Trent Baalke is having a monster year.
On Friday, the 49ers extended his contract through the 2016 season, this coming a few weeks after he won the NFL’s Executive of the Year award.
Almost every move he made in 2011 worked out. It was like he was on a heater at a craps table in Vegas and he was hitting ten the hard way over and over again.
Here are the top-five things he did that made his past 12 months such a monster.
5. Let Takeo Spikes walk. Spikes was a free agent and the leader of the defense. He figured to be one of the first players Baalke resigned. But the Chargers offered him a three-year contract worth just $9 million, and Baalke didn’t match it, surprisingly. Instead, he turned the inside linebacker job over to his third round pick from 2010, NaVorro Bowman, who had started one game in his brief NFL career and was set to earn $490,000 in 2011. Bowman ended up the seventh-leading tackler in the league and an All-Pro.
4. Let Aubrayo Franklin walk. For four years he was the Niners’ nose tackle – an essential position on their 3-4 defense. Like Spikes, he seemed to be a player Baalke just had to re-sign. But he didn’t. Instead, he gave Ray McDonald a five-year $20 million contract extension and let Franklin sign with the Saints for one year, $4 million. McDonald had only started nine games in his four-year career. Letting Franklin walk shook up the whole line. It moved Isaac Sopoaga to nose tackle (he had been playing end), and it made McDonald a starter. Some wondered if the Niners D-line would be as good as it was in the past, Well, they were better against the run, and they got a better pass rush, too – McDonald had 8 sacks in the regular season and playoffs combined.
3. Let Dashon Goldson try to walk. Baalke offered him a five-year deal and he turned it down, thinking he could get more. He couldn’t. No one wanted him. So he came back to Baalke and signed a one-year, $1 million contract, and then he had his best season as pro, intercepting six passes and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. Whenever Goldson didn’t play, the Niners pass defense looked poor. Backup free safety Madieu Williams was too slow to cover ground, and Reggie Smith took poor angles to passes. Goldson brought the pass defense together with his size and speed, and he was Baalke’s second-biggest bargain behind Bowman.
2. Sign Carlos Rogers. Baalke cut Nate Clements before the season started to save money, so he needed a new No. 1 cornerback. Nnamdi Asomugha was the obvious choice, but the Eagles signed him to a five-year, $60 million contract. Johnathan Joseph was a good Plan B, but the Texans signed him to a five-year, $48.75 million contract. Baalke needed to find a corner all the other GMs were overlooking. He found Carlos Rogers. He gave him a one-year, $4.25 million contract, and then Rogers had a better season than both Asomugha and Joseph. Rogers caught six interceptions and made the Pro-Bowl. On first and second down, he covered the opponent’s No. 1 receiver and on third down he covered the slot guy. He did both very well, which is rare. He was the perfect cornerback signing in 2011.
1. Draft Aldon Smith. This pick made some fans irate. It was a reach, they said. The 49ers could have traded back and gotten him. They should have drafted the cornerback from Nebraska, Prince Amukamara.
Aldon Smith was a project, these fans explained. He was a defensive end in college. Baalke was drafting him to play 3-4 outside linebacker. With no offseason, there was no chance Smith could contribute in 2011, and so he was a waste of a pick.
But, then he almost broke the rookie record for sacks, finishing with 16 including the playoffs. He didn’t even play that much – just in Nickel and Dime formations as a pass rusher. That was all the Niners needed from him his rookie year. He gave them the pass rush that transformed their defense from good to great, and he will rival Patrick Willis as the team’s MVP for years to come.
Honorable mention: Signing David Akers. He broke the NFL record for most field goals in a season (44), and he also broke the 49ers record for most points in a season (166). Baalke signed him to a three-year, $9 million contract before the season, the same contract the Chargers gave Spikes. Once again, Baalke spent his money wisely.
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Standing ovation. Spectacular list and a great achievement to go from 6-10 to 13-3 plus a playoff win. Now a little extra helping of offense, please. Cant wait to see what Baalke and Harbaugh do in the next few years.
Agreed. Standing ovation. Thanks, Baalke. Keep it up.
Interesting story about Akres, he had a very sick kid and lost 3.7 million to a ponzi scheme. Glad he got a 9 million contract to make up for that.
Grant, good read. You forgot perhaps the biggest move…hiring JH. Hiring JH was a collaborative effort between JY and TB, but “technically”, it was TB’s decision and he should get some of the credit. Nevertheless, a top 2011 move getting the Coach of the Year.
Good point there.
How do you give a guy credit for hiring the hottest coach of the offseason? Give credit for luring JH, but not for deciding to hire him.
The decision was easy, but the way they negotiated with JH and convinced him that this was the best option for him to become the HC definitely deserves some recognition.
Remember Miami flying in at the last minute trying to offer him more money?
Trent and Jed did a great job landing the hottest coaching pick up on the market. That was the best offseason acquisition by Baalke, bar none.
Nice.
This is a very small nit to pick, which may just be wording.
“Instead, he turned the inside linebacker job over to his third round pick from 2010, NaVorro Bowman, who had started one game in his brief NFL career …” Didn’t he really provide a roster with Grant and Bowman as candidates and the couching staff turned the job over to Bowman?
Yes, #1 was signing Harbaugh, from which all good things sprung.
Balke has earned the trust of 49er fans, to the extent that when he makes some decisions in the coming months – not signing this player, not bidding on that free agent – the fans will give him a lot less grief than they would have a year ago.
Are you kidding? Fans will always find something to complain about and they will continue to howl and nitpick irrationally. That’s just par for the course.
..and Baalke almost made the worst decision of the year. He wanted to cut Alex Smith.
It always comes back to Harbaugh..nobody is GM of the year or MVP or comeback player OTY,or stadium approvals..without the H-man. I will even go as far to say that if not for the strike Harbaugh would have seen his crew of no talent recivers and solved that problem in a way Baalke couldn’t.
“No talent recievers?” Riiiiight Dude.
Spikes was overrated; I was one of the few that didn’t mind letting him walk. I was a little worried about replacing Franklin with Sopoaga, but obviously that worked out just fine. I’m especially happy that it gave McDonald the opportunity to start. I was very surprised by how well Goldson played this year, and I hope we get him back. Akers was a solid acquisition.
I was very surprised with the Aldon Smith pick, and totally indifferent about it since I didn’t know much about him. I really didn’t know what to expect. Baalke and the guys proved they knew what they were doing, and I’m ecstatic that Aldon will be here for years to come. Fantastic decision to draft him.
I was pretty upset when the team didn’t sign Joseph or Richard Marshall, but thankfully we ended up with Rogers. If he comes back, I’ll be happy. My only concern is giving an aging cornerback a long-term contract.
LSX
I was the exact opposite.
I really loved TKO. His charm and charisma with that CSN Bay area news reporter lady (forgot her name right now) was classic.
I loved his neck. I loved his heart. And, he was as stout a tackler as PW. Once he got ahold of you, you were not moving forward.
I never cared for AF. He had to much in common with Hanesworth. Didn’t do anything of note until his last contract year, and became a big guy on campus. Then, he shut it down after getting a big contract and has barely been a footnote in the NFL since.
When AF’s play fell dramatically the year we franchised him, I had enough. Anybody was better in my mind than him.
I have the same fear with DG. DG was better than Madieu Williams (he really stank). He got pissed off the Niners let him go, and showed no class with his tweets towards the organization. Nobody wanted him, so its not like he was sought after by team after team. He has one good year, and I don’t know about franchising him. His attitude is just too much like AF to me.
DS,
Don’t get me wrong, Spikes was a solid player and a great leader, but he was on the downside of his career and we didn’t really need him back. The defense is better with Bowman on the field. Spikes was not a Pro Bowl linebacker anymore, and Bowman had emerged as the better player.
I aggree, Great points, I want Carlos Rodgers back but you make a good point about age.
LSX
Judging by the play I saw of Spikes and Bowman 2 seasons ago, I saw Spikes as being the better of the 2.
Of course I am a fan sitting at home, and am glad to be wrong when the team wins, and will admit I don’t know as much as TB, JH.
If the Niners were composed by a GM of my skills (any fans), the Niners would have won 1 game. And then only because the other teams bus broke down and were unable to make the game (“Wildcats” movie reference).
Actually your football knowlege is delusional and horrific.
I find it very interesting that admitting up-front that you are not as all-knowing as the HC/GM of the year is more of a negative on this blog than refusing to admit that you don’t know as much as them.
That tells peoople a lot about how you must live your lives. That this is the last place one can go and act like a big shot, refusing to admit you were wrong, and throw your abundant weight arround to the point where you think you know somebodies gender and religion.
Oh. By the way, show me a QB who won a Super Bowl in the regular season. The only reason to play the regular season is to play in the playoffs. So, please focus on playoff stats if you are comparing players who played in the playoffs and grade them accordingly upon their postseason play.
Where does AS rank among the QB’s in the playoffs?
Where does MC rank among WR’s in the playoffs?
And so forth for every player you are comparing in the playoffs.
If MC scored a TD off that 1 catch, the Niners likely win the game and Super Bowl. Then the fact he only has 1 catch in that game is not a negative. It means his catch won the game.
Their is a reason on why you are pick on more then anybody else here, and you don’t need to be Dr. Phil to figure it all out.
Think I care about what you think Neal?
I’ll give you the answer on this one.
“I don’t care about your opinion. If you say something, there is a better than good chance that the opposite is true, and that you are wrong.”
You posted more here since you said you were leaving. You can’t have more than 2 post exchange with anybody without insulting them.
Can’t just say “I disagree.” Nope. Gotta be a wuss and baby bully and start insulting them.
The group you have aligned yourself with holds 0 respect from me. So, they don’t matter to me either. If this was a voter petition proposition and their (your) signatures were on it, they would be crossed out by the state.
I have no idea what group you think that I am in, other then alot people on here, don’t have much respect fo you, your in love with AS, I am not, it is just that plain and simple.
You called yourself a hater. You wrote that to me.
Don’t make me pull a BigP and pull up a post in a past blog.
I think you should do a thing like this for Jed. His dad John killed me for three plus years and now, Jed is like Eddie “lite”
Great moves by baalke. Building through the draft and picking up great FA pieces for bargain. He Has a vision of where this team needs to be. Look for him to continue to build this team.
Sign Alex smith to a 3year 27-30 mil with half guaranteed.
Franchise goldson and try to sign him to a reasonable extension. I say 4 years 30 mil with incentitives.
Sign rogers 2 year with club option. 20-25 mil all guarnteed.(cuz he wants a 5 year deal, toss him all guaranteed for 2 years)
See if ahmad brooks can sign for 2-3 years 5-6 mill.
Draft for playmakers: WR CB TE RB
Add depth to both lines. Dline Oline
I dont see the niners dishing out bug bucks in FA. Look for key bargain pieces.
My2cent.
Sign roger to a
I agree with most of the 3 possible free agent contracts, however, with Smith 2 wit a team option on the 3rd pending how he plays. Carlos great idea, 3rd year option, first 2years all gauranteed. I think he will stay, and be happy. Goldson, Ahmad nice. But with the draft, kinda disagree! WR, CB, RG to compete with Snyder, possible start, or RT, slide Davis to RG. He’s great at the run block, pulling anyway. 4th round, FS, just incase Goldston gets hurt. 5th, Center, 6th, another WR for special teams aswell as some possible game action here and there. 7th, OLB depth, special team
Letting the over-rated Manny Lawson go and signing the center Goodwin were two moves that I liked too.
Who overrated Lawson?
Maybe Lawson overrated Lawson.
This is off the topic of the post, but y’all might be interested in this item if you haven’t seen it. It appears as if Jimmy Raye has gone back to Tampa Bay (as I recall, he was the offensive coordinator there when Steve Young was running for his life). This time he’s “senior offensive assistant” and probably will be paired with whomever they hire as offensive coordinator — what ESPN’s NFC South blogger calls “a winning formula.” http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post?id=31245
That’s funny – at least we can safely assume that Tampa’s offense will not show tremendous improvement next year.
Harsh but very funny, and I need to find reasons to laugh! Thank you!
They also hired Butch Davis as “senior defensive consultant.” I’m not sure Schiano knows what the heck he is doing.
I’ll say this for Butch Davis: at least he won a couple of Super Bowl rings with Dallas. Jimmy Raye? Nothing. I wouldn’t want to be Josh Freeman … Maybe that will want to make Harbaugh’s former University of San Diego QB Josh Johnson want to leave.
I can see a cloud of dust beginning to form in TB…good luck with the 3 & out Offense
Now TB has to cut 62. I’d rather see Kilgore as the backup at guard even though he’s very raw.
The only things he missed on were the signing of Braylon Edwards, and then not having a suitable replacement lined up when they decided to let him go.
He was hurt…that happens, not much you can do about that. Couple that with Josh being hurt too and there goes your two big wide outs.
If Edwards worked out, we may have gotten to the Super bowl, he underestimated the entire receiving corp, there was a reason on why those guy’s were on the practice squad and belonged on the practice squad, they were non factors in the games, along with not replacing Ted Ginn was a very bad mistake. Although over all the draft picks were great along with FA signing, but a huge error in judgement and dropped the ball, no pun intended at the end of the season.
Aldon was a great find, but I think the entire Niner’s draft should be #1. Everyone thought TB reached on some picks, but it turns out that he had one of the best drafts out of all the GMs. FB, CB, and pass-rushing OLB were solidified because of him.
Great point. After the draft, all of the draft analysts hand out grades, which I read for a good laugh because it’s like giving a student a grade on their test before they take the test. Anyway, they all bashed Baalke, with most of them giving him Cs, and a few Ds. Good call “experts”
Next big moves for 2012
Placing Crabtree and Gore on waivers.
Crabtree incompatible with the game of Alex Smith. Alex is Harbaugh’s Guy.
Gore is still a quality running back, but not the power speed Guy for Harbaugh’s system.
Money used to go after free agents.
Gore is still good and have 1 to 2 years left tops. Crabtree would not be waive, plenty of teams would take him for a third round draft pick, also you are not going to dump either of these guy’s unless they find someone better and that has not been determined.
Where do you pull 3rd round pick out ya arse. If anything they would allow him to shop his services and get a 1st or 2nd. He would then end up with the Steelers, Patriots, or even Packers with teams feeling he would be better with a better Q.B.
Yea right now who is talking out of his arse, the Niners would never get a first or second round pick for MC, he is a possesion receiver and was invisible in the NFC confernce game, I would think Dallas would take him, Jerry Jones loves football players from Texas. and they don’t get first or second round picks for players like MC, but a team that needs a second receiver would take him
Don’t see Crabtree reducing his salary and probably does not think highly of AS.
Brilliant, get rid of your top receiver and rusher. It’s almost as if people don’t even think about what they say sometimes.
We need to cut Crabtree and bring in Larry Fitzgerald. That will solve all of our problems.
While we are at it bring in Drew Brees too.
Neal, I brought that up this morning too. Should also bring in Colston while we’re at it. BAM!!! Instant Super Bowl!!!!!!!!
haha JH,
The Smithers probably said that Smith is better then Brees. Also I believe their is a loop hole and we can tell the NFL, Green Bay Packers, and Aaron Rodgersthat we made a mistake in the 2005 draft and we get a one time do over and get Aaron Rodgers. I see it now we can bring in Cher and we can ask her if ” I can bring back time”
Very well put BigP, especially when Harbaugh wants to keep the band together! Nothing wrong with adding a couple of shiny, snazzy new pieces to what we got! I am hoping for a top flight receiver but I don’t thing our management team well over pay for the obvious, maybe a stevie Johnson from Buffalo or mannigham from the giants. I am sure they will think it over and ponder before they say or do anything silly, this coming from me who hasdiffently put their foot in their mouth over the years.
Good point Big P. You keep them, and try to bring in someone better. A better running back, you let Dixon or Norris go. A better receiver you let Swain, Hastings, or Williams go.
rebelscum74&at49,
I agree with both of you. It’s about tweaking the recipe, not starting over. Get a Gore type back to take some of the load off of him and a WR. I personally like Vincent Jackson the most out of the FA WR’s, but I don’t think they are going to get into a bidding war for anybody. It will be interesting to see how things shake out.
Interesting idea…I’d trade Crabtree’s cap space in a heartbeat for Colston, Bowe, or V Jackson. How about Marshawn Lynch for Gore?
Crabtree probably just needs to be moved to the slot. He is better suited there.
@MidWestNiner
I agree; we need a bona fide #1 butt kicker WR (FA), use Joshua Morgan as our #2, MC as our slot, and a big fast WR in the draft or
another quality FA as backup. Sign Snyder, and Fleener if available. Our DB’s are good and young. Mr. Baalke, sign Rogers and DG. We might not lose for the next 3 years….
How about two ass kicking bona fide receievers, trade Crabtree for a third round draft pic and use Morgan as a third receiever, if he can stay healthy.
@Oregon
It is my understanding that the slot guy needs to run perfect routes more so than the guys on the outside. Welker, isn’t he a slot guy? And isn’t he known for running perfect routes?
MC has had his route running questioned pretty much his whole career. Maybe he does run perfect routes. I don’t know. But, for the rumor to persists after 3 years…that might mean something.
DS,
You might like this article.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3531059
Who cares about college?
That was like 3 years ago. Irrelevant from today.
Nicks was not even drafted after college. Shows what this guy and a bunch more like him know.
I just think Crabtree needs his contract restructured. He is at best a #2 WR and needs to be paid as such.
His salary for 2012 is 3.5 million, he does get paid like a #2. Let your hate for Crabs go. If you can stick by a QB that finally showed signs of compatency in his seventh season, you should be able to support a WR that has gotten better each season while facing the same circumstances.
I’d wait until training camp to make a decision. If he pulls a “Practice? OW! My foot!” again then the team needs to seriously consider moving him out.
The team needs to be cautious though. I’d hate to see another Miami vs. Welker scenario.
He needs to participate in training for there to be any kind of rapport between him and AS. If he doesn’t, then he could potentially lose his starting job to the WR(s) the Niners bring in. He also needs to try to avoid any type of injury.
@midwest
The Niners won’t pay MC his contract money if he is not a starting WR. I don’t see them keeping the guy around if he can’t start.
Crabs isn’t going anywhere, get used to him.
Until we find someone better Crabs he is staying.
That’s what I mean. He needs to either prove he is worth #1 WR money, take a pay cut, or be released. I am hoping he takes a pay cut and THEN prove that he is really worth #1 WR money.
@midwest
He sat out of games going into his rookie year.
MC does not seem like the kind of guy who will take a paycut and face possible demotion. He must know the Niners are looking for WR’s big time and that does not bode well for him.
That is a rare trait. Only guys like AS have that. I would be more than mildly shocked and happy if MC chose to do that. It would be the first time where I feel he chooses the team over himself.
Smith took a paycut in lieu of being waived, not for the “good of the team” as you say.
Those three teams wouldn’t even try to trade a first or second round pick with anybody. That just isn’t their style.
Rest in Peace Whitney Houston you were incredibly talented but crack got the best of you. Still very sad.
Damn, that is sad. She was one of the most talented musicians I have ever heard. She really had a beautiful voice. Rest in peace….
I saw her in Concert, and she was amazing, second to none in the 1991 Super bow lsinging the National Anthem and love her in the Body Guard.
Best national anthem ever.
I agree! Loved the music, sorry that a lot of her choices in life kept her from making even more beautiful songs, Lot of people do not realize how lucky or fortunate or get in situations that become a slippery slope, More life lessons for me. BigP her voice was and is amazing I will be a little more sad when ever I hear her songs in the future, I believe she has children and I am sad for them.
There were many long faces in 49erland when Aldon Smith was selected. I felt the same way until I checked him on YouTube. He played all over the field, ran sideline to sideline and even played defensive tackle. For Baalke to make so many good moves shows much more than luck. Can’t wait see what moves he makes this off season.
Baalke should get extra credit for the Aldon Smith pick. That was a gutsy move for a green GM. He could have played it safe and gone with a consensus pick like Amukamara but he went with the guy he believed in.
I know that this is a football blog, but I must take a moment to recognize a true American and international talent who left us today.
A natural talent. In a business now filled with unskilled singers who use miming backtracks and vocal audio-tuning equipment, she was able to make it sound so incredibly easy. The ‘great ones’ always make it look and sound easy. Her music will live forever. Her SB rendition of the National Anthem stands as one of the best renditions ever!
Rest in peace Ms. Whitney Houston
Well said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupsPg5H6aE&feature=related
Thank you Big P.
If the NFL would ever have an award for the best National Anthem sung at a Superbowl, Whitney would have it hands-down.
I enjoyed all of her songs, but the one that brought a tear to my eyes was the song she sang in the movie with Denzel Washington “The Preachers Wife” I believe it was entitled “I Love the Lord”?
The best singer ever !!
Me too Andrew, Even though I follow this stuff too much, I am sure we will still be surprised, a little shocked and maybe even dissapointed at first even if in the end they become great choices. Just think what a year makes, The Colts were ranked as an older but elite team, They have the first pick in the draft, The Ninners were being mocked and riddiculed and we pick almost last. You never know!
RIP Whitney. She must have been filled with self hate..and self medicated. Along with no children..a sign of her not wanting to share her pain.
She had a daughter Stan.
Ah jeez, I didnt know. Sorry.
Just like her Parent’s in and out of rehab, she is 18.
I will freely admit I was roasting Baalke over the coals for his off season moves during the pre-season. He let key players go, didn’t make a good enough offer to Goldson, didn’t land any of the high profile free agents. I was furious.
He – and the great coaching talents if JH – proved me wrong. And I am very, very happy to have been that wrong :)
Well Put! I felt the same way!
Baalke,top move of 2012 not re signing Alex smith
Not gonna happen
Mr. Baalke meet Mr. Soft…Follow up last years brilliant moves with an encore performance to push this team over the top and on to another dynasty.
Since I only read about the Niners and don’t watch much “live” interviews and such, I still don’t know how to pronounce his name
It’s pronounced the same as Cousin Balki from Perfect Strangers.
“Ball-key”
And just like when Cousin Balki baked his bibby bobkas, TB has proven that it is best to slow down and get it right. If you do it to quick the results will make you sick
The NFL Network is showing all the Super Bowls, 49ers-Dolphins right now. That second quarter might be the best in 49er SB history.
JEREMY LIN!..five wins in a row. How many times have the Warriors won five in a row with Monta or Curry or under Riley?..And what did Lacob expect when he re hired the whole gang of idiots that made the mess known as Golden State? From Fitz to Riley, Lacob again followed the definition of INSANITY when he should have done some LINSANITY!
We’ve been asking the Warriors to do this forever it seems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDH9Jq5AWkQ
No wonder I luck you people and this blog so much. I have been a long suffering Warrior fan for ever, I was 6 when they won in 75 so I remember nothing. Giants and Ninners have been great, lean years in between, nothing like the Warrior drought, The Run TMC days, Webber and Spree , then the Big Flee, and nothing and one great Baron Davis year. I am happy for Jeremy Linn but what a mess we are stuck with. Hope right:?
@Stan
Not following much on the NBA anymore.
But I remembered all the hypes about Anthony Morrow years back.
This J. Lin hype is to another level because it’s New York.
Anyway. Lin looks to be a good player and potentially a VERY good player but it’s only 5 games. More he plays, people are taking more notes.
Morrow had a few insane games too but mostly he’s average. People has figured his game out.
So I’m not buying into the Lin hype just yet. Smart coaches are going to adjust to his game or from now, put better defenders on him.
Maybe. But Lin has won at every level,improved at every level. And when Stoudamire and Anthony come back..thats just more weapons for Lin to “assist”
He seems adaptable for any team that like he says “Wants to win”. The Warriors wish they were winners..but they dont want it.
Trent did have a monster year…no doubt. The Braylon Edwards thing did not work out, but I’ll give him a pass on that one considering all of the decisions that did work out. I hope he can continue that streak of sound decision making.
It was a low risk signing with the possibility of really helping the team. I don’t look at it as a bad signing, it just didn’t work out. If anything, it should be a cautionary tale about FA WR’s. If a guy can’t get it together when he’s playing for a contract, what is he going to do after he get’s paid? All of the FA WR’s have question marks, which is why Edwards was available in the first place.
Greg Roman now has 1 yr under his belt as a offensive coordinator, although he is better then Jimmy Raye, and made some brilliant play calling in the first and fourth quarter in the Saints game and at times in the regular season, he like Alex Smith and Crabtree need’s to step up his game, his call playing was very inconsistent and will give him average grade, when you have a QB like Smith, everything has to be right, the stars need to be aligned and the play calling has to be spectacular, Smith is like a soldier who takes order’s, if the order’s are great he will suceed, if they are not he will fail , like the NFC conference game, 1-13 on third down attempts and 4 and out in the 4th quarter, that is not going to cut it. Smith does not have the abilty, and the smart’s to audible or make something out of nothing. He is no Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning on defense reads, he has very poor reads on what the defense is showing. If the primary play the receiever is covered, he does not have the abilty and the talent to improvise, yea next season will be a big test, with better receievers and hopefully Roman making better calls because of the limitations of AS. Rated the 19th best QB from a Trent Dilfer Espn column.
I applaud Baalke! He did the best job in the league this year, NE notwithstanding. Aldon Smith is a beast, along with Justin Smith, Reggie Smith and Alex Smith. We should play some “Smiths” songs at home games to bring that point home. Great job Jed York.
Yes he is going a great job! Now all we need to to sign FAs and bring in one or two FA WRs and if we dont sign out FAs on D we need to get replacements if we dont sign the big ones Mr York and the front office rocks. GO 49ers
TB is great because he let Nate Clements and Manny Lawson walk. Thats good enough.
I always kind of liked Lawson. He wasn’t the pass-rush artist everyone wanted but he was solid against the run and very good in coverage. He had a great year for the Bengals – maybe going back to a 4-3 defense was what he needed.
I agree on Mr. Bite-On-Every-Double-Move-Ever Clements though.
Msc….Lawson = Always injured. It got old real fast. And he was brought here to sack the QB. He failed. So I was glad to see a change.
That’s a bit harsh md. Lawson missed a season with a ruptured achilles but otherwise wasn’t injured often at all. His last two years with the 49ers he started all 16 games and he started all 16 for the Bengals this year.
He is not by any means a good pass rusher. No argument there. He is very good in coverage against tight ends and solid at setting the edge against the run. Basically, he’s a younger Takeo Spikes.
When Lawson tackled, he didn’t stop the offensive player in his tracks like Takeo did here, or like PW.
That offensive player may move a yard or so more forward with Lawson. Don’t see that happen with PW.
@msc
A first round pick needs to make an impact. I forget where exactly Lawson was drafted overall, but at that position, you need to produce. VD, PW, Aldon Smith…those guys produced. Lawson, not even close. A 3rd round pick guy would be expected to produce like Lawson. A 1st rond pick has to produce more. The same issue is true right now of MC. Top 10 overall pick, need to be out of this world great. He isn’t.
“The same issue is true right now of MC. Top 10 overall pick, need to be out of this world great. He isn’t.”
Smith was #1 overall, shouldn’t he be “out of this world great?” Hypocrisy at it’s finest.
6TD in the playoffs
0 Int
One playoff appearance in seven seasons. 5/28 3rd down conversions in the playoffs. That is your definition of “out of this world”? Right. Crabs has actually improved every year in the league, unlike your boy. Smith wasn’t even the best QB in the first round.
6TD,0INT
1 win, 1 loss, 1-13 on third downs, too many worm burners to count…PRICELESS!
Then we have Alex Smith, never thrown a 3oo yard game and a number 1 draft pick , are you kidding me. 1-13 in third downs in the most important game of his life, career 68 touch downs 58 interceptions career stats. Now that is a number one draft choice. Only two playoff games in 7 years, played well in one, was horrific in the other.
@msc…. No he wasnt a good pass rusher. Thats why our secondary would get shredded. The QB could have eatin a Subway sammy back there. And his coverage skills werent that great either. His speed was. I got tired of him real quick. Oh well He’s gone now. So it doesnt matter, and were sacking those QB’s now off of that side. TB did his job. =-)
Wow, that list is pretty bad.
Here’s the correct list, sorry Cohn.
*#7 – Drafting Kendall Hunter / Culliver – Those guys will be stars
*#6 – Letting Franklin walk doesn’t make the list because, let’s be honest, we have so much D-line depth, that this was a little more of an obvious decision. It was smart, but less risky.
#5 – Letting Spikes Walk/Believing in Bowman. And you’re incorrect about your Chargers comment, by the way. Spikes had made many comments at the start of the offseason alluding to the 49ers not re-signing him. It was clear that the 49ers didn’t want to re-sign him long before the Chargers offered him a contract. So, this is more to Baalke’s credit. He already knew Bowman was gonna be the man.
#4 – Carlos Rogers (He’s below Akers because he had less of an impact. We had decent backups, Culliver, Brown, and a good pass rush.)
#3 – Signing David Akers (How many games did we win by his FIELD GOALS?)
#2 – Drafting Aldon Smith
#1 – Signing Harbaugh. Duh. Come on! Do you remember all the teams fighting over Harbaugh, trying to sign him, and Baalke was the one who was able to sway him???
The only thing Baalke missed on this year was the WR position. Edwards bombed out and we had NO depth towards the end of the season. That’s the only bad thing he wiffed on this season.
How about meanest remark of the year? John Lund laughing while pointing out the irony of Takeo becoming a 49er the year after their last playoff appearence,then goes to San Diego years later while remarking “It’s nice to play for a QB (Rivers) who can carry a team”..all before the 49ers make the playoffs again. San Diego never made the playoffs.
That Lund is soooo mean-lol.
……we do have a potentially good WR on the squad…..
“Receiver Dontavia Bogan: The 6-foot, 192-pound Bogan was the biggest name of all the undrafted free-agent receivers the team signed in July. Bogan was a second-team All-Big East player who led South Florida in receiving in 2010. Bogan tore his ACL early in training camp but did not do his rehab work in Santa Clara. Bogan is under contract through 2013 and is currently rehabbing in Arizona. He has resumed running.”…….
@oneniner
I won’t complain if he does become the feared WR we need
…..would be nice……we really need to hit gold on WR this offseason……
Not going to matter if Smith doesnt look downfield and doesnt throw it to a “golden” reciever. It starts with the QB stupid! Harbaugh will bring this issue up next TC. Then morons like you oneniner, can stop only blaming recievers! Damn your Pathetic!
Can we not talk about any player, on the team or otherwise, without some smart-mouth comment about our QB? Please????
I for one would like to debate our receiver corps with some level of intelligent discourse.
@Angus
oneniner and ninermd have it in for one another.
Way I see it, you have 2 choices:
1. Ignore it.
2. Get involved and get nothing good accomplished.
I recommend option 1 for you and most anybody else.
You actually can have good discourse with both of them. I know, because I have done so. But when the two are together…forget about it.
Angus, You need to have some intelligence for intelligent discourse to occur, and unfortunately that is is short supply on this board.
Have any of you done like me and mistyped Lin’s name as Lion?..maybe its meant to be. Jeremy “Lion” Lin. Sounds good to me.
NY SUCKS!
IF NY sucks for seeing greatness in Lin,then Golden State blows?
Golden State is incompetent.!!!
No Stan, New York sucks because of the New Jersey Giants.
It’s been over three weeks and I still want everyone from New Jersey/York to suffer*. I’m a bitter man.
*Only sports related suffering – not actual suffering. Well, maybe a little actual suffering.
Talk about the Dubbs all you want. This NBA season is a joke. And so are the Knicks. Have been since the late 80′s “which never won a damn thing either” When teams like San Antonio have more success than the “Almighty” Big Apple. Id shut up about Knicks Basketball. NO MATTER who wins this half season it will be a Farce stamped with an *…… Oh by the way. Im a Laker fan. So brag about your 1 win the other night if you want, Ill just fire back with those many many Championship Banners hanging up at Staples. Again NY SUUUUCKS! Every team!
Keep an eye on Safety Marc Barron from Alabama…he might be on our radar.
I’m seeing a lot of chatter about Cordy Glenn (OG, Georgia) for the 49ers. Marc Barron is good but he’s projected to go in the first half of round 1.
As 49ers fans we have to re-adjust our thinking. We aren’t picking in the top 15 anymore.
I’d be very happy to get Cordy Glenn. Dude is huge. Versatile.
DS94everXev says: February 12, 2012 at 11:55 am; @msc, “A first round pick needs to make an impact.”
DS, I find it interesting that you choose to use that logic as a way to knock Crabtree when one could just as easily say the same thing about Alex Smith.
Crabtree is coming off the best season of his career, one in which he lead the team in receiving yards and you want him gone? This makes no sense. Even if they replace him with another big name FA there isn’t much to be gained.
If you compare his output to the other top FA wide receivers along with what their respective QB’s were able to do MC rates right up there with the best of them. Just take a look at the stats from last year:
Crabtree – 874 yards Smith – 3144 yards
Colston – 1143 yards Brees – 5476 yards
Jackson – 1106 yard Rivers – 4426 yards
Bowe – 1159 KC QB’s – 3080 yards
They need to keep MC and bring in another WR that can compliment him and VD so that they have the ability to present the defense with tough match ups across the field. It is very likely that Colston and Bowe won’t hit the open market due to the Franchise tag, but V Jackson would be an interesting option as would Early Doucet, who has shown the ability to work well as a slot receiver in Arizona.
She just doesn’t like the facts getting in the way of her stories. This is the same person that asked Grant to write a blog about why the receivers weren’t diving for more balls, completely blind to the irony of her question.
Who threw it for MC best season?
Who had 6TD, 0 INT when it mattered?
Who is so feeble and weak to admit that JH knows more than they do about football, Niners, AS?
Thank you DS for finally realizing I know more about football than you.
DS says:
February 12, 2012 at 3:43 pm
“Who is so feeble and weak to admit that JH knows more than they do about football”
@JH,
Not saying much, he is the only person ( DS ) on this blog that thinks that Fouts and Marino are not elite QB’s, although he thinks his man crush AS is. Now that is a knowlegeable football fan
Who tries to portray herself as a man? Ughhh. Here are some of DS’s amusing and contradictory quotes from the season.
“The funny thing is, when the fantastic catch is made, everybody is focused on how great the catch was. Not paying attention to how bad(actual accuracy or decision) the pass was.”
“Since we don’t ever see any fantastic catches, AS’s poor passes get the focus all the time.”
“When I played football between my friends or on the playground at school, I was always the WR. I saw to it that if any pass came near me, I was going to catch it. And I did more often than not. So, that and the fact that my favorite player of all time is JR is why I am so hard on any WR.”
These precious moments are brought to you by DS, the “At least 55 year old/fingers two chubby to type into her Nintendo DS/49ergirl hating/lunch time phenom.”
When all else fails, she will ask you to admit that Jim Harbaugh knows more about football-even though nobody on this blog has ever suggested they do. It’s known as the “Vicious cycle of DS.” She likes to think she runs the blog.
Every web-site or company has one putz on it, this web-site has DS, he, she, she he, or she he is it. His knowledge is laughable. Going away little girl.
The sad life of Big P
Copying/pasting, bookmarking posts. Just waiting to use it again one day.
Still suck at it though. You fail to mention that in many of those posts, the one who I was communicating with liked what I wrote.
Of course haters only hate. And they only like hating posts. So you just don’t get it.
“You think you know, but you don’t know. And you never will.”
No wonder why you had a hard time when I first brought up the quote. Nobody else freaked out. Only you. Why was that?
You can relate to it, and have been told that you don’t know so many times in your life that you had to fight with somebody who brought up this quote.
Lol. Quoting the “Great Jim Mora Sr.” again? Go give your hubby some attention already…..
He’s a greater source of reliable and insightful football knowledge and quotes than you. At least he has something that people can quote at a national level.
Oh. I’m sorry. In your mind you have been a HC in the NFL. And you know more than JH.
Keep it real BigP.
You are a nothing in the pool of real football people who are/were actual NFL coaches. So am I, and everybody here. If you think not, you have psychological issues. And you’re just plain delusional.
Small ego = need to act like you.
Neal, DS, and Big P get a room and work it out already!
“At least he has something that people can quote at a national level.”
Yeah, he’s quoted nationally more than most coaches ever will…. “Playoffs? Playoffs?? PLAYOFFS????!!!”
Maybe you can throw in some Denny Green-isms while you’re at it.
49ergirl,
She actually went on one of her tangents trying to convince me that Jim Mora Sr. was a “great coach.” I pointed out that he had never even won a playoff game despite having six playoff appearances. I then pointed out that he was a future Coors Light commercial in waiting, and they actually did make a commercial to start the season! Lol!
how about steve johnson from buffalo
DS, you missed the point completely. That was not an attempt to rip AS, only to show that we need to keep Crabtree, and add ANOTHER weapon to put pressure on opposing defenses.
Jack, you must realize the Smithers are clinging to the “Crabtree sucks” mantra. It’s the final Alexcuse. If Crabtree is actually decent then they are out of reasons for Alex to be mediocre.
The coaches are now good.
The O-Line is now good.
The play calling is now good.
The defense is freaking awesome and carried the team into the playoffs.
The only remaining Alexcuse is Crabtree. Without Crabtree Alex’ mediocrity has no excuse. There is no one else left to throw under the bus.
It is unbelievable how quickly some will come to the aid of AS, even when he isn’t the topic in any way of the post.
at the beginning of the year i saw crabtree make some great grabs from AS on the back of endzones…..
the story about crabtree learning how to read defenses and adjust his routes to the holes he sees is interesting…..truly need chemistry between AS and crabtree to make that work….and probably with this new system being implemented on the fly this year maybe couldn’t excactly address this particular attribute crabtree has….looking forward to seeing this aspect developed
Somebody(ies) here is obsessed with DS.
we just feel sorry for a wanna be,
Hope you don’t work for a suicide help hot-line Neal.
Because you’d really stink at your job.
Go away little girl, your embarrasing with the little that you know, or should I say you don’t know. I have no clue what your point is on suicide thought.
You said you feel sorry for me, then you insult me.
Somebody who works as an operator for a suicide hot line feels sorry about what the caller is saying.
But, and I’m taking a leap of faith here, I bet the operator is not told to insult the caller.
Call it a hunch.
And what will you do if I don’t go away? Wuss
This is a sport’s blog,not a suicide hot line, your point is brainless take it or leave it, if I get under your fur too bad, this place is tame to other sites I have been on.I heard Aerosmith is dedicating a a song to you tonight at the Grammy’s. it is called the Dude looks like a lady.
Yes it is a sports blog.
So how about replying with dignity once in awhile? When nobody insults or brings you up, and you reply by calling them moron or whatever, that is not a sports blog.
Moron is not a position on a football team. Maybe it is in hockey. I have no idea. I don’t care for hockey. Why don’t you go find a hockey blog?
I am on a hockey blog oh great one who has called me a jerk and a wus among other names. Kind of a hypocrit you are.
Did I just call you those names out of the blue? Did you write anything mean/bad/offensive to me or others who I respect?
Did you write offensive material out of the blue at me? Yes. A lot more than once.
We all know you did. Anybody who has read the blog knows it.
And it is not hypocrital to defend myself. I never said I won’t defend myself. I said I won’t cuss anybody else out, and you have cussed me out.
Yes, Neal, please go back to song titles….that was funny!!!
And could you please refrain from mentioning hockey, “great one” and DS in the same sentence. It’s almost like you’re comparing her/it/alien to Wayne Gretzky….and we can’t have that…it’s just not right.
My appolgies 49er girl, DS is no Waye Gretzky, DS wants to be accepted and she is a wanna bee. To keep with the song’s, The Who will be performing tonight and the song is dedicted to DS. “WE won’t get fooled again” by your tiny sports knowledge.
You see the commercial where the little boy kicks a football through walls? That’s Little Seabass!..his folks home looks like swiss cheese even now…
If it is the ad I’m thinking of, that boy is better looking than CBass.
The only thing I wish he had done (and I thought this at the time as well) was tie-up Carlos Rogers for more than 1 year.
By the way, your column, easy commenting method, and quality comments is making this more fun than the 49erswebzone forum!
ghostrider33 says:
February 11, 2012 at 2:41 pm
Letting the over-rated Manny Lawson go and signing the center Goodwin were two moves that I liked too.
Reply
htwaits says:
February 11, 2012 at 3:37 pm
Maybe Lawson overrated Lawson.
Manny Lawson was not overrated and provided more to this team than Paris Haralson did/does!
Manny Lawson was good at setting the edge on run plays, is a helluva coverage LB, tipped and batted passes at the LOS, he played on ST and blocked punts and fieldgoals. The thing that most fans and you’re probably included, were upset with Manny Lawson is because you feel that he was a wasted pick because he was thought to be drafted to be a sack demon. I’ve heard alot of people say that he was drafted to take Julian peterson’s place when he was drafted and that’s more of the truth of the matter. Manny Lawson WAS NOT drafted to be a sack specialist!
Because he had 141/2 sacks the season he came out. The draft guru’s and the media had fans thinking that that was the case. That SF was drafting a QB killer because they hadn’t had 1 since BY and needed 1 badly! He was drafted to be an all-around player. A jack-of-trades if you will. That’s why Nolan had him focus on covering RB’s, TE’s & FB’s out the backfield and learning how to play in space. That’s why he wasn’t used in alot of blitz packages. He was an occasional pass rusher. He wasn’t very good at pass-rushing because he took bad angles
Go back and look at the type of players Nolan was drafting! He was always drafting tweeners and so-called multi-demisional players who play either/or… LB or DE and etc…
Nolan got Justin Smith over here.
So, he did some things right.
He should of stuck with defense, it is really a bad move in taking your man crush, I remember several sports columnists and they were saying that AR was more NFL ready then AS, but Nolan did not like AR arrogance, I call it confident.
” Veteran Parys Haralson is excellent against the run but not nearly as good when asked to drop back or to run down a ball carrier at the sideline.”
From Matt Barrows blog February 13, 2012