The 2016 draft trade that ultimately brought Chris Jones to Kansas City was made even sillier by the release of Joshua Garnett.
The San Francisco 49ers are admitting defeat. Rumors that the team will release former first round offensive lineman Joshua Garnett signal a waving of the white flag, a final call that they’d completely got their decisions all wrong pointing back to the 2016 NFL Draft.
If you will journey with me back to the 2016 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs were poised to select at No. 28 overall in the first round. General manager John Dorsey was on the clock when Trent Baalke, then-GM of the Niners called saying he was willing to pay the price to trade back up into the first. His goal: the selection of Stanford lineman Joshua Garnett.
The 49ers had already added DeForest Buckner with their own first round pick, and clearly Baalke’s vision was to walk away from the draft’s opening night with much stronger lines on both sides of the ball. Dorsey bit on Baalke’s request, apparently satisfied with the final price. The Chiefs gave up No. 28 overall along with their seventh round pick (No. 249) for the Niners second round (No. 37), fourth round (No. 105), and sixth round picks (No. 178).
By sliding back nine total slots, from 28 to 37, the Chiefs added considerable draft capital while still finding their man in defensive tackle Chris Jones. In addition, the Chiefs also added offensive lineman Parker Ehinger, who would later be flipped straight up for cornerback Charvarius Ward, and sixth round corner D.J. White.
Now that Garnett is on the edge of being released, the Chiefs’ end of the deal looks even sweeter given that Jones is due for an incredible payday after finishing third in the league in sacks with 15.5 in 2018. He is the anchor along a defensive front being remade under Steve Spagnuolo along with Frank Clark.
The deal was already a laugher for the Chiefs, but Garnett’s free agency only makes this a greater blemish on Baalke’s record. Not that current GM John Lynch has fared much better, but the Niners have to be glad to have turned the page from Baalke’s days in the front office.