Take no exception: Even Super Bowl-qualifying, roster-loaded teams like the San Francisco 49ers have needs. Thankfully, the 2013 NFL Draft is the county surplus store.
The 49ers reached pro football’s promised land with top-notch starters across the board. They unfortunately fell short to a Baltimore Ravens team that played just that much better at the opportune times.
As such, the heartbreaking, last-minute defeat revealed certain chinks in their proverbial football armor. It also showed a general need for a few additions regarding positional depth.
Offense and defensive starters beware—both are subject to newfound competition from this latest draft class in some form or another.
Let’s review the 49ers’ top five draft needs for the 2013 season.
5. Center
Jonathan Goodwin is a top-10 center who didn’t allow a single sack in 2012. He is a physical mauler in the run game, with a Super Bowl-winning pedigree to boot.
So, what gives?
The 11-year veteran is 34 and entering the final season of a three-year deal signed back in 2011. He might be amenable to a minimal one- or two-year contract after 2013 for a final run at another title. But, realistically, the 49ers will look to get younger at the position, and Goodwin will likely pursue a sport that utilizes clubs, khaki pants and motorized carts.
Second-year man Daniel Kilgore is currently listed as the backup center. He also serves as one of the swing guards and extra lineman when San Francisco utilizes special jumbo packages. He’s plenty strong, but also a little undersized at 308 pounds.
However, Jim Harbaugh’s staff clearly has a plan. And if Alex Boone’s delayed ascension serves as an example, Kilgore might very well assume the starting center position in 2014.
That said, the 49ers still must draft a quality lower-round prospect that can develop under Goodwin and Kilgore for a couple seasons down the road.
A team so predicated on winning the battle of the trenches cannot afford to lose such a key cog toward securing that end.
4. Cornerback
Let’s put one thing out in the open: Joe Flacco and Baltimore’s receiving corps burned the 49ers for multiple touchdowns in the Super Bowl.
But allow us to clarify another thing: Chris Culliver is a future No. 1 cornerback who unfortunately ran his mouth at the most inopportune time, and lost a step because of it.
The former Gamecock is a second-year player who merely performed at a top-10 level through 16 regular season weeks, made a crucial interception in the NFC Championship Game and generally conducted himself on the gridiron beyond his third-round status.
At the same time, the NFL has gone pass-happy bonkers; no team can ever have one too many corners.
Even with Carlos Rogers’ overstated limitations, Tarell Brown’s understated prowess and Culliver’s aforementioned proficiency, lower depth-chart fillers with future starting potential is still very much a need.
An immediate replacement with the likes of Alabama’s Dee Milliner would merit a top-five pick. Moving forward, then, the 49ers can wait until later rounds for supplementary income at the cornerback position.
3. Defensive Tackle
All-Pro, All-World and All-Universe defensive tackle Justin Smith is the most important player on the defensive-minded 49ers. He was an unconquerable force for the entirety of his four-plus years in San Francisco.
A streak of 185 consecutive starts since Week 2 of his 2001 rookie campaign with the Cincinnati Bengals as a mauling bear in the trenches speaks to said invincibility.
The modern-day Paul Bunyan, though, suffered the first major injury of his career in Week 15 of 2012. A partially torn triceps, a name that belies its devastating consequences, is as significant as it gets for a defensive lineman who relies on push generated from muscles on the back of his arm.
Smith did come back in time for a quasi-successful playoff run. That said, a man of 34 with that much gridiron attrition cannot sustain it forever.
Worse yet, the 49ers allowed 187 points through 13-plus games with Smith on the field. Without him, they surrendered 86 in two-plus games, and an additional 89 with Smith at less than 100 percent.
Smith will return in full force for the 2013 season. No single offseason operation would prevent him from doing so.
But the 49ers need a future replacement; they need someone to spell No. 94 opposite Ray McDonald. With nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga likely departing in free agency, they also need a strong, versatile lineman that can play all across the 3-4 front.
San Francisco will not panic in 2013; but the 2013 NFL Draft is a place where they should address needs that will present themselves sooner rather than later.
2. Wide Receiver
One could argue that wide receiver is San Francisco’s greatest need for the 2013 campaign.
Outside of Michael Crabtree, who remains? Mario Manningham shredded his MCL and PCL in Week 16 and might miss the first six games next year; that is, if he and his $4-plus million salary return at all.
Kyle Williams will return from his Week 12-torn ACL in time for the regular season. Although, as dynamic as he is out of the slot, he remains a lower depth-chart weapon.
Furthermore, Randy Moss is expendable due to his inability to contribute on special teams as a No. 3 receiver. And No. 2 tight end Delanie Walker, who often served as the third-string WR in the postseason, is a free agent and might seek starter’s money elsewhere.
Return specialist and ineffective moonlighting wideout Ted Ginn Jr. will sport a different color jersey next season as well.
Hmmm.
The 49ers aren’t compelled to draft another first-round receiver. Hope still exists with last year’s No. 30 overall pick A.J. Jenkins being a reliable deep target for Colin Kaepernick. San Francisco’s also a team built on pounding the rock.
But even as a run-first squad, you just can’t expect to win it all without beating teams over top or in the red zone with a big-bodied wideout.
The Ravens were equipped with said personnel. They wouldn’t have secured the Lombardi Trophy without it.
1. Safety
If it wasn’t for the Super Bowl, the safety position for the 49ers might have been exempt from this need-based list.
But the Super Bowl did happen—the playoffs did happen—and contract negotiations are on the table yet again for a certain free safety.
Dashon Goldson operated under his second-consecutive one-year deal. The most recent contract was the franchise-tag variety, and might attach itself yet again to No. 38 in 2013.
Goldson, however, performed as a Pro-Bowl, upper-echelon safety this time around—one that limited quarterbacks to a 44.8 efficiency rating. That earned the award for second-lowest among safeties with 1,000-plus snaps. Three interceptions and just one touchdown allowed further bolstered his 2012 resume.
Now, he wants—and deserves—a long-term deal worth $8 million per.
Compounding matters are Donte Whitner’s systematic deficiencies in coverage and a complete void in depth at the safety position in general.
Whitner gave up the most touchdowns (eight), third-highest completion percentage (79.1) and fourth-highest efficiency rating (128.5) among all NFL safeties. He surrendered four additional passing scores during the playoffs, including two to the Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII.
The strong safety is a high-IQ player and one of the quarterbacks of San Francisco’s defense. He’s also one of the best when it comes to team leadership.
Unfortunately, he led his squad down, and did so at the seminal moment in professional football. Whitner remains under contract through 2013. Goldson, on the other hand, does not.
The 49ers must retain the more worthy of their Pro-Bowl safeties. But there are no guarantees. Having C.J. Spillman, Darcel McBath and Trenton Robinson behind them as backups—primary special-teamers, no less—doesn’t help matters either.
With that in mind, general manager Trent Baalke must target a hard-hitting, coverage-proficient strong safety that can operate in deep center field if the need ever arises. Florida’s Matt Elam and Texas’ Kenny Vaccaro (as more of the FS type) come to mind.
As the No. 1 need in this list, Red and Gold fandom should hope Goldson re-signs, and Baalke makes magic happen in the draft.
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