Lynch recalls how 49ers almost forfeited 2024 NFL Draft pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The NFL draft can be a stressful ordeal for teams, just ask 49ers general manager John Lynch.
The San Francisco executive explained a close call during the 2024 NFL Draft that almost cost the team big time.
“There are some gnarly close calls,” Lynch told NBC’s Chris Simms on the “Unbuttoned” podcast. Last year in the fourth round, we took a receiver, [Jacob] Cowing, and we were having trade discussions [then]. So, we got down to like a minute, [then] 45 seconds and then it was going to be Jake Cowing or a linebacker.
Many NFL teams agonize over who to select when drafting the right players in later rounds. Picking an underrated player who can blossom into a starter is how championship teams are built today. Good players on cheap rookie contracts give the front office more salary cap space to sign impact free agents.
For Lynch, the back-and-forth between him and Kyle Shanahan almost caused the 49ers to forfeit their fourth-round pick for not selecting before time expired.
“Kyle and I like listening to our scouts and at this point, I’m like, ‘Kyle, we got to go,’ and he’s like, ‘No, we got 45 seconds.’ So, I said, ‘Okay, fellas show of hands. Who likes linebacker, who likes cowing?’. And it was like really close like right down the middle. And I’m like, ‘Kyle, we’re going.’ ”
“And he’s like, ‘Hold on, we got plenty of time.’ And at 30 seconds [to go] and he goes, ‘Alright like here’s why the receiver would be important, here’s why the linebacker [would be important] let’s [have] another show of hands.’ And now there’s 20 seconds and then he goes, ‘Okay, one more time throw them up.’
“I get the decision. I say ‘turn it in’ with like seven seconds left, and our guy Justin Chabat, the scout, like I give him a hard time because he’s typing like this [slow typing].
“I think we went down to like two seconds, and we got the pick in. And you can forfeit your pick. So, that was the closest call we’ve ever had, so that was a little hairy.”
Despite the close call, San Francisco walked out of the 2024 draft with an impressive haul of players, many of whom made a huge impact on the franchise in their first season in the NFL. Third-round pick Dominick Puni became one of the best rookie offensive linemen in the league, while receiver Rickey Pearsall bounced back from a gunshot wound to become a consistent starter.
Lynch and Shanahan have been closely working together ever since they joined the 49ers organization in 2017. While there have been many ups and downs since, the undeniable synergy between the two has given the franchise much-needed stability.
Now, Shanahan, Lynch and the rest of the 49ers will look towards the upcoming 2025 NFL season with a fully healthy roster and a desire to return to the playoffs.
Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast
from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/nZAsY5U
0 Comments