Receiver ranks low on list of 49ers’ draft priorities

On the 49ers’ list of priorities for the first round of the upcoming draft, wide receiver ranks among bottom of positions the club is looking to fill.   The 49ers spent the No. 10 overall pick on a wideout in last year’s draft. Investing first-round picks in consecutive years is generally not considered a recipe for success. (Exhibit A: Detroit Lions, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007).

April 10, 2010
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Does Singletary like Tebow enough to want to draft him?

Alex Smith is the starting quarterback, and the 49ers have earmarked $3 million annually over the next two seasons for David Carr. But do the 49ers have any draft needs at the most important position?   It’s wide open. There are three quarterbacks on the roster. The 49ers will definitely add a quarterback for the offseason and training camp. But it’s only a guess whether the 49ers will select a…

April 8, 2010
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Opening the mailbag

There were plenty of questions today about tight ends and the 49ers’ speculated interest in Leon Washington and Jared Gaither. I tried to diffuse some of those questions with an earlier post on why it does not make sense for the 49ers to pursue restricted free agents.

March 9, 2010
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Answers to some 49ers questions

I’m sitting in a cushy leather seat at Gate 39 at the Kansas City airport, waiting for a delayed flight to take off to Indianapolis. To pass the time, I’ll answer a few questions from my Twitter mailbag.

February 24, 2010
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What about McNabb or Marshall?

Here are two questions I’ve heard a lot in the past week: Are the 49ers going to trade for quarterback Donovan McNabb? Are the 49ers going to trade for receiver Brandon Marshall?   The answer to one question is “absolutely no.” The answer to the other question is “probably not, but it would not completely shock me.”

February 3, 2010
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Well, yes, more time is needed to form position on Alex Smith

Question: Does anyone here need more time or evidence to form a position on Alex Smith? (BTP) Answer: Well, as a matter of fact . . .   Smith has gotten better every season he has played – played – in the NFL. Statistically, he ranked 19th in the NFL in completion percentage and passer rating. He was 14th in touchdown percentage and 23rd in interception percentage. He was 24th…

January 27, 2010
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With no Warner available, 49ers don’t figure to pursue vet QB as starter

Let’s put a one-week moratorium on all draft-related questions. After all, the draft itself is more than 13 weeks away. Senior Bowl practices are next week, and we’re likely to have more information about some of the top seniors in the country after they’re seen on the practice field of Mobile, Ala.   Yes, the 49ers are scheduled to pick at Nos. 13 and 16 or 17 in the first round. “Is…

January 18, 2010
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Latest 49ers hire is quite The Catch

Dwight Clark does not have an office at 49ers headquarters, but he has returned to the organization after being away for a decade.   Clark is best remembered, of course, for “The Catch.” But he also presided as de facto general manager over the 49ers’ continued run of success through most of the 1990s. He left the 49ers during the 1998 season to follow Carmen Policy to the expansion Cleveland…

December 2, 2009
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Examining the 49ers’ future at QB

Somewhere, some dude is trying to peddle a computer with files and files of old 49ers articles and information that only I can decipher. My replacement computer is on the way after my original was so rudely removed from my parked car outside a S.F. restaurant after Thursday’s game. But in the meantime I’m borrowing my wife’s laptop to address some topics that have been of particular interest to those…

November 15, 2009
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Asking questions can be hard work

A large part of my job is asking questions. Sometimes I ask good questions. However, there are times when I ask really stupid questions. I generally know it’s stupid before my voice inflection changes to produce that final verbal punctuation.   I talked to 49ers fullback Moran Norris this week. Norris is a Houston native who spent four seasons as a fullback for the Texans before signing with the 49ers…

October 23, 2009
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Q&A: The run game

Q&A: The run game When I dipped into the mailbag this morning there seemed to be four topics, in particular, that dominated the thoughts of 49ers fans. Therefore, over the course of the day, I’ll post Q&As on each of those issues. First up: Jimmy Raye’s offense and the run game.

August 26, 2009
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Q&A: Lawson must earn third-down role

Q&A: Lawson must earn third-down role   The 49ers are taking it easy today, as they have just an afternoon special-teams practice scheduled in Santa Clara.   I’m going to take it easy, too. But I’ve set aside a few minutes to respond to some questions submitted this morning.

August 20, 2009
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Crabtree starts camp far behind other 49ers wideouts

We could not believe he was still there?   You hear just about every team in the league say something similar to those disingenuous words after making their selection in the first round. And while the 49ers probably could believe Michael Crabtree would still be available with the No. 10 overall pick, they had every reason to be surprised.

July 17, 2009
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