It’s a tough year to have the No. 2 overall pick. The 49ers could conceivably find themselves in a position where they’re on the clock and uncomfortable using the second pick on any of the available prospects. They might also be enamored with a player they think they can get later in the first round.
Regardless of how the pre-draft process shakes out, 49ers general manager John Lynch will certainly receive inquiries about the second overall pick. His willingness to deal it will depend entirely on the return, and the players available after Arizona selects first.
Let’s head to a hypothetical world take a look at what some deals for the No. 2 overall selection in this year’s draft might look like:
Raiders try to make up for lost Mack
Raiders get: Nos. 2, 221
49ers get: Nos. 4, 24, 100
The Raiders and 49ers are both in a position where they just need high-quality talent. That was part of the Raiders’ strategy behind stockpiling three Round 1 picks. In a desperation move to reacquire the edge rush presence they lost in Khalil Mack, they move up two spots to take the best edge rusher available while unloading one of their additional first-round picks and a fourth-round choice.
Meanwhile, San Francisco moves back two spots and snags an extra first and a fourth to make up for the fifth-round pick they dealt for Laken Tomlinson. The only way the 49ers cut this deal is if they’re confident in the amount of depth in the EDGE class, and are confident in the player they’ll get at No. 4 instead of No. 2. This is a big risk for the 49ers considering the optics of moving back and passing on the best available edge rusher, but the extra first and fourth should allow them to maneuver and put together a more complete draft class overall in a time where they need top-end talent.
Giants leap for quarterback
Giants get: No. 2
49ers get: Nos. 6, 37, 133, future first, future third
This seems like a lot for the Giants to give up, but that’s the price of doing business for the No. 2 overall pick. When Philadelphia moved up from No. 8 to No. 2 in the 2016 draft they unloaded Nos. 8, 77 and 100 plus a 2017 first and 2018 second. The jump isn’t as high and the 49ers aren’t throwing in an additional pick, so the cost comes down a bit.
It’s a heavy cost, but the Giants have to figure out their quarterback situation quick. This year’s quarterback class probably isn’t deep enough to sit back and wait for one to fall, especially with Tampa Bay picking directly ahead of them and possibly needing a quarterback. It’s a huge jump for the Giants, but that’s the kind of splash they need to make if they’re going to find their way back to relevance soon.
On the 49ers’ side this again comes down to faith in this year’s EDGE class, but it could also mean they’re eyeing a different position in Round 1. They stockpile an extra second-round selection, along with a fifth and New York’s first-round selection next season. That’s a good haul for Lynch that will allow the 49ers’ to have some flexibility on Days 2 and 3 in order to reel in more high-end talent.
Buccaneers loudly end Jameis Winston era
Buccaneers get: Nos. 2, 163
49ers get: Nos. 5, 39, 101, future 1st
A move like this would signal a massive change coming in Tampa Bay under new head coach Bruce Arians. With quarterback Jameis Winston entering the final year of his rookie deal, Arians may decide to make a play for a QB he can groom at No. 2 instead. This follows a similar philosophy to the Giants in an attempt to simply get ahead of the field in the race for the best quarterback in this year’s draft class.
A jump from No. 5 to No. 2 is costly, but it would be worth it if it meant finding a franchise quarterback Arians can attach himself to while he turns the beleaguered Bucs around. There’s some talent on the Tampa Bay roster that could greatly benefit from more consistent quarterback play.
For the 49ers this trade again puts them in a position to grab a top-five talent while also adding additional picks in 2019 and 2020. Their price to move back should be pretty steep considering they’d move behind the Raiders and Jets, both teams with similar needs at the top of their priority lists to San Francisco.
Broncos finally make effort to solve QB issue
Broncos get: No. 2
49ers get: Nos. 10, 41, 72, future first, future second
Denver’s had quarterback issues since Peyton Manning departed. With 30-year-old Case Keenum as their only answer under contract, John Elway needs to find a long-term option under center. He taps former teammate John Lynch to try and get a deal done to leapfrog all the other QB needy teams to the second pick.
Elway and Lynch’s prior relationship comes with an advantage for the Broncos, who wind up paying getting a little bit of a discount for the 49ers to move back eight spots.
A move back this far for San Francisco would mean a couple things. Either they’re very confident in the EDGE class, or they filled their need at that spot in free agency. There’s also a scenario where the 49ers are eyeing a different position in the first round and believe their player will be around at No. 10.
This is probably too big of a jump backward for the 49ers, but if they do move back to 10, they’ll have to have a perfect draft to justify sliding backward eight spots.
A new day in Jacksonville
Jaguars get: No. 2, 67
49ers get: Nos. 7, 69, 103, Jalen Ramsey
Let’s get weird!
Ramsey and the Jaguars had a tough season following their trip to the AFC championship game. During the season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Ramsey’s name could come up in offseason trade talks.
This deal kills two birds with one stone. Jacksonville gets to jump up to the No. 2 overall pick to finally get a quarterback to supplant Blake Bortles, and they unload Ramsey as he enters the fourth year of his rookie deal. They also get to move up a couple spots in the third round.
San Francisco moves back five spots, but they fill a need by adding arguably the NFL’s best corner in Ramsey, and they have him under contract for two years. Picking seventh isn’t ideal for San Francisco, but it does offer them the chance to snag a top-10 player while also adding an established, elite cornerback. Perhaps the Jags don’t wind up looking to move Ramsey, but the 49ers could certainly be a destination if they do.
