Day 10: The good and not so good from training camp

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo passes behind his back during NFL football training camp at the team’s headquarters Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

SANTA CLARA – Here’s who stood out during the eighth padded practice of training camp.

THE GOOD

1. WR Marquise Goodwin. Outjumped 6’1” free safety Adrian Colbert to make a 40-yard contested catch on the first pass of practice. Then, outjumped 6’3” cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon to make a 40-yard contested touchdown catch on the final pass of practice. Goodwin is only 5’10”.

2. WR Pierre Garcon. Took reps with the second-string offense, and caught a 14-yard pass from C.J. Beathard on second-and-15. Beat cornerback Jimmie Ward on the play with a dig route.

3. SS Jaquiski Tartt. Shut down tight end George Kittle all morning in man-to-man coverage. Kittle caught just one pass during practice – a five-yard gain against zone coverage. Tartt is the best player in the secondary.

4. DT DeForest Buckner. Sacked Jimmy Garoppolo twice during team drills. Beat left guard Laken Tomlinson the first time, and right guard Mike Person the second time.

5. DT Solomon Thomas. Bullied guard Erik Magnuson during one-on-one drills.

6. DT Sheldon Day. Sacked C.J. Beathard once and pressured him lots of times.

7. TE Garrett Celek. Made a 30-yard one-handed catch while running out of bounds. Caught the ball below his knees.

8. RB Raheem Mostert. Replaced Matt Breida as the No. 2 running because Breida had the day off. Lined up a wide receiver, ran a comeback route and caught a 10-yard pass from Garoppolo on third-and-10. Almost certainly will make the team as the No. 3 running back. The 49ers could keep four.

9. OLB Pita Taumoepenu. Beat backup offensive tackle Darrell Williams Jr. with a beautiful spin move during one on ones.

10. DE Jeremiah Attaochu. Made rookie right tackle Mike McGlinchey miss. Beat him during one on ones with a quick inside move, a move McGlinchey has struggled to stop throughout training camp. More on him below.

11. QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Completed 11 of 15 passes, threw for a touchdown and no interceptions. Almost flawless.

THE NOT SO GOOD

1. CB Ahkello Witherspoon. Gave up the long TD catch to Goodwin, and should have intercepted the ball or knocked it away. Was in perfect position.

2. CB Jimmie Ward. Gave up the 14-yard catch to Garcon. I can’t remember Ward breaking up any passes during training camp

3. CB D.J. Reed. Replaced K’Waun Williams as the starting nickel back and gave up a 10-yard catch to Goodwin, who ran a simple speed out route and was wide open.

4. FS Adrian Colbert. Gave up the 40-yard catch to Goodwin early in practice. Never turned his head to make a play on the ball. Instead, tackled Goodwin as the ball arrived.

5. RT Mike McGlinchey. Whiffed again trying to block an inside counter move during one on ones. Also whiffed trying to block Cassius Marsh during an outside zone run to the offense’s right during team drills. Marsh stopped the running back for no gain

6. G/C Mike Person. Couldn’t block nose tackle Earl Mitchell during one on ones.

7. G/C Erik Magnuson. Gave up a sack to third-string defensive tackle Niles Scott during team drills. Scott probably won’t make the team. Magnuson might be a starter.

8. C Weston Richburg. Missed practice. The 49ers gave him a recovery day, but didn’t say what he’s recovering from.

This article has 128 Comments

  1. Grant you are so bad at your job. Nothing you say can be taken seriously.

    1. Wow, I thought his observations were riveting, and I felt like I was standing next to him in the practices. He is focusing on the D line and O line, which may decide the outcome of the upcoming games.
      .
      Grant is providing the nitty gritty, and he tells it succinctly and to the point.
      .
      I have perused the other blogs, and every other site is pablum compared to Grant. Lots of others are dictating the rote uncontroversial reports. Grant perceives weaknesses, and explains strategies. The other site’s peanut galleries like to rip Grant, but that just meant they read his every word.
      .
      To me, Grant is a must see, and I look forward to his posts, every day. I sure learn a lot.

        1. No. I have been accused of being a burner account, but I am unique, one of a kind.

    2. As a female fan of the Niners at Bryn Mawr College (by way of Pacific Heights and University High School) I must say how much I appreciate Grant. He is our eyes and ears in camp. He makes each player come alive for us who can not be there. I feel we understand the actual situation in camp and players scramble to make the team. Those of the bubble may well be out fo the league and NFL dreams over forever. Best of luck to each of our players this Thursday.

    1. Ward ain’t getting cut his is making 8.5 mil which is already guaranteed. Doubt Armstead gets traded unless it’s part of a package for Mack.

      1. Probably right about Ward, but if he’s not one of the best 53, it would send a big message throughout the clubhouse. Perhaps a lasting message….

        1. If they trade Ward they probably would have to pick up some of his salary this season. Would still be better than cutting a valuable younger DB. If they do that they might actually get something for him, other wise I doubt it. In fact picking up part of his salary implies they will have to pay people to take him.

    2. I don’t see any of them getting cut unles they have a season-ending injury.

      1. I don’t think Shanny likes Garnett, and I don’t think Saleh likes Ward or Armstead.

            1. We’ll see. Right now I am not taking any bets on that probability because Shanahan and Lynch have tended to go against the grain, or otherwise known as what fans and analysts see as the right move.

    3. I can see a potential market for Armstead , but who in their right mind would want Garnett.

    4. what club currently would see any value in Garnett, and Armstead is always injured…….why trade, unless for an “if” deal where a team may owe the Niners a 7th rounder if the player plays “X” amount of snaps or is active for “X” amount of games.

  2. 1. WR Marquise Goodwin. This guy! He’s so much better than he was last year, amazing.

    5. DT Solomon Thomas. Those good days are starting to pile up. Love the consistency.

    8. Mostert and Williams are both listed as the #3 HB on the unofficial depth chart. Both will make the team unless Joe gets fumble-itis in the preseason.

    9. OLB Pita Taumoepenu. Big game coming for Pita this Thursday.

    1. What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said before SOLOMON THOMAS made the San Francisco 49ers’ depth chart: Stanford, 6025 273 4.70. Underclass entry from Coppell, TX. Morris Award as the top defensive player in the Pac-12 Conference. Earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors last fall, leading the team with 15 tackles for loss. Thomas is a full grown, play effort football man who plays with violent and physical hands. Explosive when he lines up inside. Comes off on the “S” of the snap and blows up whatever is in front of him. An aggressive and quick twitch competitor who will make plenty of plays just on grit and hustle. Quick and strong when leveraging the blocker as he’s pushing the pocket. Locks out and shivers the blocker. He can move a blocker like a Rogers’ blocking sled. He’s quicker in a phone booth area than Kevin James signing up for a butter convention. He can spin off an overaggressive blocker. Sudden change of direction. Strong finisher. Swallows ball carriers and drives them to the ground. Versatile threat against the run and pass. Match-up problem inside and out, extreme lateral quickness. Sees and splits a lot of double teams. Plays with enthusiasm and vigor. Probably not big enough to play inside all game to take beatings from 320-pound giants. Doesn’t have ideal edge length to play outside all game, but moving him around is the answer. Whoever drafts Thomas should have an oxygen tank on the sidelines or give him some rotation time because he plays so hard. Former five star recruit evolved in to a one man wrecking crew for the Cardinal defensive line. A plus-plus run defender who shows enormous upside as an interior pass rusher, Thomas has the look of a guy who can be moved around the line to exploit match-ups. His best role may be in a 3-4 scheme at defensive end, but his style of play can be used all over. A creative defensive mind could do wonders with him. 2016 stats: 62 T, 15 TFL, 8 sacks, 7 QBH, 1 FF, 1 FR. Edge speed:left 1.83, right 1.83. OSR:3/40. First round. (A-33, H-9 3/8, BP-30, 10-1.63).

      1. The argument isn’t whether Thomas has talent. The argument was always whether or not he was worthy of being selected 3rd overall. The answer to this point is still a big fat NO. The 49ers clearly reached for an undersized interior lineman not suited to excell on the edge.

    2. #80 — Perhaps they believe if the list them both as the # 3 running back they will only count as one on the 53 man roster.

  3. It’s time to offer the Raiders what they want for Mack. If that requires 2 first rnd picks make it happen. Putting Mack with Defo, Thomas, Foster would put the Niners in a great position to compete for a SB immediately. He can be had. Gruden does not want to pay him. Make it happen john.

    1. Next years draft is replete with pass rushers. I don’t think Shanny will make that trade. I think he sticks to his methodical plan, and anticipates vying for a championship in 2019….

      1. None of them are anything close to Mack. Mack is a generational talent off the edge. Who also has great character. I’m all for being patient but if they have an opportunity to trade for him it’s a no brainer. 2 first rnd picks would most likely be in the 20s. He is unblockable 1 on 1.. He requires 2 lineman. You put him next to Defo and it becomes the best defense in football.

        1. You don’t need to convince me. Shanny is the one I don’t see going for it, plus I don’t see the Raiders condoning a trade to their backyard rival….

      2. Razor,
        If the 9ers win 9 or 10 games this year they will be drafting at 20 or later and all the true blue chip pass rushers will be gone and we might be stuck with a reach. I seldom recommend trading away 1st rd picks but if Mack is available (and thats a big if) I would give up two #1’s for him. I think he could be the kind of difference maker Fred Dean was in 81.

        1. OldCoach, we would give up two #1’s for Mack, but I don’t think Shanny would, nor do I believe Davis would be willing to trade him to the 49ers. As for the true blue chippers being gone at pick #20, who says we can’t make a move up?

          Nick Bosa Ohio State 6-4 | 263
          Clelin Ferrell Clemson 6-5 | 260
          Joe Jackson Miami (FL) 6-5 | 265
          Montez Sweat Mississippi State 6-6 | 245
          Sutton Smith Northern Illinois 6-1 | 237
          Brian Burns Florida State 6-5 | 231
          Porter Gustin USC 6-5 | 255
          Shareef Miller Penn State 6-5 | 259
          Jaelan Phillips UCLA 6-5 | 255
          Austin Bryant Clemson 6-5 | 265

          Pretty extensive list, and that’s not all of ’em….

          1. Razor,
            I agree with you I don’t think Mack is on the market……yet. If he is still a holdout after reg season game 2, who knows, thats what forced the Dean trade. As to your list, at least half those guy will play themselves off the list this upcoming season. imho

            1. Old Coach,

              I agree. There is no way of knowing who will step up and who will flop which is why I mentioned it would be a losing strategy to base any draft decision on what you think may be available the following year. Teams don’t operate that way which is why the hot names in the preseason rankings are often very different from the rankings after the season.

              1. Every draft class has their strengths and weaknesses, and I’d be surprised if teams don’t chart them to at least attempt to coincide with need. I’d say a perfect example of it was when Baalke let Goldson walk, and selected Reid….

                Rob Rang, “This year’s safety class has been regarded by some as one of the deepest and most talented classes in recent years. There are eight safeties total who have a chance to go inside the top 100—not to mention three of those eight could hear their names called on Day 1 of the 2013 NFL draft.”

              2. Scouts are always keeping tabs on future classes, but no team is making a decision based on what may be available in the future. It makes no sense and your example is proof of that. There were a number of Safeties chosen that year and few of them worked out. If anybody was looking at the prospects in that draft the previous year, they made a big time mistake.

        2. OldCoach / Razor
          Both the Raiders Mack and Rams Donald are reported to be holing out for ~$25 Mil P/Y with ~$80 mil guaranteed. https://www.ocregister.com/2018/06/05/bonsignore-rams-know-it-will-take-record-setting-money-to-secure-aaron-donald-but-they-hold-all-the-cards/
          Question: Do you believe either Mack or Donald are worth giving up 2 first Rd picks and paying that
          much for either? Keep in mind Brandin Cooks is on deck for a new contract and Todd Gurley, Marcus Peters and Jared Goff are waiting in the wings.

            1. GEEP,

              Please disregard the previous post. I see now that you just pasted a part of the article and are not giving your own opinion.

              From the article GEEP linked:

              Or, as one rival NFL executive suggested: “If this was just about being the highest-paid defensive player, it would have been done already.”

              This is the issue; not how much an owner can afford. It’s about both of these players wanting to reset the market and make far more than it dictates right now.

          1. The fan in me would trade two 1’s for Mack, but the GM in me says no way. Not for a defensive player, no matter how f-ing good he is….

    2. The Raiders aren’t trading Mack. They have him under contract this year and can FT for the next 3.

      The idea that Gruden doesn’t want to pay him has no factual basis either.

      What I think is happening – and it’s just my opinion based on where things are right now – is that both Mack and Donald are trying to set a new market threshold. My guess is both the Raiders and Rams are ok with paying them on par with Von Miller, but Mack and Donald want QB money, or at least closer to QB money.

      This is a really interesting situation to say the least but neither team will trade them when they have control for the next 4 years minimum and at a lower number than either player is asking for most likely.

      1. Add another factor: agents for Mack and Donald are playing chicken with each other about which signs first, allowing the other to try to slightly top the $$$.

        1. BT
          Keep in mind that Mack is in a much better position to wait out Donald’s situation and use that deal as the basis for his new contract. Mack was drafted with the fifth pick to Donald’s 13th in 2014, and the financial difference could not be more vast as a result. Mack will make $13.9 million to Donald’s $6.9 million this season. So, as you can see, Mack is in a safer position to let this year play out and then use the free agency leverage of 31 other teams and a potential new Donald deal, when he is negotiating with the Raiders.

      2. Florio,

        On Tuesday, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com explained that, of all the players on the Oakland roster who could be traded in the preseason, Mack could be the one to watch. Gutierrez suggests that the Raiders “would be silly to not at least listen” to an offer of a first-round pick for Mack, which could be an indirect way for the Raiders to put out the word that they’d perhaps consider accepting a first-round pick for Mack.

      3. There continues to be no evidence that the Raiders and Mack are talking about a long-term deal, and Gutierrez’s blurb includes a reference to G.M. Reggie McKenzie asking Gutierrez in March whether he had an extra $100 million to devote to the effort to pay Mack. So it quite possibly comes down to whether the Raiders can fund the contract, which will start with a requirement to cut a large signing bonus check and to place into escrow most of the fully-guaranteed money to be paid out in future years.

        Without a chance to scrutinize the Raiders’ books, it’s impossible to know whether they have that kind of cash on hand — and it’s possible that they simply don’t.

        1. They could be in a similar situation as the Patriots were wrt Jimmy. I can almost guarantee that the 49ers would be the last team Davis would be willing to deal Mack….

        2. Good lord Mike it was a joke. Do you honestly think McKenzie is looking around for somebody to give them 100 million to sign Mack? Every team in the NFL made a quarter of a Billion dollars in TV/Stadium revenue last year. That doesn’t include merchandise sales or other sources of revenue either. The idea that the Raiders can’t afford to pay him is nonsense.

          The Rams have one of he richest owners in the league and haven’t signed Donald. Nobody is speculating that they can’t afford him. The reason these guys remain unsigned is because they want more than the market value dictates. It’s not that hard to figure out.

          1. The idea that the Raiders can’t afford to pay him is nonsense.

            I’m not so sure about that.

            1. They signed Carr to a 5 year 125 mill contract with 70 mill guaranteed last year. As mentioned earlier the profits are through the roof from shared revenue alone and they are two years away from becoming one of the highest earning teams in the league with a new Stadium in Vegas. This has nothing to do with whether the team can afford to pay Mack; it’s about how much Mack wants above market value.

              1. I think the Rams go and get ’em.

                Cerrato said that the Raiders will trade Mack.

              2. Mack has the best chance to be traded. They can’t play franchise tag because of the expense of the position….

              3. They can and they likely will because the FT amount is going to be less than what he’s asking for in the extension. If he were willing to take 20 mill a year which is what the three year average of using the FT will likely work out to, he would have been signed already. This is what is getting lost in all the rumors. The Raiders and Rams are ready to make these guys the highest paid at their positions in the league. The problem is both of them want to be paid like QB’s.

              4. Donald’s position is much cheaper than Mack’s. Mack would have all the leverage, similar to Cousins, if the Raiders were to Snyder him….

              5. No he wouldn’t Razor. As mentioned, the belief is the Raiders are willing to pay him in the 20 mill range so that wouldn’t deter them from FT him. The FT next year will be less than 20 mill so they’d actually be saving money by doing that.

                Here’s another thing in the Raiders favor: Mack is 27 and they could conceivably keep his rights for the next 4 seasons at a price they are willing to pay under the tag. That puts him on the wrong side of 30 and gives them enough time to plan for life without him. There is no leverage for Mack in this case. The one thing he can do is choose not to play and try to force the Raiders to trade him, but that also means he’s wasting his prime not making any money.

                As far as Donald goes the Rams have all the leverage because what he’s reportedly asking for is waaayyy beyond market value for DT’s.

              6. Mack could not make a mediocre team at least good last year, what are they gonna look like without him? They carried his 5th year option @ 14 million this offseason, which prevented them from signing F/A’s. The Raiders have 2 million in cap space, so it would behoove them to get a deal that would give them some maneuverability….

              7. Mack could not make a mediocre team at least good last year, what are they gonna look like without him? They carried his 5th year option @ 14 million this offseason, which prevented them from signing F/A’s. The Raiders have 2 million in cap space, so it would behoove them to get a deal that would give them some maneuverability….

                Huh? They signed more FA’s than any team in the league this offseason and giving in to Mack’s demands will strain the cap even further, not help it. They will not save room against the cap with a long term deal at the rate he supposedly wants. Next year,The FT tag will be less than what Mack will count for on the cap if they give in to his demands. That is why things are in a stalemate right now. There is no upside for the Raiders if they pay him what he wants other than Mack will be happy…at least until they have to cut a bunch of players around him because of all the cap room he’s taking up.

                As far as how they will look without him, the belief is they will be a lot better due to the influx of draft picks and FA’s and one of the top DC’s in the game. They can’t be any worse that’s for sure.

              8. Yea, and they gutted their roster. Signed quantity over quality too, and they still didn’t fill all the holes. They were forced to hit the bargain bin….

              9. How did they gut their roster? They didn’t lose anybody of value that wasn’t replaced with somebody as good or better. They did go quantity because Gruden wanted more vets on the roster. Bottom line is your statement was incorrect. Not only weren’t they hindered in FA, they signed more than anybody.

              10. In coverage he’s much better than Bowman which is where they struggled at that position last year.

    3. CK=Elite

      No, you’re wrong again…but at least this time you have Razoreater in your camp as long as you’re willing to go along with ‘King Solomon’ Yes, I do believe that there was alma mater bias in choosing Thomas at #3….I don’t believe that mistake will be repeated…Kyle and Lynch have made some excellent choices in this years draft as well as Free agency and UDFA’s…The only reason that Thomas makes this years 49er team is an attempt at ‘unembarrassment’ …(if there is such a word)….Ward still has trade value, Thomas has some value (but with another coach and system) Victor Bolden has more value than Solo…

  4. Remember when Grant went nuts over Jimmy’s “lack of professionalism” after the very first practice?

    The takes come hot as hell over here.

    1. Yup, and JG responded by staying late and working hard. He took things more seriously, and became more professional.
      .
      Nothing motivates more than constructive criticism.

      1. Man, we’re lucky Grant is around to motivate our players then, right? Without him where would they be?

        1. I just reviewed Grant’s periscope an he mentioned that they put a man in motion. He may have claimed to advocate that tactic last season., but I have been advocating that very strategy for years. Grant said putting a man in motion can help the offense read whether the defense is in man or zone. Putting a man in motion, and the player is at full speed at the snap of the ball. Putting a WR in motion could help him avoid the check at the line of scrimmage. Putting a man in motion can allow for flooding a zone, so JG just needs to pass to the open receiver. Grant also said that putting a man in motion can help create mismatches, like a LB on a WR. Putting a man in motion can allow for quick hitting bubble screens. Putting a man in motion can pinch in the DE so JG can roll out. Glad KS is employing that tactic in practice.
          .
          Grant described Pettis’ crossover dribbling moves, and Saleh parroted the exact same thing 3 days later.
          .
          KS complained how players were worrying about what is being said about them, specifically mentioning hot takes, even though he talks until he is blue in the face to tell his players to ignore the media.
          .
          So SUUURE, they ignore the media. At least they should, but even KS concedes the team is not living in a bubble. Even if they are, the players and coaches should never let them see that they are affected by the media. Never let them see you sweat.
          .
          Still, when Grant makes observations like JG quitting practice at the end, and stating that Tom Brady would stay longer to work on problems and weaknesses, I feel like they got the message, loud and clear. At least JG has, and now, he is staying longer to work on things.

          1. Dude, Jimmy was organizing throwing sessions with his receivers before camp started. He was working his way from small-school QB to second-round pick years before he even knew who Grant was. He worked overtime last season to prepare for games despite not knowing the system and was incredibly successful.

            Was all that just luck? Has he just been skating by until the magical motivating criticism of a local beat reporter sparked a fire within him and drove him to finally understand what it means to be a professional? Come on.

              1. Seb,
                To be fair, Ed pointed out a lot of reported observations. And unless you’re regularly at practice you’re not believing what you see, but rather one report on practice over another. And there were multiple reports of Jimmy staying after practice throughout camp with different and running Saturday sessions throughout the off season. The only outlier to these reports so far was the single report by Grant. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt because we don’t know what was going on that day and every other report has him staying late almost every day.

              2. “And there were multiple reports of Jimmy staying after practice throughout camp with different and running Saturday sessions throughout the off season.”

                Yup. They also stayed on the field to work on cadence during OTAs.

              3. Shoup, I remember other posters on NN howling about Grant being so negative about JG, and ripping Grant for having the temerity to make such a caustic statement.
                .
                Still, Grant made the Brady comment, and JG has now stayed late. I just infer cause and effect.
                .
                With KS complaining about players worrying about the hot takes, I just assumed that players, JG included, read what Grant wrote.
                .
                Do not take me wrong. I am thrilled that JG is now our QB, and am happy that he has grown into a leadership role. I am ecstatic that he is working hard and am hopeful that the Niners can avoid another losing season.

              4. Seb,
                My argument is there is against the idea of cause and affect.
                As stated Jimmy stayed throughout OTA’s and ran Saturday sessions, all of this prior to what Grant wrote. So I see this as more a return to the norm rather than a cause and affect relation. As to the the Shanahan comment, he was speaking regarding the video of Richard Sherman getting toasted and the media storm it caused. This was everywhere, not in a lone NFL blog that ran counter to almost every other report, so the relation to “paying attention to the media” is quite different.

              5. One thing that must be noted.
                Grants quote was that Jimmy ” Allowed practice to end without demanding more reps to correct his mistakes.” Not that he didn’t stay after.
                This is an important distinction to make because the amount of practice time available is dictated by the collective bargaining agreement. Meaning he may not even be allowed to extend practice without violating NFL rules.

              6. Shoup, we will just have to agree to disagree.
                .
                There were other times when KS would end the practice early, because he felt like the players were tight, and he wanted to avoid injuries. Do not think JG kept on practicing.
                .
                I will concede that at times, JG did stay to work out some mistakes, or if it was sloppy, to tighten up the cadences or routes. I am just going on by what Grant wrote.

              7. LookSeb, let me assure you, Jimmy is not paying attention to the outside noise. He’s in full training camp mode. If he’s reading a beat writer stuff, rather than spending that time working game film and the playbook, that’s a big problem, not a solution.

                Come on Seb, get real for once. We’re talking about a 5th year veteran who came through the Patriots’ system, compared to a beat writer. No disrespect to Grant but …. come on Seb!

              8. 49, do not listen to me, listen to KS. He is the one complaining about the players worrying about negative media reports. KS was trying to quell any negativity, but in the end, he let the cat out of the bag.
                .
                JG is smart. He stated that he does not let media reports affect him, because he does not follow them. I am glad he said that, because he he has much more important things to be concentrating on.
                .
                This is just like Eddie stating that he did not read Lowell, then years later, admitting he read every word. Players coaches and owners are human, and do not live in a bubble. I think Jed reads the papers, and got the message, loud and clear. Thankfully, he has followed my advice, because he has kept quiet, and not inserted his foot in his mouth. Of course, he will deny it, just like Eddie did with Lowell. Sure, you can say that he did not follow my advice, and chalk it up to just being an amazing coincidence. However, he did follow some one’s advice, because the less we see or hear from Jed, the better.

              9. 49
                He really believes that professionals read his and Grant’s and TK’s and my comments looking for ideas. He truly believes that. Bless his heart.

          2. “I just reviewed Grant’s periscope an he mentioned that they put a man in motion. He may have claimed to advocate that tactic last season”

            No, it was the opposite. Grant suggested that they should stop the pre-snap movement because of the penalties.

            And nobody has to tell Shanny to put a guy in motion. He’s done it everywhere. A lot of people on this blog (perhaps yourself, seb) disagreed with Grant’s less pre-snap movement suggestion and talked about the advantages of movement for an offense.

              1. I decried the shifts. They put a man in motion, then he stopped. That defeated the whole purpose of a man in motion. It became a big time waster. The defense would also shift at 5 seconds, which then would make the Niners counter their shift, and a delay of game penalty would ensue.

              2. I was referring to the JH era. They would try to make the Seahawks tip their hand, but the Seahawks just kept it simple, or shifted with 5 seconds left on the play clock.
                .
                KS is a WCO disciple. I liked how they flooded a zone for an easy TD.

              3. Seb,
                I was referring specifically to this statement
                “They put a man in motion, then he stopped. That defeated the whole purpose of a man in motion.”
                The video is of the Atlanta falcons but the principal is the same.

                A running back went in motion, which revealed the defense, the running back then came to a complete stop, as he lined up out wide. However, the defense was already revealed. Seattle could have tried to change the defensive play call, but they would be risking that Atlanta would snap the ball as they were realigning themselves.

            1. I beg to differ. Yes, he may have suggested that they stop the motions, but if it would reduce the false starts and illegal procedures, there is a good reason to make it simpler, and more efficient. Penalties were killing drives, so the Niners needed to reduce the penalties. I do recall Grant mentioning putting a man in motion, but your recollection may be accurate, too.
              .
              However, the Niners have a season under their belt, and they should be more in sync and cohesive. Sure, the varied cadences have been problematic, with the unforced errors, but this is practice, and now is the time and place to correct the problems.
              .
              Now that JG has mastered the playbook, I hope they are ready to get more intricate, innovative, effective and unpredictable plays.
              .
              Yes, I have been advocating about the man in motion, but I am just channeling Bill Walsh. I remember during a SB, he put Roger Craig in motion many times. Bill Walsh was a master at gaining an advantage.

            2. I said they needed to stop trading the strength of the formation pre snap because it was confusing the blocking assignments. Motioning a running back out of the backfield doesn’t trade the strength of the formation.

            3. Shoup, point taken.
              .
              However, I hope you will concede that during the JH era, they would try to be cute with their multiple shifts, but it would be frustrating to see them result in wasting time and incurring delay of game penalties.

  5. After reading the numerous reports from TC from a bunch of different sources a few things are clear:

    Goodwin seems primed and ready to take the next step to bonified number one receiver status

    Joe Williams is making it really hard to cut him

    Deforest Buckner is our best pass rusher inside or out, and may play both

    The Safeties are the clear strength of the secondary and CB remains a huge question mark

    There are no outside pass rushers worth a damn on this team which is why Buckner is being moved out there in certain sets

    The top needs going into the 2018 draft remain the top needs going into 2019. It was a head scratching decision to ignore pass rushers and Guards in the draft and it’s going to bite them in the ass for another year.

    1. Ignoring guards and especially pass rushers in this years draft makes sense if you do not see yourself being a SB contender and are deferring those picks for a draft when a better class at those positions will be available. Next years draft will be filled with pass rushers. If you a shooting for a target of 2019 it is not a head scratcher at all.

    2. You don’t ignore a need completely because of what may be in the next draft. It’s a losing strategy and no way a professional HC and GM were thinking that way. Shanny and Lynch have clearly shown that they don’t always follow bpa so its even harder to fathom why they wouldn’t take a flyer on one in the mid to late rounds.

  6. Grant is the best Niners writer not behind a paywall and even if he was, he’d hold his own with Barrows and TK. If I was his dad I’d be very proud of him. Keep up the great work Grant.

  7. I like Raw’s idea about obtaining Mack from the Raiders.
    .
    My proposal would entail a multi player deal. The Niners should offer Ward, Garnett, Armstead, along with Joe Williams, for Mack. Raiders need help, Gruden must be desperate, because he is confronted by a possibility of being a cellar dweller. It would be like they obtained an additional draft of at least 3 first rounders. Maybe throw in Bourne and Blair to sweeten the deal.
    .
    6 for one may seem unfair, but Mack is special. He would automatically make the Niners a playoff contender. They could use the space created on the roster to poach some 53 cutoff players from playoff teams. The Niners have the cap space, Raiders do not.
    .
    John Lynch should put on his Trader Bill Hat, and get it done. Them he can put a feather in his cap.

    1. As mentioned above, nobody will take on Wards contract….a big blunder by our front office. He’s been mediocre from day one in red and gold, why in the heck they paid him is beyond me. He will never be a decent cb…..his future is at fs and dime back. Nothing more than a 9 million dollar insurance policy…..

      1. Raiders really need DB help. Ward can play both CB and safety.
        .
        Maybe the Niners can think outside the box, and take on some of Ward’s contract to facilitate the deal.

    2. The nonsense just never ends with you does it seb. This is so stupid on so many levels and yet you see it as something that is possible. Unbelievable.

      1. Guess I am counting on Gruden making sober assessments and becoming desperate. Desperate people do desperate things.

        1. He doesn’t have to get desperate. He has the rights to Mack for the next 4 years minimum. What was really silly was your belief that a few former first round picks that haven’t worked out would somehow interest the Raiders enough to trade an all pro player. You really don’t have a clue how the league operates.

          1. Gruden himself said his defense is bad, even with Mack.
            .
            Chargers are talented, and poised to make a playoff run.
            .
            KC was in the playoffs, and I will take their coach’s assessment of Mahomes. AS sure was not the answer.

            Denver finally has a decent QB. Keenum led the Vikings to the NFCC Game.
            .
            Realistically speaking, the Raiders suck. Carr regressed. The defense could not stop a cold. Cooper is afflicted with the dropsies. Lynch is a shell of his former self. The MLB position is weak. The DBs gave up huge plays. Their O line was so bad, they put Miller, a rookie, in at LT. Worley may be suspended. Martavis is a head case, and may disrupt the locker room. They are so depleted, Tank Carradine has a shot at the 53. The RG became injured, and several backups became injured. They are so desperate, some are even thinking about bringing back Bowman. Mack’s holdout does not help.
            .
            Gruden is smart enough to realize that he could very well end up in the cellar, even with Mack. Gruden will put on a brave front, but he is looking at another 6 win season.
            .
            If Gruden is not desperate, he is delusional. Desperate situations require drastic actions. Ward would be an upgrade. Armstead does have talent, but he is duplicative on the Niners, so he is expendable. Garnett could help if his knee becomes healthy, and the Raider O line is still afflicted with the Injury bug. Niners could make a pool of players that Gruden could select from, to facilitate a deal. Maybe offer Coyle, since the MLB position is weak.
            .
            Sure, it is improbable, but other sports like baseball and basketball have numerous multi player trades. There is no guarantee that Mack will want to play for the Raiders this season, especially with all the intransigence on both sides. Mack has not talked with Gruden? Hmmmm.

      2. rocket

        Thank you for your nonsense post to Seb…You said it so much better than I could…again thanks

  8. This forum sure as h beats Twitter. Haven’t been around for a long while. Good to see the regs still jive turkeying. Nice to finally have a coach employing Walsh principles on offense. Hoping the leadership at the top (Lynch) is contagious so the young Alphas start to assert themselves in the clubhouse.

  9. The 49ers gave him a recovery day, but didn’t say what he’s recovering from

    Maybe he’s just recovering from your scathing reviews.

  10. I’ve only written once and I appreciate Grants insight. I’m a die-hard fan from the Paul Hofer days but I think he’s really insightful and challenges the status quo, that’s what reporters are supposed to do. It’s weird to write this because his articles really bother me, but in retrospect, oftentimes he’s pretty spot on.

  11. Really excited about Pita T. Looking forward to watching his 1-1 drills.
    Hope he finds the same level of success as a late round pick, as Adrian Colbert.

    I think we might see a trade after the 3rd Preseason game. Likely trade candidates in my opinion are Arik Armstead, Raheem Mostert, Joshua Garnett and Pierre Garcon.

    Buckner rushing from the edge sounds good. I hope he sees the same level of success as Calais Campbell with the Jags!

  12. A few things to take into account regarding the Mike McGlinchey reports.
    – He needs to be given a few reps as he is changing sides so all of his footwork is reversed. This will take a lot of reps to get the muscle memory down pat.
    – Second, in the 1 on 1 pass rush drills, the defender should have an advantage. In these drills he has no inside help/ guard to pass off the defender to, so the defender has a lot more space than he would in a game. I would pay a lot more attention to the 2 on 2 and team drills, as they are more closely related to game situations.

    1. Yes, game time conditions are like night and day from the drills.
      .
      I hope all 5 O linemen can move in tandem as a cohesive unit.
      .
      Some have advocated putting a TE next to McGlinchey. I heartily agree.

    2. Agreed Shoup. McGlinchey is a rookie and is going to be inconsistent but he is a very talented player who should improve with coaching and experience. I don’t think he was the BPA by any means, but they targeted him for a reason.

  13. Not even to the first preseason game and some are demanding players be released or traded–like NOW.

    Funny on the trading option…if the players are sooooo bad, what makes one think the 9ers would get any trade value for any one of them? And don’t use the red herring of packaging them.

      1. Yeah, I get that.

        It’s hugely entertaining that several among us want to flush ‘the mess’ now, like yesterday. Let’s get into real game settings, let the position coaches continue to do their work, and let the players play. The joint practice with the Texans will help this along. There will be many opportunities to adjust the roster as the preseason plays out. I’m confident Lynch and Shanahan are always looking for roster improvements as scheme-fit players on other teams become available–if they come available.

        Six weeks from now we’ll forget this training camp ever happened…unless there’s a career ending injury in the next three weeks.

  14. The Official Grant Cohn Offensive Line Good/Not So Good Tracker

    Offensive Line
    Day 1: Good -0 // Not So Good – 0
    Day 2: Good -0 // Not So Good – 1
    Day 3: Good -1 // Not So Good – 2
    Day 4: Good -1 // Not So Good – 1
    Day 5: Good -0 // Not So Good – 5
    Day 6: Good -0 // Not So Good – 3
    Day 7: Good -0 // Not So Good – 3
    Day 8: Good -0 // Not So Good – 3
    Day 9: Good -1 // Not So Good – 4
    Day 10: Good -0 // Not So Good – 4

    Total: Good -3 // Not So Good – 26

    Man, it might be time to panic. Or maybe we could just wait and see how this group performs. Nah, just kidding. Let’s panic.

  15. I’ll admit, I had to stop reading the comments section, it got too ridiculous. I like to get an idea of what’s going on at 49ers camp, but have learned Grants evaluations are poor at best. Seb is all on his jock, which reminds me that birds of a feather flock together.

    Mike Holmgrem said it takes a QB a minimum of 3 years to master a system. Seb says great, now that JG has ‘mastered’ the playbook…(after JGs played a few games and week of TC) and then offers up a trade that Madden on my xbox would even laugh at….Poor Seb
    That tells me alot about you; you can try to hide behind wordy paragraphs of nothing but I see you. I doubt you’ve ever studied a playbook in your life, and certainly can’t comprehend the complexities of a Shanahan playbook. Grants at practice and hears them talking about Pettis as a bball player. When the coach who probably said it, happens to say it to the media, you think he stole it from Grant. Unbelievable. Plz take your meds dude.

    Clearly Khalil Mack would make everybody on the D better…The fact is you can’t pay everybody and I don’t see ShanaLynch going all in for him. It would probably take an unheard of amount of picks, like 3 first rounders. It’s not gonna happen unless they were in year 7 of their rebuild and went all in. Right now it’s clear they are trying to build sustaining success, which is real 49er football, and something that the majority of yall know nothing about.

    1. TR80, I propose a trade that would take advantage of a toxic situation at the Raiders, and would help propel the Niners to the playoffs. Sure, it would not be realistic to get Mack for free, so it needs to be a win-win situation.
      .
      3 years? It took JG 3 games before he assimilated enough of the playbook to go on a 5 game winning streak. Pontificating that it will take JG 3 years to master the system, while he already has done it, and will be even better with a whole off season to learn the nuances, just tells me that you do not have a clue.
      .
      Quit denying reality. Grant did not need to overhear a coach. He was the one who first mentioned the crossover dribbling analogy, and Saleh parroted him 3 days later. Before, no one knew what Pettis would do, and Grant articulated what he saw in TC.
      .
      Now you spout off that it would take 3 first round picks to get Mack, when the Niners spent a second round pick to get their franchise QB. Your football acumen is not lacking, it is non existent. JL would have to be brain dead to give up so much, because it would hamstring their draft, and it would set back the rebuild for years.
      .
      Multi player deals are done all the time in baseball and basketball. It just takes creative thinking. I like to think outside the box.

  16. I remember countless times where I told you guys armstead and Ward were worthless picks. I was really passionate on how Garnett was a super bust too. You guys talked all kinds of nonsense talking about how I don’t know anything and I should be a raider fan and all that BS. Well you guys certainly are falling in line now aren’t ya? Lmao.

Comments are closed.