Hiring Adam Peters bodes well for John Lynch, 49ers

While many speculate about whether San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch’s lack of experience will hurt his chances of success, Lynch wasted no time in making a move that suggests he is smart of enough to know how to manage a lack of experience, and his hiring of Adam Peters as vice president of player personnel bodes well for John Lynch’s career as a GM and the 49ers success.

Adam Peters spent the last 8 years in Denver and most recently served as the Broncos director of college scouting and also spent 6 seasons with the New England Patriots, accumulating 3 Super Bowl rings along the way. In the press release announcing the hire, 49ers GM John Lynch had this to say:

“When it comes to stars in this industry, Adam Peters is certainly one of them. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from two incredibly successful organizations, and is one of the most respected talent evaluators in the National Football League.”

It makes sense that Lynch, who emulated John Elway as a former player who successfully transitioned to the front office, would pursue one of Elway’s most trusted confidants over the past 10 years. Lynch’s friendship with Elway led to Elway’s blessing to speak to Peters and now Peters will help John Lynch by being responsible for a role that was previously part of former GM Trent Baalke’s job.

Peters is described as having respected ability to evaluate talent, receiving credit for acquiring Von Miller, Malik Jackson and Charles Harris Jr., and his scouting acumen will likely be a welcome complement to John Lynch. It will also help that John Lynch has cultivated a positive relationship with Adam Peters prior to this hiring, possibly by his working on Broncos preseason games, and this also bodes well for the 49ers.

As a native of Cupertino, graduate of Monte Vista High School and former defensive end at UCLA, Adam Peters accepting this role with the 49ers will be a homecoming of sorts, adding another positive aspect to this transition.

While nothing is guaranteed in this business and multiple questions remain surrounding Lynch’s capabilities of being a successful GM, his hiring of Adam Peters, who some have considered to be a hot GM candidate of the future himself, may be a glimpse into a brighter future for the 49ers.