Pace vs Lynch

[adam]

I know Pace is gone, but it is interesting that he was relentlessly hounded for the Trubisky flop (rightfully so), but then also criticized for Fields as well; while during those two drafts, Lynch drafted Solomon Thomas, then traded up for Trey Lance, who now looks to go into his 3rd season as QB3 behind Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold. 

If SF drafts Mahomes in 2017 or even Watson for that matter, they probably win the SB in 2019 and have a good shot of making it back in 2021 and 2022. 

These are Lynch's 1st round picks since 2017:

2017 - 3rd Overall - Solomon Thomas
2018 - 9th Overall - Mike McGlinchey (no longer on team)
2019 - 2nd Overall - Nick Bosa
2020 - 14th Overall - Javon Kinlaw (passed on Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb).
2021 - 3rd Overall - Lance (Micah Parsons selected with pick)
2022 - traded for Lance (Cole Strange selected with pick)
2023 - traded for Lance (Bryan Bresee selected with  pick)

So in 7 drafts, Lynch basically has Nick Bosa to show for all his 1st round draft picks, with 3 picks in the top 3.

Pace was equally bad, but only had 1 pick in the top 3 (Lynch had 3), and 2 in the top 10 (Lynch had 4). The jury is still out on Fields, but if he becomes a franchise QB, Toney and Neal were worth it, and Pace's drafts were not any worse than Lynch's, yet Lynch is still the GM in SF.

17 - 2nd Overall - Trubisky (no longer on team)
18 - 8th Overall - Roquan Smith (no longer on team)
19 - traded pick for Khalil Mack (Josh Jacobs selected with pick)
20 - traded pick for Khalil Mack (Damon Arnette selected with pick)
21 - 11th Overall - Fields (Kadarius Toney selected with pick)
22 - traded for Fields (Evan Neal selected with pick)

I didn't include 2023 because it was Poles' draft.

Lastly, like we have felt in the last few years, those traded firsts eventually come back to haunt you. 

[Mongo3451]

Lynch fleeced Pace.  He's paying the price for being a dick.  Lynch is still greater guy default.

[Alaskan Grizzly]

I think an argument could be made for how horrible a coach Nagy was.  (Understand I am no Pace apologist). As you pointed out some of Pace’s choices (Smith, Mack, Fields and Floyd in 2016) were all decent picks. They were just horribly coached.  Who knows what might’ve happened had Fangio stuck around for another year or two?  Or even become HC?  Personally I’m happy with Poles and still deciding on what I think of Flus, so far so good though.