49ers face key decisions in free agency

This is my Sunday column. Is it too early to predict which free agents the 49ers will re-sign this offseason? The 49ers still haven’t announced the hiring of Eric Mangini as the defensive coordinator or Geep Chryst as the offensive coordinator, and we still don’t know what schemes they plan on using. On defense will they use a Tampa-2 scheme or a single-high safety scheme, a three-man defensive front or…

February 7, 2015
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How 49ers can beat Cardinals

Here is my column previewing the 49ers-Cardinals game. Two things. One, the 49ers have to blitz. Two, Bruce Ellington has to carry the ball. Otherwise, the 49ers could lose to the Cardinals. Ideally, 49ers’ defensive coordinator Vic Fangio wouldn’t have to blitz. Blitzing comes with risk, involves rushing a fifth or sixth defender. Better to rush with four and cover with the remaining seven. Fangio doesn’t have that option. Without…

September 19, 2014
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Greg Cosell mock draft: The Niners draft Peter Konz

Greg Cosell just posted his mock draft and it’s very interesting, so I’m linking it for you here. Here are the highlights: 1. Cosell says Robert Griffin III is a better prospect than Andrew Luck. 2. Cosell says Stephon Gilmore is the best cornerback prospect, followed by Janoris Jenkins and then Morris Claiborne. 3. Cosell says Matt Kalil will slide to the Cardinals at pick No. 13. 4. Cosell calls…

April 23, 2012
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The top-10 pass catchers in the draft

Here’s my list of the top-10 pass catchers in the draft. Feel free to tear it apart and make your own list. 1. Coby Fleener, Stanford, 6-6, 247 lbs., tight end, h-back, slot receiver, split end, flanker. Fleener has the potential to be a faster Tony Gonzalez. As a pass catcher, Fleener’s the total package. He’s big, he’s fast, he’s quick, and he has good hands. As a blocker, he’s…

April 18, 2012
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Greg Cosell on 2012 WR draft prospects, plus Fleener

Greg Cosell has done some serious tweeting about the NFL draft over the last month. Since many of you are not on twitter, for you convenience I’ve compiled all his recent tweets on offensive skill players. Some people don’t take Cosell as the gospel, but he’s very interesting and he gets the discussion going. To read him, click here.

April 9, 2012
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Combine: Forget Sanu and Randle. Enter Wright and Hill.

The wide receivers ran their 40-yard dashes this morning at the combine, and just like that, you can forget about Mohamed Sanu. He ran a 4.67 40-yard dash today at the NFL Combine, which means he’s slower than Michael Crabtree, which means the Niners probably aren’t going to drafting him. So, that narrows things down a bit. What else did we learn? Michael Floyd ran 4.47. He’s probably not going…

February 26, 2012
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The Wide Receiver Blues

The 49ers, as currently constructed, are probably talented enough to play in the Super Bowl right now. But, if they add a big, No.1 wide receiver this offseason they could be big preseason Super Bowl favorites for 2012, even without an elite quarterback. They’d have a complete juggernaut of a roster. Their biggest weakness would be Alex Smith, and he’s not weak. So, which wide receiver should they add? He…

January 26, 2012
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