Jim Harbaugh: “In a lot ways, I have never been prouder in our team for the guys that showed up.”

SANTA CLARA — This is the transcript of Jim Harbaugh’s Monday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ p.r. department.

I don’t know if you’ve had any contact with the league office today, but NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino did say that that was the incorrect call. Does that surprise you at all?

“Yeah, I had heard that.”

 

Do you think something needs to be done? Have you thought about this, about maybe giving, widening the scope of what would be challengeable?

“I know there’s been discussion on that.”

 

Do you have any thoughts on it?

“No. I see the positives. I see both sides.”

 

Is it worse to hear them admit that after the fact?

“Worse to hear it after the fact? No. I mean, it’s worse to get the penalty at the time.”

 

It seemed like there were some younger players who had some good outings, bodes well for the future type of outings. DT Tank Carradine had a couple of sacks for example. When you went back and looked at the film, LB Nick Moody, did other young guys jump out to you?

“Yeah, a number of guys. It was great to see Tank perform so well. [RB] Alfonso Smith, [TE] Asante Cleveland, [LB] Chris Borland, Nick Moody, [WR] Quinton Patton, several, several young players. And we’re playing a lot of young players. [CB] Dontae Johnson, [CB] Leon McFadden. Not all perfect, but good to see them out there playing.”

 

Are these final two games going to be a window for you guys to evaluate the younger players more? Would you consider pulling some of the veterans to suit some of these other guys?

“No. But, I mean they’re playing. So, it’s a tremendous opportunity that way.”

 

You haven’t had a team that hasn’t had anything to play for at the end of the season. What do you expect out of your team in these final two games?

“Well, we have a lot to play for. We’re going to play these next two games like our lives depend on it. So, yeah playing for a winning season, playing for each other, playing for the team, playing for the honor of the game.”

 

Why doesn’t your offense score many points in the second half of games?

“Looking at this game, this past game, we had drives. We had drives that were good drives. Field position was a factor, we had some penalty. But, I felt like our … first of all it really felt like our team played with valiant effort. And in a lot ways I have never been prouder in our team for the guys that showed up, for the guys that fought. In a lot of ways never been prouder.”

 

And why is that?

“Because of the way they played. Because of the way they fought.”

 

Because of the adversity? They’ve certainly fought like that before. But, why do you think this game in particular really resonated with you as far as their effort?

“Just so many. Yeah, I’ve been equally as proud in the past, but as much as I have been in our team, that’s the way I felt about this one.”

 

I’m sorry to persist, but I really don’t think you answered my question so I’ll try again. It’s not just yesterday. I think there’s been a pattern this year, this season, of really not scoring a lot in the second half and the offense being a little down in the second half compared to the first half and really the offense the whole game not being what it used to be. Surely you must have some thoughts on that that you could enlighten us and help us understand a little?

“Yeah, I tried to and since we were talking about this game and there were good meaningful drives. There were situations where we could have picked up the first down, extended the drive and it didn’t happen. That’s football. That’s a very good defense. They’re playing extremely well and there were factors that we couldn’t overcome to score the points that we needed to win this ball game, and in others, to your point.”

 

As far as being proud of the team, have you ever been so proud of a team in a loss?

“Yeah. I was. A valiant effort. I appreciated that. I appreciated the play across the board. For the guys that showed up and fought the way they did.”

 

There was a pass-play yesterday deep downfield to TE Vernon Davis. And it’s hard to tell from the press box, but it was close enough where you expected him to reach out his arms at least for the ball. And I’ve seen a number of those involving Davis over the years. Like I said, it’s hard for me, from where I am to tell whether it’s catchable or not. Was that ball catchable? Should he be making a bigger effort on some of those downfield-type attempts?

“The ball was thrown to him?”

 

Yeah. It was deep.

“A corner route?”

 

Yeah.

“Yeah, I felt that was an overthrow. I thought his effort was very good on that play.”

 

With two games left, any of those injuries yesterday, any of those five guys you would expect to be shut down for the season?

“[WR] Kassim Osgood broke a bone in his hand. Third metacarpal. Let me point out that example. He broke that early in the game and he padded it up, he kept playing. He was playing in a lot of pain and made plays. That’s an example of the valiant effort.”

 

Any update on RB Frank Gore?

“Frank is in today and he said he’s feeling good. Good as can be expected.”

 

You’ve fielded a lot of questions about your job future. The players have as well. For the most part, they’ve all come to your defense, defended you. How does that make you feel?

“I’d rather talk about how proud I am of them in the ball game. I know it’s been a lot of [talk], and it may be taking away from them and the way they play. Hate to keep contributing to that.”

 

I know you said there is a lot to play for, but as San Francisco Chronicle columnist Ann Killion pointed out, you haven’t been in this situation in quite a while with postseason not in play. Do you expect that to create a different vibe at all these last two games without that goal sort of available?

“The goals I mentioned, I think, those are big goals.”

 

Six sacks yesterday. I know they don’t all fall on QB Colin Kaepernick, obviously. But, what can he do as a quarterback to put himself in better situations to avoid the sack or get rid of the ball sooner? He’s been one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the league this year.

“I really thought he played valiantly yesterday. I thought he really was playing well, doing his job extremely well. He was a live player. We talked about maybe there was a patch there that he went through, but I really felt like he came out of that yesterday and played extremely well.”

 

You said yesterday you’d be happy to sit down with the owner or the general manager at any time. Have you done that or do you expect to do that this week?

“As I said, yeah always. That’s an always thing. Always available to talk to the owner and the general manager, of course.”

 

Do you have any meetings planned?

“No.”

 

Would you prefer it happen sooner than later so we stop asking you about it or taking away from the players kind of like you mentioned?

“Everybody’s been head down. Everybody’s been focused on the season. Players, coaches, front office. That’s been our approach. That’s what we’ve been doing.”

 

Is this a meeting you would initiate or you’re available if they want to meet with you?

“As I said I’ve answered that. Always available.”

 

What about some of the other injuries from yesterday and then T Anthony Davis as well, a guy who’s been struggling with a concussion, do you put him back in these next two weeks knowing that there’s no playoffs around the corner?

“We’ll be looking for all available personnel to play. So, that’s a medical question specifically for Anthony.”

 

What about LB Ahmad Brooks and his thumb? Can he play with that injury?

“We’ll find that out. I don’t know that right now. For an outside linebacker whose got to put his hands on people. I don’t know the answer to that.”

 

Is it broken or ligaments?

“It was a dislocation. But, I don’t know the extent.”

 

And what about RB Carlos Hyde?

“Carlos? Yeah, we’re going to check today and see what the ankle looks like in terms of swelling.”

 

Borland too?

“Yes. Yes, same, There will be MRIs done.”

 

You’ve had so many injuries this year. How much do those factor into the team’s record and the position you’re in right now?

“I’m sure they factor in. How much I don’t have a specific answer.”

 

Does playing the role of spoiler mean anything to you?

“The biggest thing is the things that I mentioned. Playing this game and win this game. There’s a lot at stake. That’s the way we approach it.”

This article has 234 Comments

  1. I agree that the team played valiantly. I expect they’ll play even better now that they will be loose without all the perceived pressures and expectations in the balance….

    1. A lot of good that does now. I think what you are trying to say is without having to lead and with less pressure to win, CK should play better, right?

      1. I think the team has endured an inordinate amount of adversity this year. You couple that with the mental and physical attrition of three deep playoff runs, and you begin to understand just how tough this team is. Meanwhile, you can continue to beat your drum until Kaepernick changes your tune or he becomes another one hit wonder destined for the CFL. It’s just unfortunate we have to listen to you and your bands same old song and dance, all year long….

        1. All of its true and you guys don’t like it because you didn’t want to believe it. Now that we’ve seen it happen the last half of the year, all the critics that claimed CK was inaccurate, a one read QB and lacked vision all came true. This was all evident based on his play against some must needed wins.
          Razor im sorry the truth hurts pal. Maybe he turns it around next year but until that time, the 49ers need a plan A at the QB position until CK can prove otherwise.

          1. Yep, my suggestion would be Mannion in the 6th round, but the truth never hurt anyone. Lies do. Keep in mind, history has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats. Kaepernick must use the truth to set himself free instead of allowing the stubborn tendencies and anger hold him captive….

            1. Yeah but it was the opposite with CK. He endured great heights early then regressed. He didn’t learn anything from the SB loss or last year in the NFCCG. So what’s your point? Like many of you, wake and smell the reality. CK’s game has regressed. How anyone can’t see that is pure ignorance.

              1. Again you moron.
                The o-line regresses and qb will most likely regress. How come you never talk about the o-line or that they don’t run enough?
                Is it because Alex smith wasn’t replaced in those spots? Agenda is clear. We get the picture you hate kap and want Alex back.

              2. No Ninermd I don’t want Alex Smith back. Just a QB who can make all the throws and not panic when a little pressure presents itself.
                What do you want me to say about the oline? Did they fumble at the goal line vs. The Rams, cost us the game. How about the INT’s against Seattle and the Bears? Did the oline throw bad picks? Or how about against the worst team in football? Did the oline throw picks and play scared against the Raiders?
                Keep repeating your excuses. Maybe they will become true eventually.

              3. Don’t let the reality of Kaepernick as your 49ers quarterback in 2015 slap you on the way out, and I realize you’ll continue whistling the same tune all year long….

              4. So it’s KC’s fault they can’t block? The won’t run more? They can’t get crucial 3rd and 4th and 1 plays executed?
                That a lot of drives were stalled do to
                Penalties too, that his receivers dropped balls all
                Season? You want to pick out some of the bad but refuse to
                See the other moments for this offense. Smith went through this same crap and you made every excuse in the book for him. With NO fault on him.
                At least I can say this. Yes ck regressed, yes he looks
                Like a Rookie at times and aweful at others. An he does deserve a big part of the blame. Can you?

              5. Hell yeah the offensive line played scared against the Raiders. They had more sacks against us than they damn near had as a total.
                I can’t defend #7 but he’s not going anywhere next year. I’m just waiting to see if a new coach can help him. It took 5 coaches to help your hero Alex. That means #7 still has 4 more coaches to get fired!

      1. I do mind trading up that high, and certainly he could go that high. At the same time, we know that 2014 was a WR heavy draft. Phrased differently, a lot of teams took a WR in the first round last year. Those teams are highly unlikely to go after another WR this year. There is speculation that the Raiders will go after him to give Carr a weapon, but Im sure he’ll grade out high enough for the likes of the Raiders or Jaguars.

        Carolina got Kelvin last year. The Redskins have a decent WR payroll in Garcon/DeSean. Giants got ODB. Bears/Falcons/Saints almost have to go D. The Jets could use a WR, but I could also see their next head coach wanting to go with a QB. Rams took Tavon 2 years ago, and the Vikings did the same with Cordarelle.

        We could easily lose to the Chargers and Cardinals, putting us at 7-9 with a pretty good pick. If we don’t have a chance to draft the first WR to go in the draft, I think we will have a look at the second.

        1. He’ll likely be taken in the top 5. Raiders would be a likely destination.

          If by some miracle he fall out of the top 10 he’d be worth moving up from mid-teens to get.

      1. I like Parker, I think he might end up the second WR taken at this point (though obviously extremely early days, so we’ll see). He may end up a little over drafted due to the success of the 2014 crop. I think he’s in the mold of guys like Josh Gordon, Alshon Jeffrey, and DeAndre Hopkins. Not a burner, but has good enough vertical speed and is good going up and getting the ball. He apparently has an 80″ wingspan on top of his 6’3″ frame.

        1. That’s the only question I have with Parker. Does he have the speed to take the top off a NFL defense? I don’t think so….

          1. I think he does. He’s a build up speed kind of guy, but once he’s moving he’s fast enough, and has good size/ length to him to go get the ball. Gordon, Jeffrey and Hopkins have that same kind of speed, and are effective deep threats due to their ability to go up and get it.

            My main concern is I don’t think he’s as talented overall as the three guys I’ve mentioned above. Good chance he ends up getting drafted mid to late first round, but is he really that good? I’m not sure he is. A pity he was injured much of the year, would have been good to see him get more action this season.

            1. Speaking of speed, I’m seeing different combine numbers for Bruce Ellington. Apparently, he had two unofficial times in the 40 yard dash of 4.31 and 4.37 sec respectively. The fastest time was 4.30 sec by Brandin Cooks and John Brown. But it looks like his official time is only 4.45 sec. At 39.5 inches he was tied for the third highest vertical jump.

              With those unofficial 40 yard dash times, I wonder if we already have a speed, albeit short, WR. We can always use more, but now I really want to see him play in the remaining two games – so sit Lloyd.

              1. Ellington definitely has speed, though when returning kicks and punts it appears he struggles to find that breakaway gear. Watching him play I don’t see a 4.3s guy.

                But like you I would definitely like to see him given a shot these final two games.

              2. The only problem with Ellington is that it takes a little bit for him to hit that second gear in order to achieve that speed.

              3. Ellington definitely has speed, though when returning kicks and punts it appears he struggles to find that breakaway gear. Watching him play I don’t see a 4.3s guy.

                That gear is my main concern with him Scooter. Every play that I have seen with him so far always has him failing to hit that second gear and is the reason that I maintain that he is quicker than fast.

            2. Yea you may be right, but I don’t believe he has the straight line, elite speed to separate vertically. I don’t want another injury prone receiver either….

              1. Below is some analysis from nfl.com on Bruce Ellington:

                STRENGTHS Bursts off the line — eliminates cushion and threatens vertically. Field-fast — accelerates in a hurry and turns over a fluid stride. Highly athletic. Excellent balance and agility. Gets in and out of cuts quickly. Good hands. Can turn a short throw into a long gain. Is not afraid to work the middle and take a hit to make a play. Tough and competitive. Has traits to be considered as a kick returner. Highly respected with special intangibles — leads by example and is smart, determined and hardworking.

                WEAKNESSES Is short and small-framed — durability could be an issue. Could stand to become a more nuanced route runner. Can be outmuscled in a crowd — not a go-up-and-get-it guy. Limited run strength. Underpowered blocker. Too often was a non-factor — was held to one catch or less in five games as a junior. Was not a home-run hitter in the return game. Split his time with basketball.

              2. The injuries are a concern, that is for sure, razor. I don’t think he is a guy that will separate vertically through sheer speed, but then not many guys do. He has plenty enough vertical speed to be a consistent deep threat with his height, arm length and leaping ability.

              3. My sense is that they are holding him back similar to what they did with Carradine. Perhaps its due to an issue he needs to fix with his route running or something else we aren’t seeing because they don’t let him do anything in games.

              4. It was always going to be tough for him to get on the field with four veterans plus a guy that had a year in the system ahead of him. At this juncture, with nothing left to play for but pride, it would be a nice time to get him playing, but I’m not holding my breath. It doesn’t seem Harbaugh’s way to just let the young guys get a go, they need to earn it, even now.

              5. Scooter,

                They do put him on the field, but give him no chance to make a play.

                He could be doing doin some of the same stuff KC is doing with Thomas like fly sweeps, screens etc.

              6. Only for a few snaps here and there, and as you say, usually for specific things like fake sweeps. I meant it was going to be hard for him to beat out one of the other guys for playing time running the more standard route tree.

              7. Rice didn’t have fast start times but he was never caught from behind because he had plenty of middle speed.

            3. Scooter,

              He does have speed but he wastes it running laterally instead of bursting upfield. He keeps taking every kickoff out of the end zone no matter what. He finally got a little space up the right side on 1 kickoff last game but we held like we always do nowadays.

  2. The season is effectively over, so these little GM discussions are the best 9er entertainment.

    As a reminder, last year Baalke took an injured(ACL) OG in the third round, Brandon Thomas. Will this impact Iupati’s or Boone’s future as a 49er, particularly in light of their contracts?

  3. It’s interesting that the team didn’t fire Harbaugh today. In 2010 when the 49ers were eliminated the team didn’t hesitate to fire Singletary. Is there any likelihood that they are still deciding if they want to fire him or not? That seems unlikely to me. So why does he still have a job. Is it because the 49ers are holding out for a trade or is it because they’re hoping to bring him back for at least one more season. The reasons for the latter could be many but they’re almost moot. I say that because at this point it doesn’t matter why they would want him back it would only matter that they do.

    I can only imagine that the 49ers are willing to entertain the thought of keeping Harbaugh if they also believe that he’s willing to part with Roman. It doesn’t even matter if they believe he’s part of the problem or not, I don’t think York and Baalke can afford to start the 2015 season with Roman as the OC. These thought’s don’t reflect my personal opinion towards him but simply acknowledge that Roman has become toxic and if Harbaugh is in fact still around that Roman will most likely be the scapegoat for the 2014 season.

    I have a hard time believing that Harbaugh would be willing to fire Roman or allow Baalke to do it. Sure if Roman was hired away Jim wouldn’t have any control over it but that’s a very different situation. Jim’s ego isn’t directly challenged by Roman being hired away like it is with the front office insisting that he fire him. With only a year left on the contract and possibly a slew of attractive offers why would he be willing to make a change of that level for what could amount to be only one year before moving on anyway?

    At this point I think the far more likely scenario is that Harbaugh is still with the 49ers tonight because the team is expecting to trade him. Miami is an obvious front runner. I could see Dallas trying to make a run at him but would the 49ers be willing to trade such a dangerous commodity within the conference and to the Cowboys no less? No, I think it’s Miami #1 and Oakland #2 as his potential landing spots. Given that he nearly became a Dolphin back in 2011 it’s seems likely that this time around Ross will land his man.

    1. Yes, I think they still would like to trade him, if possible, and will wait until the end of the year to explore their options.

      I think there are a few other factors at play as well. First, Baalke wasn’t the GM in 2010, and Jed had free reign without anyone in a position of significant power providing a check to his emotions. I’m not sure Baalke would support firing a coach before the end of the year, though that is pure speculation.

      Second, Singletary was seen as a bumbling fool, while Harbaugh is seen as a very good head coach – it is easier to fire someone before the end of the year that is perceived to be bad at his job.

      Third, there was significant fan pressure and support to fire Singletary, which is not so strong this time around. Jed firing Singletary before the end of the season was, I believe, as much a PR move as anything else. As there isn’t the same ground swell of support for firing Harbaugh, in fact many fans believe he should be retained and that Jed himself should go jump, making such a move would likely be bad PR this time around.

      1. I’m not sure how much of an effect Baalke has on the situation. Maybe a lot maybe none at all. Singletary might have been incompetent but I bet he was a heck of a lot more popular around the office. I think the current regime has every bit of a reason if not more to get rid of Harbaugh asap if they in fact do want him gone. Third, there was significant fan pressure and support to fire Singletary, which is not so strong this time around Very much disagree with you no this point, I think people are far more dissatisfied and fed up with Harbaugh then they were with Singletary. People expected Singletary to be released but they WANT Harbaugh to be fired. Harbaugh has made himself very unlikeable and even those of us that were calling for Mike to be fired were still sorry to see him go, I don’t think there will be a lot of wet eyes around when Jim is shown the door.

        1. How about the thought that if the front office is in fact considering Tomsula for the next job why wouldn’t they fire Harbaugh now and give Tomsula a couple games to run the team?

          1. Would they learn anything valuable about Tomsula they don’t already know? I don’t think they would.

            I had this discussion with Cubus the other day. They actually run the risk of alienating Fangio if they did that, if Fangio wants to be considered for the job. They would already be showing their hand, and Fangio could easily see that as a slight on his credentials before being given a fair shot to state his case.

            They also run the risk of ticking off the locker room, that despite many rumours of discord still appears to have plenty of guys in there that support Harbaugh, and would no doubt like to at least be given the chance to see out the year with him.

            1. I just don’t think any of those are factors of any discernible weight in the matter. I don’t think Fangio is a consideration for the job. If they’re considering Tomsula for the job and the team goes out and lays a couple of eggs the final couple of weeks under him maybe that gives them a moment of pause on giving him the job and vice versa. These final two games aren’t going to be walks in the park like the final game against Arizona was in the 2010 season. If Tomsula goes out and wins big it would be hard not to give him serious consideration.

              Now please don’t misunderstand this as support for Tomsula as coach, far from it.

              1. I don’t think either losing big or winning big the next two weeks if Tomsula was in charge should have any bearing on whether they gave him the gig full time. He won’t have any time to install anything new, it would purely be based on short term emotion and team motivation, which isn’t always a good guide when the team is playing for nothing but pride.

                Another consideration, if they already believe Tomsula is their man, installing him now as the interim HC and then making it permanent only makes it harder to convince the league they are abiding by the Rooney rule at the end of the year.

          2. Not feelin tomsula as the next head coach.
            No experience no offensive mind.
            No thanks. Love the guy, but didn’t we see this before?
            You never find gold twice in a row with unproven nfl coaching.
            I’ll say this. If Jed York doesn’t find someone with some experience after gettin rid of a proven winner. I WILL sell my tickets. I will watch my games at home. I won’t give him his money that obviously is the reason he runs the team. I will not drive an extra hour for that crummy stadium owned by a crummy spoiled brat with crummy yuppie fans sipping wine all around me.
            I took the screw job he gave is season ticket holders 2 years ago. I won’t be screwed twice.

        2. Yeah, we will just have to disagree on that point then.

          I agree there are a lot fans that dislike Harbaugh and won’t be upset to see him go. And not many fans will shed a tear for the guy, as he’s not particularly likeable.

          But there is also quite a sizeable contingent of fans that remember the pre-Harbaugh years and fear a repeat. You just need to read the comments of posters on this and other sites to see that.

          With regards to the lack of a GM in 2010 to provide a calming influence, here is a good article from Mike Sando back in 2010, post Singletary’s firing.

          http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/30256/jed-york-and-the-49ers-impulsiveness

        3. You really don’t know what you are talking about. As much as I want Harbaugh gone, the majority of the fan base doesn’t. Especially if they are not going to replace him with someone better.

          So far IMO Harbaugh has proven himself to be a master rebuilder. I really never saw a get to the next level plan from him though. Going away from the run this year which is what the team was built for told me we need to move on from him.

          1. That’s right Bay. Keep the ball out of your heros hands as much as possible.
            There is no one better out there to coach this group. The only problem Harbaugh has is finding someone to replace the running QB who runs when it’s too late.

    2. There’s no reason to fire Harbaugh right now, and it’s nothing like the Singletary situation. The Singletary dismissal was the culmination of a terrible run of play and losses. It was expected and the fan base approved. In this case, Harbaugh still has a lot of support from the fan base and around the league due to one of the best 3 year runs in NFL history. To fire him now would be stupid considering they either want to negotiate an extension or trade him to another team. Yes the rumors state he will be gone but until it happens everything is still on the table.

      The whole idea that a HC could be fired after a run like this is ridiculous, but if they’ve decided that is the plan then they need to find a way to do it without looking incompetent. The only way to do that is to get compensation for Harbaugh and hire a HC people can get excited about.

      1. Rocket,
        did you feel like we had a dynamic passing offense this year? And I know its not completely fair for me to bash it given that the offensive line IMO blew up the entire offense.
        Regardless, I view the passing offense as lacking creativity. From a formation standpoint, lack of screens, lack of slants, crossing routes. People are slamming Roman for this. Remember this is Harbaugh’s offense. If I thought that Jim could put ego aside and bring in an OC, that would be great. Keep him around. I don’t see Jim getting rid of Roman and relinquishing the play calling.

        1. Bay,

          The one time I saw some promise in the passing game was in the 4 and 5 wide sets. It was a complete change from anything they had done previously and they were having success with it. I’m not sure why they stopped using it as much or why they didn’t run out of spread formations more, but they got away from it and the passing offense we saw over the course of the past few games was more like the previous years. Add in the fact Kap has lost confidence, is in a dry spell or whatever you want to describe it has and we have a nonexistent passing game.

          I agree that Roman is a scapegoat. This is Harbaugh’s system at it’s core and I’d like to believe he was trying to make changes he knew had to be made, but I don’t think he or Roman were the ones who could bring it to fruition. I definitely believe it would have to involve an outside OC being brought in.

          1. I may be misremembering, but to me it was a bit of a gradual change. They started the year passing a lot, using multiple WR sets, but had little success running the ball and lost some games.

            So they started trying to run a little more, but went to an offense that became overly predictable, often running when they had 2 (or less) WRs, and passing when they had 3 or more WRs. The use of 4 and 5 WR sets became less common. The offense started having little success moving the ball, and Kaep lost confidence, particularly after a disastrous effort by the OL against the Rams.

            Finally against the Seahawks this past week they went back to a lot more of what worked in 2012 and 2013, running the ball, using play action, letting Kaep get comfortable. But both RBs got hurt and that was that.

          2. Maybe they stopped using it because the QB started looking feverish when they proclaimed it was must win territory.

            1. Prime, is every single lousy comment of yours going to be used to bash Kaep? Dude, I’m getting queasy 2012 Jordo flashbacks.

      2. The Singletary dismissal was the culmination of a terrible run of play and losses
        ————————
        What the heck would you call the last half of this season? I call it falling off a cliff.

        1. I should have added, whatever you do call it you can hardly disagree that this season has been a terrible run of play and losses.

  4. CFC:

    There’s the wife factor and somebody posted that all of Harbaugh’s coaching jobs have been in California – so I think that gives Oakland the edge.

    1. I don’t know, it’s not like he has to convince her to move to New Jersey or Ohio. Florida doesn’t exactly suck. You could be right though, I kind of hope it’s Oakland because he’d have a much better chance of success in Miami.

    2. Given Harbaugh’s well established character traits, it seems like it’s a very long stretch to think that Jim and his wife don’t have very well worked out common principles about where they will or will not live.

  5. Yo Bay Area Fanatic!

    Greg Cosell on Tom Tolbert’s show said the Niner offense is hard to watch. Wow that’s obvious!!!!!! He compared Kaep to RG3, he’s a non-functioning QB.

    But you gotta be the last person to torch their Kaep jersey! Keep Kapernicking buddy!

    1. He’s been saying that about him for more then a month but people stick their fingers in their ears, close their eyes and say “la la la I can’t hear you! Kaepernick is awesome!!”

      1. Yup he’s been saying that for a month, and Tolbert and Ratto both comment on how all they need to do is just replay the previous podcast.

    2. What is interesting is that Cosell picked out one of Kap’s throws against Dallas as one of the best QB plays of the first week of the season. Cosell seemed as optimistic as many others regarding Kap’s improvement. Then, over time, Cosell has grown more critical as he watched it all fall apart. In fact, Cosell almost sounds disappointed when he discusses Kap, as if he thought Kap would be able to sustain that improvement.

      I think that is the most frustrating thing for many fans as well. Kap shows just enough flashes of what he could be that many fans kept hoping he would put it all together. Unfortunately, rather than rising above or even just managing his limitations, Kap seems to have almost embraced them as his identity. I never expected him to be a pure pocket passer, but I did hope he could mitigate his limitations enough to be effective. Other than brief moments here and there, he has not done so.

      When the 49ers drafted Kap, I suggested (on a different website) that he would always be a guy who made some mistakes but who also made the highlight reels on a consistent basis. The mistakes are still there. The highlights, other than for bad plays, have been few and far between this year.

      1. Very true JPN, and maybe this is what he is and will always be, but there is also the possibility that a season of facing constant pressure and the situation surrounding the HC played a role in it too.

        Kap has had an inconsistent season, and the two games prior to Sunday he played very poorly, but I have a hard time concluding a player can’t play all of a sudden or has hit his ceiling when the entire offense has struggled around him. The QB is always the easy target and sometimes deservedly so. However, it is premature, at least imo, to form a conclusion on how good Kap can be based on all the turmoil and inconsistency that has plagued this organization this season.

        I would definitely try and bring in competition for him and force him to work with a QB coach this offseason, but no way do I dump a guy who in the two prior seasons went to a SB and NFCCG and showed signs of improvement earlier this season. That is just irrational thinking borne out of frustration imo. You are obviously not in this category, but most of this board seems to have migrated to this way of thinking and it just makes me shake my head.

        1. I would definitely try and bring in competition for him and force him to work with a QB coach this offseason, but no way do I dump a guy who in the two prior seasons went to a SB and NFCCG and showed signs of improvement earlier this season. That is just irrational thinking borne out of frustration imo.

          I agree, Rocket. I am not ready to give up on Kaepernick as Plan A, but I think it is in the team’s best interest to have a viable Plan B.

      2. I remember that throw and I thought that was the turning point for Kaep and had high hopes for the season. And then the Bears game happened, and then the AZ game, and then the — oh you get the idea.
        Just watch Kaep this whole season to learn what the word regression means.

            1. The only thing you are accurate on is the fact they lost the game. Kap’s numbers were fantastic across the board and he had them at the 6 yard line in the 3rd quarter when two 15 yard penalties blew up the drive. This was against one of the best defenses in the league and one of the better home teams.

              It’s a real shame you let Bay get to you so badly that you can’t even be objective anymore.

            2. Kap was 15-19 in the second half against AZ. Was also the teams top rusher. According to fan he sucked. Your act is old and tired Fan.

              1. Did they win? No. They lost by 9. I don’t have an act. Just because you don’t like the truth, there’s nothing I can do for you. Look at the 2nd half stats again. Look at the number of 3 and outs and short drives. He only had one decent drive for a FG that was blocked. Everything else was 3-5 play drives for 10-15 yards. Why? Because….. I told you that Kaep was a one read QB, back when it was unpopular to say such things. I stuck by my guns and now there’s a body of work, along with a whole lot of losses that proves he’s a remedial QB.
                He still hasn’t thrown for a 4th quarter TD.
                He has two more games to do it! Unless of course they yank him for Blaine Gabbert.

              2. So unless they won Kap sucked? Got it.

                They had one 3 and out the entire game. This is what I’m talking about with you being incapable of being objective. You can’t even get simple facts right because you don’t want to allow for the fact Kap was pretty good at times this season.

                You have been spouting off nonsense about the guy forever because you didn’t like the fact they dumped Smith in favor of him. You were spouting off even while he played well. The fact you continued spouting off long enough to the point he actually played poorly is akin to a blind squirrel finding a nut.

                I would actually appreciate reading some more truth around here instead of the witch hunt I’ve been reading since Thanksgiving.

              3. You know what I hate about guys like you? You think just because we don’t approve of Kaep’s play it’s because we want Smith.
                We don’t approve of Kaep’s play because it’s unacceptable.
                Think about to that game. Niners are trying near their own goal line. 3 and 19. Kaep overthrows Brandon Lloyd at the first down marker. Same way he overthrew Bolding. Need I say more?
                I haven’t been witching on Kaep since Thanksgiving. You know I’ve been saying this the whole year since the Bears game.
                When did Kaep play well? One half against the Rams?
                Since you like to assume you know my intentions, I’ll return the favor. You love Kaep. He’s the best thing ever. A GOAT. You’ve made up your mind and you don’t care what others say or how he plays.. You will gloat on the one play he makes and forget all the others he leaves on the field. You claim that you watch the all-22, obviously with one eye open because you refuse to see how plays he leaves on the field, how many sacks he commits on himself because he has no pocket presence.
                Why don’t you create a Kaep highlight reel for all of us to enjoy?

              4. Rocket,

                You are beating a dead horse. This guy misses Alex that Peyton Manning wouldn’t be good enough. He’s losing his argument and now he says you’re head over heels for #7. Even I know you’re objective. Fan is not a fan of #7. The board knows that. He hates the guy, literally! That’s because he loves #11!

              5. I believe it is I who is beating the dead horse of you clowns who still want to think Kaep is a work in progress after 4 years in the same system, getting worse each year.
                Look at the the offensive output of the offense. Look at how many bad throws and sacks he takes.
                Oh yeah — I’m the blind squirrel who found a nuts. Over and over and over again.
                No 4th quarter TD passes. Check.
                Fumbles on the goal line. Check.
                Throws to Richard Sherman. Check
                Outplayed by Derek Carr. Check.

                You guys are on the wrong side of history.

              6. You know what I hate about guys like you? You think just because we don’t approve of Kaep’s play it’s because we want Smith.

                You’ve made that blatantly obvious both with your constant referrals back to Smith and the fact you’ve admitted you are giving Bay the same treatment over Kap you felt he gave others over Smith. This isn’t even a question. It’s obvious this is related to Smith being replaced.

                We don’t approve of Kaep’s play because it’s unacceptable.
                Think about to that game. Niners are trying near their own goal line. 3 and 19. Kaep overthrows Brandon Lloyd at the first down marker. Same way he overthrew Bolding. Need I say more?

                No need to say more because you say it all in responses like this. You focus on a select few plays that paint him in a negative light and ignore everything else. In this example you are angry over him not converting 3rd and 19. Need I say more?

                I haven’t been witching on Kaep since Thanksgiving. You know I’ve been saying this the whole year since the Bears game

                That was in reference to the landslide of criticism directed at him since the Seattle Thanksgiving game. You’ve been consistently negative for a couple of years now.

                When did Kaep play well? One half against the Rams?

                He was having his best statistical season for most of the year even though the pass protection and running game were inconsistent and sometimes downright awful.

                Since you like to assume you know my intentions, I’ll return the favor. You love Kaep. He’s the best thing ever. A GOAT. You’ve made up your mind and you don’t care what others say or how he plays.. You will gloat on the one play he makes and forget all the others he leaves on the field. You claim that you watch the all-22, obviously with one eye open because you refuse to see how plays he leaves on the field, how many sacks he commits on himself because he has no pocket presence.
                Why don’t you create a Kaep highlight reel for all of us to enjoy?

                The difference between you and I is that I acknowledge his struggles and have not put him on a pedestal. I’ve simply balanced the nonsense you bring with facts that counter your opinions. I have not anointed Kaepernick as anything other than a talented player who is still developing his game and who has won a lot of games since taking over as the starter. That is a stark contrast from you and Prime who have decided he sucks and should be replaced by some scrub from another team or the backup. You don’t look at the topic objectively which leads to a lot of nonsensical statements.

                You are what you are.

              7. The difference between you and I is that I called out my issues with Kaep, and his sorry play proved me right.

                You can have your highlight reel if it makes you feel better.

              8. The difference between you and I is that I called out my issues with Kaep, and his sorry play proved me right.

                No actually you’ve been criticizing him constantly even when he’s played well. That is the difference between us. There is no middle ground for you. I accept the fact Kap is not a finished product and has struggled with consistency in his game. I’ve even acknowledged that he may never get any better as a pocket passer. What I won’t do is draw a conclusion that he sucks, and forget every positive trait he’s ever shown which includes winning a lot of football games.

                You on the other hand are still upset about Smith being replaced, and have decided Kap stinks and there is no chance of improvement.

                Objective vs. Unobjective. That is the difference between you and me.

          1. Rocket,
            Kaep played a great game versus AZ. We had defensive breakdowns in the secondary and flag happy officials that day. 16 penalties to be exact. Should have never lost that game.

            1. The two 15 yarders they took when they had gotten to the 6 yard line were the killers Bay. They score a TD there and it’s a totally different game.

  6. Anyone want to play the offensive blame game?

    Players:

    #7 45%
    O-line 25%
    WR’s 15%
    TE’s 15%
    RB’s 0%

    Coaches/GM:

    Roman 75%
    Harbs 15%
    Baalke 10%

    1. Injuries at RB and O-line – 50%
      Mindlessly plodding clock chewing offense in the 4th qtr two scores down – 20%
      Terlock Tersenado – 15%
      Vanishing Vernon – 15%

      Offensive Players Out

      RB – Gore, Hunter
      RT – A. Davis
      C – Kilgore, M. Martin
      TE- V. McDonald, Carrier, Celek

      Hard to be effective with…
      – 7th string RB (behind Gore, Hunter, Hyde, Lattimore, LMJ, Winston in camp)
      – 4th string center (not sure what happened to Dillon Farrel)
      – 4th string TE
      – 3rd string RT (Boone’s the swing RT. They needed Looney for Center. Maybe That tied Boone to RG)

      Sure wish Baalke cut LMJ, and kept Winston. Winston runs good like a (clap, clap) running back should.

      1. Harbaugh – 0 to 90%
        Roman – 0 to 90%
        Baalke – 10%

        The defense is Fangio’s baby. If I ever know exactly how the byzantine play call flow works, I’ll never be sure who gets credit/blame for the offense.

        On thing is certain… Harbaugh’s late game management is historically bad. For the second time in a row vs Seattle, Harbs called a clock chewing offensive series, two scores down in the 4th qtr. I’ve never seen anything this bad in pro or D1 ever.

        1. Over the last 16 games (going back to last years playoff vs Carolina)…

          – Number of fourth quarter touchdowns by offensive starters – 1

          – Average fourth quarter scoring by offensive starters – 1.4 Points

          – Average fourth quarter scoring overall – 2.3 Points

          Another way to look at it… That’s four games of 4th quarters…. 5.6 points per game by offensive starters.

          Abysmal.

        2. Baalke – 10% because the lack of deep threat allows teams to stack the box, and play the 49ers WRs tight.

    2. Well I was hoping to get a breakdown similar to mine, to see where we all stand. Thanks though MD, B2W……I love the “Vanishing Vernon” comment.

  7. Jed York set up his own team for a lame duck season starting with the Cleveland trade and followed up a constant stream of East Coast leaks. There shouldn’t be any way that he wants to have a clear cut lame duck season given his 2014 results.

    If Jed wants to get anything for Harbaugh’s remaining year then he has to have Jim’s full cooperation. It will cost him $5 million if he want’s to hold power over Harbaugh and pay him to do nothing.

    If Jed wants to get most of his $5 million back, then he has do a trade that Jim likes or let him go hoping that Jim takes a head coaching job somewhere else.

    Jim has been very careful to avoid any comments that could get him fired for cause.

    To bring Jim back for 2015 would probably cost at least three years at $7 million per year.

    Anyone with an urge to punish Jim Harbaugh for being exactly who he has always been is going to have a hard time doing it. Enjoy.

  8. There are couple of good things he can do increase the efficiency and play of their team. Not valiantly like they do on this game. This team will surely complete all the expectations of their fans. Jim Harbaugh is the man who can do this for their team.

  9. The 2010 49ers under Raye/Johnson averaged 19.1 points per game

    The 2014 49ers under Harbaugh/Roman is averaging 17.9 points per game. Offense has been bad for 4 years harbaugh a good coach my ass just had a all pro defense to lean on good riddance.

    1. MD,

      I told the board in week 3 that Davis had quit on the team. Boldin apparently called Davis out in the 1st Ram game. What was that, week 7 or 8? I told the board VD was a sellout and was faking injuries and he had quit. Not many of them believed me. We get a chance to see the players when they are not in the game. Watch Davis on the sidelines this week when the defense is on the field. He absolutely has quit. He quit 11 games ago.

      1. Looks like ck isn’t happy with him either. But look at Crabtree bein the peace maker. That must have been after his TD. Lol

        1. I’m not reading anything into that video, could be anything, just heat of the battle sort of stuff.

          But for the conspiracy theorists among us, I find it interesting that Crabtree, someone that is perceived as being unhappy with his role this year, is on Davis’ side calming him down, while Gore, well known to be all about doing anything to win, is on Boldin’s side calming him down.

        2. Only the drama queens on here like MD and 23 would find something to stir up. A hater is a hater is a hater.
          You two probably never played a sport in your life because if you did,you’d know this stuff is nothing!

    2. Vernon quit this year. But that’s just my opinion. The truth will come out in the offseason when they either choose to sign him or release him. For me, I wouldn’t want Vernon in a Niner uniform. Not even for free.

      Accountability is huge for me. Ive seen many players on this team say, ” I didn’t play well “, Vernon never did that all season. He IMO showed up afraid. He blocks well because he initiates the contact. He is scared running routes because he is fearful of the hit that he doesn’t initiate.

  10. Just watched two and a half years of 9er games, again.
    Kaepernick this last year is just awful.
    The system that Harbaugh has in place for Kaepernick is awful. Each year starting with his first year, the passings routs are progressively simplified and Kaepernick is still unable to make the offense flow.
    Yes there will be changes ,there is always changes each year. New skill players , guys who retire, etc. But sadly without an upgrade at QB ,no matter who coahes this team, the results will stay the same or worse.

    1. I appreciate your work Hacksaw, but Kaepernick is far from a finished product. His skill set is so expansive, it’s a detriment to his development. Therefore it would behoove Mr. York to find an innovative offensive mind who can accentuate those skills while at the same time not only whispering, but teaching the art of the position. He also must have a calming influence along the sidelines and teach Kaepernick how to be a leader, because he’s not natural born. Drafting a quarterback like Mannion in the sixth round might be a prudent move….

  11. Just saw this tidbit on PFT:

    “ESPN announced a contract extension with Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden through the 2021 season.”

    Grant: I guess you can remove his name from the poll.

  12. I know a lot of us want a big name burner picked up in the draft but I just don’t see this organization going that route.
    I think the organization gets big linemen and a pash rusher in the draft.
    If Harbaugh stays it will be to take over Baalke’s job. If he goes, I expect Baalke will be gone the following year.
    Finally expect the team to offer FA $$$ to an aging corner.

    1. Forgot to add that Kaepernick will restructure his contract for 2015 to free up cap space.
      Crabtree will go. *Gore retires. *Justin Smith retires. Lupati gone regardless.
      *if Harbaugh leaves

  13. Is it fair to say with all of the FA’s and underachievers who may not be Niners next year, that we are in a full blown rebuilding phase? Think about who we may not have on the team next season:

    Iupati
    Crabtree
    Gore
    Cox
    Culliver
    Smith
    Brooks
    Davis

    That is a lot of proven talent (in some cases underachieving talent, but nonetheless proven) that has to be replaced by either FA (likely older stop gaps) or rookies.

    Then think about the fact that we ill likely have to draft a young QB on the chance that the new coach a) does not like Kaepernick or b) Keapernick has a repeat of this year and is gone.

    Honestly, I could see us being worse next year and right back in the draft lottery for the next few years. We still have a base, but we have major gaps in terms of the skill positions. Kinda scary.

    1. “we have major gaps in terms of the skill positions”

      The biggest skill position gap is the guy under center.

      1. The biggest skill position gap is the guy under center.

        This is a Grant level 180 Jack. You are usually more measured and analytic than that. It wasn’t very long ago that you felt very differently about this topic.

        1. “It wasn’t very long ago that you felt very differently about this topic.”

          How so? For the most part I’ve been pretty consistent with my feeling that execution is holding this offense back, and Kaepernick has repeatedly failed to execute when given the opportunities.

          1. You focused on the offense as a whole in terms of execution and mentioned you’d take Kap over a young Montana and Young. Now you’ve joined the chorus of the QB is the problem which manifested after the Thanksgiving game.

            Kap has been inconsistent and played poorly at times throughout the season, but he’s not the only problem and predictably is the scape goat because he’s low hanging fruit.

            He needs to improve, so does the pass protection and running game. The offense has been in a funk right from the beginning of TC and it’s not just because of the QB.

            1. “You focused on the offense as a whole in terms of execution and mentioned you’d take Kap over a young Montana and Young.”

              This comment that I responded to stated that there are gaps at the skill positions. In regards to skill position gaps, the biggest is at QB.

              Regarding saying that I’d take Kaepernick over a young Montana and Young, I already commented a couple days ago that I was an idiot for making that statement.

              1. This comment that I responded to stated that there are gaps at the skill positions. In regards to skill position gaps, the biggest is at QB.

                That’s debatable but fair. I’m not just referring to this comment though. You’ve been taking shots at Kap regularly since Thanksgiving. He deserves criticism, but it’s gotten out of hand to the point he’s being dissected from play to play, and blamed by some for all the problems this offense has had since the offseason.

                Regarding saying that I’d take Kaepernick over a young Montana and Young, I already commented a couple days ago that I was an idiot for making that statement.

                Didn’t see that but you did get a little carried away with that statement. The point I’m making though is that we’ve seen enough from Kap or at least should have, to understand this is still a work in progress and making him the target of venom for all the issues surrounding this offense is myopic.

              2. “The point I’m making though is that we’ve seen enough from Kap or at least should have, to understand this is still a work in progress”

                No argument there. He is definitely a work in progress.

                “making him the target of venom for all the issues surrounding this offense is myopic.”

                I’m not doing this. Save it for those who are.

    2. There could be a lot of turnover, but thanks to the previous two drafts, there is also a lot of young talent in place to replace them. We don’t know how well the replacements will play, but a number of the players in the list you posted didn’t play well this year anyway.

    3. I think a couple of those guys will be back next year. I’d say Culliver is a good bet to be re-signed, especially if they keep Fangio or Donatell. And I expect whoever takes over the offense will be very keen to keep Davis as he’s still one of the best mismatches they have on offense.

      Even so, yes, it is a lot of turnover or proven players. And there are some backup guys that aren’t on your list that will also likely be gone, such as Stevie Johnson, Brandon Lloyd, Craig Dahl, Chris Cook. Also an outside chance that Willis, with his big cap saving if released, may be gone.

      But as rocket points out we have a lot of young guys on the roster, and due to injuries many of them are now getting valuable experience and showing there is some promise there. I don’t think it is as dire as all that from a talent stand-point.

      1. I don’t see Willis going anywhere. Stevie Johnson was brought in to replace Mr. Crabs, so not sure he’s gone either. If they keep Culliver, Cox may be out. VD has not performed to the level of his salary, so he could be gone too….

        1. I don’t think Johnson was brought in to replace Crabtree. He was brought in to be the #3 WR this year and create mismatches. His $6.5M salary is too high for what he offers. He’s either gone, or they renegotiate his contract to something more palatable.

          I hope Willis stays, but they save over $8M by letting him go. That’s a large chunk of change for a team that is already around $10M – $12M over the expected 2015 cap.

          Cox was on fire to start the year, but Culliver has been the more consistent player and has outplayed Cox the second half of the year. He’s the better player in my opinion, and is the one they should keep.

          I think any new offensive coordinator/ HC that comes in would want to keep a guy with Davis’ skillset. Yes, he’s had a down year, but are you telling me a creative OC wouldn’t want to see what they could do with Davis? And I think a new coach is exactly what Davis needs, too.

          1. “He was brought in to be the #3 WR this year and create mismatches”.

            Exactly, and his production was monitored to avoid triggering the fourth into a third round draft pick. They knew they weren’t bringing Crabtree back in 2015, and Johnson could fill that role at a good price. Whether or not he has earned that role with Baalke, I do know.

            I’d keep Culliver over Cox too. I think it might be time for a guy like Carrier to go out and catch passes and maybe draft a kid like Tyler Croft in the fifth round, TE from Rutgers. If I really believed VD was committed to football 110%, yea I’d see what he brings to the campaign in 2015. Of course I have no idea other than speculation on how he feels….

            1. “Johnson could fill that role at a good price”.

              Is $6.5M really a good price? Seems a lot for what he brings to the table, for a guy that has produced just over 1,000 yards in total the past two seasons. Seems like a good price for Johnson, not so much for the 49ers. I think if he stays, he gets a new contract.

  14. Colin isn’t any of these negative things like some of you so called fans are saying. Why so quick to blame the QB and not the rest of the issues with this team specifically the offense? If you can’t see that Colin is being held back then your a IDIOT!

    1. I agree 100 percent bay! Your QB is only as good as your O line and there the worst in football hands down. They were an embarrassment this year..

        1. That offensive line is a shell of it’s former “best in football” self. The Cowboys offensive line is what they used to be before hold outs and injuries. Which begs another question, Mr. Uyeyama may be someone else they need to look to upgrade….

          1. “That offensive line is a shell of it’s former “best in football” self.”

            2011 – 26 sacks in 520 drop backs
            2014 – 24 sacks in 523 drop backs.

              1. “why do they rank 29th overall in pass pro?”

                They don’t. They are 24th with a pass blocking efficency rating of 77.1. In 2011 they were also 24th with a pass blocking efficiency rating of 76.3.

              2. NFS-Besides, I don’t need stats to tell me what my eyes drank, and when it pertains to the offensive line, it was far from beauty….

              3. I don’t think that stating they weren’t as bad as some say is the same as saying they were good, or “beautiful’

              4. I guess, but isn’t that like saying a fart from eating ham n beans smells worse than the one from spaghetti and meatballs? Bad is bad, no matter how you slice it….teehee

        2. Jack i Believe a better way to say that is “statistically” the O line is playing better than they did in 2011. I remind Grant regularly that stats do not tell the whole story. This years O line does not pass the eye test run or pass blocking and their penalties have been horrible. Lastly your definition of avoidable sacks may be different than mine and mine may be different than the next guy and so on and so on ad nauseum.

          1. OldCoach speaks the truth and that’s why he’s one of the top assistants on this blog….

          2. Coach,

            “I remind Grant regularly that stats do not tell the whole story.”

            They do a pretty good job when I don’t feel like going through and cutting up all of the examples.

            “This years O line does not pass the eye test run or pass blocking and their penalties have been horrible.”

            It’s coming from the same source so I think there is some consistency in how they reach their conclusions.

            And once again, I’m not arguing that they are good, only that they aren’t as bad as some say. Time tends to make us forget how poor that line was in 2011. In 2012 they moved Alex Boone to guard and it should not come as a shock that it was also the season they had the best year under Harbaugh with a PBE of 80.

            1. Jack, how would you rank the OL individually? Who is best to worst of our OL, in your opinion, and who should they look to replace (if anyone)?

              1. Do you agree with Matt Barrows that the 49ers will replace Iupati with someone already on the roster?

                I do. As much as the OL has struggled this year, I don’t think any major moves need to be made this offseason. Staley, A. Davis, Kilgore and Boone are all fine in the starting roles, and one of Looney, Thomas or M. Martin will likely be the LG.

                The only area I’d look for outside help is the backup OT. I don’t think J. Martin is doing a good enough job as the backup OT. I think they’ll either bring in a vet or spend a mid round draft pick on an OT.

              2. I agree with you Scooter. I think Iupati is likely replaced by Thomas or possibly even Marcus Martin. The other Martin has struggled in a starting role but as a fill in I think he’d be ok going forward as long as the money is low. They could replace him with somebody on the PS or the draft as well.

              3. Brandon Vitabile C from Northwestern in the 7th round. You can’t count on Kilgore returning to form and M&M has an injury prone knee….

              4. Scooter,

                I think that’s what they would like to do. They will be up against the cap, and so filling as many spots internally as possible will be important.

                Jonathan Martin is on the books for barely over $1 mil next season. That’s a good price for a backup tackle.

    2. Bay I agree too! I also think CK is the best QB in football! No doubt! Keep up the good comments Bay!

  15. For my money, there is only one game changing wide-out in this draft and his name is not Amari Cooper (who is only 6’1 and not particularly fast). Dorial Green-Beckham is a game-changer. Might be the best height-speed combo to come out in a while. Maturity issues? Absolutely. Randy Moss, and Dez Bryant had them too. If this guy is available when we draft and we don’t grab him, I promise you the Seahawks will. There is no way his kind of talent gets past Snyder and Carroll. They don’t over-think team building. Green Beckham is the type of transcendent talent you trade up for. Of course, we won’t. With 13 PICKS we didn’t trade up for another Beckham. We loved the guy, clean, had 13 picks and didn’t trade up. We drafted Jimmie Ward, a decent and maybe improving player, but not what this team desperately needed. We prefer more of the WTF route. I am sort of getting tired of the WTF route. Losing out on some great players in the process.

    The more I watch the draft and how these GM’s operate, the more I wonder how many actually know what they are doing. Baalke likes to out-think the thinkers. Dangerous game. High-risk, high-reward. Then, you watch the NY Giants and they consistently take the best player on the board in the early rounds…on everyone’s board. It’s not perfect, they were bad this year, but it is an approach has given them two trophies in 10 years with a head-case for a QB.

    For me, this is a make or break year for Baalke. We need some offensive players who actually scare other teams. We have exactly, none.

    1. It’s not an exact Science which is why so many high picks wash out and undrafted FA’s prosper. Trading up for Beckham takes two things you don’t know the inside info on: A) the level of compensation required to move that high and B) whether the team at that spot even considered moving down.

      Sitting here after the season and criticizing is lazy. We can all go through the history of the draft and pick and choose players we would have taken, it’s not hard. What is hard is figuring it out on draft weekend and there’s been nobody better the past few years in acquiring talent in the draft than the Niners.

      1. Right on the money.

        In a typical season, roughly 3 out of 25 of players chosen between 41-66 make pro-bowl. (Draftmetrics study1993-2012)

        The math dictates that although the chance of picking a pro-bowler from that range is only 13%, there will be 3 diamonds in the rough fans of the other 22 teams can endlessly gripe about.

      2. It’s lazy to evaluate your teams draft success? What do you think an owner does? GM’s are hired, or fired due to their ability, or inability to draft successfully. Teams that win draft well, teams that lose, do not.

        It also goes without saying that a trade requires both compensation and willing partner, so does getting a hooker. Your stating the obvious. No, I don’t know the inside story on draft day. It does not mean we shouldn’t have moved up to get Beckham. We should have. We had more chips than any team in the past 10 years, we had a glaring need, and we had a track record for trading up (for Reid). Baalke made a bad call and thought that Ward carried similar value to Beckham overall. That is clearly not true. At this point, Ward looks like a 3rd round talent taken in the first round. We’ll see how he fares next year, but your 1st round players need to be making Pro-Bowls at some point.

        Lastly, prove to me that we have acquired more talent over the past four years than any other team. I don’t think that is true.

        2011 – A
        2012 – F
        2013 – C+
        2014 – B+.

        However, the NFL is about skill positions. In this area, we have struggled mightily.

        QB – B-
        RB – B
        WR – F-
        TE – F (Baalke did not draft Davis)
        CB – C

        1. “Baalke made a bad call and thought that Ward carried similar value to Beckham overall.”

          Only if you assume the Giants would have made a straight up trade of #30 for #12. If they would have agreed to that, and Baalke didn’t take it, then I’ll gladly jump on the fire Baalke band wagon.

          1. Only if you assume that the Giants were our only option to get Beckham. I doubt that, but impossible to know for sure.

            1. Great, so Baalke could have done a straight swap of #30 to a pick higher than #12 and didn’t take it. I definitely think they should fire him then.

              1. Not what I said.

                What I said, is you assume the Giants were the only team that would play ball with us. I am saying, when a draft is this deep, teams want to move back, not up. I am saying that the overall grades assigned to Beckham and Ward, were probably not that much different from one another. Taking it a bit further, Benjamin’s grade was also very close to Ward’s, and Benjamin’s not that much lower than Beckham’s.

                That’s how the deepest draft in 15 years probably looked going in.

                Beckham would grade in the top three of last years draft, so the Giants got a steal at 12. Benjamin would grade out in the top 12. Huge steal. Ward would grade a late 2 early 3 in last years draft. Over-drafted? Maybe.

                All this could change and Ward could be a pro-bowl player for us. I have not seen those flashes yet. A similar player with similar size limitations, Tyrann Mathieu, had far more impact in his first few games and rookie year than did Ward. Ward come from a small school, but I expected more flashes.

                I have no issue with our 2014 draft. It was solid. If Dontae Johnson and Ellington become better than good, it will be great. That said, I think there was better value in the first round than Ward. Whether that meant trading up, or taking someone else. When you have 13 picks in a deep draft, you CAN move up. The team with the picks has the leverage. We were content staying where we were to get the guy we wanted. Just not sure he is the guy we should have wanted. If we had 13 picks in this years draft, potentially one of the worst ever, we would be very aggressive.

        2. “Baalke made a bad call and thought that Ward carried similar value to Beckham overall.”

          How do you draw that conclusion? Beckham went off the board at 12 and Ward didn’t go until 30. To get up to Beckham you would have been forced to give up multiple players that played a lot of snaps this season.

          “At this point, Ward looks like a 3rd round talent taken in the first round.”

          He struggled against Chicago in his second start, but after that he was playing good ball.

          “We’ll see how he fares next year, but your 1st round players need to be making Pro-Bowls at some point.”

          He’s played 8 games. Let’s see how it plays out. I’d also be interested to know how many 1st round players make a Pro Bowl compared to other rounds.

          1. “He struggled against Chicago in his second start, but after that he was playing good ball.”

            I’m glad I am not the only one that sees this. Its funny how an early perception, good or bad, can dictate what fans think of the player. He had a bad time in the red zone matched up 1-on-1 against Marshall in this second start. But as you say, after that he actually was pretty solid.

            Yet many people made a judgement on Ward that day, and no matter how he played after that he was deemed to be struggling.

          2. “… but your 1st round players need to be making Pro-Bowls at some point.”

            Percentage of players that make Pro Bowl based on draft position (1993-2012)

            Percentage – Pick

            44% – 1-13
            19% – 14-40
            13% – 41-66
            6% – 67-86
            4% – 87-149
            3% – 150-189
            2% – 190-end

          3. Last year was the deepest draft in 15 years and likely most teams had first round grades on players clear into the second round. On average, there are maybe 15-20 first round grades given in any draft. This year, predicted to be one of the worst, MAYBE 15 will get first round grades.

            Using that logic, Ward was NOT graded that much lower than Beckham. Nothing to do with positions. Not sure we would have had to give up as much as people think in last years draft. This year, weak draft, you will have to give up quite a bit to move up.

            Right now, Beckham is an every ten-years-comes-along type talent. Ward is not. He may become that person, but currently no. Everyone knew Beckham was going to be special. The 49ers knew it and have admitted as much. I don’t know how hard they tried, I think they should have tried harder. QB and WR were the single biggest reasons for our failures this year…well, along with a sh***y OC.

            1. “Everyone knew Beckham was going to be special.”

              Yes, that is why he was taken at #12 and was the 3rd WR taken behind Watkins and Evans. Because everyone knew he was going to be special.

              “The 49ers knew it and have admitted as much.”

              Well, Baalke gave a vague answer about how they looked to move up, and that Beckham is a guy they liked.

              “Not sure we would have had to give up as much as people think in last years draft.”

              Maybe, but the rumours that were out there suggested the opposite.

              “QB and WR were the single biggest reasons for our failures this year.”

              Well, aside from having two positions listed there and calling it the “single biggest reasons”, if they’d moved up, would a rookie WR, even Beckham, have fixed Kaep’s problems? And which players would the 49ers have missed out on that were contributors at other positions? A very real possibility that by moving up we are saying the biggest reasons for the failure this year is still the QB, but also the lack of a backup RB, lack of depth at ILB, lack of CB depth, lack of OL depth, lack of OLB depth, etc.

            2. “Not sure we would have had to give up as much as people think in last years draft.”

              It took a swap of the First and a Third for teams to move up 4-7 slots in the first round, and those were picks in the twenties. To move from 30 to 12 would have taken at least one additional pick.

            3. Your logic is questionable at best. Ward was taken 18 slots lower than Beckham so assuming the team had similar grades on them is a reach.

              You also blow up your point when you state that everyone knew Beckham was special. If that’s the case what would make you think the Giants were interested in trading down to #30 instead staying there and taking a special player?

        3. Draft position is rarely mentioned. Below are (standard) chart values of 49er drafts.

          Year – Chart Value
          2014 – 1,718
          2013 – 2,041
          2012 – 1,031
          2011 – 2,363
          2010 – 2,800
          2009 – 1,600
          2008 – 1,463

          To keep things in perspective, 2010 had 2.7 times more draft capital then 2012.

          Makes me a little more forgiving of 2012 (though it was a stinker). Takes a bit of the shine off 2010-11.

          One of Baalke’s achievements is packing a whopping 700 points of extra draft capital into a historically deep 2014 draft. (100 extra underclassmen declared).

          1. “One of Baalke’s achievements is packing a whopping 700 points of extra draft capital into a historically deep 2014 draft.”

            That is something that is often overlooked. In one of the deepest drafts in recent memory, Baalke came away with a bucket load of players, many of which are already showing their talent. The trade chart may say 1,718 points, but given the strength in depth those later round picks were worth a lot more in 2014 than in most years. The 2014 draft may well be a crucial building block for this team.

            1. It was a masterstroke, and to your point, “the 2014 draft may well be a crucial building block for this team”, after the 2012 debacle, it had to be….

              1. Yes, 2012 was a setback. I think the 2014 draft and to a lesser extent the 2013 draft have been as much about building a young base to address the areas the 2012 draft failed to find as it has been about finding immediate starters.

              2. They tried to address that in 2013 by trading for Boldin and drafting Patton, and again in 2014 by trading for Johnson and drafting Ellington.

          2. Brodie:

            I’m not sure I’m understanding your post. The large difference between 2013 and 2012 is primarily due to more draft picks in 2013, right? And your statement that there is “a whopping 700 points of extra draft capital” is relative to what? Relative to the 2012 draft?

          3. Baalke played this draft perfectly in regards to acquiring extra picks instead of trading them. This was the draft to take as many players as possible due to the influx of talent available deep into it.

            We can sit here and lament the fact he didn’t take a WR with the first round pick and a few can bitch about the fact he didn’t trade up, but the bottom line is he found a lot of good young players, many of whom had to play this season, and played well.

        4. It’s lazy to evaluate your teams draft success? What do you think an owner does? GM’s are hired, or fired due to their ability, or inability to draft successfully. Teams that win draft well, teams that lose, do not.

          I said it’s lazy to sit here long after the drafts have taken place and make opinions based on hindsight of who has worked out well so far. The Niners have been a top 3 drafting team in pretty every poll you can find. Here’s a couple for you:

          http://q.usatoday.com/2014/05/07/nfl-draft-best-teams-seattle-seahawks-san-francisco-49ers-tennessee-titans-new-england-patriots/

          It also goes without saying that a trade requires both compensation and willing partner, so does getting a hooker. Your stating the obvious. No, I don’t know the inside story on draft day. It does not mean we shouldn’t have moved up to get Beckham. We should have. We had more chips than any team in the past 10 years, we had a glaring need, and we had a track record for trading up (for Reid)

          Again you assume that the Giants or other teams in that range were willing to move down. I doubt they wanted to bypass Beckham for the exact reasons you wanted the Niners to trade up. There’s also the fact it would have taken most of the picks the Niners had in the first 3 rounds along with a first this year to pull it off. They traded up for Reid because it took minimal compensation to do so (3rd round pick). If they had been able to work out a similar offer to move up for a WR I’m guessing they would have done it. I also dispute that it was a glaring need at the time. They had Boldin and Crabtree entrenched as the starters and had signed Lloyd as a FA. Again we can sit here now and point fingers because it didn’t work out, but at the time and even moreso after the trade for Johnson, most analysts were rating the Niner WR core among the top of the league.

          Baalke made a bad call and thought that Ward carried similar value to Beckham overall. That is clearly not true. At this point, Ward looks like a 3rd round talent taken in the first round. We’ll see how he fares next year, but your 1st round players need to be making Pro-Bowls at some point.

          No he didn’t think Ward carried a similar value to Beckham at all. He thought Ward’s value was consistent with their pick and chose him accordingly. The rest of your thought process is just armchair GM BS. You have no idea what Wards talent level is or how he’ll pan out. You are reacting to about a 3rd of a season played as a rookie in a very tough spot. I’ll be sure to remember that a late first round pick has to make a probowl for the choice to be successful. Thanks for the info.

          1. Forget the HTML adds. This should be easier to read:

            In response to DaNiners:

            It’s lazy to evaluate your teams draft success? What do you think an owner does? GM’s are hired, or fired due to their ability, or inability to draft successfully. Teams that win draft well, teams that lose, do not.

            I said it’s lazy to sit here long after the drafts have taken place and make opinions based on hindsight of who has worked out well so far. The Niners have been a top 3 drafting team in pretty every poll you can find. Here’s a couple for you:

            http://q.usatoday.com/2014/05/07/nfl-draft-best-teams-seattle-seahawks-san-francisco-49ers-tennessee-titans-new-england-patriots/

            It also goes without saying that a trade requires both compensation and willing partner, so does getting a hooker. Your stating the obvious. No, I don’t know the inside story on draft day. It does not mean we shouldn’t have moved up to get Beckham. We should have. We had more chips than any team in the past 10 years, we had a glaring need, and we had a track record for trading up (for Reid)

            Again you assume that the Giants or other teams in that range were willing to move down. I doubt they wanted to bypass Beckham for the exact reasons you wanted the Niners to trade up. There’s also the fact it would have taken multiple picks the Niners had in the first 3 rounds along with a first this year to pull it off. They traded up for Reid because it took minimal compensation to do so (3rd round pick). If they had been able to work out a similar offer to move up for a WR I’m guessing they would have done it. I also dispute that it was a glaring need at the time. They had Boldin and Crabtree entrenched as the starters and had signed Lloyd as a FA. Again we can sit here now and point fingers because it didn’t work out, but at the time and even moreso after the trade for Johnson, most analysts were rating the Niner WR core among the top of the league.

            Baalke made a bad call and thought that Ward carried similar value to Beckham overall. That is clearly not true. At this point, Ward looks like a 3rd round talent taken in the first round. We’ll see how he fares next year, but your 1st round players need to be making Pro-Bowls at some point.

            No he didn’t think Ward carried a similar value to Beckham at all. He thought Ward’s value was consistent with their pick and chose him accordingly. The rest of your thought process is just armchair GM BS. You have no idea what Wards talent level is or how he’ll pan out. You are reacting to about a 3rd of a season played as a rookie in a very tough spot. I’ll be sure to remember that a late first round pick has to make a probowl for the choice to be successful. Thanks for the info.

      3. Yep. We seem to have these types of back and forth’s a lot.

        There is one section of the crowd that thinks every draft pick should be a winner, that its easy to move up and get a player and that player should always be a superstar. These people typically fall into the “coulda, shoulda, woulda” category, with perfect 20-20 hindsight.

        Then there are the more realistic crowd that appreciate many draft picks won’t pan out, that there isn’t always an easy trade up (or down) option, and that you don’t always end up taking the guy available that winds up having the best career.

        It is easy to say now the team should have traded up and taken Beckham. One, because it is now clear he is something special as he has proven himself on the NFL stage, and two because noone knows what it might have taken to get him, so its a simple throw away line of “they should have moved up”.

        Instead of focusing on what they might have had, I suggest focussing on what they did take. Are they showing anything? Do they look like players that are worth keeping? Did they address the team’s biggest needs? To me that is how you judge whether it was a good draft or not, not by they players they “missed out on”.

        So far most of the 2014 picks that have played a snap this year have looked like they have some talent, and provide some hope for the future. And there are a number of guys that haven’t seen the field yet, that we’ll get a look at next year.

        The only question mark for this draft is they didn’t address the deep threat WR (though they did bring in 2 WRs). To me that is the only blemish on what has otherwise been a pretty good looking draft.

        1. As good as OBJr is, I don’t believe he is worth what it would have cost to acquire him. He goes down and there goes your draft. Too many eggs in one basket….

          1. Absolutely agree with you, razor. And as you know, I am one of Beckham’s greatest fans on this forum.

      4. We don’t know exactly what teams were asking for pick 12.

        I heard rumors teams were asking GMs with low draft position (like Baalke) at least a… 2014 first, 2014 second and a 2015 first.

        The trade-up bargains like the one Baalke used in 2013 to snag Reid (31 and 74 for the Cowboys 18) just weren’t there.

        Had Baalke somehow jumped to 12, I was hoping he’d pick Aaron Donald.

    2. what good is a fast wideout if you have an inaccurate qb who cant get him the ball.plus this coaching staff doesnt like to play rookies on offense

    3. One thing about the Ward pick I’d like to mention.

      He gets a bit of stick from various sections of the fans. After the Bears game there was plenty of talk about how the team should have taken a different DB to play the nickel back role.

      As we get to the end of the season, the other guys taken in the first round:
      – Justin Gilbert: Has been atrocious. Saw his snaps taken away from him as the season progressed, and only recently starting to see the field some more now.
      – Kyle Fuller: Was a superstar against the 49ers, but is currently the lowest ranked rookie CB in the NFL.
      – Darqueze Dennard: Played 58 snaps total on defense this year.
      – Jason Verrett: Looked good until going on IR.
      – Bradley Roby: Had his ups and downs, but looks promising.

      Overall, Ward has outplayed the guys that were meant to be the top CBs in the 2014 draft (Gilbert, Dennard, Fuller), and has been solid aside from one game. That is pretty good returns for a young DB. The Chargers and Broncos will no doubt be pleased with who they got, but the 49ers shouldn’t be having any buyer’s remorse based on what we’ve seen from Ward so far.

  16. Colin is such a cutie pie teehee!!! I want to massage his light chocolate muscles and kiss his biceps! Right bayareafanatic??? ;)

  17. Man the trolls have gotten childish.

    Listen guys life is good. Going to the game with my son this weekend. Hopefully some of our young guys get to play.
    Next season the team will get rid of those that are not performing and rely on those who are. I get that some of you will react childishly because the team doesn’t share your simple vision. Boo hoo. Deal with it. Go Niners.

    The real bay. Not prime trash or troll77

      1. If the blog is the same 5 folks who can’t get over smith’ departure. Then I guess he’s hated.
        I’ve sat and watched some go out of their way just to post trash talk on his posts.
        You’re one of them. Let the bitterness go.
        Heck prime monkey gets your vote after being a blantent racist, and idiot for making fun of someone’ wife with cancer?
        I’m sure you can ATLEAST talk some football.

  18. At the Monday presser, Harbaugh praised the players that played hard, not the whole team. That was a pretty obvious slam on those who mailed it in…

  19. Perfect end to this horrible season?
    Score 50 a game and win out as spoilers. But don’t give those haks up north the division.
    Defense is going to be horrible so why not make it a shootout with SD and ARZ

  20. Looks like the end of Borland for the year

    “Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Tuesday that “it would be a stretch right now” for rookie linebacker Chris Borland to play in either of the two remaining games. Borland injured his ankle”

    1. That’s a good idea. No need to risk making it worse. He’s proven he can play. Let some others play and lets see what they have. Sad to think this is what our season has come to.

      1. Totally agree, I like the kid. I am hoping Harbaugh plays a lot of the youngsters. Real game experience versus pre season is a no brainer to me. Great chance for them.

    1. I think the people in the stands need to remember what freaking state they live in and stop being a bunch of ussies.

    1. Thanks Mood. I’ve bookmarked the page (never use Twitter myself).

      I particularly like the following that Jeff Deeny tweeted:

      Vernon Davis PFF run blocking grades (includes postseason):
      2010: +7.0
      2011: +16.7
      2012: +14.8
      2013: +5.4
      2014: -11.7

      1. Another key point he made was how strong Walker was run blocking in 2012 (+13.8). That year the tight ends finished with a run blocking grade of 22.5. So far this year they have a -2.4, but that is mostly due to Davis.

        The good news is that the young guys are starting to shape up. McDonald was on pace for +12 to 13, and even Carrier was showing improvement.

        1. You and I have both mentioned it but so far I think it’s clear the 49ers miss Delanie Walker big time.

      2. Davis’ run blocking grade is rather concerning. How much of that is back injury, how much a lack of desire?

        1. Rewatch the Seattle game. He is responsible for some lost yardage on runnin downs and a sack.
          add his to the horrible offensive line problems too.

  21. Media hack: ‘Surely you must have some thoughts on that that you could enlighten us and help us understand a little?’
    .
    Harbaugh: ‘I have no thoughts on that, and don’t call me Shirley.’
    .
    .
    .
    *ALOHA*

    1. His record as an executive is rubbish, but he’s been successful wherever he went as a coach. He’s definitely worth at least giving an interview if the 49ers do move on from Harbaugh.

    2. I could only hope.
      That guy as a coach has some nothing but win. Turned two doormats into title championship teams. Yes I said teams. We all know the fix was in for Pitt, ok maybe it was because of no reviews at the time.

      Since they’re probably going to keep ck next season who better than holmgren to turn this gunslinging, no pocket awareness having, deer in the headlights, full of potential qb into a star. He made Matt hasselbeck a pro bowl type qb, and we know what he did with a sandlot flamethrower in favre.
      But since this is by FAR the best move they could make besides keeping harbaugh. I doubt they do it. Gotta feeling they hire from within. Which will be a huge mistake.

  22. Harbaugh’s press conferences are surreal. It is as if he is living in an alternate universe to the rest of us. He would make a hell of a White House press secretary.

  23. 49ers LE McDonald being investigated for rape:

    http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4301/ray-mcdonald

    49ers LE Ray McDonald is being investigated by the San Jose Police Department on a rape allegation that was reported last Tuesday.
    A search warrant has been issued for McDonald’s home, and the judge signed it on Tuesday. McDonald was in the news over summer after he was arrested on felony domestic violence charges. Those charges were eventually dropped. But he now has a potential sexual assault case on his hands. It’ll be interesting to see if the 49ers choose to stand by McDonald’s side as they did over summer. Dec 17 – 12:58 PM

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