REPORT: Patrick Willis contemplating comeback. UPDATE: Patrick Willis NOT contemplating comeback.

Five-time All Pro inside linebacker Patrick Willis may return to 49ers in 2016, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Check out Cole’s report below.

Here’s what Cole said: “They need a shot in the arm, and they may get a couple this coming offseason. Patrick Willis, I talked to a source last night — Patrick Willis is considering a comeback. Now, he’s not definitely going to do it. He’s still dealing with a toe issue that knocked him out for his career this last offseason. However, he is considering coming back. We’ll see how he’s able to respond after one year away from the game.

“The other one is Anthony Davis, their star right tackle from last year, has decided to come back. He is definitely going to return to the team — as of now. Obviously, plans can change. But, he had concussion issues he was dealing with. He is now set to return.”

Do you think Davis will change his mind between now and next season? Why or why not?

And do you think Willis will return to the team? Why or why not?

UPDATE: Willis just issued a response via Instagram:

“I MADE MY DECISION BACK IN APRIL AND I HAVEN’T THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT IT; NOR‼️ PLAYING ANOTHER DOWN IN THE NFL…PERIOD‼️‼️‼️…SO QUIT TRYING TO BRING LIFE; on a CHAPTER that I have already CLOSED IN MY HEART and MIND…MY FOCUS IS IN THE PERFCT PLACE RIGHT NOW AND THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME…My PURPOSE 4 Life IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN FOOTBALL; FOR I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE TIME I WAS BLESSED TO PLAY ….IN THE GREAT WORDS OF 2-PAC#LIFEGOESON

Well then.

This article has 206 Comments

  1. I guess Willis is a Blaine Gabbert fan.

    Have to say this is a bit of a head-scratcher. What changed?

    1. But is it? He retired because his toe would not let him play at the level he wants to play at. If a year off has healed said toe, why not come back?

        1. If coming back after the toe had healed was an option why retire? Did a doctor tell him it was never going to heal? Since Grant and other reports mention that the toe still isn’t even 100% then it doesn’t even sound like being back to normal was the requirement for returning so again, why did he retire if all he had to do was wait for the toe to get close to 100%?

    2. Maybe his toe is feeling better. Also he probably misses the game and has regrets about leaving early. I’m doubtful he returns but I think AD comes back.

  2. Question. If Willis does come back, can he play for a different team, or just for the Niners? What is the league policy on this?

    1. Willis and A.D. are both under contract with the 49ers thru 2017 (Willis) and 2019 (AD). If they miss one year and come back both of their contracts get pushed back another season.

  3. The team is 28th against the pass and 20th against the run. A Willis comeback will help but they need alot more help than just PW. I have absolutely zero faith that Baalke will craft a competitive roster.

    1. Are you kidding me, Houston? With all those 6th and 7th round picks? Shoot, Boss, it’s dynasty time!

      1. Some industrious young writer should analyze the picks the 9ers have had in rounds 5-7 over the past 4 years and see how many picks have actually helped the team in any meaningful way.

          1. Interesting stat. That’s either very encouraging or the reason the 9ers are 3-6 instead of 6-3.

  4. Re: Davis and Willis-
    The report is worth mentioning, but since I had no idea they would retire when they did, I still have no idea what they’ll do. Insufficient data.

    1. I pasted his full tweet but its getting deleted by editors. He says no.
      I MADE MY DECISION BACK IN APRIL

  5. @CamInman 5m5 minutes ago
    Cam Inman Retweeted Patrick Willis
    Former #49ers LB Patrick Willis says he hasn’t thought twice about retirement. Says NFL chapter closed in his life

  6. The 9ers have the worst offense in the NFL in just about every statistical category. They have scored the fewest points in the NFL with 126. The next closest team is Detroit who has scored 149 but they’ve played 1 fewer game than the 9ers. The team with the most points is the Pats with 276. New England has scored more than double the amount of points the 9ers have scored. The point differential (pts scored per game less points given up per game) for the 9ers is at -10.8 per game which is not the worst in the NFL – it’s #31. The Lions point diff is -12 per game. How in the world has this team won 3 games? I hope PW and Davis do come back but that wont fix the problems. A team would not devolve to this level of ineptitude if they had a competent GM and an owner with a clue. The 49ers MUST fire Baalke and in a perfect world fans would force York to sell the team. That will not happen if fans keep funneling money to York in spite of his destruction of the franchise. If I were the city of San Francisco I’d send a formal demand letter requiring the team to discontinue use of the name of the city of San Francisco. This is no longer the San Francisco 49ers. What we have now is a disgrace. Thanks Jed.

    1. That’s the reason I’d like to bring in Caserio and McDaniels as my first choice towards building a new dynasty….

      1. He did in fact do just that. Justin Smith also walked away from almost $5 million. Anthony Davis and Chris Borland both retired. I think there is a strong chance that all or three out of the four would have returned to a legitimate contender. Willis and Smith wanted a championship ring, they already had the money.

        Justin Smith: $78,244,000.00 career earnings

        Patrick Willis: $42,566,330.00 career earnings

  7. bummer about Willis, all things considered we are lucky to have Bowman back.so at least we got one of our star linebackers back.

  8. Speaking of 5th round picks.

    https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/11/12/reason-for-hope-for-all-32-nfl-teams/

    San Francisco 49ers
    In his sophomore season, Aaron Lynch is the 11th rated 3-4 OLB overall (+10.0) and top-sixth in every pass rush category (QB sacks, hits, and hurries).

    It’s really impressive that the 49ers aren’t at the bottom of the league defensively after all the losses they’ve had over the last year or two. While the defense is slightly below average right now (-5.7), Aaron Lynch and rookie Arik Armstead (+5.0) provide a solid foundation to bring this defense back to what it once was.

    1. Yep, the D has some solid young building blocks for the future. Lynch and Armstead as mentioned in this article, + the DBs, Dial & Williams on the DL. Hopefully Hodges can be one of those building blocks too, and Bowman is still only 27.

      They just need another OLB/DE opposite Lynch and another pass rushing DL.

        1. Yeah, I was talking to CfC about him the other day. He looks a Jamie Collins type player to me.

          1. I think Mangini would love a guy like Jaylon Smith, too. He’s the kind of versatile LB that should fit Mangini’s scheme well.

              1. I should add that while I really like Smith and think he would be an excellent addition, I do wonder if he’s exactly the guy needed on D. As I say, I see him playing a similar role to Collins, who primarily plays as an ILB in their 3-4 looks, or weakside OLB in their 4-3 looks.

                Smith is a jack-of-all-trades, but as a pass rusher he is a bit like Bowman (and Collins). Very effective as an inside blitzer using his speed to hit the gaps, but not so effective on the edge, as he doesn’t have the strength and hand/ arm technique for it. For mine he would be primarily an ILB for the 49ers. Just not sure that is the position to be targeting for the 49ers in round 1.

              2. Scooter I agree he would probably be an ILB ,next to Bow here . He is an incredible talent and although one might ask for another type of player there Bow and Jaylon would be a strong combo indeed.

    2. Go back and watch the Seattle game if you have it. Aaron Lynch quit on several plays. He had a chance to make a tackle but instead he put 2 hands on a guy and then let someone else come up and make the tackle. He is all out effort when rushing the passer but the rest of the time he’s soft and he’s a chump. I wouldn’t want him on my team if I were a coach or teammate. The best thing that can possibly happen to the 49ers is to have Lynch lead the league in sacks the second half of the year so they can trade him and get some good picks.

      I’m telling you, focus solely on him when he’s on defense. The guy has no heart and he’s a quitter. He gives good effort about half the plays.

      1. I don’t have to go back and watch it, I know exactly what you are talking about and agree that Lynch doesn’t give max effort on every play. He’d be better if he did. He could try and force fumbles while his teammates make tackles and he’s just standing around and watching. That’s something his coaches have to hold him accountable for.

      2. Yeah, we best get rid of our best pass rusher. Good call.

        FWIW, I too have seen him looking like he’s taking snaps off, or giving less intensity, but I’ve also seen him play the run excellently. He can run a bit hot and cold. But he is easily our best and most disruptive player on D right now.

        1. I totally disagree. He’s the most disruptive player on D when he feels like it. He is very good when rushing the passer. The rest of the time I feel like he’s a liability. Of course, I also thought Dwight Freeney was the most overrated player in football when he was getting all his sacks. He completely ignored his responsibility of setting the edge on runs so he could always pump up his sack numbers. If you get 20 sacks in a year and 40 QB pressures then you’ve impacted 60 plays. The other 1,000 plays you either made no impact or you put your team in a bad position to have to cover for you. That is not team defense. That’s selfishness.

          Charles Haley tells a story from his rookie year where Ronnie Lott stood up in a team meeting and told the entire team that Charles Haley was letting them down and he was not using his God given talents to help his teammates. The requirement on that team was that every player play their very best on every play. They owed that effort to their teammates. If Haley wasn’t going to give that effort then Lott didn’t want him on the same field with the rest of the team. Haley said he hated Lott after that but he started dominating and realized Lott was right. Perhaps Aaron Lynch needs a Ronnie Lott.

          1. I’d love it if Lynch brought the same high intensity to every snap. That would be a good thing. But even running hot and cold he is still the most impactful defender on the team. Period. And I obviously do not mean on every single play. But overall, he has more impact plays than any other defender on this team.

            He is not a guy to be thinking of getting rid of. Ahmad Brooks on the other hand…

        1. Randy Moss ranks as one of the best to play the game, but there is a large contingent that believe he would have been even better if he had put in the full effort every day.
          Lynch may be our best player on defense, but I’d rather not build around someone who doesn’t always put in the effort. It would serve the team better if they found another piece(s) to build around.

          1. That kind of talent isn’t so easy to find. As my step 1, I’d try to motivate him more and don’t forget he’s currently on track to get a big payday. In my experience, money is a big motivator.

            I’d also like to point out in conjunction with my post below that who’s to say the team thinks he has a problem with max effort. Maybe it’s just the fans. Maybe the team knows that it is more of a conditioning/stamina and overall energy problem. Or as Razor pointed out, it could be his back.

            1. “That kind of talent isn’t so easy to find.”

              Exactly. Aldon Smith looked like he would take plays off too, but I’m sure if it wasn’t for his drinking problem both the team and the fans would be happy to keep him as a building block for the team.

              It would be different if he spent the majority of the game loafing and just interspersed with the occasional good effort play. If that was the case he’d have a lot of negative plays with the occasional moment of brilliance. But that doesn’t look like the case to me. He has the occasional negative play, but more often has good plays (and of course a lot of plays that are neither good or bad). To me that is more likely a case of he doesn’t push himself when he gets puffed sometimes.

          2. You both misinterpreted what I was getting at. You want to build your team or unit around a player with leadership quality. If he also happens to be the most talented or best play-maker on the team, then all the better. But it’s never been a good idea to build around a player who isn’t 100% committed.

            1. You do both. You build your team around your leaders and best players. They form the spine of the team, and are the players you want to keep long term.

              You also don’t build your team around just one player.

              Lynch is a building block for this team in that he is a guy with the kind of talent you want to keep around.

              1. You also don’t build your team around just one player.

                Sorry, I didn’t word that properly. I was meaning one or more player with leadership qualities, like what we had with Patrick Willis and Justin Smith.

                Lynch is a building block for this team in that he is a guy with the kind of talent you want to keep around.

                I agree that Lynch is a building block, but I’d rather have him be that than the cornerstone.

              2. I thought we were talking about building blocks, though? That is what I was talking about in my original comment, anyway. That Lynch should be one of the building blocks.

                In terms of leaders of the team I agree they should look elsewhere.

              3. My original comment was pointing out that the team shouldn’t build the around him though.
                I don’t mind if Lynch is one of the pieces around the building block.

              4. Sorry, now I am confused:

                “I agree that Lynch is a building block, but I’d rather have him be that than the cornerstone.”

                “I don’t mind if Lynch is one of the pieces around the building block.”

                Maybe we see “building block” as meaning different things.

              5. Given you were disagreeing with my comment further up in the conversation, it would appear the miscommunication comes from your interpretation of my comment about initial comment on building blocks.

              6. Maybe. I thought you were referring to Lynch as a player to build around.

              7. That where I disagree. He’s a building block, but not one to build around. He’s more of a building block that should be used as support.

              8. In the context of roster building I don’t see a difference between a building block or someone to build around.

                Anyway, my interpretation of what you are saying is that Lynch is a guy that should be used to complement the core of the team. Those guys are by nature expendable. And in that I differ from your opinion (if that is indeed your opinion). To me a guy like Lynch can absolutely be part of the core (or spine) of the team, so long as other components of the core include excellent leaders.

                For example, Aldon Smith could have been part of the core of the team (if not for his drinking issues) with guys like Justin Smith, Patrick Willis and Antoine Bethea as leaders. The 49ers need to find some new leaders on D.

  9. The Davis return should come as no surprise to anyone, the dude came out and said he was coming back in 2016 and said this in like July of this last off season (seems EVERYONE forgot).

    Also, if any retired player returns to the NFL, they are under contract with whomever they last had a contract with (if that contract was still active at the point of retirement). Davis will be under contract for 5 more years with SF whenever he returns…you can’t retire to get out of a contract.

  10. Sure Willis is feeling better. He probably hasn’t felt this good in a long time, but not playing football anymore tends to do that. He’s too smart to return, but I’d sure as hell try and talk him into coaching….

    Anthony Davis never achieved the Pro Bowl status I had hoped for when he was drafted. In fact, I envisioned him taking over for Staley at some point. He’s an average RT and a bit of a head case, not to mention he quit on the team. I’d question any motive to return other than the five million dollar one….

  11. Davis would be a big boost especially if Boone comes back and plays RG. Then you’d push Martin to LG and Kilgore at center. That would be solid with the eventual moves of Davis to LT after staley leaves and Thomas to RT.
    Lose out, get a QB to sit behind gabbert, a new GM and coaching staff and you automatically re-energize the faithful. One off season like that could go a long way to rescue the franchise not to mention all the money coming off the books you can allocate to a big player plus depth.
    Make it happen Jed.

    1. Unless Baalke switches overnight and develops a passing game that can move the chains, the 49ers linebackers will be on the field a long time with a predicatable running game, and a GM that does not know how to draft another Frank Gore in which Baalke inherited from McCloughan.

      Adding to Baalke’s swings and misses on the offensive side are the WR’s, O-Line, and QB’s he now into the negative numbers on.
      The entire NFL has video on Gabbert now, and a coaching staff in Mid Pacific during a violent Pineapple Express storm, boom-whooshing around in a 3×8 life raft, unsure of how to adjust with only one oar…Now that’s preparation, esp. with the ‘Hawks up next.

      1. So Hyde is trash? You obviously know nothing. Having not played in 2 weeks, Hyde is still second in the NFL in Missed tackles/broken tackles. He was averaging 4.1 yards per carry this season, and had he be given more than just 16 attempts a game on average (dude should have been getting 22 to 24) he’d have about 700 yards in 7 games…all behind what EVERYONE considers one of the bottom 4 lines in the league.

        1. I am in the industry–I know something about running backs..Look me up after Hyde has been in the NFL more than 10 years and has put up hall of fame numbers…Until then, suffer Hyde’s injuries after a couple weeks on the job.

          1. Really…youre in the industry? Do tell what it is you do and where you are.

            Also, you can’t name 10 RB’s in the last decade who’ve been in the nfl for 10 years. Outside of Gore and Lynch, who has put up anything of quality past age 29?

            Hyde has shown a lot of promise that he will be a very good rb. Is he the next Frank Gore, doubtful, but not many are. We’ve seen so many RB’s who go out and have a good year or two or three, and then fall off, its not as if everyone else is drafting an AP each year. Everyone is in love with Gurley now, but in 2 or 3 years the guy could be nothing special.

    2. When davis comes back he will compete for the RT spot, which I think he takes. You keep Staley and Boone on the Left side, kilgore and a rookie compete for the center spot, and you have the monster of a man in thomas as a right guard, as guards tend to be bigger maulers and tackles are quicker more nimble people. Just the addition of davis makes this line a top 20 line, an improved center gets them to top 10-15.

  12. Having been inside the industry, I’ll explain why the 49ers lose…even at this point the slow students keep the class from moving on…Hyde is a power runner, takes more hits=early retirement…If the Niners insist on this passless offense, better have a back hitting the holes quicker, with qucker moves…I guess the thousands of fans not going to games believe me not you.

    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2587341-levis-stadium-pretty-empty-at-kickoff-for-49ers-falcons

      1. And by the way, I predicted Hyde’s injuries before the season, precisely because of the above, but of course, the slower students are also lazy, lacking research motivation.

      1. Parsing words, engaging in semantics, isn’t my style. I have an idea, lets all agree we know how to read and focus on football.

          1. That was funny, a good sense of humor, will that help the 49ers passing game now that the Hawks have some film on Gabbert?

              1. My grand daughter is a black belt in Hapkido. Her husband teaches Hapkido at UCDavis. TomD claims to be in the “football” industry, but it’s a semantic trick to ask what his roll is. Then he was in the “football” industry. Mainly TomD posts to himself and he is better off sticking to that.

                Mentioning my grand daughter was just an appeal to authority logical fallacy of as much relevance as TomD being in or having been in the “football” industry. Notice that he didn’t use the word sport. Maybe that’s a clue.

        1. Help, Help, I’m going down with the Titanic, with my 49er play book in hand, someone grab this important documemt, as I’ve also left it at several NFL team headquarters and it always ends up in the trash.

    1. Why Boldin, Jack? Looking towards the future, or because he doesn’t match up well against the Seahawks?

      1. Looking toward the future, plus I think Patton and Ellington can give them the same type of game with more explosion.

        1. I’m on board with playing the young guys, looking to the future. But I’m not sure I’d phase Boldin out entirely. Just rotate him out more often. A smattering of older, better players in the team is a good thing.

          1. They should use Boldin almost like a TE. He could take some of Vance’s snaps. Similar to how AZ uses Fitzgerald.

          2. Yeah, rotating him in would be a good idea veteran savvy comes handy and it’s lacking in Niners’ current edition.

  13. Does anyone know Reid’s PFF numbers and ratings for this season? I’m curious if he has performed better than it has looked on TV screen.

    1. I don’t have access to his ratings, but I know he was rating poorly at the start of the year.

      Personally I think he’s looked a lot better the past 4 or 5 weeks, so I expect his PFF ratings have lifted accordingly.

      1. Thanks, Scooter. Why do you think his performance has been sub-par this season? Scheme? Health?

        1. I think he struggled with the scheme early in the season. So did Bethea (as evinced by his -2.3 coverage grade leading into the Ravens game).

          I would very much like to see his grades for the past few games. As I said, I think he has been improved, albeit unspectacular.

          1. Yeah, I hope he comes back from the break with a better grasp of the scheme. He’s a bright guy. Needs to translate his smarts to the field.

          2. I should also say that I think it was also a case of the scheme putting him in some bad situations, too. Not just a case of him struggling with understanding his role.

  14. With regards to A. Lynch not giving max effort on every snap and for the duration of every snap, could it be just an energy and pacing issue. To provide the type of effort and be successful at actually getting to the QB probably requires a lot more effort, throughout 4 quarters, than any of us realize. It seems likely to me that the great pass rushers pace themselves during the game so they can be effective in the 4th Q. Maybe A. Lynch doesn’t have as much stamina as the others and/or maybe he just doesn’t know exactly how and when to pace himself yet throughout the course of a game.

    1. One thing to keep in mind Cubus is that Lynch was labeled as a player that didn’t leave everything on the field in college.

    2. I saw that in Aldon too after returning from his Time Out. He just seemed to be cruising sometimes.
      One of my All Time Favorite Plays is Justin Smith’s strip in Philly. In one telephoto view from behind the offense, you see Cowboy reacting to the play but committing upfield.
      Here’s where it gets good: With his back to the play he plants to stop his upfield momentum and reverses into pursuit mode….
      BEFORE he has any clue if he can get back into the play. It didn’t matter to him. He hadn’t heard a whistle and he would’ve chased the recover to Key West if that’s where the Goal Line was. It was the AUTOMATIC PURSUIT response; he didn’t have to think about it.
      It was “F! Missed! Gottagethimdammit!”
      -The receiver jukes and dodges
      -Justin caught up and tomahawk stripped the ball
      -Defense recovers
      -Game saving play
      Right. He didn’t think about it. He just refused to lose.
      Rare as a blue diamond.

      1. That’s the type of player the team needs to build around…a leader that doesn’t quit.

  15. Lets see, the Niners lost their best pass rusher, and now some posters want to lose the second best pass rusher by calling him a quitter. Sounds like another genius move.

    1. It’s more that we don’t want to build the team around him Seb, and it’s a good idea not to.

      1. The whole concept of building a team around a player has flaws. He should just be an important component of the defense.

        1. And that in itself is full of flaws because you could wind up with a team like the Cowboys are right now: loads of talent with each being important but having almost nothing to show for it.

          1. The theory isn’t flawed, just the execution. Every team need a good mix of leaders and talent.

            1. That’s my point Scooter. Build around someone that is a leader and not just someone with talent. In fact, try to find more than one leader if you can.

              1. Yes, absolutely agree. This is what I’ve been saying all along. You need a good mix of both. I’ve never tried to suggest Lynch is the only guy you build around.

  16. I had earlier posted that I hoped that PW’s toe would feel better and he would make a come back, but alas, it is not to be.
    Wish Willis all the best and hopes he has a long and productive life after football. Maybe he should go into motivational speaking. People would listen. Those team speeches were barn burners.

    1. I’d love to see Lynch, Dial, Amrstead and Carradine. What’s the probability of it happening? Seems like a small window.

    2. Isn’t the “Burning Questions” sobriquet already taken by Jack Hammer? You aren’t a plagiarist are you? No? Oh, good.

    3. – Is Colin Kaepernick Done in San Francisco? I think so. That injury guarantee is a big risk for a backup, and I don’t see him renegotiating his contract to be a backup.

      – When Will Arik Armstead (DL) Become a Starter? His ball location and ability to disengage from blocks needs alot of work vs the run. He gets increased snaps but remains a non-starter. He could start if the season gets totally out if hand… 9+ losses.

      Dail/Dorsey/Williams were never sack masters, but all three pressured much better in Fangio’s defenses. (Could it be the under fronts or playing next to Justin?)

      – When Will Bruce Ellington (WR) Get Some Real Playing Time on Offense? If he’s healthy, yes.

      – Will Tank Carradine (DL) Move to Defensive End in the Sub-Packages? Can’t hurt to try. He should have been drafted by a 4-3 team.

      – What Is the Team’s Biggest Weakness? 1) Right side of O-line, 2) Lack of depth at running back, 3) Quarterback.

  17. 49ers should go all out to sign Mo Wilkerson this offseason. They’ll have the cap space. He’ll provide the interior rush opposite Armstead.

      1. Which OL is likely to be available in FA that can have the same type of impact as Wilkerson on D?

        1. I’m more concerned about protecting whoever is behind center and/or being able to establish a solid running game.

      2. Assuming Anthony Davis does come back, and it sounds like he will be, I’d rather they invest in a mid-tier OG/C and draft an OT early. That would give them Staley, Davis, Kilgore, early round rookie OT, mid tier OG/C, Tiller, Pears, Martin, Brown, Thomas and Silberman. Surely from that bunch they can cobble together a pretty good OL unit.

        1. The OL would still need to be addressed even if Davis comes back Scooter, and free agency might be the better option what with Baalke’s current success rate in drafting OL.
          Kilgore has yet to remain healthy for a full season since being named the starting center, and Martin may take longer than expected in order to become a decent center, so that is a position that probably needs to be addressed. Meanwhile, Thomas has yet to take a snap during the season, Silberman looks too much like a long-term project, and Pears is Adam Snyder 2.0. Brown and Tiller look promising, but it’s way too early to say that they can feel a need other than being quality backups. That leaves both OG positions as areas of need, especially if Boone leaves in free agency, and I’d rather see the team invest in those positions in free agency or with a high pick rather than more projects.

          1. We already know Baalke will not invest big $$ on an interior OL (and yes, in all likelihood Baalke will still be running the show). So the big $$ FA investment on the OL would need to be at OT. I’d rather draft an OT early than put big money into a FA OT. I don’t see any FA OTs worth big $$ that are likely to be available, aside from perhaps Mitchell Schwartz.

            They can pick up a mid-tier OG/C to replace Boone.

            I’m all for drafting a couple of OL in the early rounds.

            1. I don’t see the need for an OT if Davis does come back Scooter, but I also wouldn’t be opposed to us signing one.
              I wouldn’t rule out the team going after an OT whether Baalke is still here or not. (And as I’ve pointed out, the past GM history under the York regime strongly indicates that Baalke will be back). After all, most didn’t expect the team to put out big money for a WR before this past off-season.

              1. I’d actually like to see them move Davis inside to RG, and draft an OT early (or sign one, if they do go that way).

            2. Scooter, I beg to differ. I think Baalke will stay, but I am fed up with his strategy to let FAs walk. Imagine if the Niners had Ted Ginn, Delaney Walker, Crabtree and Iupati. The Niners would be a lot stronger.
              Granted, the salary cap issues may be daunting, but keeping talent just makes sense if the replacements are mediocre.
              Keeping Boone may help unit cohesion, and he does have talent. It also might help team camaraderie and locker room dynamics.
              Baalke should stop being so cheap, and remember the adage- You get what you pay for. Going cheap on players AND coaches have led to a 3-6 record. Eddie paid, and he won 5 trophies. Yorks refuse to pay, and sit in the cellar.

              1. I would be happy to keep Boone. I just don’t think he wants to stay. And why would he? He could get better money at a better team with less drama elsewhere.

              2. Boone goes with the wind, where ever it’s coming from. His 2014 and 2015 seasons have been somewhat flat along with the play of the whole OL.

          1. Haven’t paid him much attention to be honest. I like the idea of bringing in some big hogs in the early rounds of the draft though.

        1. Yep. Which is why you want to make sure the guy you spend those $$ on is worth it. Wilkerson is worth it.

          1. Baalke will sign FAs to fill needs and create depth. Too bad his FAs have disappeared. Dockette is gone. Wright flamed out. Torrey Smith has caught only 18 passes. They wont play Hayne. Bellore has only 5 tackles.
            Baalke is too cheap to pay Wilkerson.

            1. Stop with the cheap crap. Maybe he didn’t spend last off season cause the free agent class was not very good. Balke in his 4 years has dominated free agency up until last year. He has a very good track record. How soon people forget.

            2. Seb actually Bellore has 5 solo tackles and 3 assisted or 8 total. Which is good enough for, drumroll 8th best in the NFL. The next closest 49er is Vance MacDonald with 4 at 73rd place. It might help if you learned a few things about special teams aces. You might also see Craig Dahl is 2nd on the list but he plays for the Giants. Without Bellore our ST’s would really be in trouble with or without Hayne who apparently sucks a tackling others.

              https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/player-stat/special-teams-category

          2. Wilkerson will want to go to a playoff team for big bucks. Niners wont pay and wont play post season.
            Niners need to find that under achieving player like Cowboy, who will become dominant. Maybe a player on a 4-3 defense who is better suited for a 3-4 defense.

            1. Sounds lovely. Who’s that guy?

              Did Suh go to a team to win championships? What makes you think Wilkerson can’t be lured by the almighty dollar?

            2. Niners need to find that under achieving player like Cowboy, who will become dominant.

              Though he underachieved based on his draft position, Cowboy was still the most regarded player when he became a free agent after his tenure with the Bengals. And the 49ers also paid top dollar if I recall right.

              1. Mid
                How did Cowboy underachieve in Cinci? Lack of sack totals?
                I don’t know what the Bengals’ expectations were when they drafted him, but McNolan said when they signed him not to look for sack totals, that his contributions came differently.

              2. That’s what I am referring to Brotha. He didn’t have the stats most expect from a high first round pick, but his contributions came in other forms that made him effective.

              3. I think Wilkerson is comparable to Cowboy, and would be a fantastic pickup if Baalke can swing it.

              4. Unfortunately, I think it would be best to pass on Wilkerson due to the various needs the 49ers have.

              5. Just another area we disagree on Mid. I think with strong pass rush from the DL (which Wilkerson would instantly represent a significant boost) and at OLB opposite Lynch this D would transform into a good one.

                To me it is worth spending big on one player like Wilkerson who really is one of the best in the game at his position. If they can also pick up a decent pass rushing OLB without breaking the bank, it would allow Baalke to focus most of the draft on offense, especially the early picks, and would in my opinion be a very wise move.

                This is a team that has lost a lot of high salaried player so they can afford to spend big on one player. Just need to make sure that player is worth it.

              6. Of course, it could all be a moot point if the Jets end up using the franchise tag on him.

                I just think there is a decent chance they won’t given the cost of the tag and they have a ready made replacement in Leonard Williams.

              7. Going all in on one player in free agency rarely works out Scooter. I also don’t think the team can bring in a big name free agent given the current level of drama with the front office unless we really break the bank for him. And I think we can that type of pass rush from the draft in Nkemdiche.

              8. As Grimey points out, Nkemdiche may be out of reach. He also isn’t a proven commodity in the NFL like Wilkerson.

                To sign Wilkerson (assuming he is an UFA come free agency) any team will need to get out the cheque book. The 49ers are by no means in the box seat to sign him given the issues surrounding the team. But they should try, and try hard, in my opinion.

            3. I don’t see any of these guys being the next Cowboy, but I think signing them would help us at key positions.

              ILB Sean Witherspoon
              OLB Bruce Irvin
              TE Coby Fleener

              1. I’m not a very big fan of Bruce Irvin. He’s helped look ok by the surrounding cast. He doesn’t do much and he’s surrounded by Bennett and Avril.

              2. I’m not either, which is why I’d just give him a prove – me deal while Eli Harold developed.

              3. Yeah, not a huge Irvin fan, but I do think he’s a guy Baalke will be keeping tabs on (rumours were Irvin was the guy they wanted in 2012, not AJ), and he would help fill a big need and likely without needing to break the bank.

  18. Niners may want to grab a QB first round, but I hope Kaep can make a big come back and play like the 2012-2013 Kaep. They should wait until round 3 or 4 to select a QB.
    They have much bigger needs. The pass rush sucks and the O line sucks. Therefor, a pass rusher and an O linemen should be the top considerations.
    If the Niners cannot select Laremy Tunsil or Ronnie Stanley in the first, they should select a pass rusher like Jaylon Smith, Shaq Lawson or Leonard Floyd.
    In the second round, the Niners should build for the future and select a center. Two centers who should be available in the second round are Dan Voltz and Nick Martin.
    Of course, Baalke will probably pick an injured player like Myles Jack.

      1. TomD’s 49er Crystal Ball Forecast:

        1.Baalke has a readly made excuse to stay on board as GM–all of the offseason personnel defections.
        2.York, will keep Baalke on for 2 more years due to this logical excuse.
        3.Baalke will refuse to obtain anyone with an IQ above his on the offensive side of the ball, therefore, the Niners get no help offensively during the draft.
        4.49ers roster will suffer offensively, they may make a run at the playoffs if Baalke is smart enough to get help in the next 2 years, otherwise, he’s gone.
        5.Offensive coordinator Chryst, did not WoW the NFL his first year..Many times a new OC has the advantage his first year, as their is the element of surprise. Chryst’s only surprise this year was not getting beat by the Vikes in the 49ers 1st game with an offense that trails the Detroit Lions. His future as OC has been decided by his opponents this season by virture of being Shutdown and owning the worst scoring offense in the NFL
        .

    1. You do not select a Center in the second rnd when you have Kilgore coming back and a 21 year Marcus Martin. Players take time to develop. That would be idiotic.

  19. Gore vs. Carlos Hyde stats:

    Carlos Hyde: 115 Att., 470 yards rushing 4.1 22 3

    http://espn.go.com/blog/san-francisco-49ers/post/_/id/16021/frank-gore-leads-former-49ers-on-offense-toiling-elsewhere

    RB Frank Gore (Indianapolis Colts): Gore has exceeded expectations during his first season in Indianapolis. He leads the team in rushing with 599 yards and four touchdowns. Gore’s ability to still burst through holes has him on pace for his ninth season of at least 1,000 yards rushing. “I don’t feel like I’m 32 [years old],” Gore said. “My body has me feeling like I’m in my 20’s still.” — Mike Wells

    1. Rushing Yards Leaders – All Players

      RK PLAYER TEAM ATT YDS YDS/A LONG 20+ TD YDS/G FUM 1DN
      1 Adrian Peterson, RB MIN 169 758 4.5 75 6 4 94.8 4 37
      2 Devonta Freeman, RB ATL 164 721 4.4 25 3 9 80.1 1 47
      3 Chris Johnson, RB ARI 141 676 4.8 62 6 3 84.5 2 26
      4 Todd Gurley, RB STL 118 664 5.6 71 7 4 110.7 1 27
      5 Chris Ivory, RB NYJ 156 643 4.1 54 4 6 80.4 2 32
      Doug Martin, RB TB 143 643 4.5 49 7 3 80.4 2 25
      7 Latavius Murray, RB OAK 132 630 4.8 54 6 3 78.8 1 26
      8 Frank Gore, RB IND 148

      1. Looks like top 10 back, Frank Gore still has it, while his understudy, Carlos Hyde is on the sidelines helping the 49ers put bags of ice on his foot after a few weeks of action.

  20. I think Carlos Hyde is too one dimensional, maybe we should get rid of him via trade for a slew of draft picks.

    1. “We” Tom? When you first came on here you were the biggest troll/49er hater and now all of the sudden its we, as in we 49er fans? Why the change?

  21. Every victory for the rest of the year reduces the multiplier on how many “should we draft Goff” posts that are inevitably going to occur between down and next Spring.

    Bring on the wins, the less likely people think our chances of getting Goff the more enjoyable this blog will be for the next 7 months.

    1. “between down and next Spring”…*edit* “between now and next Spring.”

      Just how, does the brain turn “now” into “down?” I mean not even dyslexia can take credit for that one.

      1. Jack I believe the saddest part of losing Skuta was that it wouldn’t have cost that much to keep him. I would much rather have Skuta than Brooks. One of Baalkes biggest mistakes. imho

    1. This is another excellent article by David Neumann. For anyone that doesn’t follow Neumann’s work over at NinersNation I highly recommend giving his stuff a read. Very thorough breakdowns of players by someone that actually knows what they are talking about.

      One thing that I think is very important in this article is Neumann’s quotes from Pete Carroll. I often see people lamenting the number of easy completions being given up by DBs, and faulting the DBs for those completions (Jimmie Ward and Kenneth Acker have both been on the receiving end this year). But often times they have played their role exactly as it was drawn up, and it is because the help they are expecting on the play has been late or not gotten the proper depth. Just another example of how important it is to play sound team D, and that often times the individual playing as they are supposed to gets blamed simply because they are nearest the crime.

      1. Thanks, Scooter. Good post. I’ll admit to being quick to judge the perp closest to the crime scene.

  22. For all that are still hoping for Kaepernick to come back to lead the 49ers to a SB, it’s not good for Kap, he might had played his last game as a 49ers Qb. When Kaepernick took over for a concussed Alex Smith in Week 10 of the 2012 season, the 49ers were coming off an NFC title game appearance in 2011, and boasted one of the best rosters in football.

    They sported the fourth best rushing attack in the league, and the defense held opponents to 17.1 points per game — the second best mark in the NFL. Now that the defense regressed and players retiring and moved on to FA, somehow Kap struggles and now there’s no defense or offensive running game that can cover up Kap’s deficiencies.

    1. I beg to differ. Kaep played last game. Kaep could have run that play, but decided to call a time out, which allowed Gabbert back in. Kaep is performing his role as the backup with class and dignity. Gabbert has praised Kaep for being a good team mate. Kaep is still valuable to the Niners. If Devey starts, Gabbert will get his bell rung because Bennet will run by Devey and hit him like a smithy beats a hot piece of metal. Kaep could easily be in before the second half.
      In the past, Kaep has performed well. Somehow, he is not in sync and his leadership skills need honing. He is not acccurate presently, but it is frustrating because we have seen him do feats that few others could manage. maybe Kaep needs to take a breath, study hard, and work to make the team better. Dumping on him does not help him, or the Niners.
      In other news….Je suis un Parisien.

  23. “They masked some of his deficiencies over the years with a strong running game, great offensive line, one of the best defenses in football. Now when you look at that team, it’s a shell of its former self. I think it’s had a dramatic impact and effect on his production.”

    Significant roster turnover and a new coaching staff in 2015 didn’t help matters for Kaepernick.

  24. The 49ers need to be proactive with Kap..Like Andy Reid works with Smith, get Holmgren and Shannahan in here to coach up Kap and design pass patterns to lift his QBR so they can work a trade.
    With no value, the 49ers will get little or nothing back for Kap.

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