San Francisco 49ers: Looking Ahead to the Off-Season

I'm a 20+ year fan of the Niners.  That means I've been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows (i.e., recently).  And yes, I'm giving up on this season... that's a fairly obvious conclusion.

We're not going to the playoffs, even in the weakest division in the NFL.  We know there's gonna be big changes coming in the off-season... so let's just fast forward and I'll give you my quick take on what I think the team should do.

1.  Yorks: Hire a Strong, PROVEN guy for a GM and back the heck out of the decisions.  Get a team builder, a Bill Cowher, a "lifer" who took a team from the bottom half to the top.  Someone who has made good pickups in the draft and free agency... PLEASE!

2.  Martz: Put up or get out.  Show me your plan to utilize the weapons (yes, I said weapons) we have, as well as a plan to slowly add and cultivate, properly, new additions in order to take the offense to the next level.

3.  Don't go get a crusty old veteran QB.  C'mon guys... we're beyond that.  That's what you do when you have the "future" on the bench who just needs a few years to learn.  That precedes a rebuilding...we already started the process. 

We don't want to win right away and watch the guy get hurt, retire, only to be left with the same sub-par performances we had before we shelled out to get "the vet."  (See #1 above)

4.  Don't go get a crusty old WR (see #3 and just change the parts necessary to re-make my point).  (See #1 above)

5.  If you draft, do your homework, then do it again... upside down, then in the dark... have intelligent, well thought out reasons that have been debated, tested, etc.  Look for deals, guys who slip to the second, third rounds.  Grab guys who played well even with little talent around them... but who faced talent.  (See #1 above)

6.  Free agency is great... and it sucks.  Work it.  We have some baggage to offload and the market looks promising to pick some guys up too.  (Get the picture yet?!)

I think it all starts at the top.  Commit to a guy who will commit to the team and build it.  Stick with Singletary, at least keep the guy on the team in an assistant/coordinator role at the very least.  The guy is a great motivator and can handle the young egos you're sure to get.

That's my three cents.