The Cincinnati Bengals have not signed any free agents from any other teams this offseason. Their head coach, Marvin Lewis, spoke about the team’s inactivity in the lobby of the Arizona Biltmore, the site of the league meetings.
Lewis is referring to the 49ers playing Randy Moss over first round pick A.J. Jenkins last season. Lewis did not like this approach, apparently.
The 49ers may be taking the same approach this offseason. They have been courting old free agents all week – Nnamdi Asomugha, Charles Woodson, Ed Reed, etc. – and they recently traded for 32-year old wide receiver Anquan Boldin.
Are the 49ers getting too old? Would signing an old player like Charles Woodson to a one-year deal actually hurt the 49ers next season, as Lewis suggests?
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No. The acquisition of Bolden actually makes them younger.
Younger compared to when Moss was on the field, but Boldin does not make the 49ers young.
I would rather they win instead of being young. Lewis made the statement in response to a Bengals blogger ripping them for not being active in FA and sticking instead with Sanu I believe.
How many playoff games has Lewis won during his tenure in Cincinnati?
So his statement is invalid?
Grant,
His statement was used to back up what he and the organization are doing. As for Jenkins, you said yourself that Jenkins wasn’t ready to be an NFL receiver last year.
He made a philosophical statement about team-building and he used the 49ers as a counter example.
I think his statement applies to the 49ers’ secondary. Will they go young, like Bill Walsh did in 1981?
And his philosophy has given him 0 playoff wins in 10 years.
Grant if you wanted advice on how to put a race team together would you ask the crew chief with zero wins in ten years or someone who has actually crossed the finish line before?
You guys are killing me, acting like Marvin Lewis is a nobody. He won a Super Bowl as a coordinator. He has a very talented young team right now.
I’m not sure why Lewis used the Niners in his example as Moss didn’t hold anybody back. He had a pretty small role in the offense until the injuries hit. I understand Lewis’ point about not wanting to block the progress of a young player but it’s about winning and if a vet WR gives you a better chance at that then you do it. Adding Boldin is huge for the Niners in that they have two legit #1 caliber WR’s now for the first time in a long time. If they add another rook or AJ starts to show promise all the better, but Boldin will be a huge part of the passing game this season imo.
I’m playing d advocate more then actually pushing the argument but being on a SuperBowl winning team as a coordinator doesn’t necessarily make you a winning coach. If the Vikings had won the SB last year would you consider Mike Singletary a better coach, he was a coordinator on a SuperBowl winning team why not?
Is Lewis a bad coach, he seems to not have a problem staying employed but that only begs the question, if he wasn’t employed by one of if not the laziest and cheapest owner in the league would he still have that job after so many seasons without any real success?
Lewis is different than Singletary. Lewis was the D-coordinator for the best defense of all time, for a team that won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer. Singletary is a motivational speaker.
Lewis could have made his point without throwing Harbaugh/Moss/the 49ers under the bus.
Think about it. The 49ers went to the Super Bowl last year. Is that the team you want to use as an example of how not to build a roster?
Why do you think he chose to throw them under the bus? Maybe that’s the most interesting question.
Right, as a coordinator under someone else’s philosophy.
Rocket,
This is why he used the 49ers as an example.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130316/COL03/303150205/Doc-Bengals-recent-laurels-not-worth-resting-on
You give Brian Billick the credit for the Ravens’ success? Really?
I’ve got nothing against Lewis, but he would have been fired long ago in most situations. He also was a great DC with the Ravens but that doesn’t necessarily make you a good HC. He has a good young team that hasn’t gotten over the hump yet, but he’s offbase in his comparison with the Niners because Moss did not hold anybody back.
I wont try to speak for Jack but for me the jab at Lewis’s record is more because I can then to try and discredit the guy or suggest he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. With that said you still can’t argue the fact that he’s knocking another teams approach, a team that was just in the SuperBowl when his own squads have met with minimal success at best.
From his perspective, he’s probably thinking he’s a Super Bowl champion knocking a front office that has not won a Super Bowl.
@ Grant
Why do you think he chose to throw them under the bus?
Because he doesn’t want Baalke sniffing around Pacman?
Thanks for the link Jack. I didn’t realize he was responding to a writer who specifically brought up the Niners. Still a bad analogy Lewis made though because adding Boldin is a lot different than adding Moss last year.
@ Grant:
You give Brian Billick the credit for the Ravens’ success? Really?
I think most people credit Ozzie Newsome for building the Ravens’ roster.
Here’s how I will sum up his comment:
Sour Grapes.
You prefer the philosophy of a guy with an under .500 career record and no playoff wins in 10 years over one that has 3 playoff wins and a Super Bowl appearance in only 2 years?
No, but I think he’s worth discussing, and I think he may have a good point in a general sense about young players vs. older players.
Lewis used the 49ers as an example because their fans have been clamoring for the team to sign a veteran like Moss or Chad Johnson. It was more in response to that than an attack on the Niners. The Bengals are flat-out cheap, which is why they don’t sign veterans unless the veterans have no other option. They also lose talent year after year because they don’t want to pay people. They are the worst franchise in football. I actually think Lewis is a good coach despite his record. He is also one of, if not the lowest paid coach in the league, which makes him a perfect fit for Cincinnati’s cheap ways.
Although in the specific example you’d also agree that he was incorrect, Moss didn’t actually hold back Jenkins.
Is the idea true but only for certain positions or is it completely false all together and strictly depends on the players involved?
Grant,
From his perspective, he’s probably thinking he’s a Super Bowl champion knocking a front office that has not won a Super Bowl.
I don’t believe that to be the case, but if it was it would be a delusional view by Lewis considering the current Niners regime has achieved more in two seasons than he has in his entire HCing career.
BigP,
I agree on your take of the Bengals organization. Mike Browns legendary cheapness is one of the reasons Lewis still has the job.
I’m not going to knock Lewis for his opinion on this as he knows his players better than others do, I just think he was offbase in using the Niners as an example of the strategy not working.
From his perspective, he’s probably thinking he’s a Super Bowl champion knocking a front office that has not won a Super Bowl
I might buy that if there was any evidence that (1) Lewis had any roster-building responsibility in Baltimore and (2) the Bengals’ current philosophy matches that of the Ravens when Lewis was there.
Older players vs. younger players is always an interesting topic as well because there is no tried and true method that has proved to be the end all be all.
The Ravens just won the SB with a number of older players starting and playing key roles so adding some vets is not a bad idea. If you add them at the expense of a younger player who is better right now, then it becomes a problem. You have to play the best players regardless of age.
In 2011 when they needed it they played younger players. Rookies like Smith, Culliver, and Miller played prominent roles. They moved out an aging Takeo Spikes and replaced him with Navorro Bowman. They moved out Nate Clements and replaced him with T Brown.
Even last year they made the move to Alex Boone at guard.
The secondary will get new blood in this draft, but unlike 1981 they don’t need them to start right away. The unit was pretty good until J Smith, Dobbs and A Smith got injured and the pass rush went away…
@ rocket:
Not only that, but I don’t see how the 49ers are an example of a team that doesn’t play its young players enough. Since McCloughan left and Baalke assumed greater responsibility, last year was the only year in which draftees did not get significant playing time. In 2010 and 2011 they did. Of course, second year players got tons of playing time in 2012.
I agree CB, and that is why the analogy Lewis made doesn’t fit. Moss was not used at the expense of a superior younger player who was waiting in the wings.
The Niners have shown a willingness to play the people who give them the best chance to win period.
The article that started all this (link was provided by Jack) singles out Sanu and makes it sounds like he’s a bum. Paul Daugherty, the articles author, doesn’t know how Sanu is progressing. Nor does he know his potential. So, he needs to STFU. Lewis knows better the situation of the team. M. Lewis didn’t have to use SF as an example, but he and team have legitimate reasons for not being active in free agency.
Don’t mess with Nick’s boy Sanu. LoL ; )
That’s right Jack. BTW, I’d take Sanu over AJ Jenkins any day.
The 49ers have tried to avoid having rookies start since Harbaugh took over. Even the great 2011 draft had Aldon Smith backing up Brooks and Haralson in the base formation, then letting him loose on 3rd down. Culliver was the 3rd CB (and only after Brock was injured), Hunter was and still is the backup RB, etc. I think Bruce Miller is the only one that actually started, and that’s because they only kept 1 FB. As for 2012, well, we all know how little they saw the field.
Young players aren’t handed the job. They have to earn it. And the 49ers appear to have a preference to limit rookies exposure in the first year. The only positions I think rookies have a chance of starting this season are FS and K. And any FS they draft will have to show they are better than Dahl, Spillman, Robinson or Thomas. Not potentially better in the future, but better now.
Great points Scooter,
I’ll add that Miller didn’t start until Moran Norris broke his leg.
>>Why do you think he chose to throw them under the bus? Maybe that’s the most interesting question.
Simple, really. Ego. Grant, have you ever heard of “Not Invented Here”? It is rife in organizations. That even when a process/philosophy returns positive results, if that is not viewpoint of nor had it’s origins from the protagonist, it must be attacked.
That is what is going on with Lewis. Besides, there are many ways to Nirvana. Lewis has a patent on the only way? If so, he should be a fundamentalist preacher, not a coach.
Lol..yea lewis is a much better coach than harbaugh..keep signing what we dump marvin
Sorry Marv, your a moron. No team makes the SB with an exclusively young team. Salary cap makes it impossible, you lose FA sign a few key FA on short deals to fill in where necessary. Moss may not have had the number, but he did do one thing, he was a great decoy that kept D’s honest. Jenkins would not have done that!
I would like to add, that in most cases with a young team by the time the players have the experience necesarry to thrust them into the playoffs and beyond, rook players will be ready to get paid. Cant pay them all. You build core with draft, but you fill in with older FA’s.
Don’t think it’s completely invalid; however, I think there was more to AJ Jenkins not being on the field. Not being able to grasp the offense or being strong enough to succeed at NFL are more likely than Randy Moss just being on the roster.
As I recall, every other receiver on the roster was getting playing time ahead of Jenkins, so if you don’t look at it as an either/or situation (Jenkins or Moss) you see that the reason why Jenkins didn’t get more time on the field was Jenkins. Blame Williams, Manningham, Crabtree, etc., for the sin of being better than Jenkins.
You can debate his personal on field impact, but by all accounts he was a great mentor to Crabtree and Colin Kapernick last year, to name a few. Both had “break out” seasons therefore I have trouble calling into question the move to sign Randy. Given we made the super bowl he should have been picking on a team like the Jags who signed Laurant Robinson to a big free agent deal only to cut him this season. Are we really to blame AJ’s horrible season on the impact of having Moss take his snaps?
+1
There was a good deal of chatter on here about grabbing L. Robinson.
He should have been fired long ago.
I think the ’84 Team was one of the best ever for the Niners, and it was peppered with vets. Different Cap era I know, and a style the club would pay for later, but on the field it worked. I’m not sure there is a rule or template for building a roster. If older guys can help and have value and short term contracts I don’t have any philosophical problems with it.
That’s not the same as saying that CW or NA or ER are the right answer; I don’t know. Edwards was worth the try. Moss, imo, was worth the try. Mario helped out and had some productivity as a #2. Jacobs, well, whiff there.
And Coach Lewis what was your record last year? Oh that’s right.
LOL. One word for Lewis: Cowboy.
+94! LOL
Depends on the vet player and the team.
The 49ers have done well more often then not signing ‘vet’ free agents.
I thought that R.Moss did a fairly good job for us last year. He gave the team some value on the field and especially in the lock-room.
He actually had a potential TD in the SB that was coming his way that Crabtree tried to catch/dropped.
Did only thing that Moss did that miffed me with his smack talk about him saying that he was better than J.Rice.
But in the final analysis, I could forgive that.
ridiculous. I douBt crabtree has his breakout year without moss on the roster.
Here is the article with the statement from Lewis, and it has a link to the piece in which Lewis is responding.
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/bengals/2013/03/17/lewis-discusses-free-agency/
I think Lewis’s statement assumes that Harbaugh did not play the best player available and had other motives for starting Moss, i.e. FA contract. Doesn’t seem to me that Harbaugh would do that. If Jenkins was ready to play and was the better player he would have been playing instead of Moss, see Smith/Kapernick. If you play younger players simply to give them experience but you lose because of that then you will be in a constant state of rebuilding, similar to the Bengals, always coming close but never reaching the goal. Walsh playing 3 rookies in the defensive backfield only worked because those players were much BETTER than the stiffs they had been running out there. If Jenkins was much better he would have been playing.
I actually agree with Lewis on this. I think it is a mistake to have old vets in speed positions. The niners can get quality safeties and corners with their draft picks. I would rather the niners focus on developing the secondary with youth while the front 7 is still dominant. The secondary can afford to make mistakes. Better thAt they develop now so hopefully the secondary can be a strength when Justin smith retires.
What the? “The secondary can afford to make mistakes?”
That’s why we lost in Super Bowl genius!
Come with me to my office!! http://media.naplesnews.com/media/img/photos/2011/11/08/1109_NCLO_DA_IVEY04_t607.jpg
question has been post numerous time, I just hear “he is not ready”, but what was the reason AJ Jenkins could not make onto the field?
Lewis is correct in saying that Moss didn’t do anything but he’s wrong in suggesting he held back Jenkins. The 49ers were forced to put Moss on the field because Jenkins wasn’t developing.
I agree.
Rocket the fact that he was orocket says:
March 18, 2013 at 10:39 am
CFC,
Jenkins was 6th on the depth chart from the outset. It is pretty clear they didn’t plan to have a big role in the offense for him with
——————————-
The team was forced to play the other receivers in front of him, it wasn’t the plan it was what they were forced to do. You’re not going to convince me that they didn’t think or hope that Jenkins could crack the starting line up when they drafted him, they’d planned on it but that plan fell through when Jenkins couldn’t develop quickly enough.
CFC,
We’ll have to agree to disagree because their FA signings and having to keep Ginn active on gameday tells me they didn’t plan on him playing a big role. If they did they wouldn’t have signed Manningham and/or Moss. It would make no sense to restrict his playing time and position on the depth chart if you were expecting him to play a big role.
Jenkins has been a fairly polarizing player so far so it’s hardly surprising we don’t agree. I don’t think teams in the modern era draft players in the first round anymore with the thought that they will be developed. I think teams expect first round players to play and produce in their first season and I believe the team expected this of Jenkins.
Ultimately we’ll just have to wait and see if he is a project or a dud but at this point he was poor first round value if nothing else.
It’s unrealistic to think he’ll be a big contributor in his second year, either. There’s never been a WR to have a big second season after a completely or almost-completely unproductive rookie season.
CFC,
Waiting and seeing is the key. We have not seen enough to make a definitive judgement on Jenkins value. That seems to be the ongoing difference of opinion on this topic. I think our desire to know everything yesterday leads to snap judgements made without enough to make them on. Sometimes you have to wait awhile to find out what a player brings to the table.
If you had to guess, do you think Jenkins will pan out?
Possibly Grant, but I also see this as a different situation than many previous ones in that the team didn’t have a lot of needs and took a player they intended to develop as opposed to playing a big role right away. I’m not denying that Jenkins was underwhelming and didn’t develop as fast as they would have liked, but until the injuries hit, they really didn’t give him much of a shot either.
His future depends on his willingness to work and improve and by working with Kap in Atlanta, he’s showing a desire to be a bigger factor in 2013. How big a factor will depend on him.
Whilst on the subject, is there really any chance they don’t draft a WR high;
Crabtree
Boldin
Hall
Of our currently signed WR’s the above three are the only ones we know for 100% that are healthy and can actually suit up and play in a game.
Leaving:
Jenkins(bust?)
Manningham(probably start season on PuP, might be finished)
Williams(inured, will he be ready to start season?)
Lockette (practice squad player.)
I have my doubts about Manningham ever playing again and I have my doubts that even if Williams is healthy that 49ers might not even care. He’s only ever going to be the #3 and if there is any chance he’s not 100% then I can’t imagine why we’d even consider keeping him around. What has Williams brought that cant be easily replaced?
This leaves Jenkins and a practice squad player to back up Boldin, Crab and Hall.
If I had to guess, I would say no based on the fact he wasn’t used at all even after the injuries. I’m just not the type to jump to conclusions until I have ample proof to do so. Jenkins may still turn into something and until he proves it one way or another the possibility exists.
Fair enough. That’s prudent.
It’s ok Grant you can call it what it is: Fence sitting. I admit it. It’s also fan hope that things will turn out positively. I have little doubt they will be looking for somebody in the draft again this year though.
Compensatory picks are announced today.
Rocket,
The fact that they signed Moss and Manningham before the draft backs up your claim. I have long said it was a pick for the future. Fleener was passed over by the guy who knew him best.
Pre-draft prognostications:
BigP says:
April 13, 2012 at 10:12 am
Smith has Davis, Walker, Crabtree, Gore, Moss, Manningham, Ginn and Miller. They have quite a bit of talent but the WR depth will be thin again next year with Moss and Ginn on one year deals. They need WR’s for the future.
April 12, 2012 by Grant Cohn:
“Pick #17 49ers (trade) – TE Coby Fleener. The Niners swap first round picks with the Bengals, plus they give them their second and fourth rounders this year to draft Fleener, who should be a top-10 pick. Why? Because the NFL is evolving into a passing league and Fleener is the best receiver in the draft. If the Rams were shrewd, they’d draft Fleener over Blackmon with the sixth pick. But I don’t think they’re that shrewd, and I do think Fleener will drop into the late teens because conservative general managers will draft a “potential No.1 WR” over a “tight end who’s just a mediocre blocker.” Mike Mayock doesn’t even give Fleener a first round grade. There’s a chance Fleener could fall to the Niners at pick 30, but there’s also a chance the Bears could draft him at pick 19. If he falls to 17, the Niners should consider themselves lucky and trade up for the future perennial Pro Bowler.”
Grant,
Why did Coby Fleener fail to live up to your lofty expectations? Why was it that a “top-ten” talent was thoroughly outplayed by a third round pick at the same position?
You emphatically stated that Blackmon and Kuechly were not first round talents. I said Blackmon was the best pass catcher in the draft and that Kuechly would be a high first rounder and DROY. Blackmon had 865 yards and five TD’s (despite catching passes from Gabbert and Henne) and Kuechly lead the NFL in tackles and was the DROY (despite changing LB spots during the season).
I said I would rather have Kendall Wright over Fleener. He had 626 receiving yards and 4 TD’s. You said Jarius Wright was better. He had 310 receiving yards and 2 TD’s.
CFC,
I disagree. Jenkins was 6th on the depth chart from the outset. It is pretty clear they didn’t plan to have a big role in the offense for him with Crabs, Manningham, and Moss being the top 3 and Ginn having to be active on gameday due to being the #1 KR/PR. There was just no way Jenkins was going to play much this year. There is no doubt Jenkins did not progress as quickly as they would have liked when the injuries hit and they needed him to step up, but I think we are getting caught up in our own baseless speculation when we talk about how the Coaches used him or in this case didn’t. This season will tell us a lot about how they view Jenkins.
Hanging from the cobwebs of my mind, I have a feeling that the trade for Boldin focused the lens with which they view Mr. Jenkins.
Good post, Rocket
Jenkins will be a monster this season. He was a project from day 1, and in year 2 Harbaugh unleases the beast.
We hope.
Like Johnny Stein?
Anyone else notice the “Feather” pen used by Dahl to sign on the dotted line? Epic..
A.J. Jenkins held A.J. Jenkins back, thanx Marvin for giving him an excuse for last season that won’t help him one iota in his career.
I can think of several negatives about Moss last year but he held nobody back..
+1. That’s the best comment of the day … A.J. Jenkins held A.J. Jenkins back
All I have to say about this topic is: “You plaaaay to wiin the game!”
Super Bowl champs were full of oldies but goodies mixed in with young studs.
Runner ups: likewise.
As has been stated in previous comments, for the most part you cannot field all young studs. Salary cap practically ties teams to choose who you want to pay big and then be cheaper with the rest. Do you prefer a cheap young guy (unless he came from the draft, it
probably means not that great, yet) or a cheap oldie but theoretically goodie?
Whatever Marvin Lewis is doing, it is not working. Whatever 49ers is doing, it is working considerably better. That is not an opinion, that is a fact backed up by the premise “You plaaaay to wiiin the game”.
If you prefer to rule your analysis by “You play to fieeeeld young guys” than the conclusions would be different, of course.
So in case I was not clear on my opinion: Niners are right in their philosophy on bringing experienced guys to fill wholes and to influence (you can only hope positively) the young ones. And they have the record to prove it.
David H
i think ultimately the Niners just want to put their best players forward that put them in the best situation to win. Manningham was originally the 2nd receiver until he got hurt. It isn’t Moss’s fault the Jenkins didn’t even warrant being activate until mid year.
As for the Safety position. Unless the kid is far ahead of the curve compared to most rookies in terms of defensive and offensive understanding…and that’s very rare (Earl Thomas and Eric Berry are two of the few exceptions that come to mind)…I don’t want a guy to learn the position of Safety as a starter while I’m contending for a Super Bowl (which brings to the point that Thomas and Berry weren’t on teams at the time that were thought to be major contenders). Bottom line: if a rookie receiver screws up a route he either isn’t thrown to, it’s a bad pass…or maybe even an interception….but when a rookie Safety screws up..often times it’s TOUCHDOWN for the opposing team.
The 49ers are on top of the mountain looking down at the rest of the division. With at least 14 draft picks, the 49ers are not going to be knocked off anytime soon. I cannot wait to see Baalkes’ genius exposed in this draft. At its conclusion, I will be driving to see Loudness at the Bottoms Lounge in Chicago April 28th. There will be one less item on the bucket list. Meeting Akira Takasaki and the boys will cap off one of the best draft weekends ever!
Loudness? Really Razor your a metalhead?
I have been officially labeled. It fits quite well. I rather fancy it, Metalhead. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig39cJRdJG4
Razoreater Metalhead-nice tag!
You know what they say: “You are what you eat.”
I wish the 49ers would start making some CB moves so I can actually make a mock that I wont have to change after a day.
marvin lewis is talking smack against the niners ’cause the bengals hate us!!!!!!!!!!! anyone ever heard of the bill walsh curse?? of course not, i made that phrase up myself some years ago, but its so true. Bill walsh was a bengal assistant!!! way before he was our head coach. then we beat those bums in 2 superbowls (that franchise has been pure sh@# since the beating in ’89) and we just keep getting over on them. here will sing justin smith away and you guys can have many lawson, nate clements and taylor mays. lol.
funny stuff. I know you’re right too. BW was p—ed he got passed over for HC after being OC for a while. So he bolted (!) to San Diego for OC for a year before HC at Stanford. Then he got to beat Paul Brown’s team in the SB; twice.
I wish the team would make a move or two with CB’s so I could try and make a mock that wont have to be changed after a day.
Ah go ahead!
Ha, you’re right, I wasn’t going to be all that close anyway so It probably really doesn’t matter when I make it.
Randy Moss was brought in to be an on-the-field coach, not an every-down player. I believe that the offensive coaching staff realized that their receivers, while talented, needed a player with experience to teach them the nuances of the position without actually being a coach. In this capacity, Moss performed admirably. Michael Crabtree finally exhibited the tools and skill that made him a can’t-miss, steal prospect when he was drafted. And, while other receivers did not perform up to par like we, the fans, wanted to see them perform, I see that as more of an issue with scheme and injuries, rather than Moss getting in the way on the depth chart.
I can see someone like Woodson or Reed being brought into the secondary in a similar capacity this year as Moss was last year. The 9ers secondary has a very bad habit of overplaying and playing out of position. Someone like the aforementioned players can definitely help the defensive coaching staff demonstrate proper position and technique, without those players playing every snap of a game.
Moss didn’t get in the way of the depth chart. That is ridiculous. This is not a vertical passing offense. I used to think it was Smith’s limitation but it wasn’t. It was an offensive limitation. Anything deep that VD or Moss ran was 100% a decoy route.
I do think though that teams will adjust and the Niners will have to throw deep this year to keep teams honest. I’d like Kaep to add a pump fake in his 2nd year as a starter.
Moss was loved by teammates and respected. His not being targeted more was by design. The Niners make Crabtree their focus and rightly so.
A poster above correctly said that Lewis was using his comment to justify his own teams direction. See Lewis couldn’t get an older vet with a year or two left to play for him.
This is not a vertical passing offense. I used to think it was Smith’s limitation but it wasn’t. It was an offensive limitation.
[picking jaw off of floor]
: )
I echo CB’s sentiments. An unexpected and astute observation Bay. Didn’t think I’d see the day.
That makes three of us.
Grant where can I email you at?
theamazinggrantcohn@pressdemocrat/blogstud.com?
grantcohn@gmail.com
That’s the one I tried but it got kicked back as invalid. /shrug
Blast this blog, I didn’t see my reply even after hitting reload and it tricked me into re-posting with an edit. /shakes fist at monitor!
My favorite sleeper 2013 check him out: http://www.knowitallfootball.com/2013/02/26/nfl-draft-2013-peter-lalich-the-forgotten-one/ -yeah he was bit of lad but that was then and this now.
That’s a big kid.
Big kid ,big arm,acute football mind would love to see what Coach could do with him.
I’d take a 6th Round flier on him.
Yeah razor this kid really is interesting.
Is he a mobile QB?
Good question-reports are he is elusive, rarely gets sacked…reportedly ran 4.8 at pro day (not bad for a big fella) very accurate and has a cannon (70 yd in air).
Regardless of anything else(practicality, contract cost, age,skill) what remaining Free Agent would you most like to see the team sign?
For me; Adam Jones.
CFC
I Concur. I havnt seen any reports of him visiting any other teams. Is there any update with him?
Last I heard the Bungholes were getting ready to re-sign him.
That’s easy. If things like salary cap, playing time, etc. were not factors, Dumervil. That would pretty much take care of all pass rush concerns.
Is the team going to re-sign McBath?
Not with the signing of Craig Dahl and I wouldn’t be surprised if C.J. Spillman is traded or released.
I would.
If they target a safety in the draft Razor, then Spillman could be expendable.
We don’t hear much about C.J. Spiller starting at safety. This seems odd to me because he looks exactly like Dashon did on special teams before Dashon got promoted. I think the Niners knew this all along and picked up Dahl and Skuta strictly for special teams, an area they no doubt feel is a top priority to improve
*spillman*
The Niners might not be getting any younger but judging by his comments and his cocksure attitude about stuff w-a-y over his head, Grant sure is…
How’s that Coby Fleener guy working out?
I understand both views..you want a mixture of veterans and youngsters..but.if youre playin a whole bunch of youngsters..you’re in rebuilding On the job training mode.
Age might affect how a team performs but it is far from even being considered as a main factor. First, you need a solid GM that knows how to work the draft and free agency like his own little puppets. Second, you need a coach that actually KNOWS how to coach players and doesn’t think of even one position on the team as being irrelevant. Third, you need to have the players and coaching staff themselves buy into the team concept. It is when one thinks that they are a bigger part instead of an equal part of the team that you usually run into problems. And finally, you need to have the owner get involved only when it is necessary and leave the main footwork to the GM.
Grant, I think a better and potentially more informative blog topic should be the potential rule change that will penalize RBs leading with the crown of their helmet into a defender. That’s my opinion anyway.
That’s an interesting discussion topic. Apparently this only applies to open field situations. My take: if this passes RBs like LMJ and KH will become more valuable, because they have the skill and quickness to make guys miss in the open field.
I disagree Grimey. I think this will cause more injured RBs and fumbles. It doesn’t matter if they are quick and have the skills to make a defender miss. If this rules is enforced, then no RB will be to effectively run with the football in the open field.
Remember, they are doing this so they can also punish defenders for leading with the helmet. It goes both ways. Football is in danger of being litigated out of existence so they are emphasizing “heads up football” across the board and attempting to eliminate the use of the helmet as a weapon.
This is the play they are trying to eliminate:
http://baltimoresportsreport.com/gif-bernard-pollard-stevan-ridley-36856.html
I understand that Grimey, but watch this clip:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/seattle-seahawks/0ap2000000082221/Week-7-Frank-Gore-highlights
Notice on the second Frank Gore run that he has to lower his head in order to protect himself and the rock. Imagine if he had run with his head up on that play in the open field. It could have been a costly fumble or worse a horrible injury.
Gore was being tackled from behind and went to the ground to avoid contact. He pretty much just dove forward. That would not be a penalty.
If he wasn’t being tackled from behind and he lowered his head and used the crown of his helmet to knock back and run over the tackler then it would be a penalty. At least that’s how I interpret what the rule change would be.
Let’s propose this scenario then Grimey. Say Gore has the ball handed off to him and runs through the line into the open field. Three defenders facing him are closing in. Two have managed to block off his only escape routes and the third is going in with his shoulder for a crushing blow. Because of the new rule, Gore cannot lower his helmet in order to limit the effect of the hit. What are the potential results here?
I think you’re misunderstanding the core concept here.
He CAN lower his helmet to avoid contact(i.e. diving to the ground which players do all the time).
He CAN’T lower his head to bull his way over the defender in front of him.
If the defender lowers his helmet it’s a penalty on the defender.
The problem Grimey is that you will have to teach every RB to dive to the ground to avoid that hit. And what is one thing most teams look for in a RB? The capability to fight for more yards. If that RB can’t then he is labeled as soft. This isn’t as easy as telling a defender to lead with their shoulder instead of their helmet. If the RB does this he risks losing the ball and most likely leading with his helmet anyways. If he keeps his head then he risks getting lit up and/or losing the ball. If he dives to the ground to avoid the hit or getting penalized, then he is labeled as someone who can’t finish. What is worse is that this rule could effectively phase out brusing RBs like Peterson, Gore, and Lynch who are known for fighting for more yards after contact and replace them with a player more in the form of a small WR. The running game would become a thing of the past if this happens.
Go back and re-watch that clip you posted of Frank Gore. Not once does Gore lower his head and run over an opponent in the open field. The smarter running backs are already changing their behavior out of self-preservation. Most guys don’t play like Earl Campbell anymore.
Also the next generation is already being taught “heads up football”. It’s really not as big a deal as you’re making it out to be.
We’ll see Grimey.
Marvin Lewis spoke like a typical DC who would have rookies grow by playing in regular season. It generally works for high draft defensive picks, but does not necessarily work for offensive players, many of whom need the rookie year to transition to NFL level of play. Harbaugh would rather coach up rookies and will only have them start when they are ready, and playing consistently better than the vet backup. As a NFL coach, he knows the importance of winning now. If Harbaugh was the coach in 2005, he would have started a vet for a year or two while he coached up his rookie franchise QB. But Nolan was another typical DC-turned HC, another reason I oppose appointing DC as head coaches in general.
Aaron Dobson, WR (6-3, 211) — Despite a relatively quiet season for the Thundering Herd, Dobson impressed with the spotlight on during Marshall’s pro day. Dobson posted a 4.42 and 4.44 for the 40-yard dash to go along with a 4.29 in the short shuttle ran the three-cone drill in 7.2 seconds. He also put up the bar 16 times in the strength drill. An injury kept the wideout out of a game and a half last season, and the team’s desire to get playing time for some of the younger players led to Dobson’s decreased productivity. Dobson looked great catching the ball during drills. The wide receiver is an excellent athlete who is also a strong basketball player.
All of this is from Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
Good call on Dobson
MidWest – Yes, ▲ all arrows up on Aaron Dobson! ▲
What the hell, give me the envelope. I like him as well.
Crab
Your use of the phrase all arrows up reminded me of our old pal Hofer. Have you seen that guy around? Maybe we should snoop around a Kansas City Chiefs blog to see if he’s ended up there :)
Nick,
He is over there posting as Dawsonfan67, LoL ; )
Nick & Hammer – Year after year, Hofer usually is awol a some point in offseason for 4-6 weeks….As long as those “As Seen On TV” products say it takes to get them in mail (“allow 4-6 weeks for shipping!”)
Hammer – That Dawsonfan67 was one of the funniest things I’ve seen in here in 4 years….Belly laugh man! Hofer has a sense of humor and would’ve enjoyed that too.
Hoferfan’s crystal ball vision 2012 :-) http://cdn2.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/8680743/chiefsalexsmith.0_standard_352.0.jpg
Good one Jack
Crab, nice picture. I better draft Alex for my fantasy team next year :)
Matt Hasselbeck has been released….
Chris Mortensen is reporting that the Niners are among a handful of teams interested in having him as a backup.
Can he play safety?
Hasselbeck is a quality veteran QB that can back up Kaep George.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/matt-maiocco/hasselbeck-available-once-again-49ers
MWN, thanks, but I know who he is. That’s my dry sense of humor.
George
For clarity MWN and MidWestNiner are two different regulars on here. Common mistake.
I will venture the thought that if they go after Hasselbeck or someone like him, it shows they don’t have confidence in Tolzien. But if they do like Tolzien and need a qb3, they should draft someone, not sign a veteran.
My apologies to MWN.
Thanks, BT.
No worries George. I have been called MWN, Mid, and Midwest so any of them are fine. Just choose what you prefer to call me and stick with it.
I believe Harbaugh said Tolzien is a starter on another team or words to that effect.
We’ll see what they do at qb.
I personally like Matt Scott in the draft but I think he will be drafted in the third round, which is higher than where he is expected to go.
Midwest, where do you reside? I have relatives in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and one of my kids lives in Michigan.
Born and raised in Kansas. It’s my link to how I came to being a Niners fan.
Amazingly, I’ve never been to Kansas. Not even driven thru. What does Kansas have to do with your becoming a Niners fan?
One name: Joe Montana. I learned about him by watching the Chiefs play on TV and how he played on a great team called the San Francisco 49ers. I really didn’t root for either team until after the Niners had won the Super Bowl. That’s when I learned about Steve Young and my fandom was sealed. My line of thought was any team that could have two great QBs like this must be amazing and eight years later that still hold true. Now if only I could see them win a Super Bowl.
I too joined the 49er family through Mr. Montana. Grew up in South Bend, Indiana rooting for him at Notre Dame, and when Mr. Walsh selected him in 1979…I asked for permission to come aboard sir. Five Super Bowls later, I believe I made a wise decision. Glad to know we have this incommon MidWestNiner.
Same here Razor. : )
Hasselbeck to the Colts according to PFT.
Grant,
I could not agree more with M. Lewis, Bill Walsh understood that for a team to be competitive in the NFL you needed Fast Young players, he would release players while they still had a year or two left. The 9ers need speed, that is youth , if they want to be competitive in the for the long term.
So Moss won’t be going to the Bengals, I take it? :P
Nice! If Peter King is correct, one of the comp picks is a 4th. This is good, some decent players projected in the 4th (so far.)
I half expected they’d all be 7th rounders :P
Here’s a look at their anticipated picks:
First round: No. 31
Second round: No. 34 (From Kansas City in Alex Smith trade)
Second round: No. 61
Third round: No. 74 (From Carolina in 2012 draft trade)
Third round: No. 94
Fourth round: 49ers pick
Fourth round: possible compensatory pick
Fifth round: From Colts in 2012 draft trade
Fifth round: 49ers pick
# Sixth round
Seventh round: From Bengals in 2011 trade for safety Taylor Mays
Seventh round: 49ers pick
Seventh round: possible compensatory pick
Seventh round: possible compensatory pick
We still have one sixth. I feel cheated! We need at least two in every round. :P
Adam,
You can look at Anquan Boldin as one of the 49ers’ sixth round picks, if it helps.
Razor & Adam – 5 picks in top 100!! Who could POSSIBLY have it better than us? Maybe Hugh Hefner?
Bill Gates.
Mariah Careys’ husband?
Tiger Woods. Besides being rich and having his name entrenched in golfing history, he is currently dating Lindsey Vonn.
Will Boldin help Jenkins take the next step in his professional development? I think he might…
Head Scratcher of the FA period so far……
With J. Smith getting older, losing our backup DE and the low price of DE’s in the market, I don’t get why we didn’t sign Michael Bennett
We did placed waiver claims on Bennett once in the past.
He had 28 starts since 2010.
He had nine sacks last season, and received a one-year deal reportedly worth as much as $5 million.
He can play both DE and DT.
I’ve been saying that all along. Why didn’t we go after Michael Bennett or Avril? It makes it even worse that they both ended up with a divisional rival. The good news? John Abraham and D. Freeney are still unsigned and we have loads of draft picks.
It looks to me as if Baalke loves the draft. If the free agents we pick up aren’t as good as the ones we lose, we pick up more comp picks next year.
With all we lost this year, and the inevitable trade-backs, he’s likely to have a ton of picks again next time around.
And really we only have a few holes to fill. A little work in the secondary and D-line, pick up a decent tight-end and we’re pretty much set.
The draft is gonna be fun.
Moss was a leader and helped the young WRs. This is the propaganda out of JH. I tent to believe this statement.
But Moss starting opposite Crabtree was pathetic. I know MM was in place prior to injury, but Moss made only a few noticeable receptions and was never a threat.
AJJ we can’t wait for the 3 year maturation period. I think that myth is gone now-a-days. AJJ needs to step up next year period. The Niners have blown Superbowl chances the last 2 years. That is unacceptable.
Latest news on Asomugha is that he and the Saints “hit it off”. I’m curious how this will turn out.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000151595/article/nnamdi-asomugha-new-orleans-saints-hit-it-off
Clearly his asking price is not in line with his performance.
I like this mock from Bleacher:
Kawaan Short DL
Matt Elam S
Aaron Dobson WR
Gavin Escobar TE
Baccari Rambo FS
Honey Badger CB(4th Round Compensatory)
Kwame Geathers DT
Dustin Hopkins K
Quanterus Smith OLB
Reggie Dunn KR
I’m skeptical to believe Hopkins will last that long.
I’d be happy with that draft
As would I Mr. Scooter…….
Tyrann Mathieu is expected to go in the third round.
They’re assumption was 3/4 compensatory…
Interesting tweet:
49ers DB coach Ed Donatell was chatting with ex-LSU CB Tyrann Mathieu between drills. Mathieu smiled and gave Donatell pat on his back.
*Their*
Interesting.
I actually saw that during the combine.
That’s not bad. I’d also be OK with Damontre Moore or Datone Jones in the first round if one of them drops to us.
I would be happy with that.
Not so sure I draft someone just as a KO Returner. But with all of the picks we have I guess we could splurge a little (lol).
The 49ers are sitting good going into this draft.
We have 14 draft picks and could easily package any of them to get a top tier D-line, Safety or both within the first round.
There are some teams drafting in the top 20 that would be much better off going for quantity than quality because one good player will not make much of a difference.
The 49ers are in position to package a group of their draft picks to one of these teams in exchange for their high draft pick.
I see the team having a bumper-crop draft in April.
With so many of our current player due a huge increase within the next few years, it’s vital for team’s life-blood to find the plays they need in the draft.
Even if we don’t sign another free agent, we are still considered a Superbowl contender.
We are in a very enviable position!
Indeed they are.
There is a new annoyance on this blog Grant. There have been times when I have tried to post on here that I get a message that tells me I am posting too quickly and I need to slow down. This doesn’t make any sense especially when I just tried to post after my previous one 20-25 minutes ago.
It tells me to slow down sometimes, too. It’s having all kinds of glitches today.
It must be rebelling because it lost its constant Auto Refresh.
HAL the computer is even talking back to Grant the BlogMeister? Trouble brewing.
Grant, just be sure to run away if it starts calling you Dave.
If it starts singing ‘Daisy Bell’ run your arse off!
Either that or find the nearest baseball bat.
I got a blank page with data server error. Then I couldn’t post at all. I’m not sure this one will show up.
So my posts did show up. I just couldn’t see them.
I too must go on record with the same isssues expressed above.
The compensatory pick have been announced.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000151670/article/nfl-announces-32-compensatory-draft-picks-to-16-teams
picks.
Damn. That extra 3rd would have been nice.
via Sando
“The 49ers hold the 31st, 34th, 61st, 74th, 93rd, 128th, 131st, 157th, 164th, 180th, 227th, 237th, 246th and 252nd choices.”
The interesting part is that we should have one more compensatory pick but for some reason the NFL doesn’t classify Adam Synder as a free agent loss.
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers/2013/03/18/three-compensatory-picks-raises-49ers-war-chest-to-14-draft-choices/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+49ersHotRead+%2849ers+Hot+Read%29
MidWest – The NFL formula for compensation picks is based on playing time, salary and post season honors. Snyder didn’t qualify
I believe Snyder didn’t qualify due to the signing of Manningham – they effectively cancelled each other out. The reason for Manningham cancelling Snyder and not Morgan I believe would be due to salary – on an annual basis Manningham’s salary was closer to Snyder’s.
Thanks Crab and Scooter.
Ravens, Packers, Titans and Cowboys interested in Mr. Huffs’ services…
Looks like Haralson took a million dollar paycut and is signed.
Grimes has an appointment at 4949 Centennial Blvd Tuesday….
Ian Rapoport@RapSheet
#Niners reached a one-year deal with LB Parys Haralson, I’m told. It’s for $1.3M with a chance to make $1.7M. Good locker room guy, too
That’s great. Haralson coming back this yer should really help A Smith.
Should be good competition.
Hope the Niners sign Grimes.
Let the Bucs sign him, he’s damaged goods:
“be wary of Grimes’ health as he is just six months removed from an Achilles’ rupture. Lions RB Mikel Leshoure needed more than a year of rehab before returning to the field.”
Exactly. A ruptured achilles is a brutal injury. It’s even worse for a CB. He will also be 30 years old this summer.
Good deal.
Well that was quick.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000151679/article/matt-hasselbeck-indianapolis-colts-close-to-deal
That’s one way to learn a division rivals playbook.
From Jim Bowden…”Josh Cribbs hangin with us. @cityhall Mastro’s meeting with AZ Cards mañana and deciding between. 49ers Giants & Cards”
Hammer – What’s you gut sayin about Cribbs to Niners?
Looks like Cribbs is trying to drive up his price.
The 49ers do not need Mr. Cribbs imho.
Agreed.
Multiple reports stating Cribbs failed his physical in Arizona yesterday.
Sounds like the Cards are trying to drive back down his price )
Reportedly Cribbs had offseason surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee. Not the best of injuries to come back from.
From Barrow’s Haralson article yesterday:
“There’s a possibility that Boldin, who is due to make $6 million in 2013, will extend his contract, which also could create more salary-cap space for San Francisco.”
Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/#storylink=cpy
Good news on Boldin.
I am advocating that the team please not sign any other free agents.
We have what we need on the team to make us a viable SB contender.
We now just need to focus on filling our Safety, D-line, DB, and WR needs in the draft.
Thx btw it’s so nice to not use a proxy anymore.