What does a Super Bowl favorite that returns 19 starters, including eight Pro Bowlers, do with a league-high 13 draft picks? This is no riddle, but the actual situation the San Francisco 49ers find themselves in. 

No doubt head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke have a plan of attack—one formulated after hours of watching film, weighing options, and bouncing ideas back and forth. And the two aren't exactly chatterboxes in front of the media, so that plan remains an unknown. Until tonight. 

But, just for fun, let's look at three potential draft strategies. 
 

Trades to Move Up/Down

Let's go ahead and refer to each of the draft picks as assets from now on; valuable assets that can be offered to potentially gain even more assets. While the 49ers clearly don't have room on their roster for 13 more players, they do have shiny assets to dangle in front of other, much-needier teams—ahem, the Raiders, Dolphins, Bills, Jets, and Jaguars, just to name a few—in exchange for the final pieces of a championship puzzle. And if recent reports are true, this is an option the front office is seriously considering. Packaging multiple picks would open the door for prospects like wide receiver Tavon Austin, defensive tackle Star Lotulelei or cornerback Johnthan Banks. 

Then again, moving back is also an option. A team can never have too many, you know, assets. Not this year, not next year, not ever. That's why this "problem" is not really a "problem" at all, but rather a convenience, like a farmer blessed with extra crops. If the 49ers don't move up to land a coveted prospect or two this year, they won't hesitate to stockpile future picks. 

Competition

Competition. It's a word Harbaugh has preached since Day One. It's also a word he has practiced since Day One. It's how Colin Kaepernick, a second-year project, became the team's starting quarterback—aided by a concussion, of course. Competition. It's about bringing in as much talent as possible, throwing them all on the field, and letting the depth chart sort itself out. It's about seventh-round rookies beating out seven-year, seven-million-per-year veterans for playing time. Competition. It's also the least likely, but few would be surprised if Harbaalke went this route. They are, after all, quite unpredictable. 

Sit and Wait

The perk of being a team with few needs and many assets is that you feel no pressure to act. No rush to panic, worry, and reach. You can sit back, relax, and just wait. Wait for prospects to fall to you. Wait for the phone to ring—and it will. Wait to make the best move for your franchise. That's the 49ers right now, and this may be their approach tonight. It's not lazy or a form of procrastination; it's calculated and makes a ton of sense.

Remember, just three months ago this team was five yards—and a questionable no-call—away from lifting the Lombardi Trophy. Gone are starters Delanie Walker, Dashon Goldson, and Isaac Sopoaga, but Anquan Boldin, Glenn Dorsey, and Nnamdi Asomugha have signed and are expected to contribute right away. 

Truth is, they are in a great place, and the next few days could put them in an even better place. Or worse. Stay tuned to find out.