The San Francisco 49ers entered the 2018 season with playoff hopes.
How could they not with the way they ended the 2017 season by riding the arm of their newly acquired QB Jimmy Garoppolo?
But then the offseason hit and nothing went as many thought it should. With $100 million+ at their disposal, the 49ers forgot to provide their QB with the necessary weapons needed to take the next step.
There were options available, one being Odell Beckham Jr. If the 49ers would have grabbed Odell, Antonio Brown, or even DeAndre Hopkins, he still would have gone down with a season-ending injury.
But now, they get a second chance to right a wrong. The New York Giants recently inked Beckham to a five-year deal worth $90 million but the marriage may be dissolving just as fast.
This is one of those moments where the San Francisco 49ers can put their mark on the future.
Going after Beckham will show the fans and their players how serious they are about winning. What's working in their favor is that the Giants GM Dave Gettleman is trying to build a cancer-free locker room.
With that said, 49ers fans may be asking why go after the talented receiver if he's proven to be a problem on and off the field?
The answer to that is simple. Losing.
The Giants have been in a rebuild mode since Beckham arrived in 2014. Granted, he has had some incidents that have placed a dark cloud over his body or work but it's the outspokenness, especially this season that has drawn major headlines in NYC. Beckham has been critical of Eli Manning and the playcalling.
But isn't that what you want from a leader? He wants the ball. He wants to win.
The bigger issue with Beckham may be his inability to stay on the field. In five seasons, Beckham has played 56 of 80 games. That means he's missed close to two seasons of football due to injuries. And yet, the Giants still signed him to a lucrative contract.
While they may have reservations regarding his outbursts, there's no denying his talent level. In the time spent on the field, Beckham has caught 390 passes for 5476 yards and 44 touchdowns.
Now, looking at the 49ers and it's clear to see they need help at this position. We can point to the finger at the revolving door of QB's they have had in the last two seasons and blame them but a true No. 1 receiver is needed if anyone of their QB's is to stand out. As bad as Manning has been for the last 3-4 years, imagine what his stats would look like if Beckham was not in a Giants uniform.
Pair Odell Beckham with Jimmy Garoppolo next year and the 49ers are playoff bound.
This season, the 49ers had to rely on players who were better suited for spot duty. Their leading receiver Kendrick Bourne caught 42 receptions for 487 yards in 16 games.
On the flip side of that, Beckham managed 77 receptions for 1052 in 12. That's his effect even in limited action. Pair him with breakout TE George Kittle, and the 49ers will have one explosive offense.
Another thing to factor in is the 49ers ground game. This is a unit who signed Jerick McKinnon but he went down with a season-ending injury and they had to use a two-back set of Alfred Morris and Matt Breida. They managed to finish the season ranked 13th in rushing but not having that speedy back, allowed defenses to sit back in certain coverages to prevent a deep ball.
With McKinnon set to go for 2019, this will allow Garoppolo and Beckham the freedom to wreak havoc on any secondary.
But what will this cost the 49ers? In order for the Giants to give up their playmaker, the 49ers will have to surrender at least two first round picks. This is a risk the team must take.
Think about where they are and where they want to be. The 49ers can give the Giants their 2019 pick. They still have a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to make moves. Now, they may want to go O-Line but why rush it in the first? The same goes for if they wanted to grab a receiver. There is no logical reason why they shouldn't call the Giants and offer that deal.
If the future is really now and they feel they have the pieces to contend in 2019, then go all out and do what's necessary to give your team a real chance.
If that means bringing in Beckham, then so be it.
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