The NFL just announced the 2020 Pro Bowl rosters, and four 49ers made it: Nick Bosa, Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle and Richard Sherman.
The following 49ers are Pro Bowl alternates: Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, Jimmy Garoppolo, Raheem Mostert, Weston Richburg, Joe Staley, Jimmie Ward and Fred Warner.
Biggest snub: Armstead. Sure, he’s an alternate, but he should have made the roster. He leads the 49ers in sacks with 10. You could argue he’s having the best season of any player on the 49ers defense.
Biggest head-scratcher: Staley. He’s had a terrific career, but he has struggled big time this season and has played only five games this season.
Why? The ones in the NFC who are playing better than him have already been chosen as starters.
Tackle: David Bakhtiari*, Green Bay Packers; Tyron Smith*, Dallas Cowboys; Terron Armstead, New Orleans Saints;.
Bakhtiari has looked bad in spots, and he hasn’t even been as injured as Staley.
I hope Joe and the offensive line as a whole improve over the next 2 weeks, otherwise we could be in some deep kimchi….
I’m rooting for a Korean barbecue with lamb and oceanic poultry….
Free range oceanic?
They pick players from the AFC, too.
I would also throw Mostert in the head scratcher column. The guy only has about 600 yds….unless it’s as a special teamer.
There’s an offensive lineman from the Bay Area starting in the Pro Bowl. Too bad he wasn’t a “scheme fit”
Agreed, it is too bad Brown is a poor fit schematically. The number were striking – when big Trent was starting at RT in Kyle’s system, the Niners struggled mightily running over his side of the OL. McGlinchey has excelled in that area for a fraction of the cost. And speaking of head-scratchers, lol, the Raiders are stuck paying Brown top-dollar LT money to play on the right side of the line. Brown is pretty darn good in the right system Jack, but I’m not sure how that’s good business in terms of managing the cap … Pro Bowl or not?
And how’s that working out for the Raiders, Jack … paying a RT like the best LT in the league? Last I looked, the Raiders were on a 4 game losing streak, all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, and booed off the field in their final home game in Oakland.
1 sack allowed by Brown in 11 starts this year.
4 sacks allowed by McGlinchey in 10 starts this year.
I’d say it’s working out just fine for them.
wasn’t Brown’s issue run (zone…reach) blocking and not pass protection? I think he was a pretty good pass protector even with the 49ers.
Yes, Trent Brown is a good pass protector in any system. How could he not be with his length/size/strength. It was his inability to consistently make blocks at the 2nd level that caused major issues for Kyle’s rushing attack, and that’s why he was shown the door.
But, that’s old news, which is why it’s ridiculous for Jack to act as if it’s some kind of revelation that Brown made the Pro Bowl! And BTW, even a layman understands how different Kyle’s rushing scheme is as opposed to Gruden’s.
I could care less if Brown made the Pro Bowl. It doesn’t change the fact that, paying a starting RT as if he were the league’s best LT, is not the best way to build a contender?
One team is tied for the 2nd best record in the NFL, and the other has a losing record. You sure don’t have to squint very hard to figure out which team has the better record.
« wasn’t Brown’s issue run (zone…reach) blocking »
Weird how he was able to start all 16 games and win a Super Bowl with the Patriots who run a zone run scheme
Yah, it’s no wonder the Patriots were so impressed with Trent Brown they decided to pay him the big bucks, rather than roll with the those 2 young OT’s – Isaiah Wynn and Marcus Cannon ….. oh wait ….. what?
Did Wynn or Cannon make the Pro Bowl this year? No? Well then, I guess it’s official …. Bill Belichick has no clue how to build a decent roster!
Besides, there is more to trading Brown than just scheme fit. A successful team needs to manage their salary cap. Brown was scheduled to become an unrestricted FA, and the 49ers weren’t interesting in making him one of the highest paid OT’s in the league. They also had concerns about his history of struggling with his weight and conditioning.
Bottom line: The salary cap matters, and business decisions need to be made with that in mind, which is why Patriots basically made the same business decision as the 49ers, when it comes to Trent Brown.
Browns issue here was dogging injury and not wanting to play here it seemed.
That’s a good point ninermd, no question that factored into their decision.
I find it amusing that some people still question the move, even though the Patriots let Trent Brown walk for similar reasons, and both the Niners and Patriots are currently sitting at 11-3. On the other hand, the Raiders sign Brown at a grossly inflated price (paying him top LT money to play RT in order to land him), and the results for the Raiders are a losing record, and getting booed off of the field in their final home game at Oakland. Yet somehow the insinuation is that keeping Brown, despite his grossly inflated price tag, was somehow a better option, and a winning formula.
How in the world does that make even a lick of sense?
The Raiders issue isn’t the offensive line
You do understand how the salary cap works, right Jack?
Would I rather have Trent Brown than Mike Mcglinchey at the same price? Maybe, maybe not, as there is more to the position than simply protecting the passer, but that’s not really the debate. Paying Trent Brown huge sums of money means a lot less money to spend elsewhere. You’d have a much stronger argument if the 49ers had been struggling to replace Brown since the trade, but that clearly hasn’t been the case.
The fact is, the 49ers not only have a quality RT in Mike McGlinchey, but they also have depth behind him, and at a fraction of the cost. That means a better chance at retaining other key players and/or landing additional talent in order to fill potential roster holes in the upcoming off-season.
I’d rather be paying Trent Brown than Joe Staley
First of all, we don’t even know how well Trent Brown can play at LT in Kyle’s system. The Patriots ran a Man/Power scheme last season, while Kyle runs a true Outside Zone.
Secondly, it’s going to cost the 49ers less money for Staley, McGlinchey, Brunskill, and Skull combined, than what the Raiders are paying Brown during the same span – through 2020. The 49ers also have the option to move on from Staley after this season, as his 2020 salary doesn’t become fully guaranteed until April, and his dead cap hit is minimal ($1.5 million through 2021), while Brown is locked into his deal through next season.
However, the Raiders do have an out on Brown’s contract after next season, with $0 dead cap ramifications. Two good football teams who are both currently in Super Bowl contention – the Niners and Patriots – chose to move on from Trent Brown, rather than retain him for top dollar. What do you want to bet that after next season, the Raiders make it three teams in a row?
Brown has been a better tackle than Staley the last 2 years.
You keep bringing up the run game, yet the team ran it better with him in the lineup.
« What do you want to bet that after next season, the Raiders make it three teams in a row? »
If he stays you will need to keep your comments to 4 sentences or less.
Actually Jack, the 49ers run the ball better with McGlinchey, than they did with Brown, and the numbers aren’t even close.
But as usual, there is more to the story than meets the eye. ShanaLynch, in fact, had serious questions about Brown’s commitment to the team. Players understand what is going on behind the scenes. Salary cap aside, what kind of message would it send to the rest of their young team, to reward Brown with a blockbuster deal, rather than retaining the 3-time All-Pro (and 6-time Pro-Bowl) RT Joe Staley, who is probably is the most highly respected player on the team?
Per Eric Branch: Trent Brown has never fully shaken questions about his desire and commitment. His work ethic helps explain why he was a 2015 seventh-round pick who started just 11 of 23 games at Florida. In the NFL, Brown has reported for the off-season program out of shape the past two seasons before dropping weight before training camp. On Wednesday, Lynch didn’t protest when a reporter said Brown has “issues” with his “temperament” that are “questionable.”
The big question was: “Does Trent Brown need a fire lit under him?”
“Well, I would say I thought he made great strides last year. I really did” Lynch said. “It’s just the reality, when you’re that big of a man, certain things are going to be a little tougher. He’s a huge man, which is also a great strength for him. He’s a unique talent. I think he really responded and answered the call of what was being asked of him well. It wasn’t perfect, and there are some things that he’s always going to deal with, but I was proud of him. Unfortunately, it ended with an injury, but I feel like with Trent we’ve got a special talent at that position.” As Lynch referenced, Brown’s size (6-foot-8, 355 pounds) means he’s not a prototypical tackle in an offense that places a heavy emphasis on offensive linemen’s movement skills. In his nine seasons as an offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan’s five primary right tackles had an average weight of 311 pounds.
Branch actually echoed my concerns as to whether “the 49ers have to consider if Brown’s already questioned drive would be dulled if he landed a big-money contract”.
During the 2017 season, Trent Brown missed an important game VS Seattle after tearing his Labrum in practice Nov. 23. He started the next week VS the Bears, and then missed the following game against Houston, after telling the team his injury wouldn’t allow him to play. While Kyle told reporters that he wasn’t disappointed Brown couldn’t play through the injury, from what I understand behind the scenes, the Niners’ medical team and training staff actually felt like this was the type of injury, while painful, that could be played through. In fact, Armstead actually played through a nearly identical injury for a couple years, and the reality is…. Kyle was actually quietly disappointed.
And Jack, doesn’t it seem apparent that the Patriots felt the same way about Brown? After all … they traded away draft capitol to the Niners in order to get him, and then they turned around and ushered him out the door after the season, despite having less proven talent at OT behind him, than the 49ers had in Staley and McGlinchey. I simply don’t understand how people continue to question the 49ers, when Belichick, who is known to be one of the best talent evaporators and roster builders the league has ever seen, basically did exactly the same thing as the 49ers, only with less proven talent at OT behind Brown. Doesn’t this fact, along with Brown’s well known questions in terms of team commitment, along with his history of struggling with weight and conditioning, at the very least raise your eyebrow, and make you question Brown’s overall value as a player?
Fact: In his nine seasons as an offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan’s five primary right tackles had an average weight of 311 pounds.
Again Jack, are you questioning the entire concept of scheme fit? While scheme fit was clearly not the only factor, isn’t the fact above, a perfect example of how certain player prototype’s fit a particular scheme? Smaller OT’s tend to be more nimble, which gives them a distinct advantage in the zone-stretch, allowing them to quickly get off and out to the 2nd level, while swiftly turning and walling off the defenders, forcing them in a specific direction depending on the leverage.
Kyle loves to run the football, perhaps more so than any other team in the league. Running the football just might be the most important pillar of his dynamic offensive scheme. Because of this fact, I’m pretty sure Kyle prefers McGlinchey over Brown regardless of the cost. Sure, Brown has been the better pass protector, but the drop off in production when comparing McGlinchey to Brown, is less in terms of protecting the QB, and much greater in terms of McGlinchey’s superiority in Kyle’s rushing attack. Do we need to compare how well the 49ers ran the football over the right side of their OL with McGlinchey, as compared to Brown? Because I did that the last time this was debated on one of Grant’s previous threads, and I can assure you the numbers greatly favor McGlinchey.
You honestly think the 49ers would be better off paying Trent Brown $36M over 2 years (2019/2020) to play RT, as opposed to McGlinchey at $5M per year through 2021 ? Umm … NO!
Whatever.
We’ve been down this road before. I’m certainly not going to go back and rehash the numbers that clearly support McGlinchey being the far superior run blocker in Kyle’s outside zone scheme, as I’m not in the mood to beat a dead horse. Maybe you should ask Grant to ask Kyle to explain to you why McGlinchey is a better fit, and why he’s a better value for his playoff caliber team.
The 49ers didn’t miss a beat with McGlinchey on the shelf and an undrafted free agent starting in his place.
That might say more about the coaching than the player.
The 49ers didn’t miss a beat with McGlinchey on the shelf and an undrafted free agent starting in his place.
Depth is important in the NFL. Now the Niners have 2 quality options at RT for a fraction of the price! Even more proof the Niners made the right decision to unload Brown while getting something in return for him, before he broke their bank!
2017 49ers
Brown 10 starts: 242 – 1031 – 4.26ypa
W/O Brown 6 starts: 166 – 631 – 3.80ypa
I don’t get this Trent Brown love. Brown is a large, talented player with bad work habits and who’s not a good fit for outside zone run scheme. Just because Kyle could make do with him in 2017 does not mean he wanted Brown for the long haul and give him starter money. Kyle could work wonders with RG3 for a season by changing his playbook but Kyle wouldn’t make him the starter if he had a choice. He has control in SF.
It’s only a matter of time that Brown balloons from his current 360 lb to something closer to 400 lb. The buffets on Las Vegas strip hotels will help in that regard.
This.
This, doesn’t say much.
The run game has seen marginal improvement, some of that can be attributed to the QB, and the pass protection is spotty from both Tackles.
This ones for you Jack:
Matt Maiocco
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Former #49ers RT Trent Brown goes on IR after appearing in 11 games this season. He made the AFC Pro Bowl team on Tuesday.
I disagree Jack, I think Mood’s point is spot on. Whether you agree with Shanahan/ Lynch or not, they decided he wasn’t the right culture or team fit.
Regarding your use of rushing statistics in 2017 with and without Brown, my understanding is the difference in yards per carry running to the right with McGlinchey in the line up is significantly higher than when Brown was in the line up. Which was a key reason for drafting McGlinchey and then moving on from Brown.
As for whether the team would be better off with Brown rather than Staley, maybe. I think a lot of weight is being put on Staley’s down year this year as a sign he is declining. But I think it is just a sign he has been injured and isn’t fully fit since returning. Before getting hurt, which admittedly was a very brief period, he looked no different to usual. I think he’ll be rounding back into form in time for the finals. And he should be fine to go again next season.
An athletic tackle like McGlinchy who can move quickly & who is well-suited for the stretch run scheme can always improve his pass pro if he works hard at it. This zone running scheme is the foundation to Kyle’s offense. No way Brown was ever going to be a foundational piece of the Shanalynch regime despite all the results-based analyses that we fans may do. IMO, it was the correct move. The combination of his size and his lack of attention to conditioning will mean more injuries in the future.
From what I have heard, he’s also not much of a team-first player, either, let alone take up a veteran leadership role. I think we fans underestimate the leadership value of Pro Bowler vets such as Staley and Sherman to a young and inexperienced team where a winning culture has not been established.
Mood has it right. The usual suspects are the only ones waxing nostalgic over Brown. Nobody else misses him except the Raiders….
Who cares about Trent Brown. This is like arguing whether Niners lost their best edge setter when they traded Eli Harold (remember that?) The team has moved on, fans should do the same.
McGlinchy > T Brown, in the long term, if for no other reason than salary cap.
Same is true of some other upcoming decisions Marathe, et al will have to make. I think it’s always better to develop from the draft than pay for a free agent.
It’s Wednesday!
Niners 34, Rams 19.
Atta boy….if we get KWilliams and Sherm back it should help dramatically….lets crush the lambs..maybe now Kyle realizes he needs to call a better game gotta put up more than a measily 20
28-24 Niners.
I think KS will have them ready to play more aggressively this week. But the Rams are also in full-on desperation mode for any shot at the playoffs. They’ll also want to make up for the butt-whoopin the Niners put on them earlier in the year as well as the humiliating loss to the cowboys last week.
Lets hope you’re right. Gurley and Brown worry me though and I almost feel sorry for Garland having to go against Donald :/ The defense is going to have to find it’s pre-8-0 self for us to win… And I’m not entirely convinced since pressures, sacks and turnovers are getting harder and harder to come by. This is a good opportunity for Saleh to prove he can make the necessary adjustments now that teams are exposing weaknesses… Not optimistic but hope he proves me wrong.
A crazed, p*ssed-off Levi’s crowd will help. The game will feel like a NFC divisional playoff game…and of course, the Seahawks contest will have the very same complexion.
Fun time of year. Think back to all the hand-wringing during OTAs and training camp.
“crazed, p*ssed-off Levi’s crowd will help”
Will they be importing raider’s fans ? I must say Niners fans at Levis are not that great. There seems to be a lot of empty seats. I guess they are able to get it together by the 3rd quarter. Full disclosure: Although I have been to several games at Candlestick in my youth, I have never been to game at Levis primarily because I moved out the area to attend college.
I was at Levi’s for the Seahawks MNF game and it was deafening. Give the crowd something to cheer about and 1. There will be a crowd and 2. They will cheer.
I think there’s a difference between Levi’s at night and Levi’s during the day.
Wow, that must have been great and heartbreaking. Keep an eye on the seats Saturday versus Rams at kickoff. I’ll bet the there are plenty of empties.
Ribico says:
December 18, 2019 at 9:06 am
I must say Niners fans at Levis are not that great
I was at Levi’s for the Seahawks MNF game and it was deafening. Give the crowd something to cheer about and 1. There will be a crowd and 2. They will cheer.
Reply
Jack Hammer says:
December 18, 2019 at 9:20 am
I think there’s a difference between Levi’s at night and Levi’s during the day.
Reply
RolloTomasi says:
December 18, 2019 at 9:27 am
Wow, that must have been great and heartbreaking. Keep an eye on the seats Saturday versus Rams at kickoff. I’ll bet the there are plenty of empties.
Very loud Rib….
some don’t know what they’re talking about.
Jack……. that is a bit true.
Depending on the opponent and how hot it is outside.
Pansy Bay Area folks. Man up north in summer it’s 80 degrees at 6am.
?? good news is this will be a late game.
Tomasi…. try going to a game instead of reading Raider mag. Or listening to the idiots on TV.
To many the stadium is new and there are a lot more things to do.
When the game starts those seats are filled this year, and it is loud!
Prediction: Niners 37 Rams 20
Special bonus prediction : Niner 5-0 the remainder of the year.
Analysis: Wake up call received. Time to put on your big boy pants gentleman.
Niners Baby
Game time weather… Increasing chance of rain later in the afternoon.
ha ha……
Happy Impeachment day……
Impeach rallies broke out across the country Tuesday night, as protesters of all stripes took to the streets to encourage the House to approve the articles on Wednesday.
That seat is hot……..
The ‘Travis Translation’ of Article 2, Section 4:
The President, the Vice President, and other officers of the United States, can be kicked out of office (impeached) if they are found guilty of double-crossing (betraying) the country, offering people money or getting money to do something dishonest, or other really big crimes.
What kind gifts are exchanged on Merry Impeachment Day?
Fun facts:
The first American Football game – Rutgers vs New Jersey (Princeton) took place a mere 1 year after Andrew Johnson’s impeachment.
The Niners, after three straight NFC West division championships, were a dismal 6-8 in 1974, Nixon’s impeachment year.
Things were better in 1998 for Clinton’s impeachment. The 12-4 Niners, thanks to Owens “Catch II”, beat the Packers in the wild card, but lost to eventual NFC champ Falcons in the division round.
Trumps impeachment? Stay tuned.
I would not start the celebration too soon. The Sycophants in the senate , led by Muppet Graham, will acquit. Furthermore, there is a real possibility the most corrupt president in US history will eeek out a second term. I have seen very credible projections in which he barely wins in the electoral college but loses the popular vote by 5-6 million . Then what?
Yes – the rethugs in the senate will acquit – We expect that.
The fact that he sent a rambling and angry letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi in which he expressed his “most powerful protest” against the impeachment process……confirms he his not happy.
history attaching his name to being impeached is enough………..I can’t see an impeached president re-elected – its just not an american thing to do……
Who cares about donkeys or elephants… I’d be more worried about the fact Trump apparently has you wrapped around his big orange thumb.
Bosa, not bad for a quitter.
not at all……..Pro Bowler, Defensive Rookie, All Pro
Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats, AND I DID NOTHING WRONG! A terrible Thing. Read the Transcripts. This should never happen to another President again. Say a PRAYER!
ha ha ha…….Dude is squealing like a lil piglet……..
Say a PRAYER? More like our prayers have been answered…..
Are you at the right message board?
Sherman needs to stay on the field. Harris would not have been out of position on the Jones TD had he been on the field.
He’ll help. So will Williams and Tartt.
If they could get Kwon back for the playoffs, that would be a major boost.
The troops are exhausted and beat.
They could use a little help from the calvary.
Tartt probably won’t be available until the playoffs. Fractured rib is usually a 6 week recovery time, and that’s with rest.
I think Williams is one of our best tacklers after Ward.
If we can get Ford back for the Seahawks, that would be huge.
It’s put up or shut the Euck up time against the Rams. I hear players saying the right things, but talk is cheap. If they come out lackadaisical again with another uninspired game plan, they’ll get their @sses handed to them faster than Seb can post a Sun Tzu quote.
I see Person sustained a neck stinger and was listed as limited. I think Brunskill might be our RG of the future, but we won’t know for sure until he gets an opportunity. Maybe he does Saturday evening….
I believe the 9ers will show no quarter Saturday. The Rams will be fighting hard, but the 9ers will take their lunch money (no pun intended).
Won’t be a blow out, but 9ers close this game well.
It’s been a great year, but yes, we are now getting to the business end of the season. It obviously isn’t make or break just yet – the team is in the playoffs no matter what – but home field advantage throughout the playoffs is at stake.
Injuries are a concern, but the only real question left for this team is whether they have the mettle or will lose their bottle at the pointy end of the year when games really matter.
Arizona visits Seattle….nice trap game. Go Cards!
K. Murray runs for 225 yrds+, scores 4 TDS, throws for two more.
Apologize if shared earlier…
https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers/49ers-kwon-alexander-has-outside-chance-return-kyle-shanahan-says
Return of Kwon Alexander?
Alexander The Great/The Iron Maidens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVvZtCfQbe8
Niners need to be prepared.
.
KS needs to be aggressive. He needs to be bold, and go for it, instead of settling for field goals.
.
All of the coaches need to prepare the team better, so players a in their best positions to succeed, and they can reduce the unforced errors.
.
The Rams will play the Niners tough. It does not matter what their records are or where they are in the standings. The Rams will be revved up to play spoilers.
* are
You are so bold in your thinking, Seb. A true innovator you are.
The rest of us are just thinking Kyle wants to go for field goals.
Yep. That is what happened last game, and they lost.
.
Conversely, Atlanta scored TDs and won.
Check out the week 16 ref assignments–and who’s ‘doing’ the Rams game…
https://www.footballzebras.com/2019/12/week-16-referee-assignments-2019/
Niners can actually afford to lose this game against the Rams, and as long as they beat Seattle they’d win the division. That said, I think it’s important for confidence to take care of business here.
Not 100% sure, but your scenario would most likely result in 49ers not being the #1 seed even if they win the division. This team desperately needs a week off as the bye occurred far too early this season and as everyone knows the team is beat up. So from that point of view there is some urgency for this game, imo.
if they get a week off we can see Alexander in the playoffs….should help with injuries if we don’t incur any more of them that is
If Staley is a head scratcher as an alternate, Sherman should also be a head scratcher as a a first teamer.
I like both players, but they don’t play like they used too; not out of effort, but health.