49ers mailbag: Is a Julio Jones trade possible? Could RG III mentor Lance? Sherm return?

Take a deep breath. The draft is over and the 49ers have their new quarterback Trey Lance taken with the No. 3 pick. All the speculation, forecasting and drama is over and we can start putting the puzzle pieces together ahead of the 2021 season.

So how about a collective “namaste” before this week’s mailbag?

Good? OK, let’s go.

Josh asks: What would you trade for Julio Jones to get him in a 49ers jersey? I feel like that would fix the receiver room but I wouldn’t give up anymore then a third. Just because he is up there in age and he’s injury prone.

So the Falcons reportedly took calls about trading Jones ahead of last week’s draft, though nothing has come of it because of Jones’ contract. He’s due to make $15.3 million, $11.5 million and $11.5 million in base salary over the next three seasons, respectively. He’ll be 34 in 2023, when the deal runs out. He missed seven games last season due to a hamstring issue.

I probably wouldn’t trade much more than the team gave the Broncos for Emmanuel Sanders (a third- and fourth-round pick while getting Sanders and a fifth in return) or for Trent Williams to Washington (a third and a fifth). Jones’ age, cost and injury concerns would prevent me from offering more than a second-round pick for him. More likely would be two mid-round selections.

And if that’s all he’s worth, would it really make sense for the Falcons to deal him? They just drafted tight end Kyle Pitts, indicating they’re all-in on the last two or three years of Matt Ryan’s tenure at quarterback. It would have made more sense to trade Jones had the team drafted a rookie quarterback to start the rebuilding project.

I think trading Jones would require Jones being willing to rework his contract to go somewhere to win. He might decide to cut his pay (and get rid of the last two years on his contract) because he thinks the 49ers give him a better shot at a Super Bowl than staying in Atlanta. On the other hand, he’d be forfeiting roughly $23 million with no guarantee he could make that money back.

I wouldn’t rule it out entirely. The 49ers would have one of the best receiving corps in the NFL with Jones added to Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Plus coach Kyle Shanahan decided against drafting a receiver for the first time in his tenure (the 49ers have drafted at least one receiver in each draft since 2002!). There’s certainly room for another talented pass-catcher.

It would also likely take Jimmy Garoppolo’s contract being removed from the books in order to fit Jones into the team’s salary cap structure. That would take Shanahan feeling comfortable enough with Trey Lance to be the starter Week 1 plus another team being willing to take on Garoppolo and whatever is left of his contract. That’s a lot of moving parts.

Is it likely? No. But it’s not impossible, either.

SportyMiner asks: The roster is pretty complete, albeit we could do with some more quality depth at defensive back and receiver. Who would be on YOUR shortlist fit us to sign in the final throws of FA?

Cornerback Casey Heyward Tuesday afternoon reportedly reached an agreement to sign with the Raiders, so that would rule out one of the top options available. Would Bashaud Breeland be a fit? What about Justin Bethel or Neiko Thorpe?

The choices aren’t great at receiver either. Larry Fitzgerald might be the best option, but it sounds like he would only play with the Cardinals if he decides to come back in 2021. I don’t think Golden Tate is worth signing unless an injury comes up during training camp.

The 49ers might be out of luck if they’re looking for a significant contributor after the draft.

Chris asks: Over/Under on how many games Jimmy G starts this season assuming he is on the roster for all of 2021?

I’ll say 3.5.

As I wrote Tuesday, I think Lance should start sooner rather than later. I expect him to pick up the offense quickly, based on what I’ve heard about his intelligence and football acumen, and think it’s important to get him game reps as soon as possible. There’s only so much developing he can do while on the sidelines and he only has 318 college pass attempts under his belt.

I tend to think Shanahan has already drawn up plays in his head to use Lance’s athleticism and running ability. I imagine the offense could look something like what the Ravens run with Lamar Jackson, but with a more traditional passing offense attached to it. If there’s someone who can put training wheels on the offense and still help his team win games, it’s Shanahan.

I’d be surprised if Lance isn’t the starter by October at the latest.

Niners4Ever asks: Who do you think slot WR will be? Someone on the roster, or a vet like Tate?

I think it will start with Richie James Jr. He has the most experience at that spot in Shanahan’s offense the last few seasons now that Kendrick Bourne’s in New England. Plus we saw what he could do when he was a focal point during that November loss to the Packers when he recorded 184 yards on nine catches. Perhaps his numbers would be more consistent if he were given a greater opportunity.

The 49ers would love for Jalen Hurd to be the guy after missing his first two NFL seasons with back and knee injuries. He’s the team’s biggest and most physical wideout, particularly as a blocker. Travis Benjamin will be in the mix after opting out last season, as will undrafted rookie Austin Watkins, the cousin of Sammy Watkins.

The team’s decision not to draft a slot receiver might be one of the more perplexing decisions they made last week. Regarding Tate, I guess the team could kick the tires. But I wouldn’t count on him being a much better option than the guys already on the roster.

Brandon asks: Sherm seems to be having a rough go of free-agency. What are the chances he ends up back in SF?

As I reported in February, I don’t believe they’re great. The 49ers seem set to go another direction and Sherman, at his age and cost, doesn’t appear to have much of a market.

Could that change? Potentially. But I think it’s unlikely San Francisco would bring Sherman back after the recurring calf/achilles injuries cost him 11 games last season. Sadly, we might never see Sherman play at his signature high level again.

But if there’s good news, it might be that Sherman eventually lands a television deal somewhere. Sherman is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met when it comes to football (or anything, really), and he would be a huge asset to any network and its audience.

Eric asks: Do u see the 49ers singing Robert Griffin III as a mentor (to Trey Lance)?

Um, no.

Griffin apparently made the pitch this week after San Francisco drafted Lance. And I guess there’s logic given he excelled in Shanahan’s offense back when he was a the No. 2 draft pick in 2012.

But I don’t think Lance needs Griffin to help learn the offense. Garoppolo should be good enough as a mentor, for however long he’s around, and there will be plenty of voices in his ear. Griffin likely wouldn’t be a free agent if he were good enough to be on an NFL roster and the 49ers already have a relatively crowded quarterback room with Josh Johnson, Josh Rosen and Nate Sudfeld behind Garoppolo and Lance.