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  1. Brutal, Grant ! .. but ..

    imo .. for Kaep to take a pay cut
    that drastic would be an insult, considering
    what Osweiler got from the Texans …

    Love him or hate him .. Colin does
    have a much better resume than Brock !

    1. MWN.. While that is true, you don’t pay a guy for what’s on his resume, you pay him for what will be on his resume. Peyton just won a super bowl, you think a team will give him 18 mil a year because of his resume?

  2. Grant,
    Do you think CK will take a 4 to 5 million dollars a year pay cut to play with Cleve?
    Do you think the 9ers will be willing to pay a portion of his salary for at least a year?
    Do you think he will wait until April 1 and call the 9ers bluff and either become an unrestricted FA or stay with the 9ers for 11 million a year?
    Do you see another likely possibility?

    1. OldCoach,

      Actually Colin will earn more than $14M staying with the 49ers in 2016 if he is available to play every week. That makes what you predict even more likely. The 49ers have the contract hammer, but Colin has the renegotiation hammer.I think it’s going to be fun to watch.

  3. A little too early for this article because reports are now saying that Kaepernick is cooling on Cleveland because they want him to take a huge pay cut.

    1. Not too late, maybe right on time. I think Kap’s realizing exactly what Grant is saying here. I think it’s 50-50 he stays.

      1. I think it’s more like 30 percent he stays and 70 percent he doesn’t.

  4. Dak Prescott arrested for a DUI.
    Baalke wants squeaky clean players, so don’t expect Prescott to be drafted now.

    1. I like Dak Prescott as a QB. This incident will certainly drop his stock. If he drops to the 6th or 7th round, Baalke may take a chance. Prescott did sound contrite after the DUI incident – for whatever that’s worth.

      1. Contrite is standard for alcoholics. If he isn’t an alcoholic, then he just has very bad judgment. Take your pick. ;-}

  5. Chill. The Cleveland option is a fallback position in case the Denver deal falls through.
    Kaep wants to go to Denver. Niners are trying to squeeze as much out of the deal, but Denver said they will be patient. Why? Because once April 1st rolls around, Kaep will fail his physical and be guaranteed his salary. There is a calculated reason why he under went surgery when he did.
    Posters are commenting like he prefers to go to Cleveland over Denver. They are delusional. Denver is the SB Champs, and Cleveland has Haslam, and their 3 best players just fled the team. Kaep wants to play for Elway, and Elway wants another ring. Kaep is rehabbing near Denver, so I am sure that people not associated with the team, but rabid Bronco fans are filling his ears with ideas that he is wanted and appreciated. Unlike the Niners. When Chip had several opportunities to praise Kaep, he kept bringing up Gabbert.
    Gee, Grant, I thought you were more savvy. Pontificating that you do not know why Kaep feels slighted sounds like you are out of the loop. I will give you a big reason so you will become better informed. Marathe is the leaker. Tomsula left the team and would not come back until he was demoted. Now Jed went back on his word, and retained him. Jed sent Marathe to negotiate a pay cut with Kaep’s representatives. It is no wonder that minutes after the meeting, they asked permission to talk with other teams about a trade. That move to send the leaker to negotiate was just about the most imbecilic thing I have ever heard.
    Of course, most of the posters on this site have studiously ignored that fact and refuse to even talk about it, but a few posters know the truth, and are not afraid to say it. Sending the leaker to negotiate was a bone headed move. Baalke should be fired for allowing it.

    1. Kelly wants Kaepernick as his QB. The whole reason teams caught up to his offensive game plan is because he didn’t have the most important element to the most important part of his scheme which is the running game.

      Although your take about Marathe meeting with Kap and his party to renegotiate is interesting. Is there proof of this? Or is this more of an inference because of Marahes new position in the organziation?

        1. Seb, what’s up bud. Man, why do you waste your time on James Foster? This guy Foster for one thing is delusional and have no idea what the hell he’s talking about. I guess he’s not yet done with his denial therapy:)

          1. Jam, maybe we think alike. I have been called delusional many times. I appreciate that he can think outside the box and he does it because he wants the Niners to win.
            I even like his Gabbert trade, because that would show loyalty to Kaep, and may be the only way he stays.

      1. James, Marathe is and has been in charge of contract negotiations and cap management for the 49ers. It’s the part of his job that has never changed. The Seb thinks Marathe was punished for being a bad boy, but he wasn’t.

    2. You usually send your lead negotiator when working on any contact. Also would like to see some proof they have asked him to take a pay cut.

      1. Oh please. Marathe is in charge of negotiating contracts. Do you think he asked if it would be OK to pay him more?

      2. Garry, the only report that someone ask Colin to take a cut in pay was related to Cleveland making that a condition of their trade offer.

        The 49ers don’t need for Colin to agree to a pay cut in order to keep him. All they have to do is do nothing until April Fools Day. Then, all Colin has to do is show up at all activities required by his contract.

      1. Cassie ..

        where ya been, girl ?

        I thought you were taking in some Spring Training
        down in Scottsdale ?

    3. Fully agree with you Seb
      When will the Niner fans wake and see the Yorks for what they are
      I feel bad for Kap but I feel even worse when I look at how the Yorks have run this once proud franchise to the ground

      1. I just SMH. Did not think they could be so stupid, but they keep exceeding expectations.

    4. The stupidity of the York’s is confirmed by the fact that they have a non-charismatic Indian guy as their lead negotiator. Oh brother, good luck with that.

      “Excuse me sir, I’m the lead bean counter. We want to cut your pay by $4 million. Sign here, sir”.

      1. Oh, let bygones be bygones. All those smears and leaks, they were just business as usual. It is just standard operating procedure and I hope there will be no hard feelings. We got you by the balls and want to squeeze hard.

  6. Wow – A wrong-headed decision by Kap. What a surprise. This just in; it’s raining outside.

  7. Kap is a guy who carries a grudge for a long time. He has good reason to carry a grudge against the nines, but he has no reason to shoot himself in the foot. He might be holding out to force the 9ers to rewrite his contract and become an unrestricted free agent next season. The way things are going right now the nines are on the losing end and Kap is holding all the cards.
    That’s the only way for him to get a better deal AND more money and of course getting a little revenge…

    1. Im not sure i understand your point. If Kaep holds out, I assume you mean into training camp, the 49ers will just let him hold out, fine him along the way. If that occurs, he has zero chance at being the starting QB, because he won’t know the offense, and they are comfortable with Gabbert so they won’t force Colin in there without him knowing the offense inside and out.

      If he starts the year on the bench, I would say it is highly likely he sits most of the year. At that point, he will be 29 going into next offseason, having sat for 1 and a half seasons on the bench, and the half season before that he was awful. His career will pretty much be over. He will get signed to an incentive laden deal, and forced to compete for a starting job which nobody can say if he would win or not.

      Kaepernick holds no cards, because the team is willing to keep him at his current salary and make him compete for a starting job that he may not win.

    2. “Kap is a guy who carries a grudge for a long time” hahahaha hahahaha.

      Kaepernick isn’t going to hold out. He’s a competitor and wants to play. Besides the NFC west is finally starting to decline form the best division in football and there are no favorites to win the division so far.

      1. Oh James, please. While I like your idea of trading Gabbert to the Broncos, please do not say that the Seahawks and Cards are in decline. They will be serious competitors for a ring next year. Why, because they are loaded with talent and have solid coaching staffs.

        1. How are the Seahawks not on the decline? They have won the super bowl, lost the super bowl, lost in the playoffs. Each year they lose key free agents. They are on the decline. The Cardinals not as much but I wouldn’t say they are loaded with talent. They have a lot of aging stars. The 49ers have already began to turn their roster over while the Seahakws and Cardinals are hair starting that process we started in 2014.

          1. James, while I think the Rams will do well once they get a decent QB, both the Seahawks and Cards have really good defenses. You know how the saying goes- Defense wins championships.
            There is no reason to think that the Niners, who whiffed on free agency, will dramatically improve with young untested rookies. Chip may be an upgrade, but I bet many fans do not know the names of the Niners OC and DC.
            I sure do know Wade Phillips. He just won a Super Bowl as the Denver DC, and he has vast amounts of experience because he used to be a head coach, and has been coaching since 1979

            1. The Seahawks have lost Irvin, Mebane and Sweezy. They could lose Okung. The still have contract issues looming with Chancellor and Bennett. They’ve gotten older.

              They are still a very good team, but they are on the descent.

              1. I guess it depends on how you define a team in decline. Surely, you agree they’re weren’t as good last year as they were the year before, and they likely will be weaker in the coming year, given the exodus of talent in FA and retirement, right?

                Don’t get me wrong, they’re still a very good team, but they’re definitely weaker than in their super bowl years, with downward movement more likely, than not.

                For me, if something isn’t as good any longer, regardless of how good it still is, that’s a decline.

              2. Look no further than the Baltimore Ravens as an example of a team in decline.

              3. No, the Ravens are a team that has declined. Same as the 49ers. In decline is the act of declining. Ex is just saying the Seahawks are starting their descent. Perhaps he is premature, but the signs are there.

              4. No argument there, the Ravens are on a descent arc. But so are the Seahawks, IMO, the Ravens are just further down the road.

                As I said, it depends on how you define a team in decline. It seems for you to feel a team is in decline, they must already be bad.

                For me, if they aren’t as good as they once were, they’re in decline, even if they might still be a good team.

                BTW, the Seahawks are Navorro Bowman type injury to Bobby Wagner away from being only an above average defense. They are operating on a razor thin margin, with zero depth.

              5. Scooter,

                Your right, on two counts. The Seahawks have declined only slightly (but i remain hopeful), and the Ravens have probably already bottomed out.

  8. Some things don’t add up.

    1) Brock Osweiler just got $18m per year, $12m signing bonus, $37m guaranteed. Quarterbacks are very expensive. Even unproven middling quarterbacks.

    Colin has a “team friendly” contract. He can be cut in March 2017 with no long term dead cap. But the team has him locked down for five years.

    2) If the Browns draft a QB, and CK has a middling or better 2016, think they could get something better than pick 65 on the trading block in 2017?

    3) The Browns are loaded with cap space.

    4) They won’t sign unless the contract’s less than $7m – $8m per season?

    Maybe the Browns only see CK as a backup, so their offering backup money. Or maybe the Browns aren’t really interested in CK. It just seems so strange in light of the new quarterback pay scale they would be holding out for so little.

    1. 1. Osweiler was signed mostly based on potential. He has only played 7 games so his career has a lot of projection. Kaepernick’s career has less projection, because he has a larger body of work.

      2. no they couldn’t, im not sure what your point is.

      3. and 4. It doesn’t matter how much cap space the Browns have. They are putting a value on the player, and that’s what they want to pay. The same thing Baalke does with free agents. Im not saying it’s right or wrong, but that’s what happens. They look at cap space as irrelevant. If they think their 3rd round pick has a value of $2 million, and Kaepernick has a value of $10 million, they will be willing to pay Kaep $8 million to make up for the loss of the draft pick.

      1. 2) An average quarterback with 4 years left on a team friendly contract would fetch way more than pick 65 in a trade.

        My point was to reinforce CK’s potential value. Say the Browns drafted their QB of the future at pick 2. He sat for a year or behind CK. Then CK has a pretty good 2016. It opens up alot of choices for the Browns.

        – They could keep CK, making his contract and trade costs relatively cheap for pick 65.

        – They could trade CK for far more than pick 65, and start their new QB in 2017.

        Both are good outcomes relative to cost (pick 65)

        Niner fans have seen this movie before, even though it didn’t end as hoped.

  9. Maybe Kap realizes it might serve him best to stay a 49er. Denver and Elway would high expectations for him and Kap never seemed to be one who studies the game. The Browns don’t want to pay his contract which is cheap considering what Brock got . From his game experience more like a rookie. It appears that star option and spread QBs college games don’t translate well to Nfl or they take more time to adjust than a QB running pro style offense in college . Look at how long it took A smith to adjust to nfl. I’m

    1. Just a small fact that you are free to use any way you like. Colin is happy with the Denver offer to him, it’s Baalke that wants more from Denver.

  10. He’s not going to get traded or cut. The rumors wills continue to swirl through the summer but he will remain on the team.

    It’s funny because the organization is showing their leverage by dictating the compensation for Kaepernick. The trade just isn’t going to work out.

    The Broncos are eventually going to need to get a QB into start and it’s going to end up being Blaine Gabbert.

    The same can be said for the Browns. They are also candidates for Gabbert. They can trade for him for next to nothing. Pay him next to nothing. And resign him for 8 million per next season. They can move back in the draft and get Stanley to play RT while aquiring picks to restock skill positions later in the draft.

    1. why would the 49ers trade Gabbert? especially when you are saying they will get next to nothing in return? They will make Colin compete with Gabbert, there is no valid reason to do otherwise. Your entire post is illogical.

      1. It makes more sense to have Kaepernick compete with Vernon Adams than Gabbert. Kaepernick vs Gabbert isn’t even a competition in Kelly’s scheme.

        And getting rid of Gabbert gets rid of any divide in the locker room and prevents any drama during the season. Have you ever considered that Gabbert was the leak like Crabtree was a leaker the year before?

        Gabbert can provide value in a trade for the 49ers. They could get a 5-7th rounder for him. Which could equate to a player like Aaron Lynch or Quinton Dial.

            1. If my franchise QB was studying 1/5th as much game film as his backup, I’d leak it too.

        1. i don’t even like Gabbert very much, but you are trying to say that Kaepernick would beat him hands down in a competition? based on what?

          Gabbert is very athletic, proven many times last year. he has MORE than enough athleticism to keep defenders honest in a zone read scheme. Kelly doesn’t want the QB keeping the ball very often anyway.

          furthermore Kelly has stated repeatedly that accuracy and getting the ball out quickly and on time are by far the most important qualities in his system. Gabbert is head and shoulders above Kaepernick in both areas. i think Gabbert wins a QB competition, but you still need to keep him in order to actually have a competition.

          the locker room divide has nothing to do with Gabbert. it’s not Kaepernick or Gabbert, it’s just that players don’t particularly like Kaepernick. who the other QB is is irrelevant.

  11. I wouldn’t take a pay cut if I was Kap either without the opportunity to recapture the losses and believe the 49ers should keep him at $11m next season and see how things pan out unless they get what they want……….. Personally, I see Kap taking the cut w an incentive laden contract and goes to CLE- makes sense for all 3 parties and I believe that while Denver’s defense is attractive, playing for Hue may trump it for Kap. I also am curious to see more of what Thad Lewis can do as I remember being impressed by him in the preseason last year. I just hope once he is gone, should he leave, that we can move on, versus the medias lingering infatuation w Harbaugh.

    1. Let’s see. Kaep could play for a dysfunctional organization who lost 3 of its best players, or go to a SB champ with reasonable expectations to repeat.
      Hard decision.

  12. Grant I agree with most of your article but no way John Elway thinks he can win with Mark “Butt Fumble” Sanchez lol He’ll still try to acquire a QB through free agency or the draft

    1. They got Sanchez as insurance, and he did play in 4 playoff games. They did it so they can say that they are not desperate for a QB. Smart move on their part, and since it is a conditional pick, if they cut him before the season, he will cost them nothing.

  13. Why would Kaep want to stay with the Niners. They have leaked and stabbed him in the back. They downplayed his injuries and forced him to play while injured. They kept Devey, the QB killer in until he was injured further. Once Gabbert went in, they benched Devey, so they actually gave Gabbert a chance.
    Denver would not ask much of Kaep. They would pull a Dilfer, and tell him to protect the ball, do not turn it over, and let the defense win the game. Kaep would go from this dumpster fire who is a cellar dweller to the best team in the league. It is no wonder that he is rehabbing in Colorado.
    Notice how Elway and Kubiak have not said a word recently about Kaep? They want to get him for as little as possible. Too bad some Niner fans are helping them. They say that Kaep is a one read moron who is a cancer in the locker room. So now the Niners are trying to trade a benched second stringer who does not study and lost the locker room. Great way to negotiate from a position of strength!.

    1. the position of strength is that the 49ers are willing to keep Kaepernick. what fans say has nothing to do with what the Broncos will offer, John Elway doesn’t listen to fans, nor does any GM.

      1. The Niners have no leverage. They cannot force him to play. Pundits have said that once April 4th rolls around, Keap will refuse to report. Of course, the Niners could pay him his salary and prevent him from moving on, but it would just kill any incentive for any FA to ever want to go to the Niners. Oh wait, no FA who was decent wanted to sign with the Niners? Maybe the word has already gotten out. Niners should just cut their losses and let him go.

          1. also if he refuses to report the fines start and if he sits out the year he gets nothing he also has a reporting bonus he will lose

          2. Because holding on to him after he has been denigrated and maligned is just sour grapes and small. It would behoove the Niners to act with class, but that is probably asking for too much from them.

        1. If Kaep doesn’t report, the team can just fine him. 49ers win, Kaep loses. If Kaep decides not to accept a trade, his best bet to get a chance to start somewhere in 2017 is to play well in 2016 for the 49ers. If he has another down year, or does his best to avoid playing for the 49ers, it will be that much harder to find a team willing to take him and pay him a reasonable salary. Kaep’s best options are the options that help the 49ers.

          1. It seems to me that the only evidence to support the idea that Colin will refuse to fulfill his contract comes from his agent asking for permission to seek a trade. Did I miss Colin’s ultimatum?

            Scooter, if the 49ers don’t trade or cut Colin, then, like you, I expect him to do his best this year. He could skip the voluntary stuff without being fined, but that would hurt him as a QB, so I don’t really expect that to happen.

            1. My mistake. I should have included that The Seb expects Colin to refuse to play for the 49ers under any circumstances.

              1. Yep, all conjecture on Seb’s part. Maybe he will, I’ve long stopped expecting Kaep to do the mature thing rather than be ruled by emotions, but if he does he is hurting himself more than the 49ers.

              2. Sir, if you beat a dog with a stick, do not expect it to lick your hand. More likely it will go for your throat.

      2. While I am sad to lose Kap. I don’t blame him. given the way he has been treated by the Niners.

        They took money he left on table and promised to bring back FA, but did not
        They fired his coach and replaced him with an unknown and bargain basement assistants
        They put him behind a very weak OL
        They leaked about him to the media, putting him down

        1. They also gave him a slap in the face by banning him from the side line before a game.

              1. Nope… Busy with work. Will be returning more frequently as the draft approaches.

              2. Can’t say too much here, but I’m coordinating the Bernie Sanders insurgency at Trump rallies…

              3. Cassie / Godzilla,

                Busy with work? I haven’t heard of any ravaged cities, lately. Have you changed professions?

        2. Hawki,

          The 49ers spent pretty close to the cap last year. The only time they were substantially under the cap was after A Davis retired and A Smith was released. By then, there weren’t any FA to sign. How were the 49ers supposed to sign more FA’s during the signing period, if they didn’t have much cap room?

          Criticize the 49er FO for bad decisions all you want, but the idea they sat on a pile of cash provided by CK’s team friendly deal and didn’t sign FA’s or re-sign their own FA’s, just isn’t true.

          1. OK lets say they did not have cap space last year.
            How do you explain their lack of FA signings this year?

            1. Hawki,

              I would love for the 49ers to have signed a couple of key players by this point. The problem is, historically, FA don’t usually provide play commensurate with their price tags, so it’s tricky, if downright unlikely, to sign an impact FA. I’m going to look at the off season as whole, not just one week.

              1. exgolfer,

                Sure we can wait for the offseason.
                But by now we have a pretty good idea of how the York family runs this once proud franchise.

            2. Hawki
              The FA losses were mostly on the D side with Crab and Iupati and Gore being the only O players that departed. Gore was 32 and should have been gone (his production in Indy career low ypc average further illustrates this point) Crab took less money (by all accounts as he was still available later in FA) than the 9ers were offering to play with a better QB who would actually throw him the ball. And Iupatti while a good run blocker was and still is dismal in pass protect.
              We replaced gore with Hyde and upgrade
              We actually signed a big FA WR for in the first 48 hrs of FA in Torrey Smith (while he didnt have the # its partially Kaeps fault for that)

              We never found a replacement for Iupatti and Davis’ retirement screwed up the line but to say the 9ers promised Kaep to sign FA in exchange for a team friendly deal and then did not do as they promised is not accurate

      3. Hot, Elway wants another ring. Kaep is a SB QB. No other FA QB gives him as much of a chance to repeat as Kaep, and certainly no rookie.

          1. Sir, you may be sorry, but I feel it is my duty to get out a counter point of view. Don’t worry, I expect pushback, but so far, they have not touched me. However, since I have gotten some to hurl insults, I feel like I have touched a nerve, and consider my job to be complete.
            I just want this blog to know that there is at least one Kaep fan who appreciates his talents. Kaep is NOT a one read moron who does not study and is a cancer in the locker room.
            I expect Kaep to take the league by storm, and with that Denver defense, he will have a good chance to help them repeat. When the other teams in the league see what the Niners gave away, they will be super ticked off.

    2. kaep has no choice they have a signed contract with him if they want him he either plays here or nowhere

          1. Ex, please, you are embarrassing yourself. If you want to run around yelling that, please stay off this site. It makes you look bad.

            1. Actually, you’re embarrassing yourself Seb. Kaepernick cannot claim that the contract was breached unless there is something written in the contract that was breached.

              1. Breach of contract- Failing to perform any term of the contract, written or oral, without a legitimate legal excuse.

              2. Contract law- acting in bad faith- Fraud makes a contract voidable. If you can prove the other side tricked you into signing a contract by lying about information you relied upon to make your decision, you can ask that the contract be set aside.

              3. Good use of wiki law.

                Given the 49ers and Kaep had a written and signed contract, any “promises” given verbally will not be perceived as legally binding. If they were agreed upon they should have been in the written contract.

              4. In contract law, the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing is a presumption that the parties to the contract will deal with each other honestly, fairly and in good faith.
                The Niners did not deal in good faith. The leaks were bad faith.

              5. I just destroyed your premise that it had to be written down. Oral agreements are legally binding.

              6. Scooter, Kaep signed that extremely team friendly deal because he was promised that they would use those savings to retain veteran talent and leadership. In the end, they failed to re-sign Gore and Crabtree, even though they had 13 million in cap space.
                The Niners deceived Kaep, and he has a very good case against them, even if the promises were made orally.

              7. Oral contracts are legally binding if they can be proven. Kaep signed a written contract. If part of the contract was something they agreed upon verbally, it would and should have been written down as part of the written contract Kaep signed. Simple as that.

              8. If Kaep’s agent was too stupid to insist any verbal agreement be included in the final written contract, that is their problem (and hence Kaep’s problem). The written contract was their final agreement, and is the one that is binding.

                Of course, I think you are wrong in your first instance about what the verbal “promise” to Kaep was. You seem to think the promise was they would keep certain players and sign certain players. The 49ers simply cannot promise that. They are just one party to negotiations, but if players don’t want to accept the 49ers offer of contract then too bad.

              9. Scooter, the good faith and fairness clause is breached, and they committed fraud if they gave assurances to dupe Kaep into signing it. No matter what, Kaep should do everything in his power to void that contract.

              10. Kaep should just say that he was tricked into signing it because they in the end did not retain veteran talent and leadership, and he never would have signed if he knew now what they they were going to do. Allowing Boone to walk was another example of having plenty of money, but failing to retain veterans.

              11. Once again, I am left just shaking my head at the way you think. Lets just put it in simple terms, if Kaep was able to do as you say and void his contract, do you honestly think he wouldn’t already have gone down that avenue? Or do you believe you have found a magic loophole previously unseen by anyone after googling breach of contract?

              12. You seriously shouldn’t have asked that last question Scooter.

              13. Something woke me up in the middle of the night and now I know what it was — this conversation. What bothers me is that The Seb goes into these rants and not long after someone, who really dislikes Colin Kaepernick as a person, will attribute this stuff to him when they rant about Colin not being worthy of breathing NFL air, let alone playing QB in the NFL.

                Actually it’s not the middle of the night, it’s 4:30 AM. ;-}

              14. Seb in this case the 9ers can then sue Kaep for breach of contract.
                Kaep scared away Crabtree who took less money to play with a real QB.
                He scared away two lineman who kept getting blamed for giving up sacks when CK held the ball for 5 seconds.
                He said he was going to work on his fundamentals and get better in the off-season but actually came back much worse and procedded to have the worst production in his short career before being benched for Gabbert. Kaep sounds pretty guilty to me

              15. Yep Bos, blame Kaep all you want. If what you say is true, the Niners should cut him right away.

              16. Seb
                Why would they cut him? They have all the power, they can trade him to any of the 3 suitors they have or if they dont get what they think is a fair offer they can keep him at a # that is below market value for a starting qb (which kaep might or might not be at this point)

                What I was saying is: Kaep breaking his promise to improve accuracy and fundamentals when he clearly did no such thing. Is about as egregious as the 9ers FO prommising to sign FA (whether they actually made that promise or not) and then only signing pears and torrey smith

              17. Bos, Kaep went to Arizona to work with a HOF SB winning QB to work on his pocket skills and accuracy.
                He definitely tried to improve by working hard during the off season.
                You conveniently overlook the fact that the O line was putrid. Devey, Martin and Pears were turnstiles and Kaep was sacked 28 times in 7 games. No QB in the league could have done well behind that line, and Gabbert was only marginally better because they benched Devey and Martin and last few games moved Pears to Guard.

            2. Seb unlike you, Ex has been coming here for years and has contributed in a positive way. You need to take a valium or a fine bottle of scotch and just relax a bit,

              1. Thanks, Under and JYTDAKAMWD, but Seb Quixote suffers from over creativity, at times (AKA, lunacy). He can’t himself.

              2. I wish JPN was on because he would know more about the law. I just know that a contract is broken when one side breaks their word or deals in bad faith.

              3. Did I swear at him or hurl invectives? I know that any poster on this site who goes around yelling Koo koo would be excoriated by others, so I just gave him some kind advice.;p

              4. Seb,

                I was saying “koo koo! koo koo!” in the most positive and polite way.

                Seriously, though, if you insist on repeatedly taking positions that fly in the face of logic, you should expect to get some needling.

              5. Ex, it is all good. I like your posts, and think you do bring up good points. I just hope you did not consider my rejoinder a vicious hit like some others did.
                In the end, I hope we are all Niner fans who want another ring. How we get there may take us on different paths but getting there is part of the fun.

              6. Seb

                If JPN was here, he would agree with Scooter, not you. I am an attorney. You are wrong. No amount of whining from you does anything to help your position.

                And since I was the one who turned you onto the idea of good faith and fair dealing, I apologize. Kaepernick has no grounds to use it, because he signed a written contract. Now if he comes into camp and acts subversively and undermines the team, that would be something the team could use against him as a cause for suing for breach of contract, but he does not possess that argument from his side.

                Go to Wiki and look up “statute of frauds.” It is another legal term. It says that whatever was agreed to must be written.

              7. Sil, the whole reason he signed that contract was the promise to use the savings from it to retain veteran talent, and that was not done. Argue all you want and parse the legalese, but that was what many writers wrote, and the reason why his agents advised against it. If the Niners promised that, then went back on their word, they did not deal honestly, fairly and in good faith, no matter what was written down.

    3. Seb – I don’t disagree with any of the things you say about why Kaep is PRIVATELY pissed and wants to go somewhere else if possible. But to suggest that all that nonsense enters into the actual negotiations is just not realistic. Here is Kaep’s agent’s resume:

      Scott Smith, Esq.
      NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor, Attorney (Madison Office)

      Prior to forming X-A-M Sports, Scott was a top sports and tax attorney with two of the country’s most prominent and respected law firms (Greenberg Traurig in Denver and Coudert Brothers in Washington D.C.). Scott has negotiated and structured sports and entertainment deals well in excess of $300 Million Dollars. In addition to graduating magna cum laude from law school, Scott also has a Masters Degree in Taxation. Scott has negotiated dozens of contracts for some of the NFL’s top rising stars, including Philadelphia Eagles LB Connor Barwin, and Super Bowl Cornerback Ike Taylor of the Pittsburgh Steelers, making Ike the highest-paid defensive back in Steelers’ franchise history. As Founder and President of X-A-M Sports, Scott has assembled one of the most powerful and effective sports management and marketing teams in the business, while maintaining a true sense of family with his clients.

      A lifelong sports enthusiast, Scott was a four-year letterman in football at Wabash College. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife, Shawn, and their two sons, Maxwell and Emmanuel.

      The man is a pro. Kaep will tell him all of his personal feelings in private, but only a rank amateur would allow personal feelings to enter into serious contract negotiations. People think that this agent actually recommended that Kaep take the team friendly contract and I think that is not possible. Agents are supposed to take the emotions out of the process and do only what is in the best interests of the PLAYER. Letting Kaep’s personal feelings enter into the picture is negotiating with your heart and not your head – not good for an agent’s resume and these guys are serious people. Sorry, to everyone who let their personal feelings and emotions enter into this discussion, but this time around Paraag is negotiating with a professional agent who is not being handcuffed by his client (CK). That is what we are witnessing. The personal feelings are certainly out there and your guesses are as good as anybody’s but, at the end of the day, I still say this is just plain old bidness. Kaep’s motto, whether you agree or not is, you fooled me once, shame on you…you know the rest.

      PS – Grant’s article is vintage Grant. Just like the agent he’s a pro and good at it. He has stirred the pot and gotten a lot of guys all hot and bothered. That said, I can’t believe that he really thinks that this is just a soap opera playing out with Colin’s agents just saying exactly what he wants them to say. I think they would quit first! And, no matter what you think of Colin, he is smart enough to learn from his mistakes and not let personal feelings enter into the negotiations.

      1. Note the masters in tax Scott Smith has also. Maybe that went into Colin’s decision to go to Colorado for treatment and rehab (1/3 CA’s tax rate). Who knows? Also, IN order to believe that Kaep faked his injuries, you must believe that three licensed physicians performed unnecessary surgeries at is request. Runs along the lines of Kaep telling his agents what to say to Paarag. Just not plausible! So as to speculate like most do here: I believe that we can never underestimate how incompetent the 49er FO is. When up against real pros, I’ll take the pros and I’ll give 10 points. That’s my head and not my heart talking BTW.

        1. I never ever said that Kaep faked his injuries. I am the one postulating that the initial injury came on the big sideline hit during the Viking game, and they got worse after another 28 sacks. His play showed, to me, that he was injured.
          I only mentioned that he may fail his physical, but that is due to the timing of his surgeries. He may not have enough time to fully heal, and rehabbing is not guaranteed to go smoothly every time.

  14. I don’t think Kap wants to compete with Gabbert for the starting job. If he did, I doubt he’d win it. The two have similar capabilities; Gabbert is easily the quicker study, makes quicker decisions, is the more accurate thrower. All the things that Chip wants. Kap doesn’t want to be Gabbert’s backup, and that’s probably what he’d be looking at.

    I’m not so sure the 49ers would keep Kap on at his present salary, either. $7-8m isn’t much compared to Osweiler’s deal, but it’s probably as much as Kap is going to get from any team that watched him play recently. Kap should bet on himself again: go somewhere else for whatever they’ll pay him and try to earn those incentives.

    I’m guessing Denver. If anyone can fix Kap, Elway & Kubiak can. With Kap’s superb conditioning, he could run all over gassed opponents in the 4Q in that thin Denver air.

  15. He lost the respect of his teammates and the lockerroom does not believe in him anymore.
    The boys rallied around Gabbert when he was announced the starter. #7 licked his wounds and went into seclusion in Colorado. Didn’t want to be around the team. Still doesn’t.
    Niners have all the leverage here. They can wait til some team offers up what they want. CK can’t dictate anything and he will have to take a haircut. Why? Cause he alienated himself against his team. Bad move Colin!

    1. Wait, you said Kaep sucks. You wanted him gone before last season even began. Now you say he is worth at least a second round pick? Disssing him and calling him a locker room cancer is not promoting his trade value.

      1. Yes to the league he is worth a 2nd round pick. In SF he’s worth a bag of footballs because the lockerroom has turned against him. It’s been well documented he was a bad teammate in SF.
        But now he has a chance to go to another team and lockerroom and re-define himself.
        The product still has value and is moveable. It’s not like he doesn’t have value to a QB needy team like a CLE or NY.
        The Niners have a QB more than capable in Gabbert until they draft and groom another. CK is expendable but that doesn’t mean we can’t trade him and get the highest value. Just because he’s a bad teamate and regressed in SF, he is worthy of another chance in the NFL. That means holding onto an asset until you get value in return.

        1. Prime, if they want full value, they should have promised him his starting job back that he lost due to injury. Then they would be trading a starting QB. Chip should have used his PC to praise Kaep to the high heavens, instead of mentioning Gabbert every time.
          Its funny how posters are slamming Kaep as a benched second stringer who is a one read moron and a locker room cancer, then declare he is worth at least a second round pick.
          You should have stuck with your earlier statement and said that Kaep took the league by storm, and will do it again. Maybe they could have gotten a first round pick for him.

          1. Seb thats the reality. He’s a bum to Niner fans but still has value.
            What one team thinks is a bad situation another team thinks of it as a great opportunity. Reclamation projects still have value.
            Perfect examples Chris Johnson, Carson Palmer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Sam Bradford, Carlos Rogers. All guys who went to different teams and played well.
            You get to caught up in the emotion. It’s a business! Never forget that!

              1. Kap has done plenty to denigrate his own value. You make him sound like a victim. I think the reason we haven’t gotten a 2nd or 3rd pick for him is for that very reason. Not anything the Niners management has done.

              2. Hmm, I guess you think the FO did nothing bad when they conspired to get rid of JH?
                OK. Wear the rosy glasses. I bet you think it was a class act when they cut Hayne on the team bus, too.

              3. #7 did that all too himself. The Niners front office didn’t throw pick 6’s and show they could not read defenses.
                Thankfully now some NFL teams think that they might be able to resurrect his play.
                Go ahead and while doing it give us a 2nd and a conditional 3rd or 4th.

              4. Prime, if you watch those plays, Devey let the pass rusher run by him untouched. Hard to throw when you cant even get set. It sure looked like they knew what the play was ahead of time. Oh, wait, they admitted after the game they knew where the ball was going to so they could jump the routes. Yup, it not the O line and coaches fault at all.

              5. Yes it was a collective of poor coaching and QB play. But running out of bounds when the team your trying to beat has no timeouts left? Cmon Seb even a moron like you can’t shade that type of stupidity on coaching or the oline. That was one of many cerebral errors CK has made the past 2 years. Point is he has regressed, not improved. Even his fundamentals where he even tried to get additional coaching. It made him worse!

              6. Seb, I was just wondering, the last two off season Kaepernick had some tutoring from highly respectable Qb’s in the NFL and who’d won a SB championship in their NFL career. Why didn’t kaepernick get better? Instead Kaep went backward and his productivity as Qb, his performance steadily decline the last two season and his career just took a downward spiral. Unless, the conclusion is that Kaep never had it in him or he’s just a terrible NFL Qb.:)

              7. Jam, Kaep did regress, but in that first game against the Vikings, he looked pretty good.
                However, too many posters are wearing blinders and refuse to remember that the Niners lost 7 starters on defense and 5 starters on offense. I am going to say that the O line was a major factor, because the lack of protection doomed his season and only succeeded to get him so injured, he needed 3 surgeries.
                What also doomed last year was the loss of coaching. Tomsula was in over his head, and the OC and DC were lightweights. The position coaches were even worse, and the insistance to put Boone at LG which left Brandon Thomas with no place to play, and the refusal to play Hayne as a punt returner also doomed the season.
                Maybe Chip can turn it around, but I am underwhelmed by the OC and DC this year.

            1. Prime

              agrees with Baalke, but against Harbaugh, Elway, and Jackson.

              Baalke is good at assessing offensive players, right Prime? That’s why you agree with him about Kaep and disagree with those other three guys about him, right?

              1. Bottom line is for everyone involved Kap moves on. It’s one of those sport situations where a change of scenery helps both sides. Start the rebuild and void the drama!

              2. I don’t think it’s best for the 49ers to let Kaep go to Jackson/Elway who will revive his career and make them look stupid, especially when they have Chip Kelly, who is known to be good with QBs, and whose offense Kaep fits so well.

                Can you imagine how it will look if Kaep goes all ProBowl/HOF under Elway when the 49ers could have paired him with Kelly for $12M in 2016 with nothing ever guaranteed in the future?

                They need to give it a year.

              3. That’s the reason then you hold out for the highest pick(s) in return. There is the chance he becomes good again. Good for him and better for the Niners to get some conditional picks associated with the trade.
                The point is the CK ship has sailed. Better to use the return to help build other pieces of the team.

      2. Seb. Brother let go… Your attachment to Kaep is causing a rip in your psyche.I know you feel passionate about the issue but what seems obvious and factual to you is not necessarily the truth of the matter but speculation fired by emotion.You are smarter than that.

        1. High, I am just giving my opinion. If you can show me proof that Marathe was not the leaker, and that he never met with Kaep’s reps, I am all ears.

          1. Seb. If one makes an assertion the burden of proof lies with it ,not with another to disprove.Saying it is common knowledge or do a Google search as was suggested to Rocket recently is intellectual laziness.I don’t know if Parag was a leaker ,if that is your premise what is your source?

            1. Well, maybe you do not remember this, but Tomsula found out who the leaker was, and left the building. Jed reassigned Marathe and stripped him of the title of president and Tomsula came back. Matt Maiocco, Tim Kawakami and Cam Inman all wrote articles on Dec 3rd, 2015. Just Google- Marathe leaks and you can read all about it.

              1. Kawakami is not a good basis for your information-his columns are tantamount to gossip columns.Using the proverbial anonymous”NFL”source as a conduit of information is again unsubstantiated and suspect. I have no problem with you voicing your opinion,I do have a problem with opinions packaged as fact. Really my original comment to you was more out of concern rather than rebuttal.You are a fellow 49er fan and as such are part of the”family”so rock on my friend but keep a smile while you do is all I’m about here!

              2. Hey Seb

                This just in….the sky is falling….and you can say that you got it right here….

              3. I cited Maiocco, too and Cam Inman. They wrote that Marathe was tied to the leaks. Maybe your beef is with them.

  16. You cannot take a cut and go to Cleveland which at this point is a 70/30 chance of career death. That said, the Niners have been offered by Denver their 95th pick with agreed on salary restructure. All parties should agree to that…

    1. I think the important thing for Kap would be to go to a team that would start him.

      Denver would be the best solution and I hope Ballkey doesn’t blow it.

    2. Baalke is capable of blowing any deal because he sets the terms of his deals in the vacuum of his own head.

      1. This is one of the smartest observations on the board in a long time. Too much analytics. Baalke acts like he just uses some app that Paraag wrote. A robot comes to mind.

  17. Grant
    Nice job on the article. I agree with what you’re saying here. When I read your it I kept being reminded of what Steve Young said a little while ago:

    “I would go to Chip Kelly and tell him, ‘Whatever happened last year, whatever you saw, whatever you thought was a weakness in my game, whatever the holes, the cracks in the wall, I’m going to fix. I made some mistakes. I lost the team a little bit. I lost the locker room a little bit. I didn’t respond the way I should have to adversity. But I’ve learned. I’ve figured it out. And I’ve got the talent; I’ve got the ability to make your offense hum.”

    http://espn.go.com/blog/san-francisco-49ers/post/_/id/17131/steve-young-has-some-advice-for-colin-kaepernick

      1. How do you think this plays out? Do you think Kap still gets moved or he ends up back with the 49ers? And if you’re the 49ers do you even consider giving him what he’s asking for or do you call his bluff and see how bad he really wants out?

        1. NinerGang 365,

          Colin, through his agent, asked for permission to seek a trade. What else has he asked for?

          The 49ers, so far, have turned down Denver’s offer of compensation for Colin, but they have Colin’s OK for his pay in Denver.

          The 49ers, so far, have accepted Cleveland’s offer of compensation for Colin, but they do not have Colin’s OK for his pay in Cleveland.

          In order to move Colin to Denver it would require the 49ers to lower their demands for compensation. There is also the possibility that trading Colin might wind up making Baalke look bad after next season.

          In order to move Colin to Cleveland it would require Colin to lower his guaranteed 2016 pay by about 50%, and go to a team that has short term failure written all over it.

          By doing nothing, Colin will either have the chance to earn between $12M and $14M during 2016, or he will be a free agent on April Fools Day.

          The Seb is the only one in this blog that thinks Colin will be a petulant teenager and refuse to play for the 49ers because they done him wrong.

          1. Again your analysis is right on IMO. Why does everyone think this and that abuot Kap when he is only doing what is in his best interests? Who in their right mind would not nix a deal where you have to walk away of $5 mil. just to go to Cleveland to play. Seb is sometimes, by his own admission, over emotional and over speculative. But he does make a good point about Paraag meeting with Kap. Paraag was there for one and only one reason, to pick Kap’s pocket. So who can be shocked if Kap’s agents respond with an inquiry about looking into a trade. It’s their damn job! This is a high stakes game of poker and is mainly about $$$. I think, at the end of the day, we will find out that Kap is not as immature and emotional as all make him out to be. BTW, you, HT raised the issue of onerous California income taxes. While we speculate, let me throw in my hand. Colorado has a top income tax rate that is about 1/3 that of California. While being treated in CO., Kap’s duty days are in the lower income state which will end up saving him a bundle of $$ if he plays his cards right. I said it before and I stand behind it: Kap’s agents are driving the bus. Everyone wants to make this out as an emotional situation that has made people lose their minds. This is about the money and Kap I suspect is focused solely on getting into shape to compete (somewhere) and figuring that his advisers will handle the financial end for him. The injury treatments and rehab (don’f forget about California Workers Comp laws which are the most generous in the country), and the move to Colorado are just plain bidness. If the Niners are going to lead with their rocket scientist biz school genius, it’s tit for tat! Everyone here needs to think for a minute about what you would do if someone came to you and tried to tell you why it was good for you to give them $5,000,000!

            1. If it’s a game of high stakes poker, the 49ers have the high hand.

              The 49ers realize the only way they can lose the ot is if they fold their cards. And that simply will not happen. The team would much rather hold onto CK7, even with the cap hit, than release him outright, and lose control of where he plays.

              The elephant in the room here is salary cap space, and the yellow, 3 toed sloth is the LA Rams! The 49ers are going to have trouble hitting the cap floor, even with Colin’s contract on the books. Because of this, their incentive to act is absent of salary cap concerns. Colin’s contract becomes fully guaranteed on April 1st, only in terms of salary cap space. Those aren’t actual dollars & cents.

              This situation might be very different if the team was up tight against the cap. As it stands now, there is simply far too much risk in releasing Colin, and allowing a division foe who desperately needs a QB, i.e., the LA Rams, to sign Colin without any return compensation, with the possibility of Colin regaining his confidence and comfort level (even if the team views it as unlikely, but not beyond the realm of possibility), and finally developing into a solid QB, and becoming the final piece that the LA Rams needed to get over the hump, seize control of the division, and exact revenge twice a season.

              I don’t think Colin will ever reach pro bowl status. And I personally think Blaine has more talent as an all around QB, but Colin might be a slight upgrade on a team like the Rams, who’s top two QB’s could easily be 3rd stringers on other, more talented offensive rosters. And the 49ers FO and ownership would look far worse in this scenario, than they would giving Colin Kaepernick, their current backup QB, the ‘Carson Palmer’ treatment!

              So that is why there is exactly ZERO% chance the 49ers will be driven to release Colin Kaepernick outright this offseason. They would much rather absorb the salary cap hit, which they can comfortably absorb this year, than lose control of where Colin ends up playing this season.

              I don’t know how much clearer I can make this Sebnynah, but let me try 1 more time:

              THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS WILL NOT RELEASE COLIN KAEPERNICK FROM HIS CONTRACT IN 2016, REGARDLESS OF HIS PHYSICAL STATUS, BAD ATTITUDE, OR SALARY CAP REPERCUSSIONS! THE ONLY WAY COLIN PLAYS ELSEWHERE THIS SEASON IS IF THE 49ERS CAN SECURE WHAT THEY CONSIDER FAIR COMPENSATION FROM A TEAM OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONFERENCE!

              1. 49, you seem to be conflicted. First you declare that Kaep is a horrible QB and should be a backup, then you worry that he might go to a division foe and haunt the Niners.
                Dissing Kaep and saying that he is no good, then bloviating that they want a second round draft pick for him is obtuse. If he is as bad as you say he is, they should get only a 6th or 7th round pick for him.
                Jed, who is more interested in the bottom line than winning, should cut his losses and send him to Denver for a third round pick.The Niners have driven down his trade value, so they are their own worst enemy, and deserve to lose Kaep.
                Kaep is playing it smart and has not said a word. However, actions speak louder than words, and his silence is shouting at the Niners that he considers loyalty to be a 2 way street. Sending the leaker to negotiate was an insult, and it is no surprise to me that minutes after the meeting, his reps asked to be able to talk with other teams. Drawing out this farce is just making the Niners look worse. It is cementing the perception that the Niners are a dysfunctional dumpster fire and do not have a clue about how to act with class.

              2. Do I really need to explain this again Seb? If you read my post, I said “even if the team views it as unlikely, but not beyond the realm of possibility” Do I need to translate that for you? Let me try. In other words Seb, maybe the 49ers don’t think Colin will ever be more than a one-read QB, but perhaps if he ever really put his mind too it, he could learn to quit staring down his primary receiver and, I don’t know, maybe go through progressions, before bailing out of the pocket prematurally.

                I never said Colin will never be able to make a difference on a team if the circumstances were right.

                However, I’ll go on record saying I would rather not have him play for the 49ers if he has a bad attitude and isn’t willing to admit his flaws, and compete with Blaine Gabbert, or whomever else the team acquired at the position. If you look at other post of mine on this subject, I have been clear. I think Colin’s best chance to turn his career around is right here, with Chip Kelly. However, I don’t think Colin has the right mindset right now. And I think Blaine has more potential in Chip’s offense for a few reasons.

                1) Blaine spends far more time studying game film than Colin.

                2) Blaine is more accurate than Colin (and I do thing pumping too much iron reduces flexibility, and in excess, can hurt a quarterbacks accuracy)

                3) Blaine has better functional mobility than Colin, though Colin is a better pure runner.

                4) Blaine is a better leader and teammates connect with him better on that level, better than they do Kap, who comes across as aloof, and doesn’t make the same effort to establish those relationships.

                I’ll tell you this Seb.

                I can assure you the front office doesn’t have a crystal ball. Maybe Colin has an epiphany, and suddenly realizes it would do him good to actually, I don’t know, study as much (or even more, what a concept) game film as his backup. Maybe a physical trainer in LA sits him down and explains to him that muscle mass doesn’t = accuracy, when it comes to throwing a football. Maybe the lightbulb finally comes on for Colin and he realizes, maybe he should be “bigger on mechanics”. Strangers things have happened. Some guys are late bloomers, some guys develop sooner than others, and some never develop at all.

                But, as usual, you’re missing the bigger point Seb. The 49ers can control where Colin plays next year, and the year after that. And…..they have plenty of Cap space, so they have the luxury of holding onto Kap’s rights, to be certain that a division rival doesn’t get to sign him on the cheap, without any form of compensation, even if they don’t view Colin as the answer for the 49ers.

              3. There is nothing wrong with your analysis 49reasons, but one of your facts is a bit off.

                “The 49ers are going to have trouble hitting the cap floor, even with Colin’s contract on the books.”

                They appear to be right at the cap floor with this year’s draft class and any subsequent free agents to be signed.

                I think you’re very right about the Rams, and there is probably reluctance to trade him to a team like Denver for the same but less frightening, for Baalke, reasons. Baalke probably thinks Cleveland is the perfect place for Colin. Too bad Cleveland is low balling Colin.

              4. 49R

                The 49ers have already reached their cap floor from 2013-2016. That is not an issue.

            2. Keep’s agents have not been driving this bus very well. They allowed Kaep to sign that contract. Then, at the Combine, they publicized a trade request, which made it less likely, not more likely, that the 49ers would realize the compensation they wanted in return in any trade. Not good for Kaep, assuming he wants out.

              Another reason to rehab in Vail is that recovery in altitude can be faster and more complete than at sea level.

              1. Thanks for the correction htwaits, and Sil.

                I stand corrected on that.

                And you are right, I think it’s clear that Kap is getting poor advice from his agent, and other advisors.

              2. 49R. – I will need concrete proof that Kaep’s agents did not recommend AGAINST him signing the team friendly contract. At that point in time he absolutely did not have to do it and, if his agents did recommend it, they should be looking for a new day job. That is why I believe that Kaep has gone underground and is now just doing exactly what they tell them. He did not follow their advice and where’d that get him? No matter what you say about whether Kaep was treated fairly and/or deceived by Paraag, I am convinced that HE believes he was not and that the 49ers cannot be trusted to be fair and honorable. That is all that matters, not whether you think Kaep is justified or not. I say Kaep will play wherever his cards play out as directed by his agents. Time will tell,

        1. Speak to Baalke. He has a deal with Denver that your advise would help him complete.

    1. NinerGang I’ve been thinking about that Steve Young interview alot the last few weeks.

      Question to all – Do the CBA rules on communication prevent teams from kissing and making up in the opffseason? Or does this only apply to coaches?

  18. I have a win/ win scenario. I think Kaep is gone no matter what.
    Niners should offer Kaep and their 4th, 5th and 6th round picks for Denvers First round pick. Denver would get Kaep, and show that they value his services. They would also help replenish their roster, and lock those players into rookie contracts. They would be giving up a low first, which is essentially a high second.
    Niners would save face by saying that they got a first round pick for him, and the 31st pick would allow them to plumb the sweet part of the draft board.

    1. sorry to bust your bubble, so far no NFL team values #7……the guy sucks…plain and simple

        1. not even Denver…..who thinks sanchez is better on the roster……

          think about it….denver could have traded for #7 and drafted a rookie in the 2nd rd…….but instead they traded for sanchez and would probably still draft a rookie….

          if #7 had any value, denver would have traded for him ASAP……

          the truth hurts….# 7 and nobody thinks he his worth their 2nd rd pick…….

            1. lol…if they are getting him for free (which is unlikely)….proves my point that #7 has no value…..

              FYI – free in this case means no value……

              1. What I mean is that they will get an injury settlement to buy out his contract, and not have to give up any draft choices at all.

          1. There’s no way Kaepernick takes a pay cut.he might not be the smartest QB in the NFL But even he isn’t going to give that kind of money back. Funny how only the stupid front office of the 49ers thought the Turd Kaepernick was worth that kind of money, because Baalke and Jed are idiots.:)

    2. And one more thing, while I am going on record.

      I like Colin Kaepernick as a person. I think he’s a good person at heart. And I do believe he means well.

      I also believe he is his own worst enemy sometimes. I think he can be immature, and I think he let’s his emotions control too many of his actions.

      I hope the best for Colin. But I don’t……and let me be very clear, I don’t see Colin as the victim. Nobody forced Colin to sign a team friendly deal. And if he is unhappy about his contract, he needs to take it out on his agent, not the front office, and certainly not the new head coach!

      I think Colin truly believes that, as long is he is in top form physically, and can outrun most front 7 defenders, that he is good enough to start in the NFL. Why? Because he has had some success by way of his insane athleticism, and being fortunate to be the quarterback on a team with an elite defense. However, I think a portion of his early success was also predicated on the league’s defenses not being prepared for him, especially running the zone read plays out of the pistol and shotgun. I don’t think he works hard enough on his mechanics. I don’t think he studies enough film. I don’t think he’s a natural leader, nor do I think he puts enough effort into forming the types of relationships that bond players with one another. I think he’s naturally a bit of an introvert, and I think he needs to realize he comes across as distant in the locker room. I know for a fact, the majority of players on the team feel like Blaine is a stronger leader of men, and that Blaine puts out more of an effort to establish his leadership.

      And if I am Trent Baalke, Jed York, and Chip Kelly, there is zero chance I am letting a guy dictate terms that are different than the terms he is under contract to oblige by. I’m not setting that precedent. If I have too, I take the cap hit as long as I need to in order to control where Colin plays if he doesn’t want to honor his contract and compete for his job back! It’s not even up for debate in my eyes!

      1. And one, one more thing Seb! lol

        Any agent worth his weight knows that neither an NFL GM, or CEO, can guarantee that certain money will be allocated to retain certain players. Things change far too quickly in the NFL. It’s the nature of the league. IF can’t say for certain who’s even going to coaching the team 2 years down the road, how can you guarantee any player is going to be retained beyond their current contract. The 49ers didn’t become a party of Colin’s contract with the idea that they were trying to screw him over. Of course every GM in the league would love for their QB to sign a team friendly deal because it does make it easier to retain a nucleus of players. However, it’s a tough business and a tough sport. There is simply no way to account for unexpected retirements, injuries, etc. A good GM keeps a certain amount of fluidity within the salary cap because of the unpredictability of the league. If you can’t guarantee who’s going to be the head coach 2 years from now, how in the world could they guarantee a player about anything in terms of personnel? The fact of the matter is, the team simply wasn’t yet convinced Colin was a franchise QB and they presented him with an opportunity to get paid like a top QB, but with the caveat that he would have to continue to prove his worth annually. And we know Colin understood this because Colin is on record talking about it and expressing his confidence in his ability to prove his worth in a series of one year deals. I am also certain that, If Colin had truly reached elite status, he would have had enough leverage to restructure his deal. BECAUSE that’s the way market forces work!

        1. 49, Kaep signed that deal because he wanted to help the team. If you can say that the Niners helped Kaep with a straight face, more power to you.
          In real life, there are logical consequences. You cannot treat Kaep the way they did and expect Free agents to flock to the team. Its official. Players consider the Niners as a dysfunctional dumpster fire and a toxic work environment. I predict Baalke will lose his job, and the Niners will need a miracle to win 5 games.
          Market forces just slapped the Niners in the face, and you may like it, but it just turns my stomach to see how incompetent and pathetic they have become.

          1. Or maybe they realized that after their alleged promise, he was bad a QB. You keep forgetting that his play is the real issue. Not what was promised, not what was owed. He did not play up to the potential the organization valued him at. Why cant you understand that. This is all about how he played the last 2 years. Not just last year. Wake up Seb. His play dictated everything that is happening to him.
            You want to keep making excuses for him. Go watch the entire 2014 season and last year and tell why the Niners should be all in with him?

            1. Absolutely correct Prime. And we know that’s the case because we understand that a GM is never in a position to make promises that he cannot expect to keep because of of the unpredictable nature of the business.

              You and I also understand that, regardless of whether we believe Baalke is a smart GM, we know he is at least smart enough to realize that, at some point, this job will also be on the line. Only an insane person would believe that a GM would purposely sabotage his own success in order to screw over a player, or to throw a few inconsequential extra dollars over to an owner who is already one of the wealthiest people on the planet. Especially when that owner stands to make far more money by fielding a winning team.

              But, consider the sources Prime. Seb believes that Colin can get out of a written contract based on some notion that is really impossible to quantify, and that certainly doesn’t exist within the 4 corners of his written contract!

              And if the 49ers FO doesn’t even know how to structure an iron clad NFL contract, then they have bigger things to worry about than a disgruntled 2nd string QB, who doesn’t even have the support of the majority of the locker room.

              Am I right?

              1. Baalke is a piece of work, but go ahead, kiss his arse. You get upset that I am a Kaep apologist, but I will not stoop so low as to be a toady towards that low class tool who delights in cutting players on the team bus.

          2. You’re entitled to your opinion Seb. I only get upset when you confuse opinion with fact!

            1. Hmm, like you championing Cook? You seem to be guilty of what you accuse me of, but I will not get upset. You are entitled to your opinion.

              1. Seb, honestly keep thinking that, some day, you will start thinking through your logic, step by step, and realizing that not all, but a large majority of stuff you come up with is not only illogical, but also nonsensical.

                Tell me again how it makes sense, and why you honestly believe everyone in the 49ers FO and locker room, are involved in a grand conspiracy to screw over a QB, whom you believe is good enough to build a team around, when we all know there aren’t enough quality starting QB’s to field 32 NFL teams? Especially when that said QB is locked into a team friendly contract, and the very people involved in the alleged conspiracy are themselves in danger of losing their jobs?

                And please Seb, head my advice and think it all the way through, before you answer the conspiracy question.

              2. 49, just look at what they did to JH.
                Kaep was a JH pick, so it is logical to assume that they want to purge any JH players from the team. Many players returned the favor by leaving or retiring.

        2. And here is yet another point that I need to make.

          Colin is not in a position of leverage right now, whatsoever. And it’s a little bit unlucky for him that the 49ers have a ton of available cap space right now, while at the same time, their plan is the conservative this offseason, until Chip has an opportunity to evaluate the roster, hands on! While I was admittedly a little disappointed that they weren’t able to sign Sean Smith for a little more money than the Raiders did, I do believe that they have a sound strategy in place. If they want to build this roster correctly, in terms of signing players that fit best into HC Chip Kelly’s system, the last thing they should do is go out and blow their wad before Chip has even had an opportunity to evaluate the roster, and match personnel with system, and visa versa!

          So, as circumstances would have it, the 49ers have every single ounce of leverage at the moment when it comes to QB Colin Kaepernick. And that’s why I would be absolutely shocked if they did anything other than hold out until they get what THEY feel is correct compensation for Colin, even if it means playing hard ball with Colin, a dictating their terms!

          1. And just so you know that I am genuine. Let me say this.

            In my mind, the clock is ticking in terms of Trent Baalke’s job security. He is officially on my hot seat list. I am certainly concerned with his ability to evaluate talent at the skill positions on the offensive side of the ball. I like his calculated approach, but I do feel like he is a bit too conservative at times. Everyone knows he couldn’t could pick nose any better than he can pick a #1 WR in the draft.

            The 49ers are truly at a crossroads at this point in time. Everyone knows that the roster simply isn’t talented enough to compete for a Super Bowl at the moment. Some of it has to do with too many misses in the draft, although some of it is blind luck. The fact of the matter is, only 36% of draft eligible players actually go on to become starters in the NFL. And the draft and NFLPA CBA has been structured in a way that is cyclical, and lends itself toward parity. However, Trent Baalke get’s paid a handsome salary. Ultimately, the buck stops there, especially when the team has a brand new HC and coaching staff.

            The 49ers are currently in a strong position to turn the roster over, and filed a competitive football team that has potential to win a Lombardi. IMO Trent has until the backend of 2017 to prove he doesn’t just have the team moving in the right direction, but that the team is actually on the doorstep of a championship run! And if he fails to meet that standard, he needs to be replaced.

            1. 49reasons,

              You would make a generous owner as far as giving GMs a long run for your money. You’re also a bit long winded. At least right now. ;-}

              Colin does have a small amount of power in this game that’s going on. He doesn’t have to go to any team that wants to renegotiate his contract. That small part is his choice — renegotiate or not.

              1. Thanks htwaits, my wife appreciates your candor.

                True that, Colin isn’t exactly twisting in the wind. And I don’t expect to see him in the unemployment line anytime soon.

              2. I sure would be happy to see Colin take the opportunity to let bygones be bygones and look for the forest, through the trees. He just might find the greenest pasture of all, right here in Santa Clara, wearing crimson and gold!

              3. If he is willing to come back and play his heart out and be a leader, let’s do it.
                Then in the offseason trade him. Win win for everyone!
                But first he has to learn the playbook and win the job.
                I don’t think he can beat out Gabbert or the rookie draftee.

              4. Yup, after getting stabbed in the back and insulted by having the leaker demand a pay cut, let bygones be bygones.

                Kaep- Bye, I’m Gone.

              5. 49reasons your wife is astute as my wife. I also would like to see Colin get it turned around right here in Santa Clara.

  19. Everything Grant (or Lowell) are associated with is wrong headed! A couple of know nothing morons !

    1. Interesting. I remember those Glory Years. Reading the Green section when it was really green. Ira Miller and Lowell Cohn. I would read Lowell, and get furious because of his annoying needling style. It seemed like he was using tactics dedicated to inspire the Niners to prove him wrong, and it worked. I sure would become irate when reading Lowell, but I read every word.

        1. You are probably too young to know, but way back then, the Chron was the only show in town. Nowadays, with the internet, the message gets diluted with all the different blog sites, so you do not appreciate the impact of writers back then.

            1. Ones who write things. Not righters who stand up things that have fallen or rioters who create mayhem, but persons who use the Kings English to entertain by using words to convey ideas, descriptions and opinions. They used to print their columns out on paper that was delivered to your door, back in the good old days.

  20. Just take the Broncos 3rd round pick and move on already. Get rid of this drama king bum.

    1. Work-in a conditional pick for 2017 and call it good. If Kaep starts and wins 10 games for the Broncos, 9ers get another 3rd rounder…

      1. Your dad is nervous about how Colin might make him look if he does well in Denver for 2016. Your dad is happy about what he expects to happen to Colin in Cleveland given the major outflowing of talent in that poor city. You dad has first hand experience with major outflowing of talent.

        1. Actually, my dad is suffering from a bad batch of gumbo at the moment. All the windows in the trailer are open…

  21. The 49ers played this one beautifully.

    If he goes we get a an extra pick and can look for QB to lead the franchise in the future.

    If he stays they use him as at worst a stop gap until next season when he’s released.

    Or best case scenario he reforms back to the QB who played good enough to take us to the SB.

    For #7 the options are worse

    1 – he could get stuck being Blane Gabbert’s backup on a team where he doesn’t want to be.

    2 – teams interested in him today may make other choices before April 1, rather than waiting to see if he becomes available.

    3 – His atittude and way he responds becomes magnified and part of his NFL resume.

    1. Yep, as I said above, Kaep’s best options are the ones that help the 49ers. It’s up to him, but if he thinks he’s got the 49ers over a barrel he is wrong.

        1. Kinda like how you promised I’d be eating my words? Full of empty promises Sebnnoying!

          1. Prime, I will still predict that you will eat your words, especially when Kaep goes to Denver and rejuvenates his career with coaches who are smart enough to use him properly and a FO that does not stab him in the back.
            Like you said, Kaep took the league by storm. Kaep, with that Denver defense, will take the league by storm again.

            1. Nice waffle Seb! You guaranteed CK would be a Niner and flourish under Chip. Nice try though!

              1. OK, fault me for sending the leaker to the negotiations.
                However, since it was done, how else do you think it would turn out? Still there is a glimmer of hope that he could be back, but I am not holding my breath.

      1. The 49ers have around $59 million in cap room , Cleveland has around $39 million in cap room and both of these teams are haggling about insignificant little barriers because both GM’s are highly incompetent and insecure / fearful that they will get the shorter end of the deal . Watching the 49ers and Browns squabble is like watching conjoined twins in a boxing match .

        1. The GMs for the 49ers and the Browns are not haggling, they are in agreement. The Browns GM wants Colin to take a 50% cut in pay, It’s his contractual right to say no thank you Mr. GM for the Browns.

          It’s Denver’s president that the 49er GM is haggling with over less than thirty slots in the draft.

          1. Where did everyone learn that Colin wants out of the 49ers. Just because his agents asked to look into a trade doesn’t mean he wants to go. I still say he just wants his money and one way or another he will get it. I think Colin is a competitor and believes he can play somewhere…and that somewhere can be just about anywhere (just like when he was waiting to be drafted). The only question is the money. Like you say HT he absolutely does not have to take a pay cut, period. That is what the all the drama is about and it is just bad negotiating by the 49ers. Somehow they think they can get rid of him on their terms and it will not cost them – but it will cost him. He thinks he did nothing wrong. We’ll see.

    2. I bet you think that sending the leaker to negotiate was a stroke of genius, even though it essentially drove Kaep away.

      1. haven’t we heard all of this before ..Seb ..?

        It reminds me of my youth … when
        my old 45 rpm records … used
        to get stuck, too !

        But at, least .. (back then)
        I could end the racket !

      2. please tell me how Kaep becomes a free agent april 1st if the niners dont release him

        1. Once the Niners see the writing on the wall, they will realize that they will be forced to eat a 12 mil salary. Jed is too cheap to do that. Other teams will be laughing at them, and the Niners will endure more ridicule and humiliation. It would be much better for them to get something for him, than waiting and getting absolutely nothing, while dragging the franchise in the hutter some more. I swear to God that I heard Jed say the wanted to act with class. Keep Kaep twisting in the wind is about as classy as cutting Hayne on the team bus.

          1. You can’t be serious…
            Keep Kap twisting in the wind?
            Wasn’t it Baalke who said they planned on him being here only to have your qb turn around the next day and ask to be traded?
            Cleveland is smart enough not to pay that much money for a bad qb. Do you ever stop to think maybe kap isn’t as good as you think he is?
            You must love the punishment you get on here with thinking like that. Cmon man! Let it and him go! He doesn’t want to be here and there isn’t a market for a qb who doesn’t want to compete and thinks he’s an elite type qb.

            1. kinda reminds me how Alex fed you CROW……..

              .@ninermd the blog clown……aka blog idiot…. aka blog moron …….i see you trying to prevent seb from taking your crown as the clueless loof on the blog…..

              FYI – they miss you at the Trump rally…..

              1. Lmao fed me crow? It was I that said when he signed that year to year deal he was on the bubble and would be gone if he didn’t stop the checkdown passss. And BOOOM! Your world went to *hit you loser! Lmao and add getting you booted twice from this site!
                You’re owned and a good ***ch doesn’t talk back!
                Beat it scrub! I own you! Always have always will!

              2. ha ha ha….you are the gift that keeps giving……a true loof…..you should take your advice and not talk back to your master…….

                I bet you thought if you ran away for a while we would forget you…..truth is we actually did forget your sorry self….

                since seb is getting most of the attention you decided to come back and get some for yourself…….new flash “Bro”, you will always be a bottom feeder….

              3. Lol who’s we? Just because most on here weren’t here back in the days format mean you’re rants and begging to be let back on here will be forgotten. You were important when the Alex smith drama was alive.
                He’s gone and you’re irrelevant.
                And George. Good luck, this idiot can’t put together that some people don’t buy into the two party system. I’ll leave politics with that note and that note alone.
                Onelame is by far the biggest idiot on this page.
                You can’t get banned 3 times and beg to be back on a site with any kind of dignity in your body.
                Period the end!

            2. The next day included a meeting that had the leaker be the lead negotiator. I seem to be able to connect the dots, but you all are in denial. You cannot deny reality when I say that Marathe was the leaker, and he was at the meeting. Up until that point, I thought that Kaep may have taken the high road and forgive their lies, smears and insults, but after they poke a stick in his eye, I will say that Kaep is perfectly reasonable to want to flee this dumpster fire.

          2. I have news for you Seb. The 49ers are not going to release Colin. They have plenty of Cap space to carry the cap hit (which isn’t actual money) in order to keep Colin out of the hands of the Rams, a division rival. They control Kap’s rights and there is zero chance they will allow the opportunity for the Rams to sign him.

            1. I guess you have not heard about the Yorks banning free bottled water as one of their first acts upon assuming ownership. Do you think they will eat $12M in order to be able to keep the Rams down. That would mean they care about winning

          3. Seb, you do realize that the 49ers aren’t actually required to pay Colin his salary if he doesn’t show up for OTA’s and training camp, right?

            I don’t know how to explain things any more clearly to you. The 49ers are well aware of the salary cap implications and are in a very good position to take the cap hit. The BIGGER issue, by far, from the 49ers standpoint, is controlling where Colin plays in the near future. They understood every possible angle of how this could end up playing out well before they dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s of Colin’s contract.

            Unfortunately for Colin, I don’t think he understood all of the possible ramifications before he signed his name on the dotted line. He may not have had enough leverage to dictate the best terms when he signed his mega deal, but he certainly had enough leverage to take less money annually, in exchange for better terms in regards to guaranteed money, and the date at which the 49ers his contract became guaranteed, which the 49ers are now using as part of their leverage.

            I’m willing to bet that Colin starts feeling the squeeze a lot sooner than the 49ers. Time will tell!

        2. I know Trent calls the shots on the roster but imagine a situation where Goff or Wentz is sitting there at 7 and Chip Kelly really wants that player but Trent was eyeing a linemen or linebacker or something. Trent has to take the qb right? You would think the HC hired to turn your offense around would at least get to make that call regarding that position. Why would you keep kaepernick and pay him 14 million after April 1st, there isn’t any assurance his health is a 100% after those injuries and why would pay someone sitting in the bench making 14 million and Gabbert is only making 2.7 million?

      3. Seb – you are right about sending Paraag to negotiate going over like a fart in church but I disagree about the reason. I think that attempting to re-negotiate the contract was what set the bad tone. They could have sent anyone else and it wouldn’t have mattered. Well, sending Paraag, if he really was the leaker, might have been more like a shart in church.

  22. Just to preface my comment. I do not think that harnough not kap are saints. But I don’t think that this is about just kap and the front office. I think he has watched what they have done with his former coach, the assistants, the promotion of tomsula, their media games they play and I think he despises them as people and business men.

    Once u get that much hatred in your heart it’s not easy for anyone to move past it. Hence a 53% divorce rate

    Now some people that are less emotional and more rational will put aside their emotions but I don’t think kap is one of those people.

    1. Niners really must have hated Kaep to leak rumors and smears, ban him from the side lines, and force him to play while injured.
      Then they have the gall to send the leaker to the negotiations and to top it off, ask for a pay cut. That was downright insulting.

      1. Seb, the niners also use a form a metrics and philosophies that basically ignores market value and doesn’t reward players who our perform their contracts. If Jed had his way they would structure every deal like Kap’s deal thinking that it would give them ultimate leverage. Why else hire a coach that players aren’t excited about playing for?

        Cleveland is dumb and the 49ers are dumber.

      2. You are seriously approaching onelame level with this ck talk.
        Next you will be calling him a cold blooded assassin and he will be the starter for the next 10 years and then get banned when people call you out and you can’t handle the truth. That would be a shame!

        1. I take it back Seb… Nobody could possibly be that dumb. The idiot in question just reminded me what a ratchet poster is. My apologies.

        2. Md, you seem to have a big ego. Guess what, I do not intend to get banned from this site because I never hurl expletives and just respond calmly and civilly to whatever troll who wants to spew drivel. Your blind hate for Kaep tells a lot more about you than it does me.
          I do think that Kaep, at the age of 28, has a good chance of playing for 10 more years, and if he goes to Denver, has a very good chance to repeat, and get several more rings.
          I am extremely unhappy that his future success will doom the Niners from ever getting more rings, but as a wise man once said, – Ye shall reap what you sow.
          With and owner like Jed and fans like you, I am glad he will go to a place where he will be utilized properly and appreciated. Believe me, Kaep is extremely talented like Chip says, and he will take the league by storm again.

          1. Big ego? Not at all. Probably one of the most down to earth folks on here. You on the other hand are pretty much known for stroking your own ego. Hey if that’s what you do then go ahead. But cmon man. The kap excuses have got to stop.
            He’s a softy, doesn’t want to compete, wants out of here, got mad because he got benched like he’s owed something, destroyed the lockeroom, dated a teammates ex behind his back, and is now holding this organization hostage because he’s upset? At what?
            Seb… I’ve pretty much stayed quiet and let the others destroy you, I’m not trying to do that because some of the things you say are witty and have some knowledge. Except with this ck thing. Let it go man. He’s not a good qb.
            Have a great night! Go NINERS

            1. Md, I really have no beef with you, but when you talk to others (even the unctuous oneniner) like you do, you open yourself up to criticism. As to being destroyed, I find it fascinating that many have tried to engage me, but in the end, they bitterly rue the day that they tried, and several have sworn to ignore my posts. I am still standing. I am resilient, and they have not touched me. They can hurl insults, mock and insult me, but I still will post my feelings about the Niners and do not let the yapping at my heels negatively affect me..
              I am happy. I get to use this site to be a fan of the team I love. I love talking football, and would much rather talk about the draft instead of Kaep. However, when he is still being demonized and villified, I just feel like sticking up for the downtrodden.
              In the end, I hope the Niners return to greatness and they start acting with class and dignity. Do not see much of it presently, but in the future, I hope they can grow to become a team that I can be proud of.
              G’nite, and GO NINERS!!!!!!

          2. Seb, is Jamaican49ers using the frontal cortex of your brain? It seems that, between the two of you, you guys can almost form one, cognitive response. Almost.

      3. Are you really still playing the “ban him from the sideline” card Seb. I already explained to you how silly and nonsensical that notion was. They banned him for one game, for medical reasons. Go back and watch the tapes. Matt Maiocco already covered it.

        You are one of the most apologetic people when it comes to Colin Kaepernick, I have ever read. God forbid Colin should shoulder any of the blame, or take any responsibility for his own actions.

        I know for a fact that you haven’t been anywhere near the 49ers locker room over the last season Seb. I know you haven’t because, if you had been, you would realize the reality of Colin’s lack of leadership. Now that Grant has gone on record stating just how true it was that Colin, did, in fact, lose the locker room. And since we know inside reporters like Maiocco, Barrows, Lynch, Branch, L. Cohn and now G. Cohn, have all gone on record in some way or another talking about and writing about how Colin lost the locker room, and how Blaine came in and immediately established himself as a better, more natural leader, I would think that you might consider letting go of the tired narrative that everyone is conspiring against Colin Kaepernick for some crazy reason.

        When it comes to critical thinking, all someone needs to ask themselves is, absent of absolutes, “what is more likely than not” when it comes to the curious case of colin Kaepernick.

        What is more likely Seb? …………………… We know, for a fact, that Colin has regressed as a QB and his numbers are only a part of it. Is it more likely that he’s simply not growing as a QB or developing as a pocket passer simply because ownership and management is conspiring to ruin his career, a tarnish his image, for some unknown reason? …………Or, is it more likely that Colin hasn’t been focusing on the correct things, like working on his mechanics, studying a lot of game film, or putting enough effort into establishing the relationships with his teammates, and maybe that has a lot more to do with where his career is at in this moment of time?

        One thing I can assure you Seb, and that is nobody hates Colin. Anyone who knows him personally knows he’s a likeable guy. I promise you neither Jed, nor Trent, or any of Colin’s fellow teammates (not even Aldon Smith) hates Colin. And I promise, you his teammates don’t think he is lazy either.

        However, Colin has rubbed his teammates, coaches, and front office the wrong way for a number of reasons.

        When you makes statements like “I’m not big on mechanics” like he did in preseason last year, when it’s obvious to everyone that his mechanics appear to be getting worse.

        And when you walk around the team facility with your headphones on, CONSTANTLY, instead of engaging with your fellow teammates, it does, in fact, rub people the wrong way.

        And when the backup QB is watching 5 times more game film on his IPAD than you are, and you are the starting QB, and the team is losing, it DOES, IN FACT, rub people the wrong way.

        And, when you’re the highest paid player on the team, and you’re not coming across as if you understand that, as the highest paid player, and the starting QB, you’re expected to be the leader of men both in the locker room and on the field, it tends to rub people the wrong way.

        And, when the owner and FO brings in an entirely new coaching staff, from top to bottom, and they go on record stating that it’s a new start, a clean slate, and an opportunity for everyone on the team to put the past behind them, and start a new, and the supposed leader, and highest paid player on the team refuses to get on board, and attack the opportunity with the type of attitude one would expect from a guy who wants to be a leader of men, well…….you end up rubbing people the wrong way Seb!

        Colin Kaepernick is UNDER CONTRACT to play football for the San Francisco 49ers. Nobody held a gun to Colin heads and forced hi m to sign it. Therefore, the 49ers control Colin’s rights to play in the NFL for the next 5 years. And, the way I see it, unless Colin is prepared to retire, and not get paid, during the prime of his career, he has 3 choices:

        A) He can accept the position he is in, and attack this opportunity to take back his starting position and play QB for Chip Kelly under his current contract, or ….

        B) He can accept the option to restructure his contract and play QB for the Cleveland Browns, or some other team, for less money than his current contract requires, or …..

        C) he can retire in the prime of his career and forfeit the conditions of the contract he agreed to, and the tens of millions of dollars he could be making under the conditions of that contract …..

        The choice is his! The ball is in your court Colin. You signed the contract Colin. You are an adult Colin. The team has made it clear that they will give you an opportunity to reclaim your position, Colin. And, on top of everything else Colin, your skill set seem to be a pretty darn good fit for the opportunity that is in front of you. So …………. figure it out Kap.

        But remember this: You may never get a better opportunity than this, because you may never get another opportunity to play in a system that seems, on the surface, to have the potential to be something special, considering your skill set, as long you embrace the opportunity, and work to be great within it!

        1. 49, they banned him for no good reason, except being spiteful. They not only banned him during the game, they banned him BEFORE the game. There are many many many examples of injured athletes standing on the side lines. There might have been a reasonable explanation if he just got out of surgery, but the game in question was FIVE weeks after surgery.
          It was just the FO and their insistence to ostracize Kaep and make it easier to continue the mantra that he lost the locker room. If they were so worried that he might get hurt worse, why did they insist on playing him while he was injured?

          1. Seb, read these articles, which confirm what I am telling you. And if you want to ignore these articles from respected reporters, and ignore me that’s fine. But for once, since I have at least provided real, tangible substance as to why he was held out for one week, (if they were trying to snub him, why only 1 week Seb, why not 2,3 or 4 weeks? I know if I were trying to make a statement and snub a player by banning him from the sideline, I would do it for more than 1 week. Wouldn’t you?) please provide something real and tangible to back up your opinion.

            Otherwise, all you are doing is making stuff up out of thin air without anything to substantiate it. And if you are going to make stuff up that cannot be substantiated, then don’t try and pass it off as if it’s anything more than pure conjecture and nothing more.

            http://www.ninersnation.com/2015/12/20/10629448/colin-kaepernick-not-expected-on-49ers-sideline-this-week

            http://www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/source-kaepernick-prohibited-49ers-sideline-week-15

        2. 49, you covered a lot of territory so it is hard to address every one of them. Telling the world that Kaep lost the locker room is a good way to grease the skids to get rid of him. Why would they smear him, then expect him to be a team leader? The notion that no one hates Kaep is laughable. With friends like that, who needs enemies?
          You still have not even mentioned the fact that Marathe was at the meeting, even though Kaep told the Niners after the meeting that he wanted to be able to talk to other teams. Ignoring facts like that just shows how indefensible many of your fellow posters point of views can be too skewed and twisted. Denying reality is exactly what the Niners and many posters are doing. They have a contract. Big deal. Contracts are ripped up and broken ALL THE TIME. Unfair contracts will be torn up quicker. Decency and fair play should also be considered. Lies, even if they are orally given, are legitimate reasons to consider if a contract is breached. Kaep signed that contract in GOOD FAITH, and the Niners responded in BAD FAITH. Kaep will hold out and claim hostile working conditions, so the best thing would be for the Niners to cut their losses and gracefully let him go. The Niners were their own worst enemies. If they wanted to get the best trade value, they should have promised Kaep his job back that he lost due to injury. Then they would trade a starting QB instead of a benched second stringer. It is truly laughable how posters are ripping Kaep to pieces, then insist he is worth a second round pick.
          I must admit that I have been championing Kaep, because few others have. Instead of hanging my head in shame, I will hold my head high, and proudly announce my fandom. At least I believe in something, and I have been a fan of Kaep since he played in college. Telling me that I cannot be a fan of his is ridiculous. I have admitted that he has regressed, but also feel that once he escapes the Niners, he will take the league by storm again.
          49, when you say that the Niners are his best chance to succeed, I just shake my head. No, the Niners are not his best place to play. They went 5-11 an should have lost 3 more games so they should have been 2-14. The Niners are in chaos, and the fact that no decent Free Agent wanted to come here is very telling. Go ahead, deny more reality. The best place for Kaep to rejuvenate his career is in Denver. They just won the Super Bowl. They have an elite defense. They have good offensive weapons. They have a solid coaching staff. They have a very astute GM. They have a great owner.
          Considering all parameters, Denver is superior to the Niners.
          I will leave with a saying that you have probably seen many times- You do not beat a dog with a stick, and expect it to lick your face. It more probably will go for your throat.

          1. Exactly NY, because that’s the way the world turns, right? Any player who’s making millions and millions of dollars playing a game for a living ought to at least earn that money.

            If Kap thinks he’s the franchise QB, then prove it! I know one thing for certain. If you aren’t confident enough to take the starting QB position away from Blaine Gabbert, you don’t deserve $8 million a year, let alone $19 million, or whatever Colin’s contract averages out to. Colin feels betrayed? For what? Did he think that ownership and management were going to make big decisions based on what is best for Colin Kaepernick first? That’s simply not the way the world works. I think we are all smart enough to know that.

            Colin took less money so that the team could retain players? Sure, in theory. Of course that’s the ideal way to do things. That would be win, win for everyone. But, you cannot predict what’s going to happen a year, 2 years down the road. Too many moving parts in the world of NFL football. That’s why guys try and get every last penny they can when the opportunity presents itself. And if Colin was gullible enough to believe that ownership and management was actually going to be more worried about what’s best for him, as opposed to what’s best for the franchise, because he signed a team friendly deal, then he’s a fool.

          2. Bottom line Seb. If the 49ers believed in Colin as much as you believe in him, he would never have been benched. PERIOD!

            This is the way life in the NFL works. If Colin Ka[ernick was such a valuable player, because the league believed he was a franchise type QB, his career wouldn’t be at a cross roads right now. It wouldn’t matter who the owner was. look at Denver. John Elway dared to do what he thought was best for the team, at that moment. He wasn’t worried about what was best for Brock Osweiler. guess what. Brock got upset and took his services elsewhere. Why, because the market allowed it. Where is Colin’s market? If he is such a good QB and severely underpaid, why are team not jumping at at chance to get him?

            Because he’s not. If he were as valuable as you and others believe he is, he wouldn’t be in this position, because that’s not the way the world works. The idea that the team simply turned on Colin for no good reason is just crazy talk.

            And Seb, you have no idea how locker rooms and teammates work. You think these guys don’t leak stuff. No matter how poor of a teammate someone is, or how little they study, teammates will never leak stuff to the press, right? Give me a break! I promise you Colin lost the locker room all by himself last season. And if you don’t believe me, find someone who was in the locker room last season, like Grant Cohn, and ask them yourself!

            1. 49 let me say this slowly so you may understand what I am saying’
              KAEP WAS INJURED.
              Slamming an injured player is something only a FO Shill would do. You must work for Jed. I expect more from the fans, but you are parroting the company line.

              1. Injured? Are you serious? He’s ego was injured because they did all the could for him, even dummy down the playbook and he still could not figure it out. Then he was benched and oh look, now he needs surgery. How convenient after you just played your way to the bench.
                Seb, you can spin it any way you want. The kid simply didn’t perform. Leaks,injured bad oline, his play regressed. Deal with it

              2. Prime, I am very serious. Kaep did not get injured sitting on the bench. Kaep was injured on the field. That is why he had surgery. So I guess you are saying that an injured player should play faultlessly like he could just ignore the injury and it would go away. Kaep played like he was injured, and the team docs thought he was making things up when he described the pain. In fact, many posters thought Kaep was a malingerer because the injury was in his left shoulder. Of course, they could not say that his injury to his right thumb would not affect his accuracy, so they said he was a wuss for not playing through the pain.
                It is shameful and low class to diss a player who is injured, but the FO wanted the posters to think that way. They sent out Kaep while he was injured, and did not care if he was maimed for life.

              3. Save your tears Seb along with the wild conspiracy theories. You’ve been played! It’s boring now. You lose son!

              4. Prime, I hope I bore you to tears.
                Did you know that Kaep took the league by storm? He took only 10 games to get to the SB. Once he is fully healed, I hope he takes the league by storm again.

              5. Prime, do you remember the game where Kaep rolled out, eluded the pass rush to buy time, then delivered a strike to a wide open Vernon Davis for a TD? That is the best way to utilize Kaeps’ skills. Forcing him to be only a pocket passer was almost criminal.

              6. Tell me again why Colin was only studying about 1/5th of the amount of game film as Blaine? Let me guess…….. it’s not Colin’s fault, his mouse button was mysteriously injured?

                The OC simplified the playbook because Colin was struggling with his reads, and it ends up he wasn’t even spending 1/4th of the amount of time studying game film as his backup. Why should that be a secret?

                Are you telling me it’s a classier move to hide that fact from the rest of his teammates who are leaving their blood, sweat and tears on the field trying to protect him?

                Your problem here Seb, is that you are far too emotionally invested to have a thoughtful opinion on the subject. You are much more disturbed that this information got leaked, than you are that your current favorite starting QB was studying game film far less than his backup. And, by the way, it’s no secret Colin isn’t “big on studying” still photos, and images of defensive formations on the sideline, during the games, either. Other QB’s are constantly breaking down game photos with their OC’s during the game. It’s public fact that Colin doesn’t do it, for whatever reason, nearly as often as most of his fellow NFL QB’s. Is it the HC and FO job to keep that a big secret also?

                SMH!!!

            2. 49, that is your problem. You think that leaks and lies are par for the course. It sure is the Niner modus operandi.
              Listen to Torrey Smith. He said he never had that problem when he played with the Ravens. This is a Niner problem, and it begins at the top.
              Jed said hold him accountable. I told him to do the honorable thing, and step down for the good of the franchise. He did not step down.
              Jed said that if he found out who the leaker was, he would part ways with him. Marathe was exposed as the leaker. He did not part ways with him, making Jed into a liar. He will continue to be a liar until he does part ways with Marathe. Marathe, who leaked the smears on Kaep, was sent as the lead negotiator to Kaeps’ reps. Only an imbecile would do that, and not expect Kaep to want to leave.
              I could go on and on about Jed, but Baalke deserves censure too. He was probably the leaker before Tomsula’s last game that he would be fired. Only Jed, His father and Baalke knew what the decision was, and I do not think Dr York wanted his son to receive more humiliation, so Baalke is the logical choice.
              I know Baalke is a liar too, because he said he did not know how long his contract ran for. He knew, but decided to lie straight faced and expected no pushback. So now I know when Baalke lies. It is when his lips move. Cutting Hayne on the team bus was so low class, I wish they had fired him for that. Baalke is the architect for last year’s disaster, but seems to be immune to any accountability.
              Kaep lost the locker room all by himself? You sure seem positive, but I am positive that Kaep did not leak, or tell lies. The Niner FO did those things, and banned Kaep from the side lines so they ostracized him and denigrated him. Saying he lost the locker room was contradicted by Torrey, Staley and Anquan in their interviews. I guess you will be calling them liars, now.
              It started with Singletary, continued with JH, and is evident with Kaep. The Niners leak like a sieve, and they deserve every slam they get. Remember, -Ye shall reap what you sow.

              1. Hmm, Prime, I am not impressed. I see that you have digressed to name calling. I guess your intellect is such that you cannot engender an original thought so you sputter and bluster.

    1. I’ll be honest. I was always sceptical that Trent Baalke would invest a lot of resources on the CB position in FA, especially considering how much youth and athleticism he already has at that position, and the entire defensive backfield, on the roster.

      I do a agree with you Scooter, he will draft a CB relatively high in this draft, though probably not any higher than round 3. He simply has to make ILB & OLB the highest priority.

      1. A lot of the ILBs they have looked at so far have been later round prospects, and have been smaller, quicker, athletic guys that can cover. That will be the type of ILB they go for. I’m liking Deion Jones in round 3 atm.

          1. Scooter .I like this CB class .I think we can find a good prospect deep into the rounds.Also agree with you and 49 about D Jones !

    2. Could also see a trade come draft time… seems to be the only way for us to get anybody sign with us… giving them no choice

  23. This was a fantastic article Grant.

    There are far too many people who contribute on this forum, who simply don’t want Colin Kaepernick to shoulder his fair amount of responsibility and share of the blame for what transpired last season.

    It is simply 100% fact that Colin lost the locker room last season, and he did so of his own volition.

    Blaine Gabbert, by comparison, was far more effective as a leader of men, and it appears to come far more naturally to him, than it does to Colin. IMO, not only does leadership come more naturally to Blaine, I also believe Blaine put more effort into forging the types of relationships that endear himself as a leader of the team, both on the field, and in the locker room, than Colin ever did.

    However, I also believe Colin can turn it around. I do believe the FO and HC are sincere when it comes to wiping the slate clean. And I also believe that Colin is in an advantageous position of reclaiming his starting position at QB, considering his contract, and athletic ability. If Colin would embrace the opportunity, and do his due diligence when it comes to learning the playbook, while honing and correcting his mechanical shortcomings, and really make an effort to re-establish his relationships within the locker room, and commit to being the best team leader he can be, he can, IMO, absolutely re-establish himself as one of the most exciting playmakers in the league when it comes to duel threat quarterbacking, and get this team back into contention under the tutelage of Chip Kelly!

    1. But I thought that leaking to the East Coast press that Colin is lazy was the FO way to inform Colin that he needs to improve his study habits 49reasons. It certainly let the world know that someone very involved in crunching numbers was watching everyone in the 49er organization. Now the new coach will be crunching urine numbers too.

      What a work place.

    1. No way, I say maybe they stick with the 3rd and maybe throw a conditional 2017 pick in there.

  24. The Niners created a dysfunctional environment and Kap did not rise against it to persevere and change culture. He is not that type of guy but I don’t think u can watch what they did during harboigh years and not be pissed at having to play for second rate coaches and a d rate head coach

  25. You took my coach away . Wa wa. You weaken the defense I relied so much on . Wa wa. You didn’t resign the only reliever I ever looked for . Wa wa. You didn’t resign Gore who took pressure off me .wa wa. You didn’t give me a top 5 offensive line . Wa wa. You don’t me staying to myself and working on my abs with my earphones on .wa wa Go look for coach Kelly , learn his offense , and go out and play ball you friggin baby

    1. Exactly NY, because that’s the way the world turns, right? Any player who’s making millions and millions of dollars playing a game for a living ought to at least earn that money.

      If Kap thinks he’s the franchise QB, then prove it! I know one thing for certain. If you aren’t confident enough to take the starting QB position away from Blaine Gabbert, you don’t deserve $8 million a year, let alone $19 million, or whatever Colin’s contract averages out to. Colin feels betrayed? For what? Did he think that ownership and management were going to make big decisions based on what is best for Colin Kaepernick first? That’s simply not the way the world works. I think we are all smart enough to know that.

      Colin took less money so that the team could retain players? Sure, in theory. Of course that’s the ideal way to do things. That would be win, win for everyone. But, you cannot predict what’s going to happen a year, 2 years down the road. Too many moving parts in the world of NFL football. That’s why guys try and get every last penny they can when the opportunity presents itself. And if Colin was gullible enough to believe that ownership and management was actually going to be more worried about what’s best for him, as opposed to what’s best for the franchise, because he signed a team friendly deal, then he’s a fool.

      1. Yup, it is Kaep’s fault. He was gullible and believed them , so when he was duped, it was Kaep’s fault and not the FO’s fault. After what they did with JH, he should have known better.

  26. Not sure if this article about it being a bad idea to trade kap has been linked here or not but here it is. Nothing much other than someone’s opinion:

    https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/the-49ers-would-be-wise-to-just-keep-colin-kaepernick-190041157.html

    Ill say this again; baalke will not create anything good with a 3rd round pick (at least the chances are low). I would take my chances on kelly helping kap have a good season vs baalke getting such an impact player with the pick that it would compare to having a QB on the team with a productive year. It would have to be someone really special at a high touch/impact position.

    The only way I would trade him is for a 1st or 2 second rounders.

    There is a chance that he will hold out, or not fully recover from surgery, or have a horrendous year and his value will decrease. But none of these options are in his favor and will reduce his value immensely.

    1. Yeah, Baalke has only drafted Bowman, Culliver and Borland in the third round.

      He’s not been great, but let’s try and be fair.

  27. Just put yourself in his position.

    The boss you loved and under whom your company had the most success was fired in the most back handed way possible. He was then replaced with the baffoon that you work with that basically compares to the incompetent secretary. Your boss asked you to take less money and change your schedule to allow your friends and other strong workers that company relied on for years to continue working but then they didn’t do anything that they promised you. They then broadcasted all your shortcomings to the other workers, to other companies that might hire you and your friends.

    I can guarantee that you would not want to work their anymore.

  28. Shish, this isn’t a fairy tale. This is life in the real world. Nobody says Colin has to stick around. All I am saying is, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. From what It’s starting to sound like, the 49ers are paying Colin a lot more money than the Browns, or anyone else is willing to.

    If Colin was worth more than the team was willing to pay him when they offered him his contract, he should have, and likely would have, refused to sign it and held out for more money. that’s what you do. You don’t start crying about it a year later, after you have been benched. If you think you’re worth more than the team is paying you then prove it, or go somewhere else that will.

    I don’t think he’s going to find another team willing to pay him what his contract calls for, when he can’t even beat out Blaine Gabbert, who was acquired for a 6th round pick. There are no guarantees in pro sports Shish. You never know who is going to be the your head coach, or which of your teammates are going to choose to sign elsewhere. The 49ers are going to do what they think is best for the organization first and foremost, just like any other NFL team is going to do. They aren’t making business decisions based on what’s best for Colin Kaepernick. That’s fairy tale stuff. And anyone who ever believed as an adult, that it wouldn’t be otherwise, isn’t mature enough to make 18 million a year, or whatever Colin thinks he’s worth.

    Colin got benched because he was playing poorly and the HC, and ownership believed his backup gave the team a much better chance to win. If ownership believed Colin was a franchise QB, they never would have benched him for Blaine Gabbert. That’s the way the real world works. If Colin were better, played better, and there was no doubt in his ability, he’d still be the starting QB and possibly even be getting a raise. But it didn’t work out that way. It ends up the ‘team leader” thought it was just fine to walk around the team facility all day with headphones on, ostracizing himself from his teammates. The “team leader” decided he only needed to watch 1/5th as much game film as his backup did. That’s not how a franchise QB is supposed to act and work. And the team leader isn’t expected to bail on his teammates and decide to end his season on IR, simply because he got benched for playing poorly. I promise you that did not go over well in the locker room and any players who were still on Colin’s side after he got benched, were very quick to wash their hands of him after that.

    So if Colin, and his fans want to blame everyone else but himself, for ending up in the position he’s in, they need to realize that, he is a product of market forces, and it’s simply the way the market works. If your a valuable player, your treated like a valuable player. If you aren’t as valuable as you wish you were, you’re going to be seriously dissapointed no matter who you work for. It’s called life in the world world.

      1. I have never been on welfare. I have earned a living all my adult life. I paid off my student debts. I have a loving wife. We raised 3 fantastic Children who have gone to college. I own my house. I have helped build a school. I have been a Niner fan since 1978,, and had season tickets for years. I am sad to have lost them due to the recession, but can honestly say that the Niners have given me joys and thrills that can only compare with helping my wife give birth to our children.
        I am content, and no smarmy loudmouth will rain on my parade.

        1. You’ve done a lot. Congrats. Now one more bucket list item,try to stop sniffing #7’s jock strap!

          1. Nope. I will champion Kaep because posters like you hate him so much, I feel it is my duty to counter the hate.

              1. Prime, just watch and read. I am planning on haunting your posts from now on. Get used to it.
                Remember, Kaep will take the league by storm.

              2. Oh like Mary put a curse on Ninermd? You gonna haunt me? Grant, Seb is picking on me. Please help!!!!!!

              3. Prime, did you know that Kaep holds records running the ball in the playoffs? With his skills, he could take the league by storm.

            1. There is a difference between being disappointed in a player, and hating him. I’m sure your parents are disappointed with you Seb, for your blind loyalty to a millionaire football QB, who hasn’t made a big, game changing play in almost 2 full seasons. However, I doubt they hate you.

              1. Hmm when a poster says that a player sucks and is a cancer in the locker room, he is displaying hate. When he repeats his screeds for months, it is more than dislike.
                Please do not bring my parents into this, they are both gone, and I miss them every day. They loved me very much and said they were proud of me.

    1. 49, he did not bail on his team mates. He was INJURED. It required SURGERY. They played him while injured. Having surgery at that time will allow him to get back sooner. It is pretty churlish to slam an injured player as if it was his fault that he became injured.
      Frankly, it is poor sportsmanship to smear an injured player.

      1. Tell that to his teammates and ex 49ers like Brent Jones, who washed their hands of Kap when he pulled that stunt! He was well enough to play if he was starting, he only needed surgery once he got benched.

        Personally, Colin did what was best for him, not the team. That’s fine, but you can’t have it both ways Seb!

        1. 49, he was not well enough to play. Maybe you did not watch, but I saw him struggle. He was not accurate because he was injured. They forced him to play while injured. You should criticize the medical staff for malfeasance and incompetence before you criticize Kaep.
          And Brent Jones did not get on his case about having surgery. I listened to all the interviews, and he has too much class to berate an injured player.

          1. “Maybe you did not watch, but I saw him struggle.”

            I watched, and I concur. He certainly struggled. A lot. Even before he got injured.

            1. Scooter, I think he got injured on that hard sideline hit in the Vikings game. After 28 more sacks, I think he was injured further.

              1. Of course he did. Though he has since stated it was in a later game, but what does Kaep know about his own body? At what point did he get injured in the 2014 season?

              2. I thought CK got injured when he clapped (thumb injury) breaking the huddle on the play he threw his first pick six in AZ.

                I think one of the Matt’s reported that. Or maybe it came to me during some delusional state. Either way, it sounds right.

          2. Are you honestly telling us Seb, that If you were doing your job poorly, and about to lose you’re job because of it, and the reason you were doing your job poorly was because of an undisclosed injury, you wouldn’t speak up about it the injury until after you were replaced?

            Thanks makes ZERO sense Seb. Honestly, you should stop, and read what you are typing before you hit the “post comment” button. It reminds me of the commercial where the girl says “I wish I had never hit send…….the internet ruined my life”

            1. 49, did you know that Kaep complained about his shoulder hurting, but the Niner doctors downplayed the injury and told him he was OK to play? They told him to ice it, and said it was just fine. After 28 sacks, it got worse, and he could not throw with accuracy. Kaep went to Colorado, and they discovered a significant tear that the Niner doctors missed Then he had surgery. It was not psychosomatic, or feigned. He was hurt enough to have surgery. Even though he was injured, he never was on the injury report, which is a violation of NFL rules. Hiding an injury was not in Kaep’s best interest, and he thought that the Niner doctors did not treat him properly. Niner doctors were more interested in trying to win rather than being competent and correctly diagnosing injury.
              Kaep lost his job due to injury, but the Niners tried to paint him as a malingerer, and leaked like crazy damaging info that never should have been divulged. His poor play was a direct result of injury, but somehow, you and many others cannot make the connection.

    2. i actually don’t disagree with you on many of your points.

      Colin is man and not a baby. He needs to man up and understand that he is getting paid 15million plus a year for a playing a game. That’s more money than hard working men and women around the world will never make in their lifetimes.

      He still had a choice to make things more positive in his crappy situation. Alex smith is perfect example. He got benched and not even for bad play or for losing. He just got benched for a dream of more potential for colin. He still took with diplomb and stayed a true professional and a man.

      Im not questioning most of that.

      What I’m questioning is:
      -The integrity of his employers. No matter how much money we make we have a choice about wanting to work for jerks. He does not need to stoop to their level but he can still have an opinion about it.
      -The reason for his poor performance having something to do with a monkey coaching staff and no OL. He may believe that he did not live up to his contract due to injuries (not responded to by the team’s medical staff in a way that was protective for him), poor coaching and lack of talent on his team.

  29. On Rotoworld:

    The Steelers have extended free agent OT Russell Okung a contract offer.
    Details are unknown, but the Steelers are well aware Ali Villanueva isn’t their answer at left tackle, and negotiations with free agent Kelvin Beachum (ACL) don’t appear to be going smoothly. Okung has struggled to stay healthy in his career, but he would be a big upgrade on Ben Roethlisberger’s blind side.

    1. Okung probably thinks he can help them get back to the AFCC game, and maybe go all the way.
      Here he would be pulling a paycheck with no hopes for the playoffs.

    2. I wonder if signing Okung would make it easier to trade Anthony Davis for a conditional 2017 pick.

      If Davis is still on his new team by March 1, 2017 the 49ers get their 2nd rounder.

      If Davis is is released (not traded) from his new team before March 1, 2017, the 49ers get their 3rd rounder if they are better than 8-8 or their 4th rounder if they have a losing record.

      1. Easier for the 49ers sure. Would it make Davis attractive without him playing a solid year? I doubt it, but I suppose it’s possible.

  30. The best thing for the Nines and the Browns would be if
    1) Browns take Kap, Browns get a late round pick
    2) Browns and Nines swap 1st round pick as compensation

    Both get the QB of their dreams…..

    1. Would the Browns still want Colin to take a 50% cut? No deal, because it’s already been turned down.

      If the Browns aren’t interested in drafting a QB at #2 after getting Colin, they could up their offer to Colin and trade back for multiple high round picks to rebuild their roster. The trouble is that they seem to want Colin as a backup to a rookie taken at #2.

      1. I seriously question the sanity of the Browns FO, worse than ours.
        They let 4 major players go and got nothing in return, WTF.
        Maybe we’re lucky we never got Hue…..

        1. Do you think Hue has major control of the roster? I don’t. He may have some influence where QBs are concerned, but I doubt that he has any say about retaining significant players who need new contracts negotiated.

  31. What it took in time, draft picks and cap money to acquire key pieces of the 2011 49ers.

    Year – Name – Overall Pick

    2005 – Alex Smith – 1
    2005 – Frank Gore – 65
    2006 – Vernon Davis – 6
    2007 – Patrick Willis – 11
    2007 – Joe Staley – 28
    2008 – Justin Smith – 4 (Free Agent $45m)
    2009 – Michael Crabtree – 10
    2010 – Anthony Davis – 11
    2010 – Mike Iupati – 17
    2010 – Novorrow Bowman – 91
    2011 – Aldon Smith – 7

    Years it took acquire them – 7
    Key players – 11
    First round draft picks – 9
    Top 11 draft picks – 7
    Years of losing football it took to acquire all these high picks (2004-2010) – 7

    The main point isn’t about “mind blowing stats”, who is good/bad at drafting, or who is/isn’t a draft bust.

    Its about showing it took a boatload of draft capital and 7 awful seasons to build that roster. Its about realistic expectations.

    Notes:
    – To be fair, the current 49er roster is way better than 2005. I’m thinking respectability by 2017.

    – I included free agent Justin Smith’s draft slot to reinforce the message great players (usually) cost great draft picks.

    – I admit to being arbitrary when it came to identifying “key players.” But that’s not the point. The main idea was to show what it takes to acquire talent. What a long road it is to build a great team.

    – It took Bill Walsh only 3 years because he was Bill Walsh. All five 49er Super Bowl teams were lead by Bill Walsh trained quarterbacks.

    – I left out less than perfect high profile picks and free agents like Bass 33, Lawson 22, Mays 49, Balmer 29, Rachal 39 and Clements $80m.
    To be sure, these are an inevitable part of building a team.
    It also shows late first round picks have more bust potential. Draft slot matters.

    (I liked Lawson, but did he play at a pick 22 level? Maybe I should have left him out)

    1. I left out Kaepernick because he wasn’t a “key piece” of the 2011 squad. It was not a snub.

        1. I started at 2005 because that’s when the first “key” piece of the 2011 team was drafted (Alex Smith).

          Kwame was drafted in 2003. The “less than perfect” segment is a notation demonstrating that even during a successful rebuild there are bad high profile draft picks.

          The main message… it took 7 picks in the top third of round one to build that roster.

          Top 11 Picks – Anthony Davis, Alex Smith, Vernon Davis, Patrick Willis, Michael Crabtree, Justin Smith, Anthony Davis, Aldon Smith

          Drafted 2nd Half of Round One – Joe Staley, Mike Iupati

          Drafted 3rd Round – Frank Gore, Novorrow Bowman

          Of the 11 high profile players, only two were acquired through high level draft wizardry.

    2. That’s an interesting angle to take on building a strong team. Seattle, Denver, Arizona, Raiders and the Rams are other good examples of how long it takes to get where ever they are. Thanks for the effort.

      1. Thanks.

        Teams that have good QB-HC tandems can re-build in less time.

        Look at the Rams. Oozing with talent. All those extra high first round picks from the RG3 trade in 2012. But they don’t have an established QB.

        This is debatable, but most think the 4 cornerstones to building a champion are QB, OT, Edge Rusher, Corner.

        The Raiders got two cornerstones in one draft. Carr+Mack was a great headstart. Then they had the sense to stink in 2014, which got them Cooper.

        It get why the Raiders hit free agency hard. They got a corner, another edge rusher and a key lineman. I’m not sure how their LT spot is, but they are not far from having all 4 cornerstones of building a winner in place going into this draft. (Do they need a LT?)

        Cooper, Carr and Mack are no longer greenhorns. They should mesh well with their free agent help.

        The Raider picks are 14, 45, 76, 112, 132. Only five, but no round 6 or 7 junk picks. They can get a real good player at 14. They have a shot at Treadwell, Conklin, or a good cornerback. Even trade 14 back a little and get Doctson or Darron Lee…. or gamble on Chris Jones.

        That’s why I’m fine with waiting till 2017 to hit FA hard. By then the 49er 2015-16 rookies should be well seasoned. The roster holes will be fewer and more clear cut. 2nd contract FAs will be a year younger. 3rd contract FAs will be in their prime during the (hopefully) playoff run.

    3. Very well thought out B2W, thanks for that.

      I know guys like Rocket and others, are still going to be frustrated with the lack of activity on FA, and I’m right there with them, but I think it’s due to wanting to see a quick turnaround to becoming contenders again, coupled with the cap space we have to really make a splash.

      The reality is, this was a bad team last year with a lot of bad coaching. 1) no big-name FA will want to come here without being terribly overpaid 2) We really need to understand and develop the young talent we currently have on the roster 3) How many bad teams have turned good by spending big in FA? Yes you have average teams, on the cusp of being good that will spend in FA on the few missing pieces that they have to finally turn that corner (likely the Raiders this year).

      This season will, hopefully, be like a detox season to rid the taste of terrible coaching and terrible play. We truly need to evaluate where we are as a team as it pertains to the current coaching staff, while also building some credibility. I just want to see a season without “leaked” headlines, and disgruntled players, while also seeing young players making some big leaps in their development. We need to get to the point where players will see the progress and the vision this team has put together and will want to come here to build a winning organization.

      Well….that’s my 2 cents.

  32. Read a Niners Nation blurb on Chris Jones. Can’t figure out why he’s not talked about more. He’s a great pocket disrupting 3-4 DE. They play him up and down the line. Sometimes 2-gap. Sometimes 3-tech. Has range too, chasing plays to the sideline.

    Opposing teams pay him the greatest compliments, usually running away from his side or double teaming him. Often both.

    He’s raw. Sometimes gets pad level too high. Occasionally suckered into charging the wrong gap. But he’s only 21. Par for the course at this stage. All fixable stuff.

    The “scouting” (media) reports say he sometimes loafs. I just saw 3 games of Draft Breakdown. I don’t see it at all. He’s as energetic as a guy that’s almost constantly double teamed can be.

    I like the idea of trading back into the late first for Darron Lee. If Lee’s gone, Chris Jones is another I’d be fine moving into the mid-high 20’s for.

  33. Kap could honor his 49ers contract and start his resurrection by first beating out Gabbert in TC. Than he could continue his revival by playing his best football in 2016 and get some important wins and finishing with a 8-8 or better win season.

    If he can muster this, than he could renegotiate his contract to make it more player friendly. Or, by next year our young high draft pick QB could be ready to take over and Kap can finally move on and we get a sure number 2 pick in next years draft.
    But alas, this is a pipe dream… at this point I don’t care what happens to CK or what team he goes to – as long as just goes!

    1. AES, I like your optimism, but with the Rams getting a decent QB, the Niners may be swept in their division. They also play the Panthers and the Pats, so I see 8 losses there. That means they have to sweep the remaining games to reach 8-8. That is a tall order. I foresee another 5-11 season, but think Jed and Baalke would be content to lose so they would be rewarded with the first pick of next year’s draft.
      I agree, I hope Kaep flees this dumpster fire, and lands with the Broncos, and resurrects his career.

      1. Then take your pessimism & baby tears and go cheer for whoever ends up with Kap.
        We don’t need fans like you predicting wins and loses 7 months away! D Bag!

        1. Prime, I recall you mentioning that Kaep took the league by storm. Once he is healthy again, he will do it again.
          I do not need to stop being a fan of the Niners to wish Kaep well.
          You however, seem to want to drive away the best chance the Niners need to succeed. Saying that Kaep sucks just drives down his trade value, and you and I both know he is not going to play for Jed once Jed sent the leaker to negotiate.
          This FA period is very telling, and my prediction that FAs would shun the Niners was spot on. I will lament the incompetence and futility, but fans like you deserve to lose.
          I see you have begun your name calling even before I addressed you, so I win again without even trying.
          Keep posting, I have not even begun to warm up.

          1. I think the free agent period is pretty accurate as to how players view the 49ers organization. And that is it’s a team in rebuild mode. Why would a free agent want to go to a team that might not win a lot of games. That’s the reality of what free agents look to as well as cash money. And to get any of those guys the 49ers would have to over pay probably by an additional 3-5 plus million and 3-5 year term.

            My second point is Kap is afraid of competition. That’s why he wants to bolt because he wants to be declared the starter, flat out. The 49ers are saying come back, earn your money and win the job. He wants out when the best chance to succeed is right there for him in Chip. But as you say, he is jolted by the front office and their betrayal. Oh my God, it’s a business, there are no hurt feelings in pro sports. He lost the job because he played bad. Oh wait he was injured. Week one he got injured and the 49ers forced him to play? Pretty lame Seb. If that was indeed the case and he truly was hurt, then he should have declared he was unfit to play. Selfish! Oh wait, the medical staff forced him to play. That’s another lame excuse.
            You say you win because I call you names. Well if it talks like a donkey, and rationalizes like a donkey, and debates like a donkey, well guess what, you’re a donkey!

            1. Prime, its official. Players will shun the Niners because they have seen what they did to Kaep. Congratulations, your screeds have driven his trade stock down so much, they will be lucky to get a 4th round pick.
              The Niner doctors did not do their job when they saw Kaep throwing balls into the ground. It was obvious that something was wrong, but I do not think they gave him an MRI, or if they did, they missed the tear that the Colorado doc said was significant.
              Maybe you did not know this, but Kaep did not trust the Niner docs, and received his medical care in Colorado because he wanted to get well. He also has received his rehabbing in Colorado, so I think he likes to be wanted and appreciated there.

              1. Seb says “Prime, its official. Players will shun the Niners because they have seen what they did to Kaep. Congratulations, your screeds have driven his trade stock down so much, they will be lucky to get a 4th round pick.
                You don’t know why free agents don’t want to come and its pure speculation as to why they don’t want to come. In my opinion its because of money and potential to win. Your reason is weak.

                Seb says “The Niner doctors did not do their job when they saw Kaep throwing balls into the ground”
                You dont know that, its pure opinion on your part and the last time I checked a lawnmower should not question the medical staff of a billion dollar business with the NFLPA backing up player safety religiously. Also, the same medical staff di a pretty good job Navorro Bowman. Oh wait, big conspiracy against #7.

                Seb says “Kaep did not trust the Niner docs, and received his medical care in Colorado because he wanted to get well. He also has received his rehabbing in Colorado”
                Just shows how he further alienated himself against the organization. He plays to the drum of a loner and that’s why he is a cancer in the locker room.

              2. Prime, I just listened to Matt Barrows and he agreed with Kreuger when he declared that statement.
                Maybe you should call them names, too.

              3. Prime, there you go again. Bloviating that the Niner docs repaired Bow’s knee. Wrong. Renowned doctor James Andrews who is based in Florida performed the surgery.

              4. Seb where did Bowman do his rehab? Who monitored him during his recovery. Who sat him out practices, made sure Wed was his day off and to evaluate him?
                Everything to you is the 49ers against #7. How about finally just once admitting that his play turned the Niners level of devotion to him into question?
                He sucked, because of a lot of reasons but primarily because he was not able to see the field and was spooked. Because of the oline, maybe, but he was making bone headed plays well before last year. Teams scouted him and he could not rely on his athleticism anymore. You cannot mask that. Blame whoever you want, you keep looking like a fool.

              5. Gee, Prime, you actually admitted that the putrid O line may have been a factor. I am amazed. The medical procedure on Bowman was not done by the team doctors. They were not good enough. The surgery was done by one of the best in the world, Dr James, Andrews. The after care and rehab did not require surgeons, it only required rehab specialists.. In fact, Bow rehabbed in Miami with the same specialist who helped AP, so he was not even in California.
                Get your facts straight or you will look like a fool.

  34. Eagles GM; “This year we felt there was a big drop off after 10 players, so I talked to people about trying to move into the top 10.”

    I agree, easily one of the more triangle shaped drafts in terms of talent. Plenty of ‘good’ players in the middle but not a lot of elite talent at the top. Great year if you are already good and just need some depth players to fill out your team, not so great if you’re trying to rebuild.

    Coming up with an all-32 mock is going to be a real bitch this year.

    1. I was listening to an interesting podcast today in which they argued that this draft in general just isn’t that strong. They even stated that the defensive linemen (which were being touted as being very good in this draft) are not as explosive as you would like when watching the tape.
      It will be interesting to see how this thing shakes out as it seems there are always a few players that go one to be studs, but I’m not sure how strong this draft is overall.

      1. Hmm, with 98 juniors coming out, even if half do not succeed, that means that 50 juniors will be drafted. With this draft pool with many defenders projected as very good prospects, if 50 seniors are considered starting material, that means that there will be good talent for the first 3 rounds.
        I agree, the offense does not look deep in talent, but the defense is loaded with great talent.

    2. CfC – Great post. Often overlooked is how each draft has a different talent peaks and valleys.

      I’m happy with the 49ers staying put at #7 and grabbing any one of Tunsil, Goff, Wentz, Ramsey, Jack, Buckner, Bosa, Stanley.

      At pick 7 I want one of two types of players
      1) Impact player who is athletically unique (Jack, Bucker, Ramsey)
      2) A “cornerstone” QB-CB-LT-Edge position vital to building a long term winner (Goff, Wentz, Stanley, Bosa, Ramsey)

      I’m OK with trading back, but the compensation better be at or above chart. I like Darron Lee. Then trading back up the first to secure Chris Jones in the mid-late 20s.

      Jones has a rep for loafing, but I watched around 100 snaps of draft breakdown and didn’t see it. What I saw was a gifted but raw player with technique issues typical of a 21 year old player that was constantly double teamed, even when the play was designed to go to the opposite side.

      Lee+Jones+Driskel sounds like a nice start.

  35. If you are all upset with how free agency is going you’d be slitting your wrists if you were Green Bay Packers fans.

    A lot of tunnel vision going on. Hardly the only team that is staying out of the free agent market this year and you still have certain teams that simply never dip into it, like the aforementioned Packers. Patriots are another names that you rarely if ever see signing players during the first week or so of Free Agency. It’s just their philosophy and it’s apparently Baalke’s too.

    For me Tier 1 of free agency is for the teams that are already established and are missing talent at one or two key positions to progress farther. They just need a stud CB or pass rusher to get them to the next round or two in the tournament. Those are the teams that should be rushing to sign big names in the first 3-5 days of the new season. Teams that aren’t already established that are trying to fill holes with these players are going to come up short because it’s still a team sport, one player can’t win the game against 11. That stud free agent needs to be surrounded by a solid team for him to be of any use. So teams like Oakland and Miami that continue to shell out cash for individuals even though their team as a whole is still weak will find themselves continuing to be mediocre. Mediocre with huge salaries that will start to prevent them from keeping quality players long term.

    The 49ers are a pretty weak team. Signing a lot of the names people are upset about not getting wasn’t going to transform us into a sudden contender nor were they likely to set us up as one in the next year or two. This is a team that’s pretty bare at the moment. Lots of depth on this team that’s being asked to play as starters. The entire offensive line is in flux. Our LT is getting old and worse each season. Our guards are awful and our C is OK but who doesn’t hold their breath each snap praying he doesn’t go down again? Our RT situation is a total unknown as well. We have year removed inconsistent starter trying to come back and we have a 2nd year player that played OK in his limited exposure at the end of the season when teams were mailing it in.

    QB? need one

    WR’s Who knows? Outside of Boldin who hasn’t been resigned every name on that roster is either a question mark or a disappointment or both.

    I could keep going but the point is, we have no business trying to sign big name or ticket free agents. This team is at least one or two GOOD drafts away before it should be even thinking about going after big free agents. Plugging in elite players to this team is nothing short of trying to put fancy high performance tires on your Camaro that’s still sitting on blocks with no engine and no interior. You can invite everyone over to come look at your fancy tires but they really just want to see the thing go and it’s just sitting there.

      1. I’m kind of on the fence of each argument, I’m really irritated we have done nothing to improve this team as of yet, but I also see what others argue in regards to evaluating our team and building through the draft.

        A small fact Rocket and Scooter seem to leave out is that no one wants to come here without being handsomely overpaid. Would it help the team to sign young (2nd contract) players about to enter the prime of their careers? without question. But why in the world would they want to come here at this point. We were one of the worse teams in football, one year removed from the Harbaugh/Baalke/Jed debacle, and just signed a head coach with his own hefty baggage. Again, why would any young, talented players ready to enter the true prime of their careers seriously consider spending it here? Without being way over-paid of course.

    1. CFC,

      I think you have it backwards. The teams that usually sign big name expensive FA’s are doing so because they don’t have much of their own talent to build around, whereas the playoff teams already have the big name expensive talent and are just looking to supplement. The Giants made a huge foray into FA this year because they have drafted so poorly lately they have no other choice if they are going to haven any hope of another run with their aging QB.

      The 49ers should have waded into and signed some good FA’s because they are devoid of talent. We aren’t talking about signing a player in his 30’s here. It’s about getting that player going into his second contract that you know you can add to the foundation of your team. You do this because you have failed to land these guys yourself in the draft.

      I keep seeing posts trying to make a point that teams – the Raiders especially – will continue to be mediocre and will get burned by these deals against the cap and it’s simply not true. The Raiders signed second contract players and one 3rd contract player, all under 30 to add to the young talent they already have. It’s the first time they’ve committed to long term big money contracts under McKenzie and they did so because they are in a great position to do so. They went 7-9 in the first year under a new Coaching staff and the first or second years of most of their young players. They were competitive against the top teams in the league last year. With another year of experience and the addition of good players to fill the holes they had, they will likely be playoff contenders and could also win their division. They did what you are supposed to do when you see a jump from your young talent. Miami doesn’t seem to know what they want to do, and signed a DT to QB money. That’s bad decision making, and an example of the wrong way to attack FA.

      As far as the 49ers go, I didn’t expect them to sign a bunch of high priced FA’s and I certainly didn’t expect the signings they made to turn them into contenders. What I wanted to see was an attempt to bring in young talent to add to the very small group currently in place and aid in the rebuilding. It’s great to talk about building through the draft and how you can’t overspend in FA, but it doesn’t work if you can’t draft the right players. Baalke has shown a glaring lack of ability to draft offensive talent, and even a number of his defensive selections haven’t panned out too well. If you are not having success in the draft in identifying players who will command large second contracts, then you have to sign players who have developed somewhere else.

      Who are the core young players that have distinguished themselves as building blocks of the future at this point? Reid and Lynch? If we are being charitable and positive and predicting based on small portions of info maybe we can add Armstead, Tartt and Ward to the list, but that is based on hope as much as expectations.

      I mean really look honestly at this roster and try and find players who are going to command big money as starts of the future. I can’t find them, and that is why a team like the Niners should have been looking to sign some young FA’s to start building a core of talent to build around. Saying we need to wait another draft or two is fine, but that is not a strategy that can work if Baalke keeps drafting the way he has.

      This team is devoid of talent right now it’s depressing. There is nothing to build around right now. That can change with good drafts, but it can also continue on indefinitely if you don’t start hitting on some young stars. This team is not in a position to rely solely on the draft for anything.

      1. I agree rocket. The 49ers have so much cap room because they lost some key players and failed to draft players worth extending. Signing a couple of good FAs entering their second deal would not have broken the bank, and they would have been providing some additional talent to build the future around and help speed up the rebuilding process. Also would have taken away some draft needs, letting the team focus the draft on building talent at certain positions. Instead every position bar safety could do with more talent.

      2. You’ve said a lot here Rocket but you haven’t really said much that suggests what you’re view is the complete opposite of what I said in fact most of what you say at the end is exactly what I did say.

        First when we’re talking about philosophies on how to approach the draft and free agency there is no point in trying to talk in absolutes meaning there is no one right way of doing it. The NY Giants are a team that consistently swing big in Free Agency and have SuperBowl rings to back it up where as the Packers and Patriots are teams that consistently don’t swing big and have an equal amount of success. I would never say one way is the backwards of another but simply a different way of approaching the same goal.

        I don’t agree with your assessment of the Giants. They’re a perfect example of the team I speak of. The players they picked up will have an immediate impact on turning them into a serious contender this season. They already have the 8th ranked offense all they needed were a key few players at the right spots on defense and now they have them. They are exactly what I was talking about when I described Tier 1 free agent teams.

        The success of the Raiders is going to hinge solely on the continued progress of Carr and because of that I’m going to not get into the discussion of whether or the not the team is going to be any good based upon the moves they’ve been making. Without Carr getting better none of those long term contracts or free agents move will matter.

        For the most part your last two paragraphs are everything I said when I said the team needed at least two “GOOD” drafts however your last sentence is where we differ;
        “This team is not in a position to rely solely on the draft for anything.”

        This is the exact position the team is in but their reliance on the draft isn’t really going to be by choice. When the cupboard is this bare as we’ve seen, you can’t attract the top flight talent and let’s be clear these are the only type of free agents I was really speaking about. I didn’t say that the team wouldn’t or shouldn’t sign any free agents I just simply was making the point that there shouldn’t be any reason to think that the team would be active during the first wave of free agency.

        1. ” I just simply was making the point that there shouldn’t be any reason to think that the team would be active during the first wave of free agency.”

          The more I look at that the more I wish I could take it back because not what I wanted to say.

          To sign any of the free agents that have been available the past week the team was going to have to overpay, grossly. The reasoning is that we are so bereft of talent and that our front office and even new coaching staff have a bad reputation and that players that have a choice are going to take big contracts from better teams unless the 49ers go silly and give them ridiculous salaries. Giving free agents ridiculous salaries is never the right way to go, ever but it’s especially worse when you have so so many holes still to fill.

        2. It was your view of FA that I said was backward CFC:

          For me Tier 1 of free agency is for the teams that are already established and are missing talent at one or two key positions to progress farther. They just need a stud CB or pass rusher to get them to the next round or two in the tournament. Those are the teams that should be rushing to sign big names in the first 3-5 days of the new season.

          This isn’t the way it works for the most part. It’s usually the bad teams throwing the big money around to try and compensate for their own failures in personnel. It often doesn’t work because they don’t have the other parts in place, but you still have to try and attain talent however you can.

          I agree with you that there is no proven method that you can follow, But to win in this league you have to have talent and it really doesn’t matter how you get it as long as you get it.

          How is my assessment of the Giants wrong? They certainly don’t fit the quote I posted from you above as a Tier one team who needs a player or two. They needed a lot of players and still do. They were a 6 win team in the worst division in football last year. I said they have made a huge commitment in FA to take a shot at one more run with their aging QB and that is exactly what they are doing.

          You changed your wording on the Raiders in this entry. I don’t disagree with this view of the Raiders but I did with your original one of them being a weak team that will remain mediocre. There is little doubt they emerged as one of the young and upcoming teams in the league last year with a very young core of talent.. Carr is definitely the key to how good they become, but with these signings they have helped him both on offense and defense to make his job easier.

          In regards to the last point, whether we can attract FA’s or not is an entirely different subject. We are talking about what the best course of action is to increase the talent level of this team and aid the rebuilding process. If all things are equal and we had access to the top FA’s in this class by simply outbidding for them, then there is no excuse for sitting on the sidelines. There were a number of players who could have helped us that are now suiting up for other teams.

          Relying solely on the draft is lowering your odds of success and in this case even more so considering the lack of success this team has had in the draft going back to 2012. They need young talent. Period. However it can be acquired.

          1. There were a number of players who could have helped us that are now suiting up for other teams.
            ————–
            Who and how much would we have had to pay them to sign with us?

            1. I’ve named some in previous threads: Jackson, Every player signed by the Raiders, OG’s Brooks and Allen, Trevathan, Lamar Miller, Jaye Howard, Damon Harrison, Marvin Jones, Mitchell Schwartz

              1. You’re leaving off the second part of the question and its the most important part.

              2. I left off the second part because I don’t know. What I do know is the Niners would have no problem paying some of the contracts they signed for.

          2. One thing that isn’t being mentioned is the fact that we still have Baalke drafting for us. Since we both agree you can’t build the team through free agency there is no reason to assume that Baalke is suddenly going to start getting better at drafting players so we could easily be more then just a few years away. If we’re more then 3 seasons away from being contenders then signing big contracts really isn’t giving the team a leg up for the future.

            1. Yes, but who on the team makes the assessment that Baalke is a terrible drafter. As fans we can make that assessment, but if the FO is resigned to the idea that Baalke is a terrible drafter and agree that the team is more than 3 seasons away, then Baalke needs to go now. Otherwise we’ve all signed up to be fans of a perennial loser. So, in other words we better all hope that the FO doesn’t view themselves and the GM as incapable and is willing to accept that as the status quo.

            2. You add players you feel can help you win and it doesn’t matter if it comes from the draft or FA. If the plan truly is to wait until there is enough of a foundation built through the draft before they attempt to acquire players in FA, we could be looking at a long long run of futility.

              1. But is it not the philosophy of the 49ers to add through free agency if those players can help you win now? The 49ers are not close to winning now.
                They are trying to build a core. I like doing that through the draft. The problem is Baalke hasn’t shown an ability to build through the draft.
                So thins is why we will endure another 2 years of losing or until Baalke is gone. He does however have 12 picks to turn it around.

          3. “I don’t disagree with this view of the Raiders but I did with your original one of them being a weak team that will remain mediocre. There is little doubt they emerged as one of the young and upcoming teams in the league last year with a very young core of talent..”

            I don’t call losing 6 of your last 9 games up and coming.

            1. 6 of those games were against playoff teams and every one of the 9 games was close in the 4th quarter. They were a very young team who made some key errors to lose close games, Carr especially. Those experiences are valuable and make you better going forward. With Carr and Mack another year older and wiser, Cooper in his second season, strong defense and Oline play, this team will contend for the playoffs and the division.

              1. Just saying, you’re only as good as your record and their record over the last 9 games was 3-6. Maybe they’ll be better maybe they wont. Carr’s rating over the last 9 games was 81.7, it was 103 over the first 7. 10 of his 13 int’s came in the last 9 games. As a team they won their first 7 games by an average of 8.25 points and lost by 6, over the last 9 they won by an average of 3 and lost by 9. They barely won the 3 that they did. They were far closer to be 0-9 over the last 9 games then they were to being 6-9. Maybe the competition was stiffer over the last 9 games but he didn’t appear to rise to it. Maybe he only plays well against average teams. Doesn’t mean he isn’t going to improve or that those experiences wont make him a better QB. What I’m trying to show is that they didn’t finish the year on a note that says, wow this team is really getting a lot better.

              2. **edit**
                “Maybe the competition was stiffer over the last 9 games but he and the team didn’t appear to rise to it. Maybe they only play well against average teams. Doesn’t mean he isn’t going to improve or that those experiences wont make them better. “

              3. “then they were to being 6-9.”

                /sigh I know you knew what I meant but here’s the edit anyway: “then they were to be 6-3.”

              4. The Raiders were humming on offense the first half of the season while the defense struggled. As the defense started improving the offense tailed off and Carr started pressing. Typical of a young team trying to figure out how to play at a consistent level week to week. There is no guarantee they will be better this year, but odds are they will simply based on the level their top players were able to reach at a very young age.

              5. Or maybe it’s typical of a QB that’s going to be above average, and not much more than that. Not saying that’s the case, but it’s on the table.

              6. I agree Ex. Carr is a very good QB but he still lacks the game management component and big play at crucial moment capability.
                Maybe it’s a maturity thing. Well see this year. A lot of pressure on the Raiders to make the playoffs.

    2. CFC and Rocket:

      Good discussion. Each of you taking an opposite side and making a case. I’m inclined to agree with Rocket because of the boundaries that he has set to support his position (i.e. young FAs on their second contract, etc,). One thing that was not explicitly mentioned (although implied) is that Baalke’s complete failure in the 2012 draft was a large contributing factor for the current state of the roster talent. He can’t literally get that draft back, but could “buy” good and proven FAs starting their second contract. Some risk is removed because these FAs would be proven, but, of course, it comes at a cost – which the 49ers can currently afford.

    3. I don’t drink coffee but you made my morning. I haven’t seen any impact players this past year, and I sure don’t see any impact administration going on. What we got is lots of analytics.

  36. “The Denver Broncos have reportedly told the 49ers they believe quarterback Colin Kaepernick is worth a fourth-round pick.”
    http://www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/report-broncos-believe-kaepernick-worth-fourth-round-pick

    4th round pick sounds right for a back up but who would ever say a starter is only worth a 4th rounder?

    They’re either playing hardball or they really don’t have much confidence in him.

    When Denver picked up Sanchez for a 7th the 49ers lost any leverage they had. You can certainly make the argument that Kaepernick is better then Sanchez but when you get one for a 7th then it’s hard to argue paying more then a 4th for the other.

    1. Well, instead of promising his starting job back that he lost due to 3 injuries, the Niners are trying to trade a benched second string QB who hateful fans say is a one read moron who is not accurate, has terrible pocket skills, refuses to study and is a cancer in the locker room.
      Denver is being kind and generous to offer a 4th.

      1. I agree Denver is being generous because he is “a one read moron who is not accurate, has terrible pocket skills, refuses to study and is a cancer in the locker room,” although I would leave out the word “moron.” I don’t think Kaep is a moron. He’s a guy who just doesn’t have what it takes above the neck to be a consistent play-maker.

        1. Btw, it is wrong of you to call fans who see Kaep for what he is as “hateful.” That’s a smear.

          1. George, it is an adjective. It describes in one word the long screeds against him. Nothing is positive, it is extremely negative and intended to be invective.
            It is also an opinion. Maybe if the smears and lies against him were not so hurtful, it could be construed as constructive criticism, but it is just calumny. Hateful is a description. Hater is a label.
            Maybe posters should stop hurling pejoratives, then the dialogue can become civil and respectful.
            Smears? That is subject to opinion, and different perspectives.

        2. George,

          Are you absolutely sure that any/all of the things you said here are true or are you taking rumors as facts?

          I’ve tried to stay out of the Kap topic recently because there isn’t much to say that hasn’t already been said, but I’m seeing a lot of mob mentality in how he’s being viewed now. We have very little tangible evidence regarding his relationship with the team or how he wants to proceed and yet there is about 1000 posts decrying him as a loser, malcontent, cancer, selfish, anti social, greedy etc.

          Do you realize there hasn’t been on thing said that has come directly from Kap? It’s all rumor and innuendo and that apparently is enough for some 49er fans to view him as a pariah. I honestly don’t know if the bridge has been burned between Kap and the 9ers. I go back and forth between believing it’s best for him and the team to go separate directions and thinking about whether he could thrive in Kelly’s offense, but I definitely don’t see the logic in giving him away if there is interest from other teams. At worst they keep him and he sits on the bench for a year as a solid backup. It’s a lot of money for that role, but they aren’t spending it on anything else so what does it matter. From Kaps perspective it’s pretty clear the best course of action is to sit and wait until April 1st and see what happens. He’s either going to be making his guaranteed salary as a member of the 9ers or he’s going to be a FA and pick his next team with no obstacles in the way. There’s no reason for him to accept a pay cut and he would be stupid to do so.

          We’ll see what happens but I really find it disturbing how quickly fans can personally turn on a player with little information to go on. It’s fine to be disappointed that he couldn’t improve to a level we needed him to, but it’s also not as simple as him not being able to do something or that he’s a terrible teammate. There are so many factors in play here, most of which we probably don’t even know.

          1. rocket, here’s an outline of what I just said about Kaep. Let me know what you don’t think is true.

            1. Not accurate. Literally that’s not true, I admit. He connects more than he doesn’t. But he often throws balls into the ground or sails them over receivers. This contributes to him not sustaining drives.
            2. Terrible pocket skills. He lacks field vision and often ignores open receivers.
            3. Refuses to study. After the offense leaves the field, you usually do not see him on the sideline looking at the tablet. Usually he’s standing with a cap on his head.
            4. Cancer in the locker. I have no inside knowledge about this. Yes, it’s based on what I’ve read about him “losing the locker room.”

            As far as their keeping him when he’s said he wants to leave:
            I think that’s a bad idea and not because of the money angle. First, I think he’ll lose the competition to Gabbert. So if he wants to leave, what will that do to team morale having someone like that in the locker room and on the sideline?

            1. Regarding his holding out against a pay cut with the Browns or Broncos, I don’t begrudge him that. He’s in the driver’s seat. I think the Niners will have to accept the compensation the Broncos are offering — with the Browns appearing to be out, there’s no other market. However, I also think Kaep’s camp will prolong the salary negotiations with Denver beyond the end of this month, and the Niners will release him. Threatening to keep him is the only leverage they have with Denver. It’s a game of chicken, and Denver holds all the cards, especially after they signed Sanchez. Brilliant move and pickup on their part. What do you think an end of the 4th round draft pick is worth in this draft. The Niners can pay Denver $4 million to take him, and Denver can offer Kaep a one-year at $12 million. But is the pick worth that much?

            2. George,

              Your first two points are fair, but not always true. There have been many examples of Kap reading the defense and going through progressions. There have also been many examples of Kap locking onto one receiver and baling at the first sign of trouble. He’s inconsistent and that inconsistency has been brought into a clearer light because there is nothing to take it off of him anymore. The Oline was terrible often giving him no protection or running game and the defense wasn’t keeping them in games or giving the offense a chance in some cases. Kaps inability to overcome these obstacles was a problem, but it was one of many this team had.

              Your 3rd and 4th points are hearsay. You can’t take rumors as gospel in which to judge him fairly. The studying and locker room popularity were not an issue prior to last season, so why is the narrative that he is lazy and disliked now? Again look at how things have progressed not just with Kap but with Harbaugh before him. These “leaks” have a way of disparaging the individual without naming anyone or the source. We have an idea that Marathe was the source now, but that doesn’t tell us whether he’s the only one.

              Here’s what I know about how this team does business: Jim Harbaugh was literally a month removed from taking his team to their 3rd consecutive NFCCG when rumors of him being traded to Cleveland popped up. From there it went to dissatisfaction in the locker room and the talent being so good anybody could win in his position. Last year it was the same thing with Kap starting with being anti social in the locker room, then players not being confident in him, not studying the playbook etc etc etc.

              This is how this team operates for whatever reason. There may be truth to the rumors, but it could also be a concentrated effort to find a scapegoat and embellish the issues to take attention away from the fact the team has really done a poor job of drafting and hiring a Coaching staff. Things didn’t turn around when Kap hit the bench so he obviously was not the only problem. The issues with this team go much deeper and originate at the top.

              1. rocket, nice rebuttal. Well reasoned. Regarding point 3, I think there is more to it than that, but I can’t prove it. I have always observed, back to the first Chicago game, that whenever the camera panned the sideline, Colin was never studying the tablet. I thought then that was strange. Point 4 about the locker room is pure hearsay, yes.

                Can you answer this for me: Who is more accurate and has better pocket skills, Kaep or Gabbert? I say Gabbert. Would you agree with that? If so, would you also agree Kaep wouldn’t win the competition?

              2. George,

                You can’t gain any meaningful insight from seeing a few shots of the sideline during a game. It’s also a big stretch to go from that to assuming he doesn’t study enough during the week. How often did we hear about Kap being first one in and last one to leave through his first 3 years with the team? Who was it that took it upon himself to go to an off season TC to try and learn how to play from the pocket at a higher level that included film work with Kurt Warner? Don’t believe everything you hear.

                In regards to Kap vs. Gabbert, Kap has actually been the more accurate passer based on their career numbers, but Gabbert is more advanced in playing from the pocket. I don’t know who would/will win the competition because Kelly’s offense is not your typical system. I’m not sure which guy it favors more until I see them play in it, and If we’re being completely honest, there is a possibility neither one of them will be overly impressive.

              3. Rocket,

                There should be more people in this “sophisticated” football blog speaking from reason rather than their own personal agendas.

                George,

                Reading the sideline shots from network TV may be more like reading tea leaves. How are you at reading tea leaves?

          2. There has been so many rumours reported by respected journalists about Kaep no longer trusting the FO that I am willing to believe it, and I think his requesting a trade (can we at least acknowledge that as a fact?) would certainly indicate some level of wanting to leave.

            For the rest, there is so much smoke that there is likely a fire somewhere. I figure if the locker room really respected him then someone would have stepped forward and said so by now. But its crickets from the 49ers players regarding Kaep, outside of a few veiled comments that could be construed as not supporting him (eg some of the comments teammates make about Gabbert, Boone’s comment about Bridgewater).

            1. Scooter,

              I’m not saying all the rumors are wrong or have no merit. I’m saying that before forming an opinion look at all the information instead of what fits your conformation bias. I don’t mean you personally; the blog in general.

              I don’t recall many shots at Kap directly from unnamed sources but I do remember an account of Davis and Staley getting into an altercation over Kap with Staley defending him. That hardly means he lost the locker room does it? There were some nice things said about Gabbert, but isn’t that usually what happens when the new guy takes over? Everybody was down including Kap who looked like a player who had no confidence left. Any change at that point is going to be met with optimism. Gabbert is viewed as more outgoing and social than Kap and really who cares? The players will follow and respect the guy who helps them win. Was anybody giving Gabbert a long term vote of confidence by the end of the season once it was apparent he really wasn’t helping them win any more games?

              1. Players having an altercation over the QB absolutely looks like he lost the locker room.

                Having nice things said about the new QB is normal. What wasn’t normal was the comments about how all the good things he does were the exact opposite of what Kaep was doing.

              2. If he truly had lost the locker room then I doubt he would have had somebody defending him, never mind a respected vet like Staley.

                I agree on the comments being opposite between Kap and Gabbert. What I’m saying is it really doesn’t matter. It’s about how the players play for each QB; not how much they are liked. There is a big difference between being thought of as aloof or indifferent by your teammates and losing the locker room which you already know. If the comments had featured players questioning Kaps ability or his performance, then you have a problem because that means they are losing confidence in him as a teammate who can help them win. Even when it was evident Kap had lost confidence and was struggling, you didn’t hear players calling for him to be benched or questioning his ability. It was more about him needing to relax and stop feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.

              3. “If he truly had lost the locker room then I doubt he would have had somebody defending him, never mind a respected vet like Staley.”

                Depends on if you believe to lose the locker room it has to be 100% against you or not. As soon as veteran players such as Vernon start questioning the QB, that is a sign he is losing the locker room. I also find it strange that none of the veterans have spoken up publicly in support of Kaep.

              4. I don’t think a locker room is ever 100% harmonious winning or losing Scooter. Davis had a history of being a problem if he wasn’t getting the football and last year was no different. Crabtree used to take back handed shots at Alex. Some players lash out some don’t. I really don’t recall many unnamed sources complaining about Kap, but I could be wrong. At the end of the day the point I’m trying to make is that it doesn’t matter how well liked the QB is. It’s how your teammates respond around you on the field.

              5. And could you say they rallied around him or looked like deers in headlights?
                You know who would tell it like it is, Alex Boone. Someone needs to do an exclusive interview with him!

              6. Prime, I think Boone said everything he needed to say about Kaep in his praise for Bridgewater.

              7. rocket,

                from what I know and have been told (and read), It’s really less about Colin losing the locker room, and more about Blaine quickly gaining the loyalties once he took over as the starter.

                I’m told, Colin is nearly universally liked by his teammates (nearly). However, Blaine is simply a more natural leader, and he simply knows how to connect with his teammates on a different level than Colin. Colin’s personality, while I wouldn’t call him shy, is much more of an introvert. Blaine simply connects differently with most of his teammates. And, Blaine made more of a concerted effort to reach out and forge those strong relationships than Colin ever did. And I don’t think it has anything to do with Colin being conceded, or feeling like he’s above reaching out and making the effort, and more about that it simply doesn’t come naturally to Colin, and he isn’t as socially outgoing as Blaine.

                Whatever the reason, I think it’s crystal clear to the players, and universally accepted by reporters who have access inside the locker room, that Blaine won his teammates over almost immediately upon being named starter, and that Colin’s going to have to have a hard time winning their favor back from Blaine.

                Especially after Colin made the decision to have season ending surgery with 4 or 5 games left on the schedule, while so many other players were nursing, and playing through their own injuries. I’m not saying Colin did the wrong thing, or the right thing, but I am saying that it was really the final act that sealed Blaine’s loyalties over Colin’s, in the eyes of his teammates.

                **One quick note, and this is an important one: I do think that the locker room generally accepted the notion that Blaine was studying a lot more game film than Colin as fact, because Colin never tried to defend his study habits, and with the way these Ipads can track of all their data, it would have been a simple thing to disprove, if it weren’t in fact true!

              8. There is a video of Florio interviewing Boone at http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/. It is currently the “Featured Video” on the right hand side of the page (scroll down about half way). In that video Boone says that the diva remark was not aimed at anyone. He said he doesn’t lie and Florio knows him. You’ll find that comment a little after about half of the interview. Definitely worth listening to for all of his other comments about the team.

              9. Boone said he was speaking about Bridgewater and no one else. Also the if he had meant someone in particular he would have use that person’s name.

                He was so high on his new team that it reminded me of the way Harbaugh used to eulogize his players.

          3. Rocket you are right on fan behavior. I may be dreaming, but I have recently come to feel like I’ve detected fans in this blog blaming Colin for attitudes that exist only in The Seb’s mind. Now that’s an a frightening influence.

            1. It truly is amazing how a suggestion on a message board can turn into something more, and how quickly some will jump on it because they want it to be true.

            2. As the Amboy Dukes would croon…

              Come along if you care
              Come along if you dare
              Take a ride to the land inside of Seb’s mind…

            3. Sir, I hope you do not think that I am speaking for Kaep, or that my post will in any way unduly influences perception that he knows of my existence. Still, I notice a censorship of silence because no one else talks about that meeting which was the genesis of his reps asking to be able to talk to other teams.

          4. rocket,
            While some comments directed at CK have been below the belt shots – and mostly by the Kap detractors, some comments have some merit.

            As you know, I have been a Kap supporter from day one. I pressed for the club to draft him out of college and was elated when they took him in the 2nd rd.
            His rise to fame came over night and quite frankly may have been worked to his detriment because things seem to easily fall for him in those first two seasons, especially given the SB appearance.

            But instead of growing at his craft he seemed to take a step back. Instead of being humbled by his fast track to fame he started to take things for granted – like depending too much on his athletic abilities rather than getting acquainted with the fine nuances of the game.

            Whether he was hurt or not last season, we begin to see CK’ regression when Harbaugh was still the HC in 2014.
            George posted some facts regarding Kap’ flaws that far exceed the flurry of rumors thrown at him.
            I will add the locker room issue with Aldon Smith that came about by dating Aldon’ ex-girlfriend.
            Sure, there was no more connection between Aldon and this girl at the time, but why date a teammates ex-girlfriend when you are capable of dating almost any girl you want?
            This was an unofficial locker and teammate breach of code that almost set-off a locker fight and eventually got AS thrown off the team.
            Locker room respect is very hard to recapture after you’ve lost it, and Kap may have lost it last year and knows that he can’t regain it. As a QB you need the respect of the locker room if you don’t have you can easily become the next Jeff George.

            1. AES,

              Yes you have been one of the balanced views on Kap in here, but in this post I see you taking some liberties. This statement for instance:

              Instead of being humbled by his fast track to fame he started to take things for granted – like depending too much on his athletic abilities rather than getting acquainted with the fine nuances of the game.

              I disagree with this because his actions last off season were not those of a QB who was taking things for granted. You don’t go to an off season training center to work on playing from the pocket if you are full of yourself and believe you’ve arrived. In fact doing this showed he was aware of the fact there were things he needed to improve on and he tried to do it.

              As far as his regression, there is a direct correlation between Kilgore’s injury in 2014 and Kaps play from then on. That coincides with the fact the OL play began to deteriorate and led to a season in which he was sacked 52 times. That has an effect on a QB’s confidence, and with the Oline playing so poorly again last year, his confidence was finally broken to the point of dysfunction. I’m not saying the Oline play was the only reason – he did not improve enough in his pocket awareness or picking up on defensive keys – but if you lose faith that you are going to be protected when you drop back to pass, it destroys your confidence and that’s what I saw by the time Kap was benched. The fact the Oline personnel wasn’t shuffled until he was benched was another travesty. I think he would have benefited from Tiller being inserted for Devey don’t you?

              The locker room issue is gossip. None of us know all the details or how other players felt about it. I also don’t agree that a single woman is off limits simply because she dated somebody else on the team. If she’s single, she’s single and Aldon needs to get over it. I highly doubt that divided the team either. Most of the guys would have gotten past that pretty quickly especially once Aldon was no longer on the team.

              Again I go back to this point when the losing respect and work ethic argument is brought up: Why did we hear nothing about this through the first 4 years of his career? Why in his 5th year while he was struggling do rumors questioning these things pop up all of a sudden? There were no questions regarding his work ethic or leadership before last season, in fact it was just the opposite. Did he completely change as a person or was there just more reason to start planting rumors to undermine him?

              1. rocket,
                Yes, CK worked on his pocket mechanics last off season – but his work ethic has never been in question. All of his teammates and coaches have always spoken highly of his ability to be first in and last out.

                But it’s the QB instincts and nuances such as reading defenses, anticipating his passes and making the snap decision that have not yet translated from his hard work to the playing field that has been on obvious display.

                Kap is a good human being that shows enormous compassion with his great work in Camp Taylor, but then he breaks a locker room code by dating a girl that had broken-up with a teammate. Yes, the key words here are “broken-up” but evidently Aldon still had feelings for the girl and it didn’t help that a friend and teammate was dating her.
                CK should have used more wisdom in this situation and given Aldon a little more time to completely pull his emotions back from the dissolved relationship before dating.
                Sure, on the surface this whole incident sounds immature and trivial until we begin to see the negative impact it had in the locker room even after Aldon was gone.

                Again, Kap is a good person but he failed to see the potential ramifications of his actions in this case.
                Any loss of respect he may have lost because of this incident may have been heightened by his poor play as well.

                In Kap’ last two games before being benched we saw a player standing on the sidelines aloof and almost disinterested. CK looked like a player that wanted to be elsewhere.
                This was a far cry from the Kap we saw in 2012-2013 that walked the sidelines encouraging his troops.

                rocket, bottom line is that Colin has stated (through his agent) that wants out. And when all is said and done, that settles it for me.

              1. Prime,
                Thanks. I’ve always liked Kap and still do. But unfortunately for his and the 49ers sake it may be in his best interest to move on. Wherever he lands, I wish him well and will never forget the excitement he brought me during the SB run.

                But when the dust settles it’s about the team not one player!

              2. I’ve never been a fan but yes he had a good run in SF but never improved. He never became a better football player but the most telling detail was he never became a leader. The QB has to be that guy that can make others better and rally around him. Good or bad, he’s got to be the foundation. He was not.
                I agree with you, a change of scenery is what is best for everyone. Even if he does go on to do great things, it’s better for everyone to move on.

      2. he got his job replacing an injured player and at the time everybody said there are no guarantees

        1. … and what does that universal truth mean? Are you implying that you have inferred from comments in this blog that Colin thinks that his contract is fully guaranteed?

    2. Sanchez is a backup. if that.
      Who would you rather have Kap or Sanchez?
      If you picked Mark, I’ll throw in a Tebow for good luck………

  37. Jets have CAP issues, can’t even sign draft pics at this time.

    I’d go hard for this => Send CK one of our young DT (Q. Dial or Purcell) or a mid round pick to Jets for Wilkerson.

    > Moving CK to Jets will, err, solve their QB issue. We can give them a young productive DL. Or they can take a mi round pick and save on the cash.

    > We get rid of CK to another conference and a top DL.

    Kind of a long shot, but if not above something like this is needed for Jets to move forward. If Jets want to sign Fitz, they need to ask people to restructure.

    1. Agree. I’ve been saying for quite awhile it would be nice to engineer a trade with the Jets swapping Kap for Wilkerson. Draft picks to be negotiated.

      1. I’ll quote Mr. Coffee on this, who made a great point above:

        “I could keep going but the point is, we have no business trying to sign big name or ticket free agents. This team is at least one or two GOOD drafts away before it should be even thinking about going after big free agents. Plugging in elite players to this team is nothing short of trying to put fancy high performance tires on your Camaro that’s still sitting on blocks with no engine and no interior. You can invite everyone over to come look at your fancy tires but they really just want to see the thing go and it’s just sitting there.”

        1. Just because the team is few years away from being good doesn’t mean its not worth putting elite talent in place now. Those players will still be here in a few years.

          1. Go check my rebuttal to Rocket Scooter because that’s not really what I was saying.

            1. I was responding to George, who appeared to be using your words to suggest it isn’t worth signing elite talent now.

              1. This blog arrangement and post sequences leave much to be desired. An edit feature would be greatly appreciated

          2. to Scooters point… Justin Smith.
            Now to be fair I am never one for making a huge splash in free agency. Those players almost never pan out… Revis, Suh, Haynesworth, Asamaugh… not because they are bad but because they just are not worth the return on investment. I personally believe the niners should have gone after solid upper mid level players who will help the roster.

            1. Niner free agent signings that did OK.
              Dwight Hicks
              Fred Dean
              Ken Norton
              Tim MacDonald
              Deion Sanders
              Gary Plummer
              Charlie Garner
              Garrison Hearst
              Ray Brown
              Justin Smith
              Carlos Rogers

        2. … and when Coffee wrote that the 49ers were one or two good drafts away, it’s important to know what Coffee meant be good drafts. Maybe he means two drafts as good as Walsh’s when he got three quarters of a defensive backfield and picked up some great free agents resulting in a Super Bowl win and a foundation for the future. When has Baalke been that good?

    2. Why would they trade for Wilkerson? Isn’t he going to cost too much money on a new contract and create cap problems? Wouldn’t he keep the team from assessing what they have?

      I know you guys aren’t the ones that started the angle above, but I couldn’t resist.

      1. Rocket

        I am in total agreement…that the stars have aligned to allow 12 draft picks and the 60 Million to afford them, is a fantastic thing. Wilkerson has a shelf life too, I don’t know if there are enough ‘good’ FA’s out there to make a difference, but I trust Baalke to find them. Let he and ‘Chip’ sort out what and who we need…

    3. Why do so many of you folks want the 49ers to trade Colin into the AFC?

      Given how bad a cancer can be for team moral, shouldn’t the 49ers be trying to trade him to a team in their own division?

      1. htwaits

        Bazinga…+1… and the added benefit of two semi-guaranteed wins within our division

      2. I agree. I mentioned trading him to the Rams about 2 weeks ago and received immediate “feedback” :) that you never trade to a divisional rival if you can help it. My point was that with new coaches and new offensive schemes, Kap would not, imo, be able to provide valuable insight into the offense. So, I don’t think a trade of Kap to the Rams would be any more damaging than Dobbs or Tukuafu traded to the Seahags.

      3. htwaits,

        They want him traded to the AFC because they still worry the Kap from 2012-2013 will reappear. The ones who aren’t worried about it have convinced themselves he sucks and was never any good to begin with. I definitely do not want to see him go to the Rams. I don’t know if he could regain his previous form or not, but I know the Rams have been tough with nothing at QB, so adding Kap would make it that much tougher.

        1. Within the division the trade compensation goes up exponentially.
          Regardless of he returns to form or not, trades within the division make it almost impossible to figure out a fair compromise because of intel alone

          1. Prime,

            What Intel? New Coaching staff and new schemes so nothing Kap can provide that they don’t already know.

            1. Player tendencies I would imagine. It’s just an impossible deal when it comes to trading in the division because of so many factors. One of them is Intel and the other is his turnaround. Why take that risk.

              1. Remember Colin is an official dunce. We need him playing against us twice a year. Imagine what that would do for us over the next five years alone.

        2. I agree, but I can’t resist teasing the “he’s trash” mob. I’ve just re-watched the first 15 games of the 2013 season, and all the good stuff is there (minus the big runs), and all the bad stuff is there too. What’s also there is the good and bad stuff about the team.

          Like when Crabtree threw the ball into the stand because he was over thrown. That put the team in first and twenty when it should have been first and five. Two plays later, Colin was chased at full speed toward the sidelines and just before he went out of bounds he whipped a side arm throw twenty yard down the sideline to get the first down. Crabtree made a great catch of an amazing throw.

          There you have Colin’s throw that was too long for a Crabtree that was still recovering from his Achilles tear, a petulant team mate, third and twelve pressure allowed by the OL, Colin making an amazing throw on the verge of going out of bounds deep in his own territory, and Crabtree making a great catch.

          When the FO started undermining Harbaugh in February of 2013, the team chemistry started changing in subtle ways and, a lot of the little problems started pilling up in 2014. Eight and eight in 2014, the coaching staff gone, players started leaving for different reasons, team chemistry gone, and Baalke announced that they were not rebuilding. They were retooling.

          There has been inconsistency and bad results everywhere in the 49er organization including at QB, and in 2015 our best OT was also inconsistent. The whole organization was inconsistent. They couldn’t even be bad consistently or they would have the third pick in the draft.

          It’s the 49er way, but the stadium is profitable. The stadium, as profitable as it is, will never be a home field advantage. That’s also missing from the 2015 season, because the Candlestick crowd wasn’t able to move South.

          1. So basically in order for #7 to be good, he needs a supporting cast like no other. Pay him his franchise money as a QB because there is a little ying in that yang?
            Sorry can’t do it. When the supporting cast wasn’t the top upper echelon of the NFL we witnessed the true CK. He could not carry the team through rough times. Instead he got angry. He was distant to the media, to the fans and to his teammates.
            True character is revealed during true tough times. He failed.

            Did we ever see Montana, Young Garcia, and Smith disengage themselves when it was tough sledding in SF. Nope they all persevered til it got better. What has CK done, vanished and won’t speak. What kind of a leader does that?

            1. That dirty rat Colin is keeping his mouth shut while the 49ers are trying to trade him. What a rat.

              As I recall, Colin was worse with the press when Harbaugh was here which coincides with the team winning. That’s a strange logical leap, but not uncommon in this blog.

        3. I don’t like this logic but only for one reason. If management is worried about him going to another team and making them look like a fool, they shouldn’t let him go. That is admitting they still believe in him… if they don’t believe in him then they should take the highest offer they can get.

      4. That’s been my thinking with RG3. I keep hoping he ends up in the on the Rams. Let him weaken the division, just don’t let it be through us.

  38. The Kaep issue has been hammered to death. The only thing anyone knows for sure that April 1st is the last day of reckoning. No fooling.

    1. There is some worry in this blog that the 49ers are afraid to release Colin because he might wind up with the Rams and come back to visit every year. Some think it’s worth $12M to prevent the Rams from getting Colin. Some think the 49ers should pay Cleveland to move Colin out of the NFC all together.

      Some are really thinking hard on the danger of facing Colin — or not?

      I think they should trade him to the best offer they can get and be done with it. Oh, right. The trade partner has to also take the most team friendly contract in the history of the NFL. What a burden!

      1. The seventy year history of the 49ers has mostly been marked by front office mediocrity. Who else would trade a Hall of Fame QB to the Giants for a backup guard who almost never played. They did it because YA didn’t fit the Shotgun, an offense that lasted about four weeks.

          1. As we who have flown for our home land used to respond, “Roger Dodger, You Old Coot!”

    1. Bay

      You said that last year…so he stayed …and he played… and he lost …and got benched…and guess what ? He regressed…back to Nevada Reno, then High School……

    2. I will still love the Niners, but continue to vilify the FO.
      And wish Kaep Godspeed.

  39. Haha, the downside to being given an edit button would be the huge rise in people suddenly being right when you thought they were originally wrong.

    us:”Wait a minute I thought you said so and so would be a bust”

    them:….”nope, see I said he would be awwwwsome.”

    1. No, no, I just want a 2 minute edit button so when I post and read it, I can correct typos. After 2 minutes, it is locked down, and a new post is needed to amplify or explain.

      1. How about a 2 post block? After 2 posts the blog puts a muzzle on you for the day? Sounds like a great idea.

  40. Baalke has become so paranoid that teams will figure out who he wants to draft through his free agency moves that he’s decided to do nothing until after the draft. On May 2nd the team will trade for and sign over a dozen players. It’ll be glorious.

    1. Everyone probably already know that Kelly and Baalke are going to draft a Qb with the 49ers #7 over all pick in the 1st round. If Carson Wentz or Jared Goff is available the 49ers will take either one. Maybe, they’ll take Paxton Lynch Qb if the other two Qb’s aren’t available?

      1. Jam, I think the Rams jump to 3 and get Goff by swapping their first and a second for San Diego’s number 3 pick. That way, they would jump in front of the Cowboys, because I think their biggest need is a good backup QB. I think the Niners should concentrate on defense and the O line with their first 3 picks, then go for either Hogan, Jones, Brissett, Adams and/or Driskel.
        Sorry, I do not like Lynch. I would even prefer Cook over Lynch.

        1. Paxton Lynch, Memphis

          Lynch has been getting strong reviews from scouts and he comes out after throwing for 3778 yards and 28 touchdowns this season for Memphis. Lynch has rushed for 17 career touchdowns and has great sixe for his position. Lynch may need to develop a bit more as a passer, but he has mobility in the pocket and is an accurate QB

          1. Some scouts like him, but the Combine found some knee issues, so he is not a grade A to me.

    1. AJ actually did well in a playoff game, because they ran out of other healthy WRs.

    1. I read that. He’s a little loose with some of the weights he has players at and I’m not sure where he got his number for Lynch but even the 49ers roster page has him at 270 and the article says he’s 245.

      Overall it’s interesting. It still comes down to individual philosophies and tendencies. As he noted, weights and sizes of players were trending one direction before and changed, no reason this new change wont go in a different direction at some point again too.

      1. Yeah, he’s getting the 249 lbs for Lynch from his draft profile. He put on a lot of weight after the combine. Not just saying that because of what he’s listed on the 49ers page, but I recall he also said so in an interview. From memory he was on some sort of prescription drug prior to the combine which made it hard for him to keep his weight on.

      2. And yes, I agree that trends will continue to change over time. But for now it certainly seems the 49ers are interested in moving towards lighter ILB/SS types to play the middle of the field. Tartt and Johnson last year, and the guys they have reportedly been interviewing are also smaller LBs that can cover.

        1. I don’t know that Tartt doesn’t suggest anything other then that Baalke likes thick safeties. Reid isn’t exactly skinny either. A look at the players that are put on the field at the linebacker positions still show a tendency towards the more traditional size players.

          Interviewing and talking to players is very different then drafting them. If the team walks away from the draft with a couple of 230 lb linebackers then I’ll be more on board that the team is making moves to be a part of this trend.

          1. Prior to Bethea’s injury, Tartt was playing ILB in sub-packages. Once Bethea was hurt, Dontae Johnson took over that role.

            I expect Tartt will eventually end up at SS, but how they used Tartt then Johnson is suggestive of the direction they want to go. As is the type of LBs they have been interviewing.

      1. San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns could be interested in taking a QB this year and those names are potential targets. The position is very deep in the 2016 class and past those names players like Dak Prescott, Jake Coker, Kevin Hogan, Nate Sudfeld, Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel, Vernon Adams and Brandon Allen also could be options for teams.

        1. Jam, I predict the Niners will try to draft Hogan, and hopes he drops into the 4th round, but if Hogan is gone, they will draft Driskell.

      2. Cravens is a risky prospect in my opinion. Looks good on film, which is what you really should be basing things on, but he scored very low in the explosiveness tests at the combine for a guy his size. He may be the type of guy who’s instincts make up for his lack of athletic ability, but he also may struggle to convert his impact ability from college to the pros against better athletes.

            1. Just looked up Deion Jones. Scouts say he does not have any weaknesses. Wow. Sounds good.

              1. I don’t follow college sports, but if he doesn’t have ANY weaknesses, why isn’t he going in the first or second round? Does he have any STRENGTHS? (maybe that’s the problem) I still remember all the whining about Novarro when he was drafted because of what all the little books said about him. Ah, if only Joel Buschbaum was still alive to guide us!

                *I was gonna ask a chick out last week, but after hearing my friends talk about her, I realized she was a reach and I wanted more value.

              2. Usually, when I read the scouting reports, they have strengths and weaknesses. The one on Jones had no weaknesses, so he must be pretty good, but maybe he does not have an ideal body type or is a smidge slow.

      1. According to the article they’re already here and we’re now transitioning to an 11 safety defense.

    2. Now you are talking Scooter. At the risk of derision and scorn there are two safeties I would grab in this draft (yes I know we are stacked) -first to your point,I think Miles Killebrew would be smashing( in every sense) in that role -reminds me of D. Buchanan a guy I liked alot coming into the league. The second guy is my official draft crush at this juncture (although I don’t see him as a LB)…Karl Joseph. Josephs’ game reminds me of Ronnie Lott on tape-crushing tackles administered in a legal fashion.Smart and studied in the game yet a passionate leader.This guy is classic football player :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L88OIVNvsVA and needs to be a niner.

        1. You’ll like Joseph’s game too when he plays next season( unless he lays the hurt on Kaep) guy is monster and the injury was not severe.

          1. Good player, but his size would make it tough to put him at ILB. However, if they decided Tartt’s best position was that LB role in sub then Joseph could be the long term SS.

  41. Gotta at least put in my two cents. I am sworn off spending much time on Baalke’s 49ers, so haven’t been reading the comments. Forgive me if I repeat others’ comments or just sound like a damn fool, which is probable. But … re: this Kaepernick trade fiasco. And only on this ONE point. My understanding is that Denver wants him as their starting QB, right? So the 49ers have a player another team(s?) wants to be a starting quarterback in the national football league and the 49ers are not freaking DEMANDING at least a number one draft pick???? FOR A STARTING QUARTERBACK IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE????????? Didn’t the Redskins give up THREE of those just to sign an unproven rookie? And Kaep has won four playoff games (spectacularly) and taken a team to the Super Bowl. You know what I would do if I was the GM of the 49ers? In my best Michael Corleone voice, I’d tell Elway (and anyone else interested) … “We’ll take your number two pick … AND a number one pick … and we’d appreciate you planning the press conference too!” And if I didn’t get EXACTLY what I wanted for Kaep, I’d tell the freaking QB and his freaking agent when to report to camp to honor his contract or let us know when we should announce his retirement … AND I WOULDN’T GIVE AN INCH! That’s how you establish toughness as an organization and as a team. “Oh, it’ll be suuuuuuuuuch a distraction! Boo hoo.” Who gives a sh**. The 49ers aren’t winning any SBs in the next few years, that’s for sure. Establish the freaking team and its attitude. You play and you play hard or you don’t get your fuc**** money, capisce?

    1. KM, the Niners cut off their nose to spite their face when they benched Kaep and did not promise him his job back that he lost due to injury which made him play poorly. Chip should have been praising Kaep to the high heavens instead of damning him with faint praise.
      So instead of a starting QB, the Broncos will take a chance on a benched second stringer who the Niners do not want who did not study and lost the locker room. Third round sounds generous, to me.

    2. kezar mike,

      They are essentially doing exactly what you just said here. They’ve asked for a second round pick and are sticking to it. Asking for a first isn’t realistic considering his play the past year and a half but you are correct in that a starting QB should require a certain level of compensation. That is why he hasn’t been traded yet and why there is a very good chance he remains on the roster for the season.

    3. KezarMike.
      Yes Washington did give up 3 1st rd picks for a “unproven rookie”. Thats why I don’t see any team giving up better than a 3rd for a very “proven” QB.

  42. KM: I’d take a different tract. I think that if the Niners are not that interested in retaining Kaep they should deal with the Broncos, draft the QB of the future and let Gabbert be the starter. If they do this by April 1, they can save more money and if the Niners FO and ownership have proven anything, it is that they like to economize whenever and wherever possible.

  43. KM: Obviously the Niners can’t draft a QB of the future by April 1, but it seems they could sure dial in on the draft and get a reasonable draft pick. I personally would prefer that Kaep stayed but, it seems that like Coach Harbaugh was on his way out via rumor long before he actually left, Kaep is walking out the door also.

  44. The Broncos will sign another FA QB who ever he might be, they will also draft a QB. The 9ers better jump early for Hogan because I can see Elway drafting his Stanford brethren, he would be a perfect fit for their system.

      1. Seb,
        Could be, but it was just an opinion, I haven’t heard any rumors to back it up.

        1. With that Denver defense, they could get Dilfer and they would do well, but Hogan seems like an ideal fit. Good call.

  45. The biggest problem facing the niners right now, is that their show of stubborness “…my way or the hiway…” is so wrong headed in that it leaves open the door to every coach / GM nightmare….the Quarterback Controversy. Keep him or trade him…but get him out of the headlines…get him off the roster….How do you think Gabbert is taking all of this in ? Clean up your mess…you created it you fix it. Cut him today and let the lawyers eat up what money’s left….

    1. Absolutely no reason to act with haste at this point Oregoni. The FO is in a strong position right now, in terms of leverage, and would be foolish to worry about this being a distraction right now. The draft is 45 days away, and the team feels very comfortable with Blaine Gabbert as their projected starter this season. As for Blaine, he’s coming off the best season of his career, and he has 100% support of the organization and teammates.

      http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/Gabbert-May-be-a-Better-Fit-for-Kellys-Offense-Than-Kaepernick-372121192.html

      1. Considering he was 2-22, 3-5 seems like an upgrade, but best may not be the appropriate adjective. How about- not as putrid, or sucked less.

        1. Seb

          I believe that you meant that Blaine was 2-22, 5-3…(?) You’ve been bellyaching about Kaep playing behind our Oline from last year… that first set of numbers was Blaine’s first 2 years w/ Jacksonville…are you telling me that the Olines in Blaines’ first two years (rookie) were better than the Cadillac Olines that Kaep played behind in his first two years..? even sitting behind Alex for two years, like Aaron Rodgers did ? Kaep wouldn’t even have survived the punishment that Blaine took those first two years in Jville….Upgrade, my fanny….

          1. Ore, Gabbert went 3-5, and should have lost the Atlanta, Bears and Rams games., if not for Quinn going brain dead, a missed FG and a blocked FG.
            His overall record is 5-27, so he is not lighting up the league.
            I think Gabbert is talented, but he threw the ball too quickly to avoid getting sacked, so the receiver could not run past the flag, and once he pitched the ball when the RB was not looking.

            1. Seb

              You keep throwing in those “should have’…and ” if nots” to make your point which is faded glory by now. Blaine was on the field for those games, and gets credit for them….You really are in fantasyland with that post….

              1. Ore, I am just saying that Gabbert did not have dominating performances and truly does have only a 5-22 win loss record.
                He is OK as a QB and has improved over his previous gig in Jax, but he is not the next Joe or Steve, IMHO.

  46. As for Colin, he’s got the biggest decision of his life staring him in straight in the face.

    I sure looks, and sounds like Colin is starting to realize that there might not be a better opportunity out there, to resurrect his career, than the one he’s been offered in Santa Clara. However, it’s not going to be handed to him. The 49ers control where Colin plays in 2016, if he plays at all. Head Coach Chip Kelly has made it very clear that Colin will be given every opportunity to earn the right to be the 49ers starting QB in 2016. And Colin’s not going to make as much money if he goes somewhere else, unless he can prove that 2014 and 2015 were aberrations, and a result of team wide dysfunction. The game film suggest Colin has gotten himself into some bad habits. And his study habits suggest he needs to change his priorities when it comes to preparation.

    But there is no denying Colin’s athletic ability, and competitive nature!

    The 49ers FO feels very comfortable with Blaine Gabbert this season. And for good reason. The arrow is pointing up for Blaine, and a lot of experienced people think Blaine’s skill set fit’s Chip’s system very well. The 49ers have plenty of salary cap space, and are also in a favorable position to draft a quality QB to develop behind Gabbert.

    http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/Gabbert-May-be-a-Better-Fit-for-Kellys-Offense-Than-Kaepernick-372121192.html

    1. 49reasons,

      The 49ers control where Colin plays in 2016, if he plays at all.

      The cost of keeping Colin on the 53, and not allowing him to suit up would be about $11.9M plus the associated bad press. If the 49ers suit Colin up every week but don’t play him, his pay would increase to $14.3M or so.

      And Colin’s not going to make as much money if he goes somewhere else

      Unless Colin agrees to renegotiate his contract, he will earn exactly the same as he will with the 49ers. If he does well, he will still be under his “team friendly” contract and his pay will rise as time goes by.

      If the 49ers cut Colin before April Fool’s Day, he will probably earn less in 2016 but he will get to pick among the teams that want him like Denver or the Rams or who knows, even Cleveland or the Jets. If no one wants him then Colin has to do some career planning. If Colin can’t pass his physical before April Fool’s Day, then he’ll have $11.9M in the bank with the trade or stay options still open.

      Wagging your symbolic finger under Colin’s nose will have no effect.

  47. Anyone else intrigued as I am about Tank playing on the edge at his natural weight?

    I was really big on him coming out of FS, I would love to see him succeed out at OLB.

    1. Absolutely, but let’s face it, he’s been a disappointment so far. Isn’t this year 4 of his rookie contract?

      1. Yes it is, and he has been. But they bring in a guy with a bum leg who has to sit out the year, ask him to put on 25 lbs and ask him to play an entirely different position in an entirely different scheme. Seems like he was set-up for failure

        1. Yeah, he’s been jerked around a bit. With a new DC, I wonder if they’ll have different plans for him.

  48. Grant,I really enjoy your thoughts about all 49ers,but this one is wat I have to disagree with you on. First,it has been stated by Baalke that Colin was Harbaugh’s pick. As we can remember, in 2010,he blamed Singletary for the Taylor Mays pick. After Singletary was fired…Mays was traded. Soon as Harbaugh was out the door,there was talk that Colin was next.Not to mention Chip Kelly looking to trade for him. Second, He was being a team player and took less money to help team resign FAs which never happened.Third and final blow was when the team benched and later placed him on IR. At the same time,his merchandise was placed on clearance as if he wasn’t on the team anymore. That move,in it self,is a very disrespectful move to someone who was still part of the team. Colin should move on and have every right to ask for a trade.

    1. Not that it makes any difference, but Colin was placed on IR after the first of three surgeries that Colin elected to have done. Of course, if Colin had waited until the end of the season to have his surgeries, there would have been no chance that he would be able to pass a physical before April Fool’s Day.

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