As the 49ers and coach Jim Harbaugh move toward a divorce deemed inevitable and that no one from either party is telling the media (publicly or privately) isn’t, the question becomes Harbaugh’s next destination.
Some think he could be headed to Michigan, which could be accomplished without any special dispensation from the 49ers, since the 49ers aren’t inclined to try to keep him from leaving for a college job -- and since the 49ers believe that, legally, they may not be able to do so.
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News takes a great look at the possibility Harbaugh will head up the Bay from Santa Clara to Oakland. Kawakami raises all points and covers all bases, creating the unmistakable impression that, yes, Harbaugh would be inclined to take on yet another California fixer-upper.
Kawakami also articulates a thought that has been making the rounds as Harbaugh’s time with the 49ers has moved toward its conclusion -- Harbaugh possibly would want to bring in former 49ers personnel exec Tom Gamble as the General Manager.
Kawakami suggests trade compensation in that way some reporters sometimes do, by not actually reporting it but suggesting it in a way that suggests to the trained eye that the reporter’s speculation is rooted in at least a kernel of truth: a fourth-round draft pick.
Not enough? Hey, if Harbaugh was worth a pair of third-round picks after coming off three straight NFC title games that included one Super Bowl appearance, his value necessarily has diminished after the team’s performance in 2014. And since Harbaugh has the ability to blow up a potential trade by saying to the 49ers, “I’ll see you Monday,” the 49ers can’t afford to be greedy, if as it appears the organization is ready to move on by moving Harbaugh out.
While being traded for two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and $8 million is great for massaging and ego and building an unwarranted mystique, it’s not good for creating a consistent contender. Harbaugh won’t be interested in being traded to a team that ends up being hamstrung by the trade compensation, even if the ultimate package creates the impression that he was traded for a day-old loaf of sourdough bread. Harbaugh will want to win right away in Oakland; the less the Raiders give up to get him, the easier that will be.
