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  1. Kelly doesn’t understand NFL concepts, so he’s incapable of tailoring an offense around his personnel. He needs players to fit his system, which is an approach that has proven not to work. Sure, the Eagles scored tons of points early on with him, but only because they had talented players like LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson. They struggled after all three left.

    The thing is, Philadelphia last year, despite the fact that Kelly destroyed its roster, had more offensive talent that San Francisco currently possesses. Gabbert is a cowardly quarterback who dinks and dunks because he’s too scared to take shots downfield. Torrey Smith is the No. 1 receiver despite the fact that he was atrocious last year. Taking the money and running to a decaying franchise…

    In his first season with the Eagles, Kelly was supposedly surprised by the amount of man coverage his Eagles faced. He shouldn’t have been. Not only is man coverage the simplest way to handle Kelly’s torrid play-calling tempo, it was also the best way to defend a group of Eagles wideouts who couldn’t separate off the line. Now in his first season with the 49ers, Kelly is going to experience this all over again. None
    of San Francisco’s wideouts are good press-man separators. And sadly, the worst of the group might be its figurative No. 1, Torrey Smith. Stiff in his breaks and in his stop/start, Smith has a limited route tree and disappears against upper-echelon corners.

    Unfortunately, the 49ers won’t be able to return to their glory days until Jed York relinquishes all decision-making and Baalke is fired. The two men have completely destroyed a once-great franchise, and they need to be stopped before even more damage is done. SF 2-14

    1. Kelly already made significant changes to his offense when he transitioned over from Oregon to the Eagles. He added more West Coast passing concepts for a full field passing attack for necessary passing downs.

      1. Allforfunplay,

        Thx for the update. I confirmed it and noted the article below. I hope Chip has learned from the past. Good to see Mike Holmgren is still being utilized… Now there’s real hope.

        There is a West Coast passing element mixed in with Kelly’s fast-tempo spread offense and the hybrid produced single-season franchise records for points, total yards, touchdowns, passing yards, and fewest turnovers.

        At Oregon, the Ducks averaged 235 more rushes than pass attempts per season.
        That kind of disparity was not going to fly in the NFL. Last season, the Eagles ran the ball 508 times and passed it 500 times, proof that there was an additional voice other than Kelly’s involved in the Eagles’ highly successful offense.

        That voice belonged to offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, a devout believer in the West Coast offense who worked for a decade under Reid and was given his first chance to become a head coach in Cleveland by Mike Holmgren, one of the NFL’s most innovative West Coast minds.

        http://articles.philly.com/2014-09-06/sports/53606224_1_chip-kelly-josh-huff-mark-helfrich

    2. TomD sir, you are an idiot. Kelly is not in charge of personnel, only coaching. Tomsula was 5-11 last year because he was underwhelming and coddled his players. A coach like Kelly will get more out of his players. Go watch the raiders or something else like ants walking up an ant hill.

      1. Cotoman: I disagree. Kelly had an easier schedule and conference games last year than Tomsula did.

        ‘Kelly will likely get more out of his players”?!! Really? “Will likely”? Why is that that? Kelly was unable to get the best out of his players last year, they finished second in a weak division, and had a better team than he currently does with the Niners.

        1. Chess.. i disagree. What did philly show last year that they had a better team than the niners have now. I personally think that is a false statement.

      2. coto, TomD doesn’t write his own material. He simply cuts & pastes material he finds around the web.

        I’m not sure if you’re new to this forum, but I just thought I’d fill you in. This forum figured him out a while back.

        So the reality is, because none of this stuff is his own, if you’re going to argue with the things he posts, you’re simply arguing with the wrong person.

    3. Well apparently what you, or tim k, or Peter king, or whoever you decide to plagerize next, dont realize is all teams need talented players for their schemes to work. Its not about understanding nfl concepts, or tailoring to his scheme, its about talent. He proved that when he had talented players. Now he just has to go coach the hand he was dealt and figure out the talented players on this team.

  2. meh, only time will tell. But, i think this team still has some talent. Maybe not the big names it had in the past but there is talent on this team.

    1. Yes, this team has talent. Sadly, you will be hard pressed to find a team with less of it than us.

  3. Saw the line about Nick Foles, no need to read past that. HE TRADED HIM AWAY, why would he bring him back??

    This sounds less like a professional work of beat writing and understanding and more like the ramblings of some of the various commentators on here…that begin with the letter S.

  4. Anthony Davis is the first question that has to be answered before addressing Chip Kelly’s offense. Mental, physical and commitment questions. If he’s part of the answer, then Hyde and quarterbacks can wear down defenses and score. I don’t believe Chip Kelly is in the least bit interested in Nick Foles, just as I assume he wasn’t in Sanchez, or Bradford. All three handicap his offense by not being threats to run the football. He now has two athletic quarterbacks and drafted a third in Jeff Driskel. The fastest quarterback in the NFL draft….

      1. Actually it’s possible driskell is faster than the Vick Kelly coached. Keeping in mind that Kelly got the post prison version. Note. I do not expect driskell to make it in the NFL but his physical skill set is impressive.

    1. Sounds like your stance on AD returning is softening. I’m not happy with what he’s done in the past. I say let him return but if it were up to me I’d treat him pretty much like a rookie.

      1. Flaherty will make him earn it and if he does, it will give Chip a pair of formidable tackles that his offense needs….

  5. 3. Does it matter who wins the quarterback competition?
    I think it matters most who the quarterback is at the end of the season. The 2017 draft is pivotal. Even if the 49ers improve, the nightmare schedule means they will have a high draft choice. If they have a function quarterback, they will have the luxury of using the high pick on an elite edge rusher like Myles Garrett.

    4. Will an elite wide receiver emerge?
    Solid but not “elite.” I think there will be a solid possession receiver or two among Rogers or Smelter. Maybe Ellington a slot WR. Burbridge is tough as nails. He or Patton could emerge as solid a “blue collar” receiver. But no elites.
    (Torrey Smith is underrated)

    5. Will Chip Kelly’s offense evolve?
    I think coaches modify schemes year to year whether they are on a new team or not. Some modify alot. Others make a few tweaks. And many times they aren’t successful.

    I think Kelly will modify the scheme (a little) to adjust to his new roster, but I think his scheme will by and large be the same.

    RT will be a pickle. His two best (Davis, Brown) are more suited for gap scheme.

  6. Grant:

    Why is your first question “will the niners sign Nick Foles”? Why would they? There are no indications from anyone that the niners are even interested in Foles. If the niners wanted to sign Foles they would have already. There was no mad dash from any other team wanting to sign Foles.

  7. I do not think the gap between Kaepernick and Gabbert is as great as you’re making it out Grant. Sure Gabbert has had the mini-camp snaps and that’s a bit of an advantage but it’s not like it’s Training Camp or the pre-season. And both QBs have their warts to try to improve upon. Both QBs are shell shocked and wilt under pressure in different ways. Gabbert will take the dump off when he could have bought himself some time and made a play. Kaepernick appears to freeze up mentally and/or immediately looks to rabbit from the pocket. Both have the arms to throw deep but neither has shown to be very good at it…(though Kaepernick at the beginning of his career seemed to be able to at least hit wide open deep receivers on broken plays). Honestly, I think the winner of the QB competition is the one that gets their balls back and learns to stay in the pocket with confidence and take a hit….unless it’s package play where the QB has the built in option to run with it.

    Smith is a one-trick pony — a speed receiver who runs poor routes and struggles against good corners. He is not a No. 1 receiver. He’s a No. 2. Do the Niners even have a No. 1?

    so where did you get this from? do you have some PFF or Football Outsiders info to back this up? Not that I’m saying you’re definitely wrong..but those are strong criticisms to make without providing some proof.

    I think your last point is the most important one. I’m sure Kelly self scouts. And over the years he has made some adjustments to his offense. But is it enough? Will he need to make some philosophical changes? His offense certainly has some tactical advantages that they take advantage of. But what happens when those advantages are negated by the opposing defense? Is there a Plan B? Sometimes coaches believe that the solution to their problems is to further drill their players to get perfect execution and don’t come to the realization until it’s too late that the play or scheme might be the correct one to counter the opposition but it’s not the correct one for the players trying to execute it.

    1. Afap,
      I agree with your questions with the exception of the one on TSmith. His hands are inconsistent which is the main reason he isn’t a 1. His speed however is great for CK’s offense as he will be facing a lot of single high defenses. This should make comebacks a fairly easy completion as db’s will fear getting beaten over top when in man.

      1. you disagree that I think Grant should provide some sort of evidence regarding his claims Torrey Smith? I didn’t say I disagreed with him. Torrey has for most of his career played a split end/X receiver role. generally primarily the deep route receiver and usually not the first read by the QB. but reports in training camp have said Torrey has been lining up at the flanker/Z position. The moving WR position…Jerry Rices old spot. This is the position that often has route concepts built to be run in sync with routes be the TE/Slot receiver and often times the running back. The position requires being a good route runner and knowing how your route works with the others. It will be interesting to see if and how Torrey Smith will adapt to this new role.

        As for facing single high coverage. The Niners have been facing lots of single high coverage already. The Seawhawks predominately use it. I think the Cardinals do to. And from a scheme match up standpoint; I’d certainly stuff 8 in the box against the Niners and force their offense and QB to pass the ball deep…since they don’t do it well. The first thing you want to do as an opposing defense facing the Niners is stop the run by stuffing the box (dropping down the safety for run support). Put them into obvious passing situations. Then stuff the box with blitzers since the Niner’s QBs haven’t shown the ability to pass effectively under pressure.

        1. No I just think it’s very obvious that t smith is not a #1 as his hands are questionable and he has a limited route tree. Whether this was just due to play calls or not is unknown but he is not sent on many crossing patterns and the like.
          This was also known to Baltimore who didn’t pursue him that hard. He is still a good wr to have, especially for chip.
          And I know he will and has faced single high a lot but I’m hopeful he can do more damage with an improved o line giving the qb more time…. Crossing my fingers there.

        2. If the defense stacks the box and dares the Niners to pass, Chip should line up 4 receivers wide. This will make the defense spread out to cover them, and/or the Niners will attack the edges with quick passes wide. Instead of 8 defenders in the middle, it will be a 2 on 2 situation, either right or left.

          Shaping the opponent is critical. The Niners should not let their opponents shape them.

    2. I will concede that Kaep became shell shocked, but when he had Devey standing still and letting pass rushers run by him, Kaep could not even get his feet set before he had a pass rusher in his face. Pears was only a little less worse than Devey.

      After the first game, Kaep was sacked 28 times, for an average of 4 per game. ANY QB will become skittish when his whole right side of the line act like turnstiles. Martin was constantly driven back like he was on roller skates, so Kaep had no pocket to work from.

      Add to it, all the hard hits he took, which eventually led to 3 surgeries, and Kaep had no chance to succeed.

      Gabbert at least had decent protection, but also was skittish and threw the ball too early before the player could run past the sticks. Gabbert was so anxious to get rid of the ball, he lateraled to a player who was not looking.

      That all was last year. This year, with AD coming back, Devey finally being cut, and Pears standing on the bubble, the O line will not suck.

      The biggest factor may be the coaching. With a decent O line, both the running game and passing game should improve. Flaherty has built Super Bowl O lines. I hope he does it again.

      1. Seb

        I have said it before….Jordan Devey has been a KC Chief for almost 6 months now…Don’t you think it’s time to get your nut off of him and concentrate on those who ARE 49ers ? We all know that you don’t like him…give it a rest !

        1. Just scroll on past. Scroll your way to happiness. No reason to get sucked in to nonsense of some folks. I just don’t ever read some commenters’ droppings. They think they’ve vanquished me, so they’re happy in their fantasy worlds; cool. I just ignore them 24/7/365.

  8. My offense questions
    – Will Kelly use less skilled ZBS linemen over Davis or Brown at RT?
    – What week will Garnett start, and which side will he play on?
    – Kelly had a whopping 65 turnovers over the past two seasons. Most in the NFL. Will Kelly reduce this rate?
    – Are all those TOs merely a consequence of more offensive snaps?
    – Will Kelly mix in more gap scheme and/or find a use for Miller?
    – Will the quarterback ‘s bother to throw to Torrey Smith (I heard Gabbert-CK had a 117 passer rating when they bothered to throw his way last season. If true, I expect Torrey to have a breakout season)

  9. 1. I sure hope not. Foles is not a solution
    2. I see Kaep winning it but not holding my breath. I have no favorite in this competition.
    3. Who ever win’s need to do so convincingly.
    4. Can’t have an elite receiver without a good QB.
    5. I believe it will evolve, Kelly is no dummy and has one of the brightest minds in the game IMO.

  10. Alright here goes my projected Line ups. Feel free to destroy it.

    QB: 1. Kaep 2. Gabbert 3. Driskel
    RB: 1. Hyde 2. Davis 3. Taylor
    Wr: 1. Smith 2. Smelter 3. Ellington 4. Rodgers 5. Burbridge. * Patton gets cut.
    TE: 1. Mcdonald 2. Celek 3. Bell 4. Busta* they keep 4 TEs instead of 6 Wrs
    OLine: Staley, Beadles, Kilgore, Garnett, Davis, Thomas, Martin, Pears, Theus* Cooper practice squad.
    Dline: Armstead, Williams, Dial, Buckner, Blair, TJE, Dorsey, Purcel.. *Eddie gets cut after Williams returns.
    LB: Bowman, Hodge, Whilotte, Lynch, Brooks, Eli, Tank.
    CB: Brock, Ward,Redmond, Johnson, Acker,Robinson.
    Safety: Reid, Bethea, Tartt, Mccary( prolly misspelled him.. Anyway our special team ace.
    Kicker and Punter is obvious.

    * This prediction is mostly based on the fact that Chip gets the best out of Kapernick. Kaep regains his confidence. Hyde plays a full season. Chips offense takes the next step do to a great ground game. A lot has to fall into place. I have always been an optimist. I have loved the Niners since I was 3… 10-6 is the absolute best case scenario if EVERYTHING goes right. 4-12 if things don’t… With that said 7-9 is what I’m predicting. The franchise heads back to a positive direction. Driskel to start in 2017.

    1. Solid Lineup, RB Winner,

      I’m looking forward to Kelly sending a team wide message that no job is safe. I have a hunch that Bryce Treggs, 4-3/40, nearly 1,000 yds last season and the fastest receiver on the team will make the team. Also don’t count out Devon Cajuste in some capacity.

    2. While I think that Smelter has better blocking, Patton will make the 53 because of his ST contributions. White may become the Kickoff returner, so he may be more valuable than Burbridge.

      Busta over Miller? Bold prediction.

      Lynch is suspended. Dorsey, Williams, Redmond and Smelter may be rehabbing.

      Hmm, this means that Acker, Reaser, Davis and Cromartie all fail to make the 53.

      Its McCray.

    3. Solid line up but what happens to Bruce Miller? Will he be cut or will he make the team as TE/RB hybrid?

      1. hawki/hightop
        I have always viewed Bruce Miller as sort of the proverbial ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ type. I would never count out BM when making a position change because he is a football player, period. It would not surprise me if he makes the roster as the 3rd string TE behind VMac and Bell. Except for Miller’ size, I would never question his ability as a receiver. He may turn out to be our best receiving TE when the dust settles.

        He converted from a college defensive player to a very decent offensive player under Jim Harbaugh. I don’t believe that JH got enough credit for seeing Miller’ talent as an effective offensive player by having him make the transition but that’s neither here or there at this juncture.

        Bruce Miller has not been used to his strengths over the last couple of years, but I see Kelly finding ways to get him on the field.

        Hey, if Kelly doesn’t like Miller as an offensive player he could always put him back on defense where I believe BM could still find a roster spot.

  11. “Execution is supposed to improve the more players run plays, and yet the opposite occurred under Kelly. Does he know why?”

    Injuries upfront perhaps

    1. just a guess…but the degree of difficulty in executing plays becomes more difficult (less margin for error) if defenses start to expect what’s coming at them.

  12. Bottom Line

    Driskel still has the size, arm strength and athleticism that made him the top-­rated quarterback coming out of high school, but he hasn’t experienced enough growth at the position due to his rocky path to the draft. A positive 2015 helped Driskell regain some confidence, but he’s not where he needs to be yet. With his upside and traits, Driskel is worthy of a day three selection and could yield dividends with patience and coaching.

    1. TomD………..

      I dont know much about this Driskel kid. Having said that, what makes you think hes something other than another great athlete………who happens to be playing the QB position? Kap and Gabbert are both great athletes, but i’d rather have Bernie Kosar than eiither one.

      1. SawBrodie,

        Please view the LA Tech vs. Rice Video. I think there’s more to Driskel than meets the eye.

        6:05 Left in 2nd QTR,….WATCH Driskel’s pass to Dixon, # 80. The play was a quick square in, designed for a quick release. Because Driskel’s arm motion is much like Jared Goff or Dan Marino (doesn’t wind up all the way) using quick flick of the wrist is special.
        However, I noted the play design is the equivalent of a 3 step drop under center. Notice Driskel gives a quick read to the left sideline receivers, freezing the DB coverage momentarily, enabling the ball to be delieverd w/o duress.

        Kap stares his WR’s down. You either have this or you don’t…Also the quick release and recent experience in 4 Wr sets out of the shotgun will aid him in summer camp competition….Look for Driskel to put up one hell of a fight, possibly winning the job.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wRZDgRFY2I

      2. * excuse me Brodie, Cameron McKnight was the target one. play before the 6:05 mark

  13. Like usual around here there is way to much emphasis being paid on skill positions [QB, RB and WR], This is a rebuilding year and Baalke is doing it the right way from the inside out. I don’t see the 49ers winning more than 7 games and more than likely it will be closer to 4 or 5. As long as there is real improvement along the O and D lines the season will be a success. Next years draft and free agency will be key to the teams future. That’s where we will pick up the skill players we need. So keep your eyes on the trenches if you see real improvement then I believe you will see a return to the playoffs in 17. imho

    1. OldCoach I’m real excited about this year. Its a development season to be sure. I’m not worrying about win/loss, especially with this nonsensically difficult schedule.

      If the 49ers have decent QB play, there are some great edge rushers in the 2017 draft to take with the first pick (unless they surprise and win 6 or more).

      1. Brodie,
        I’m with you 100%. It will be fun this year looking for individual breakout seasons. I believe that Baalke has put together enough young talent [when everyone is healthy] in the trenches now the question will be is there any talent at the skill positions ready to step up. I hope Kaep can come back but I’m not betting on it. Anyways I do believe we could be in for an enjoyable year kind of like 1969 or 1980.

        1. Coach I would like to respectfully disagree, The Niners had terrible coaches last year and they were incompetent. Chip Kelly has been noted for his innovative thinking. If Chip can resurrect and rehabilitate Kaep, the Niners will be competitive. With AD coming back, so Pears will probably not play, the O line got a lot better. A stout O line will help both the running and passing game.

          I am now so optimistic, I think the Niners may actually win 10 games, and have an outside shot at the playoffs, this year. Seahawks lost Mebane and Irvin, so they could be vulnerable. Mebane gave the Niners fits. I think Ifedi will be a bust, so he might let in a pass rusher that will level the smurf.

          Cards may have gotten Jones, but Bellichick may have gotten the better deal, because Cooper is good, too. Cards have weakened their O line, and even though they drafted 2 O linemen, they are weaker than if they had kept Cooper.

          If the Rams start a rookie QB, it just means they are desperate.

          So I disagree and think the Niners could actually make the playoffs. Of course, they probably will not win their division, but a wild card is a possibility. Of course, the planets need to align, but if Leicester City can, so can the Niners.

    2. Coach,

      there will be no offensive skill players if Bulky is calling the draft-just running backs, o-lineman and tight ends.

    3. OC,

      I can’t speak for anyone else, but personally I focus on the skill positions for a couple of reasons.

      A) They don’t really have any

      B) Baalke has been drafting the trenches for a few years already. It’s nothing new that he’s trying for the first time this season. He just hasn’t been successful.

      A big reason this is a rebuilding year is because previous drafts haven’t panned out so far. Buckner and Garnett are hopefully building blocks that pay off, but with Baalke’s record, it’s no sure thing and doesn’t excuse the fact he has not used higher picks on QB, Pass rusher and WR for sometime.

  14. FWIW – 49ers sign Defensive Lineman B.J. McBryde to full out the 90 man squad.

    I’m not reading too much into it as far as if Anthony Davis shows up. But it could mean the NFL won’t process his un-retirement in time for the start of training camp.

    1. Any idea of the normal timeline it takes for the NFL to process such papers?

      1. Razor, I really don’t know, but even if AD and the 49ers are settled on contract wrinkles, there could be CBA or league concerns due to the unusual nature of his retirement. The league could also be busy with all the training camps opening and roster changes.

        1. Just got word from the NFL, there is no set timeline. They could take their time, or do it in a timely manner. Guess it depends on York’s relationship with Goodell….

          1. Seems to me it’s a simple yes or no. What could possibly cause it to take more than the time it takes to process the paperwork.

            1. I’m not sure how common it is for a player to retire with specific injury complaints, payback some of his pro-rated guaranteed money, then file for reinstatement.

              Could be a few CBA snags
              The NFLPA might have some questions
              The NFL might also be busy (maybe a little miffed at the timing of the application) and is in no mood to fast track his reinstatement

            2. The NFL is so twisted about CTE and concussions, they may stop AD from playing, because he had the temerity to complain about walking around in a fog with headaches.

              1. Sound Callous, an almost disgust for protocol to the detriment of the player, however, I’ve come to expect/prepared for even less from the Sebster.

              2. TrollD, the NFL reinstated AD. Maybe they wanted to avoid speculation about concussions, and downplay the seriousness by getting him back on the field, quickly.

                Talk about walking around in a fog, TrollD, you need to work on your reading comprehension.

  15. Five questions for 49ers to solve during training camp
    ————
    3. Does it matter who wins the quarterback competition?
    —————
    So what is the solution to this “question?” You didn’t offer any you simply explained why you asked the question.

    1. Barrows reporting (via Rand Getlin) Garnett has agreed to contract. On his way to 49ers to sign right now.

    2. Garnett just tweeted a picture of himself signing his contract. . Not huge since the rookie slotting system, but still nice to know he will be in camp tomorrow

        1. Gotta be the dark shirt… or he slimmed down a little Kelly’s tempo.

          People are saying the same thing about AD, but its not easy to tell in workout sweats.

          1. It’s hard to maintain mass if you take time off and don’t workout… I hope AD hasn’t lost much strength… But I would rather him be leaner than overweight which was my #1 concern.
            He will be fine once he gets back on the roids errr protein shakes.

    3. Good to hear since his same agents are still holding Bosa out in SD. Garnett missed early work, we’ll have to see how fast he progresses.

      1. Yup. Getting work in is critical. Long rookie holdouts are a thing of the past since the slotting system. I was not worried he’d sign, but I want continuity on the O-line developing as soon as possible.

        Staley expressed the concern about keeping rookies out until finals in an interview earlier this year. Its a disruption.

  16. While I previously brought up the fact that Kelly seemed to be too predictable, I think that he has learned from his mistakes.

    Some times,I hope the Niners line up in a set formation, and either run or pass out of it, so they do not tip their hand before the snap. If they run the Zone read, the decision to either run or pass is decided after the snap.

    They should also use deception and show one thing, but do the opposite of what is expected. Spread them out, with 4 receivers, then gash them up the middle. Put a man in motion for the reverse, but fake the reverse. When confronted with third and short, do play action for a shot downfield.

    The important thing is to be unpredictable and keep the defense on their heels. When they have to defend against either the run or pass, they cannot assume one way and anticipate.

    1. How many zerox machines shorted out by overuse copying the same play patterns and/or computers when you hit the send button, Seb?

    2. Kelly, has long implemented run pass options… The problem was defenses did not need to honor the run option with foles or Bradford. No matter the niner qb this will need to be honored… It will be interesting to see how much this threat will reinvigorate his offense if at all.

      1. Cunning strategy! So innovative that it must have come from some esoteric oriental philosopher-king. Where would we be without Iggy & The Stooges?

        1. Brotha,

          This is some cutting edge stuff.

          “If they run the Zone read, the decision to either run or pass is decided after the snap.”

          Can’t believe nobody ever tried this before.

          1. Chip tried this before, but he did not have the right QB, so the results were disappointing. Defenses ignored the QB and his threat to run, so when it was tried, it was ineffective.

            Chip, with Kaep running the show, will make the Zone Read work efficiently..

        2. Thinks ranks right up there with the “look one way and then throw the other direction” advice.

            1. C’mon Rocket, if you want to get in a dig, at least spell it correctly. When you cant type correctly, it loses its zing.

      2. Too bad the Niners, and Chip in Philly both could not do that. Instead, they had the defenders calling out the plays before the snap. That sure was brilliant.

        Being innovative and unpredictable may seem like it is rocket science to the peanut gallery, or so obvious that one should not talk about it. However, Chip himself admits that all of his plays have been thought of before. How the Niners should incorporate those concepts is the crux of the matter.

        I say that Kaep should face one way while looking in another direction. No one else on this site ever postulated about that strategy, but want to diss me for bringing it up. Some day, Kaep will use that strategy, and see a wide open player that will help him win a championship. If he had done that in the Seattle game, he would have seen not one, but 3 players who were open.

        I have advocated that the Niners should run the no huddle with quick snaps for over 2 years. I am gratified to know that the Niners will use that strategy, because I was just advocating the Chip Kelly/ Gus Malzahn up tempo offense.

        Jack, go ahead and diss me all you want, but I will just endure your scorn with the understanding that you want to compare Kaep with Sanchez as equals. With football knowledge like that, you cant touch me.

  17. I predict Redmon is still going to be rehabbing, despite what Baalke said. Those ACL and red flag players may have strong upsides, but if they cannot get on the field, they are useless.

      1. Seb,

        How about we add this to your playbook: Lets run the ball, have the QB throw the ball, and “you can’t be afraid to punt” plus we need to block and tackle.

        1. TrollD, you could fit all your football knowledge in a thimble. Your latest whopper was talking about how the Niners are going about it all wrong by building the foundation from the trenches up. You want them to go for the flashy offensive talent, instead.

          You are beyond pathetic, you are to be pitied.

    1. 100% agree. Though this isn’t exactly an out there statement. Quite a few reports have already identified him as a key breakout candidate for the 49ers.

  18. Seb, love you man but your ideas (split 4 then gash them, man motion then fake,etc etc) I mean dude seriously. If Chip is a 10 in terms of football knowledge and acumen, then comments like these suggest 0.25 and kind of clutter the post. Love you man but puhhlease

    1. Max, I have been advocating the same things for a long time. So much so, that other posters parrot my ideas back at me. The Niners have not implemented very many of my ideas, and went 5-11.

      Chip, who started off strong, has seen a steady decline over the past 2 years. He lost the respect of the players, was criticized for being too predictable, and was fired from his last job. Chip is not a God above reproach. He needs to learn from his mistakes so he does not repeat them.

      When you put a .25 on what I say, maybe you do not realize that I just advocated a play that Chip drew up, so essentially you are saying that Chip has a .25 play.

  19. This is not good news for WR’s:

    **The Eagles pass routes were often criticized as predictable and uninspired in 2015
    **The Eagles led the NFL in drops last year.

    Given all of this, why is Bicknell in San Francisco? And why for heaven’s sake were the Niners considering promoting him to offensive coordinator last year?

    That latter interview was related to the Niners’ disarray following Harbaugh’s firing, as well as the team’s reputation for low assistant coach wages. Tomsula knew Bicknell from NFL Europe, where they coached against each other as defensive and offensive coordinators, respectively, in the 1990s.

    Chip Kelly’s connection to Bicknell is another matter entirely. Both are part of the tight-knit New England coaching community, where Bob’s father Jack Bicknell was royalty as the decade-long coach of vaunted Boston College (BC), and then a head coach in NFL Europe for 13 years.

    There’s a feeling that Jack Bicknell helped Chip Kelly get his coaching career started, and that Chip in return has a strong bond of loyalty with his son

  20. @AdamSchefter – Anthony Davis is reporting to 49ers’ training camp today. (via Maiocco)

      1. Good deal Brodie. I am glad he’s reporting. He’s better than anyone else on the team. I wonder who they’ll cut to make space? I also would love to see how ready to play he is.

        1. Now we have some real competition at RT, and maybe come out of training camp Pear-less….

          1. If AD is in shape and not too rusty, line is

            A) Staley, Beadles, Kilgore, Garnett, Davis
            or
            B) Staley, Garnett, Kilgore, Beadles, Davis

            Davis is the big question. If he’s far from ready, could be Brown or Pears at RT.

            Suddenly I’m feeling alot better about the O-line.

    1. Per Maiocco, team has already gone through conditioning test and a security meeting and no sight of Anthony Davis.

      1. Fooch over at NN reported that “The team will make a move sometime today or tomorrow to clear a roster space.”

        Doesn’t it seem like they have to clear a roster spot and get some of those pieces sorted before he can report? Maybe our chains are just getting pulled, but that would be cruel.

        1. Bethea says:

          Matt Maiocco ✔ @MaioccoCSN
          Bethea on Anthony Davis: “There are leaders in every room. We have a solid locker room. When he comes back, everything is going to be fine.”

          11m

          Key word “when” he comes back.

    2. Great news about AD. If – and of course it’s not certain – he can regain the form he had prior to the injury filled season in 2014, this Oline looks a lot more promising moving forward. The RT position has been a mess since AD’s last healthy season, and his return could potentially have a positive effect on the unit as a whole.

  21. Chip Kelly’s first training camp as the 49ers coach will take place largely out of public view over the ensuing couple weeks.

    No camp practices – public or private — are expected inside Levi’s Stadium for the first time in three years.
    scheduling conflicts kept the 49ers from planning workouts there this summer (see: Saturday’s international soccer match between Liverpool and AC Milan, and an Aug. 6 Kenny Chesney concert).

    Instead, camp practices mostly will be held privately on the neighboring training fields, as has been the case since 2003, once they left the University of the Pacific’s grounds.

    The in-season practice fields don’t offer the infrastructure to accommodate a large crowd, other than occasional VIPs and corporate sponsors.

    CONTRASTED to this, the NE Patriots offer their fans this:

    New England Patriots Verified account 
    ‏@Patriots
    #PatriotsNation was out in full force today for #PatsCamp: 21,781 fans attended Day 3!

    https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/759441300596723712/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

  22. Tim Kawakami Verified account 
    ‏@timkawakami
    Tim Kawakami Retweeted Reginator

    Maiocco reported a Baalke extension through 2018 season, though 49ers never announced and Baalke refuses to answer.

    Tim Kawakami Verified account 
    ‏@timkawakami
    Baalke is strange. I may have said that a time or two. He’s absolutely certifiably bizarre.

    Steve E. Snyder ‏@sesnyderleb · 3m3 minutes ago

    @timkawakami Can Baalke survive a 2-14 or worse season? Is there no end to this?

    Dan H ‏@KDanimalia · 1m1 minute ago

    @timkawakami My favorite was when he feigned like he didn’t know how long he was under contract. Minor details, who even keeps track!

    Justin Carr ‏@RealWilliamCarr · 5m5 minutes ago

    @timkawakami it’s called insecure, Tim. Lol

    Ryan Sparks ‏@RSparks23 · 4m4 minutes ago

    @timkawakami kinda like the the owner? Bizarre and oblivious to how detrimental both are to the team

    1. Fans,

      Due to the latest info. from TK, a creepy feeling results from the old saying: no good can come from something to hide.

  23. More on Baalke via TK:

    And now McKenzie has gotten a long-term extension and Baalke is perceived to be on an extremely toasty seat. Both earned this.

    Matt Fottrell jaylenjames russ Family First Jerod Brown #GoldGlove CrawBabe The Hurtest Curtis Lillie

    11:26 AM – 30 Jul 2016

    Matt Fottrell ‏@MFottrell · 3m3 minutes ago

    @timkawakami I’ll believe Baalke is on the hot seat when he’s no longer on the payroll. Even then I won’t believe he isn’t an “advisor.”

  24. Tim Kawakami Verified account 
    ‏@timkawakami
    Tim Kawakami Retweeted Michael Murphy

    1) Kaepernick doesn’t count any more after the Jed/Paraag circus last year; 2) Yorks can always find new scapegoats.

    tony tran
    ‏@tvtran70
    @timkawakami @murphysolve @sesnyderleb wouldnt be surprised if you and the girl scouts of America are the next scapegoats

  25. Buckner’s goal for this season: “To be honest, be Rookie of the Year.”

  26. Matt Maiocco ✔ @MaioccoCSN
    Huge blow for the #49ers to place NT Ian Williams on reserve/NFI due to his offseason ankle injury/surgery. He is out for the season.

    I think Maiocco may be mistaken here though. Doesn’t it mean he’s out for the first 6 weeks, and then eligible for return?

  27. Maiocco – Ian Williams out for season.

    Sorry to be a broken record, I really wish they got Billings.

    1. No surprise there for me, and I think he should retire. Dial in and legitimate Dorsey in about 6 weeks. Good thing is, their defensive lineman can play up and down the line….

    2. Not exactly helpful to him for next year either as other teams will be wary of his health if he’s on the FA market. The word is out also on his initial non-disclosure of his injury; can’t help his or his agent’s reputation around the league.

      1. I’m surprised it wasn’t IR. I assumed his injury was connected to his old game injury, would would be IR, not NFI. There’s some information we are not hearing about.

        1. Williams either signed the long term deal and then injured himself, or he was injured and signed the deal without telling the team about the injury. Either way, it’s now clear this was not a football related injury.

      1. Scooter- not a Billings fan, like the Redmond pick, or both?

        Billings is a little short, has short arms, may only be a “2 down” player, but he’s so dang strong. I think he will be a spiffy NT.

        1. Wasn’t a big fan. 2-down player with average instincts and lateral mobility.

        2. If Baalke did not go cheap and miss out on Sean Smith in free agency, the Niners could have passed on Redmond and selected Ngakoue with his 13.5 sacks last year who went next pick. Jonathan Bullard went 5 picks later, and could have been a stout, versatile, disruptive run stopper for the Niners.

    1. I thought the big guy from Bama would be PS. Now he can fight for a roster spot. Will get some good looks at him in preseason.

    2. I don’t see why not, and probably explains why they signed another DT in B.J. McBryde 6-5 1/8, 292, 40 in 5 seconds, 31 1/2-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-3 broad jump. 20-yard short shuttle time of 4.39 seconds and a three-cone time of 7.22 seconds. 24 reps on the bench. Pro day numbers, so I’d expect he’s bigger, stronger and quicker now….

      1. When I drew up my 53, I had Lake making the team just because of Williams and his injury.

    3. C4C

      I think that Lake is going to get a long look….I’m not convinced that Dorsey makes it back…

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