This is my Friday column. Forget about contracts and holdouts for a moment. Let’s focus on why Vernon Davis is vital to the 49ers’ offense. Before I hit you with a barrage of X’s and O’s, there’s one stat you should know about Davis. He scored a touchdown once every four catches last season — the best rate in the NFL. If he had played in an offense that didn’t…
I am not a Blaine Gabbert fan at all. He hardly ever threw the ball downfield in college. He was a system guy who threw bubble screens, smoke routes and other quick passes. At Missouri, he completed just 30 percent of his passes that traveled more than 15 yards downfield. Obviously, Gus Bradley saw enough of Gabbert last year to know he was not and will not be the long-term…
Trent Baalke held a press conference Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine. Here is a transcript. Q: Frank Gore will count $6 or $7 million against the salary cap this season. Is that reasonable? BAALKE: The simple is there is no reason it can’t be. We’re in a good shape from a cap standpoint. There really is no decision to be made. We can move forward exactly as is if…
Here is my Thursday column on the 49ers’ upcoming game against the awful Jaguars. Beating the Jaguars is way down the list of important things the 49ers must accomplish this weekend. Beating the Jaguars isn’t even top-three. Beating the Jaguars is expected. Everyone beats the Jaguars. The Jaguars are the worst. The 49ers should treat this game like an exhibition or a scrimmage. There is no way the 49ers lose…
SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Friday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers. You have a new quarterback. Why bring in QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson? “Really, always liked him. Always had a plan for him to be here. He just went to Minnesota after the first year. So, now we’re reconnected. It aligned and we had a chance to get him and put…
Here is my Thursday column about the 49ers’ signing of John Skelton. SANTA CLARA – You think you know Jim Harbaugh, and then he goes and signs John Skelton as a backup quarterback. Signing Skelton is a defining move of the Harbaugh Era. Not because Skelton is good. He isn’t. He represents a dramatic shift in the 49ers’ offensive philosophy. Skelton does not fit into the offense the 49ers have…
SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: Would you address the move of releasing B.J. Daniels and bringing in John Skelton? What’s your reasoning for that move? HARBAUGH: Felt like we wanted to have two veteran quarterbacks, two guys who have started games, played in games, won games. Felt like that’s what we needed to do at this time. We’ll…
Here is my Friday column previewing the 49ers-Packers game. Jim Harbaugh has to understand Clay Matthews isn’t bluffing. Matthews wants to take out Colin Kaepernick. Every Packer does. Matthews said so. If the 49ers run the read-option, the Packers will try to hurt Kaepernick. They’d be nuts not to. It’s legal. It’s smart. Knocking him out is the Packers’ best chance to win, and the read-option play is the best…
Here are my grades for the 49ers in their 41-6 preseason win over the San Diego Chargers. QUARTERBACKS: B+. Colin Kaepernick completed three short passes and then left the game. Colt McCoy was decent, completing 8-of-15 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. His longest completion was a 12-yarder. B.J. Daniels played well, better than McCoy. Daniels completed 5-of-9 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, and he ran 6…
SAN FRANCISCO – Here’s what Jim Harbaugh said at the podium after Sunday night’s preseason game, courtesy of the 49ers. Was that about everything you wanted to see for the third exhibition game? “Yeah. Saw a lot of good football and pleased with the way our guys worked, practiced all week and then came out and played in the game. I thought there was a lot of good football…
SAN FRANCISCO – Here’s what Colin Kaepernick said at the podium after Sunday night’s preseason game, courtesy of the 49ers. Did this help you get back into the groove? “Yeah, I think when you get out there and you find your rhythm, that’s how you want to be playing.” How did you feel when you first started and you had a few struggles? “It wasn’t perfect to start….
SAN FRANCISCO – Here’s what Colt McCoy said at his locker after Sunday night’s preseason game, courtesy of the 49ers. Head coach Jim Harbaugh just told us you qualified as the backup quarterback. Did you know that? “I felt like I played a good ballgame tonight. I feel like I’ve done some good things this preseason, but I’ve also made some mistakes. I think that’s part of the growth…
SAN FRANCISCO – Here are my grades for the 49ers in their 34-14 preseason win over the Minnesota Vikings. QUARTERBACKS: B. Colin Kaepernick played 17 snaps and played well, although he failed in his first appearance in the red zone, getting his pass tipped away on third-and-11 from the 12 yard line. But Kaepernick succeeded in his second red zone appearance. On third-and-goal from the five, Kaepernick rolled right, spotted…
NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport just tweeted this: “Not a surprise: 49ers are making calls & trying to trade QB Colt McCoy. If no takers, a release is likely. They just signed Seneca Wallace.” Do you think the 49ers will find a trade partner for McCoy, or do you think the 49ers will release him? Also, I have a hindsight question for you: Who should Trent Baalke have acquired this offseason instead of…
Here is my Saturday column previewing the 49ers’ Sunday preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings. If you expect the 49ers to treat Sunday’s preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings like a dress rehearsal for the regular season, you may be disappointed. Most NFL teams treat the third exhibition game like a dress rehearsal. The 49ers did that last season – Alex Smith played the entire first half. But, I’ll be…
Here’s the transcript of Jim Harbaugh’s Friday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Tell us about the addition of QB Seneca Wallace? How do you see him fitting in here over the next, whatever it is, several weeks of the exhibition season? “I think he hit the ground running. Professional, he’s played in the league, experienced guy. So, going over a lot of things that he is familiar with,…
The 49ers just announced they’ve signed 33-year-old quarterback Seneca Wallace, whom the Saints cut on Monday. To make room for Wallace, the 49ers cut Ricardo Lockette. The 49ers did not include a written statement from general manager Trent Baalke in their press release. Do you like this signing? Why or why not? It’s extremely late in the offseason to be signing a quarterback. What does this signing say about how…
SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: Jon Baldwin practiced yesterday. What was your initial reaction to him and how he’s fitting in? HARBAUGH: Just one day, but good so far. Q: Can you tell what skills he has and how he could potentially fit into your offense? HARBAUGH: I think most people can. He’s somebody with great athletic ability….
SANTA CLARA — Greg Roman spoke in the media tent Tuesday morning. Here’s what he said, courtesy of the 49ers. Opening comments: “Good morning. We’re working, guys are working hard. That’s what training camp’s all about. I think we’re very fortunate to have some really good leadership on offense. I think [WR] Anquan Boldin is a guy that’s done nothing but impressed since day one with how he approaches…
Here is my Monday column on the A.J. Jenkins-Jonathan Baldwin trade. The 49ers traded A.J. Jenkins to the Chiefs for Jonathan Baldwin Monday morning. Hallelujah for the 49ers. Heaven help the Chiefs. Why on earth would Kansas City trade anything for Jenkins? Why would they want him in the first place? Just this past Friday, they saw firsthand how bad he really is. Jenkins played 38 snaps and caught no…
