Do it like Denver? How 49ers could follow Broncos’ blueprint
How 49ers could follow Broncos’ blueprint
The NFL is a copycat league and the 49ers are in position to mimic the Super Bowl champions.
History shows there’s wisdom in that approach, but the Broncos showed there’s more than one way to win at title.
Of Denver’s 22 starters in its 24-10 win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50, 11 were acquired via free agency, 10 were homegrown and one was acquired in a trade.
Denver won the championship thanks to its suffocating defense and the title came with a significant cost.
Since 2014, they have signed four defensive starters in free agency and shelled out $37.25 million in fully guaranteed money at signing for that quartet (per OverTheCap.com): outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware ($16.5 million guaranteed), cornerback Aqib Talib ($11.5 million) and safeties T.J. Ward ($7 million) and Darian Stewart ($2.25 million).
The signings allowed the Broncos to morph from an offensive-reliant team led by Peyton Manning, another big-money free agent, into a defensive-dominated group that carried Manning.
The Broncos went 15-4 despite middling quarterback play:
Manning and Brock Osweiler combined to throw 21 touchdowns, 24 interceptions and post a 76.2 passer rating.
The 49ers have used their past three first-round picks on defensive players; the Broncos have used their first pick in the past five drafts on defensive players.
[...] the 49ers could desperately use an elite pass-rusher (someone like Ware) and a clear No. 1 cornerback (someone like Talib).
[...] as it happens, they have the third-most salary cap space in the NFL, which could be used to cross some of those needs off their offseason shopping list.
Last month, CEO Jed York noted the 49ers, who also have 12 draft picks, wouldn’t “spend money to spend money,” but said Baalke also had the green light to empty the salary cap account.
Trent and his staff know that if they need to spend the entire (salary cap) room, they can do it.
If they need to roll it over, they can do it and we will do what it takes to get back to a championship level.