49ers vs. Cardinals live blog: Pregame

SANTA CLARA — This is the live blog for the pregame of the 49ers’ irrelevant Week 17 game against the Cardinals. I will update this frequently with information and analysis from the press box.

11:59 Wildcard candidate to replace Jim Harbaugh as the 49ers’ head coach: Jim Mora Jr.

He has been a successful head coach. He has worked for the Yorks before (2000-2002). And his name is Jim.

Discuss.

12:01 The 49ers’ inactives are Eric Reid, Perrish Cox, Tramaine Brock, Ahmad Brooks, Carlos Hyde, Stevie Johnson and Josh Johnson. Dontae Johnson will start in place of Cox at left cornerback. Joe Looney will start in place of Alex Boone at right guard. Aaron Lynch or Dan Skuta will start in place of Ahmad Brooks and the great Craig Dahl will start in place of Eric Reid.

12:03 The Cardinals’ inactives are Drew Stanton, Brittan Golden, Chris Clemons, Larry Foote, Jonathan Cooper, Anthony Steen and Kareem Martin. Ryan Lindley will start in place of Drew Stanton and Glenn Carson will start in place of Larry Foote.

12:29 In the first round of the 2015 draft, Trent Baalke clearly must draft a vertical threat who is a future No.1 wide receiver. Which receiver should Baalke draft?

This article has 71 Comments

  1. 11:59 Wildcard candidate to replace Jim Harbaugh as the 49ers’ head coach: Jim Mora Jr.
    —————–
    I just threw up a little. He and Josh McDaniels are two faces I pray to never see on our sideline.

    1. As terrible as this season has been – regardless of who you blame, I am nervous about the future. I do not believe Baalke nor York know what they have done.

  2. Will we be 1-5 against the NFC west? Dez bryant is a great receiver. We need a dez/AJ/Antonio/julio. What we dont need is another slow possession receiver. Vance Mac has two receptions this year and fumbled one of those recepts. seahawks Luke wilson, drafted nearly 100 positions after VM is having a decent season. Both went to rice and entered the draft together in 2013.

    1. I believe VMac’s blocking has improved substantially. I’m holding out hope and am willing to give him one more year. I still fondly remember him bowling over Richard Sherman in the first Seattle game last year.

    1. Seems like York and Baalke want Baalke to be the dominant voice/ego in the organization. I don’t think they want any more ego clashes. Would Coughlin take a back seat to Baalke?

      1. Even thou Coughlin’s won two Super Bowls he’s not a big ego , just hard work and about winning. He has not much say in personnel

      2. “Seems like York and Baalke want Baalke to be the dominant voice/ego in the organization.”

        Baalke is the GM and should be the dominant voice within the organisation. Part of the role. End of the day the HC should understand that.

        I agree they don’t want more ego clashes. Most importantly they don’t want the HC and GM to be butting heads. I think it is funny that people assume for that to happen it will require a timid HC that will just say yes to Baalke. Who else other than Harbaugh has Baalke ever been reported to have issues getting along with?

        1. Coughlin has two rings. Baalke has none. Tough to see Coughlin deferring to Baalke when push comes to shove.

          1. In what regard? In terms of coaching decisions, the HC should be the one making decisions.

            Coughlin doesn’t have final say on roster decisions at the Giants. But he does have final say on who suits up and plays. As it should be, in my opinion.

            Do you think Baalke would want to dictate to the HC who plays and how much? I don’t think so. I do think he would like a HC that will use the guys he brings in, but I don’t think he’d ever want to dictate to the HC who suits up and who plays.

  3. No, to Mora. I couldn’t stand him before as DC. Kubiak is a better dark horse. Davante Parker is the deep threat we need.

  4. “I’m told the Raiders at this point have not been told they are out for Harbaugh,” Rapoport said.

    “Another key thing is Harbaugh’s been talking to several close friends throughout this process over the last week or so and they have asked him directly if he’s gonna be Michigan’s coach. He has not answered them,” Rapoport said.

  5. DeVante Parker would be my suggestion if they went WR in the first round (assuming Cooper won’t be available when the 49ers pick).

      1. I’m not sure who, as I haven’t looked at the players enough yet, and will depend somewhat in who they get in FA, but a pass rusher, TE or QB would be my suggestion.

          1. Probably, but looking at what QBs might be available I’m not sure I’d go that route. Not a great draft for QBs as far as I can tell.

              1. Depends on who the HC is.

                I like Garoppolo, especially if McDaniels is hired. EJ Manuel or Mike Glennon might be worth a look, too.

      1. He is that. But I just can’t get excited about him. Doesn’t run good routes (actually runs a very limited route tree) and has highly suspect hands.

          1. I would have to disagree. He seems like a bigger Odell Beckham to me from what I have seen.

              1. We’ll have to disagree there Scooter. The same or similar negatives were mentioned about Beckham before, and right now I’d have to say those concerns weren’t warranted.

              2. Poor route running and suspect hands were mentioned about Beckham? A limited route tree? Raw? If anyone said those things about Beckham I wouldn’t pay much attention to their thoughts on scouting.

                No, Beckham was and is none of those things. He was one of the most polished WRs to come out of college in a long time, with fantastic hands and exceptional route running. He also wins through quickness, not outright speed. I can’t see much of anything in Coates that reminds me of Beckham, aside from his ability to eat up a cushion quickly. Torrey Smith is a better comparison.

              3. From NFL.com:

                Weaknesses
                Adequate height. Lacks elite top-end speed to separate vertically. Could stand to polish the finer points of his route running. Inconsistent making contested grabs — can be out-muscled in a crowd. Has some concentration drops. Can improve as a blocker. Was not an impactful punt returner. Was held in check by Florida and Alabama.

  6. Looks like most have totally given up on #7. Grossman, Tebow, Sanchez. Is #7 now in that category of busts?

  7. In the first round of the 2015 draft, Trent Baalke clearly must draft a vertical threat who is a future No.1 wide receiver.
    ——————-
    Which QB is going to be throwing to this future No. 1 wide receiver? Cause if it’s Kaepernick that’ll be a wasted pick.

      1. Ah well that’s different then. Hmm let’s see so they need to draft a #1 WR in the first round and then follow that up and draft their starting QB in the next? Just making sure I’ve got this right.

        If only real life was like a fantasy draft.

      2. I’d take a flyer 5th or 6th on Brandon Bridge. Similar to Arians taking another guy I liked in Logan Thomas….

              1. Brett Hundley probably still is the QB with the best value in the draft if he isn’t too beat up.

              2. Would he be an upgrade over Kaep? Similar players, similar issues, but Kaep is further along. I don’t see the benefit of drafting a guy like Hundley.

              3. Hmmm, He does have a more efficient throwing action, but his accuracy isn’t anything to write home about. I’m not impressed.

              4. He has the second-best completion percentage in college football. Kaepernick never will complete 70 percent of his passes in a season.

                Kaepernick and Hundley aren’t that similar. Kaepernick is more athletic, much faster, throws harder. Hundley has more in common with Derek Carr.

              5. Agree on Hundley. I watched him earlier this season thinking he looked similar to Kap, but he made quicker decisions and had a quicker release. Hes big, can move, with better pocket awareness.

              6. I think he dried off my car today, the next time it rains I’ll ask if he’s interested.

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