Niner faithful that the team was serious about improving the offense—especially after resigning themselves to Alex Smith for one more go-around.

Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Kevin Kolb

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb leads the offense against Denver.
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Speaking of quarterback mumblings, Kevin Kolb played nice with Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick in Philadelphia and earned a nice ticket out of town to Arizona. Out of the tough NFC East and earning a nice contract and receiving sidekick in Larry Fitzgerald, Kolb finds himself in a pretty good situation, all things considered.

San Francisco and Harbaugh apparently didn’t offer or extend themselves enough to go out and get a signal caller of the caliber of Kolb. Opting to resign themselves to one last try with Smith to see if his skills are salvageable, the 49ers could have secured the quarterback of the next three to five years, to go along with Crabtree, Vernon Davis and Gore.

The prognosis in Santa Clara may have been that 2011 draft pick Colin Kaepernick is the future under center. Just not yet. That will be Harbaugh’s ultimate test as head coach of the 49ers—to make Kaepernick into the number one quarterback as fast as possible, or plug-gaps like Smith or others will dampen expectations and hopes of a return to glory.