Alex Boone passes physical

The 49ers just announced that Alex Boone passed his physical and is back with the team, although he is not yet on the 53-man roster — the 49ers have asked for a roster exemption. The 49ers must move Boone to the 53-man roster before he can play in a game.

Do you think Boone will start and play the whole game against the Cowboys? Do you think Anthony Davis will start and play the whole game? Do the Niners need those two to start and play the whole game to beat the Cowboys?

This article has 177 Comments

  1. 1. I think Boone will start.
    2. Not sure. It depends on how healed up he is.
    3. We’ll thump the Cowboys with or without them starting.

  2. What ^ Htwaits said. The Cowboys have Wilber playing out of position at RE, he was their best linebacker. Rolando McClain at the Mike, a back up in Durant weak side, and Carter. Expect VD/VMac to have a big day….

  3. What’s Ray McDonalds status for Sundays game? I just read he doesn’t go to court until after the game.

      1. If I were the sort to write “LOL,” I would do so here. Instead, I’ll say, “You nailed it, Mr. Hammer.”

        1. Are you following the NFL network? Try watching the NFL channel, And maybe you’ll learn more in what’s happening outside the 49ers blogg:-)

          Just like Baalke said recently before the NFL handed down the nine game suspension to Aldon. Baalke said after the NFL commissioner will just suspend Aldon for couple games. Wow! I love our 49ers board, they can say whatever they want to believe. The reallity is, the 49ers have so many dumb, stupid young players who doesn’t used their heads.

          1. The NFL Network is reporting RMac and a bunch of his bums beat up his pregnant wife and is facing jail time along with a 6 month suspension? Out of curiosity, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to regret asking this, but why is no one else reporting that?

            1. I heard that the 1st offense is a six games suspension for domestic violence, beating up your spouse, and the 2nd offense is a life Ban from the NFL.They said this also in KNBR this afternoon:-)

              They said Rice who beat his wife got only two game suspension. But they stated in the new NFL rule is going be a six game suspension. They aren’t tolerating this kind action anymore and they are going to come down hard on those who violate the rules in the NFL for Domestic viloence.

              1. Yes, yes, get on with it man. Why is no one else reporting what the NFL Network is reporting, that a bunch of bums beat up a pregnant wife?

          2. … the 49ers have so many dumb, stupid young players who doesn’t used their heads.

            Oh, irony, you make internet trolls almost tolerable.

  4. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Davis play, but not sure on Boone. He’s been in the system three years now, so he should understand all the calls, but maybe they may hold him out for a week just to make sure.

    I don’t think either guy will be the difference between winning and losing this week.

    1. Its also about being in “Football Shape.” A cliche’d phrase but still relevant. Weight lifting and running don’t put the same stresses on the body as collisions and dynamic tension between 300-pounders. Maybe they should use him only in Jumbo Packages for a week or two. And work in a Tackle Eligible red zone play for him! ; >)

  5. The Silver and Black 3 ring circus will continue it’s dog and pony show with a new ring master.

    Im not saying Carr isn’t a better choice but it’s clear that Reggie has no idea what he’s doing over there.

  6. Don’t need either one to win the game. The Dallas defense will get pounded by Gore all game long until they decide to stack the box, then getting destroyed by ck’s legs and arm. High scoring game. I think our run game get us out of there with a close win. And our defense doesn’t have to be on the field for half the game.

  7. I suppose starting and playing Boone the entire game will demonstrate that Looney was not ready to start.
    A lot of pressure on Boone to perform now so I hope he is in game day shape!

  8. 7 of the 49ers 12 drafts picks made the final roster along with 2 UDFA’s. The other 5 are on IR or PUP.

    1. Say it ain’t so Jack – no way the 49ers can use 12 draft picks and keep them all on the roster in some form.

            1. Of course I do my friend. The thing is: there’s no such thing as normal. There’s functional/hardly/not.
              Was Picasso normal?
              Amadeus Mozart? Da Vinci? Van Gogh?(no. Seriously, no)? Jonathan Winters? Robin Williams? Steve Jobs? No. NO. Hell NO!
              Point being, break out of the box. But read your Sun Tzu; you need innovation, nimbleness, unpredictability, but also strong fundamentals. “The Enlightened Prince has a Lieutenant of opposite disposition.”
              From what I’ve read, GM-ing and Coaching and OC/DC-ing are consuming, unrelenting, anal-retentively detailed obsessive compulsive workaholics who hope that a few nights working to midnight will out-compete the wusses who go home at 10:00pm.

          1. BrothaTuna- Actually OCD can be an advantage. It carries with it an attention to detail. That combined with a superior intelligence can be an advantage. The problem I see with TB and that trait is that it also carries with it acting on a compulsion not based on reason. That’s what brought about the AJ pick, the Gabbert signing along with the penny wise pound foolish moves with Gray and Cooper last year.

            It seems that the front office has decided on a youth movement this season. It seems like a reasonable gamble under the circumstances. The release of vets and transitioning to rookies was a surprise to almost everyone so it’s not something that you guys honestly could use in your present ” I told you so manner’. None of you foresaw the degree of this transition. Under normal circumstances those all those draft picks couldn’t have been retained. A lot of reliable back ups and players on special teams were released making this move. And even though I think this was a good move on Jim and TB part it is still a bit of a gamble and only time will tell if it was a successful one. They did this season in one swoop what I felt they should have been doing incrementally all along.

            1. So those people here that continually said before and after the draft that there was room at the bottom of the roster for these young guys to stick if they were good enough, and that many would be on injured lists this year so will be able to be stashed without taking up a roster spot, had no idea what they were talking about and are surprised along with everyone else?

            2. I had my doubts on the front office buying in, but infusing the special teams unit with some youth was what I wanted. The only one left to be severed, is the little drummer boy. As for the draft, Hyde, Martin, Borland, Ellington were all guys I thought could help the 49ers…..

              1. Razor- Exactly! What they did this season was a change of direction from previous seasons. It shows an ability to learn and adjust when previous actions produced undesirable results. They just need to avoid over reacting. If they had acted to form based on previous seasons they would not have released the older vets and special teamers to make room for the rookies.

                Jack Hammer: My problem with them releasing Gray last year had less to do with Gray than it did with their reasons. It wasn’t about Grays value as a depth TE. They really wanted Gray to fill the H back position and thought they could sneak him through waivers. The H back position is more important to the Niners than most teams. It was bad strategy and planning. He gambled him getting through waivers for a seventh rounder. That’s not a good bet.

                It was obvious by their subsequent roster moves that they made a major attempt to replace him. They picked up that big WR of waivers from Seattle which locked him into the 53 man roster so that they had to wait before releasing him when he didn’t work out. They never could so that when Miller went down they had no one to replace him. Gray’s value is not as a TE but an H back which is why Min. picked him up.

                They problem I had with TB was that he gambled with a player they wanted for a position of need purely for draft chump change. For an individual of his level of intelligence this sort of move was bizarre and head scratching unless one consider’s his compulsions. Don Nelson was another example of a high IQ GM coach who used to shoot himself in the foot.

              2. They didn’t need Gray because they already had Dixon, and had Tukuafu on speed dial.

                Teams like Cleveland and Minnesota can fit a developmental guy like Gray because they aren’t as deep as the 49ers.

                For a team as talent starved as Cleveland to let Gray go shows you his value.

              3. Willtalk,

                You definitely have a vivid imagination, no doubt about it.

                They didn’t keep Gray because he didn’t have a position. He was developmental player. To assume they wanted him to be a key part of the team in the future is extreme speculation. They didn’t have room for him, simple as that. He’s also on his 3rd team in a little over a year, that should tell you all you need to know about how high is value is.

      1. Well, THIS will get Johnny Beiber and also Michael Sam back to Page#2. So looking forward to this spectacle.

    2. Trent is writing the book on drafting. Still scratching my head about two years ago. I have ventured the opinion before that John Schneider somehow took control of his body.

      1. George- I was scratching my head as well until I read that article about TB’ OCD. That took away all the mystery. If some of the people on this site who discount what they do not understand actually knew anything about that dynamic they would not be making jokes.

        Through out history generals have studied the personalities of their adversaries in order to predict and get an advantage when they met in the field of battle. To defeat an enemy it helps to know him. Chess masters also study their adversaries as well since it was originated as a means for developing the tactics necessary for war. If most of the GM’s in football were generals they wouldn’t really last very long. Their positions allow them to make mistakes and still retain their jobs which if they made in a different venue would mean their end. This fortunately also allows them the opportunity to learn from their mistakes if they can put their ego’s aside.

        1. … until I read that article about TB’ OCD

          There is no article about “Baalke’s OCD.” There’s just your uninformed speculation and unqualified opinion. Stop presenting misinformation as fact.

    1. Razor, is he the really the main guy returning punts for them? That’s crazy IMO. I know Sanders did it for Dallas and never got hurt but that’s a lot of risk to take. You take him out and that secondary is not the same.

        1. Hmmmmmm, that reminds me of Ensenada & San Felipe a few years back.
          OK, more than a few. A lot of years back.

      1. You take holding and grabbing out AND Browner and their other scrub who filled in for him last year and they’re not the same.
        That secondary takes a step back this year. Book it!

  9. Madden on Kaepernick: “From the time he took over for Alex Smith, people were looking for him to fail. I look & don’t think it will ever be”

    1. Eh emmm. Noooo! Cant be. I’m sure DS and onelame are excited to see CK succeed.
      Bonus…. Smith got paid OK with their new team too. All arrows up… Lol

      I’m happy for Alex Smith and ck. Hope they can meet in a Super Bowl here soon.

      1. I reckon that Alex has made over $100 million, including signing bonuses, over the course of his career. So I trust that he thanks Mike Nolan every day in his prayers. Football has been beddy, beddy good to him.

          1. I was happy to see Kaep take over at QB but that aside I also think in retrospect that Alex was better than a lot of fans gave him credit for. I think most ( including myself) bought into the myth that the 49er line was better than they actually were. Alex got most of the blame for the excessive amount of sacks he took. The line just wasn’t ever very good at protecting the QB. I think that was probably a major reason JH felt he needed to make the change because even though Alex wasn’t slow, having Kaep in the game negated that lack of protection to a greater degree.

            1. Willtalk, Harbaugh did prove Alex was better than a lot of fans gave him credit for. Nevertheless, I think you will agree that it was as a game manager, not a game winner. The lasting impression I have of Randy Moss as a Niner was when he was caught by the camera on the sidelines rolling his eyes in response to Alex.

              1. Randy Moss was at the end of his brilliant career, when he was with the 49ers. Kaep, his is very fortunate he got in to an organization that is already prime to win. Without Kaep’s running ability his just an average Qb. Alex Smith is better than Kaep, Smith didn’t get the right coaching and the players around him in his ealry days with niners are mediocre and the coaching was terrible.

  10. I was a bit surprised that McDermott was cut, but I can see why. I also had Snyder making the team but it looks like a hungry and talented squad.

    Glad to have Boone back which should firm up what appeared to be a shaky OL. Like what I see of the youngsters.

    Sad about the McDonald situation and I hope it is not true, but should hold the individual to a high standard. I think there will be more to this story.

    Can’t say that pining after cuts is very valuable as those cut from last year, are they solid contributors on other teams? Would they have been difference makers on the 9ers too?

    I like our chances and love reading how Kawakami and Cohn are chicken littles and are unrealistic about what teams can and cannot do. We fans can be a bit reactionary too!

  11. PETE CARROLL SAID TODAY, EARL THOMAS WILL RETURN PUNTS THIS YR

    Will Brinson for CBS NFL Sports said today that the 49ers are the most over rated team this year. Will predicts the 49ers will finish the yr. 9-7 and miss the playoffs. I agree with Will.

    That would be a good thing for the front office, they will have a reason to can Harballer at the end of the season. There is light @ the end of the tunnel.

    1. I agree with Will Brinson in his comments. It’s true in what he said that the niners were an overrated team The 49ers defence aren’t the same from a year ago, the 49ers is missing Bowman, Aldon Smith, Ray Mcdonald who is soon to be suspenede six games by the league and he might serve some jail time for bodily injury to his pregnant wife. And their Players who were very productive couple years ago who went to FA’s that aren’t with 49ers team anymore. I don’t believe that Kaep will be a lot better than the last couple years. Even they added some pieces in the offense. It can be frustarting for a coach like Harbaugh seeing some of his players stepped out of line and creating a lot of distraction for the 49ers team.

    1. The Seahawks will lose their first game to the pack and the payoff will be that this little 40punk will disappear.

      1. C’mon bay here you go again with your wacky prediction. Now you’re predicting the Packers are going to beat the Seahawks at Seatlle. Honestly, do you have any idea what are the percentage for an opposing team winning at Seattle, it’s very slim.. Sometimes, it makes me think if you’re just getting carried away with your hatred towards the Seattle team or you just lack the intelligence to recognize a good team from a bad team:-)

    1. YEEEEEESSSSS!
      What a win for animal abuse activists. (Not a PETA fan btw)
      I already ordered one but I’m sure it can be used for other functions. I’m glad the people were heard.

    2. I would never, ever have a problem with shooting dog abusers in the head with my GP100. I’d actually enjoy it…

    1. If he’s on the roster this week, isn’t he owed more $$? Who’s out when he returns? Ferrel?

    2. If he’s on the roster this week, isn’t he owed more $$? Who’s out when he returns? Ferrel?

    3. Jack:

      I assume that’s for the open spot about to be created when the team gives Dorsey the IR-early return designation?

      1. They were following up with that question and I drove into a bad spot for radio reception in the city. KNBR should have it up soon or maybe Grant is transcribing it.

  12. I was out of town and out of phone service for the past three days. What did I miss? OK, it looks like I have some catching up to do.

    What I’ve picked up so far:

    1. The team kept all 6 WRs. I never understood the thinking of people who were sure the team was going to cut Johnson. Let’s see if keeping 6 WRs indicates that the offense will feature more of an aerial attack, if it means the offense will rotate the bottom 4 WRs to gain match up advantages against opponents, or if it is just insurance against injuries (the 49ers have had problems keeping talented WRs healthy).

    2. Points to rocket for his early call that the team would keep only three RBs. I wonder if this is a sign that the team expects Lattimore to return this year.

    3. The Week 1 OL will be Staley, Iupati, Kilgore, Boone, A. Davis (assuming Boone is ready and A. Davis is healthy enough to play) with J. Martin, Looney, Farrell and M. Martin as backups. I’m glad to see that the team and Boone could work something out. I think the O-Line was weaker without him. I also doubt that the way in which the dispute was settled will encourage lots of holdouts next year. Does anyone still believe that trading for J. Martin was a mistake? Although Farrell was a surprise to me, I’m not exactly upset to see Snyder go.

    4. Harbaugh gets 3 QBs, at least for now. I would not be surprised to see Johnson let go when A. Smith, Bowman, Dorsey, or Lattimore (least likely) is added to the 53 man roster.

    5. Disappointed to see Morris cut, but Fangio/Donatell/Baalke clearly want larger bodies at CB (with the exception of Brock).

    6. The team can designate Dorsey as early return IR today, correct? Assuming it does so, who gets the open roster spot?

    7. What injury sent Acker to the IR list? Was it a real injury or is it more creative roster management?

    8. Special teams are going to be inexperienced. Hope Seely can coach them up quickly.

    9. Holding my breath on Ray McDonald and hoping that his claims of innocence are more than the typical knee jerk denial. He’s more valuable than some people seem to think.

    10. MWD holds a grudge. Dude, forgive and forget LMJ’s frustrated tweets. Harbaugh clearly has. Your arguments against LMJ are not persuasive. Willtalk, you need to STFU about Baalke. You clearly don’t know what you are talking about and recklessly throwing around your unqualified and ignorant diagnosis of mental disorders is not only annoying, but completely out of bounds.

    11. The first half of the season is going to be interesting, but if Bowman and Dorsey can come back healthy and close to their best, the 49ers are going to be fearsome in the second half and playoffs (if they make the playoffs).

    12. Good to see that Alex Smith got paid. Four years at $17 million/year with $30 million fully guaranteed and $45 million effectively guaranteed is a significant commitment. I take it that bay hasn’t seen fit to acknowledge that he was once again wrong about Smith.

    Anything else?

    1. No, I think you’ve covered it all, Claude. Very good piece. About the roster cuts, I think they made the team more solid and deep overall, and younger.

    2. You pretty much nailed it Claude.

      I guess we’ll see about Raymac but that’s another huge blow to our defense. Assuming he’s guilty than that’s 5 starters missing from our defense, 3 of those are from our ferocious front 7. And that’s if you don’t count Whitner on that list, which I don’t.

      The one good thing as you mentioned is that we could be getting a big lift by midseason with Dorsey, Bowman, and Aldon potentially coming back. And if we can just hold it together for the first half, than we’ll have a whole lot more experience for our younger players.

      Another good thing is that almost all of the hits we’ve taken have been on one-side of the ball. This offense has to have a huge breakthrough this season, and by “offense” of course I mean Kaepernick.

      1. Is there another defensive coordinator you’d rather have to get the 49ers through this tumultuous season? This might be the biggest gauntlet thrown down in front of Vic, and I expect him to pick it up and slap opposing offenses silly….

        1. Very true razor….I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I think Lynch could play a significant role in this defense, very similar to Aldon’s role his rookie year. He definitely has the intangibles. I also like Dial to potentially replace RMac. And I’m glad we kept Dobbs and TJE, I think we may be okay there.

          I think Dallas will be the perfect test for us. They have an explosive offense and an upgraded O-line, but our offense should be able to score at will so there’s no reason we shouldn’t walk away with a “W”.

        2. Nah. The biggest gauntlet thrown down in front of Vic was being forced to be the Def Coordinator for the Texans in the early 2000’s. Those were some terrible teams with some terrible defenses. The year Vic was fired the Texans were 2-14 and had one of the worst defenses in the league. I’d say Vic will probably never experience anything so awful the rest of his career.

          1. Expectations, deep roster talent and toughest division in football, along with a schedule that’s brutal. Therein lies the rub Houston, and without his weapons of choice, he has problems…..

    3. MWD holds a grudge. Dude, forgive and forget LMJ’s frustrated tweets. Harbaugh clearly has. Your arguments against LMJ are not persuasive.

      Apparently you read one thing that you don’t like and latch onto it while ignoring everything else that was said like a moron just as the judgmental hypocrite Rocket does. I don’t care if my argument is sound to you or him because it doesn’t matter what I say since if it doesn’t match what you think, then it’s wrong no matter the evidence according to you guys. Respecting that people can different viewpoints on a player is obviously not something you guys can do. I already said that I’ll back the guy because he’s a 49er. Now move the @$#/ on from this non-issue already, especially if you’re going to only focus in on one thing Claude.

      1. Mid,

        I’m going to try one more time to explain the point to you and then it’s up to you whether you choose to acknowledge it.

        First off, I don’t disrespect you; I disrespect the argument you are trying to make in this particular instance because you basically don’t have one other than an unobjective view of LMJ’s value to the team.

        What I mean by unobjective is simply that you were angered by the Tweets and made no secret of that fact. You can say it’s not a factor now all you want but it’s clear from your remarks on the subject that is not the case.

        The biggest problem with your stance is you can’t point to anything on the field that makes him a failure. Your views are all speculation – they drafted Ellington to replace LMJ on returns, or LMJ didn’t earn any more carries because he wasn’t good enough are good examples – and don’t carry any meaningful significance because they are not backed up by facts or stats.

        Here is what we know about the Niners and how they view LMJ: He was drafted in the second round and played a key role in the SB run when Kendall Hunter went down with an injury. The following year he got hurt in TC and fell down the depth chart because he couldn’t compete. Harbaugh has made mention of that when asked about LMJ’s part in the offense. You don’t get a chance to come back and play a huge role in that situation unless their is an injury, and last year there were no injuries at the RB position. That is why he didn’t get a lot of touches, but you choose to believe it was because he didn’t earn it, yet he averaged a high ypc on the few touches he did have. If he is gaining positive yardage with the chances he does get then he is obviously earning more opportunities if there are more to give him. There weren’t a lot to give him with how much they use Gore. We know Hunter didn’t touch the ball very much either and he was the backup. I’m not sure how to explain it any clearer to you.

        Then we have this preseason in which LMJ returns from a serious injury well ahead of what was predicted showing a clear desire to make the team and contribute. His first game he shows off great blocking skills while getting hit about 4 yards in the backfield on half of his carries. You run with the fact he didn’t get many yards instead of being objective and looking into why that is the case and make no mention of how well he did in pass protection. This past week, he had the highest per carry average of any of the RB’s, and you decide that it doesn’t count because he had one big run that was too easy. Can you understand how hypocritical that view is when looked at by other people?

        You are getting called out because your argument isn’t rooted in performance on the field Mid. Your argument is that he doesn’t play because he hasn’t earned it and the team is trying to replace him. None of that is supported in any way by what has transpired.

        Again I don’t disrespect you and I think more often than not we agree on most things, but in this instance I don’t think your view has any merit which is why I’ve been so aggressive in my stance against it.

      2. Actually, you are the one focusing on only one one thing – James’ expression of frustration on Twitter. Your comments about his onfield play don’t reflect reality. You’ve had to resort to distortions to dismiss the positive results he achieved in his limited 2103 playing time. You jumped on his 2014 preseason runs without acknowledging the poor play from the offensive line led to James being hit repeatedly in the backfield. Your bias is obvious.

        I’m just calling it like I see it. You had a extreme, negative reaction to his tweets and nothing you have written since has given any indication that you got over it. And the fact that your response to me consisted of nothing more than name-calling and saying “It’s not me; it’s you,” confirms it for me. I’ll give you points for creativity, however; I haven’t heard anyone try to use the “I am rubber; you are glue” argument since kindergarten.

    4. Very impressive Claude. I didn’t think there was anywhere you could any more that was out of cell range.

      I think you’ve about covered it here but now there could be some more moves in the works with Harbaugh saying Osgood will be back today and Boone getting reinstated. Should be interesting.

      1. rocket:

        Fortunately, there are still wilderness areas left in the U.S., even east of the Mississippi. Or maybe I just have crappy service.

  13. “…..10. MWD holds a grudge. Dude, forgive and forget LMJ’s frustrated tweets. Harbaugh clearly has. Your arguments against LMJ are not persuasive. …”

    Actually, claude .. I don’t hold a grudge against LMJ .. it’s just after
    watching Hyde and Winston .. and not knowing if / when Lattimore
    will finally see some action .. I just wondered where
    LMJ fits into the scheme of things …

    I mean ..you gotta admit the rookie, Ellington, was far more
    effective at KR than LMJ was .. s-o-o .. I’m still
    wondering … where DOES he fit in ?

      1. At this stage, George .. I figured LMJ a good fit for
        the position of
        “Guard on end Tackle”

        (Guard the GatorAid bucket on the end of the bench,
        and tackle anyone trying to grab it)

    1. Shh MWN. Don’t state your opinion. If it doesn’t fit Rocket or Claude thinking, then it is obviously wrong.

  14. One things certain according to Harbaugh, after the legal process concludes, if RayMac is found guilty, he will no longer be playing for the 49ers…..

    1. I don’t think it will take a guilty verdict. I suspect that if Harbaugh believes McDonald was physically violent towards her, he will want McDonald off the team.

      1. “This is a legal matter, and I’m not here to tell you what happened because I don’t know,” Harbaugh said. “And I think we all owe, to everyone involved, the ability for due process to take place. All the questions you could ask me, I understand why you’re asking, but this is a process that has to conducted, has to be concluded, and then we’ll be in a better place in time to have this discussion and/or make judgments.”

        1. I think that is an appropriate initial response from the 49ers. I’m not convinced, however, that Harbaugh’s reference to due process means he thinks the organization has to wait for the conclusion of legal proceedings before making a decision on McDonald. I think he just means that they have to wait until they have gathered sufficient facts.

          What I want to know is why Harbaugh is acting as the voice of the 49ers on this matter? Shouldn’t Jed York, or at least Baalke, be getting out in front on this?

          1. Claude,

            I wrote about that on Sunday.

            I guess York is too busy making sure his grass is growing properly.

              1. Jack:

                Thanks. I don’t agree with everything you wrote (I’m not convinced that team management is as Machiavellian as you portray them), but the number of arrests/incidents is troubling, and I fully agree that Jed York needs to step up and be more of a leader on things like this. Hopefully, now that the stadium has been built, he will broaden his focus.

                Your willingness to support your arguments with actual relevant facts was much appreciated, and your dialogue with your readers was well-handled. Congratulations.

      1. Is Ventrone a vested veteran, whose salary would have been guaranteed had he been on the Week 1 roster? Perhaps Seely wanted him on special teams at the beginning of the season, but the 49ers didn’t want to commit to his salary for the entire year (which would suggest he would be one of the guys released upon Smith’s/Bowman’s/Dorsey’s return). That’s the only thing I can think of.

          1. They wanted Cleveland, and then they didn’t, and then they did. They didn’t want Osgood, and now they do, and they didn’t want Ventrone, but now they do. My head hurts…

              1. MWN,

                That’s the easiest one to answer.

                Why they want both Osgood and Ventrone back and how they make it happen is much more difficult. I was pleased that they dumped one trick ponies so they could add youth and better position value to the team, but if they bring these guys back that flies in the face of what I thought they were doing. Hopefully it’s just Harbaugh backing guys he likes and they don’t follow through.

  15. Claude, good thoughts. Here are mine:

    1. I always thought the 49ers would keep 6 WRs given the six guys in play and after seeing the effect on CK7 last season without a deep corps. Colin has a huge ceiling but you got start to get there without trustworthy targets and as we’ve seen, the 3-4 guys behind Boldin last year are all broken down and/or scrubs. I also felt that Johnson and Lloyd’s track record against Sherman were hugely critical.

    2. We have to remember two things about JH. First, preseason games and scores mean very little. Harbaugh doesn’t want to give anything away because even a 1% advantage is still an advantage. Second, practice is far more important in determining roles and development and specifically the closed practices away from the beat writers’ prying eyes and “loose pens.” This stinks for fans and to some measure, Grant, but it’s how Harbaugh gains a competitive advantage.

    3. If the 13 and 14 drafts haven’t started to erase the stink of the 12 draft (and much more), it’s not long now. Baalke is quietly quasi-rebuilding part of the roster. We have what the seasquawks and rams have in terms of young developing talent waiting in the wings if not outright stepping into big roles already.

    4. McDonald should be given the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law. It’s the American way and everyone wants this right when their own rear is on the line. If proven guilty, his time as a 49er is over. The trick is what to do with him this week. It’s not fair to deactivate him if he really is innocent and the locker room may not be happy with this outcome. But it’s not right to play him, much less keep him active, if he did abuse a pregnant woman. This is not a black and white issue as I’m sure Grant’s next article will contend.

    5. I’m happy for Alex Smith and Bay has been proven wrong about Alex’s long term future and overall abilities. Bay is right to support Kap as a superior long term qb because he is. This is where Fansince77 goes astray – his hated of Colin overrides his ability to see how good Colin is. I cannot tell if it is out of loyalty to Alex or general dissatisfaction with anyone not named Montana, Young, Rodgers, Manning, or Brady, or the alleged tattoos/thug image.

    6.Defense is going to be tested but with pro bowl guys at every level, it’s still going to be just fine. Pass rush is going to come from a group effort from Lemonier, Brooks, Skuta, J Smith, Lynch (possibly), Tank and Dial. Coverage is going to be better as bethea improves on whitners coverage. I like Ward long term but how he fares against NFL slot WRs is going to be interesting. I’m expecting growing pains along with flashy play. It really helps that we’re not playing Seattle at all during the first part of the season and Arizona only once. We play the rams twice but since Bradford is out and hill throws ducks, we have an advantage.

    7. Special teams is going to be tested. Osgreat is coming back which helps. McCray is very intriguing. Borland is intriguing. We’ll see. There taking a calculated risk.

    8. Lattimore is being stashed. I think they needed to create another roster spot to keep all their talent and do his knee injury “lingered.” If an rb went down, Lattimore would heal quickly and be active in week 7.

    1. Adusoron:

      Good takes. The only one I’ll quibble over is No. 4. McDonald doesn’t need to be convicted in a court of law for the 49ers to be justified in cutting him. If their own investigation/the NFL’s investigation leads them to conclude that McDonald physically abused his pregnant fiancee/girlfriend, the 49ers would be perfectly justified in cutting him.

      The presumption of innocence only means that the state cannot convict someone of a crime (and thereby deprive him of his life, freedom or assets) unless it can prove in court that he committed the crime. The presumption doesn’t mean that society (including the accused’s employer) has to act like he didn’t commit the crime until he is convicted, especially if sufficient facts make it clear that he did commit the crime.

      Right now, we don’t know much about what happened. That other 49ers players were present hopefully will allow the 49ers to make an informed decision, both as to McDonald’s long term future with the team and as to his availability for Sunday’s game.

      1. Claude I hear you on McDonald. I’m not fully convinced either way. The situation is very difficult but I trust the 49ers leadership need upon JH’s interview on the radio this morning. If they don’t deactivate McDonald, it means they do believe him and that tends to look good for him. If they deactivate him it means everything is murky and it is going to be a ride through the justice system and Goodell’s process. He still might be innocent but it just means nobody will know until the legal system is done. And, even then, if there is a big piece of evidence like in Rice’s case that isn’t enough for a conviction but is awful publicly, I think McDonald is toast.

        I should be clear. I’m rooting for ray to be innocent. I hope the truth comes out well for him.

        1. I also hate phone posting. Auto correct is a great example of why the machines and terminators (Terminator movie series) will never take over mankind. For such technology dubbed as”smart”, it really is pretty stupid sometimes.

      2. Adusoron:

        Good takes. The only one I’ll quibble over is No. 4. McDonald doesn’t need to be convicted in a court of law for the 49ers to be justified in cutting him. If their own investigation/the NFL’s investigation leads them to conclude that McDonald physically abused his pregnant fiancee/girlfriend, the 49ers would be perfectly justified in cutting him.

        Claude I agree they would be justified in cutting him, however I don’t agree with them being the judge and jury. They are not investigating experts. I think it would foolish for them to act as one without the facts and allegations coming out in a courtroom. Imagine if his fiancé thought he was flirting or cheating or has issues of her own… How would it look if it wasn’t true found in a court and they released him because of unprofessional crime investigating. I would think that everyone in here would hope their company had their back until they were tried in a court of law. Yes they can do it, but it would only be right if say (in this case) there were obvious signs and the other two players confirmed it.. I couldn’t knock them for it. But a smart business would and should let the courts handle the due process.

        1. Ninermd:

          Yes they can do it, but it would only be right if say (in this case) there were obvious signs and the other two players confirmed it..

          That’s the sort of thing I meant when I wrote “If their own investigation/the NFL’s investigation leads them to conclude that McDonald physically abused his pregnant fiancee/girlfriend ….”

          I am curious about the process for the team’s investigation. Do they conduct it themselves, hire professional investigators. simply rely upon the police investigation? If the team conducts its own investigation, who will talk to McDonald, his fiancee, Davis, Dobbs, and other witnesses? Will Davis and Dobbs be forthcoming or will they clam up to protect McDonald? If they clam up, what does the team do?

          1. Claude….
            Got cha. I would hope they would go by the investigator handling this case. I’m also curious if they did hire their own investigator. What their background would be in these cases and such.
            Sounds like from what I read it’s going to be an “I’m innocent” case. He did come out and hint it’s a misunderstanding. So unless he’s absolutely guilty with overwhelming evidence, I don’t see him making a plea and this dragging out in the courts. Therefore I’m hoping the commish doesn’t brandish his own justice prior to the verdict on this case. But it is Roger Boy. So who knows.

    2. Good points adusoron.

      But I think I’ll take the wait and see approach. There are a whole lot of question marks on this defense now. Fortunately we still have the leadership and guidance of vets like Willis, J Smith, Brooks, Bethea, so they should definitely help the younger guys.

      I’m a bit nervous, but excited to see this offense really take shape and carry the load. Should be an interesting season to say the least.

      1. Leo ..
        I’d add Eric Reid, as well, to your leadership list ..
        I mean.. who woulda thunk this guy would go to the
        Pro Bowl in his rookie year ?..
        In that respect .. he seems to be following in P-Willys
        footsteps …

        Tons of upside with this kid.. and I sincerely hope
        we keep him ’till he hangs up the cleats

        1. I agree MW…. I think I just forgot to include him. Like Razor said this is going to be a big challenge for Fangio, but it’s not like the talent isn’t there, but it’s just coming along with a lot of youth and inexperience.

          Either way, Sunday can’t come fast enough!

    3. Tim K is all over Baalke about being the deciding factor of whether they play McDonald this week or not. He also says they should sit McDonald but pay him for the game. I don’t understand where this kind of thought process comes from? How can any of us, including Kawakami, make an informed decision from hearsay? The team has already gotten McDonald’s side of the story I would imagine and know what the charges are so they are obviously in a much more educated position to make a decision here. I get the anger over the charge and I agree there is no place for McDonald on this team if the charges are true, but if a player tells the team he’s innocent and gives them his side of the story, how can you punish him without letting due process play out? Hell the Ravens had video footage of Ray Rice dragging his fiancee across a hotel floor and didn’t take action against him so why in the world would the Niners do it in this instance?

      1. I agree with what you are saying Rocket. But what if his side of the story is not what the authorities determine to be the truth? Then the organization faces a huge backlash for letting him play.
        I do not now what the answer is or what the 49ers should do, but in either decision of to let him play or not, its a black eye for the 49ers.

        1. And vice versa… What if it’s all a lie and they don’t let him play?

          This is my point on letting the court decide it.
          Innocent intil proven guilty is apparently a thing of the past. It’s this simple. You’re right it’s a black eye on the 49ers anyways.
          And if he’s found guilty he’s gone anyways. Why not play him and remind the whiners that it’s still an innocent until proven guilty country we live in.

      2. I agree with you Rocket. I think what also plays a role in their decision making is the bad press they received when they let Aldon play after being arrested.

        If they do let him play, then that will definitely bode well for his case. My hunch is they err on the side of caution and sit him down.

  16. With the defense taking a hit this season, and Sam putting up some pretty good pre season numbers and looking good rushing the passer, would it be a far stretch to maybe give him a shot??? I know, SF fans will get more “hom*” remarks but what would
    It matter of he came out and became a pink shirt wearing beast…
    I really think his “coming out” party in the draft and the extensive coverage of his personal choice hurt him in the end. If he acted like nothing was different I think he makes the rams squad or any squad for that matter.
    What’s everyone think about Sam and what they saw? Could he be a very good rusher?

    1. We have plenty of pass rushers with Skuta, Lemonier, Lynch, and Brooks. What we may need is a good DE of starting caliber to potentially replace McDonald.

    2. No, he isnt worth it to us. If we were a 4-3 team yeah he would be worth it but hes not big enough to slide inside as 3-4 end and not athletic enough to play as a 3-4 OLB. With what he showed though I still think somone will pick him up a 4-3 end sometime in the next month or so.

      1. Not as a good situational rusher when we go 4-3… Which I’m betting we will see more of this season. Especially if McDonald is done. Idk just a thought. I was reading about some of the best pre seasons for rookies and he was up there and didn’t make the team because stl has so many good rushers already.
        Seems like the motor doesn’t stop. Eh just a thought

        1. I’m not sure he’s a system fit and might be an roster extravagance as a situational PRS. If he’d shown ST ability he might have made the Rams’ roster. That said, the rules make it darned hard for DBs to stop an offense, so pass rushers have an ever-inflated value. Shrug.
          His orientation has zero impact on my opinion and I seriously doubt it would effect Baalke or Harbaugh either.

  17. On RayMac:
    I agree that the cops, the nfl and the team need to do their investigations, especially in light of the baseless claims that floated about CK and Patton in Miami. The problem is that the responding cops obviously interviewed those at the scene and in their best judgement at the moment chose to arrest him and opt for the felony charge. The cops are always in a difficult position in these cases and having found visual evidence (bruises) might have been criticized if they hadn’t made an arrest.
    If the team suspects wrong-doing, they could sit him week#1 pending due process.
    I hope there are some mitigating circumstances but the felony charge gives me heartburn. There is a social and media lynch mob out there hoping to crucify him.

    1. Well cops detained ck too after a report. I’m betting most of the time they get that call, whether it’s false or not, somebody has to go to jail. Seen it on cops 100’s of times. Even though it was a grab and neither had any visible marks on them. And to be honest with stories I read of SOME cops and their decision making, I wouldn’t hold any water to them making good decisions at all times.
      I’m not saying they did or didn’t, but cops don’t always arrest a guilty perp. I’ll stick to the way it’s supposed to be and let the DA, Judge and jury figure this out.

  18. Ok,
    lets move on to something more productive. The line for the Cowboy game is 5 points. Niners favored by 5. I actually would take that bet. I believe the final score will be 30-20 Niners. The game will be close in the first half with the Niners making some adjustments and running away in the 3rd.

  19. Favorite Spread Underdog
    At Seattle -6 Green Bay
    New Orleans -3 At Atlanta
    At St. Louis -4 Minnesota
    At Pittsburgh -6.5 Cleveland
    At Philadelphia -10 Jacksonville
    At NY Jets -5 Oakland
    At Baltimore -1.5 Cincinnati
    At Chicago -6.5 Buffalo
    At Kansas City -4 Tennessee
    New England -4.5 At Miami
    At Tampa Bay -1.5 Carolina
    San Francisco -5 At Dallas
    At Denver -7.5 Indianapolis

    Running a three team parlay…. Green Bay +6, Philly -10 and the under in the Dallas / 49er game.

        1. Razor what can I do? Really trying hard to ignore the douche bags this year. On a positive note, their group is dwindling…..

          1. You know what you can do Bay? Try forming an opinion with a hint of football IQ. That’s maybe why people come after you on here, cause your opinion is ignorant.
            Thinking that Stevie Johnson was going to get cut was absolutely crazy. But the best part of the weekend was seeing your boy Alex Smith get paid! Ha!

      1. Md,
        I don’t know that Atlanta has the running game to beat N.O. To beat them you have to keep Brees off the field.

      2. Ninermd
        I’m laughing because I disagree those three teams win; but who knows? I’d guess Vikes have the best chance. GB’s defense not tough enough up the middle. NO’s offense too much and D should be improved.
        Each year is different. It takes the first four games to find out who is really who; which teams slipped and which are coming on.
        Even SF/Dallas is a head scratcher to me since SF’s offense has been invisible. Yeah, summertime, I know, but still waiting and hoping……

        1. Ok ok I know my three games are kinda out there, but here’s my reasoning.

          GB vs Sea..
          My take is. This game will be full of flags. A statement game from the nfl to start the season off. Huge blow to the seahaks defense. GB is healthy on O.
          And with Rodgers throwing the ball and a pretty good running game I thought got better in the offseason I’m going to give the nod to GB in a close fought game. And no not because I hate sea.. I actually still hate GB from the 90’s..

          Atl vs NO
          Well known rivals. Atl was depleted last year and they’re at home in a division game. Until I actually see a good defense out of NO I can’t pick them in week 1 vs Atl and their talent

          I really think minn will be a suprise this season. Without Bradford stl might win 6 games just because of their defense. But it’s AP and GAme 1 and lately minn plays very tough in the first couple of games of the season then faulter later. I think stl is solid on defense, and that’s it. Minn wins a fg fest.

  20. BT ..

    We now have the horsepower to counter the teams
    who stack the box on us ..

    I gotta feeling G-Ro will lull teams into thinking way too much
    about the run.. and then burn them..

    I think this is the reason The Harbs was so vanilla
    in the preseason

  21. Just got back from the future, ghosts do that stuff. Press reports that the soon-to-be Mrs. McDonald said it was all a misunderstanding. She had fallen down while picking up her three-carat diamond engagement ring that had lodged itself under the seat of her brand-new 2015 Porsche 911S. She has no idea where the police got the any info on DV but thanked them for helping Ray get to Checks-to-Cash so they could eat at McDonald’s…

  22. that’s great, ghost .. but ..
    while you were taking care of that .. I wish you woulda
    gone a little bit further … say …
    in February … ya know .. so you could confirm my
    Super Bowl prediction .. !

    Ah.. well … maybe on the next trip ?

  23. Ah, Em-Double-yew, I’d love to spill the beans but that would take the fun out of it. But as the Delphic Oracle sez:

    “There will be ups and downs and big surprises and big scares but the bottom line is the Seahawks will not repeat. In fact they are out on the first week of playoffs… Book it. As for the Niners, ho-boy, take your BP meds. They will go farther than the Hawks for sure…

  24. Aaron Rodgers is the best Qb in the NFL. But Rodgers doesn’t have the supporting cast around him. He definetly can’t win the game by himself that’s the problem:-)

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