(09-21-2022, 05:40 PM)TheDuke007 Wrote: I didn't believe Baalke was deserving of being retained.  He had done a terrible job in San Francisco and had done nothing significant here in 2020 or 2021 to change my mind.  It also felt like he was intertwined with Urban Meyer and that it made sense for this organization to make a fresh start.  I thought there were other GM candidates in the NFL who deserved the job more and had no problem with fans who wanted to express that opinion.

That being said, once it became clear that Baalke would remain as GM, I felt we should give him a chance and hope for the best.  Some people learn from their mistakes.  It is possible to get better at your job.  I would agree that the people on here who insisted that this team would forever suck under Baalke were being too harsh on him.

I will also say that I'm not ready to throw a parade for Baalke.  It's still very to be determined.  I would remind people of the resources available to him this year:

• Huge amount of salary cap room and an owner willing to break the NFL record for the amount of money spent in free agency in an off-season.
  
• Number 1 pick in each round of the draft.
  
• Several extra draft picks.
  
• First option on any player that hit the waiver wire.
  
• A first round draft pick returning to the team who had missed all of last year with injury.
  
• A quarterback who would likely improve since he is no longer a rookie.
  
• The opportunity to hire a competent coach to replace Urban Meyer.
  

I think we could have hired virtually any qualified, competent GM and our team would be significantly improved this year given the above.  The question is whether the improvement under Baalke is more than if we had hired someone else.  We'll never know for sure because we don't know what the alternative GM would have done, but at least a better educated guess can be made as the year progresses.  It has only been two games.  I feel that our improved roster at this point is largely due to high priced free agents and first round draft picks.  To me, the good GM's separate themselves by getting production out of mid round and late round draft picks, low cost free agents, and maybe even the occasional UDFA or street free agent.  Has Baalke shown that?  At this point, I would say no, but feel that's very still to be determined.

Baalke helped build one of the strongest rosters in recent memory in SF.  He was a scout, director of player personel, vice president of player personel, and GM during there strong run and a trip to the SB.  One can argue it didnt end good but no one also knows what went on behind closed doors and no one knows him personallly.  People just read the rumors.
You still have to make the right picks and sign the right FA's.  FA's bust every year and probably more often than not.  It still remains to be seen if it was the right decision to bring him back but I really like what the foundation of this team is shaping up to be, not to mention I think he got the coaching hire right as well which is one of the most important choices a GM makes.  This was the only fan base that wanted Leftwhich as our coach, not all but there were a lot and im thankful he didnt fall for that trap.

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