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949 sats \ 18 comments \ @grayruby 19 Jul Stacker_Sports

What if? Episode #1

Testing out a new type of post.

I saw this thought experiment posted on NFL Twitter yesterday and found it interesting even though I think it was somewhat of a troll by a Packers fan.

What if the 49ers had drafted Jordan Love with pick #25 of the 2020 NFL draft instead of Brandon Aiyuk (Love went 26th)? Would they have won a Super Bowl by now?

At first glance it seems like a Brock Purdy vs Jordan Love debate but I don't think you can solely look at it that way. I think you have to consider all the draft capital the 49ers gave up to draft Trey Lance 3rd in 2021. They sent their 2021, 2022, 2023 first round picks and a 2022 third round pick to Miami to acquire Lance. That's a lot of draft capital retained to try to acquire your number 1 receiver (you don't have Aiyuk in this hypothetical) or bolster the O-Line if you didn't need to take a QB in the 2021 draft.

It's impossible to know where they would have finished in the 2020 season as Jimmy G would have likely started over Love but Jimmy G got hurt and they had a bad season (6-10). Love would have definitely gotten some good reps that year but they were riddled with other injuries as well (Bosa, Kittle etc) so they probably wouldn't have been a playoff team that year even with Love. So I don't think they win the Super Bowl.

In 2021 would they have started Love or Jimmy G? Hard to say. It would depend how well Love had played in 2020 when Jimmy G was hurt. On the regular timeline Jimmy G started and played all but 2 games as the 49ers went 10-7 and lost in the NFC Championship. This is the season that is most interesting to me as Jimmy G was not good in the playoffs and they still had the lead in the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship game but I don't know how good Love would have been as a second year QB if he had started. I am confident he could have played better than Jimmy G in the playoffs though. Do they win the Super Bowl: Maybe

In 2022 the 49ers were pretty much done with Jimmy G and Lance was pegged to be the starter but he got hurt in the second game of the year and Jimmy G took over until he got hurt as well and then Purdy took over. Love would most certainly have been QB1 this season if he had been drafted by the 49ers. They had a great team and went 13-4 this year. Assuming he did not get hurt I expect Love would have had a stellar season working with the 49ers offensive weapons (assuming they used the draft capital at some point to get a #1 receiver). The 49ers lost to the Eagles in the NFC championship game this year but Purdy got hurt early in the game. Would things have been different with Love (if he didn't get hurt). I think so. I also have to assume they would have been able to bolster the OLine with the extra draft capital they had the years prior if they didn't trade for Lance. I think the 49ers would have won this game if Purdy didn't get hurt so I also assume they would have won it they had Love as QB. But could they have beat the Chiefs and Mahomes and win the Super Bowl: Maybe

In 2023 the 49ers went 12-5 and made it all the way to OT of the Super bowl before losing to the Chiefs. They beat Jordan Love and the Packers along the way but really didn't play that well in the playoffs until the first half against the Chiefs. They couldn't overcome Mahomes magic though. Would things have been different with Love. Hard to say. Purdy played well in the SB and gave the team the lead late in the 4th and OT. He missed a couple reads on blitzes he should have hit but the OLine was horrible down the stretch of that game. Love would definitely have had more reps under his belt by this time if he was with the 49ers and would have worked with the line and offensive weapons for longer too. Do they win the Super Bowl: toss up.

Overall simply for the fact that they likely would have had more chances (assuming no injuries to Love) I do think the 49ers would have won one of these super bowls if they had drafted Jordan Love instead of Brandon Aiyuk provided they had used the extra draft capital to draft or acquire a top receiver and bolster the OLine. Nothing against Purdy. He will get another crack at it. Love would have just had a couple more chances by now, so it is more likely they would have won one of them.

What do you guys think?

Sats for all, GR

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104 sats \ 3 replies \ @BlokchainB 19 Jul

I think one thing you are overlooking is the salary cap. Purdy is making peanuts and it appears that SF is bout to cut bait with Brandon due to the cap. Jordan had some time to develop and last year was his breakout year but honestly I don’t think it would’ve mattered much. SF under Shanahan has had a strong running game and great defense but I think the outcome would remain the same with Jordan.

100 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 19 Jul

If you draft Love then you avoid trading lots of high picks for Lance

Avoiding the Lance trade would have been use

Love would have thrived under Kyle Shanahan who makes it easy for young quarterbacks.

But the one that got away was in 2019. Part of it was on the referees. Chiefs got away with a lot of holding in the 4th quarter. Kyle stopped running the ball up 3 and down 4.

13 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby OP 19 Jul

They definitely should have won in 2019 but that was Mahomes coming out party. He turned into superman in that 4th quarter and hasn’t looked back since.

13 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby OP 19 Jul

Contract is definitely a factor but Love wasn’t that expensive either. I think his cap hit was around 4M last year. I just think Love would have had a couple more shots at it having been drafted a couple years earlier and the draft capital saved by not needing to draft Lance would have helped in other areas.

Ultimately who knows, might have been the same outcome or worse but that’s why it’s a fun thought experiment.

82 sats \ 6 replies \ @BitcoinAbhi 19 Jul

What if Baseball were Cricket??

66 sats \ 3 replies \ @Athena 20 Jul

Haha! What if India were America!!

There's no objection to imagination anywhere!!

Play Cricket with Baseball rules and Baseball with Cricket rules!!

34 sats \ 2 replies \ @grayruby OP 20 Jul

Baseball and cricket were both popular in America and then baseball took off as it was seen as more American and cricket was seen as more British. So not really a completely implausible what if that it would have gone the other way.

116 sats \ 0 replies \ @Athena 20 Jul

I think Baseball started as a symbolic revolt against the British! It makes sense because the emergence of Baseball in America is close to 1776!

61 sats \ 0 replies \ @Coinsreporter 20 Jul

If that 'would have gone the other way', the biggest sports in the world not be Football! It shall be Cricket and Virat Kohli will be CR of Cricket!!

24 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby OP 19 Jul

That’s an interesting thought experiment. What if the US chose cricket instead of baseball for its preferred batted ball sport.

61 sats \ 0 replies \ @Coinsreporter 19 Jul

Can you imagine how cool baseball bats would look in the hands of Kohli and Rohit??

63 sats \ 5 replies \ @Undisciplined 19 Jul

Squandering first round picks sure is haunting, isn't it?

Love didn't get many opportunities until Rodgers left, but he didn't play well in the opportunities he got. That's my recollection at least. If he needed that much development, it's possible he fills in for Jimmy G and looks so bad that they end up drafting Purdy anyway.

Still, I'll say that they most likely would have won a Super Bowl. They've been so close for all of these seasons that any marginal improvement might have put them over the top. I'd also say that if the past four seasons were somehow replayed, the 49ers probably win a Super Bowl.

82 sats \ 4 replies \ @grayruby OP 19 Jul

Love took a lot of time to develop in the system they were running for Rodgers who was a veteran MVP caliber QB. Hard to step in. 49ers offense is complex but the weapons and running game really help a young QB. I do think Love would have performed well earlier if he was with the 49ers.

I agree. If you were to replay the last few seasons 49ers would win at least one.

It’s fun to do these thought experiments. If you think of one we should do it again.