This is the live blog for Day 1 of free agency. I’ll update this frequently with information and analysis from the Cohn Zohn.
12:39 According to Adam Schefter, the Eagles will release Nnamdi Asomugha today. Do you think the 49ers should sign him? As you probably know, I think the Niners should draft new defensive backs this offseason rather than sign veterans.
12:46 Name one free agent you think the 49ers will sign today. My guess: Josh Cribbs.
12:47 Schefter just reported the Bucs are a potential landing spot for Darrelle Revis. Could the Vikings be a better landing spot? They have two first round picks to trade, and they just cut their No.1 cornerback, Antoine Winfield.
1:01 Ricky Jean Francois just tweeted: “Damn I feel so good. Lol.” He is a free agent.
1:04 TE Martellus Bennett will sign with the Bears. Look for them to draft an offensive lineman with their first round pick.
1:11 Schefter just said on Sportscenter that the Titans want to sign Delanie Walker and the Bucs want to sign Dashon Goldson.
1:15 Top free agent offensive tackle Jake Long will visit the Rams.
1:21 Isaac Sopoaga will visit with the Eagles. Former 49ers’ personnel man Tom Gamble must like his former nose tackle.
1:22 The Bills just released their starting quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick. Do you think they’ll draft a QB with the eighth pick in the draft, or do you think they’ll trade up? Or do you think they’ll do neither?
1:30 If you haven’t already heard, Mike Wallace probably will be a Dolphin. Now the deal is pending a physical.
1:32 ESPN is reporting the Titans are on the verge of signing Delanie Walker.
1:37 Schefter just said on Sportscenter the Browns have agreed to a five-year, $40 million contract for OLB/DE Paul Kruger.
1:49 According to Barrows, the 49ers are interested in LB Lorenzo Alexander.
2:02 Schefter just tweeted DT Glenn Dorsey will meet with the 49ers, and Delanie Walker signed a four-year contract with the Titans.
3:42 The Cardinals are close to signing Josh Cribbs. This doesn’t sound right to me. The Cardinals already have a stud returner – Patrick Peterson. Why would they pay for a second one?
3:45 Schefter reports the Titans will pay Walker $17.5 million over four years, with $8.6 million guaranteed.
3:46 The Rams signed tight end Jared Cook. Do you think he’s an upgrade over Danny Amedola in the middle of the field for the Rams?
3:58 Do you think the 49ers will draft a tight end to replace Delanie Walker? If so, whom? The 49ers met with Zach Ertz and Travis Kelce – two second round prospects. Do you think the Niners would draft a tight end that high?
4:34 Will Anquan Boldin be the 49ers’ starting split end? With Michael Crabtree at flanker, in an ideal world you’d want a split end who could take the top off a defense. That’s not Boldin’s game. He’s a big slot receiver who can out muscle nickel backs.
4:41 The Packer Report reports the Packers most likely will sign Steven Jackson.
4:57 The Raiders released Darrius Heyward-Bey and Michael Huff.
5:07 Jeff McLane reports Darrelle Revis has been traded to the Bucs.
5:17 The Eagles just signed Isaac Sopoaga for three years, $12 million, $5 million guaranteed.
5:20 Charles Woodson will meet with the 49ers on Wednesday.
49ers RSS feed
Loading ...
1. Is he still elite and the eagles mis-used him or has his skills disappeared?
2. Would he fit in to the Niner system or give them more options?
3. How much will he cost?
+1
Question #4: will he tackle?
One point on $ is that NA has $4mil guaranteed this year in addition to whatever he signs for, so if it suited him he could take a pedestrian 1 year deal to make a run at the SB. Vic and Jim like sure tacklers tho.
All very good questions that only 1 man can answer…..
Baalke
Nnamdi Asomugha please…
sign him and use him as a stop gap. Theres no way a rookie comes into the safety or CB position and performs at a SB level. How about sign him and put him at the safety position?
1. No. I think he is too small.
2. I don’t think they will sign anybody.
3. It’s a toss-up. Both are just missing a good CB.
Umm, he’s like 6’3 or so. I’d take him on a super cheap deal for one year.
LB Larry Foote back to the Steelers.
I suspect that Asomugha isn’t as good as his reputation a couple of years ago and not as bad as his reputation is now. I haven’t seen him play for a while so this is just guesswork but if he isn’t expensive, grab him.
I think he still will be too expensive of a signing.
TE Martellus Bennett to the Bears.
I just looked NA up. He is 6’2″ 210 lbs , so he is good size.
He does not have many interceptions, but part of that was at Oakland they didn’t throw to his side.
He could be a good addition for a short term contract with a lot of incentives, but he will probably get a better deal elsewere.
I thought he was 5’10″ but you’re right.
Looks like Geno Smith will have a home in Buffalo. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick just released.
Farewell to the best QB beard in the league.
I think we should keep walker. Hes all purpose. We wouuld have to sign 3ppl to replace him but 1 who could catch better
Oh well shoots that theory to hell… Walker to Titans
Reed resigns with Ravens. David Reed that is.
The Bills will draft Ryan Nassib in Rd 2.
I like the bold prediction. Why him?
Played for Marrone at Syracuse and got better every year.
Good call on the Marrone connection.
Will the Bills sit at their spot in the 2nd round and risk missing out on him? Could be a potential trade partner for the 49ers if they want to move down.
The coach-player connection doesn’t always work though. Think Fleener-Harbaugh.
because Nassib and Marrone were at Syracuse together last year
TE Delanie Walker is nearing a deal with the Titans as is G Andy Levitre.
Man, the Bills kill me. Dumping money left and right and nothing happens. Reminds me of the Eagles dream team a couple years ago.
And… that reminds me too: Avoid the idea of putting together a dream team. Doesn’t work out. Just get good guys who work hard and can contribute.
+1
+1
Steel
I agree try to sign Walker if we can.
WR Mike Wallace and Miami Dolphins have reached an agreement. No surprise there. It is believed he will get $30 million guaranteed.
Good luck Delanie and Dashon thanks for helping us get to where were are
Good bye, Swiss Army Knife!
One thing about Free Agency, no matter how bad a team is good ppl go bad places because of money, wich also proves its not about the super bowl its about the money. So long Walker and Dashon. Good luck
Vince Young has workout scheduled for next week……in Oakland.
Jack,
You had me worried for a second.
I’m glad you didn’t put the Oakland part in a second text. I might have had a stroke.
Like any employment situation, most people will go where the pay is the highest. That is how business works and I can’t blame them.
Thats how buisness works. But the crappiest line ever stated in sports “ITS NOT ABOUT THE MONEY”.. Bulldoody. They swear they wanma ring but they wanna get paid.. Now u tell me, niners maybe ssuperbowl for 4 mil.. or titans for 6.. im sorry but if im good enough to play n the nfl no way im taking 2-4 xtra to play for crap. U wud have to give me flacco money to play for crap
RJF expected to be offered a contract by the Eagles.
Paul Kruger to the Browns.
$8 mil per year for Kruger? WOW!!!
From what I understand that will be the same amount per year that G Levitre will get from the Titans.
Jack,
Don’t you think there’s a decent chance that Kruger proves to be a product of the Ravens’ system?
Exactly what I am thinking Ex.
Lombardi was saying it’s nice to work for a team that has money. :P
The feeding frenzy has begun.
Five years $65mil Wallace to Miami
TE Anthony Fasano to the Chiefs.
So far, the 49er FA losses are pretty much going the way expected. And the main reason I haven’t put up a 2nd mock draft because I knew things would change starting today – and there is still more to come.
Breaking News: 49ers have traded Alex Smith to the Chiefs for 2 draft picks…
You mean stale breaking news.
:) !!!!!!
You got your wish, Tim…I believe that all niner fans are going to regret it, and soon.
Lol what do you care oregonchief? Regret? He had one solid season. You’re a peach!
Oregoniner,
Are you predicting a CK flop or a CK injury? Those are the only two scenarios in which anyone would regret AS not being on the team. I don’t see any way that CK flops next year, he’s just too good. If he gets injured, he gets injured. 8.5 or 9.75 mil is too much to pay a back up.
Ex that’s a flat out ck knock. It’s pathetic. It’s not like he’s been here for years and stunk. Some were just Alex smith fans. Sad but true.
Then there are those who keep trying to rewrite history.
Really Claude? Like saaaay wanting a qb to fail? Like his ridiculous comment skip on bye.
Who wanted what QB to fail?
MD,
Just because I don’t agree with what Oregon had to say, doesn’t mean I’ve joined your camp. I’m quite happy not being part of the lunatic fringe groups.
Ex…. Who in the hell invited you? Stay in your own pathetic “camp”. Oregon is wrong and you and Claude know it as I do. We can agree sometimes. But it doesn’t mean I want to join with an Alex smith lover.
And Claude…. Get a life dude. You follow me like a puppy dog. Smith is gone and I’m damn excited about it. Get over it and stay off my nuts. Now shooo puppy!
MD,
Yawn!
$13M a year, for Wallace! Miami is nuts. He is simply not that good.
What is this going to do to Crabtree’s price tag?
This is a joke! how could the salary cap stay almost the same and the Salaries continue to increase subcantcially!!! I would like for the players to get paid but this is just crazy! How can we have team salary cap and to cap for each position or player!
I think we can be fairly certain the Wallace’ mom isn’t a prostitute now.
Mortgage the future on a wr. Wow! Call the the Washington Dolphins.
Re Niner’s interest in Lorenzo Alexander:
Apparently he is a linebacker, not defensive tackle. Must be a misprint.
I found this on ESPN about him:
“They (The Redskins) may not be able to re-sign valuable linebacker and special-teamer Lorenzo Alexander. “
We definitely need help on ST.
I did some more digging. Apparently, ESPN was wrong. He appears to be a DT/DE. Maybe would replace RJF? Here is a cbs.com 2005 draft profile on him.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/historical/405385
George, yeah, it seems to vary on which site you go on.
A Cal guy. Maybe they like him and he wants to come home.
Well, its official for Delanie
Going to miss Walker. We’ll see him when TE 49ers visit Tennessee this year.
Per Schefter…Chiefs reached agreement in principle on three-year deal with former Saints QB Chase Daniel, who played at Missouri.
Hope they don’t send Alex back. Chuckle.
Hmmmm reverse indian giving….. Lets hope not lol.
Pretty funny pun.
Bay,
Indian giving? Really? Come on, man.
:) !!!
Chiefs. Indian giving. Get it? Jesus Ex, get a sense of humor already.
I’m not believing he’s gone until I hear he passed the Chiefs’ physical. Had my hopes up too many times in the past.
He’s hurting Bay. No matter what you say he’s going to try and get his shrinking clan to get his back and muster up one last smith rally. IT’S OVER!!!!! And hopefully this Smith talk is too!
Bay,
You are even dopier than I believed, if you thought I didn’t the reference. And it’s not about having a sense of humor. The expression “Indian Giver” is racist and totally unacceptable. Now, do you get it?
He’s just going to nitpick now Bay. Ignore this clown. I’m 1/4 Native American and I don’t take offense to it.
So make all of the Puerto Rican/ native/ white jokes you can. We’re all humans and should be able to have a sense of humor.
Ex lay off the Seinfeld episodes Bud!
MD,
“I’m 1/4 Native American and I don’t take offense to it.”
OK, great, you didn’t take offense. That doesn’t mean there aren’t others who where offended.
It’s one thing to let a friend know such jokes are OK in private, but to “authorize” someone to use racial slurs in a public forum is a dangerous line to lay down. Are you saying if someone is 1/4 of a particular minority it’s OK for them to give the OK to others to use racial slurs against that group? That’s just ridiculous.
As far as me “hurting” over Smith being gone, nothing could be farther from the truth.
While I do appreciate what Smith did for the 49ers, on and off the field, I’m much more excited by the prospect CK becoming the next great 49er QB [if he isn't already, I think the only thing separating him from that mantle is time].
I also think the made garbage you guys spewed about Smith puts you in the same category as the posters who are spewing made up garbage about CK now. I’m sure you hate to hear that, and refuse to see it [most crazy people are unaware of their craziness], but it is the truth.
Finally, Bay’s “joke” falls apart on it’s technical merit alone.
How can it be “reverse indian giving”? Aren’t the KC Chiefs the “Indians” and the 49ers the “white men” in Bay’s mind? Wouldn’t “reverse indian giving” be something done by white men to indians [49ers to the Chiefs, not the Chiefs to the 49ers]? After all “indian giving” was supposedly something done by indians to whites. So for it to be “reverse indian giving” the 49ers would’ve had to have been doing it to the Chiefs. If you’re going to craft a racist joke, at least have it make sense.
The irony of the term “indian giver” is that the settlers took the native americans’ land. I guess it is pretty funny when you think about it that way.
EX,
when I said “reverse indian giving”, I meant instead of being taken back, he would be given back.
Doesn’t matter. EX you are an old grouchy dude. For some reason some people get grouchy with age. You are one of them. Either your golf game has gone to crap, or something else has you bitter. Move on dude. Pay attention you are the only one griping at my statement.
IT WAS A JOKE simpleton.
Bay,
Actually, Bay, your posts carry the earmarks of being old more than mine. You are set in your thinking. You lack the ability to look at things from anything other than your point of view. You write in absolutes.
These things also go for being a simpleton. Not being able to look at an issue from more than one perspective is an indicator of a lack of intelligence. Sorry for breaking it to you.
Oh, really? Glenn Dorsey? Someone’s smarter than the rest on here.
Why, Everything, what did you predict about him and what can you tell us about him?
George
Just been crowing about him for a month or so. He was THE star on RJFs LSU team, was a dominant force in college, played healthy and hurt, and has been considered a bust at Kansas City. But he’s a physical force, and given a good opportunity with other good players, he’ll become dominant. Oh, and if you haven’t noticed, the Niners like to acquire former 1st rounders.
Good at defending against the run but we need pass rushing help more.
Dorsey is more of a 4-3 guy…consensus on him is he was misused in KC in the 3-4, not sure what the Niners are thinking here…He would come cheap I think, but after under-performing in KC and prone to injury, why would we want him? Too back up Ian Williams? lol
I wouldn’t be against signing Glenn Dorsey. He won’t wow you as a pass rusher from the 3-4 end position but the guy can clog up the offensive line very well. He’s great in the run game and can tie up blockers well to allow the LBs space to make plays. If he comes at a reasonable price I’d be happy with the pick up.
Sounds better than RJF !
He does sound like he would be an upgrade.
But probably not as good as Bryant .
Someone’s smarter than the rest on here.
Please stop; compliments like that make me feel self-conscious.
Claude. Was that Cajun yo boy too?
What PFF wrote about Dorsey, for what it’s worth:
“The final spot in our Top 10 goes to a player more well known for being a draft bust than as one of the better run defending 3-4 defensive ends in the entire league — which he was over a two-year span in 2010 and 2011. Just based on those seasons Dorsey is worth a place in our Top 10 , and he’s here for that reason, but the big question moving forwards for Dorsey is whether there is any sort of market for him? Dorsey is perfect for a two-gap 3-4 defense that is going out of vogue in the NFL, and with the Chiefs seemingly eager to move on from him that is one less team interested in his services. Dorsey is a fine player in the right system, but is there a team running that system that needs him?”
What I remember about Glenn Dorsey is that when he was in his last season at LSU, that SI or another sports pub was writing about him with game photos and couldn’t get good photos because “…the guy next to him kept making all of the plays.” That guy….? RJF
Orygun
(Sorry for the cliche!)
That’s when the Niner scouts picked up on RJF. But in fairness to Dorsey, he was drawing a lot of attention from opposing OLs.
I find this amazing but not surprising, since I went there myself: The Profootball Focus website is jammed.
Reminds me of:
“The New York Sate Freeway is closed, Man!”-Arlo Guthrie @Woodstock’68
Does anyone know what the niners are looking at as far as cap concerns???
Going to miss Walker’s blocking and help on ST….
steven jackson could make the packers offense really hard to stop….
The Ravens are losing so many guys Jim’s mom may make him send Anquan back to John!
might not see niners doing more in free agency until the physical on smith in k. c. Hope to see at least one more top free agent in a area of need!
What should we call you? Mystery Guy? The Invisible Man?
Just call him Richard!
If it comes down to Dorsey or Bryant….I think I like Bryant better.
Bryant IS better !
From the PFF article (above), we may be the only team interested in Dorsey, whereas I think I read somewhere there are 10 interested in Bryant. I could be wrong about 10, but I am sure it was at least five.
Yeah, there is definitely more interest in Bryant than Dorsey. If Dorsey comes cheap I think he’s a good pick-up, though I’d prefer Bryant if it came down to similar contract size.
Nhamdi Nhamdi Nhamdi!!!!!!
He will be the Nhamdi of old. Believe that. Winnin team winning attitude!
4 million. Sign him!!!!!
Nnamdi!!!! ;-)
I agree !
They were saying on the radio today that “team sources” said after he got paid he lost his passion for the game.
Well he ain’t getting paid 14 million wherever he goes so that’s a plus if and when we sign him. He WILL be a 49er!!!!!
If niners sign him I hope he makes more of an effort then he did last year.
You were there. That while team gave up. He is a very good physical cb. He’s got size so more over the top catches, he’s got good speed. He’s the best cb out there right now. DR with his knee issues isn’t a better option as of right now. Sign him!!!! :-) seriously can he be any worse than CR or CC? No way. Veteran leadership too.
Nhamdi needs to come home. He’s too much of an intillect to play in Philly. The bay area is more suited for his personality. He’d be great in SF.
The Alex smith era is officially OVER!!!!!!
Thank GAAAWD!!!!!!
When will the NinerMD era end…
HA!
It’s only an occasion to thank God if it means I don’t have to read any more brainless, uninformed anti-Smith rants.
It’s not looking good.
An that’s what I mean. No more smith capes and no more smith hating. It’s finally over.
And who is MJ? Beat it newbie. Gotta love you new 49er fans. Est in 2011.
ninermd, were you one of those who said the 49ers wouldn’t be able to trade Alex – that he had no value? If so, don’t embarrass yourself further.
Nope! I actually said they would get a high draft pick for him. So quit embarrassing yourself and move along. Fact check before making bold and wrong inquiries son.
Have some respect MD. We should commemorate the Alex Smith era.
I suggest heading to the backyard, rolling right and tossing the ball over the neighbor’s fence.
MD
Once again we cross swords; My previous statement wasn’t a knock on CK, nor a wish for his injury. I just believe that every DC that we play will have his version of how to stop him from running. I also believe that arrogance is what made JH trade Alex, and that He’s going to blossom under Andy Reid. Meanwhile, add the ages of the players that we released, versus the ages of the one’s we’ve signed or are looking at…we’re turning a young franchise into a retirement home. Goldson, Sop, RJF, what’s left of our vaunted Defense…and there are more to come. That plus a couple of coaches that we’ll be losing.
Amigo, I must disagree on the AS trade assessment you made. I really believe that Jim was ok with letting Alex seek a starting role elsewhere as long as the Niners got something back. Arrogance? Not IMO. A gamble? Heck yes! But an undercurrent in the locker room, or worse isn’t something you want.
OREGONINER:
ninermd is going to read what he wants to see in your messages. Don’t worry about his misinterpretations of your messages.
That said, I agree with Brotha re Jim Harbaugh’s motivation in trading Alex Smith. Also, the 49ers got younger at WR (Boldin vs. Moss), they got much younger at NT (Williams vs. Soap) and many of the departing players will be replaced by draftees. The only position where they seem to be looking at “older” players is free safety. Experience at that position is not a bad thing, and nothing says that they also won’t draft a FS of the future in April.
It’s a good time to be a 49ers fan.
Sooo Oregon….. Your comment means without smith and his money for a backup we will fail? Who pays for a backup that kind of money? And again another ck only runs comment. So he can’t throw to win? I saw him do it. How on earth does smith staying here help out what we lost on defense? You didn’t mention defense. You mentioned that we’d be sorry for letting smith go. Are you saying smith will be better than ck? Because he wasn’t when he was here. It’s obvious what you meant. Alex smith has nothin to do with the defense. You don’t like ck. that’s fine. But his performance won him his job. Because he’s far more dynamic than smith. Running and throwing. And it was just year one. Sorry but JH and most fans will take dynamic offense vs ball control and hoping the defense plays lights out.
Ribico… That avatar reminds you that he’s gone. You’re the one in torment. Sorry homie. May the KC fan club welcome you with open arms
md, I could care less. YOU are the one incessently commenting on AS.
don’t worry md. you’ll still have my avatar to torment you.
Option B:
Trade up to 11 with the Chargers for Rhodes
Option A:
Trade up to 13 with the Buccaneers for Richardson
At least at this moment I don’t feel enough urgency or love any player enough to pay that much. I may flip flop a little between now and draft day.
@Brotha
Not to carry it on forever, but tell me which HC benches and then trades a QB with a 104 QBR for a 2nd year QB who hasn’t even played in 16 games? I’ll agree with a gamble, with just a tad of ego thrown in. Like yourself, I wish Alex luck, and I believe that he just got a bunch of it….that was my reference to we’ll regret it soon.
Oregon
Get a clue, you moron. Kaep is a top-3 QB in the league already. Alex is top-16, possibly. Oh yeah, and our coach is top-3 in the league also. Get a clue, you moron.
Razor, I have a feeling you are going to use up the entire alphabet of options over the next few weeks, lol.
You really ca’nt talk seriously about the draft untill FA is over then we can start pulling our picks out of our butts
LOL!
Yeah. Last draft I didn’t predict a single one of the Niners choices. Not one. I had a “Likely List” of a couple of dozen guys. Me and some friends wrote them out in advance just to keep each other honest. Sheesh.
PFT says Josh Cribbs headed to Arizona.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/12/cardinals-close-to-landing-cribbs-and-alexander/
Much ado about nothing.
If Buffalo is targeting the QB from Syracuse and everybody knows it, they may want to trade back from their #1 and take him much later in the first round and gain some picks.
Walker signed for 17.5 over 4 years? No chance he was coming back with an offer like that. Overpaying season is in full swing.
rocket:
While I agree there was no way the 49ers would have/should have paid that much to Walker, it’s probably not overpayment for a starting TE.
True Claude, but Walker hasn’t proven he can be one.
Rocket,
That’s true too, but not all 17.5 over 4 contracts are created equal. It depends on how it’s structured.
@ rocket:
You are correct. I guess the Titans are about to find out.
My favorite of Elizabeth Smith’s photos: http://distilleryimage0.s3.amazonaws.com/d855388286ad11e1a87612313804ec91_6.jpg
Joe Show cracks me up.
Garrett Celek (6’5″, 252 lbs, 2nd year) now has an opportunity to step up to challenge the #2 TE spot. He’s taller, heavier and much younger than Delanie (6’0″, 248, 8th year), a good blocker as well as a bigger target with good hands, and showed real momentum late last season, his rookie year.
Free Agency is also about setting the team up for the future and making sure that we can afford the team we need in 2-3 years when Kaep will be pulling in very big bucks. Sorry to see Delanie go but we could not afford that rich $17.5M/4 year contract the Titans gave him. Good luck DW.
You’re are exactly right. I look for Mr. Celek to have a breakout year.
I was thinking that Celek would be the In-line guy and Vernon the ‘move’ guy. Seem right?
… and with his size, Celek should be able to take on more of the blocking assignments VD had. We need to free Vernon up a bit more next year.
Can he be a pass threat? DW was fast and could be a nightmare for LB’s with his speed
No question, DW has speed in the straight. But Celek moves extremely well for a bigger guy. Different skillsets, different uses.
Pro Day results:
Delaine Walker (3/16/2006)
40Y=4.53s, Vert=36″, Broad=10’7″
Shuttle=4.60s, 3Cone=7.23s
Garet Celek (3/14/2012)
40Y=4.72s, Vert=34″, Broad=9’11″, Bench=19 reps
Shuttle=4.49s, 3Cone=7.12s
But compare both to VD (6’3″, 250lbs) Combine 2006:
40Y=4.38s, Vert=42″, Broad=10’08″, Bench=33 reps
Shuttle=4.17s, 3Cone=7.00s
… now that’s an amazing athlete!
I don’t think the 49ers will make TE a priority in the draft. If a guy they really like falls to them providing great value at one of their picks they’ll take him, but can’t see them making it a priority pick over another position.
My reasoning being that Boldin will take over some of Walker’s receiving responsibilities and Celek will likely step up to the #2 TE role.
Maybe a late rounder like Stoneburner(great name!) but not an early rounds ,I agree.
49ers will draft ertz. He’s basically gronk. You say 2nd round prospect, but a lot of ppl think he will go in the 1st…
They don’t want peterson to get hurt returning kicks
Is it possible the 9ers have been keeping AJJ out of games to keep him from getting hurt groomimg him to replace TG Jr?
AJJ was drafted as a #1/#2 WR.
Reterns sure that is nice but the Niners reached for him not to return kicks. They think he has the potential to be a productive WR… and not just a deep threat. They hope he comes around in the next year and really turns it on by year 3.
Don’t you just have the feeling Crabtree will revert back to Diva once he has a probowl year in 2013. I would love to have his replacement in our hip pocket to curtail that crap… if it happens!?!?!
Go Crabs!
Go Niners!
Breaking news….Goldson signs with bucs!!! thats soooooo dumb..niners should keep him
Really? Did you see this on the onion? Because last I heard he was flying out there as we speak.
Like Ertz ….. but ……DBs, DBs,DBs …. unless we sign a couple in free agency, then that is where the draft needs to go, along with DL, DL, DL .. need tackles and pass rush improvement on DL.
Raiders release Huff. Might be worth a look
Grant,
Is the Alex Smith trade official now? What about the Antoine Bolden trade?
Both are official.
Nick – Antoine Winfield? :)
Crab,
He was due $7.25 million this year and is 36 years old. I’m not sure how good of a fit he’ll be in SF.
Nick – I was just joking about how you spelled Anquan ….Lol
Lol .. I used Siri and didn’t proof read it :)
Have any details on the 2014 conditional pick been released?
What 2014 conditional? The one from KC for Smith? If that’s what you are talking about, it’s a third that converts to a second if the Chiefs win a certain number of games.
Thanks Claude. That was reported but once the paperwork is filed with the league office the full details usually come out.
I’d like to see the performance clauses that get the 49ers another 2nd rounder (I’m greedy).
I suspect that sort of minutiae got lost in the free agent frenzy.
Brick hands Delanie Walker got $8.6 mil guaranteed? Wow that’s $4.3 million per brick!
For those who want speed in the wide out spot; the Niners could be up Heyward-Bey cheap.
Bad idea don’t you think?
I think it is a great idea. He can stay in the area and hopefully come cheap. He can have change to compete for the #2 or #3 spot.
49ers could do worse than take a look at DHB. He was never worthy of a 1st round pick, but as a #3 WR he could be ok.
He’s fast!!!! That’s all. Lol
I think the Vikings should grab DHB. He can’t drop as many passes with Ponder underthrowing him.
Yeah, I was thinking in terms of providing some speed to keep the safeties honest. But I’d much prefer they draft someone than sign DHB.
Some crazy deals going down today! No news is good news I think.
I agree. The best thing the Niners can do right now is be patient.
They need to sign Nnamdi.
Except when it comes to Bryant. I’d like to see them seal the deal sooner rather than later.
This is true, the Balke niners seem to be patient and pick up solid players later on in this process
Sop is an eagle! Big loss for the run defense.
Don’t worry, MD.
Baalke has a plan. Let the other teams rush into bad signings, the 49ers will clean up after the first wave.
BTW, weren’t you one of the guys ready to fire Baalke for not signing Nnamdi two years ago?
Nope. I wanted him but never said he should be fired. Actually the Baalke bashers got earfulls from me.
As you say, MD.
They recently re-signed Ian Williams. I’m not sold but let’s see if he’s the answer at NT
Scooter
Except he really can’t catch and he doesn’t run great routes and as far as I know doesn’t block very well. Not exactly a Habaugh type of guy.
Baalke knows the market – so far Soap and Walker have received way more money than the 49ers would have been willing to pay. I liked both guys but neither is a $4 million player IMO.
Agreed.
Agreed,
Soap is descending and Walker is perhaps a 3 tier TE.
These are two players who could be replaced at a bargain and more cap friendly price.
I think that Ian Williams, RJF (if re-signed) and a draft pick will compete for Sopoaga’ spot.
Also, I would not discount the 49er’ interest in Glenn Dorsey.
I believe that Garrett Celek has much better hands and definitely has more physical size then Walker.
I love Walker’ ‘swiss-knife’ abilities, but he often gave me headaches with the dropsies.
Not a big Dorsey fan.
seconded. walker loss will be felt though.
DHB= T Ginn 2.0….. All speed no hands. Always injured. Get him for a million and maaaaybe he could make the team. Ehhh. Welker and pats broke off talks. Hmmmm
Mr. Woodson is penciled for an interview at 4949 Centennial Blvd.
Maybe Baalke wants to get Jim someone his own age to play catch with?
Maybe they want to relive the Packers div game and have Kap run by him in practice
Wolveriiiiines!!!!!!! I’m sure that will be a topic in the meeting. I don’t think he leaves SF without a contract.
better option than reed…
I would take reed any day over Woodson!
I think I would prefer Reed to Woodson. In the battle of the grandfathers Reed has started every game over the past two years while Woodson has missed 10 games.
Is there a door #3?
So the Niners have loss two DL players, a very good second TE/ST player and will probably lose their FS.
The Draft is suppose to be deep with Defensive linemen, so we can expect one or two to get drafted.
I would not be surprised to see a vetern pickup for safety and a high draft choice for safety, unless Culliver is moved there since he was a safety in college and then a corner back will be selected.
Fitzpatrick might be a decent veteran in the QB mix…
Woodson and Nnamdi. That sounds great. Actually I think we’d have a better covering secondary than last season. C Wood isn’t afraid to hit a rb either. Although we’ll miss Goldsons hard hitting and great run stopping ability. Having NA and CW would shut down a lot of green. NA is a very good press cb too. That was the winning formula for us last season. Move up and draft a stud DE and were in business
Niners let revis get away. Mistake in my opinion.. We need good cb we could have had a great 1.. Oh well hope we find someone who isnt proned to getting burned or fix wat was once a hell of a pass rush
how do you figure we would have been able to afford him? we have big contracts coming up after this season. it’s important to think ahead and not just for the now.
pete… he only makes 6 mil this season..
didn’t he hold out last year?
plus… he will want a huge contract after that. niners couldn’t afford that. and it would be a huge price to trade for him for only one year…
We have alot of holes to fill. Im a little worried that a bunch of rookies are going to be able to jump in and pick up the slack
I have a feeling Ian Williams is going to surprise at NT. Also Dobbs looked good in preseason games but need more tape.
Not sure about safety though… meeting with Woodson?? Why? What about our 3rd or 4th safety?
Maybe the Niners are going potential starting safety in the draft. Cyprien ot Reid may be there?
They have to draft a DE in the draft IMO. Without the pass rush our secondary was killed. One J Smith injury and the whole defense is in trouble.
@ niner
I agree. DE and safety with the first 2 pics.
Maybe we bring in a vet CB and speed WR DHB on the cheap later this week.
What vetern QB free agent is most familar with the West Coast offense and reminds Harbaugh of himself?
I like the idea of waiting till day 2 to pick a TE. Gavin Escobar and Ryan Otten should both be available in the 4th-5th round .
If the Bucs trade for Revis, how could they have enough money to pay Goldson?
1 and done. Two money milkers. They’ll be good, but for one year. And where are they really going? They have no qb.
Because he only makes 6 mil.. tgey might b goin all in. We spent 6 mil on boldin. For 1 year. Cudda had revis for il n 1 year
You give up a 6th round pick for a 1 year, $6 million rental. You don’t give up a 1st, especially when you don’t know whether the guy is going to be healthy. Revis only just started running on a treadmill.
^ yup yup! agree w/ claude balls.
w are picking 31st.. we wouldnt and couldn’t finfmd a better player than revis. Hurt leg n all hes worth a 31st
Agree with Claude – you don’t give up high draft picks for a 1 year rental. I don’t buy into this “window of opportunity” stuff. Good teams stay on top year after year, and they don’t give up high draft picks for a one year return.
If Revis can’t play, then the 49ers can find guys in the 7th round better than him.
And again, the 49ers would only be getting him for one year. He’d be gone after that, and they’d have nothing.
Who cares if he will be gon and ur assuming hes hurt.. im sorry but id give up a 31to wimwin a superbowl everytime.. and yes im assuming hes healthy at 6 mil. We will b ok but will not have a better bb than revis…. period
You’d give up a 1st round pick on the assumption Revis is healthy? Does that sound like a smart, sound strategy to you?
I’m not assuming he’s hurt, but I wouldn’t even consider that trade unless I knew for a fact that he wasn’t hurt.
The 49ers already are arguably the most talented team in the NFL. They didn’t get there by throwing 1st round draft picks at injured players who may not be ready to play at the beginning of the only season they’d be on the team and who may not return to form at all in that season. The 49ers are one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl in 2013 with or without Darelle Revis. I’d also like them to be in the hunt in 2014, 2015, 2016, etc. That won’t happen if they are careless with their draft picks.
But I realize that your mind is made up, so let’s just agree to disagree.
Do we take a sniff at Heyward Bey? He became much more polished. Big and fast.
Again Ginn 2.0…. No way!
He’ll probably get overpaid somewhere else but if not, heck, bring him into camp and let him compete on a one-year, prove it contract.
At worst he could push last year’s #1 to be slightly useful.
If Heyward Bey would sign for a very reasonable price, why not? How many 6’3″ dudes are in the NFL that can run a 4.3? If nothing else, he could be a decoy, and a better one than Moss was last year. If he could be had at a reasonable cost, yes.
MD,
Ginn may not be a good receiver, but when you run that fast, the defense still has to account for you. They didn’t even use him as a decoy, which was a mistake in my opinion.
He has trouble running routes BigP so I doubt he would be a good decoy.
Midwest,
All they had to do was send him on the occasional go or fly route. They aren’t going to just let him go uncovered. Moss made a career out of those routes.
It would be a bad signing BigP. The Niners would be trading Ginn for a WR with the same problems minus the versatility of using him in the return game.
We already have a guy on the practise squad that is close to that…Ricardo Lockette is 6’2″ and has run a 4.37. He needs to sharpen his routes and improve his hands to be a legitimate NFL receiver, but supposedly that is what his is doing with Kap in Atlanta this off season…
The fact that he is a practice squad guy signals that he isn’t the same type of guy. “He needs to sharpen his routes and improve his hands to be a legitimate NFL receiver”…..is that all? Lmao, smh.
you can’t teach hands. gotta be natural.
Oh yeah…because no guy on a practice squad ever made it in the NFL…what a dumb ass…
Bryant signed into the Browns family. Damn Lombardi!
it’s okay. he had a face only a mother could love.
5 yr… $ 34 mil…. $ 15 mil guaranteed. a bit steep?
For Desmond Bryant?
Wow.
That’s a lot of change for a guy who hasn’t played in a 3-4 defense at the pro level. He should transition well to 5-tech but $15 million is an awful lot for a maybe.
They paid him extra in order to keep him from having another priceless mug shot moment.
Yeah and some Einstein on Bay Area TV reported that the Browns signed Dez Bryant. Thanks for the update. Next: Dennis Rodman elected Pope in a surprise move. Film at 11:00.
I hope we don’t sign Woodson. Like Reed, I think people are thinking of what he was 3-4 years ago. Phillips or drafting a safety like Thomas from Fresno State would be a better move IMO.
Could do both? I don’t mind the idea of signing a vet FS like Woodson or Reed – I’d prefer they just went with a rookie but I would expect them to take a safety early regardless. Having a guy like Woodson would at least provide some veteran insurance if the rookie isn’t ready week 1.
I can’t even see him here on a one year deal. He isn’t what he used to be. There are better options out there.
Maybe he could be the defenses version of Randy Moss last year. Biggest contribution being a guy the youngsters can learn from. I imagine there will be a few rookie DBs coming in.
But yeah, I’m not really that excited about it.
Oh no …
http://m.nfl.com/news/0ap1000000150149/agent-charles-woodson-to-visit-san-francisco-49ers/
totally, hopefully this is a ploy to get Deshaun back…
Nick – Time for that race horse (Woodson) to be put in the pasture. He looked a little broken down to me last year.
If the 49ers sign a player like Woodson or Reed, it would be a 1 year deal. I’d fully expect to see the team then draft the heir apparent with one of the early round picks. Our secondary has some flaws that were exposed the last few regular season games and in the playoffs. In particular, we need to get better coverage safeties one way or another. Goldson was a physical presence but not quite the coverage safety his salary demands would warrant. Whitner was consistently beaten, especially in the red zone and by the bigger/more atheletic Tight Ends of today’s NFL.
You’re all a bunch of j*ck*sses, those of you who don’t like the idea of ChuckWood21 on a 1 year contract, one of the top-5 defensive players in the history of the NFL.
Bozos.
We all liked Woodson the top 5 player.
We aren’t sure about Grandpa Woodson.
Yeah, but is he still that guy? You don’t sign a guy because of what he did (especially what he did for someone else). You sign him because of what he can do.
Note, I take no position as to what Woodson has left to offer.
C Balls – That’s as politically correct of an opinion as you can get bro, straight out of D.C.
The Dems/GOP would be proud! :)
@ Crab:
That wasn’t my intention. I sincerely don’t know what, if anything, Woodson has anything left.
*Woodson has left.
Sorry for the typo.
Moss was a grandpa, and he helped Crabs blossom. Guarantee you that Woodson can offer the same to our CBs, as well as cover the TE position better than either 2012 safety.
Mr. everythingwrong – How did Moss help crabtreee blossom?
WAS one of the top five Everything, just like Reed. You don’t sign either unless you have them as a backup.
… or as a short term starter while the rookie you draft gets to learn how to play from one of the smartest and most skilled DBs in the game.
This assumes of course that either one has enough left in the tank to fill that role.
Whoever it is…..sign them for what they’re going to be, not what they used to be. Brain surgery I guess.
not disagreeing, but what about this.. if niners were to stack the front 7 even more through the draft and free agency… that would alleviate a ton of pressure off the secondary right? wouldn’t an experienced player like woodson be able to capitalize on an advantage like that? plus provide leadership to the d-backs and show them a few things. just a thought…
Who would you replace Pete? NT may seem like the obvious answer but (like Jack said in one of his earlier) the Niners answered with how they plan to fill that position with the new contract for Ian Williams. If Woodson was here for only one year, he would have the the same Niners DL as last season more or less.
Glenn Dorsey was at his best at LSU playing inside in a 4-3, but struggled with the transition to NT in the 3-4.
Maybe they bring him in to give J Smith and McDonald a breather in the Nickle/Dime packages?
As for spotting Brooks and A Smith they can use Haralson in the base package to do that.
Good job, Jack Hammer. Question Dorsey. He’s primed to resurrect his career under Tomsula.
Glenn Dorsey was always an over-rated pass rusher, even as a 4-3 DT at LSU. He’s at his best tying up multiple blockers and stuffing the run. I think he’d be a solid pick up.
Dorsey actually graded out pretty well as a run stuffer and guy who can tie up blockers the previous two seasons before this one when he got injured. Could be a solid pickup for the right price.
LB Ellerbe in for a five year $35 million deal with the Dolphins and Dansby out.
The Bucs got Revis and are said to be serious contenders for signing Dashon Goldson.
anyone have a link for Revis trade claims?
Who cares… I have not scene any confirmed trade details
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000150047/article/darrelle-revis-drawing-interest-from-tampa-bay-bucs
Can you say Eagles Dream team??
According to NFL Network nothing has happened yet on the potential Revis to Bucs trade front.
Every year there’s a flurry of big name big contract signings the first week of free agency. Then it settles down, and there will be bargains further down the road for Balke to grab. We made our big splash. Now let’s wait for those guys who weren’t as much in demand as they thought. Value signings.
Guys just a quick compare of DHB vs Crabtree in 2011 (not 2012)
Year Team G Rec Yds Avg Yds/G Lng TD 20+ 40+ 1st
2011 Oakland Raiders 15 64 975 15.2 65.0 58 4 14 3 44
2011 San Francisco 49ers 15 72 874 12.1 58.3 52T 4 12 3 40
My point in posting, is he was somewhat productive especially in +20 & +40 yard passes. Plus, the QB situation is Oakland is sketchy. CK loves the throw deep. Couldn’t DHB be a nice 3rd WR on the cheap???
I mentioned before I think he is worthy of a look. I’d prefer to have Jenkins or a rookie take that spot if warranted, but I wouldn’t be against such a move.
As MD said, he is Ginn 2.0 Shawn.
Ginn was not even a WR at Miami or OSU. DHB shows production. Besides if he is running deep we have QB that can get it there or back shoulder it.
I would like AJJ too… buuuut…
Not if he is running the wrong route, which he has often done.
Philly cuts C.Jenkins and signs Ice? Innovative, LOL. Ah, there may have been some Cap advantage, but pffft.
Don’t think it will happen, but on the cheap it would be a nice pickup Shawn.
Not surprised. Sopoaga and Walker gone. The inflated contracts usually come early in free agency.
Baalke sets a max value in his mind for re-signing players. If the other team has a higher offer, he lets them go. The early days of free agency are nerve wracking as we lose players left and right. “How will we stop the run without Spikes?” (Just fine it turned out)
After a few days of hand wringing, I expect to hear about new 49er acquisitions just as the fam is dishing up corned beef Saturday evening. All will be right with the world again.
Gonna miss Sopoaga and Walker. Two quietly tough guys. Happy they are getting paid.
What ever happened to this guy => Aubrayo Franklin
bingo
haha. alright. well said. they were both good niners. exciting to speculate on who the new members will include.
A side note: Is Larry Grant a free agent? It would be smart if the Eagles paired him with Sopoaga. An immediate way for a team to shore up it’s middle run defense. Grant would come with a low price.
I’m surprised he hasn’t received interest. Maybe SF is working on a new deal?
To backtrack a wee bit… acquiring Boldin via trade (instead of free agency) means it won’t affect the 2014 compensatory formula. If the 49ers lose RJF and Goldson to big contracts, they should get a nice little consolation prize in 2014.
Heck, that late 6th rounder probably had less draft value then the net negative 2014 compensatory price if Baalke singed an FA to a similar contract. A crafty way to dump unneeded picks now for draft value later.
sneaky sneaky…
Good catch Brodie.
Goldson should get a contract that will make his compensation a 3rd round pick. Walker and Soap I believe just netted the 49ers a 4th rounder each, barring other signings.
To clarify a bit… I was comparing the Boldin trade to signing another FA player of similar value/price.
If Boldin was released (and the Niners signed him), its my understanding that would also leave the compensatory formula unaffected.
That is correct. The compensatory formula is only affected by signing free agents. Waived and/or traded players are not included.
Touching on Brodie’s last 2 comments about looking back at the Boldin deal and possibly loosing Grant. Taking this and everything else into account the past 2 seasons…a holistic view of the Niners off season…
…Isn’t it great we are talking about significant roster moves to get quality starters and back up players. Things have changes here guys, we are on the verge of NE-type of franchise building. In the cap era that is hard. We just really really really needed that Superbowl in Jan. It is going to be tough moving forward: division, keeping our quality in tact, developing the QB.
All in all it is a great time to be Niner!!!
And with the new rookie salary cap, a large percentage of the roster has to be year 1-4 players in order to retain higher priced veterans while staying under the overall cap. Rosters are increasingly being comprised of super stars and developmental players.
Good teams will have to stay on top mainly by acquiring and developing elite quarterbacks (for both play and trade bait for draft picks)…. and being masters at finding solid talent in rounds 2-3.
Back in The Niners War Room Trent Baalke is just waking up from his First Day Nap refreshed and ready to plot his Flea Market Free Agency hunt. He has a particular affinity for antiques that he’ll begin getting around to on Wednesday, or I dunno, maybe Thursday.
Just teasing, but I don’t usually expect action out of TB on Day#1.
None of the good teams have really been active today. The 1st day of free agency is celebrated by lighting piles of money on fire and for some reason the Packers, Patriots, Steelers, Ravens, 49ers, Falcons, Giants and Saints haven’t been tossing their salary cap into the flames.
(it pained me greatly to acknowledge a couple of those teams)
The non burners all have one thing in common. They have been – and look like they will continue to be – playoff contenders. The real fight will start in a few weeks, possibly post-draft, when the smart teams start identifying quality vets at good prices.
Ahhhh, yes, Grasshopper. The Tiger waits and watches and picks his moment. Patience lowers risk and brings rewards.
PS Clem. ‘lighting piles of money on fire’ is an apt phrase. Flacco is on camera all day bemoaning the departure of his teammates. Wha’ happened?
You could also add the Bengals into that mix Msclemon.
I dunno MWN – I can’t tell if the Bengals are patient or just cheap.
They are making smart resignings and looking at solid FAs so far though.
@Brotha
That was funny! I think that we’re both seeing the same things…
As MM said on Twitter, the 49ers are building up their stash so 2014 draft picks today.
“of”
Interesting link that has 49ers players on twitter and their latest tweets.
http://www.tweeting-athletes.com/index.cfm?CatID=99
Pardon me, but I understand about 1% of what they are talking about.
+1
I hit that website all the time. Mainly to see who is partying late on game day… or to check out Anthony Davis’ comments about opponents before he’s forced to delete them.
Let’s see… what is the status at all positions now?
LB- Linebackers are looking good. Haralson will be back. Is he just a back up now or do they trade? Fleming and Johnson will be there as well. We will finally get to see what Fleming can do. Did Gooden get resigned? Grant is also in limbo right now.. if he goes.. what are your thoughts on Dan Conner? He looked solid in Carolina. Cowboys seemed to feel he just didn’t fit their system, but I suspect maybe it’s more of a coaching thing.
D-Line – Needs depth with soap gone, and RJF may follow. looks like an obvious draft day focus. If they get a FA DT, I’m sure Ian will still get to compete for the starting job. Need some DE help. Here’s hoping they find the next Cowboy this year. Wouldn’t that be ridiculous? I’d like to see them load up and start a good rotation.
Secondary – Feel that most of us agree this is the glaring opportunity area for niners. Culliver needs consistency. Grant’s thought to move him to safety sounds really interesting…. No more can be said about Whitner that hasn’t been said already. Getting some solid corners would be awesome. I do like Brown. Rogers is inconsistent as well. I don’t have any data to back this up, but I feel like corners can be almost as risky as wide outs on draft day… I don’t see any true leaders in this secondary…
QB – Great 1st year starting for the Kaeptain. High hopes for next season, especially with his work ethic. Need a back up, so maybe scott takes 2nd string, and they find a 3rd in FA or draft a late round project?
RB/FB – Tailbacks should be good. . Miller is turning into a fine FB, and Dixon has been proficient as the back up. Hunter will be back, plus LMJ starting to show the playmaking ability we all were hoping for. Gore is Gore. I do like the idea of getting Lattimore in the draft if he falls.
O-Line – Line looked fantastic last year. Ridiculous improvement from last. Madden was getting giddy watching them. L. Davis is leaving, but he seemed to be just a big body in jumbo sets, so do they fill that slot?
WR – Added Boldin. Still have Crabs, Manningham and Williams are coming back (Professional sports has helped to progress medical knowledge on repairing ligaments, so I’m confident they will be fine). AJ’s 2nd year, so looking for him to start showing Baalke he wasn’t wrong to get him in the 1st.
TE – Walker gone. Davis still a stud. Celek should get chance to compete for 2nd spot with a draft pick.
ST – Do you guys think they get one a kicker in the draft or FA? I’d prefer draft personally. Get a young one that will stick around for the next decade or more. Need help solidifying coverage unit. That second have kickoff run back…..
Thought, comments, disagreements?
Kicker in draft and a f.a. To compete.
I think it’s Johnson OR Harralson w/ rookie also competing.
Competition for Boobie again. I think Trent still wants a bulldozer.
Casting Call for DBs. Draftees, FAs, udfa’s, undocumented immigrants, stowaways, etc.
@Allan all secondaries get exposed if there is no pass rush. Unless you have 4 D. Sanders in your D back field you will eventually get burned if you do’nt get pressure.
Case in point what was the 49ers record in 1981 before they traded for Fred Dean and that was an excellent D backfield
Excellent breakdown Pete. Nice work.
I don’t think the 49ers built a true coverage secondary. They seem built to take advantage of hurried QBs. With pressure they were near the top of the league but once the pressure fell off they were exposed. Should the 49ers try to rebuild the secondary from scratch or simply augment the pass rush? Or both?
That’s right. The secret for our secondary is the pas rush.
Without it it is garbage.
We need great depth on DLand OLB or good luck with injuries.
In 2011 our front seven were healthy and the secondary was great.
In 2012 we lost Haralson then Aldon run out of gas late in the season. And once Justin got hurt our secondary got exposed.
What about Toilolo as a project? I saw him drop a lot of passes but he’s a huge target. How does he block?
I was looking at a under the radar guy. Hard to tell since I’m no draft scout. Jordan Thompson from Ohio Bobcats.
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=84654&draftyear=2013&genpos=TE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJhgbR7V3g4
It’s the MAC sure, but the kid levels people while blocking. Seems to have good hands. Missed senior year because of torn MCL. Ran a 4.65 40, and is 6-4, 248 lbs. I’m thinking he might be a special teams stud, and with a bit of speed on him he might be a good target in the mid range passing game?
@ pete:
Fwiw, it also looks like he has experience playing a Delanie Walker type role in a pistol offense (plenty of read option plays too) – I saw pre-snap motion, blocking from unexpected angles and possession receiving. And you were right about his blocking. He blocked his man to the whistle.
That said, he’s clearly not as fast or quick as Delanie Walker.
Also, the MAC has some thick-legged cheerleaders.
I saw him drop a lot of passes
Then he’s the obvious replacement for Walker.
Your prediction just took a nosedive Grant.
http://www.49erswebzone.com/news/56296-49ers-out-choice-josh-cribbs/
Around the league:
Colts – not a bad day. They managed to fill some key positions without overpaying ridiculously. Except for Cherilus. My only explanation for that signing is the Colts saw how well Peyton did with a broken neck and decided that Luck needs to have his neck broken as well.
Browns – burned piles of cash trying to transform a perfectly serviceable 4-3 defense into a 3-4. I don’t get this. the defense was not the problem in the Factory of Sadness last year.
Falcons – resigned a few of their own while avoiding the feeding frenzy
Titans – tried to become the 2011 Bills
Dolphins – just gave QB money to a wide receiver who only runs 2 routes
Bears – proved they hate Cutler as much as the rest of us by signing Bushrod.
Rams – Dammit. Actually made smart moves.
Raiders – To paraphrase Mike Silver; I wonder if Reggie McKenzie was honest in his interview and said “I pretty much hate everyone on the roster.”
Chiefs – apparently they believe Alex Smith was the missing piece on a 2-14 team.
Bengals – despite having the most cap space in the league Mike Brown continued to rub two nickles together in hopes of creating a quarter (actually, they made smart moves, I just can’t resist a Mike Brown joke).
Browns and Dolphins, one team has a new GM trying to get the fans on his side, the other has a GM trying to save his job.
The Dolphins also paid a guy who has only 13 starts to his name and another who played well on a one year contract in Oakland. And the coach and GM of the Chiefs are guys who believe in building a team through the draft.
The Browns gave $75 million to 2 guys who have a total of 32 starts between them.
MSC,
I can’t resist a Mike Brown joke either, when are you going to make one?
@ Oregonniner. We’re good, you + me. And answer to your question only one HC we can think of! That’s fo’ sho! Everybody in the League is still shaking their heads. As off-the-wall as JH is, if we step back and think: new coach, his draft pick, makes the move…. It’s just the way he did it. But new regimes do it. And CK is a playuh!
Hey Grant, could you add a “HELL NO!” option to the DHB poll?
I think it would add more accuracy to the results.
Free agent cornerbacks:
Miami’s Sean Smith
Detroit’s Chris Houston
Carolina’s Chris Gamble
Philadelphia’s Dominique Rodgers- Cromartie
Atlanta’s Brent Grimes
Jacksonville’s Derrick Cox
New England’s Aqib Talib
Pittsburgh’s Keenan Lewis
Tampa Bay’s E.J. Biggers
Baltimore’s Cary Williams
Of these guys, I like Sean Smith, Keenan Lewis, and Chris Houston. Cary Williams is solid, but he’s a restricted FA, I believe.
Teams seeking CB:
Carolina, Seattle, Washington, Philadelphia, the New York Giants, Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Buffalo, New England, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Jacksonville, San Diego, Kansas City, Oakland, and SF.
Scratch off Gamble. He retired yesterday after being cut.
Around his birthday no less.
Grimes and Lewis are the two I like.
Grimes resigned with Atlanta.
Darn. Well there’s still Lewis.
I’m with you on Grimes – I thought he might be a sneaky good pickup coming off of injury.
D. Orlando Ledbetter @AJCFalcons
Misread a text: Grimes has not reached a one year deal with the #Falcons
Hope he doesn’t and signs with the Niners.
Oho! The game is still afoot!
Nick,
Don’t forget Namdi.
I wasn’t a fan of the idea of him joining the team, but I’m starting to like the scenario. Two questions remain though: does he still have plenty left in the tank and will he still be too costly?
I don’t think the 49ers will sign any of these guys.
I agree, but still one can dream.
Scratch off Chris Houston. Re-signed with Detroit.
Not a loss there.
Grimes is a beast……I like him alot
Thanks Alex Smith for being a Niner and a man of solid character on and off the field.
http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2013/03/12/alex-smith-gave-his-all-off-the-field-too/
Also would like to thank the Hawk, the Swiss-Army Knife and the underrated Soap for their time as members of the team as well.
I liked Swiss Army Knife (I love that nickname) and Soap for the same reasons I liked Snyder and Wragge. They weren’t world beaters but they were versatile and could fill in just about anywhere in a pinch. Snyder and Wragge played every spot on the line to cover injuries, Walker did everything except catch and Soap even played fullback. They were all fun, tool chest kind of guys.
I’ve hated to see them all leave but at the same time I’m glad they were able to turn that versatility into a fantastic paycheck. Kudos to Walker and Soap for grabbing a few million each – they earned it.
@MidWestNiner
Thank you so very much for posting Eric Branch’s link about Alex Smith….alex-smith-gave-his-all-off-the-field-too. I have been an Alex believer since he led his Utah team to a win over my beloved Oregon Ducks as a sophomore. That link shows integrity, humanity, and not a “see what I did?” attitude. Yeah, I guess it just solidifies my position as a member of the ‘Smithers’ Hell yes! ….count me in.
Tharold Simon, CB, LSU
This might be a guy that flys under the radar and stolen in round 3.
DRC and Nhamdi… Sign em both. Imediate upgrade over c rofgers n culliver. Put culliver at FS Make brown the nickle keep cox as the dime n we are good.
I’m betting Boldin is our one major FA signing of thi off season. Baalke will go back to what he does best, play the waiting game. In a day or two he will take a look at what bargins are left and scoop up a couple of players for very cheap. Then he will use the draft to fill our needs and any salary cap room he can use to sign our future FA’s to extensions.
OC
Agree Trent’s done with big ticket acquisitions. I’d also guess that SF wasn’t scheming for Boldin but that Ravens initiated that plan to recover something and it was too good a deal to pass up. I do think Trent will bring in some bodies on defense before the draft. I think Trent likes to use the draft for the future and bargain FAs for immediate needs. We’ll have to see how he parlays all the choices, but he may carry a bunch of choices into 2014.
Brotha if Dorsey and Woodson come REALLY cheap i would’nt be surprised to see them here but they would both be nothing more than stop gaps.
I agree, but he’d better not sit on his laurels too long acquiring a kicker…that is unless he is planning on going into the 2013 campaign with a rookie.
Razor you are probably right about the kicker it had slipped my mind
Old Coach
I think you and I are on the same page on this. I’m expecting them to sign some guys in the mold of Cox, L.Grant who they think can compete. Dorsey could be one for the right price if few other teams are interested, and if he has anything he might be here a couple of years. To promote competition I think they’ll bring in some FAs and udfa’s who have only slight chance to make the 53 but can push others in Camp.
you mean we couldnt pay Isaac Sopoaga $12 million, $5 million guaranteed, for three years.
No, I believe it means that Baalke didn’t want to pay him that much money to play roughly 1/3 of the defensive snaps, particularly not when he could sign Williams at $1.6 million/year (and only $1 million guaranteed) instead.
Not when he had a down year, lost more snaps to RJF, and is the age of 31.
Hey, here’s a good article on what Ozzie Newsome said about Boldin:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000150302/article/ravens-ozzie-newsome-anquan-boldin-will-be-missed
1. Letting him go was “unpleasant.”
2. “We know he can still play at a high level.”
3. Powerful leader and role model
4. When not targeted, an outstanding blocker
And this is kind of funny: “What hurts is that some of that money was thought to be freed up to re-sign Dannell Ellerbe, who took his talents to the Dolphins for $35 million.” What a pisser!
Didnt know Nmamdi was 32.. steal him at 3 mil for 2 years.
SMH…
Have you been watching FA at all over the past few years? When was the last time you saw an established player at any position sign for that kind of low ball money?
Jack and Rocket,
Haven’t you guys heard of “The Secret”? All you have to do is wish for things to happen and they do! It’s magic!
We need to pick up Leon Washington, who was recently cut by Seattle. I’m certainly he couldn’t be too expensive and he is a very good special teamer and kick returner. He is also an ex- Seahawks that I’m sure our special teams players could learn a thing or two from. I think he certainly could add to that part of our team and we could use all the help we could get.
Grant for day#2 how about a prediction of what if any signings the 49ers will make or ex 49er players will make.
Good idea. You first.
Today:
49ers sign: Dorsey
ex49ers: Goldson TB
Tomorrow:
ex49ers: RJF Clev
Friday:
49ers: A. Wilson S / L. Tynes K
These aren’t necessarily moves I want us to make but are ones that I see as possible.
Dorsey is visiting today. Maybe they will sign him this afternoon. No prediction, though.
George if Dorsey is willing to sign cheap this early in FA i think we will sign him but its more likely we would sign him in 3 or 4 days.
Makes a lot of sense.
Kenny Phillips and Brent Grimes to one year deals. Glenn Dorsey to a two year deal.
RJF to the Eagles.
Goldson to the Bucs.
Larry Grant to the Ravens.
Ginn unemployed.
Carlos Rogers and Parys Haralson cut or released.
Cut or traded.
too much dead money there
Grant, since you are here, I will post something I posted on the previous blog yesterday, but it was late and I am not sure you saw it:
Have you ever considered writing an “NFL for Dummies’? Seriously, could put a rocket under your career. History, descriptions of positions, types of offenses, types of defenses, statistics, etc. Could even get into the basics of betting. I am not aware of anything like it, and I think the market could be huge. Fans, girl friends, Fathers Day, birthday, and Christmas presents. NFL endorsement . . .
Also: Periodically in need of being revised/updated.
George – Those “Dummies” books are trademark/patent protected. However if anyone creates one, a former wacko blogger in here named DS should get the first copy!
Lol. Wat happened to DS? Did The kap swith piss him off that much?
That book already exists: http://www.amazon.com/Take-Your-Eye-Off-Ball/dp/B0078XOX3C
The best football book there is.
Grant doesn’t seem interested, so I’ll say only this: Thanks for the information about the Kirwan book. Never knew about it, and maybe I’ll get it. Certainly could use it. But I think there is always room for a second book if it’s at least a little different from the first, and the person who wrote it could focus on where the first book is weak. Everyone who bought the first book would have a reason to buy the second, plus a second book could possibly expand the market.
George,
A book like that is usually written by a former Coach who has been around the league and football in general for a long long time. Kirwan is that kind of guy.
Safety Bernard Pollard is being cut by the Raven’s today. He is 28 years old. Should the Niners be interested?
He’ll be too expensive.
Pollard is like Goldson only not as good. Hits hard but that’s it. No thank you.
I like safety Bernard Pollard.
KNBR reporting that Vince Young is coming in for a workout next week.
If this is true, VY could find some success if he is still able to play. Obviously, as a 3rd string to CK.
As much as I hate to see him as a Niner, he would fit the Niner offense.
… he would fit the Niner offense.
You think so? Even the part where he has to read the defense and decide between two plays?
I meant he would fit the offense because he is a mobile QB and in need of being molded, two things Harbaugh loves about his QBs.
Sounds like mint Harbaugh. Challenged and enticed by the possibility of turning a guy like this into an NFL qb. No knock against Tolzien, but if this turned into something, you could see them trading Tolzien in two or three years.
Will never forget Texas beating USC for the national championship. On Texas’ final drive, when Young took the snap and started to run with it, you knew the game was over.
AES,
I’ve mentioned this a few times. If his head is right he is a great candidate. Some of these guys deal in absolutes. Those are the ones I like coming back to at the end of the year pointing out how wrong they truly were.
I’ll say it again, Vince Young would be a great fit for this offense if his head is right. He’s 30, but he’s a young 30 since he hasn’t taken much physical punishment over the last two years.
Bring in Phil Dawson…..
Vince Young (as we all know by now), is not a playbook Einstien, but he may have enough football savvy to be a good backup or 3rd string.
At any rate, as I said a month ago, Tolzein’ game is not suited for this offense. I don’t see his style (pocket QB) as a remedy if CK were to go down.
VY could be that player (if he’s still in playing shape) who could do a reasonably effecient job in CK’ stead.