Garoppolo confirmed out for season with knee injury

Posted By on September 24, 2018

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) is carted off the field following a tackle by Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Steven Nelson during the second half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018. Kansas City Chiefs won 38-27. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

SANTA CLARA — Jimmy Garoppolo tore his left ACL last Sunday and will miss the rest of the 49ers season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed this during his Monday afternoon press conference.

Before Garoppolo has surgery, he will have to wait until the swelling subsides in his knee, which could take up to two weeks. Then, the doctors will determine if he injured any other ligaments beside his ACL.

“I don’t think you ever know for sure until you open it up,” Shanahan said somberly, referring to Garoppolo’s left knee. “It seems with all ACL (injuries) there’s always some other stuff in there. But, the message I got today was fairly good news, relatively speaking.”

The 49ers expect Garoppolo to make a full recovery by the start of next season. They even expect him to participate during OTAs next May, although he may not do much during those practice sessions. “I know he’ll be able to sit there and throw and do things like that,” Shanahan said.

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This article has 207 Comments

  1. Hope we learn more about the QBs being brought in today (Tuesday) for evaluation. I’ve seen the list of names, just wondering what kind of fit they’d be in Shanahan’s system. Gonna be fun.

    1. Cassie …
      on that list .. you posted yesterday of all the available FAs ..
      there was at least one vaguely familiar name .. Scott Tolzien ..
      maybe … if ……. naw ..never mind… Seems Shanny wants someone
      for the practice squad …

      Whats wrong with picking up Heneghan ..?
      ( after all .. rumor has it … he once met.. Shanny )

      1. Good question. I wonder if the 9ers will have three QBs active for the Chargers game this Sunday–CJ, Mullens, and a QB to be signed this week? After that, the 9ers would likely go back to two active QBs–either Mullins or the newbie.

        Maybe we poach an ex-Chargers QB and get him to spill his guts…

        I don’t have a problem with Heneghan on the practice squad after everything shakes out.

  2. Grant…

    As you’re aware, conversation over the Kaepernick option was exploding last night in your previous topic: “Jimmy Garoppolo out for season with torn ACL.”

    All kidding aside, please share with us your thoughts on the pros and cons of bringing him back. Yes, a very volatile subject, but one which many feel strongly about and your input might add some clarity (or more gasoline). Volatility in a sports blog is a good thing, no?

    Some factors: Kaep would bring a higher degree of pure athleticism (running…), but his ability to effectively execute Shanahan’s system is highly suspect. Keap’s ability to quickly (and accurately) read defenses had been wanting. He was good at delivering 90 mph fastballs, but touch throws were not all that common. He’s been away from the field for some time now–any examples of QBs returning after a very long break and ‘taking the world by storm’? And certainly there’s all the political scorched earth stuff that would come along and fuel distractions–mostly of the unwanted kind.

    You’ve been skeptical of Garoppolo since day one and we know how you feel about CJ ‘freaking’ Beathard. So, be equally candid–what about ‘ol Kaep? Let us know what you think.

      1. “Do not insult anyone’s football intelligence by claiming those QBs listed above are better than Kaep.”

        1. Sebbie ‘I Got You Babe’ Nynah… Remind us. When did Kaep last line up for an NFL play–day and YEAR please?

          1. Cassie, the stench of Baalke is strong today.
            .
            Kaep is only 30, so he could play for years. Guess you want me to chronicle the blackballing.

            1. sebnynah says:
              August 27, 2017 at 6:18 pm
              If Hoyer can play like that, I will not mind if Kaep is blackballed.

              Go ahead Sebbie, throw your heart into it and document away. You were so quick top toss Colin under the bus. So much for your commitment to righteousness.

              BTW, you do know that Kaep turns 31 on 3 November…?

              1. Cassie, I said last week that I was content with JG as the franchise starter, but now that JG is out for the season, I just want the best QB that gives the Niners their best chance to win. I just think Kaep is the superior QB compared to all the others.
                .
                I will root for CJB to lead the Niners to victory, just like I rooted for Gabbert and Hoyer to win while they were deemed the starters for the Niners.
                .
                However, if you think CJB will lead the Niners to the playoffs, just expect more heartache.

        2. Seb…

          Nobody’s insulting anyone’s intelligence with the new ‘candidates’…Kellin Clemmins has more time in an NFL uniform than Kaep…you’re just starstruck as usual….

          1. Ore, I was quoting some one else. Your beef is with him.
            .
            Kellen Clemens has thrown 16 TDs and 21 interceptions in his career. He has 227 yards rushing in his career. Kaep had 181 yards rushing against the Packers in a playoff game.
            .
            Kellen Clemens has never even sniffed the playoffs.

  3. I feel terrible for Jimmy G. Finally gets his opportunity and then this injury. I know from experience that you really never know the severity of a knee injury until they open it up and see whats inside. My son tore his ACL his senior year in high school. They thought it would be a fairly routine operation but when they got in they found significant cartilage damage that required a second cartilage replacement surgery. Had his first surgery in October and then his second surgery in December. Because it takes cartilage some time to harden he can’t do any athletic activity for at least a year. He does rehab and can lift and do those types of things but he’s definitely limited. Starting QB at a successful 6A program in Houston, Team captain, some FCS offers but the injury ended his playing career. It was devastating for him and our entire family to see him go through that hardship. I pray for JG’s physical and mental health. When athletes get injured there is definitely a depression that they experience.

    1. Wow sorry to hear about that regarding your son Houston. Hopefully he can find something else he is passionate about moving forward. It’s a tough career path no doubt about it.

      1. Thanks. It’s all good. He’s at LSU now and doing great. Giving up competition has been really tough but from a personality perspective a big school is a much better fit for him anyway. He would have been a smaller college type athlete so it worked out for him.

          1. No to coaching or sports medicine. I think he would make a great coach but thats not the path he has chosen. My son wants to own a commercial construction company so he’s getting a construction management degree at LSU. Supposed to be a really good program. My wife spent 20 years as an architect and now she teaches architecture and engineering classes so he’s been around that type of stuff all his life.

      1. Thanks but no sympathies needed. So many kids face that adversity that you just have to accept it and move on with your life. I can’t tell you the number of guys who told their stories of similar injuries to my son and it really helped him realize he wasn’t alone. Friend who played at SMU, and who’s father played on the 72 Dolphins, had the same thing happen in college. Another friend who was an o-lineman at UT and was expected to be drafted but sat through the entire draft without being called. He had hired a friend of a friend who was new to the Agent business. Because of knee issues turned up at the combine he was flagged by every NFL team as an injury risk so he never got his shot. If he had a more experienced Agent my friend would have been told ahead of time he wasn’t going to get drafted. That story is probably a good thing because my friend is mid 40’s and he’s on his 2nd knee replacement. Another friend who was an All American high school catcher tore his ACL his senior year in high school. Was set to go play baseball at Miami but he never played baseball again. Those stories happen all the time. It’s just an unfortunate experience but it’s not the end of the world.

  5. No QB , no pass rush , no secondary … team has 3 wins written all over it . Silver lining , draft high finally address pass rush

  6. Paging Ribico and Mid….”Why didn’t you just get out of bounds?” Shanahan said. “You see some guys get out of bounds, and you’re like, ‘Yeah, that’s what you’re supposed to do.’ And then you have something like this, and you’re reminded why you do coach that and why quarterbacks should do it (run out of bounds). I think that’s something Jimmy will probably look at differently going forward, because I know he’ll remember this the rest of his life.”

    1. Goff learned his lesson as well, although it didn’t cost him anything other than some pain and a highlight reel of what not to do along the sidelines. Some of us have to learn the hard way, while the less obstinate learn the easy way….

        1. a different take than his Head Coach

          LOL. Like you aren’t taking different takes from Shananan oh..just about every other post of yours.

          On that Young play they were driving for a potential winning score.

          On that JG drive they were looking to get back within one score. Not so different. And they were right at the RZ. The Young play, starting on their own side of the field. I’d argue last sunday’s game situation was even more urgent.

      2. There’s a big difference between the Young play and the Garoppolo play.

        On that Young play they were driving for a potential winning score.

        On the Garoppolo play they weren’t. Totally different game situations.

        1. Ha, not only that but Young was a running back. His lower body is built like a running back. Garoppolo’s? Not so much….

      3. Young took a number of hits with his style of play and accumulated quite a few concussions which ultimately ended his career. QB’s are coached to avoid contact. You slide when you run up the middle and you get out of bounds when you run outside. This is taught at every level from High School on. Garoppolo showed a high level of competitiveness which nobody is questioning, but it was a poor decision made in the heat of the moment.

      4. Besides not taking the hit I think what gets lost in all this, it was going to be 4th down going out of bounds stops the clock. Down 2 TD’s with just over 5 minutes remaining with the clock stopped, the Niners have time to figure out the all important 4th down play without burning a timeout.

    3. Here’s the full statement from Shanahan.

      “I think everyone’s is the same after it happened. ‘Why didn’t you just get out of bounds?’ I think it’s a reminder to all quarterbacks and coaches. Just turn on the tape any Sunday and you’re going to watch 15 plays by quarterbacks jumping over people, not getting out of bounds, doing a little extra to move the chains where it’s a hell of a play and everyone’s glad they did it. Then, you see some guys get out of bounds, and you’re like, ‘Yeah, that’s what you’re supposed to do.’ Then, you have something like this that you’re reminded of why you do coach that and why quarterbacks should do it. But, those guys are competitive guys who want to do whatever they can to win the game. You’re not assuming just by going and staying in bounds you’re going to tear your knee up. Sometimes, you get hit a lot harder because of that, which is what I thought happened until I heard later. But, I think that’s something that Jimmy will probably look at differently going forward because I know he’ll remember this the rest of his life. Nothing against him. I think this happens with everyone. Like I said, you see it every Sunday. I think it’s just a reminder for everyone why that is the obvious coaching point and why you need to stick with that.”

      1. Yeah, and the key point was “I think it’s just a reminder for everyone why that is the obvious coaching point and why you need to stick with that.” With regards to just going out of bounds.

        1. But the other side of the coin in that comment, as I and the others have stated, is that if Garoppolo had been successful, he would be getting kudos from the fans, players, and most likely the coaching staff as well for his gutsy decision. Bottom line is it was a decision that lands in the 50/50 category.

          1. It’s a decision that makes sense if the score was 35-28. At 35-21 you take the ten yards and get out.

      2. Mid,

        He’s not going to throw Jimmy under the bus. He was clear with what he wanted him to do and what he will do from now on. Your point about him being lauded if he made a big play was probably true, but the chances of that based on where he was and the number of players around him were none. There was no chance he was going to much more than if he went out of bounds and they were going to have to go on 4th regardless so it was a poor decision. There’s competitive and there’s reckless. Two very different things.

  7. He looked like he would run out of bounds to safety.

    But, he didn’t. He kept running in bounds, cut hard on his left leg and snapped his ACL.

    GRANT,
    I understand that you aren’t a 49ers fan. I get that. But often times you sound like you downright hate the 49ers. Why must you always phrase your criticisms with such venom. This isn’t the best example, just the most recent. You know what I’m talking about. You are quite knowledgeable and often have such incredible insight. Why cant you just come across as neutral rather than hostile? Its like you have a bone to pick with the team. Why is that?
    Also why dont you go to a media outlet where you can cover whatever team it is that you do root for? It appears that you are tortured and reluctant to be assigned to the 49ers, whom you obviously hate.

      1. Yes that’s what happened. But It’s his job to report neutrally and OUR jobs to be critical and let opinions fly. Sometimes this blog seems like it comes from a raiders fan. Quit being so salty man.

      2. The point is that Grant’s style of employing ‘you moron’ snark and instant dismissals grates some people the wrong way. Good, bad, indifferent.

      3. Not quite, Jack…….

        If making a cut like Grapps did was going to cause this kind of injury, then this was going to happen to him eventually, anyway. He makes cuts just like that in the pocket avoiding the rush, just in the normal course of a game. He wasn’t running at full speed when he did that cut~he has made that move many times. It was just a real bad piece of luck.
        And if receivers catch the ball, make the first, should they then fall down to avoid any possibility of injury? That would in fact work, wouldn’t it?
        But thats not how athletes get to the highest echelon of their sport. This was just a bad piece of luck irrespective of whether he should have run out of bounds or not.

    2. PS I would ENJOY reading you clowning on another team. It gets old reading you when you dump on the team that has been special to me for 40 years now, For our sakes, cant you just act like you actually care and aren’t giddy that Jimmy blew his knee.

    3. Grant likes to inject ‘kickers’ into his work…

      “The kicker, which provides a little kick or surprise, is a journalistic tactic for making a strong [and sharp] closing or start. In the book, Introduction to Journalism, the author explains the kicker as a “closing quote or fact [or in Grant’s case a snarky remark] which takes the story a little further by providing shock, irony, [a shiv-like thrust under the ribs], humor or simply food for thought.” It might be a high-impact sentence, a moving quote or a connection to a key point at the start of the article. The kicker is often emotionally satisfying [or polarizing] and is in tune with the entire story [and/or Grant’s narrative].” My elaborations are shown in brackets [ ].

      Grant wears his approach to his craft as a badge of honor.

      1. You can have your kickers and drama and writing flair and devices and iambic pentameter for all I care. Just quit being an A-hole about my team. This man has a serious injury. Nobody including management needs to he kicked when they are down. That’s classless and petty. Let Grant defend himself.
        (All apologies Cassie, I know how Grant operates, I’ve read this blog for a very very long time. Just never posted much over the years.)

          1. It’s all good. And truth be told I agree. I enjoy a lot of the controversial things Grant brings to the conversation…..theres just a time and a place. I would hate to see how Grant would report things like school shootings and natural disasters. Not one ounce of sympathy or respect I bet.

    4. “Also why dont you go to a media outlet where you can cover whatever team it is that you do root for?”

      Don’t you remember how Grant got this current job? It was nepotism. Do you think his daddy can swing a deal and get him a job covering the Raiders? It would have been a done deal by now if he could.

      1. Yeah I know Prime. The PD hasnt been any good since Michael Silver left. Weve seen former niners beat writers go on to some pretty decent success why are you stuck Grant?
        Anyway, I live in Pennsylvania now, and reading PD sports is something I’ve done all my life. It’s been my connection to home for many years….Old habits die hard.

    5. Come one Grant, be a homer! We don’t like it when you write exactly what happened on a play that was negative for our team.

      1. There levels to this s**t Jack. I get his opposing points of view and all. He just sounds happy about an injury. That’s wrong

        1. By reporting what happened, the coaches response and what will happen moving forward? Silliness.

            1. Who’s your team Grant?

              And BTW I’m aware there are several outlets to get my niners fix. I do enjoy reading you and the conversations to be had here. I like your maverick style, I just think you poor on your Niners disdain a little thick, is all.

            2. “I’m not a fan. I’m a journalist “That is what his Dad always said. I look at Grant’s job and it is a good place to start, where others notable journalists started but ended up getting better jobs. I think Grant is auditioning for something better.

          2. I do think the knee brace exchange was a tad funny–listening to the presser. Viewing and listening provided a slightly different color than Grant’s commentary, but that’s okay. Having the presser online helps provide a fuller picture.

            1. There wasn’t much to it from what I saw. Shanny looked stressed out from the start and for good reason.

      3. JH… I trust you’re excluding me from your homer sarcasm. If not, check the archives of all my comments. I’ve even gone on record a few time stating that I do not expect Grant to be a homer.

    1. With CJ starting, I’d think not. Some tweaks may be made game-to-game in order to account for CJ’s strengths and weaknesses.

  9. KS is letting his personal animus show with his responses to Grant’s questions.
    .
    A HC should be above that. That is not showing class, it is showing immaturity.
    .
    JL should step in and counsel KS to be more professional. It is the job of the media to ask tough questions. It is the job of the HC to not become petty and mean. If a journalist can make a HC lose his cool, imagine what the HC of another team can do to KS. I watched KS’s demeanor along the side lines, and I was not reminded of Bill Walsh. BW was cool, calm, collected. He was never rattled, he was constantly thinking of his next move, his next adjustment. KS reminded me of Simpletary, who had a bludgeoned look on his face.
    .
    If John Lynch wants to change the culture of the team, he should make amends. I do not think he has to apologize like he did for the leak, but maybe he should bestow an interview with Grant. Fire tempers steel, so a hard hitting interview would show that the Niners are striving to become champions by acting like champions. Snark against the media and naked animus are not championship traits.
    .
    The Niners cannot claim to be open and forthright, then turtle. They cannot eat up the syrupy praise, then spit out the hard to swallow questions. KS needs to improve, and more importantly, he needs to grow up. He needs to never let them see him sweat. Some think its a hoot watching KS being mean and vindictive. I think it is shameful and unworthy for a Niner to behave in that manner.

        1. I’m not arguing with you anymore. Theres a difference. If you ever say anything useful, I will listen.

            1. I can certainly oblige you. Honestly you rarely have anything relevant to add to the conversation. I thought being civil would be the correct way to act. You know, being the bigger man. Or maybe you dont…its not my job to teach you that

              1. Eel, go ahead and engage me. No skin off my nose. Just do not whine if I push back on some of your snark.
                .
                Some, like you, sure like to dish it, but sure cannot take it.
                .
                If you have not noticed, I can take everything thrown at me, but like water on a duck’s back, I let it slide right off.
                .
                Remember, if you get so upset that you start hurling expletives, I will just declare victory. Others, who have no clue, declare victory, but we all know that they are the ones who have lost their cool.

            2. EastCoast, SebastoPaul PROMISED to only write about football because he was afraid that his wife was going to be kidnapped…..

      2. Eel,
        he has already admitted that everything he writes is his opinion and so his “facts” cant even be trusted.

    2. Sebbie ‘I Got You Babe’ Nynah…

      What, you’re offended that Kyle isn’t polite to Grant? And shameful behavior? Wow–equating Kyle to Singletary. Syrup of praise? Wow again–you gotta be high this morning!

      Could you develop a HC behavior continuum for us? On one extreme we have stoic HCs who have perfect demeanor, regardless of record. On the other extreme we have the 110% hair-on-fire maniacs. Focus on and rank demeanor, not if they were highly successful or total turds in the win/loss column. You can do this Sebbie. Begin with the 70s and run it through 2018. Include Bud Grant, Tom Landry, John Madden, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, Rich Kotite, Mike Ditka, Jim Harbaugh, Jim Mora, Bill Parcells, Marv Levy, Pete Carroll, Jim Tomsula, etc., etc.

      This is why I participate in this blog. I don’t come here to hang on Grant’s every word, nor expect him be a giddy homer. I come here for the conversation amongst the many. Great material Sebbie–syrup….

      1. Cassie, I write something totally new, and you consider it a repetition.
        .
        The stench of Baalke is overwhelming today.

    3. Sure, Seb, Sure………

      And now you will tell us that Bill Walsh never did any such thing. Oh……….except he did!!!!!!!!!!!!
      I saw it with my own eyes, once in person.

      Quit slurpin, and quit taking your sanctimonious rants out on the rest of us.

      “…………..KS being mean and vindictive.” mean, mean, mean. Everybody with a difference of opinion is mean.

    4. Seb-What is all this sanctimonious snark of yours……….”he needs to grow up”. Where do you get off passing judgements on personal behavior, with respect to “growing up”?

      Are you not the same person who admitted he likes to get in the last word???????

      The sanctimonious hypocrisy………….are you going to tell us that Bill Walsh didn’t do this with the press???

      We all saw him do it at various times, Seb-and I saw him do it once in person.

      1. Catfish, Bill Walsh did that to the press because he was Bill Walsh, and had the rings to back it up.
        .
        Belichick does not even pretend to be nice, but after 5 rings, he does not care.
        .
        I like to get in the last word because it blunts the message of the poster I am engaging with.
        .
        Sanctimonious Hypocrisy? sounds like you are an expert at that.

  10. John Lynch has an opportunity to step up and show that he is changing the culture.
    .
    Instead of bringing in a bunch of shlubs, he should stand tall by being bold, and giving Kaep a tryout. This would be a good opportunity to demonstrate why he thinks that Kaep cannot play, but he risks allowing Kaep to wow everyone with his skillsets.
    .
    This refusal to even give Kaep a tryout is more proof of collusion. The blackballing is in full effect. It is an insult to many fans for them to declare CJB is the starter, while they refuse to let a former Niner QB who has a 4-2 road playoff record, and has set playoff rushing records, any chance at all.
    .
    JL stated that he was looking hard to find a franchise QB. He found one in JG, but now, JG is done for the season. It is a dereliction of duty to refuse to even look at Kaep, since he is far superior and way more accomplished than CJB.
    .
    JL needs to perform his due diligence, and look at all the possibilities. That is, if he wants to change the culture. We see lots of former Niner players doing well. Maybe the problem is not the players, but the coaching and front office.
    .
    Maybe Jed should be a leader, and insist on fair play. Giving a tryout is not anointing a starter.

    1. Sebbie…

      Remember that you challenged Jed to be fair and bring Tomsula and Kelly back to the 9ers–to wipe clean the record of classless 9er behavior. You still want Jimmy T and Chip to return this season don’t you? Jed could buy out their current employers and have them report to Santa Clara by Friday.

      Admit it. That act would restore honor to the 9ers. I need a Kleenex, I’m tearing up. Sniff…

      1. Cassie, Baalke was the one who promoted both Tomsula and Chip. Blame him.
        .
        Sounds like you are desperately dredging up ancient history. You are letting us see you sweat.

          1. I can recall many things I wrote. At that time, they did not have any coaches, so I just proposed a possibility. I thought Jed might like that since he was paying them anyways. He would be saving money, something he dotes on.
            .
            Wasting time scrolling through past comments to make a feeble screed, just shows how desperate you are. You really need to up your game.

    2. This thing of Sebs with Kap…………..its been going on now for a half decade………..I ask anybody out there who knows more about the subject than i do………..is this not assburgers syndrome?

  11. Seb will you please quit with the kaep thing…you might as well root for them to sign Johnny Manziel or Donovan McNabb or Steve Young for that matter. They arent in the league. Neither is kaep. He isn’t any good dude.. It isn’t going to happen. Its quite clear to everyone else bud.
    Ya know if you wouldn’t cling hopelessly to your odd and Inffective and outmoded strategical ramblings, you may just have something useful to say once in a great while.

      1. Sebbie… You are the fly drawn to the ‘heartthrob QB’ turd. In a couple days we’ll have Sebbie maggots all over.

  12. Really hope that Beathard shows improvement in his second stint as the starter.

    Kinda like Jeff Garcia, who after success in his first start went downhill and was benched. When they brought him back in a few games later he really too off.

    Fingers crossed.

    1. I agree. And really it’s been a bit of a mystery since Jimmy was signed. I really didnt pay attention to Beathard in camp, At the time we had much more pressing issues than our backup QB. Hopefully Shanahan is making the right call. We will see VERY soon.

    2. Foster says “he ain’t no roody poo” so there’s that.

      Beathard is limited as a player, but I’ve seen similar QB’s have success in this system. Hoyer and Schaub aren’t any more physically gifted than Beathard and both had a modicum of success – Schaub more so and for a longer period of time – so we’ll see if CJB has improved in year two.

    3. I think Shanahan will be itching to show the world that he can win without a top-notch QB.

      So can’t write-off the 9ers yet. :)

    2. Juan, I was resigned to having JG become the starter, and wished Kaep well, playing for another team.
      .
      This injury changes everything.
      .
      Expect a deluge. There are 13 games left.

  15. Ju Ju stats over last 16 games played : 85/ 1,273 / 8

    JJ was on our radar but ultimately overlooked – like so many.

    Q. Does Jed York like football? This is a serious question. I have never seen him at a Niner game. He does not seem like a football guy.

    More to come. Fish rots from the head down.

  17. Someone please post a link to the press conference exchange between kyle and grant. I cant seem to get it.

        1. Did I miss something, because I didn’t notice anything to suggest there was tension between Shanny and Grant during that exchange….

          1. I didn’t pick up any real tension either. I think some viewed the steely look in Shanahan’s eyes or is measured response as evidence of something curious. Viewing the exchange does give more color to the knee brace apocalypse.

  18. A little off topic…

    Would be interesting to learn the demographics of our commenter community. It seems that most (not all) of our persistent/active commenters are long-time fans (30+ years?), with many currently living outside of CA. Some appear to be fans since the 70s if not earlier. By persistent/active I’m including those who post throughout the week across the course of the year. Come game day many more commenters join in–some long time fans and others seeming to be rather new (<15 years of 9er fandom or hater status?). Wonder how many of these game day participants are out-of-state, how long they've been fans (or not fans), etc. And behind the demographics–what are the whys? Why Grant's blog? Why the far-flung geographic footprint of the blog?

    I miss htwaits. I suspect he's been driven away. Of course, it's his/her choice to join in or not. The question of participation/non-participation is interesting too. Hope ht is okay.

    Grant… Consider having the Press Democrat conduct a voluntary, confidential poll to develop a better picture of your blog's demographics–perhaps something SurveyMonkey based… https://www.surveymonkey.com. Might be illuminating for you and PD moguls.

  19. Why are so many of the Baalke-era castoffs starting or playing well for other teams?

    One of the guys shipped out by ShanaLynch had over 100 yards receiving last night and another is starting for a team that’s 3-0 so far.

    But all I keep hearing is how the roster was so devoid of talent when they took over.

      2. Cherry picking season on farms maybe restricted to the months of May to July, but its 365 days a year on Grant’s blog!!

        1. Yeah I could see that narrative getting started which is why I questioned who is being missed of the players they dropped.

    2. Jack ….

      Didja see the stiff-arm Vance McD gave to a DB ?…
      The most amazing part of that play was ….
      Vance ,, actually … caught the ball …. !!

      1. “It was devoid of talent. One of the least talented rosters in the league.”

        Which is why multiple guys from that roster are starting or finding success for other teams? Perhaps it was/is more about the coach than the player?

          1. Not sure if I’d say the guys they let go are necessarily better, but I’d say they are on par.

            One example is Kilgore. Despite what what said about him on here, he’s now starting for a team that’s 3-0.

            The negative about VMac when he was here was the drops, yet his replacement is good for about 1 per game.

            What I see are guys being replaced, but the guys being brought in aren’t really much of an upgrade, if any.

            1. Then why lament how castoffs are playing elsewhere if they aren’t any better than what we have? I can see bringing this up if they dumped somebody who went on to be a really good player somewhere else and they didn’t fill that spot with somebody as good, but that clearly isn’t the case. They aren’t missing any of these guys and none of them are great players that got away. They are filling roles on other teams similar to what they did here when we all wanted more as did the Coaches.

              1. “Then why lament how castoffs are playing elsewhere if they aren’t any better than what we have?”

                I’m not lamenting anything. I’m making an observation, and the observation is that a) the roster was devoid of talent narrative was wrong, b) ShanaLynch haven’t done a good job of upgrading the roster, c) the coaching staff is not getting guys in the best situations to play to their strengths.

                I think it’s probably a combination of all three.

              2. The players you have mentioned were not all that talented Jack. The roster was one of the worst in the league and while it’s still not a great roster, it’s better than what it was when the current regime arrived. They’ve had two years to upgrade the roster and it has been upgraded, not enough, but some and it’s too soon to know what we have in the young players on the roster.

              3. “and it’s too soon to know what we have in the young players on the roster.”

                For the players that are rookies, yes. It’s pretty easy to see what they have in the 2nd year guys. Other than Breida, who from that group last year is making a big impact?

              4. Well 6 of the them in addition to Breida are either starters or key contributors who didn’t replace anybody who was really good for the Niners and is currently being missed. It’s still too soon to draw a conclusion on how good these guys are and will be considering we are 3 games into their second year.

              5. “Other than Breida, who from that group last year is making a big impact?”

                Kittle has drawn double coverage at times. The Lions were so concerned that they held George late which drew the flag that wiped out JG’s pick six, perhaps keeping us from losing that game.

                Thomas wasn’t worth the #3 pick, but he’s stout against the run and had been disruptive when he’s had a chance.

                Foster has only played one game, but had a very nice rookie season. Other than that, are you expecting a “big impact” from players taken in the 3rd round or later? It would be great but shouldn’t be expected, especially when it’s only their second year.

              7. “Well 6 of the them in addition to Breida are either starters or key contributors”

                Just because they’re starting or playing doesn’t mean they’re actually anything more than average.

                Solomon Thomas, so good that he’s playing between 40-50% of snaps I believe.

                Reuben Foster, so good that when he’s been out and replaced by guys like Brock Coyle or Elijah Lee the team doesn’t miss a beat.

                Ahkello Witherspoon, played ok in limited starts last season and has looked overmatched in year 2.

                C.J. Beathard, we will see if he’s any better than last year or if his best attribute is being able to take hits.

                George Kittle, good for at least one drop per game. Puts up decent numbers because of the offense and number of targets he gets.

                Trent Taylor, slow possession receiver who had a productive finish to last season but hasn’t built on that in first 3 weeks. His snaps should start going to Pettis.

                Adrian Colbert, had a couple good games in spot start duty at the end of last year and looks overmatched in year 2 as the regular starter. Replaced in week 3 and there was no noticeable decline in the defense.

              8. Here’s what you asked Jack:

                Other than Breida, who from that group last year is making a big impact?

                That was a draft class with a lot of impact. 7 starters no matter how much you want to nit pick is significant. The original complaint you made today was the fact there were former Niners playing for other teams and having success and yet the 49ers don’t miss any of them because they really weren’t that good or didn’t fit the system. They did what all new regime changes do: bring in your own guys and get rid of the ones that don’t fit what you want to do.

              9. “That was a draft class with a lot of impact.”

                It was a draft class with a lot of snaps, I’ll give you that.

                “7 starters no matter how much you want to nit pick is significant.”

                Those guys had to start from day one or eventually because they’d gutted the roster and someone has to play. As I said, the top guy in that class is barely playing 50% of the snaps this year if that and the guy taken second has been shown to be replaceable by 2nd and 3rd stringers.

                “The original complaint you made today was the fact there were former Niners playing for other teams and having success”

                It was actually a question, not a complaint.

              10. “The original complaint you made today was the fact there were former Niners playing for other teams and having success”

                https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sfo/2016_roster.htm

                Unemployed
                Kap
                Kerley
                Patton
                Beadles
                Dial
                Brooks
                Bowman
                Reid

                Hyde: Decent, but doesn’t fit. Breida leading the league.
                T Smith: Goodwin is much better.
                McDonald: McDonald only has 21 receptions for 326 YDs since 2016. Kittle has 706 YDs and as many TDs.
                Kilgore and Brown: Would our run game look as good with these two instead or Richburg and McG?
                Harold: Playing well, I’ll give you that.
                Hodges: 11 tackles since 2016.
                Brock: 1 PD, no starts since 2016.
                Bethea: Decent player, Tartt isn’t anything special.

              11. Thanks for doing the work #80, but my original comment was a question, not a complaint. There’s more guys around the league than just those listed below.

                Regarding McDonald and Kittle: Yeah I’m not surprised that Kittle has more yards, he also had more targets than McDonald ever did.

                Here’s another one for you if you’d like to play with stats, Career yards per reception 14.0 for McDonald. 12.8 for Kittle.

                This is one of those moves that really wasn’t an upgrade for the position group. Having Kittle, McDonald and Celek would have been better overall than the Kittle, Celek and Paulson group they ended up with.

                Reid is better than what they have currently at safety. He outperformed Tartt last year at SS and his ability to also play FS could have been useful. This is an example of the team going too young too soon.

              12. “Thanks for doing the work #80, but my original comment was a question, not a complaint.”

                No problem, I knew it was a question.

                “Here’s another one for you if you’d like to play with stats, Career yards per reception 14.0 for McDonald. 12.8 for Kittle.”

                Stats are fun. Check out catch%.

    4. I would not get too excited about Vance Mac. A 75 yd touchdown with a stiff arm/missed tackle is a blue moon play for that guy. We could have drafted Kelce. We could have drafted Lev Bell and Kelce.

      2:40 Tank Carradine
      2:48 Lev Bell
      2:55 Vance Mac
      3:63 Kelce
      3:76 Keenan Allen

    5. The roster was void of top end talent. That was the real problem. Plus poor coaching. Guys get made to look worse than they are when there aren’t many (any?) top level talents playing around them. And when coaches don’t put them in positions to excel.

      Most of the guys you are talking about are ok starters/ good rotational guys.

      I think the 49ers have upgraded at most of those spots (aside from Harold). But the players are young and there still isn’t a wealth of top end talent. The question that many people have asked which I think is legitimate, is why upgrade from an ok starter to something only marginally better, if better at all? Especially when there are some positions on the team that really need a major upgrade (edge, OG)?

      1. When talking major upgrade, let’s not forget the cornerback position. Moore is probably our most athletic at the position, but he’s raw….

        1. Yeah, they did add Sherman though. That is a major upgrade. The opposite side could do with work though.

          The problem we have here is the 49ers are banking on young athletes at the position. With that comes some serious growing pains, and no guarantee they will develop the instincts and nouse for the position. Its the same at safety.

          When 3/4 of your secondary are young athletic guys still learning there is almost bound to be plenty of botched plays at the back each week.

          1. On the Sherman deal I said it would be a good deal if he could play at his previous level. He was fine, but now he can’t play.

            This was a good risk to take, but their backup plan was lacking.

            1. Yep. The backup plan was to move last year’s starting FS (and probably should be the starting FS right now too) to CB, marking the 4th position move for him in 5 years, bring in another athlete with little CB experience in the draft, with a smattering of the same guys they brought in from the street last year. What could possibly go wrong?

            2. Shouldn’t have taken the risk without having a good backup plan in place. That was always my stance.

              3. Robinson, Scandrick, Melvin, Claiborne, Rodgers-Cromartie, Cockrell, Breeland, Carrie, Amukumara… one of those guys. There are probably others I am not thinking of.

                Basically someone that Witherspoon needed to compete with to win the starting job.

                As for who they would have replaced, Greg Mabin seems the logical choice.

              4. They signed Sherman Scooter. There wasn’t a plan to sign another one because they wanted to play Witherspoon and develop him. Why would they sign another vet at the expense of playing the guys they need to see and develop? There is also the fact that some of those guys signed with other teams and/or aren’t very good anymore.

              5. “There wasn’t a plan to sign another one because they wanted to play Witherspoon and develop him. Why would they sign another vet at the expense of playing the guys they need to see and develop?”

                And it should have been up to Witherspoon to beat them out for a starting role, rather than handing it to him. Plus, lets face it, everyone knew the Sherman signing was no guarantee. If he hadn’t come back any good the 49ers were in all sorts. Not signing a vet CB for Witherspoon to compete with, and ideally beat, was a mistake. It forced them to put Ward to CB, when he should have been competing for the starting FS spot (which was his last year).

              6. Competition is good but they liked what they saw from Witherspoon and went younger after Sherman instead of older. I don’t think there was any thought to sign another vet CB by the team and there wasn’t a lot of call for that here either from what I recall. They are a rebuilding team trying to build a core through the draft while supplementing with FA. That is a plan everybody was on board with, or so I thought.

              7. “Competition is good but they liked what they saw from Witherspoon and went younger after Sherman instead of older.”

                I liked what I saw from Witherspoon too, and I would have fully expected Witherspoon to compete his butt off and win the starting job opposite Sherman. But having just one experienced CB on the roster is not smart.

                “I don’t think there was any thought to sign another vet CB by the team and there wasn’t a lot of call for that here either from what I recall.”

                I think they tried to sign Shead, but other than that, no idea. That doesn’t make it a good plan. And I hope they aren’t making calls based on what people say on here. I for one though was of the opinion they should sign another CB.

              8. Scooter,

                I think the moves they have made/are making are in line with what a new Coaching staff/GM always do. You assess, remove and replace. They are in the early stages of that but got a huge break by landing a QB that will hopefully expedite the process. Putting young players on the field to get experience and determine what you have is a big part of that. I’m also not saying you are wrong for wanting to have more vets, but I don’t see that as having much of an effect on the short or long term success.

              9. My main concern with playing a lot of young guys has nothing to do with the ups and downs that comes with that, and everything to do with how it impacts the psyche and development of players. I haven’t done a detailed analysis or research on it, but my gut feeling is it typically doesn’t work out well for development of many of the players that get rushed into action on teams that rely on lots of other young guys that are also learning how to play in the pros.

                Obviously there are exceptions, like the Seahawks. But I do think those are exceptions.

              10. I don’t know either, but I don’t think you get better without playing. As far as damage to the psyche, I think that’s more of a QB thing based on taking too many hits. Most position players aren’t going to get damaged mentally by getting on the field and doing what they’ve always done.

          2. I said as much last year. Some of the moves have been head scratchers. I think the FO certainly deserves a bit of scrutiny here.

            They could have gotten 3 key players in FA for the DL, LB and DBs to help solidify those units. Instead they played cute and kept people and discarded them over the course of the year withou someone in place to take over.

      2. “The question that many people have asked which I think is legitimate, is why upgrade from an ok starter to something only marginally better, if better at all? Especially when there are some positions on the team that really need a major upgrade (edge, OG)?”

        Yes, this is what I’m getting at. They moved on from guys, and if they improved with the guys brought in it was only a marginally.

        1. Walsh openly admitted to doing upgrades of that nature his first few yrs.

          This team Lynch took over was probably worse than the Walsh 79 team. He at least had Freddie, Harper, and some semblance of an O-line. And Deberg, at that point in his career, was certainly better than CJ.
          This line-up needed a complete overhaul. Both Mckinnon AND JG? For luck, thats as bad as any team i can recall.
          All things considered, its heading in the right direction-but taking over the dumpster that Baalke left is a HUGE undertaking………..not unlike drawing up the plans for D-day.

        1. If they are, they have yet to prove it consistently. I think Tartt and Colbert provide more upside, but Reid was more consistent. I also have considerable reservations that Colbert will ever become a consistently good player.

            1. Unfortunately those type of players go in the first round, and so I understand taking the athlete with the upside to develop until you’re in a position to take one in the first round….

              1. Yeah, that’s also why you keep around the vet who has shown he can do it while you develop the other guy as the backup.

              3. “Yeah, that’s also why you keep around the vet who has shown he can do it while you develop the other guy as the backup.”

                Exactly. At the moment the 49ers are in a position where they are rushing some of these youngsters into action. Sometimes that goes great, they take some lumps but also get invaluable experience and it helps them develop. Other times it ruins their confidence and they never develop.

                For the guys that develop, it is usually guys that have a strong supporting cast around them.

                I have said this many times before, but it is really important to have a good mix of vets and young players at every position. In the secondary in particular that isn’t the case. The vets they have are Sherman, who’s coming off a major injury, and Ward, who despite being in his 5th year has limited experience at any one position and so isn’t really the experienced vet the youngsters need to be learning off.

                DL is another one where this is the case. Their vets are Mitchell, a NT that sees limited snaps each game. That’s pretty much it. When you then add the two ILBs are a rookie and a 2nd year player, is it any wonder this D is having some issues? The talent may well be there, but too much inexperience on the field at one time.

              4. They did sign vets, quite a few of them in fact last season and some key guys that were supposed to be a big part of upgrading the offense this year. Unfortunately injuries have derailed the plan. Which vets should they have kept that would be making a difference on this team right now?

                There are also home grown players in their 3rd and 4h years which qualifies them as vets. It’s nice in theory to want to have a perfect mix of vets and young players on game day, but injuries happens in this league and it’s not always possible.

                What’s really interesting is how opinions have changed from where we were in the offseason. Most on here wanted to let the guys on the roster play and develop because this was a rebuilding team, didn’t want to add some of the big names in FA and now the view has changed to there’s not enough top line starters and they should have signed more vets. Injuries are a part of football. It’s unfortunate, but that’s how it is. Questioning every transaction made because of it is pure hindsight analysis that is worth nothing other than giving an outlet to complain retroactively.

              5. “What’s really interesting is how opinions have changed from where we were in the offseason. Most on here wanted to let the guys on the roster play and develop because this was a rebuilding team, didn’t want to add some of the big names in FA and now the view has changed to there’s not enough top line starters and they should have signed more vets.”

                Not my opinion. I didn’t think they should go out and sign a bunch of really high priced FAs, but I did think they should bring in a bunch of mid and lower cost guys, especially on D. They did that to a degree, but I guess you also have to choose the right ones – bringing in Attaochu and Cooper for instance doesn’t really count.

                As for having signed lots of FAs already, sure, they have, but they also needed to as they completely dismantled what was on the roster when they took over. Hardly any players are left from the 2016 season. Yes, injuries have been an issue as you point out as well, but every team has injuries.

                What I have seen is that Shanahan seems to believe his offense needs experienced vets, so he has been bringing them in to help install a workable offense. But he hasn’t done the same for the D and as a result the young guys are being thrown in before they are ready.

              6. “didn’t want to add some of the big names in FA and now the view has changed”

                Yeah, I wasn’t one of those people.

              7. “There are also home grown players in their 3rd and 4h years which qualifies them as vets.”

                It may do technically, but most of those 3rd and 4th year guys still have very limited playing experience.

              8. I wasn’t singling anyone out specifically but the tone has clearly changed from the offseason which is a response to another season looking like a right off. The big picture hasn’t changed however, at least for me. This team needs to develop a young core for the long term and let the young guys play to see what they have moving forward. There were a lot of vets signed the first year because they were going to install new systems on both sides of the ball and wanted some players who could help the transition. That is exactly what has happened and signing more mid level to below vets wasn’t going to change their fortunes with the injuries they’ve suffered. They signed a bunch last year and again this year, the problem is you quickly find out why some of these guys were available and cut bait.

                As to your point about bringing in vets for offense but not defense, that isn’t the case. They do have vets on the DL as well as the home grown guys in their 3rd and 4th years as I mentioned. They brought in Sherman to help the secondary and Malcolm Smith and Brock Coyle for the LB’s. Other than not ignoring the Edge position, I don’t see what else they could have done. The reality is rebuilding a roster takes time and if not for the injuries this team was going to be in the mix for a playoff spot imo. That’s not bad for 3 games into year two.

              9. Jack,

                Yeah, I wasn’t one of those people.

                Me either. I wanted them to sign Allen Robinson among others, but as it turns out, it wasn’t necessary. They are fine at WR and look pretty solid in a few other places too. If we ever get a half decent Edge rusher, the defense will look a lot better.

              11. “They do have vets on the DL”

                Who aside from Mitchell? Day? How much experience does he have? Armstead? Same question. Heck, Buckner is in his 3rd year and has played more games than either of those guys. Marsh? He had all of two starts to his name prior to this season. Sorry, this is not an experienced DL. They should not have released Dumervil if they weren’t going to replace him with another vet edge player. They probably should have retained Reid if they weren’t going to sign another vet safety to at least compete with Colbert or Tartt (or keep Ward back there).

                I think we may be having different opinions on what a vet constitutes here as well. Yes, a vet is technically someone with a certain number of years in the league. But when I say vet I mean someone that brings a wealth of starting and playing experience in the league. Coyle does not fit that bill. Malcolm Smith does, sure.

              12. Buckner and Armstead are vets. Been in the league for multiple years and Buckner has played a lot of snaps. Day and Fields are 3rd year guys. Mitchell and Marsh are 9 and 5 years. Experience isn’t just about the amount of snaps played. They don’t need another vet who isn’t going to play much extolling them with stories about experiences in the NFL. What they need is to play and keep getting better and to add talent at Edge. I would have loved to see them sign or draft an Edge player that was a difference maker but that’s life.

              13. I disagree with the premise there. Being in the league a while is different to getting extensive playing time in the league. Guys with a lot of playing experience will typically make fewer mental errors, and will typically be much better at communicating with other players and helping out other players. It isn’t about getting guys to tell stories, its about getting guys that can lead the team on the field.

                As for considering guys like Day, Buckner and Armstead as having plenty of experience, yeah, I just don’t see it that way. They aren’t rookies, but they aren’t experienced vets either.

          2. Colbert has been overrated based on his first two games of action last season where he had some big plays. Maybe he develops, but I think he should be a backup right now and STs player.

      4. “The question that many people have asked which I think is legitimate, is why upgrade from an ok starter to something only marginally better, if better at all? Especially when there are some positions on the team that really need a major upgrade (edge, OG)?”

        Because you know the guys you have aren’t that good and you are trying to make your team better. They replaced some average players with guys they signed or drafted which is par for the course with Coaching changes. You don’t know how much better a player will be until you have him on the team. You can’t get better if you remain with the status quo.

        We are two years into a rebuild that was cut dramatically by the acquisition of JG. They still need to upgrade but the overall talent on the team is significantly better than it was when Shanny and Lynch arrived. The players who were let go and are now playing for other teams were average to below average players that had no bearing on the future or fortunes of the team. Every new Coach and GM go out and get their own guys and it’s no different here.

        The two areas I thought they dropped the ball in the offseason were not drafting and Edge or G, but so far the G spot hasn’t been a huge issue. The biggest problem they have now is a lack of depth which is hard to develop in a short period of time. They have drafted a lot of players that we’ll have to wait and see on.

        1. “The biggest problem they have now is a lack of depth”

          Nah, this team has plenty of depth. What it lacks is topline starters who are difference makers.

          When starters go down on this team the 2nd and sometimes 3rd team guys step in and you don’t see any difference. Only place that doesn’t hold true is the QB spot.

          1. I disagree. They were about to start a guy at G in week two that had never played and have nobody worth a damn to fill in at OT behind the starers, have struggled to fill the loss of Taart, will struggle to fill the loss of Sherman and obviously Garoppolo as you mentioned. If healthy this team could have competed for a playoff spot. Injuries have derailed them because they lack quality depth.

            They could use more topline starters, who couldn’t, but in year two of a rebuild that isn’t realistic.

            1. Meh. In week one they lost their #1 WR, their top 2 guards, and a starting LB and were still competitive in the game according to you. In fact they scored more points after the injury.

              In week 2 they started their 3rd string LB and held the Lions to 13 points until late in the game.

              In week 3 they lost their starting CB and FS before half yet held the Chiefs to 3 points in the final two quarters. And when Person went down for a few plays Magnuson stepped right in and you couldn’t tell any difference.

              1. Lol you didn’t address any of the things I said. Who are the players that are going to step in for these guys who are just as good in your mind?

              2. “Who are the players that are going to step in for these guys who are just as good in your mind?”

                You don’t know who replaced these guys in the games? Come on.

                Magnuson easily stepped in for Person on Sunday. Coyle and Lee easily filled in for Foster in weeks 1 and 2, remember how competitive you said they were in Minnesota? In that game with their starting right tackle having to play guard and their swing tackle in they scored more points than they did with the starters. Same thing with Pettis replacing Goodwin in that game.

                The whole secondary on Sunday was pretty much backups by the second half when they gave up 3 points.

              3. Magnusson played 7 snaps Jack.

                I didn’t mention LB’s because that is an area there is quite a bit of depth at.

                McGlinchey having to play G for an extended period with Gilliam at RT would be a disaster.

                There is nobody on the roster who can replace Sherman. The second half started with the Chiefs up by 4 TD’s, so they may have reeled it in just a little don’t you think?

                Bottom line is, there is nobody who can fill in for Sherman that will come close to his play on the field. Nobody who could replace a starting OT or G, and of course Garoppolo. We’ll see how well they can replace Taart with a rookie. You see the same level of play no matter who is in there, I don’t. The roster is now featuring a number of young players so we’ll see what we have going forward.

                remember how competitive you said they were in Minnesota?

                This has been a sarcastic response of yours for a few posts now and yet I swear I can remember you saying the Niners could have won the game in the threads after the game was played. Have you changed your mind? You no longer think they could have won the Minnesota game thus were competitive enough to get you believing that?

              4. Yes, I did say the Minnesota game was one that was winnable for them in threads after the game. The problem was they made too many mistakes and fell behind by 18 points. Then rallied back late to fall short. Same as we saw from them in 2017.

                I’ve also said that I felt the team last season was better than it’s 0-9 start and should have won at least 2-3 of those.

                The problem then and now has been that they keep making the same mistakes. Dumb penalties, turnovers, etc and therefore the results have been similar. The mistakes are coming about either because they aren’t being coached up enough, or it’s a lack of ability.

                And yes, I know how many snaps Magnuson took on Sunday. I was watching the game, and if Person was to go down now I’d have no problem with him starting. So McGlinchey and Gilliam having to play RG and RT wouldn’t be a long term thing. They played a half together and the team performed better than the previous half.

                Right, at LB they have depth, and like I said there’s not much drop from the starter to the 3rd string guy. That’s good, but also not.

                They’ll replace Tartt just fine. Exum wasn’t much of a drop off if any on Sunday. Plus Tartt is hurt, quite often. He’s similar to his HS teammate that’s also on the 49ers in that regard.

              5. Young teams make mistakes. Old teams make mistakes. The highest penalized team in the league right now is the Steelers. The 49ers have taken a lot of penalties in two games and a total of 3 in the other. I don’t think it’s Coaching. It’s a lack of discipline by individual players at in opportune times combined with a league that over officiates the game.

                In the games against the Vikings and Chiefs they were clearly less talented and both teams have played in the same systems under the same Coaching staff for quite a few years as opposed to the 19 games the Niners have under Shanahan.

                I don’t disagree that a lot of the players on this team are young and there won’t be a ton of difference between them. My point was about the better players on the team not having good depth behind them and that takes time to build. If you disagree that’s fine.

  20. McDonald hasn’t produced anymore for the Steelers than he did here. He is a great athlete who doesn’t play to his ability. consistently and has missed a lot of time with injury.

    Harold isn’t worth discussing. He was given chance after chance and did nothing with it. Not sure how much better he is in Detroit or if he is just benefitting from the situation. Either way, he was a below average player here and nobody was shedding a tear when he was jettisoned.

  21. Grant, Do the survey.

    The only reason I look forward to reading this bog is the interplay between the commentators I think some of Grants comments are right on and a lot of them are out in left field. My expetations were for a 6-7 wins this year before JG got hurt.
    What I liked was the way the team came back in the second half defence allowed only 3 points. Will be interesting to see how the play in the next couple of games or will they pack it in.

  22. I’ll bite on the “survey”
    I am in my mid 60’s live in the Bay Area and have been a 49er fan since the mid sixties.
    I enjoy reading many of the comments on this blog, but I do skip over some of the frequent writers who appear to enjoy throwing out statements just to see if they can get a rise out of people or actually think they are “experts” and Niner management is or should be listening to them.
    Grant’s job is to get a reaction out of us. He is snarky, but hey, that is what they pay him for. Frankly, I don’t take sports commenters too seriously, they are there to generate fan interest and thereby generate advertising revenue. In other words they are entertainers. Grant does a good job of annoying 49er fans and generating responses.

  23. Looking at college players (and hence, future draft picks), there are two excellent CBs playing in the Pac-12. Redshirt sophomore Byron Murphy (5′-11″, 170 lb) of the Washington Huskies is the smaller one and had an excellent game against Utah (4 pass break ups) and will probably be a first round pick. Stanford’s Paulson Adebo (6′-1″, 190 lb), a redshirt freshman, has been pretty amazing in the first four games of his college career, He is in the Sherman mold, plays physical and puts his hands to good use. I believe he has at least 8 pass break ups in these four games. David Lombardi will have an article on him tomorrow in the Athletic. Adebo will have to wait till the 2020 draft. However, he will square off against Notre Dame’s QB Book this Saturday at prime time..

    1. Notre Dame will cut the Tree’s down to size, but let me know if you find an athletic corner who’s draft eligible with size that can turn and locate the football as its about to arrive. Thanks!

      1. Ha ha – will do.
        On the Saturday game, I think Duane Akina’s DBs have the Book on the Irish QB. Looking into my Magic Indigo Crystal Ball, I see a pick six in his future…

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