Grant Cohn and Larry Krueger talk 49ers on The Krueg Show

San Francisco 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman (53) and teammates stretch during the team’s organized team activity at its NFL football training facility Tuesday, May 23, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

KNBR’s Larry Krueger invited me on his podcast Tuesday afternoon. We discussed NaVorro Bowman, Carlos Hyde and the rest of the 49ers’ roster, plus a player no longer with the team — Colin Kaepernick. You can listen to the interview below.

This article has 144 Comments

  1. I’m with Krueg, wow! 9-7? 6-10 for mine, and I did take the Vegas bet when you first alerted me to it. Good stuff, Grant. I would advise you that it doesn’t matter whether Beathard was taken in the 6th or 3rd round. Shanny has earned the benefit of the doubt, and if he deemed C. J. the chosen one, all that matters in the end is he got his guy. Now we wait for signs of validation….

  2. Really fantastic interview Grant! On point and very informative. In fact, I struggled to question any of the points you made. Excellent use of T. Davis, A. Foster, and A. Morris to draw contrast to Carlos Hyde in Kyle’s primarily outside zone (mixing in elements of inside zone, split zone, counter and power-gap scheme runs and some misdirection) scheme.

    I like your take on the TE’s, defensive front 7 (or 9, lol), and the QB’s, Hower in particular. Don’t sleep on Beatherd.

    Like Kruge said, bang-up-job my friend. I don’t always agree with you but I respect your writing skills, and you are a great interview, concise and to the point, without any tiptoeing or hesitation! Keep up the good work!

    1. It sounds like you recognize Hyde may be struggling in large part due to lack of familiarity with this scheme. RB’s vision doesn’t only come naturally, it comes with repetition and experience as well. I think Hyde is clearly the most physically gifted RB on this roster when healthy, although an argument can be made that Joe Williams physical skillet is better for the outside zone scheme. Listening to the interview, I was a little taken aback that Krueg mentioned some analysts questioned Joe Williams leg strength, and ability to break tackles. Who were they watching on film? Not only does Williams run right through armtackles that stop most guys his size, he’s got uncanny balance to bounce of would-be tacklers while maintaining balance and without hardly missing a step. He far more than a speedy breakaway, 3rd down scat-back!!!! Hyde and Hightower have their work cut out for them trying to hold off The Retiree this season!!!

      1. Oh, and reminiscient of the great Frank Gore, Joe Williams always seems to fall forward for that extra yard – yard and a half. Those yards are crucial! Can’t wait to see what this kid can do in this offense.

  3. Opps, I meant front 7 (or *8). The Niner’s were pathetic vs the run last year but 9 men in the box might be overcompensating :)

  4. Good stuff. Still think the cut call on Bowman is a bit premature but I cannot argue your analysis of Bowman physically at this juncture.

  5. Nice interview, got lots of insights on the whole team. Kreuger was also good.
    .
    You may be right about how the blackballing has unfolded, and agree that he will eventually get signed, but disagree with the league, because they are the ones who put up with women beaters, drunk drivers and drug abusers, yet heaven forbid that a player silently and non violently protests for social justice.
    .
    Eventually, the league will get yet another black eye for persecuting a player with a conscience. Despite his blackballing, he has made a difference, and he has reduced the number of unjustified shootings, and shooters are being held accountable for their actions. Also, the dialogue will continue, and body cameras will become standard equipment to protect the innocent populace, and also the Cops.

    1. And RGIII? Why is he being ‘black-balled?’ His 90.6 QB rating with the Redskins? 88.4 over-all? Those numbers match up with Kaepernick’s.

      He doesn’t have a job either. And the reason is that he and Kaepernick are peas-in-a-pod and can only function in some BS college offense where the team is so loaded on talent they can carry them. And without those teams to carry them, they can’t do **** on the field.

      Just like Jay Cutler who is also out of football. Though his ineptitude lies in a different direction… But at least he can marginally run a pro-style offense. Something neither Kaepernick or RGIII can manage.

      1. When was RGIII involved in social issues? STFU, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

        1. Asus…you are blaming the social issues for his lack of employment saying that if not for those he would be employed yet RG3 DID NOT have the social issues, has numbers similar to that of CK, has had similar success, and he is not employed. He IS the CK without the social issues and is STILL not employed.

          Get past the sitting down crap and realize that CK does not have a job for a multitude of reasons…which stem from attitude about his standing in the NFL as a starter vs backup, the amount he is expecting (his agent and he are doing a piss poor job of showing they are willing to accept anything re: Blaine Gabbert 1 year 900k), his inability to grow and develop as a qb, his proven history for lack of accuracy, his decline in physical skills (he is not the running threat he once was), and the fact the guy was truly only successful running a niche offense that was quickly figured out (in less than 16 games) and when he had a top 5 defense behind him.

          All of those things are why teams have not signed him yet.

          And lets not forget that there are something like 24 teams who do not need a qb, nor want one who wants to start: AFC – NE (no), Buffalo (no), Miami (no), NYJ (Yes). Pitt (no), Cinci (no), Balt (no), Clev (after draft No). Jax (no), Tenn (no), Hou (after draft No), Indi (no). Oak (no), KC (no), Den (Yes, but he burned them last year), SD (no). NFC – NYG (no), Dal (no), Wash (no), Phi (no). TB (no), NO (no), Atl (no), Car (no). Det (no), GB (no), Minn (Yes, would have to compete with TB & SB), Chi (after draft & f/a No). Sea (No), LA (No), Az (No), SF (he chose to leave but would have been cut).

          So as you can see there are 3 team s who do not have a true # 1 or a 1st/2nd round rookie they will groom as their QB. Next year teams like Mia, Wash, and Jax could be in the market for a qb but there will be 4 or so new guys coming into the league at that point. Guy has to accept that he needs to take a backup role and his time as a starter in this league are gone, especially since he is turning 30 this year, no one wants to take on a project 30 year old, hell guys who come out of college at 25 have a hard time being starting Qbs (Beck, Weeden, Weinke).

          The sooner you and all the conspiracy theorists accept those facts, the sooner this non-story dies.

        2. i·ro·ny1
          ˈīrənē/Submit
          noun
          the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.
          ““Don’t go overboard with the gratitude,” he rejoined with heavy irony”

          synonyms: sarcasm, causticity, cynicism, mockery, satire, sardonicism
          “that note of irony in her voice”

          1. I am tired of reading about how Kaepernick’s protest is anything other than self-serving.   He signed a team friendly contract and was quite honestly shafted by the front office.  However, this crusade he is getting credit for was a PR stunt that blew up in his face.  He followed the charade of a few big name NBA stars at an opportune time.  Here is a timeline that represents just how self-serving this stunt was.  Not once during his success did he stand up or speak out for this cause. 
            I will start by overlaying police brutality on this timeline in red.
            This is the timeline of Kaepernick success and the events that lead to the protests:
            * April 29, 2011 – The 49ers trade picks 45, 108, and 141 to the Denver Broncos for the 36th overall pick, which was used to select Colin Kaepernick.
            Kelly Thomas (homeless man with documented mental health issues)
            Died on July 10 2011 but police officers beat him on July 5
            * August 2013 – Kaepernick’s fame continues to grow as he appears on the cover of August 14 issue of GQ, while later that month ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski says “I truly believe Colin Kaepernick could be one of the greatest quarterbacks ever.”
            Gil Collar (18 year old college student shot by a University of South Alabama Officer)
            Died on October 6 2012 
            Andy Lopez Cruz (13 year old shot by Sonoma County Sheriffs for holding a play gun)
            Died on October 22 2013 
            * 2013 season – Kaepernick went 12-4 in his first full season as starter, throwing for 3,197 yards with 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions along with 524 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. The 49ers fell one game shy of a return trip to the Super Bowl, falling to 23-17 Seattle in the NFC Championship game, during which the 49ers’ last-minute attempt at a game-winning drive ended on an interception Kaepernick threw with 22 seconds left.
            * June 4, 2014 – Kaepernick signs a contract extension with the 49ers worth up to $126 million over six years, $13 million of it guaranteed with as much as $54 million in potential guarantees.
            Eric Garner (NYPD used illegal choke hold that resulted in Mr. Garner’s Death)
            Died on July 17 2014 
            Ezell Ford (Shot by two LAPD officers though he was unarmed)
            Died on August 11 2014
            * 2014 season – Kaepernick threw for 3,369 yards with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while rushing for 639 yards and one touchdown on 104 carries. The 49ers finished and criticism begins to grow that Kaepernick took a step back in performance from 2013.
            Tamir Rice (12 year old shot by Ohio PD in the park while playing with a BB gun)
            Shot on November 22 2014 but died on Sunday, November 23
            * December 28, 2014 – The 49ers part ways with head coach Jim Harbaugh, who was replaced by defensive line coach Jim Tomsula on January 14, 2014.
            * October 23rd, 2015 – Barry Petchesky writes an article that states the 49ers no longer trust Colin Kaepernick either on or off the field. 
            Antonio Martin (Allegedly brandished weapon, shot by Police though video cut out before shooting)
            Died on December 23 2014 
            Sureshbhai Patel (beaten by Alabama Police)
            Attacked on February 6 2015 and left partially paralysed
             
            * November 2, 2015 – After throwing for 1,615 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions and starting the season with a 2-6 record, the 49ers decide to bench Kaepernick in favor of Blaine Gabbert.
            “They told me they were going to sit me, and that was the extent of the conversation,” Kaepernick said. “That decision is out of my control, and I respect their authority.”
            A Minneapolis officer fatally shot 24-year-old Jamar Clark on Nov. 15, 2015, just blocks from a police station after police were called to the home for a domestic disturbance. Clark died the following day.
            * November 24, 2015 – Kaepernick undergoes surgery for a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. Some speculate it could mark the end of his time in a 49ers uniform.
            Walter Scott (shot and killed by police in a pawn shop parking lot) 
            Died April 4th, 2015 
            Chicago officials released video of a police officer fatally shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times more than a year after the incident took place. 
            * January 4, 2016 – The 49ers fire head coach Jim Tomsula after one season.
            * January 6, 2016 – Kaepernick also has surgery on his right thumb and left knee. The three surgeries would keep him sidelined as Gabbert worked with the team as the starter in the offseason.
            * January 14, 2016 – The 49ers hire Chip Kelly as their new head coach. Kelly, who was previously with the Philadelphia Eagles, is viewed as a coach with a system Kaepernick could flourish in.
            * February 26, 2016 – Reports surface that Kaepernick, via his agents, has requested a trade from the 49ers. Trade rumors circulated for months, with multiple teams, including the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos, said to be interested, but no trade was made in the end.
            * June 9, 2016 – Kaepernick speaks for the first time during the 2016 offseason and addresses the trade request.
            “We were looking at different opportunities,” Kaepernick said. “I really don’t want to get into specifics of what happened, why things happened. At this point, everything is football. I’m a 49er. Once again, excited to work with Chip and this coaching staff. Curtis and Ryan have been amazing. And I’m excited about what’s to come.”
            July 5, 2016
            Baton Rouge police officers pinned a black man named Alton Sterling to the ground before one of them pulled out a gun and fatally shot him.
             
            July 6, 2016
            One day later, a police officer in Minnesota fatally shot Philando Castile at a traffic stop.
             
            * July 13, 2016 4 NBA stars open the ESPYs with a BLM speech.  LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Paul.
            * August 26, 2016 – Kaepernick is spotted sitting on the bench during the national anthem before a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, something he had done the previous two games that had gone unnoticed. Following the game, Kaepernick told NFL Media’s Steve Wyche that he was protesting the treatment of minorities in the United States. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
            Kaepernick’s protests stayed in the national headlines for weeks and inspired other NFL players and athletes to do the same.
            * September 3, 2016 – Kelly names Gabbert the starting quarterback after Gabbert takes the majority of offseason and preseason starting reps while Kaepernick dealt with injuries.
            “(Kaepernick) has been cleared to play but he still knows he’s got some work to do. He’s not up to his playing weight that he was when he was successful here and he’ll continue to work on that,” Kelly said.
            September 7th, 2016 – Kaepernick pledges 100K each month for 10 months to be donated for the cause he is sitting during the nation anthem for.
             
             September 22, 2016 – Kaepernick appears on the cover of Time magazine as a result of his national anthem protests.
            * October 6, 2016 – After a 33-21 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals that sank the 49ers to 1-4, Kelly opens the possibility of a change being made at starting quarterback. Kelly, who in prior weeks had been adamant Gabbert would continue to start despite having a wildly inconsistent start to the season, said “We’re going to look at everything” when discussing a possible quarterback change.
            * October 7, 2016 – Reports surface that the 49ers were working on restructuring Colin Kaepernick’s contract in a way that would allow him to leave after the season but would also negate a clause that would guarantee Kaepernick’s 2017 salary in case of serious injury this season.
            October 10, 2016 – When asked on KBNR 680 radio who would start at quarterback in the 49ers’ upcoming against the Buffalo Bills, Kelly says he and the 49ers coaches would be “evaluating everything” later in the day. 
            March 1, 2017 –  Kaepernick opts out of his contract.
            March 2, 2017 – Kaepernick announces he will stand for the national anthem. 
            Kaepernick pledged 100K in 10 months.  To date, he paid 700k of that money.  The pledge was made Sept 7th.  He is 200k short on that pledge.  Kaepernick is not being black balled.  Kaepernick played a game and lost. Please stop making a martyr out of a pathetic PR stunt.

  6. I am not quite as optimistic as you are, I am hoping for a non losing season, but that just means 8-8.
    .
    Of course, it all depends on how the QBs play. Still am not impressed with Hoyer, and think Barkley may out compete him. Do not think CJB will be a factor this season.

    1. Not impressed with hoyer?

      You havent even seen him play 1 down in the NFL for the 49ers yet…. And everyone knows he is a stop gap QB.

      Sick analysis bruh

      1. Well, I saw him play against the Chiefs in a playoff game, and he threw like the DBs were the intended receivers. Some one else said he thought he was rattled and threw the ball up for grabs before he got crushed. 4 interceptions and a fumble meant that he solely lost that game, especially when he had a top 5 defense to aid him.
        .
        Grant himself watched Hoyer throw, and he said Hoyer did not look good in the latest practice.

  7. You know silent and non violent sounds hard to argue with, but wouldn’t wearing a swastika be both silent and non violent? Plenty of terrible things get done silently and without violence.

    1. Considering one symbolizes hate and genocide and the other calls for social justice and the stopping of killing, they could not be more diametrically opposed.

      1. I agree with Seb on this one. You crossed the line on that. Putrid hate, is completely different than protesting something that you feel strongly about that needs to Change. Such as social justice. Only thing the crooked unfinished squares represent is true hate and death. There was nothing social, in contrast about wearing that patch. And if you feel so, that’s your own beliefs..

      1. Was Mark Madoff violent or loud and obnoxious? I can think of more, but need to do thinking that gets me paid :)

        1. Bernie Madoff took advantage of people’s greed. They wanted huge profits. Sometimes, when things look too good to be true, it is because they are. Sure, he committed fraud, but if people were not so greedy, they would not have gotten burned. Maybe they got what they deserved.
          .
          Now Bernie is in jail, and his son committed suicide over his actions. Maybe he should have thought it through, before acting. Sure, it was not violent, but it sure was tragic.

          1. Maybe they got what they deserved

            Yeah, that greedy SOB Elie Wiesel. Got what was coming to him.

            There’s not enough facepalms to reply to this nonsensical BS.

            1. Maybe he should have been smarter, and realize that you cannot get something for nothing.

    1. Yea but you picked the wrong point. That symbol stood for violence and was never silent until Hitler died. Then the skinheads and KKK picked ​it up. It might not be necessarily good, but by God that is never non violent

      1. For some people. But not everyone. Not even in the US. Before the Nazi’s poisoned the swastika, the 45th Infantry Division (National Guard) used it as their Division shoulder patch. They stopped using it prior to WWII and, eventually, replaced it with the Thunderbird.

        It still has positive religious value in Jain, Buddhist & Hindu religions where it is found in both clockwise and counter-clockwise configurations.

        1. The whole flag protest was because he saw injustices, and wanted to correct them. Like the Vietnam war, people burned the flag because they saw the United States waging an unjust war, and wanted to stop it.
          .
          Blind loyalty to a cause, committing atrocities against a country and saluting the flag to justify the oppression, is what people saw, Burning the flag just was symbolic of saying that people did not want the US to do those things in their name, and that the reasons for burning the flag was emblematic to what the US was doing overseas.
          .
          Kaep, on the other hand, did not burn the flag, but he merely did not want to extoll the flag and act like nothing is wrong, when people are being profiled and shot in the back. So after the protest, we have had a dialogue, and he shed light on a dirty secret. Some may want to marginalize his protests, but he made a positive difference, no matter what they say. We talked about nothing else for a whole week, he was put on the cover of Time like Gandhi and Mother Theresa were many times. They plan on putting his jersey in the Smithsonian for his courageous stance.

          .
          Kaep has had to endure death threats, the league has colluded to blackball him, and he has lost millions in endorsements. I admire his courage and resolve, and think the league has given itself another black eye. I think he is better than 20 QBs in this league, so he should have a starting job. He is giving a million dollars to fight injustices, so I think he is a better person than almost every detractor.
          .
          Now some are trying to equate silent, non violent protest with swastikas. SMH.

          1. Keep this conversation going. It’s really beneficial to the team at this point.

      2. Sigh, and wearing Castro on your shirt is non-violent in some way? Remember what he has done to political dissidents. What about the pig socks where those incindiary or meant to help police get body cams? Please! Hypocrisy much! It’s easy to point fingers but remember the ones pointing back.

        1. Yes, I am a student of history, and know all about the interactions between Castro and the United States. You must be a fan of their assassination attempts against him. I remember the Bay of Pigs, which had the US support anti Castro forces, which could have led to US involvement to overthrow Castro, who, by the way, had been elected many times. Thank God Kennedy had the courage to stand up against the Mob and United Fruit.
          .
          The US was guilty of hegemony, but failed because they were corrupt in their tactics and morality.
          Sure, Castro was no angel, but he was also opposed with a super power with devilish intentions.
          .
          I always said that the best way to effect change was not an embargo, but by allowing Mcdonalds and Burger King to set up shop in Cuba. Castro also did a lot of good. He had good programs that educated the whole population, and he never let a person die because they could not afford the treatments like they do here. He also sent doctors and soldiers to Angola to fight against apartheid.
          .
          Those pig socks were worn to expose the problems with rogue cops, but also the thin blue line that allowed the rogue cops to not only operate, but also avoid justice for their illegal actions. Good cops were reticent to rein in the rogue cops, but now, we have finally had a cops found guilty of reprehensible acts.

          1. “Castro, who, by the way, had been elected many times.”

            So did Saddam. If Cubans didn’t vote for Castro, they risked jail time and losing their job and home. Castro also gave power to his brother without an election.

            Even Kap admitted that Castro was oppressive.

            “Kaepernick told reporters he was “not talking about Fidel Castro and his oppression” and added he was instead “talking about Malcolm X and what he’s done for people.” 

            http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2677957-colin-kaepernick-praises-fidel-castro-comments-on-support-of-malcolm-x

            1. 80, I did say that Castro was no angel, but the oppression began before his time, with the Banana Republics exploiting the population, creating a climate ripe for revolution. Almost every country in Latin America has had oppressive oligarchies. It is interesting to hear people decry Castro when right wing militias at times, conducted genocide against the native populations.
              .
              Heck, it began with the Atztecs and Incas subjugating populations and the Spanish colonialization after their conquests. The region has historically had invaders conquering and exploiting the natives. Castro could be one example of the native populace throwing off the yoke of oppression, but it sure was not peaceful or painless. It is interesting to note that a nation as powerful as the United States, had to endure a small nation to the south that would not kowtow to them.
              .
              And No, people had the right to vote for the person they liked, and it is no wonder that they voted for Fidel, because they loved Castro, since he was a hero in their eyes, to stand up against the Yanqui imperialists. The entire nation mourned, when he peacefully passed away. They only danced in the streets in Miami. So he did win the popular vote. Less could be said of our system, where the minority vote getter was declared victor.
              .
              OK, back to football. I think Hyde may still be feeling the effects of his injury, That player hit him directly on the knee and caused it to move in the wrong direction. I am surprised they said it was only an MCL, and that no surgery was needed.

              1. “The oppression began before his time.” Yes, but that doesn’t excuse his actions. People were killed long after the revolution, in the 90’s if not later.

                “It is interesting to hear people decry Castro when right wing militias at times, conducted genocide against the native populations.” Again, it doesn’t excuse his actions. And who here has defended right wing militias? Nobody.

                “And No, people had the right to vote for the person they liked.”

                http://havanajournal.com/politics/entry/elections-in-cuba-what-do-they-mean/

                “Elections in Cuba are not your typical elections. Voters are not officially forced to vote, but are extra officially pressured to vote. Voting is not a right, it is an obligation. Now, there being only only party, this entity ultimately decides who gets to run and who doesn’t.’

              2. Continued

                “There being only one party in any election, the outcome of the elections has already been decided, what no one seems to know is what that decision has been or when it was decided. Everything else is just smoke and mirrors. A mechanical motion that the people know they must go through as part of their everyday lives in Cuba. You have to vote, or life becomes nearly unbearable.”

                “How so? Say you don’t want to vote. And you begin your day by going to work, well, that wouldn’t do because while at work, you are expected to go and vote. If you don’t, you may not have that job much longer. Now assuming you don’t have a job, and you decide you are not going to vote, the person in charge of the CDR will hound you all day until you do go and vote, it should be noted that failure to comply with the first several requests will result in your being watched much more closely than usual. You will be deemed a dissident and someone who fails to cooperate with the revolution.”

              3. You put an extra “I” in imbicile. You are that gargantuanly misinformed. About just about everything you said was wrong in so many ways. You have no knowledge of Latin America or history. Stick to pruning.

              4. “The entire nation mourned, when he peacefully passed away.”

                They mourned him as ordered by the state.

                http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Dissident-Jailed-in-Cuba-For-Refusing-to-Mourn-Castros-Death-403684896.html

                “Elizabeth Pacheco says Cubans have also been practically forced to board buses to attend Castro’s memorial.”

                “The daughter of Cuban dissident Eduardo Pacheco tells NBC 6 her father was beaten and taken to jail for refusing to be in mourning over the death of Fidel Castro.”

                “”My dad opened the door of the house and they then hit him with a rock that fractured his nose,” Pacheco said.’

                “She says several officers tackled her father and took him into custody. Her father’s whereabouts are unknown.”

              5. 80, I think in Australia, they make everyone vote, yet I do not think they are a totalitarian regime.
                .
                Thank goodness we live in America, which allows a person the right to vote, or not to vote. Still think he would have won the elections no matter what, because most opposition people who would leave, already left.
                .
                I also still think that Hegemonist American policy and the embargo, which created harsh conditions that exacerbated the situation, were the main problem. While more openness and free trade would have allowed for more political freedoms sooner.

              6. East, you seem to want to name call, and your intolerance to different opinions just makes you closed minded. I am just expressing my opinion, and you may disagree, but I know that I will never change your mind, while you think having a snit will change mine. Guess again.

            2. #80 BT is right we shouldn’t engage this gasbag who is obviously seven forks shy of a dinner set capacity wise. Let Quixote and his fantasy be and let’s move on.

            1. East
              Mi amigo, you can’t talk to him about anything meaningful. We can laugh off his deluded football nonsense, but his psychotic/neurotic rantings on things real that matter push real buttons on real people, while he raves from a delusional rabbit hole. I’ve tripped in that hole several times only to get doo on my shoes. Don’t follow my lead.
              Ignoring the troll won’t make him go away. It just might make him lonely.

              1. Good point BT. I stand rebuked. The man is a gargantuan gasbag of malformed ideas and poor critical thinking. What’s worse is he believes he knows what he does not know. His knowledge of history is about as good as his knowledge of Vietnam.

          2. Isn’t Kaepernick the only player to get flagged for allegedly saying the N-word during a game? Great role model and hypocrite in my mind.

            Go ahead Seb, spin this one to fit your dialogue.

            1. Kaep is half black, and I have seen many instances in movies where Black men use that word. It is also spoken by Black men in rap. Seems like they think they can use it among themselves, while it is verboten for all non blacks. Yes that is a double standard, but it is also in the vernacular.
              .
              Maybe they thought he was not black enough.

              1. I know how that word is used by some African Americans. I have AA friends who would never use that word to describe another or use for banter.

                Right or wrong, the word is disgusting and oppressive, the very thing Kaepernick stood or kneeled for.

    2. My point is that it is specious to equate a symbol of oppression and hate to a person’s actions that brought to light injustices, and wanted to save people from dying.
      .
      Next you will be saying that he was such a humanitarian, he did not gas his own people.

      1. Don’t act like Old Wind up revolutionized the world against oppression.
        All he did was cost himself a career in the NFL through kneeling towards the country that gifted him millions of dollars and his lack of committment towards his craft.
        The most frustrating thing is that the 49ers wasted a 2nd round pick on this bum and we traded away a good QB for his sake. What a waste!

  8. To expand on Hyde’s adjustment, I’ve come to understand the 3rd step rule in relation to the outside zone scheme developed by Alex Gibbs. On the snap of the ball, the OL will ‘kick-step’ towards the side of attack in order to gain outside leverage, and use a ‘rip and run’ blocking technique in order to seal defenders inside, or, if by they haven’t gained inside leverage by the 3rd step, at that point they will attempt to run their defensive assignment (defender) towards the sideline. The RB generally starts his run horizontally and it’s the 3rd step that the OL takes that dictates where the running lane opens up,. It’s critical that the RB has the vision to recognize and find the crease (or wide lane) and hit it vertically, ideally exploding through the hole for a big gain. This running back vision comes naturally, but it also comes with experience, and repetition running the scheme, and getting a feel for the timing of exactly when they need to make their cut.

    Grant, you mentioned a few days ago, Hyde doesn’t seem to have a feel for this wide, outside zone running scheme. It will be interesting to see if Hyde is able to adjust, and therefore develop the vision needed (as well as timing) to excell in this scheme. We’ll know soon enough. I like this stable of RB’s with or without Carlos, but I like it better with Hyde if he can get this scheme figured out.

    1. Good post. I like that you brought up vision and timing.

      http://waitingfornextyear.com/2014/07/nfl-analysis-cleveland-browns-kyle-shanahan-zone-blocking/

      “Unlike the inside zone in which a read was already made, the running back must be more patient on the outside.”

      Hyde is patient. He needs to get from Point A to Point B in a certain amount of time to hit his cut. No doubt Hyde likes to dance, but he doesn’t do it every play. On power runs, Hyde runs north and south with little or no dancing. There’s no reason he couldn’t run east and west without dancing. He will adjust. He is highly motivated being in a contract year and having competition.

      “The back does a great job waiting until the last possible second to make a cut to the open hole. This allows a greater running area to form and the play to develop further.”

      The last possible second, again about patience. One could argue that Hyde would have enough time to dance on a handful of outside zone plays.

      1. https://mobile.twitter.com/JeffRatcliffe/status/841624928843661312

        “The breakdown of run plays by concept in the 2016 NFL season:”

        Atlanta.

        Outside Zone – 43%
        Inside Zone – 27.3%
        Man – 8%
        Power – 6.4%

        I think Shanny will run more Inside Zone to compliment Hyde. If not, the Inside Zone would still be used about once every four running plays. I think it will be closer to once every three running plays. Hyde and Shanny will adjust to each other.

        1. Thanks for the additional info and insight #80. I can always count on you for a smart, well thought out retort.

          I agree that Hyde is likely talented enough to make the adjustment. He needs reps. At some point it will probably ‘click’ for him because he’s simply a very talented RB who can simply explode through holes and run defenders over if they get in his way. The only question for me is the obvious one …… can Carlos stay healthy? Until he proves he can play 16 games in any given season, this will be the question that defines him.

          1. How many RB do you think Kyle will carry #80, not counting their FB, or as Lynch calls him, their OW?

            1. It could be four if Breida continues to do well when we get into training camp. But Saleh could push for an extra D-Lineman for his rotation of many philosophy. So I’m guessing 3 HBs

              Hyde
              Williams
              Hightower

      1. Well, I do think Hyde is clearly the most physically gifted RB on the roster, and perhaps the most versatile, but Joe Williams might be the best “runner” with the rock in his hands. He was my 3rd rated RB in this draft class. Fournette was #1, but not the best fit for this scheme. Mixon was #2, but he’s going to be kicked out of the league within 3 years, IMO. Williams doesn’t have bad hands per say, but he does need to develop that aspect of his game. He’s got work to do in pass protect as well. But man, that boy is one gifted runner. He’s simply a natural, and he’s got elite speed and balance, and excellent vision.

        1. Yeah, Williams is definitely the HB of the future, but he has things to work on. And he will have to adjust to the speed and physicality of the NFL. It would be beneficial for Williams to backup Hyde for a year.

          1. Agreed. That makes a ton of sense. I’d be shocked if Breida clears waivers, but such is life in the NFL I guess. If he’s looking great in camp, maybe they hid Breida during preseason and hope they can stash him on the PS.

            Man, with the SF Giants in the tank and the Warriors a week or so away from putting LeBron to bed, August can’t come fast enough, lol.

            1. #80 and 49reasons

              Thanks for the great point-counterpoint on Hyde and Williams…like you, I agree that both have a large place in Shannahan’s offense…and should both complement each other in keeping fresh. Breida will deserve either the #3 or #4 RB in case of injury…IMO. …still hopefully waiting to hear on Macklin….

  9. Excellent interview Grant A+. Can’t give you a grade on the other topic about you know who, or more importantly a click. Enough is enough.

  10. Grant, I always wonder if coaches have video montages that they give each player to study. In other words, has Hyde gotten a DVD showing endless plays with Coleman and Freeman running in Shanahan’s scheme? Same with receivers, QBs, etc.

  11. Grant, after reading Polian’s comments about the Browns tanking last year I began wondering if the 49ers weren’t trying to do the same. The questionable and short lived coaching choices, the lack of free agent acquisitions or any real attempt to address needs in the off season, the starting QB rotation. Those all could be the result of a terrible GM/coach but they could also be signs of something a bit more nefarious.

    The lack of a consensus #1 QB throws some water on the discussion in terms of motivation but this plan if it existed was hatched before the 2016 season even began. Maybe they weren’t necessarily going for number one but just making sure they got into the top 3.

    Anyway, curious as to your thoughts on the subject.

      1. Ah yes, I remember that one now. The idea of teams tanking was something I used to bristle at but with more executives coming out and either suggesting it or outright admitting it, it’s now an idea I’ve had to accept as not just possible but in fact probable.

        1. How many rookies were on the Browns roster last season? They definitely were tanking.

          1. Is tanking the new rebuilding? We used to call a team full of rookies a rebuild team but now we’re calling them tankers.

              1. How do you draft a guy who’s own teammates hate him. Rosen is my guaranteed Bust for 2018.

              2. Agreed. What I liked about Francois last year was his toughness and resilience, and what I think Shanny will like as well. He stood in the pocket without flinching in the face of the pass rush, and delivered the football. I watched him take a beating, and every time he got up without any YIP symptoms. I think he’s going to have a breakout season this year….

              3. I couldn’t disagree more on Rosen. He’s been a pro style QB since HS and has all the tools to be a franchise QB in the NFL. The question is how bad the shoulder is and whether it affects his ability to throw the football moving forward.

              4. Francois showed a lot in his first year Razor. I’m not sure he’ll be ready for next years draft, but he has a lot to work with. I see him staying at FSU another two years unless he totally dominates this season and gets mentioned in the same breath as the top 3 right now.

              5. Grant Cohn says:
                June 7, 2017 at 11:34 am
                Agree. Conversely, Darnold is the real deal.
                ————————-
                If I’m picking a team I take Allen over Darnold but they’re 1a and 1b. That could change by the end of this next season too. I think both are strong pro candidates.

              6. This is how I currently rank the ’18 class.

                Allen
                Darnold
                Jackson
                Fitzgerald
                Falk

              7. Yah, I’m not big on Rosen either. Sure, he was a great HS QB, after all, he was a 5 star recruit (ranked as the best HS QB prospect by both Rivals.com and Scout.com), but he looks like an early bloomer to me. He’s done nothing as a college QB to turn my head and pay much attention. At this point I’d rank him as a solid, but unspectacular pro QB prospect, at best. Maybe a 2nd round draft pick.

              8. Rosen = Leaf. Talented College QB who’s poor character will sink him once the adversity of the NFL hits him.

              9. Looking forward to comparing Darnold/Allen/Francois at the end of the season.

              10. I think Rosen will have a fine College career, I think he’s got plenty of talent to succeed at that level. If he suddenly matures over the next year and teammates start talking about him as a totally different guy then I’ll be open to reversing my opinion on him. At this point though he only checks the on field boxes, he’s only half of what you want from your NFL starter.

              11. He’s done nothing as a College QB

                That’s not accurate. Rosen played as a true freshman in a big time program and played very well. He was on the way to a big season before getting injured last year and is the most pro ready. He’ll be the 3rd QB taken next year at worst as long as he stays healthy.

              12. Rosen = Leaf. Talented College QB who’s poor character will sink him once the adversity of the NFL hits him.

                If he suddenly matures next year and teammates start talking about him as a totally different guy, then I’ll be open to reversing my opinion on him

                An 18 year old freshman is going to have some maturity issues when he’s stepping into the starting job at UCLA, but he grew a lot and was a leader for UCLA last season.

                Teammates have already spoken up about him changing and becoming a leader, before last season.

              13. Brett Hundley was a better college QB than Rosen

                Rosen isn’t finished with his College career yet and is a far superior pro prospect to Hundley. Not even close.

              14. Grant Cohn says:
                June 7, 2017 at 12:47 pm
                Brett Hundley was a better college QB than Rosen.
                —————–
                Too soon. Hundley’s freshman season was better but not by a lot and he plateaued his sophmore year and regressed his junior. Rosen was certainly on pace to have a much stronger sophmore season before the injury. How he does in his junior year will really separate the two.

              15. Hundley never had a QB rating below 147.7 and never completed fewer than 66.5 percent of his passes.

                Rosen never has had a QB rating above 138.9 and never has completed more than 60 percent of his passes.

              16. Rosen has only played one full season Grant. Hundley’s best season was his first and it went downhill from there. You need to wait and see how Rosen does in another full season before making that claim and even then it doesn’t matter because Rosen is clearly the better pro prospect.

              17. How advanced he was in his footwork, throwing motion and ability to go through progressions at such a young age right out of the gate. It’s not too big for him and he has tremendous confidence. This kid is going to be really good if the shoulder injury doesn’t have any long lasting ramifications.

          2. The 49ers may have been tanking at the end of the season. I might be able to get on board with that theory.

            But the idea that Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke would go into a season with their careers hanging in the balance, and purposely tank the season (a not only lose their jobs, but also their reputations) seems absurd for obvious reasons.

        2. Teams go into rebuild mode all the time in this league. What the Browns and Jets are doing is nothing new.

    1. I don’t see any evidence to suggest the Niners were tanking. If they wanted to do that there is was no point in firing Tomsula. There would also be no reason to fire Baalke. The Niners were just a poorly run franchise.

      1. In terms of a public figure representing the team they had no choice but to fire Tomsula. He was a buffoon that was embarrassing the team every time he took the podium. Baalke was bad which is why he was let go, couldn’t tank to rebuild and keep the bad GM around afterward.

        1. It doesn’t make any sense to fire Baalke if you are instructing him to tank. Tomsula would have been a great option to tank with and they wouldn’t have had to spend millions to pay him for not being there.

  12. While I share your optimism of the over on the niners in Vegas, 9-7 seems a bit crazy. You must be expecting a full season of Hoyer because Barkley or Beathard would be a pretty big downgrade and if the offense stalls we’ll probably see a few of the same warts on D we did last year- our depth in the secondary is extremely thin, and while the D line could be much improved its just projections right now (Armstead might actually be bad, who knows what Thomas can give us in a rookie year).

    With a healthy squad they look a bunch better, but health is almost a given this time of year vs 3 months from now…we’ll see.

  13. As much as most like theses little tidbits from 49ers practices (as do I), I think its a detriment to the team in some ways. I know teams and coordinators do their due diligence to find weaknesses in their opponents, but this type of inside information could work against the 49ers.

    I would hope that this observation Bowman based on one play doesn’t lend any credence to the truth and that Bowman simply made a bad decision or is just thinking too much trying to learn a new defense.

    I mean, just writing about this gives me anxiety because of how premature this observation is and how the media, especially Grant, loves to make bold predictions for clicks.

    This is just bologna.

    1. No. His film lends credence to that. He was, flat-out, one of the worst linebackers in coverage in 2015 giving up 90.3% completions in men he covered. Eli Manning, a mediocre QB by any measure, ripped him 10-for-10 and 2 TDs in one game.

      In run defense, he’s still one of the NFL’s best. He can stack-and-shed with the best of them. His straight line pursuit is fantastic. His ability to diagnose a play is off-the-charts. But. He. Can’t. Cover.

      Which is a problem in the modern NFL as the old fashion ‘two-down’ linebacker is obsolete now.

  14. I’m having a hard time figuring out how you see this team winning 9 games when you are predicting multiple vets getting cut or losing playing time Grant. Rookies rarely have a big impact in year one and you have them relying heavily on rookies at RB, TE and possibly MLB.

    1. 9 wins is a big stepping stone for a team that’s won 15 games in the last 3 seasons. Let’s get to 6 wins this year, and then we can talk about springboarding off that into the 9 wins club next year….

      1. 9 wins is a pipe dream. 6 wins is going to be a tough enough achievement based on the roster they have. I could see 6 wins if Hoyer stays healthy all year and they get the defense playing at a top half of the league level. I think they are a 5 win team max but as usual I will hope to be wrong.

        1. I totally agree that people are having unrealistic expectations about the win totals for this team. Given the personnel and the challenges before them I think 4-5 wins is not unrealistic. Anything above that is icing on the cake.

          The fact the team has had so much turnover with a new regime in place and lots of young players still new at their positions means mistakes will abound at critical junctures. The losses should be very close and competitive and this will make them harder for many to swallow but that will mean the team has improved that much since the times where you knew they were spiraling down the sewer well.

  15. I see this team doing a lot better than last season, because now, there is a a competent GM, and KS has grown up coaching.
    .
    This new team will not be bereft of talent. Remember, Baalke signed only Beadles and DEVEY as free agents. Lynch has signed 20 players, and counting. He also hit a grand slam in the draft.
    .
    Thank goodness, we will no longer have players playing out of position, and since Baalke was fired, he cannot play his favorites. Thank God, we have gotten rid of failed Browns DCs, and going towards the Seahawk defense seems like it is a smart move.
    .
    I honestly think they want to win, and Jed is keeping silent, and not declaring that he wants to be rewarded for losing.

  16. 2016 By The Numbers:

    Allen 209/373 3203 yards 56.0% 28 TD’s 15 Int’s
    Darnold 246/366 3806 67% 31 TD’s 9 Int’s
    Francois 235/400 3350 59% 20 TD’s 7 Int’s

  17. Grant, excellent interview. I can envision you being a talking head on sports tv or radio in a few years. Seriously. You have a brain. You might as well use it to think big.

  18. I may not always agree with GC, bit I can’t fault him for his football beliefs, candor and thoughtful comments.

  19. Kaep is as Prime stated. And talent doesn’t shine in a vacuume.

    However, when Kaep had all the talent in the world vs. the Ravens with 3 chances to score from the 1 yd line, he failed.

    Prime Time says:

    June 7, 2017 at 2:50 pm
    Don’t act like Old Wind up revolutionized the world against oppression.
    All he did was cost himself a career in the NFL through kneeling towards the country that gifted him millions of dollars and his lack of committment towards his craft.

  20. San Francisco 49ers: Elvis Dumervil’s role in the Niners’ 2017 defense

    Dumervil has experience at defensive end in 4-3 defenses and outside linebacker in 3-4 defenses. He’s played a role similar to the LEO in the 49ers’ new scheme, as well as a 5-technique and 7-technique defensive end earlier in his career.

    Dumervil is most effective rushing the quarterback from a wide 9-technique.
    He also excels as a pass-rusher from a two-point stance, which he utilizes in most obvious passing situations.
    In his time with the Broncos, he rushed the passer from both sides of the defensive formation. With the Ravens, he primarily rushed from the left side of the defense against the offense’s right tackle.

    Dumerville will take over a game if not double teamed.
    http://ninernoise.com/2017/06/07/49ers-elvis-dumervil-role-defense/

    1. He used to. He’s on the bubble now and could easily end up a Charles Haley — 4 sacks and 12 tackles over his final three years and so bad when he did get on the field you kind of wanted to cry watching him while remembering how amazing he was in his first stint with the 49ers.

  21. The innocent Seb, like a lamb w/o financial understanding, being led to slaughter:

    sebnynah says:
    June 7, 2017 at 8:29 am

    Bernie Madoff took advantage of people’s greed. They wanted huge profits. Sometimes, when things look too good to be true, it is because they are. Sure, he committed fraud, but if people were not so greedy, they would not have gotten burned. Maybe they got what they deserved.

    Supreme Court rules to limit SEC power to recover profit from fraud

    The Supreme Court on Monday unanimously limited the federal government’s power to recover the profits made from illegal behavior.

    Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the Securities and Exchange Commission must abide by a five-year statute of limitations in seeking “disgorgement” from those whose fraudulent actions resulted in illegal profits.

    It is a favorite tool of the federal government; in recent years, the SEC took in nearly $3 billion in disgorgements, more than double what it received in penalties, according to court filings.
    Dixie L. Johnson, a securities enforcement lawyer in Washington, said the ruling “shatters” the SEC’s view of disgorgement.
    “Those who previously paid disgorgement purportedly for ill-gotten gains more than five years after the relevant violation will be reviewing their situations against this case to determine whether the disgorgement award should have been allowed,” she said in a statement.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-rules-to-limit-sec-power-to-recover-profit-from-fraud/2017/06/05/13fc02b8-4a02-11e7-a186-60c031eab644_story.html?utm_term=.5644d106a944

  22. Ravens have released Pitta. I am going to church now to pray for VMac to depart.

    1. Will we really get that much better when he’s gone with who they have ready to replace him with?

      1. My comment is in moderation. Basically I was saying he’s always been a disappointment. Give Bell a shot. He can block, is not slow for a TE, and is a former QB. Not sure if Shanahan agrees with this argument.

  23. This is good Grant. You see me bagging on you but it isn’t cause I don’t like you. You were positive, intelligent and well spoken for the most par ton this interview. Good job. So when you get up in the morning, please stand in front of a mirror and say” I will not be a snark today..” 50 times. Then get on with it. You should be a voice not a writer. That’s the future. Good tone and you didn’t do “uh’s.” A- all the way for this.

    1. That’s what drives me nuts. When he sits down and acts like a reporter, or does some in-depth analysis, he can be good. Even if he says things the sheeple will get all pissy about. But too often we get Mr. Fifeteen-year-old and bucket full of crappy-click-bait-snark. Look at this title:

      The quarterback deficiencies of Colin Rand Kaepernick

      I mean, ****… He poisoned the initial perceptions of a perfectly good article with a ****** click-bait title and unnecessary snark. And that’s one where he recovered. There are plenty more where he was so far off the rails it was unreal.

  24. Grant hit on his draft crush Williams. Now looks like Reaser is his camp crush. Hope they both work out. I still think he’s wrong about Bowman though. It’s okay he needs to stir some fires in June.

    1. The Cavs are really hurting. They let this one get away…..And I could not be happier.

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