49ers’ Lynch ahead of NFL Draft: Trade calls to heat up, NIL damaging draft and more

49ers general manager addressed his team's approach to the 2024 NFL Draft with the intention of not revealing too much.

SANTA CLARA — It’s the favorite time of year for 49ers general manager John Lynch.

“I think it represents our organization coming together and working for a common goal as much as anything we do,” Lynch said Monday at a 49ers’ pre-draft press conference.

Pre-draft press conferences are mandated by the NFL, and the goal for every team is to get out of them without imparting much in the way of information that could tip off the other 31 teams about their intentions for Thursday (Round 1), Friday (Rounds 2-3) and Saturday (Rounds 4-7).

The 49ers have 10 selections, including their first opening-round pick since 2021, the year they traded up to select Trey Lance.

They are as follows (round, overall): 1/31, 2/63, 3/94, 4/124, 4/132, 4/135, 5/176, 6/211, 6/215, 7/251.

Eight things we learned a little under a half-hour of questions and answers with the 49ers general manager.

MOVEMENT IS LIKELY

It would be an upset if the 49ers selected 10 players at their usual positions. Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan have traded up, and they’ve traded back. Last year, for instance, the 49ers dealt Nos. 102, 164 and 222 for No. 87 to draft Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown.

“My experience is that happens some at the NFL owners’ meetings, but this week is really the week some of those calls happen and you take note of that,” Lynch said. “You have to be flexible. I think 31 is an interesting spot. I think teams are eager to go get someone. I would imagine there will be some calls.”

Since Lynch said the 49ers have 22 players with first-round grades, they’re either going up to get one of them or going back if all of those players are off the board.

THE NEW LANDSCAPE

The 49ers put draft grades on more than 170 players. Of those, according to Lynch, 83 opted not to come out and 35 had starter grades. They elected to stay in school. NIL (Name, image likeness) and the transfer portal are having an impact.

“There’s now a different route these kids can take,” Lynch said. “How it affects the draft is going to be interesting. I think the later rounds are probably going to be lacking. It’s a new dynamic, once I imagine we’re going to be faced with each year.”

That makes it even more likely the 49ers will be looking to shed some of those picks to move up and get someone they like.

TACKLE TALK

It’s pretty much agreed the 49ers need to restock at tackle. Left tackle Trent Williams is 35 and has shown no slippage in his Hall of Fame ability but he’s still 35. They’ll need an heir apparent. And while Colton McKivitz played more snaps than any 49ers lineman, he’s seen in some quarters as more of a backup type who can play both tackle and guard.

Lynch was non-committal and didn’t differentiate between tackles and guards.

“The interesting thing with the linemen in this draft is they have flexibility to be tackles and/or guards,” Lynch said.

NOW VS. THE FUTURE

Let’s face it, the 49ers are still pretty good and it’s no sure thing any rookie will be good enough to break in. So it will be about setting the table for 2025 and beyond in some cases.

“You’re not always drafting for the immediate,” Lynch said. “Sometimes you’re drafting for future needs. We have to be smart with that with how we allocate our resources.”

THE PURDY EFFECT

The price on quarterback Brock Purdy will escalate next year from $985,000 on his rookie deal as the final pick the draft to upwards of $40 million if he plays anything like he did in 2023.

This is the last year the 49ers will have the cap flexibility of having a top-flight quarterback at a bargain basement price, with an obvious ripple effect on the rest of the roster in terms of cap dollars and actual dollars.

“You’re always thinking about that position and to have a really good one is comforting,” Lynch said. “It allows us to go build around him and make our team stronger. We need some players to come out of this draft, next year and into the future.”

ANALYZING THE LANCE PICK

When the 49ers traded three first-round picks to move up to No. 3 overall and get Lance, the thinking was Lynch and Shanahan had just put their careers on the line. It didn’t happen that way, and Lynch wasn’t too eager to delve into the thinking that went into it but was thankful for the Purdy which Trent Williams likened to hitting the lottery.

Lynch was thankful for the support of ownership, which has pretty much given him and Shanahan carte blanche when it comes to personnel decisions.

“We gave up a lot and did it for reasons and had motivations and it didn’t work out, but thank God for Mr. Irrelevant,” Lynch said. “I’m careful about this, but Trey Lance’s story isn’t written yet. He’s in Dallas now and he’s still got good football in him.”

NEEDFUL THINGS

As referenced earlier, the 49ers need some help at tackle. They always want another edge rusher and/or defensive tackle, particularly after parting with veteran Arik Armstead. A third corner to go along with Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir would help a lot. They rely too heavily on George Kittle as the lone tight end to catch passes.

If the 49ers were to actually trade Brandon Aiyuk, then wide receiverwould be in play with a premium pick.

But let’s face it, although the 49ers lost the Super Bowl, they got there in the first place because of a stacked roster and it’s stacked again this year. Lynch, of course, wasn’t getting into specifics.

“There’s not a lot of needs on this team, but there are things a couple years out, there are things a year out, and there are opportunities where guys come in,” Lynch said. “While the glaring spot that a guy can come in and be the starter right away may not be there, there’s a number of spots — probably more than people might think — where there is opportunity.”

LEGACY PICKS

Brenden Rice, the son of Jerry Rice and star wide receiver at USC, is available. So is Luke McCaffrey, another receiver out of Rice who is the son of Ed McCaffrey and the brother of Christian. Then there’s Terique Owens, another wideout from Missouri State and the son of Terrell Owens. Also running back Frank Gore Jr., son of the former 49ers star running back and now a scout.

“I believe in bloodlines. I really do,” Lynch said. “I think there’s evidence that you should. Then you’ve got to step away from that and evaluate and sometimes that’s difficult to do. That’s why there’s a lot of different eyes, different perspectives.

“We try to hit it from different measuring points. There’s some inherent pressure on who their dad is, but there’s also good genes.”