Joe Montana on Colin Kaepernick: “He’s a quiet person. He doesn’t share a lot. He doesn’t talk to a lot of the guys.”

Check out what Joe Montana said about Colin Kaepernick on SI Now.

 

Q: Is it tough to watch when the quarterback and the front office are not on the same page? How big of a setback can that be for a team?

MONTANA: “That’s usually the leader of the team in most cases, and people look to him at this point. And he’s a quiet person. He doesn’t share a lot. He doesn’t talk to a lot of the guys. And that’s difficult for an offense to operate, because communication between the quarterback and the receiver is one of the most important things. Even with the offensive line. When there’s problems, you have to be able to talk to those guys and figure it out while you’re out on the field. And when you have a guy that doesn’t really want to be there, you don’t know whether to put yourself behind him or not. And you want to believe in him, but if he doesn’t want to be there, then…I’m sure they tried everything they could to get him to go someplace that he could be happy because it would best for both.”

Q: Clearly he doesn’t want to play for them, right?

MONTANA: “That’s just an assumption that everybody is making, but I really think it is more the organization than it is anything else. I think there are some people in the upper echelons that he probably doesn’t get along with, which wouldn’t be the first time.

“He’s got such a talent, it’s just hard to see. But obviously the way he played last year, it was very difficult for them to put their eggs all in his basket, especially with the mindset that he has, him not even wanting to be there.”

This article has 169 Comments

    1. bottom #7 sucks at leadership skills……..where is SEB…….bet he has a lot to say about how much Joe is right…

      1. Seb will appear in a bit. He ran down to a 7-11 to get some poptarts.

        1. I am sorry not to respond right away, but a tree service just removed an incense cedar that was overhanging my house. They had to use a crane, and I just had to watch. The crane operator let the limbs swing too much, but there were no mishaps.

          Please ignore this post if you want, It may be a little lengthy.

          Joe Montana has some interesting insights. Glad he shared them and I wholeheartedly agree that everyone needs to be on the same page. Jed never should have started that whisper campaign because if you are throwing shade at your franchise QB, it is obvious that you are trying to drive him away. Throwing your team QB under the bus is almost as bad as cutting him on the team bus.

          I am a fervent believer that They still want to get rid of Kaep because he is the last vestige of the JH influence. They wanted to purge Kaep because JH selected him. Too bad Marathe, the leaker was exposed. It is their MO to leak like crazy, just like the AD shade was surreptitiously leaked on the east coast in a failed attempt to deflect blame.

          Bill Walsh once wrote that the Niners should expect to be insulted by the opposing negotiator. They should expect that, but they should not let emotions get out of control. They should never ever ever have sent Marathe to negotiate a pay cut. It was a huge insult. It was insulting to confront Kaep’s negotiators with the guy who had been exposed as the leaker of all the smears against Kaep. It was a further insult to have the chief financial negotiator demand Kaep take a pay cut. Why? Because those schmoes told Kaep that his injuries were not significant, and made him play while injured, so he was injured even more. Kaep was literally stabbed in the back by the Niner medical staff, and his surgeries in Colorado was proof that Kaep did not trust them.

          Kaep has been stabbed in the back way too many times. For his sanity, he should flee this dysfunctional conniving and petty dumpster fire. I still think that Elway wants him, and is just waiting the Niners out. He did not have to give up a 2016 draft choice. Now all they have is 2017 draft choices.Elway is waiting until the Niners will not receive compensatory picks once Kaep leaves.

          I wish Kaep well, wherever he goes. If he leaves to go to the Broncos, I expect that Kaep, with that Denver defense, would be in good position to repeat.
          I really hope he can forgive, and stay. I hope that in the Chip Kelly offense, he can rejuvenate his game. It was almost criminal how they stuck with Devey and Pears, until his confidence and body was shattered.

          All this chatter about Kaep being quiet, aloof and withdrawn, just emphasizes the narrative that he has lost the locker room, even though many profess that they like Kaep. Kaep may have little problem with his team mates, his problem is with the FO. Team mates will keep quiet, because they are afraid of losing their jobs, too.

          The most important person in this drama is Chip. I suspect the tension we heard about was between Chip and Baalke about Kaep. Chip sees that Kaep is his best chance to succeed. Chip probably threatened to quit if they traded away Kaep. Jed may have wanted to avoid having more banners fly if he sees that his HC bailed on him over petty bickering and backstabbing.

          Some fools want to cut Kaep, but that is exactly what Kaep wants. Then the Niners get nothing, and Kaep is freed from that onerous contract. Believe it or not, Denver offered BO a 16 mil contract, which is more than Kaep’s. They can restructure contracts to fit an elevated contract, but have not made the trade because they want to give as little as possible for him.

          They may keep on throwing shade at Kaep, but that is just lowering his trade value. If they had a scintilla of common sense, they should be praising Kaep to the high heavens. But no, they will talk about a benched third stringer with an attitude problem who refuses to study, has lost the locker room, has quit on the team, who cannot make the reads, is inaccurate and does not want to be here.

          Maybe they should give him back his starting job that he lost due to injury, making him a starting QB. Instead of ostracizing him they should welcome him back with open arms and create many heartwarming examples of team unity. Then his value will rise and they can get more compensation for him.

          Getting rid of such a distraction like Kaep may make some haters feel good, but if he leaves, just expect more losing. It will be expected that the Niners may end up with the first pick, and they will be forced to use it on a QB, instead of getting McCaffrey. They play in the tough West and have the hardest schedule, so they have a daunting challenge.

          I still hope for a miracle, and wishes he stays, because then, the Niners may not have a losing season. Chip will be hailed as a genius if he can resurrect Kaep. The best news is that it may be an easy fix. Stop using him and others incorrectly, Accentuate their positives and hide their weaknesses, stop the brain dead coaching, stop the unforced errors, become more disciplined and get back to playing Niner Football.

              1. Prime, I really hope you ignored it. Maybe I need to preface my disclaimer by saying that- I invite all posters, and especially Prime, to ignore this, and all my posts, if they want to.

            1. You have heard it all before, but I wrote that for the new readers.

              Sure am glad that the Great Joe Montana just confirmed my premise. Kaeps’s beef is with the FO, not Kelly.

            2. Seb, no offence, I never read anything you write.Its never made sense and never will!

              1. Prime,you have been engaging me this entire time without reading a word I wrote? How obtuse.

          1. Right now the 9ers are 80/1 shots t make the super bowl. they are ahead of Cleveland though

          2. A couple of things must be disputed…
            1. “Because those schmoes told Kaep that his injuries were not significant, and made him play while injured, so he was injured even more.”
            This was stated because the injuries he had are normally played through, this was verified by an independent former team doctor. He chose to get his surgeries after getting benched for poor performance and end his season… this could be a major reason for his loss of the locker room.

            2. “Believe it or not, Denver offered BO a 16 mil contract, which is more than Kaep’s.”
            I can’t believe this one without a source. All sources were saying Denver had a deal in place with SF and the only thing that scuttled the trade was that Denver wanted him to take a massive pay cut in addition to leaving his current contract structure in place. Contracts are a greater indicator of how a team feels about you than anything else… at the least the niners had the courtesy to give Kaep the reach around.

            3.”The most important person in this drama is Chip. I suspect the tension we heard about was between Chip and Baalke about Kaep. Chip sees that Kaep is his best chance to succeed. Chip probably threatened to quit if they traded away Kaep.”
            While I agree with the first statement the last one here makes no sense. If this were true wouldn’t Chip have said something like I can’t wait to work with Kaep? Chip purposely has chosen not to campaign for Kaep publicly so why risk friction behind the scenes if your not willing to publicly back your guy?

            1. 1. You still seem to not be able to associate poor performance with injuries. Kaep was injured enough to have 3 surgeries. A fully healthy player will have difficulties playing, an injured player will have even more.

              2. I am just relaying what I read in the news. BO was offered 16 mil, so the Broncos must have been able to afford to pay that amount. Right, you and I do not know what went on behind closed doors, but obviously, the Broncos offered too little, and the Niners wanted too much.

              3. Chip did not shine in his initial PC. His smarmy manner that mentioned Gabbert every time some one asked a question about Kaep was not his finest moment. Chip really needs to work on his people skills. Chip was probably parroting the FO views of Kaep. Later, when he got a hold of the roster, he probably decided that Kaep was his best chance to win, so he started to praise Kaep to the high heavens. The very fact that Kaep is still around makes me believe the rumors of tension between Chip and Baalke. In fact, the whole FO needs to work on their people skills, not just Chip.

              The FO was so hell bent on getting rid of Kaep, the only logical explanation to me was that Chip threatened to quit if they did so. Chip Kelly is no dummy. He is really smart, and saw that Kaep was backstabbed and smeared because of an emo FO. Believe it or not, there were rumors in Philly that Chip thought Kaep was such a perfect fit for his system, he offered a couple first round picks for him.

          3. Seb

            it might do you well to remember that ‘Chip’s’ job is to rejuvenate the 49er’s fortune…not necessarily Kaeps….

            1. Chip is not deciding anything anytime soon. He will assess the players during TC.

              I still think that Chip really wants to utilize Kaep’s and all the other player’s skillsets to his maximum potential because he just said that in his presser.

              I also believe, and it is just my personal opinion, that Chip sees Kaep as his best chance to win. If he can fix Kaep’s problems, the Niners will have a good chance to win, and he will be hailed as a genius for rehabilitating Kaep.

  1. And Seb says he is a franchise QB! Every outsider can tell CK doesn’t want to be a Niner, now JM says it.
    I see this as a major distraction. Cut him if can’t win the job and the trust of his teammates!

    1. Prime Slime,

      I see you are still obsessing over Kap. Get a life why don’t you. He is here to stay so get on board with that or get lost.

      1. Bayarea fanatic

        I thought that you were gone forever….Oh, it has to be finalized….

  2. Do you guys remember that play last year (I don’t recall the game) where the entire offensive line froze after the snap and Kap was smothered immediately. I think even the center (Martin, I believe) didn’t move, but I’d like to verify that. At the time, I thought that was the strangest play I’d ever seen. Now, I’m wondering if there was more to it than just a missed snap count. If the center froze as well, then that would suggest a lot. Anybody remember which game that was?

      1. I think you are right. And since it was Kap that limits it to the Steelers, Cardinals Giants or Rams game. I’m thinking Steelers or Cardinals.

  3. “Let him do the things that he does well,” Montana concluded. “He’ll take that team back and get it winning again, but you can’t force him to do something and make him start thinking and then everybody questions every throw he makes”. “Let him be himself”….

    1. Are you saying our fearless reporter left out a positive comment from Montana’s interview? Shocking.

    2. Problem I have with that is your asking the other 10 guys to change too. That’s tough to do when football has always been played in the pocket by the QB

  4. I’d like to know how Joe knows this stuff. Has he been around the team? Does he talk with some of the players or coaches? Does he know someone in the front office?

      1. Yup, 14th picked QB has HOF written all over him. Employ selective amnesia about his Florida play, and equate him with Tom Brady, another 6th round pick.

    1. Have to admit, I’m not a fan of his college play, but this guy has grown on me ever since I saw him interviewed ahead of rookie mini-camp. He’s funny, good in front of the media, easy to like. I hope he makes it.

    2. It would be great to see Driskell turn into something, but the odds aren’t good. He was a 6th round pick for a reason. He had to leave Florida because he was playing so poorly he was replaced as QB. He wasn’t very good there and while he did put together a nice season at LA Tech, he joined a team that was the 11th overall scoring offense in the league the previous year with some guy named Cody Sokol at QB. Anybody familiar with Cody Sokol? He threw 30 TD’s and led an offense that put up over 500 points. The offense actually took a step back with Driskell scoring 488 points. Driskell was a better talent than Cody Sokol, but it’s just another example of why you can’t look at good stats achieved in one season and overlook the previous 4 years of poor play.

    3. That was an excellent read, Thanks George, I was wondering what Tim R. was upto!

  5. I still have a sense that CK7 will not be on the team this season. I’ve yet to hear any ringing endorsements from the FO or as much from Chip except for the mundane and typical coach talk.
    Also, in Kelly’ system Gabbert could do what Kaep would be asked to do and probably excel at it.

    If Gabbert is head n shoulders better than CK in TC, I don’t see a future here for Kaep. Driskel was drafted to be groomed to eventually play in this offense and if he catches quickly catches on he could be a viable option in year two.

    I believe that Kaep missed out on a great opportunity to go with the Broncos. Even though he would have taken a steep cut in pay he could have made that up by meeting incentives and other milestones. Honestly, I’m a little surprised that CK didn’t lean on his confidence and competitive nature and ply his trade with the SB champs.

    1. I don’t know that Denver offered Colin anything more than a two year pay cut and the continuation of the current terms of his contract through 2020. That amounts to Denver having total control of the potentially best years of his carrier at 50% then they could play hard ball with him again in 2018.

      Colin might have taken a two year contract with incentives. That wasn’t offered as far as we know.

      1. ht,
        You may be right, and I don’t really know the details behind Denver’s offer, but it baffles me that CK didn’t take a chance at playing for the SB champs and possibly getting some help from HOF QB John Elway.
        Seems like a great missed opportunity imo.

        1. A mandatory $4.5 million dollar haircut might have had something to do with it.
          My guess is he is using this year to get healthy and then the Niners trade him next offseason.

        2. According to CBS and ESPN the contract was the sticking point as the 49ers and Denver had already agreed in principal to the compensation for Kaep’s services.

      2. I think Denver offered a 4th round pick, but after the Rams and Eagles deals, the Niners asked for 2 first rounders. Denver offered BO 16 mil, so the money aspect was not the sticking point.

    2. AES, Baalke was threatening to trade Kaep all the way up to the draft. Jed and Baalke, along with Marathe, want Kaep gone. Why did I say that? Baalke has not even met with Kaep. If not for Chip, Kaep would have been long gone.

      Imagine, by getting rid of Kaep, they would be saving even more money. Too bad the empty seats will also affect the bottom line.

      Jed, by allowing Marathe to participate in panel discussions, is also sending out messages. Too bad it will fund more banners.

    3. But he is leaning on his confidence and competitiveness while not having to give up a dime. Kap played in a zone read offense his entire college career. He did some more of it while with Harbaugh. Gabbert hasn’t ever had to read a mesh-point in a zone read. He doesn’t have the arm talent to make the throws that Kap can, nor the top end speed in the open field. Kap knows that once he’s healed, he won’t have to go around the locker room kissing everyone’s hind-parts to be liked or followed. There are plenty of guys still on this team that was around for that playoff run vs Carolina,GB and Seattle. Those guys have seen what he could do with a competent offensive line and a running game behind him. Cream always rises to the top and by the 3rd pre-season game, I expect Kap to have the starting job locked up…

  6. I blame all of the QB woes on Jim Harbaugh. He should have never benced Alex Smith.

      1. Well he did play good enough to win one. It only took two muffed punts to beat him so that is a weakness in his game.

          1. The WR corps did not help him either. Only Peyton Manning could have done something with that group.

  7. Marathe seems to be the cancer – anything he touches turns to sh:t Rumors are that he instigated the JH vs FO confrontation. His leak rate is off the charts. How is he still employed? Jed must love the way Marathe kisses his arse.

    1. I think Madden once said that it is a easier to get a suit than it is to get a coach.

      Maybe he should have also said that players are precious, suits are cheap.

    2. As far as the tiff between the FO and Harbaugh, I’m going to lean on the negative feelings beginning when the FO didn’t give Harbaugh the SB type contract monies he felt that a SB winning head coach should be receiving.
      Had Harbaugh actually won the SB perhaps the last 3 years would have never happened and only been a bad dream coming on the heels of eating a late night pepperoni pizza.

      1. AES,

        I agree with you that contract issues started the rift between JH and the FO.

        As for the rest of it, I think after the FO exacerbated things, JH saw he wasn’t getting the contract/money he wanted, that CK wasn’t what he thought CK would be, the roster was getting older, decided he didn’t want to go down with the ship and threw accelerant on the fire the FO started.

        I just don’t think things go as wrong as they did as a result of the actions of one side. The FO is clearly more responsible for the Harbaugh fiasco, but JH put the finishing touches on things and isn’t the innocent that many make him out to be.

      2. I don’t think the money played a big part. The problems started with a difference in philosophy after the SB according to Jed. That’s when Jed said he began not seeing eye to eye with Harbaugh. The situation was exacerbated at the end of the following year when the Cleveland trade rumors came up, and then was completely nuked when leaks began pouring out during the season in an attempt to undermine Harbaugh’s standing in the locker room..

        There is no doubt Harbaugh did his part to upset Jed and Trent, he is tough to get along with, but this separation was instigated and pushed along by Jed York imo. Harbaugh was willing to Coach out his contract, said the mutual parting angle Jed tried to pass off was BS and he had no reason to lie about that.

        When you put all the info together, you come up with – or at least I come up with – a clear picture of Jed’s arrogance and delusion that led him to believe Harbaugh was benefiting from the great roster Baalke put together and that Jim Tomsula could come in and replace him without a problem.

        The one positive to take from it is that at least Jed realized he screwed up. parked his bruised ego and took the hit to dump Tomsula.

        1. Rocket,

          JH had every reason to say “I didn’t leave the organization, I feel like they left me”. It made him the “winner”, and there’s not much that’s more important to JH than winning.

          I have a hard time thinking JH just waited around for things to play out. It’s far more likely that he went on the offensive.

          1. On the contrary I think it would have been more face saving for him to agree the decision was mutual. I don’t know too many people who willingly admit they weren’t wanted.

            I’m sure Harbaugh wasn’t all that pleasant to Jed during the final season, but that was after Jed started the ball rolling on getting Harbaugh out of town.

            1. JH got away from a situation he didn’t want to be in at the end, went to a great situation at Michigan, all the while being seen as a victim of the 49ers FO and maintaining mythical hero status by most of the 49er fan base. JH won on every on every front. Brilliant maneuvering by JH.

              1. JH was the victim, and had an interview with TK that spelled out his side of the story. JH said that he was informed that the FO did not want him. The mutually parted crap was all Jed. Jed was cheap and did not want to pay for his last year, so the mutually parted scenario was raised to accomplish his goal.

                Luckily, JH had an offer from Michigan in his pocket when Jed fired him, so he had a soft landing.

                Maybe it was brilliant maneuvering by JH, but it was more pathetic, inept, classless, bumbling by Jed and Baalke.

              2. Seb,

                That wasn’t an interview, it was a press release. He knew TK would let him say whatever he wanted, without being questioned or challenged, at all.

                You’ve heard the saying that there are two sides to a story, and then there is the truth?

                We only heard what JH wanted us to hear in that interview with TK.

                Do you really see JH as some innocent victim of JY? That image is almost laughable, to me.

              3. Ex. JH did have an interview with TK. JH sat in a chair and TK asked questions and JH answered them. He did not stand at a podium and deliver a speech.

                Yes, TK had asked several times before if JH was serious about having an interview, considering the contentious nature of their relationship, so it was understandable that TK would lob softballs.

                Yes, JH gave his side of the story, because Jed spun the mutual parting as a mutual decision.

                Guess whose version I believe?

              4. Seb,

                My point is, you don’t have to believe either JY or JH. I’m suggesting the truth is somewhere in between. I do believe the way things went down skew significantly towards JY being at fault, but I do also believe JH actively tried and succeeded to make JY look bad in the press. Of course, JH was helped by JY’s tone deaf, clumsy way of conducting himself.

              5. If both of them had controlled their egos for the sake of the team, things might have been different.

                Too bad Baalke and Jed thought they could replace JH with Tomsula and march into the playoffs.

  8. This wouldn’t be a problem if Kaepernick let his play on the field do the talking for him, but that hasn’t happened for the last two seasons. I know Montana ended the segment on a good note, but it also indicated why Kaepernick will never be an elite QB. Good QBs learn to adapt.

  9. As you guys read these win predictions do you get the feeling that there totally based on the previous year’s performances? For instance last year we were predicted to have slightly over 7 wins. Somehow that didn’t factor in how bad JT and company would be. JT definitely benefited from This year we’re factored in at 3.9 wins based on last years performance. Seems like Chip with the same roster JT had is worth 2-3 more wins.

    http://www.ninersnation.com/2016/5/12/11666348/football-outsiders-projects-4-12-season-for-49ers

    1. It does seem to place a lot of emphasis on the previous years results Wilson. It’s an inexact Science for sure.

      I don’t think you need a formula to figure out the Niners are likely a 4 win team though. Chip Kelly is being viewed as a savior worth a few games in the standings, but that is wishful thinking imo. He won the same number of games as Tomsula did with a better team in Philly last year and the 2016 Niner schedule is very difficult. Once you also factor in learning new systems on both sides of the ball, questions at QB and skill positions in general on offense, right side of the Oline, pass rush, rushing defense…it stands to reason the Niners are likely picking in the top 3 next year.

      1. Rocket,

        So you’re predicting either a 4-12 or 3-13 record for the 49ers, right?

              1. I’m pretty sure that is your standing prediction. I think you made the same one while supporting the hiring of Tomsula last year.

            1. I’m guessing .. 8-8 … but..
              only if the new offense ends up being
              “as advertised”

            2. Rocket,

              I think 4 wins or worse would be in the disaster category. Of course, that’s how you see the 49ers. Or, at least, that’s how it seems.

              1. I see it as a win total commensurate with their situation ex. The 49ers are a bad team right now.

              2. The 49ers did outperform their pythagorean expectation last year. They had the point differential of a 2-3 win team but got lucky a couple times.

              3. The 49ers were terrible when they hired Jim Harbaugh, too. The coaching embarrassment had Alwx Smith ready to move on. There was obvious talent at RB, TE, LB, and DL, with every other position group either unproven or unremarkable. Iupati and Davis were establishing themselves, but OL was not a position of strength, and the secondary appeared deeply flawed. Of course, Alex returned, Aldon Smith and Colin Kaepernick joined, and there was a brief period of unsustainable magic under Harbaugh and Fangio.

                Today, there are a lot more unproven areas, but there is similarity in this being a team peppered with talent. There is an iconic ILB, a rising OLB in Lynch, a clearly talented Hyde, a secondary marked with budding stars in Ward and Tartt, and established workmen in Reid and Bethea, and the OL, returning to health and significant improvement with the additions of Brown and Garnett. The WR and TE groups are completely unknowable, but seem promising.

                The real questions are who are Kelly and O’Neil, can they complement one another, and can the coaching staff instill maturity and consistency in this young roster this season? It’s a big ask, but Kelly is among a small handful of living football coaches who have attained legendary status.

          1. Six wins max, but I also feel like four wins is more realistic no matter who the QB is.

      2. Kelly won 1 more game than Tomsula and it likely would have been 2 had he coached the finale. How much better was the talent in Philly, my take is only marginally better across the board.

      3. I don’t know that I agree with the assimilation being an issue. Kelly walked into Philly and went 10-6 his first season. The players seem to think the new system isn’t that difficult to learn. Its also not as novel as it was then. We are a bad team, I don’t think we’re a 4-12 team. It would be at the bottom end of our spread and is possible. I think we could also be 7-9. I think the quality of coaches across the board is better. They got some help for the OL. We’ll still have a problem if Hyde goes down.

        I also think that BG and CK are better than the QB’s Kelly had in Philly with potentially the exception being Bradford. Sanchez, Fole’s, Vick all were like mid 50% completion guys out of Kelly’s system. In his system they all improved. Both BG and CK out of Kelly’s system are better than that and should give him some more talent to work with and a real run threat too.

    1. With that said it might be a really good time to want a 3-13 season with Watson and Kaaya potentially entering the draft.. Much better QB prospects then this years QBs.

      1. I don’t agree with that RAW. I think Goff is better than either of those guys. Watson is going to get the usual adulation that comes with being a high profile player, but imo he is a much better College QB than he will be in the pros. Kaaya has potential but he really has to put together a great season this year to be thought of as a top pick.

        1. I understand your a big Goff supporter but he doesn’t nearly have the Talent that those two QBs I mentioned. Watson is an Elite dual threat prospect. Watch the Alabama game where he put up 40 points against that defense. That never happens against bama.. Yes Kaaya hadn’t put up the numbers yet but has everything you want in a franchise QB.. This is the year to Tank!

              1. Oy vey. How did I even come to that conclusion? He’s clearly a DE.

          1. Goff is a better passer than either one of them and is a seasoned pocket QB. You are making the same mistake many do when watching these guys play in College. It’s not about the athleticism and ability to make high light reel plays on the ground. It’s about owning the game mentally, finding the right player to get the ball to, and delivering it accurately. Watson is a great College QB, but he is not a great pocket QB yet, and still relies on his legs far too much.

            Kaaya isn’t in the discussion yet imo. He has a long way to go and needs to play a lot better than he has his first two seasons to warrant that kind of praise and ranking.

            1. “It’s not about the athleticism and ability to make high light reel plays on the ground. It’s about owning the game mentally, finding the right player to get the ball to, and delivering it accurately.”

              Bingo.

              1. Watson does all that.. Plus played and dominated in the SEC.. He is the slam dunk number 1 pick. Goff looked lost against good competition. There is no comparison between the two. You will both find out shortly.

            2. As an unabashed Kaaya fan, I am really looking forward to seeing how he goes this year.

      2. Never. Wanting to tank for a high draft pick just instills a losing mindset. Look at the Browns, Jags and Titans, and up to recently, the Raiders. Perennial losers and perennial high draft picks. Even with those high draft picks, they always seem to falter.

        I would much rather set reasonable goals like- not having a losing season. Niners were 5-11, so they could easily improve 3 games. Like RW says, with Gabbert, another 5 win season. with Kaep, 8-8 is possible. If they use Hayne properly, Flaherty does a good job and Chip fixes the offense, maybe even 10-6 and a shot at the playoffs.

        1. Nobody’s talking about tanking. Just realistic enough to know this team has a solid chance of being near the top of the draft.

    1. He’s an exciting prospect to have acquired in the 3rd round, yet people complain. I’m anxious to see what he can do at the NFL level….

      1. Me too. The suspension which I had forgotten about also provides a good indication as to why he didn’t start until his senior year.

        Prior to his injury he was being considered a late first/ early second round prospect. When the 49ers drafted Brandon Thomas in the 3rd a couple of years ago most people were thrilled (even if it hasn’t worked out as hoped so far), and he was much further away from getting back on the field than Redmond is. Oh well.

        1. I did more ACL research today. The recovery from the injury is based largely on 2 factors: (1) how clean the tear was; (2) how long after the injury the surgery occurs; and (3) how rigorously the patient pursues a pre-op physical therapy regimen. Those with clean tears who wait between 3-6 weeks post-injury to have surgery, and use that time to regain full range of motion before surgery tend to recover fully and more quickly from the surgical procedure.

          I also looked at a comprehensive list of what is called The ACL Team to determine what kinds of players suffer the injuries (it affects all talent levels) and the types of recovery achieved by those players. Revis, Gronk, and Carson Palmer came back at the same level as pre-injury. Peterson, Von Miller, and Chris Harris appear to have come back stronger. It seemed to me from looking at the list that superstars didn’t lose much, if anything, and that average players either didn’t recover as often or as fully, and stayed average.

          We have 3 guys who we want to show out this season, Carradine, Thomas, and Smelter, and 1 guy who we’ve been told we should expect to compete as usual, Redmond. I would caution against Redmond pushing too hard, too soon, and I will venture that the talent level and intestinal fortitude of our other 3 will determine both their respective recoveries and their attendant career arcs. Carradine and Smelter will perform, and Thomas will disappear. No player will suddenly stop being what he could have been, and if there’s any brilliance in any of them, this is the year to prove it.

            1. Why do you ask? You believe its prevalent, ok, but in what way, HGH, PRP, others? And do you think the superstars are applying PED regimens, while the others are not?

  10. I’m looking forward to who will be our return specialist.
    When was the last time we had a legit threat to take one back to the house on a punt or kickoff return?

      1. All Smith needs is Rice and Montana. A much better offensive line wouldn’t hurt either.

  11. Niners should re-sign Boldin because of his leadership, and importance to the offense.

      1. I hope Boldin can do that. He deserves another ring.

        If Jed wants to be a leader and show class, he should give AB 5.5 mil, and tell him that even if joins another team, he should keep the money and put it towards his charity.

        Of course, Jed is too cheap and has no clue how to act as a champion, but it would be a classy move to do that, and prove that they want to retain talented veteran leadership.

        1. That would be a nice gesture, but the 49ers can’t afford the roster spot.

          1. Ex, last I heard, the Niners have 59 mil in cap space. The can easily afford it. Getting Boldin back will show that they want to retain veteran leadership, and Boldin is Kaep’s favorite target to throw to.

            You may consider Boldin to be worthless, but to me, he a gem, and could help them (and himself) win another ring.

            1. Seb,

              The 49ers can’t afford the ROSTER SPOT. My comment isn’t about money.

              1. I mentioned the salary cap to show how easy it would be to afford Boldin, and some things money can’t buy. Like veteran leadership. Like keeping promises. Like acting with class.

                If they could afford to re-sign Devey, roster spots are very affordable.
                Thankfully, he is gone, but the Niners do not have many veteran WRs who have won SBs. Boldin may has lost a step, but he is still can play at a high level, and his blocking skills are superior to all the others.

              2. Unless he is happy to come back in a reserve role, he would block the young guys from playing time again. These guys need to be given a chance at some point.

              3. Playing the young WRs is nice for their development, but I believe that Boldin, with his veteran savvy, will help them win games.

                At his age, he will probably not be an every down player, but if used judiciously, he can make an impact.

              4. Letting the young players develop will help them win games long term. This is a rebuilding team. The long term outweighs the short term.

              5. Seb,

                Of course, the 49ers could afford the money to sign Boldin. What I’m saying is they can’t afford to give Boldin a roster spot. As Scooter pointed out, the 49ers need to develop their young WR’s.

              6. I see your perspective, and can agree with the concept, but pardon me if I sound flippant and say I would rather win than develop players. Boldin gives the Niners a better chance to win. Maybe not by himself, but he can contribute in so many ways.

              7. Every team has to let vets go at some point to let their young guys develop. It’s time. Boldin is still a solid possession WR, but he’s nothing special, and father time will continue to take its toll. They drafted his replacement last year.

                What you appear to be missing is that you’ll never know how good the young guys are until you give them a chance. While Boldin can still do a job, it’s entirely possible a guy like Smelter could be better at this point in time. Give him a go.

              8. Scooter, what I am saying is that Chip should utilize Boldin, but also let the other younger players get snaps.

                Maybe if they stop going 1-13 on third downs, they may have more opportunities to get the younger players in.

                Boldin should have specially designed plays that they practice and perfect, so once he is in, they do not need to do hand signals, but know that they will run the play they have been focused on in practice. The younger players should also have specifically designed plays, too. In order to not tip off the defense, there should be specifically designed plays where they are the decoys, so if Boldin goes in, they will not key on him only, expecting him to get the ball.

              9. Having specific plays for each player is a bad idea. Far too predictable.

                If Boldin is happy to be a backup/ rotational player then fine. Though he’d be taking up a roster spot in a reserve type role that adds nothing to STs.

              10. If they are devised behind closed doors, the opposing team will not know which play will be run. The opposing team cannot predict what will happen. The Niners have the advantage of practicing the plays until they become second nature and establish proper timing and anticipation.

                If the defense finds out that the new player is just a decoy, they will not be able to key on him, or if they do, some one else may be wide open.

              11. It will still become predictable in time. There are only so many plays in a playbook. If you give a handful for certain players, it becomes predictable after a while.

                Keep in mind the team does not have enough time to be learning new plays each week. Practice during the week is for getting that week’s game plan down. But the plays they practice are ones they learned in TC.

              12. Scooter I have been consistent in my belief that the Niner offense has to become more unpredictable. It Boldin can focus on refining one play so that it becomes second nature, it will help the offense stay on the field. I do not want him to only do that one play. Next week, he should practice another play or plays, and so on, so the defense cannot predict what Boldin would do. He should develop a full range of plays that he feels comfortable with, and successful at.

              13. “It Boldin can focus on refining one play so that it becomes second nature, it will help the offense stay on the field.”

                C’mon, Boldin is a consummate pro and seasoned vet. He can master an entire playbook, no problem. Why would they try and limit him to just one play?

                Each of these guys need to know the full playbook in case of injury. You never know when someone may go down and the player will be needed to fill in another’s shoes.

                Sorry Seb, but this is one of your silly ideas.

              14. Scooter, I am cognizant of Boldin’s age and speed. He should not be doing go routes. No doubt he would be willing to go in the middle, but his best plays may be the curls and seam routes.

                All I am saying is that they should utilize his talents wisely and make him a reliable third down option to keep the sticks moving.

                Boldin may still command double teams, but that means another player is in single coverage. If they single cover Boldin, he may be the best option to complete a third down pass for another first down. He may be able to best help the team in that manner.

                Boldin may be resigned to letting the younger players get more snaps, but if used judiciously, Boldin could be a key contributor.

              15. As with any receiver, if all he ever does is short routes, he’ll become very easy to defend.

                What you are describing is effectively playing him the way he’s always been played. He’s a possession WR, that is a reliable 3rd down option.

                They could play him as the 3rd WR, playing from the slot primarily to do what you suggest. But if he is doing that, then he is preventing somebody else from playing that position. Personally I think with his size, footwork, huge hands and tenacious blocking ability that Smelter would be ideal for the slot role. Or they could decide to use a guy like Eric Rogers, Busta Anderson or Devon Cajuste in that role, and have Smelter focus on the flanker position. Regardless, if Boldin is playing that role, he’s preventing somebody else from playing it, and thereby stunting their development.

              16. Signing AB at this point would be like signing Hayne was: a silly decision, given the team’s need to develop young talent at the position.

                Anybody who doesn’t understand that on his own doesn’t grasp what the 49ers are at this point.

              17. I agree it would be a silly decision, but not in the same way Hayne was. Hayne was all about trying to develop talent. Sure, it was the smartest investment in talent to be trying to develop. But not the same as signing an aged veteran in the twilight of his career.

              18. Signing Hayne wasn’t a purely football decision, because at his age and chosen position, he wasn’t going to contribute for long enough to take the snaps away from other guys. Signing Boldin is similar because it would be a sentimental signing, and counterproductive to the process of assessing who’s who on the WR corps.

              19. Well, I think there is a difference between a 27 year old rookie and a 36 year old veteran WR, so I’m not seeing the comparison. Hayne didn’t come with the beating most rookie RBs have taken, so if he was any good he could probably have played for 5 to 6 years before breaking down. Basically, enough to get one full term contract out of him. He was a developmental player. Boldin is a stop-gap.

              20. Well, both Hayne and Boldin are off the team, and unlikely to return.

                Still, I see they have potential to be better than an unproven rookie, and if the Niners want to win, they should be aiming high instead of being content to develop players.

  12. Now that the draft is over, the Niner coaches should be assessing the players and formulating the playbook. They should make tough choices, and try to trade players from positions that have a glut of players. CBs, WRs and O linemen are 3 areas where the Niners could lose a couple players, and not hurt the depth chart.They should target teams that have good depth at ILB, or build for the future with draft picks. Try to use quantity to get quality.

    The Niner playbook should be uncomplicated, easily implemented and always adaptable with adjustments built into the scheme. They should take a page out of the Bill Walsh playbook and script play sequences ahead of time, so signals are not necessary all the time. Maybe they should run the Zone Read Option a lot on second downs. They could either run or pass out of that formation and would be able to line up quickly and maybe get the play off before the defense is set.

    Baalke may claim that the Niners will want to run the ball, but this is now a passing league. With all the rule changes, the Niners should be proficient in either running or passing the ball. In fact, the best strategy should be to have balance, so the other team does not stack the box and dare them to pass.

    The coaches should work on deception. If the defense does not know where the ball is, the offense will have a big advantage.

    The Coaches should work to shape their opponent, so they can exploit the weaknesses.

    The front office should stop meddling and allow the coaches to coach. Baalke should stop trying to micromanage the roster.

    Hopefully, Chip and his up tempo offense will solve the offensive malaise. If not, it may get ugly.

  13. Grant, I took notes on every Buckner vs Michigan St. snap. When it was all done, it was too big to paste. I’ll email you them soon. Maybe I can edit it down to post in comments.

    Conklin made some great blocks. I mean really great. But if this is Buckner’s worst game, I feel really great about Buckner. It was a fun battle to watch.

    1. DeForest Buckner pressured the QB 67 times in 2015. The next-best college 3-4 DE had 57….

      1. Worth noting that was also the highest of any interior defender last season… and the fourth highest total of any player (interior or edge). Lets hope he can translate that to the NFL, but from what I saw of him, I see no reason to think he can’t.

        1. And Buckner played more snaps than all but one other player, so he is in shape.

  14. Kaepernick didn’t have any problems with his teammates until he got with a fellow teammate’s girlfriend. Of course he lost respect after that.

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