NFL Dream Trades: San Francisco 49ers Acquire Texas Tandem McCoy and Shipley

Childhood Friends Reunite

In a depressing time for most San Francisco 49ers fans, it is sometimes helpful to dream of what could be. Whether you’re sitting on your couch trying to be a general manager and building the 49ers into a powerhouse team through blockbuster trades on Madden 2011, or you are just driving to work thinking of the possibilities, it is sometimes helpful to fantasize.

Most armchair quarterbacks think they can do a better job running a franchise than the current incumbents. Me? I just think I have a little insight that could work. That being said, I would like to put myself into 49ers vice president of player personnel Trent Baalke’s shoes for a moment and offer two trade proposals.

Trade offer No. 1 would be to the Cleveland Browns. I would like to offer you Alex Smith in exchange for Colt McCoy. A quarterback-for-quarterback trade isn’t always the best move, but in this case, why not?

Colt McCoy is the highest rated passer in NCAA history. Sure, he got hit by Marcell Dareus against Alabama and his hopes of the national championship skidded to a halt, but his ability didn’t end with that hit.

Things move a lot faster in the NFL, but the boy has legs too. He is sitting on the bench in Cleveland after being overlooked in the first two rounds of the 2010 draft behind Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme.

Why not put him into the mix now and let him gain some experience in a fledgling 49er offense? I mean, he’s a rookie, but Alex Smith is in his sixth season as a rookie. Colt learning the system will not delay the 49ers progress any further than Alex learning the system…again.

So, how do I convince Cleveland to take this pick? Alex Smith has not forgotten how to play football. He was the No. 1 overall pick. He just needs a fresh start and can turn his career around for the Browns organization. He would have a chance to be influenced by a quarterbacks mastermind in Mike Holmgren.

Trade offer No. 2 would be a trade to help McCoy feel comfortable by bringing in his lifelong teammate, Jordan Shipley, from Cincinnati. Shipley has already shown flashes of brilliance with the Bengals, but with veterans such as Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco in the receiving corps, the Bengals could stand to cut back their receiving corps to boost their defense a little.

Let us not deprive safety Michael Lewis of his NFL season by releasing him. Let us trade him to Cincinnati for Jordan Shipley.

Just about every Super Bowl team has had a successful quarterback/wide receiver tandem. Joe Montana/Steve Young and Jerry Rice come to mind. Then there was Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne, Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin and even Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward.

With a record of 0-4, we should start from scratch with the chemistry of Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley. The football world should not be deprived of this combination. They have been together since the playgrounds and could be back together in the NFL, where they could be highly marketable.

If the two Ohio NFL teams have any issues with these trades, I would be happy to give up the first and second-round picks of the 2011 draft, along with Alex Smith and Michael Lewis. The third round will be sufficient. Frank Gore and Anthony Dixon were third-rounders. We will manage without the prior picks.

In my opinion, it is not the best draft class coming anyway. We already drafted an offensive line. Why you need ADT to protect a one-room shack with a No. 11 on it, I am not really sure, but Anthony, Davis and Mike Iupati were welcome additions.

Hosting the Oakland Raiders this Sunday will be fun to watch with Colt McCoy delivering a strike to a slanting Jordan Shipley for the fourth quarter go-ahead touchdown. Oh, wait a minute. Alex Smith is at the helm. Well, it is fun to dream, isn’t it?