2017 John Lynch hired as GM & Kyle Shanahan named HC

[CrimsonCrew]

I'm admittedly torn about what to do with the front office. It's clear that Baalke absolutely has to go. Someone needs to be on the chopping block, and he's the most obvious contender. Sure, we've had some injury issues this year, but the resounding failure to address the QB position and the skill positions on offense alone have to do him in. The early-round busts and the insistence on adding injured players who have so infrequently panned out (really question our medical team and trainers) are gravy.

In terms of Kelly, I don't like giving a guy a single year, particularly with some of the extenuating circumstances. If we had a QB who could reliably hit Torrey Smith downfield, we probably win a couple more games. The D has just been destroyed by injuries/suspensions: lost our best player in Bowman for almost the whole season, lost our best NT in Ian Williams before the season, lost out best pass rusher in Lynch, lost our other starting ILB in Armstrong, Armstead was playing hurt all year and then lost, eventually lost Reid. You can argue that we lost our five or six best defensive players for a majority of the season. Still, the absolute collapse we have seen after halftime week in and week out is worrisome to say the least. We have now gone three games in a row without scoring a single second-half point - though we are actually slightly statistically better in the second half than we were last year, if you can believe that. That said, the discrepancy between first and second half scoring (18th in first half scoring, 29th in second) almost lends credence to Baalke's claim that it's the coaching rather than the players.

Ultimately, I think there's a strong argument for cleaning house, but I'm not sure it happens this year.

[49er4life1979]

If they were not feeling any pressure and only cared about money, Tomsula would still be HC. They just don't know how to go about fixing this and just like Al Davis, they can't see their own part in creating this mess

I agree. They wouldn't be paying 2 coaches, 1 not to coach and quite possibly 3 coaches soon. Wanting to win and knowing how to are two different things. My prediction for the offseason: Baalke is fired, Gamble gets promoted and so Chip stays. But entering next season, Chip will be in the hottest seat in the NFL.

That is the easiest route to take and is consistent with how they have dealt with openings in the past.

Right. I dont see Chip getting fired after one season. Merton Hanks said today that firing Chip "would further soil the 49ers reputation. He further said, “Because quite frankly, qualified coaches won’t consider your franchise for employment. Nobody wants to go to a place understanding that the ownership has a quick temper. They want to go to a place where ownership is at least patient, and will give you a full opportunity to perform.”

“I think that Chip Kelly has played with not a full deck this year. We all can agree that whether it be due to injury, retirement, what have you, that he didn’t have a full compliment of players to perform with this year and really it’s just kind’ve coaching to field gaps and try to put out a credible product on game day.”

[Dodub]

Why can't we give up on a bad coach after a single (1-15) season? They gave up on Tomsula after he had significantly more success with virtually the same roster. What exactly are you telling your fan base by keeping a proven loser coach?

[49er4life1979]

Why can't we give up on a bad coach after a single (1-15) season? They gave up on Tomsula after he had significantly more success with virtually the same roster. What exactly are you telling your fan base by keeping a proven loser coach?

I disagree. I mean Kap has 15 TDs and 3 Ints on the year. And what receivers does he have? When was the last time Kap posted those kind of numbers....4th coach in 4 years, yea a decent coach will want to come here.

[RedneckNiner]

Not a defense of Kelly but much the same roster sure Minus Reid, Bowman, a one armed Armstead, no Lynch for 4 games. Tomsula was a joke and the entire world knew it. Kelly might be a joke too theres nothing I can say to defend him really either though some of the offensive stats are mildly better. Bottom line their is a dearth of talent on the team, The talent at the skill positions is woefully inadequate our best receiver would be at best number 3 on other teams. The quarterbacks are below average at best, downright horrible at worst 3 backup qbs. IMO I Baalke has to go.. and I lean towards Chip Kelly has to go. Though I don't know if you really want to be paying Tomsula and Kelly for the next few years to not coach. The cynic in me says it doesn't really matter while Jed runs the team because hes not going to bring anyone in who won't sing his praises.. The whole Harbaugh thing seemed more like Jed and Trent throwing a temper tantrum because Harbaugh was getting too much credit so they tried to trade him to the Browns etc. And if you fire Kelly who do you bring in. The Niners job at the moment with how its been run lately and the lack of talent and a track record of impatience with coaches.... what coaches are going to be breaking down the door to come here when there will be better jobs available? It probably would have been better had they kept Tomsula this year and just blown it up after this year. 

[I_am_1z]

Not a defense of Kelly but much the same roster sure Minus Reid, Bowman, a one armed Armstead, no Lynch for 4 games. Tomsula was a joke and the entire world knew it. Kelly might be a joke too theres nothing I can say to defend him really either though some of the offensive stats are mildly better. Bottom line their is a dearth of talent on the team, The talent at the skill positions is woefully inadequate our best receiver would be at best number 3 on other teams. The quarterbacks are below average at best, downright horrible at worst 3 backup qbs. IMO I Baalke has to go.. and I lean towards Chip Kelly has to go. Though I don't know if you really want to be paying Tomsula and Kelly for the next few years to not coach. The cynic in me says it doesn't really matter while Jed runs the team because hes not going to bring anyone in who won't sing his praises.. The whole Harbaugh thing seemed more like Jed and Trent throwing a temper tantrum because Harbaugh was getting too much credit so they tried to trade him to the Browns etc. And if you fire Kelly who do you bring in. The Niners job at the moment with how its been run lately and the lack of talent and a track record of impatience with coaches.... what coaches are going to be breaking down the door to come here when there will be better jobs available? It probably would have been better had they kept Tomsula this year and just blown it up after this year. 

+1 Other than the line in bold, I can support this entire response—even the part parting with Trent Baalke leaving. Now I have confidence in Baalke to build a defense, but this is a QB driven league and we're sorely lacking anyone we can fathom as a potential franchise guy.

[I_am_1z]

Why can't we give up on a bad coach after a single (1-15) season? They gave up on Tomsula after he had significantly more success with virtually the same roster. What exactly are you telling your fan base by keeping a proven loser coach?

Yep, expose them Tomsula-Hating-Kelly-Supporters. It doesn't make sense why Kelly gets a pass. The only reason can be was how Tomsula came off in the press and lack of notoriety.

[I_am_1z]

Don't know how much coordinating Tomsula did last year, but if Jed wants to be cheap, bring back Tomsula as DC. The defense really responded to him and he was beloved by the players.

[49er4life1979]

Not a defense of Kelly but much the same roster sure Minus Reid, Bowman, a one armed Armstead, no Lynch for 4 games. Tomsula was a joke and the entire world knew it. Kelly might be a joke too theres nothing I can say to defend him really either though some of the offensive stats are mildly better. Bottom line their is a dearth of talent on the team, The talent at the skill positions is woefully inadequate our best receiver would be at best number 3 on other teams. The quarterbacks are below average at best, downright horrible at worst 3 backup qbs. IMO I Baalke has to go.. and I lean towards Chip Kelly has to go. Though I don't know if you really want to be paying Tomsula and Kelly for the next few years to not coach. The cynic in me says it doesn't really matter while Jed runs the team because hes not going to bring anyone in who won't sing his praises.. The whole Harbaugh thing seemed more like Jed and Trent throwing a temper tantrum because Harbaugh was getting too much credit so they tried to trade him to the Browns etc. And if you fire Kelly who do you bring in. The Niners job at the moment with how its been run lately and the lack of talent and a track record of impatience with coaches.... what coaches are going to be breaking down the door to come here when there will be better jobs available? It probably would have been better had they kept Tomsula this year and just blown it up after this year. 

Tomsula was in way over his head and anyone with a half a brain saw it. Kelly on the other hand has had NFL success. In Philly he went 10-6, 10-6, and 7-9. Included in that is a division title and a playoff appearance. So given talent Kelly has shown that he can win. I would like to see how would this team do with a couple good WRs to go along with Kap, Hyde, and the improved OL. And how about a defense that can at least be respectable? This roster has holes in major areas. That is not on Kelly.

[Pattersonca65]

Don't know how much coordinating Tomsula did last year, but if Jed wants to be cheap, bring back Tomsula as DC. The defense really responded to him and he was beloved by the players.

Don't see Tomsula as a coordinator. He has no NFL coordinator experience. The defense was really bad last year also. Tomsula is a good Dline coach but that is probably his ceiling

[Pattersonca65]

I'm admittedly torn about what to do with the front office. It's clear that Baalke absolutely has to go. Someone needs to be on the chopping block, and he's the most obvious contender. Sure, we've had some injury issues this year, but the resounding failure to address the QB position and the skill positions on offense alone have to do him in. The early-round busts and the insistence on adding injured players who have so infrequently panned out (really question our medical team and trainers) are gravy.

In terms of Kelly, I don't like giving a guy a single year, particularly with some of the extenuating circumstances. If we had a QB who could reliably hit Torrey Smith downfield, we probably win a couple more games. The D has just been destroyed by injuries/suspensions: lost our best player in Bowman for almost the whole season, lost our best NT in Ian Williams before the season, lost out best pass rusher in Lynch, lost our other starting ILB in Armstrong, Armstead was playing hurt all year and then lost, eventually lost Reid. You can argue that we lost our five or six best defensive players for a majority of the season. Still, the absolute collapse we have seen after halftime week in and week out is worrisome to say the least. We have now gone three games in a row without scoring a single second-half point - though we are actually slightly statistically better in the second half than we were last year, if you can believe that. That said, the discrepancy between first and second half scoring (18th in first half scoring, 29th in second) almost lends credence to Baalke's claim that it's the coaching rather than the players.

Ultimately, I think there's a strong argument for cleaning house, but I'm not sure it happens this year.

The 49ers might have to fire Kelly if they decide to bring in a GM from the outside. GM candidates will want to name a coach and there will be harder to find a GM willing to stick with Kelly. Kelly doesn't coach the defense and I read an article that said Baalke rejected Chip's choice for DC. Hard to blame Chip for defensive coaching when Baalke won't let the coach chose his coaches

[Ray_Dogg]

I'm admittedly torn about what to do with the front office. It's clear that Baalke absolutely has to go. Someone needs to be on the chopping block, and he's the most obvious contender. Sure, we've had some injury issues this year, but the resounding failure to address the QB position and the skill positions on offense alone have to do him in. The early-round busts and the insistence on adding injured players who have so infrequently panned out (really question our medical team and trainers) are gravy.

In terms of Kelly, I don't like giving a guy a single year, particularly with some of the extenuating circumstances. If we had a QB who could reliably hit Torrey Smith downfield, we probably win a couple more games. The D has just been destroyed by injuries/suspensions: lost our best player in Bowman for almost the whole season, lost our best NT in Ian Williams before the season, lost out best pass rusher in Lynch, lost our other starting ILB in Armstrong, Armstead was playing hurt all year and then lost, eventually lost Reid. You can argue that we lost our five or six best defensive players for a majority of the season. Still, the absolute collapse we have seen after halftime week in and week out is worrisome to say the least. We have now gone three games in a row without scoring a single second-half point - though we are actually slightly statistically better in the second half than we were last year, if you can believe that. That said, the discrepancy between first and second half scoring (18th in first half scoring, 29th in second) almost lends credence to Baalke's claim that it's the coaching rather than the players.

Ultimately, I think there's a strong argument for cleaning house, but I'm not sure it happens this year.

The 49ers might have to fire Kelly if they decide to bring in a GM from the outside. GM candidates will want to name a coach and there will be harder to find a GM willing to stick with Kelly. Kelly doesn't coach the defense and I read an article that said Baalke rejected Chip's choice for DC. Hard to blame Chip for defensive coaching when Baalke won't let the coach chose his coaches

I haven't seen anything that says Baalke denied Kelly's DC choice. They wanted Vrabel and he wisely turned them down like I imagine all good DC candidates will continue to do. DC for Kelly is career suicude imo.

[CalamityX12]

While I'm all for a Kelly departure in any way, what are the HC candidates looking out there?

Disclaimer: I expect Kelly to be back next year with same old disappointment pending.

[Jikkle]

My prediction Baalke is at least gone as someone has to fall on the sword and as much as I'm sure York would love to keep Baalke he's just run out of viable reasons to keep him.

Plus there is no way you can get rid of Chip and keep Baalke as the only candidates you'll get are desperate retreads or desperate coordinators looking for a shot. Anyone of actual quality would steer wide from a team that would be on it's 4th coach in 4 years and a GM that would be barely hanging on to his job.

I'll say whoever the new GM is will likely throw the Yorks a bone and keep Chip at least another season UNLESS he for sure has his guy and needs to pull the trigger now. Whoever comes in as GM knows that Chip won't be on him so he might be fine sticking with Chip another year as he builds up the roster and bides his time until his guy is on the market.

It wouldn't surprise me if Eliot Wolf is in the actual consideration because he's young which is one thing Jed would love since he's all into that young Silicon Valley upstart vibe and Wolf comes from the Packers which is the ultimate draft and develop team and not spending big (or anything) in free agency.

[Pattersonca65]

I'm admittedly torn about what to do with the front office. It's clear that Baalke absolutely has to go. Someone needs to be on the chopping block, and he's the most obvious contender. Sure, we've had some injury issues this year, but the resounding failure to address the QB position and the skill positions on offense alone have to do him in. The early-round busts and the insistence on adding injured players who have so infrequently panned out (really question our medical team and trainers) are gravy.

In terms of Kelly, I don't like giving a guy a single year, particularly with some of the extenuating circumstances. If we had a QB who could reliably hit Torrey Smith downfield, we probably win a couple more games. The D has just been destroyed by injuries/suspensions: lost our best player in Bowman for almost the whole season, lost our best NT in Ian Williams before the season, lost out best pass rusher in Lynch, lost our other starting ILB in Armstrong, Armstead was playing hurt all year and then lost, eventually lost Reid. You can argue that we lost our five or six best defensive players for a majority of the season. Still, the absolute collapse we have seen after halftime week in and week out is worrisome to say the least. We have now gone three games in a row without scoring a single second-half point - though we are actually slightly statistically better in the second half than we were last year, if you can believe that. That said, the discrepancy between first and second half scoring (18th in first half scoring, 29th in second) almost lends credence to Baalke's claim that it's the coaching rather than the players.

Ultimately, I think there's a strong argument for cleaning house, but I'm not sure it happens this year.

The 49ers might have to fire Kelly if they decide to bring in a GM from the outside. GM candidates will want to name a coach and there will be harder to find a GM willing to stick with Kelly. Kelly doesn't coach the defense and I read an article that said Baalke rejected Chip's choice for DC. Hard to blame Chip for defensive coaching when Baalke won't let the coach chose his coaches

I haven't seen anything that says Baalke denied Kelly's DC choice. They wanted Vrabel and he wisely turned them down like I imagine all good DC candidates will continue to do. DC for Kelly is career suicude imo.

http://www.ninersnation.com/2016/8/1/12342086/billy-davis-says-trent-baalke-jed-york-denied-chip-kelly-chance-to-hire-him

This guy might be a poor choice for DC. But that is not the point. The point is the FO meddling in what should be a coach's decision. Any good future coaching candidate is not going to come to a team that meddles that way

[Ray_Dogg]

The 49ers might have to fire Kelly if they decide to bring in a GM from the outside. GM candidates will want to name a coach and there will be harder to find a GM willing to stick with Kelly. Kelly doesn't coach the defense and I read an article that said Baalke rejected Chip's choice for DC. Hard to blame Chip for defensive coaching when Baalke won't let the coach chose his coaches

I haven't seen anything that says Baalke denied Kelly's DC choice. They wanted Vrabel and he wisely turned them down like I imagine all good DC candidates will continue to do. DC for Kelly is career suicude imo.

http://www.ninersnation.com/2016/8/1/12342086/billy-davis-says-trent-baalke-jed-york-denied-chip-kelly-chance-to-hire-him

This guy might be a poor choice for DC. But that is not the point. The point is the FO meddling in what should be a coach's decision. Any good future coaching candidate is not going to come to a team that meddles that way

He was without question a poor choice and I'm gonna go with the thought that Kelly used them as an excuse to let him down easy. Kelly tried to hire a great guy for DC and was turned down. I wouldn't fret over a scrub not getting the gig because of Jed and Trent. Davis is so bad that they even know it.

[Pattersonca65]

I haven't seen anything that says Baalke denied Kelly's DC choice. They wanted Vrabel and he wisely turned them down like I imagine all good DC candidates will continue to do. DC for Kelly is career suicude imo.

http://www.ninersnation.com/2016/8/1/12342086/billy-davis-says-trent-baalke-jed-york-denied-chip-kelly-chance-to-hire-him

This guy might be a poor choice for DC. But that is not the point. The point is the FO meddling in what should be a coach's decision. Any good future coaching candidate is not going to come to a team that meddles that way

He was without question a poor choice and I'm gonna go with the thought that Kelly used them as an excuse to let him down easy. Kelly tried to hire a great guy for DC and was turned down. I wouldn't fret over a scrub not getting the gig because of Jed and Trent. Davis is so bad that they even know it.

He might be a scrub but it is concerning. The point is that it is harder to hold a coach accountable when you don't give him the autonomy to bring in his own staff. The really good coaches would never allow that and would never take a job under those conditions.

[Pattersonca65]

Grant Cohn wrote that Jason La Caforna reported the 49ers will hire a VP of football operations and the GM will report to the VP and not Jed. Maybe Parag Marathe is going to be the new VP of football operations, lol

[RedneckNiner]

Grant Cohn wrote that Jason La Caforna reported the 49ers will hire a VP of football operations and the GM will report to the VP and not Jed. Maybe Parag Marathe is going to be the new VP of football operations, lol

They will bring in Tomsula to be vp of football operations.

[Ray_Dogg]

Grant Cohn wrote that Jason La Caforna reported the 49ers will hire a VP of football operations and the GM will report to the VP and not Jed. Maybe Parag Marathe is going to be the new VP of football operations, lol

Marathe is already the VP of football Ops. He just had Team President title stripped. This was a public hand slap for leaking stuff.