Garçon’s injury likely means 49ers saying adieu

Posted By on December 10, 2018

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Pierre Garcon (15) runs against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

SANTA CLARA — Au revoir, Pierre?

The 49ers will place veteran wide receiver Pierre Garçon on the Injured Reserve list with a knee injury this week, and will consider releasing him when the season ends.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan made these announcements Monday afternoon.

“These guys understand the business,” Shanahan said. “They understand how it works. Pierre is battling through a legit injury that has lingered all year. Hopefully, (he) can get healthy. Then, you’ve got to make decisions. You don’t get rid of people to get rid of people, but you’re always trying to improve. We’ll see what options are out there.”

Garçon’s knee will require arthroscopic surgery. Last year, he had surgery to repair a fractured vertebrae near the base of his skull, and went on IR. Next year, he will turn 33. He’s old, injured and expensive.

Garçon signed a five-year, $47.5 million contract with the 49ers on March 10, 2017. When this season ends, he will have missed 16 games, played 16 games, made 64 catches, gained 786 receiving yards, scored just one touchdown and earned $22.75 million in two seasons with the 49ers.

Big money for small production.

The 49ers can save $6 million in cap space by cutting Garçon before the league year starts on March 13.

This article has 117 Comments

  1. This is a game of attrition.
    .
    I wish him well, and hope he can get healthy and find a team that he can help. He will probably need to take a big pay cut.

    1. He was a bad acquisition and is done. Niners have suffered from below par WR’s for the past few seasons. They need a young, big, strong target for the Red Zone. I give lots of credit to Mullens for doing as well as he has done with such a poor receiving corps. Goodwin is a 4th receiver, maybe a third on any decent team. Many players from this year won’t be retained.

      1. I wanted them to claim Kelvin Benjamin, but he wanted to go to a playoff team.
        .
        Luckily, this draft is deep in big, fast WRs.
        .
        Maybe the Niners should trade back in the draft and get JJ Arcega Whiteside, and use 2 second round picks for pass rushers.

  2. Niners will be playing the Seahawks, and it would look like they stomped the Vikings. However, it was 3-0 into the 4th quarter.
    .
    The Seahawks sure know how to finish.
    .
    Niners better set the edge like they did last game, because the Seahawks gained 217 yards rushing.

    1. Seattle is tough in the fourth quarter. They play best coming from behind when Wilson is in scramble mode. That is why they are good finishers.

  3. Pettis is the guy now. Quise played some Z so Pettis could get more reps at X.

    https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/121830-transcript-shanahan-discusses-receivers-failing-george-evaluating-younger/

    “Just talking to him Saturday night and seeing where he was at, we told him if he felt good with it, we were going to throw him in at Z a little bit more so we could leave [WR] Dante [Pettis] on the field a little bit longer.”

    Garcon’s contract is just the 24th most expensive for a WR and we had plenty of cap space. The Niners prepared for a potential decline by having a team option after year two. The contract is not an albatross.

    1. Yep. Releasing Garcon after 2 seasons was always something they were looking at as a possibility based on the contract.

  4. Yep. Garcón, along with Smith, Mitchell, Ward, Armstead, and Marsh, will most likely be gone by the beginning of the 2019 season.

    1. I actually expect Armstead will be retained. If they were thinking of getting rid of him I suspect Taylor would be getting his snaps now, but he has still been getting over 50% of snaps the past couple of weeks. The others though, goners.

      1. If they do keep Armstead, then the decision to draft Thomas and Jones, along with picking up Day, is going to make considerably less sense unless the 49ers are willing to keep Armstead at big end and let the other three battle it out for starting position in the interior.

        1. No it makes perfect sense. The Eagles had the blueprint last year and showed the importance of depth with impact players along the DL, rotating and keeping guys fresh.

          As for Garcon, he really looked good last year before the injury. Its disappointing that he couldn’t regain his form. Personally I think he will probably be signed somewhere, but his career is pretty much finished.

          1. Yes! It appeared that he was a possession receiver who’s hands were beginning to let him down. He had too many drops and not making catchers he usually made sort of showed he was regressing. Some older players lose foot speed, while for some it might be hand strength and co-ordination.

        2. Day was inactive this past game and Mitchell didn’t play a snap. Buckner, Jones, Thomas and Armstead were the interior guys. Thomas and Armstead also got snaps at DE. The guys getting playing time are the ones the team is most likely to keep.

          1. I have no clue what the Niner’s Brass is thinking in regards to the interior line.

            When they drafted Thomas and then announced their intention was to play him in the role that I thought best suited Armstead I thought they would be moving on from him. They didn’t do that however, and then having Blair, Armstead and Thomas log jamming that position, they drafted Street and Taylor. None of whom can really rotate with Mitchell or Buckner except for possibly Armstead (which I would contest).

            While I think Armstead is the best of that group and would like to keep him because I don’t think he is the best of that bunch (not including Buckner)… I don’t understand how they can justify doing so on the roster without letting go of a few others.

            1. I think Armstead stays on a reworked deal.
              All those guys are going to benefit with 2 new and better edge rushers.
              Dee Ford and Joey Bosa.

      2. I agree; Armstead will most likely be retained. And his play has been better, especially in running situations.

    1. The comeback route vs the Seahawks was better…I think it went for 15 or so but the CB and Safety had no chance. Hes one of the best route runners I have seen, incredible for a rookie. If he can add some strength and play more urgent, even violent, hes gonna have a long career.

      1. I don’t go with some fans call for Pettis to get stronger. Adding strength usually means adding weight . When you add weight it might result in a loss of quickness and it certainly will put more stress on his joints when he makes those quick cuts. If he can get stronger without losing speed ok, but why does everyone alway feel they have to remake a player. It’s not like these guys have never had the opportunity to do so by themselves.

        1. I think it is important to add muscle because they need to be able to take the sledgehammer blows. The loss of speed is negligible compared to the additional durability.

  6. Seems like a professional veteran is shown the door when they reach benchmark in your skilled positions especially? Example is Frank Gore who is still running part however contributing in major ways for other teams… True professional and champion caliber players. That is the way the history of this team was created, however big for players who aren’t playing gets us caught up in things less then team spirit and integrity. The courage to build up the front Offensive line and and concentrate on our linebackers and secondary, is essentially for victories. Please stop bringing B rated to the team and try to sale a dream to the fans, spread the money wisely to get a quality team… Thanks for allowing us to comment.

  7. Everyone reaches the end of the road. Most guys in the NFL don’t get to go out on their own terms. Garcon has been a great pro so hopefully he can find a landing spot and be a contributor on a successful team. Then retire on a high note.

  8. He was a wasted signing. Was brought in because he knew Shanny’s system. Was at the end of the road and managed to get a pretty sweet deal to check in, have one, somewhat injury plagued, quality season, but that was that. Now he’s damaged goods. Aldrick Robinson was similar, another know the system Shanny guy, but he’s gone as well.

    They should have let him go before the season started to be honest.

    Another guy that needs to really be examined is Goodwin. He’s a Longhorn connection and the type of player that Shanny loves, super fast who can take the top off the D, but he’s always dealing some kind of injury and drama in his personal life. His season this year was a complete waste. I’d cut him. He’s in the way of Pettis.

    I thought Bourne could be a real diamond in the rough, but he keeps making mental errors. He seemed to hit a wall in training camp at one point and never really recovered. I’d still keep him around though unless someone better showed up.

    Trent Taylor? Meh. Richie James? Maybe. Stephen Dunbar? Who knows? This team needs 2-3 WRs, good ones from college and free agency.

    When Shanny was hired, they brought in bridge players, I get it, but very few of them were ever going to be on the team in year four, when Shanahan and Lynch’s efforts are being judged with more circumspection.

    Hoyer was another guy that was brought in because he knew the system and would buy them some time to theoretically get to Kirk Cousins, thus delaying the development of the team for another year.

    The Niners should have drafted Mahomes or Watson, but Kyle was convinced that Cousins would be the long term answer.

    I’m still of the mind that Shanny doesn’t really dig Jimmy G, who was ostensibly brought in by Lynch and might actually be more comfortable with Nick Mullens.

    There’s a sense now with the bridge guys gone or leaving that the team is re-starting again.

    This should have happened from day one, not season three.

    1. Shanny was a big fan of Jimmy, and after evaluating all the quarterbacks in the ’14 draft; Garoppolo & Carr were his top two ranked quarterbacks….

      1. Fair enough. I still think he wanted Cousins first and foremost and the construction of the initial roster, particularly the signing of Hoyer, who was temporary points to that. BTW, I don’t have a problem with the Hoyer signing, they needed someone to play QB, but drafting Mahomes or Watson would have been the right move, so they could back up and learn from him. He was a placeholder not for CJ or Jimmy G, who wasn’t even on the radar at the time.

        1. Except it is well documented they tried to trade for JG during that first offseason. So yeah, he was on the radar.

    2. Slamd,

      The original plan was to play the year with Hoyer and then go get Cousins in FA, but to say Shanahan doesn’t dig Garoppolo would be wrong.

      Garcon was a good signing at the time due to his experience in the system and the fact the Niners had no other comparable receivers on the roster. In hind sight it hasn’t worked out due to injuries, but you don’t have the luxury of knowing the future when you sign somebody. Under the terms of the deal they signed him too they won’t suffer much of a hit to the cap when they let him go.

      Releasing Goodwin makes no sense on any level. He is a bargain for what he brings to the field and while he missed a few games this season, he showed last year that he can be a really good producer in this system.

      1. « Under the terms of the deal they signed him too they won’t suffer much of a hit to the cap when they let him go. »

        His dead cap number if released this season is $7.4 mil. That’s a chunk.

        1. You’re right my bad. I was looking at 2020 instead of 2019. Whatever the case they’ll save 1.2 mill by cutting him as opposed to keeping him.

          1. One thing about both Shanahan and Lynch is that they always like to keep other options open. Plan A might have been Cousins but they for surely had other options on the grill at the same time. Two being JG and drafting a QB in the first round depending on how things played out.

      2. There are lots of areas in personnel acquisitions that this regime can be faulted with. I don’t believe that the Garçon acquisition is one of them.

        He has been productive and had toughness to his game. Lots of veteran players do well after moving on from their main team. He looked very much like he would do the same. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked out, but I don’t fault them for going for him.

        1. His main team was the Colts and he did well when he moved onto the Redskins. Based on your logic, that’s true. The Redskins were not his main team.

        2. The Garçon and Smith deals were both bad. In both cases the team was looking to get 3 years out of the player. Releasing them this offseason saves a total of about $2.5 mil off the cap. Peanuts.

            1. From a dollars and cents perspective both are bad deals because the 49ers will basically lose the same amount of cap space whether they are on the team or not.

      3. “Shanahan doesn’t dig Garoppolo would be wrong.” Why? Show me a statement by Shanahan, and not the “we liked him in the draft” statement about his praise and commitment to Jimmy G?

        1. Show me a statement by Shanahan, and not the “we liked him in the draft” statement about his praise and commitment to Jimmy G

          You should try Google sometimes — it’s a wonderful tool:
          https://nypost.com/2017/12/11/jimmy-garoppolo-is-transforming-49ers-in-front-of-their-eyes/
          “Shanahan said Garoppolo has a knack for making the players around him better.
          “When you’ve got a guy like Jimmy who has been making some impressive throws, who’s been doing it on the practice field and he’s carried it to the game, I think guys always know they’ve got a chance,” Shanahan said. “And they’ve lived up to it.” “

          1. Thanks for saving me the time Mood. There is also the fact that they signed Garoppolo to a monster contract which you don’t do if you don’t dig the player.

            1. What were their options? Cousins was going to sign with Minnesota. Lynch is the other factor.

              From Lynch:

              In March, 49ers general manager John Lynch stated that Shanahan was initially “in mourning” after the Garoppolo trade, mainly because it all but closed the door on the team bringing in Kirk Cousins, Shanahan’s former pupil in Washington.

              “We made the trade, but then there were some days that Kyle Shanahan was like in mourning because I think everybody knows his master plan was to have Kirk Cousins come in, eventually,” Lynch said. “I was proud of Kyle because I think he knew that this was the right thing for our franchise. And he didn’t hesitate. But then, even then, Jimmy really had to prove himself.”

              Kyle was in love with Cousins.

              Jimmy G was an arranged marriage.

              Only Kyle knows how he really feels, but my sense is, is that he’s not crazy about Garapolo.

          1. After rewarding his hotshot quarterback with a record-breaking contract last month, Shanahan acknowledged to The MMQB’s Albert Breer that the specter of Cousins hung over Garoppolo’s early days in San Francisco.

            “Yeah, of course, it was there,” Shanahan said. “Everyone knows how I feel about Kirk. And for anybody who knows how I feel about Kirk, I think this shows how I feel about Jimmy, the fact that we ended up doing this. I’m not a guy who’s going to get excited and just go with the momentum, at all. I usually do the opposite, question it to make sure I’m absolutely confident, and not go with the momentum or the excitement.

            Shanahan is like a turd in the punchbowl. Why couldn’t he just flip a switch and get behind his new guy?

      4. “Releasing Goodwin makes no sense on any level. He is a bargain for what he brings to the field and while he missed a few games this season, he showed last year that he can be a really good producer in this system.”

        Outlier season. He was always hurt in Buffalo. I know. I’ve followed Marquise since he was at UT. Not a great system for him in Buffalo, Kyle’s is much better–that is true . But Goodwin is a sprinter at heart. A track guy. Track guys are like Ferraris. They’re great if they’re tuned up and all cylinders are hitting and firing but track guys by and large tend to be highly specialized human technology. And they’re divas too. They can get other fast guys. John Brown is a FA and he’s almost as fast as Goodwin, and once he tackled his sickle cell, he’s been healthy and on the field.

        This season was a total waste for Goodwin.

        Total waste for Garcon.

        Goodwin will be gone after next season.

        1. Goodwin will be gone after next season

          So you are predicting he’ll be here another season and then be gone. Way to go out on a limb.

          Your simile also doesn’t fit in this case as Goodwin is more than a track guy. He is good route runner which is another reason he is a good fit in this system.

          2. IMO, Goodwin’s route running and blocking has improved markedly in his time with the Niners. The challenge for both Goodwin and Pettis is to be able to stay on the field at the same time.

            David Lombardi has a good article on The Athletic that assesses Kittle as a receiver.
            https://theathletic.com/701544/2018/12/11/tuesday-morning-football-raiders-and-49ers-conjoined-by-the-khalil-mack-trade-but-does-it-make-sense-to-second-guess-his-destination/

            The numbers are impressive. Only four NFL wide receivers rank better than Kittle on Yards Per Route Run: “Miami’s Albert Wilson (3.03 YPRR), Atlanta’s Julio Jones (2.90 YPRR), New Orleans’ Michael Thomas (2.87 YPRR), and Dallas’ Amari Cooper (2.84 YPRR during his six games with Dallas, though he registered only 1.35 YPRR during his six games with the Raiders).”
            Of course, Kittle leads all TEs in YPRR by a large margin.

            Niners already have a #1 receiver who happens to be a tight end.

            1. I expect Pettis to take Goodwin’s role next year, with Goodwin being used how Taylor Gabriel used to be used by Shanny. The speedy 3rd/4th WR that can step in and allow Shanny to move his players around to create matchups.

            2. What does “yards per route run” really mean. It sounds like it is total reception yards for the player divided by the number of routes run regardless whether he is targeted or not. If that’s the case, it’s not clear to me that this is a meaningful statistic. What am I missing here?

              1. If you have lots of catches and yards per route run it means you are doing a good job of getting open. You don’t usually get targeted if you don’t get open often.

                Yards per target is also an interesting stat, but it could be that the player doesn’t get open often and so doesn’t get many targets.

              3. Well, I see what you guys are saying. But what if a receiver is last in the progression? The QB is generally going to throw to the first guy open in the progression. So, if a team has multiple receivers that are good at getting open, receivers who are later in the progression have their YPPR negatively affected by this, don’t they.

              5. Cubus,

                It seems to me that the chance of multiple receivers getting consistently open and one of them being selectively pushed towards the bottom of the progression order is very unlikely in the NFL. Playcallers mix up the progressions of receivers in different plays for obvious reasons. Also as Steve Young used to say: “in college, everyone’s open — in the NFL no one’s open!”

                To paraphrase Kyle, this metric “is by no means perfect” but apparently it has the strongest predictive ability of receiver success based on PFF analysis of past data. Surely it can be improved but it may need more play-by-play data on receiver performance than is available.

              6. Mood: Fair enough. It’s hard to find highly accurate predictors. Still, I always think it is good to know what the limitations on rules of thumb/estimators/predictors are in any field of life.

            1. Why? John Brown isn’t putting up better numbers this season than Goodwin did last year and he missed 6 games due to injury the previous season in AZ. I’ve got nothing against John Brown, but they have a player who has performed well in the offense on the team at a good number so cutting him for somebody of similar or lesser ability who hasn’t played for Shanahan doesn’t make any sense.

              2. John Brown has been playing with a guy that throws the ball 15 times per game. Before that he was playing with a guy with a torn hip.

                You’re smart Rocket, you know the situation in Baltimore.

                At least John Brown can stay on the field.

              3. Will Talk…

                “John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in the grave, His soul’s marching on…”

                He’s decaying, after being hanged, not necklaced!! ?

        2. Rocket is right, releasing Goodwin doesn’t make sense. His contract is small relative to most starting WRs. Its about the same as John Brown is making. This year has been a wash, but he’s a pretty good WR.

          This is something I find pretty frustrating- fans thinking any player that for whatever reason hasn’t produced big stats can just be replaced by someone better. While Garcon is likely a goner, the reality is the options available in FA to replace him look very slim. If healthy, he’ll likely still be one of the best FA WRs available. For the 49ers to upgrade the position in FA they will need a good player to be released, and then outbid for that player (who another team has just released as they didn’t believe he was worth the money they were paying him, which always ends well).

          If they get rid of Garcon, which they probably will, good chance they take a WR early in the draft.

          1. If they get rid of Garcon, which they probably will, good chance they take a WR early in the draft.

            I think Garcon is gone but, considering the need for a edge rusher, LB, and CB. I am not sure of drafting a WR in the early rounds except if it’s a solid BPA. I don’t see them trading up for a WR either. But I can see them getting a veteran in FA and a draft pick in the mid-rounds. It seems that Kyle is more or less happy with Pettis and Bourne’s progress. The latter seems to have stopped lining up regularly in the wrong spot :)
            However, I won’t be surprised if a tight end is be a higher priority in the mid-rounds with the departure of the two Coles.

            1. If they add a FA WR they aren’t likely to be improving the team much from what a healthy Garcon would provide, based on who is likely to be available. It really comes down to whether they think Garcon’s injury history is too great a concern to be able to rely on him moving forward.

            1. He’s not a bad option, but he’s primarily been a slot WR or deep threat with the Chargers. Basically what Pettis is. Not Garcon.

  9. Pettis makes Garcon expendable… No surprise here even though a certain blogger thought he was a bad pick.

  10. I really hope the team invests in the offensive line as a priority this offseason. Could Staley be moved to center or right tackle effectively?

    1. Only place Staley is going would be retirement, if he doesn’t retire he will be the LT. I am with you about your concerns with the OL. Even tho its improved over last year it still is a work in progress. After edge/pass rush I am all in for another tackle whether Staley retires or not.

      1. Gilligan is getting paid a lot for the role of swing tackle. I wonder if they envision him as a starter down the line.

        1. That would be a huge plus if he can be a solid starter. I assume you were speaking of Gilliam.

  12. There’s been a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth as to the interior Oline, and with good reason …..I don’t see myself as a defender o f Lynch or Shannahan, but how can we excuse taking the ‘Hickok’ award winner with our second #1 draft choice and find out that he’s a sissy.. .. and only wants to collect his check? . I’d be embarrassed to accept payment for what he’s delivered. Garnett was the ‘perfect’ choice…what happened ? What about our ‘hotshot’ at center…? Kilgore was better than what we’re getting from him…Maybe it’s time to reboot and make some better decisions….Waddaya’ think…?

  13. How can the Niners beat the Seahawks?
    .
    It will be nice to be able to call plays without all the crowd noise, but there may be more Seahawk fans than Niner fans at Levis.
    .
    Seahawks ran for 217 yards last game, so they need to stack the box, set the edge and key on Carson, like they did with Lindsay. They need to send some safety blitzes at Wilson, because he is too quick for defensive linemen, and Wilson’s scrambling helped win their game against the Vikings. A delayed Warner blitz up the middle may be effective.
    .
    The Niners should not let the Seahawks shape them. The Seahawks will stack the box and dare the Niners to pass. They stymied the Vikings and allowed only 77 yards rushing last game. The Niners should take advantage of the Seahawk defensive speed by doing counters, misdirections and reverses. The Niners should spread them out wide and attack the edges, but keep them honest with Juice and his football dives up the middle. The Niners should dial up some fly sweeps and bubble screens. KS should stop the bunched sets.
    .
    The Niners should be balanced, and run the ball. Hopefully, they can get Garnett in to play, so he can help the running game. Hopefully, Breida will be back, and they can use him for swing passes and create mismatches down field. The Niners passed for 400 yards, and lost, so Mullens should not pass twice so much, and get the ball into the hands of his RBs. Mullens should roll away from the blitz, and use his legs to convert third downs.
    .
    KS needs to be innovative and unpredictable, and he must be able to make quick adjustments. Above all, he must find a way to finish the game. Hope he wisely uses his time outs, and I hope they do not run into the teeth of the defense.
    .
    Saleh needs to realize that Pete Carroll knows the Niner defense better than he does, so Saleh needs to change things up. Maybe even go 3-4, and start 3 rookies in the backfield.
    .
    This will be a daunting challenge, but I hope the Seahawks take the Niners lightly. I hope Sherman has effusive praise for Wilson, since RW did so well against the Niners, last time they played.

  14. Moving on from Malcolm Smith and Earl Mitchell. Probably Pierre Garçon. I have to wonder who else will be cast off.

    Are our current receivers up to the task of filling in Garçon’s shoes? I know he hasn’t been on the field a tremendous amount but last year, especially, he was essential.

    Malcolm Smith is pretty much done. His presence will not be missed. Earl looks done as well.

    I could see the team unloading Marsh. Ward is likely gone too, though I have always liked the guy and he is likely to do well for someone who knows how to utilize him (Fangio?, Phillips?, Noton Jr.?).

    Wonder who else…

    1. Sour Yeast,

      I agree with you. All of those guys are likely gone, although I could see them keeping Marsh as a depth player. As for who else might be gone. Garnett, Celek, Day and Morris off the top of my head. We could also see them let Armstead go if they don’t feel the cost is worth keeping him around.

      1. I kind of agree with Scooter that Armstead may be retained. Rocket Good call on the others.

        By my count that would be 8-9 players (Garçon, Ward, Smith, Mitchell, Garnett, Celek, Day, Morris, and possibly Marsh) released. Some of which were/are starters. That’s a large amount of talent drain (even if it isn’t very good).

        Important offseason for acquisitions and moves that will play a huge role in what kind of team takes the field next year!

        Hopefully all the young guys don’t regress like so many did last year.

      2. Celik probably still has that incriminating film on York. He has to have one because that could be the only reason he has avoided being cut this long.

  15. They definitely need a pure edgerusher, big wide receiver who also runs good routes and blocks, a cornerback and ol.in that order to start out. I like Pettis and Kittle. Also, a linebacker to replace that dumbass Foster. I have faith in Kyle and John. Pay no attention to John-Kyle Bashers. nobody is perfect. Even Bill Walsh. It takes time to build a championship team. We Niner Faithful have patience. GOOO GOLDMINERS!! We are looking for that Pot-of-gold ( Superbowl Ring ) at the end of OUR rainbow.

  16. I guess if Ward was worth 8.5 million to the 49ers, I suppose 9 million for Armstead is feasible. Let him prove he can stay healthy another year, and see how he does. If we were to let Smith go, we’d need to sign another LB because it would leave us thin. As for Goodwin, he won’t be going anywhere. I expect the 49ers to draft a wr with their 2nd round pick. If we are fortunate enough to lure in a vet edge rusher like Ford, and draft one with the first pick, Marsh will likely be gone. Cutting Michell might make sense, if Jones shows he can handle the rest of the year productively. Hopefully, Weston Richburg applies himself more stridently in the weight room this offseason….

  17. https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-49ers-arik-armstead-nearing-first-round-potential-with-improved-play-down-the-stretch

    “He has been the first to contact the ball carrier on 13.49% of his run-defense snaps in 2018, ranking second behind only Jacksonville Jaguars’ Calais Campbell (16.73%).”

    “What has been a liability in 2018, however, is Armstead’s tackling ability. He’s missed a career-high seven tackles through Week 14 and owns a dismal 51.9 tackling grades, the latter of which dragging down what would be an even higher overall grade if he could sure up that part of his game.”

    “And he’s just scratching the surface, as he’s just a few better tackling attempts and a further improved pass-rush from truly elite play.”

    1. Armstead has been playing well for a couple of months now. His run D has really impressed. He’s definitely worth keeping around another year.

    1. Wilson has a special place in my heart, because his home town in Texas is the same as mine here in Indiana. Elkhart!

  19. So we still see Celek getting play time when Ross Dwelley should be out there IMO. He had a solid camp to beat out Wick and Celek is going nowhere for this team. Why not get him out there on plays other than special teams and see what he can do in the regular season?

  20. If Richard Sherman moves to free safety next year how will that impact the draft and free agency?

  21. He has the smarts, but does he have the speed? Earl Thomas had that sideline to sideline speed to go along with the smarts and intuition. I don’t know if ET still has that.

    On another note, I was thinking the same thing about Carroll last night. Everyone including me wrote off his defense after all the players they lost, yet they are quite competent (not as good as the legion of boom years). Carroll seems to be the one steady constant. They have a bunch of no names on that defense, yet are very good. Makes me wonder why Saleh’s defense can’t be better – although they played well this past Sunday.

      1. Yeah, he did! Since he said two games and there’s three games left, does that mean we’ll see Sherman play FS in either the Chicago or Rams game or both??

    2. Hopefully Saleh is forming a nucleus of players that are gaining experience, and familiarity within this defense together. Adding two premier edge rushers and a lights out FS could take them to the next level next year….

      1. What do you think about Richard Sherman moving to free safety?

        This could change everything in the draft and free agency.

        1. I don’t think so. This Robinson cat they just poached off the Cowboys practice squad knows this defense under Richard. He’s big, 6′-3″ 205 lbs. and supposedly has elite speed and power. He likes to hit. He’s a ball hawk, and athletic. Looks to take it the house. He’s sticky in coverage and reacts to the ball well with very good instincts….

          1. If he’s as good as all that, begs the question as to why he was undrafted and he wasn’t starting for the Cowboys…

            1. Obviously he’s not the sum of his parts, however the 49ers thought enough of him to sign. I think the important take away is the 49ers realize they have a big question mark at FS, and are taking steps to find an answer….

    1. I hope he doesn’t do something stupid again:

      Oregon 2013 recruit Tyree Robinson, one of two four-star twins Urban Meyer tried to poach, faces a misdemeanor physical harassment charge after “slapping another man’s girlfriend on the rear end” at 3:00 am when she would not leave his Eugene residence.

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