Shanahan on leading practices: “I find myself walking around a lot and I’m not used to that.”

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SANTA CLARA

This is the transcript of Kyle Shanahan’s Tuesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.

 

What was your overall assessment of how everything went today?

“It was alright. It was day two of OTAs. We put in a few more things as you do each day. So, a few more busts than I would have like, but it’s part of the process. Each day you put in a little bit more, it all starts to blend together. It will be harder two days from now, but I was excited with how hard the guys went.”

 

Is the defense ahead of the offense right now?

“I don’t think so. I think it’s two teams learning a bunch. I would say without watching the film that they had a better day today. I thought it was pretty close yesterday. I wouldn’t say either one is ahead.”

 

You had a couple of guys rotating through the offensive line. The first team, two right tackles, two right guards, centers. Is that the goal this offseason, to have two guys sort of vying for each of the starting spots?

“Yeah, you would like that at every position. Competition brings out the best in everyone. All we have to go off of is watching tape from what they’ve had in the past. We want to balance everyone out, give everyone opportunities at each position. We need to see for ourselves, doing what we’re asking them to do, the techniques and the schemes and find out what the best place is for guys. There’s a number of guys we’re moving around.”

 

Coming into a week like this, what are your number one and two markers in terms of success or not?

“Not getting anyone hurt would be the first success, and then just teaching everyone. Just from a coaching staff, you look forward to this because you’re able to go on the field with them in the first minicamp, which is a voluntary one, but only new coaches are allowed that, so you go on the field with guys and you haven’t worked enough to really judge them too much. We put in a bunch of work here through phase one and phase two. We’ve had three weeks on the field now before yesterday, before we could go against each other. We were kind of getting sick of doing that, so we were excited for yesterday just to go against each other, compete and it’s really the first time we can evaluate from a fair perspective.”

 

What do you have LB Rueben Foster doing and how are the mental reps coming along?

“I think they’ve been great. Rueben, everything out there he’s got to watch. We’ve allowed him to participate in anything that there’s no possibility of contact. So, if he’s doing any of the individual drills and not going against people, then he’s able to do everything because he can run and do it all. He just, we’ve got to be able to avoid collisions right now. He’s trying to stay locked in. I know it’s hard for him. He wants to run around out there, but he can’t do it. We’ve got to be smart with it. We can’t set him back.”

 

You had pretty much perfect attendance for the guys who still have college commitments. Obviously you wanted that anyway, but with these being voluntary how helpful is it when you’re trying to start building something to have everyone?

“I think it’s huge. It’s something you can’t necessarily control, but you’ve definitely got to try to get the right people who it’s important too. I think it’s very hard to build a team when your team isn’t there. It’s one sport that you can practice individually and maybe make yourself bigger, faster, stronger, but on both sides of the ball, it’s 11 guys playing together. The only way to get better playing together is to be together. It is something that is very important.”

 

You guys issued that release after that report came out that LB NaVorro Bowman was on the trade block. Is that a conversation that you needed to have with him and address that?

“I didn’t because he felt good with it. I know [general manager] John [Lynch] talked to him and I thought he was going to come talk to me, but after he talked to John about it there was nothing to worry about. He understood it all and realized it wasn’t the truth. There was no need to really talk personally about it.”

 

Were trade discussions initiated by other teams regarding NaVorro?

“No. No, the only trade discussions we had was when another team asked us about [TE] Vance [McDonald] on draft day. And after a team asked us about Vance then we asked other teams if they’d be interested in that same thing. When it came to NaVorro or any other player on our team, no one’s asked and we haven’t either.”

 

How did NaVorro look out there physically to you?

“I thought he’s looked real good, kind of what I told you guys the last time I spoke with you. Anytime you’re coming off an Achilles you’re waiting for him to ease into it and from what I’ve seen just watching him, I would have never known that just by watching him. He looks like the guys I’ve seen on tape over the years.”

 

Is QB Matt Barkley locked in as the number two or is there a chance QB C.J. Beathard can beat him out throughout preseason?

“There’s a chance for everybody. Nobody is locked in at anything. He took all the two reps today and yesterday and we didn’t balance them out. I’d be surprised if that stayed that way all the way through up to the season. But, yeah, no one’s locked in for anything. We’re going to always play the best guy.”

 

This may seem like sort of a naive question, but I’ll ask you anyway. How do you decide what plays to run in the drills?

“It’s about trying to teach a foundation of a system that you know will carry you throughout the whole year. So, you’re trying to build the foundation of your blocking schemes, your pass patterns, how you tie them together, the stuff off of them. It’s a day-by-day process. We break down our offensive scheme into seven days, so each day we put in a group of runs, a group of passes, all types of passes and you just build it for seven days. After seven days then you kind of have the foundation of your offense. It doesn’t mean you’re going to run those exact plays, but it’s going to be something like it. It depends what you see on tape each week. It’s kind of tough because you’re not really trying to scheme against your own defense. You’re trying to teach plays. So, we’re going against a lot of cover three out there. Sometimes you’re running quarter plays, but you’ve got to teach your guys sometimes. You don’t want to teach them in Week 12 on a Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, when you’re going half speed getting ready for a game. It’s how do you build your guys to how you think you’re going to use them throughout the year by teaching them that technique, which to me, the only way you get good at technique is doing stuff over and over again. Yet, still competitively, you want to try to scheme the defense a little bit and have some success.”

 

How do you kind of assess the situation you guys have at WILL, where you went out and you targeted LB Malcolm Smith and gave him some pretty good money and then the number three guy on your draft board is somebody you ended up with too. How do you envision that situation playing out?

“I really try not to envision it too hard, because I see a lot of good players there and you go into the year and the offseason, you know Bo is coming off an injury, you lost some free agents, you know we’ve got to add players to that and you’ve got to do it in the process of what’s allowed, starting with free agency, going into the draft. You don’t know what’s going to happen. Also, you don’t know how well Bo is coming back or when it will take. Seeing Bo out here and how healthy he’s been, knowing we added some good free agents, and the way the draft worked out, having a linebacker we had ranked very highly fall to us at the end of the first round, we got a lot better pretty fast. When you ask me about how is it going to play out, I’m not sure and it’s a good problem to have. It’s something that you would actually like to have at every position. There’s going to be, in my opinion, there’s going to be a very good player that’s not out there all the time and that’s not a bad thing. That makes the two guys that are out there go a lot harder and play better. It makes your special teams better and it allows you to survive injuries, which almost always happen.”

 

It looks like DB Jimmie Ward is adapting OK to free safety. Is that something that you might not really get a true gauge on until you’re in games?

“Yeah, I think safeties, running backs, you never totally know until they’re hitting. Running backs are having to run through arm tackles. Safeties are having to finish it and take them to the ground. So, you never truly know until the full pads come on and you’re actually in a preseason game because we’ll never fully tackle here. We’ll find that out in games. But, Jimmie, from what I’ve seen of his college tape and how he’s played nickel, how he’s played corner, he’s not a guy I’m too worried about tackling. So, I’m looking forward to it.”

 

Speaking of the running backs, what exactly are you assessing from them in a setting like this?

“Well, we go pretty hard and there’s guys who play their gaps. You want to see, there’s an art to hitting the right gap and running full speed and going to where the guy and the defense is out of position. I always joke with the backs, I can see it every time when I have a remote in my hand and it’s very slow and I can be, ‘Oh, you should have gone there.’ No one plays running back with a remote in their hand. They just run and it comes natural. So, you try to see who naturally runs to the right spots and there’s guys who aren’t the most flashy running backs to the naked eye, but for some reason they have better yards-per-carry than everyone else does and that’s because they get to the right hole and it’s always four yards, six yards in. Whatever the defense, whatever the offense blocks it for they usually get two more. We try to see who the most natural runners are, who it’s not too big for and their conditioning and how hard they go.”

 

Another Bowman question. He’s not used to being in a competition. He’s always been the obvious starter. Have you or John had to talk to him about, ‘Hey, you’re in a competition now,’ or has he just accepted that and understood the situation?

“You never know how a player is going to react to that especially when you have someone who has had a ton of success in his career. I remember after we drafted Rueben, out of respect to Bo, I gave him a call that night and asked him to come in and talk to me. Bo was like, ‘Coach, I’m good. I’m out golfing and it’s no problem. I’ll see you at work.’ He ended up coming in. Bo got it. He wasn’t too worried about it, so he made it very easy. Sometimes guys do and you want to explain to them really exactly what I just explained to you guys. But, you never know until you do it. The way Bo has handled it, I think it will bring out the best in him. He’s going for it as hard as anyone I’ve seen. He started doing that before we got here, or actually before we were allowed to work with them. Just him coming out on his own and working with [vice president of medical services/head athletic trainer Jeff Ferguson] Ferg and [head strength and conditioning coach] Ray [Wright] and then right when phase one started he was ahead of schedule and I think that’s why he’s getting the results right now that a lot of people normally don’t get six months or whatever it is after his Achilles.”

 

Where is Reuben right now? Do you have him at WILL?

“He hasn’t been out there yet. I think he’s been focusing more on WILL. But, at that position, you’ve got to know both of them.”

 

What has G Joshua Garnett shown you and are you trying to figure out where he fits best in terms of right or left?

“We know he’s going to play guard for us. We’re trying to see what he’s better at, left guard or right guard, based on our five that are going to end up being out there. Whoever that other person is, what’s the best way to put those inside three people. So, you need some versatility. I know he played at right guard last year. I know he played at left guard throughout college. We worked him at both yesterday. A little bit more right guard than left. Today, I want to say we worked him at both. I think it was definitely more left guard today than right guard. But, it’s something we want him to workout at both and hopefully we’ll put him in a spot that’s the best for him and hopefully it will be the best for the team.”

 

Can you talk a little bit about WR Trent Taylor? Seeing him out on the field today for the first time, it looked like he did a really nice job of finding the soft spots in zone coverage. What stands out about his game so far in camp?

“Trent’s a guy who is very good at separating. He’s very quick. He’s a very tough player. His feet are usually under him. So, he always can make a couple moves in a short area which is a quality that a lot of people look for in a slot receiver. And he also has the toughness and awareness to, as you said, sit down in zones and know when he doesn’t have to do all these moves because no one’s looking at him, they’re looking at the quarterback and then when he catches the ball, he’s not scared. He gets up the field. He fights for yards. He’s got those qualities you look for in the type of player who keeps you on the field, which is usually third down.”

 

You had the two minicamps, but this has been your first chance to kind of have everybody together. For you, as a first time head coach, are there still adjustments that you have to make in terms of running practice or reminding yourself to look at the defense or anything like that?

“Yes. It’s been awkward for me sometimes where to go. I’m used to knowing exactly where to go and what to do and I always did that from an offensive coordinator standpoint which I still do a lot of those responsibilities. So, at times, I feel most comfortable when I go to do that because that’s something to do. But, when I pass it over to some other guys and let them do it, I find myself walking around a lot and I’m not used to that. It feels awkward, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I think I should walk around and watch everyone and see it. I always see it on the tape, but that’s later at night. You want players to know you’re there and paying attention to everything and I usually try to cover that in meetings the next day also.”

 

Do you hope that as you go along and you find a rhythm, I’ll be here in this period, that type of thing?

“Definitely. I think the main thing is I’ll never just do one of all. I hope the rest of my career I’m doing a little bit of everything and wherever you think you’re needed the most, you work in that area and you focus on that and have confidence in everyone else to take care of the rest of the stuff. But, you can’t be everywhere. So, you like to feel you can be where you’re needed the most.”

 

Small sample size, but anybody jump up and surprise you that did anything?

“I think it’s too early. So, I wouldn’t want to say. Everyone was good. Everyone was so eager, which they usually are the first day. Today, they came out just as eager. A few more mistakes today, but I’m excited to have a day off tomorrow as far as not going on the field. It’s still a phase two type day, but we’re not going to work them physically. We’re going to have them do a bunch of stretching and stuff with Ray. Then, we’re going to get a couple of hours with them just to watch tape. So, we’ll get to put two days together of tape. We’ll be able to sit there and really coach it a lot which yesterday and today were just, with the hours we have, we’re more installing it, trying to get out there to run it. Tomorrow, we’re really focusing in on what we’ve done the last two days. We won’t leave the film room. We’ll just sit there and watch it and usually that leads to a better Thursday.”

 

What have you seen from LB Aaron Lynch? He’s a guy that came into the league with a lot of potential, a lot of promise. Do you see him doing the steps necessary to become a better player?

“Yeah. There’s no doubt Aaron’s going in the right direction for us. He came in in the offseason, we challenged him hard with just the way we worked and stuff. He hasn’t shied away from any of it. He’s jumped in on all of our stuff. I believe he only missed one day of the offseason workouts. He had an issue with his wife, which he had to take care of. So, he’s gotten better each day. He’s gotten more in shape each day and I’m seeing it on the field each day. And it’s not just him. I’m seeing it with a lot of our guys. Ray has pushed these guys extremely hard in the conditioning part and the guys haven’t faded away at all. They’ve stepped up to the challenge. You never know when some guys are working a certain way they’re not used to and it’s voluntary, you never know exactly who’s going to show up the next week. Our guys have continued to do it and he’s definitely been one of them.”

 

Switching schemes defensively, there’s some carryover from the outside linebackers to SAM and LEO, from the outside 3-4 guys. How have guys like LB Ahmad Brooks and Aaron, how steep is that learning curve for them learning a new system and new responsibilities?

“I think it is for everybody, especially if you haven’t done something a lot during your whole career. I think there’s a lot of similarities to it and where the two are going to play and stuff and where you guys will see them, but I think techniques are totally different. How you want to take on blocks, how you want to play the run. Ahmad, I think, has been around a little longer than Aaron. So, he’s probably had a little bit more crossover, some similar schemes. I know we call it a 4-3, but it looks like a 3-4 to me, which a lot of 3-4 teams look like a four-down teams. It all depends how you look at it and what your personnel is. 3-4 is really over versus base offense anyways which on average in an NFL game, that’s 20-percent of the plays. So, almost the whole league to me runs a four-down look and that’s what you do when there’s base personnel on the field. We play a 3-4 structure. It’s just how do you play those guys, two-gap or one-gap? So, most of our stuff’s one-gap because we’ve got an eight-man front playing cover-three and those guys have got to be more into their gaps and things like that, which is different.”

 

With Ahmad, just given the point that he’s at in his career, what stands out to you about his approach and the fact he’s transitioning and he still finds himself getting first team reps?

“Yeah. He’s getting them because he deserves them. Watching how he played last year and then going into this offseason, you never know when a guy who has been around a bunch, if they’re going to feel that they need the offseason like other people do and Ahmad’s been here every day and he’s needed it just like everyone has anytime you’re learning a new scheme. But, anytime you have a veteran like that, you worry that, hey, maybe they won’t think that they do need it. But, Ahmad has and he’s been here. He’s worked at everything. He’s in good shape. He’s done what we’ve asked in the weight room with Ray and he’s done everything with the position coaches and coordinator on defense. So, I think he’s learning it and he should because he’s putting the work in.”

 

How have you seen the attitude shift from the first day you met this team to today?

“I think you get to learn personalities more. Everyone, the first day is and myself included, we’re all just, we don’t know each other and you’re just trying to tell them what the standard is and how things are going to be and they’re all sitting there wanting to know the standard and they’re wanting to do things the right way. Then, each day you kind of get to know what that standard is, how it’s going to be and once you get that down, you start to learn how each other are just as a person. I think that’s a process we’re still going it through, but I think it’s gone great. I think we’re getting closer each day. It does take time, but I’m really happy with the tightness of our team in the little amount of time we’ve been together.”

 

You mentioned that Bowman, you can’t tell that he ever had the injury. How do you sort of balance him not doing too much at this stage too when he’s competing for a job and wanting to go out there after all these months?

“Definitely, and we definitely have to balance that and especially with a competitive guy who’s trying to win a job. He’s probably not going to tell us. So, that’s something that we definitely evaluate. We always chart their reps. We have all the technology that I don’t totally understand that gives me answers that other people understand that tells us when they’ve had too much. But, you’ve got to know that stuff as a coach. Guys like Bo, guys like [T Joe] Staley and guys like [OL Jeremy] Zuttah. People who have been around and they’re at that 30 mark, you know, especially when they work the way those guys do, we’ve got to protect them from themselves at times and we’ll look at that as OTAs go. That usually comes a bigger play in training camp. But, it’s something we’re thinking about every day.”

 

Who do you tend to pass the offensive coordinator duties to when you’re walking around, watching the defense?

“I mix it up. Different guys have different attributes. [Run game specialist] Mike McDaniel, our run game specialist, and [wide receivers/pass game specialist] Mike LaFleur, who is our receiver coach and our pass game specialist, those guys have been with me the longest and know the offense the best. The other guys I’ve been with but not as long as those guys. So, we balance it up. [Assistant head coach/tight ends coach] Jon Embree’s the assistant head coach and I get him to talk to the guys a lot. [Running backs coach] Bobby Turner’s been an assistant head coach for our teams we’ve had in the past and anytime that I need him to take over, he does. So, it depends what period it is, depends what we’re talking about.”

 

When you enter the locker room now, there’s some great players from the past on that wall. Was that your idea or how did that come to be?

“It’s pretty cool to work for the 49ers and have that history. So, one thing I’ve learned over the years is, don’t assume that everyone knows that. I’ve asked like four running backs in a row over the last four years who [former NFL RB] Marcus Allen is and I’m like one for four on them. So, it like blows my mind. So, you can’t assume everything. I used to think I was young and then you find out a 22-year-old doesn’t know someone like that, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I must be very old.’ So, you want that stuff up. You want people to know about it because it is a neat thing and to know what’s been done here before and I think it makes you that much hungrier to try and do that again.”

 

Who put it up?

“[Equipment manager] Jay Brunetti is in charge of our whole locker room. So, I go through him with everything. But, I know he didn’t paint it. He has his people, I have my people, but we got it done.”

This article has 82 Comments

  1. Pete Carroll said he ran the 4-3, with 3-4 players, so maybe the transition will not be too difficult.
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    I wonder how Saleh is doing. Does he have the players lining up correctly with the proper technique?

    1. Seb,

      Decent article this morning on ESPN by Mike Sando (who of course used to cover the 49ers) about your boy Kaepernick. Sheds some insight on how limited that guy is/was. At least from the perspective of professionals alike.

      1. I will believe the assessments of players like Earl Thomas and Michael Bennett, over some talking head.
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        Also, it sounds like Schneider and Pete Carroll differ in their assessments from Sando.

        1. When you refer to talking heads, are you speaking of the players, coaches, GM’s and scouts that were “sources”? Or Mike Sando?

          1. Sando.
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            I referred to players like Earl Thomas and Michael Bennett, and a GM named Schneider. Also, Coaches like Chip, Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll. They all think highly of Kaep.
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            If you listened to a previous interview by KS, his voice was raised an octave, and he may not have sputtered, but he certainly was not assured and totally confident stating how Hoyer will be the next franchise QB. Oh wait, he never mentioned that Hoyer will be the next franchise QB, so I guess he thinks Hoyer will be only a bridge QB, and they paid Hoyer commensurate to what they think of him; backup money.

              1. Tip of the hat to the Bee Gees…Lonely Days

                Lonely days, lonely nights.
                Where will Seb be without his QB?
                Lonely days, lonely nights.
                Where will Seb be without his QB?

            1. How convenient, says the talking head.

              I don’t care about the octave of someone’s voice. If they thought Kapernick was the next franchise QB, no way in hell they cut him.

              Octaves? We’re talking bout octaves? Smdh.

              1. It is called reading between the lines, something you seem to be incapable of.

              2. Seb is a savant, an arrogant one at that…and he takes great pride in pointing out others’ shortcomings and boo boos–real or imaginary. It’s part of the narcissist equation.

                Hey there Seb!

              3. Cassie, you tend to speak before you think.
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                Sure am glad your daddy was fired, because he was the architect of the last 2 season’s dumpster fires.
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                Too bad the stench of Baalke still lingers on this site.

              4. Oohhhh Seb, good one pal. Incapable is such a demeaning word.

                I’d rather read between the octaves.

            2. Seb, this was not an opinion piece. You basically bashed him and never took one look at the article or you would know that.
              He was merely reporting on how the perception of Kaep changed within the NFL over time.
              At the beginning NFL minds (coaches, coordinators, and GM’s not Sando) appeared divided on him. Some thought he had exceptional athletic ability and was a good leader while others noted that he struggled to make basic reads in the NFL.
              He writes about how in his first (of a now yearly) poll of gm’s and coaches, they ranked him as the 14th best qb. Then he dropped to 16th in 2015, then down to 29th in 2016 with only Gabbert, Sanchez, Griffen and Keenum below him.
              This was not the opinion of Sando but rather the consensus opinion of the coaches of the NFL.

              1. Shoup, there only 32 starting QBs in the league. There are only 32 backup positions. That is 64 QBs. Kaep, rated number 29, should have a starting job, and is deemed better than 35 other QBs.
                .
                Of course, since he is being blackballed, he is left off many teams, but if they can stand women beaters, Kaep will eventually find a team, especially when attrition sets in and some team loses their starter. Also, some team will start out poorly, and Kaep will seem like a huge upgrade.
                .
                Hopefully, the Niners will come to their senses, and realize that Kaep is better than their present QBs. If they start 2-6, and would have let Kaep slip through their fingers, they will have nobody to blame but themselves.

              2. This more clearly proves a point. If a team is willing to take on a PR disaster, let it be for a player with talent.

                Blackball or whatever you want to call it, people aren’t willing to take on a PR disaster that really isn’t a good QB.

              3. And Seb loves to skate around the point.

                The point here being that he is so blind to Kaepernicks brown eye, that he would rather take the opinion of two people who support his cause over the opinion of many professional talent evaluators and players. And most of this was said prior to Kaepernick’s protest and during his successful playing days.

              4. Bling, no, I just want the Niners to win, and I think Kaep gives them the best chance to win.

                This- Kaep is not a good QB, is just a screed that hides the real reasons behind his blackballing.

                I cited the names of players and coaches who like Kaep and gave glowing assessments of his skillsets. They were his opponents, so they know how much of a threat he can pose on the field. This last screed hides behind anonymous haters, who do not have the guts to put their name behind their criticisms.
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                The fact that the Seahawks brought him in for a tryout just means that they are more interested in winning, than slapping down an ‘uppity’ player. Those players support his cause, while it seems like his detractors want to let more rogue cops shoot unarmed civilians in the back, and get paid for it with no repercussions.
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                Lynch better decide whether he wants Kaep to play for him, or against him. Pete Carroll has coached against Kaep, so it is telling to see his interest. Seahawks may poach another player from the Niners, and since they have been doing that, the Niners have not won against them.

                Citing anonymous screeds from years ago is just dated material. Now that Kaep is fully healthy and at his ideal playing weight, he is poised to come storming back.

        2. Seb.. my 2 cents. I’m not arguing how you feel, but I’m about to argue the way you went about it..
          This quote “ill believe………. Before I believe a talking head or a blog patron or a blog writer”, whoever you insert.. my thing is, so many​ people on here say this same crap, but they only use it to their advantage when it’s appropriate to them. It’s all Rosey when the person is speaking to their advantage, but it’s who cares because I trust so and so if it’s not to their advantage. Bottom line, it’s an over used statement. Especially because the Same guys u just quoted, there are also players, coaches, and GM’s who feel the exact opposite. So stay strong in your belief, but please do so without that statement. Because I’m sure right now, everyone that disagrees with you is looking for those comments from the naysayers. Then its a revolving door about who has more credentials and who was better, blah blah blah… Just saying

          1. Steele, I appreciate your good advice. I would like to talk about the OTAs, but somehow, Kaep seems to draw them in like a moth to a flame. I hope you will acknowledge that I have tried very hard to refrain from bringing up Kaep lately, focusing more on the draft, and now these OTAs. I have mainly only responded when others write screeds and smears. Guess Kaep is back in the news with his tryouts with the Seahawks.
            .
            Another person who I will cite is Dave Softy Mahler, a talking head for the Seahawks, who does not have an ax to grind. He emphatically states that Kaep is being blackballed, and that he is way superior to other QBs who have signed like McCown, Fitz, Gabbert, Sanchez and even Hoyer. Even being from a division rival, he cited the play where Kaep jumped up and threw a TD with a flick of his wrist to Boldin over Earl Thomas, and said that play was so impressive, he would like Kaep to become a Seahawk.
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            Personally, I hope Kaep can return, because I want him to help the Niners get back to the SB, and hopefully, this time, he can win a ring. His detractors are crowing about all the losses last season, exulting over losing, and denigrating that win against the Rams. I consider myself a true fan.
            .
            Sure, for every fan of Kaep, there are his detractors. They think I am delusional. I think they do not have shred of football acumen to try to say that the present Niner QBs are superior to Kaep.

            It was interesting to note that DSM stated that call in patrons were more measured and logical, while the tweets from twits and vitriolic blog posts were common because they could anonymously attack, and spew their hate with no repercussions.

            I am just a die hard faithful Niner fan, who is a fan of a player who used to be the starting QB of the Niners. I wish him well, where ever he lands. I will also root for the starting QB of the San Francisco 49ers, just like I did with Gabbert in the beginning of the last season.
            .
            I will endure the slings and arrows, because I feel that I am right. Their opposition just makes me want to counter the hate, because I like to champion the underdog, and I see their agenda cloaking a far darker mindset with racial undertones from SOME of them.
            .
            The NFL will accept women and children beaters, but heaven forbid some one who gets uppity and advocates for social justice.

              1. 80, the rating from a clean pocket is mitigated by the fact that he was one of the most pressured QBs in the league, while also having one of the worst rated WRs in the league, coupled with the 18 flat out drops. The Niner O line ranked 30th in pass protection.
                .
                Sure, I blame the coaches for not allowing him to throw in the first half of the Bear’s game, along with their inexplicable ability to make any adjustments. Look up the PFF ratings of the O line if you want stats to compare, and the WRs were terrible, and could gain no separation from the DBs. Out of 100 top WRs, only Kerley made the list.
                .
                Why are you ignoring those stats and solely blame Kaep for the offensive passing woes? Gabbert also contributed to those stats, but he is also being ignored. Yes, Kaep could have done better, but he needed a better supporting cast, too.

              2. seb,

                The clean pocket stat shows that Kaep played poorly when the OL did their job. That means if he had a great line (under pressure less) he would still struggle.

                The adjusted completion % showed that he was conservative. This is how he only had 4 INTs but the team averaged less points with Kaep than Gabbert.

                We agree that the coaching was poor. The WRs? Who knows? Kaep can’t pass outside other than short passes, which usually had bad placement. That limits YAC and can get a HB or WR hurt, think Carlos Hyde.

                I’m not only blaming Kaep for the offensive woes. But he played the most important position. I gave him another chance last year, most Niner fans did. But he still had bad ball placement, struggled to find his 2nd and 3rd reads, and locked on to his 1st read.

              3. 80, I hope Kaep returns, and with all the roster upgrades, he will do just fine.
                . If he does not return, we will never know if he could help the team win.
                .
                Certainly, with the present QBs, I am not too optimistic, but just will root for the Niners, no matter who is leading the team.

            1. People have been telling you to shut up for months, now it’s good advice?

            2. Drama-charged reply Seb, but if it fits you, fine.

              I’ve never questioned CK’s athleticism. The run-up to the Super Bowl was memorable. His athleticism, combined with adjustments to the 9ers offensive system and having very good players on offense AND defense led to remarkable success. Alas, the NFL evolves. Opposing defensive coaching staffs–the competent ones–make adjustments and they began to take away from CK’s game into the next year and beyond. Compounding the matter was/is the turnover in 9er coaches and players, AND CK’s lack of growth/improvement in reading defenses and better tuning QB mechanics (if he had worked tirelessly on his mechanics, his on-field performance didn’t show it). If we could freeze the Super Bowl season and just play it over and over, what fun that would be. But we can’t. The NFL moves on–savvy DCs have CK’s number. Has CK done his part (and more) to adapt and grow–or just rely on what worked in 2012; one read, run hard, and throw 90 mph fastballs more often than not? I wish CK success wherever he goes. Personally, the social activism angle as he took it is a non-issue with me. So it’s up to CK–grow and adapt, or get used to not kissing SB trophies. Being a non-playing backup on a SB team doesn’t count.

              1. As Oregon would say- Blah, blah, blah, blah.
                .
                Just the same old screeds. Too bad Kaep played last season, and actually did everything you said he could not do. Many many times, Kaep would look from his first read, to his second, to his third read, but unfortunately, his receivers were blanketed. Then he would take off and convert the third down with his legs. Unfortunately for you, I replayed each game, and saw many many times when Kaep would throw with touch, and deliver the ball over the LBs and in front of the safeties. Too bad he would deliver the ball in the worst possible spot- in both their hands. Kaep was fairly accurate with the swing passes, but too many times, the long passes either did not have enough time to develop before the pressure got there, or the WRs gained no separation.
                .
                Maybe you should acknowledge that Baalke dismantled that SB team and did zilch to try and improve the roster. Free agents avoided the Niners like the plague because of Baalke. Thank God the stench of Baalke is finally dissipating, and Lynch will not be stabbing Kaep in the back like Baalke did.
                .
                Sure, Kaep would do a lot more if he had a stout O line, decent WRs and proper coaching, but he had none of those things. Even Joe Montana could not win with that defense that gave up obscene amounts of yardage.
                .
                Kaep was injured, which had affected his playing in 2015, but has recovered, and now is fully healthy and back to his ideal playing weight. Too bad he is being blackballed, by the conservative gutless wonders who are afraid to get a mean tweet. Luckily, they should not be quivering in fear, because I think the tweets have stopped.
                .
                Kaep will eventually get a chance to play, and if he goes to a team like the Texans, he will have an elite defense and good offensive weapons to utilize. Maybe he should sign with the Seahawks, because he will almost be guaranteed a trip to the playoffs. With attrition, some team will be desperately looking to find another QB, and Kaep will be in high demand.
                .
                Being a non playing backup to a SB championship team does count. Just ask Guy Benjamin. He got a ring.
                .
                Even Doofus got one, while being threatened with evisceration if he tried to pass the ball. Sure, he could be a backup and get a ring, but I am sure he wants to lead the team, and take the league by storm, and atone for that last SB.
                .
                Kaep wants a chance to start, so I think his best option is with the Niners. None of the present QBs will strike fear in their opponents, like Kaep has done in the past. The only thing needed is for Jed , Lynch and KS to want to win. Kaep would give them the best chance to win.

            3. Why in the HELL are you talking about Colin Kaepernick? He’s not on the team. The 49ers didn’t want him. Hell, lets have an entire thread dedicated to Shayne Skov or Chris Harper. The 49ers cut both of them and they are currently unsigned. They are about as relevent to the 49ers as Colin Kaepernick. CK, at best, is an average to below average NFL QB. Time to move on.

  2. I’m sure he has them lining up correctly with proper technique, now it’s dependent on them to learn and execute.

    Not having any experience playing lineman or football for that matter, I can’t imagine that it’s that hard for a defensive lineman to learn a technique or a gap assignment. I mean line up where you’re supposed to and fill that gap. The rest lies in strength. motor and will.

    1. I think Foster will be rotated in to spell Bowman and Smith this season.

      That would be smart. We got 99 problems but LB ain’t one.

      Worth a look?

      I’d pass. He’s got Seattle written all over him.

    2. If Foster is healthy, it will be Smith spelling Bow and Foster. Smith struggles against the run and pass. He is a backup.

        1. But Bow is good against the run, which makes him better than Smith. Ray Ray may be better than Smith. Foster is clearly better than Smith. Smith is depth and maybe STs.

          1. We’ll see how good he is against the run after this Achilles injury. He already was diving at runners’ ankles in 2015. Ronnie Lott said the goal is to tackle five yards past the ball carrier. In other words, tackle through the ball carrier. Bowman couldn’t do that before the Achilles injury.

            1. About 2015. Bow had to warm up his knee just to play. It doesn’t sound like he was fully recovered.

            2. His legs are gone. They should cut him; (like last year).
              Oh, or maybe not.

            3. Grant, you do realize NaVorro Bowman led the NFL with 154 tackles in 2015, and was named a first-team All-Pro for the fourth time in his career?

              How do square the fact that he earned All-Pro honors with the notion that Bowman was “diving at runners’ ankles” during the season?

              You might want to take another look at NaVorro’s 2015 game film.

              1. He didn’t deserve to be an All Pro in 2015. He was diving at ankles and was abysmal in pass coverage. Go watch him again.

              2. He didn’t deserve to be an All Pro in 2015.

                I’d agree with that statement.

              3. I’ll agree that his pass coverage has dropped off substantially since his knee injury, but you can’t make 154 tackles by diving at ankles. Bowman was a tackling machine against the run in 2015, and was playing even better, IMO, before his achilles injury last season.

                That said, I have my concerns about his ability to cover the pass post knee injury, although playing MIKE in this scheme should help him avoid getting burned a lot in coverage. We’ll have to see if he’s lost another step after his latest injury. That jury is still out.

            4. The team was apparently willing to give up a lot to move up in the draft to get Foster. They not only think highly of him but also must feel that they have a large need for him as well. The Will LB position is an easier position to fill and arguably not as important to have your best LB in. If there was any credence to the suggestion that the team is considering trading Bowman then I’d say the signs suggest that they see Foster in the Mike position sooner then later.

  3. Maybe Grant can take Seb along on his Kaep interview and let
    Seb ask Colin a few questions.

    1. Seb–“Colin, What’s your favorite offense to run?”
    Colin–“A power based offense with only one read.”

    2. Seb–“Colin, Why do they say you can’t function in a traditional WCO?”
    Colin–“Because there’s too many reads. Shanahan needs to change his offense.”

    Seb: Thx, Colin. Sorry Grant couldn’t ask any questions and I usurped his time…..
    I Win.

    1. Sebnynah- Kaep, as a die hard faithful Niner fan, I wish to applaud your social activism. I wish to apologize for the poor treatment you have had to endure, and all the hate filled screeds against you. Those haters are not true Niner fans because they wanted the Niners to lose while you led the team. I think Jed has behaved with no class, but with your nemesis Baalke gone, I hope Jed can grow up and stop the leaks and smears. I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive Jed for his boorish behavior, and return to the Niners because there is at least one fan who likes you, and thinks you can take the league by storm, again. I think you have shown true courage to kneel, even with death threats hurled against you, and I admire your character and humility. I salute your generosity, and think you display the type of leadership that the Niners desperately need. KS may be lukewarm towards you, but Lynch is smart, sees your potential, and he will treat you fairly and with respect.
      .

      Sebnynah- Kaep, are you ready to win a Super bowl?
      Kaep- Yep.
      Sebnynah- Sign on the dotted line. Paraag did not write this contract, because it is fair to both sides.

      1. Sebnynah- Kaep, are you ready to win a Super Bowl?
        Kaep- Who the @^*# are you?.
        Sebnynah- I’m your only true fan in all of NorCal; I’d do anything for you if you’d just come home!
        Keap- Get lost…

        1. Nope, Kaep has too much class to say things like that.
          .
          Now, with Baalke, it would be another story.
          .
          Baalke- I hope we had a good conversation.
          Kaep- Yeah, we talked.
          .
          Baalke- I will not let you play until we restructure your contract.
          Kaep- Sure, only if you will allow me to leave next season. Frankly, I am sick and tired of being stabbed in the back.
          .
          Baalke- Sign here.
          Kaep- OK, now get lost.

  4. * After the Kaep interview Seb’s a good sport and invites Grant to dinner.

    Afterwards, Seb treats Grant to dinner .

    Seb: “Waiter, I’ll have the Lobster Thermidor; a bottle of Perrier with a lemon
    twist and a Cabranet Sauvignon…My friend will order next.

    Grant: “I’ll have the same, thank you.”

    1/2 hour later dinner arrives but is sent hurriedly back where it came from, as an irate, Seb, claims the waiter maliciously put a lime twist (not lemon) in his Perrier.

    Waiter: “Sir, I don’t understand why the whole meal must be recooked because it was a lemon instead of a lime??

    Seb: That ignorance just defines you. I brought my thermostat with me and took the temperature of the lobster. With this particular brand of wine it should be at 75 deg. F when served. My friends was at 74.5 !! ….And how dare you insult me with the lemon…I threw it in your waiters face !

    4 Hours later Grant has had enough and asks Seb to pay for the meal.

    Seb excuses himself for a restroom break, and climbs out the window, muttering to himself….I WIN AGAIN !

    1. As Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee noted Tuesday, Taylor had a big day in seven-on-seven drills, making several nice catches. He was a favorite target of the team’s quarterbacks.

  5. Interesting how KS seems to have a good understanding of offense and defense and what makes for good team play. I must say I find this refreshing: clearly articulated, critically formed information.

  6. Seb’s QB acumen defined by Mike Sando:

    How NFL coaches, GMs have defined Colin Kaepernick,
    By Mike Sando

    “When I watch Russell Wilson play, I can adamantly say everyone in the league missed on him…Russell Wilson is a great decision-maker, smart, great arm, great touch, can throw with timing and anticipation, and on top of that, he has great lateral quickness
    “I don’t think he’s a very good quarterback,” a contract negotiator says of Kaepernick. “I think he is an incredible athlete. He won the Green Bay game [2012 playoffs] because he was an athlete. Seattle exposed him.
    To me, Colin Kaepernick has a bazooka for an arm, but you don’t see all-the-time great ball placement. Everything is a 90 mph fastball with him.”

    http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/19446123/how-nfl-coaches-general-managers-defined-colin-kaepernick-2017-nfl

  7. Mediocre quarterback with a 3-16 record in his last 19 starts + controversial sideline political activism + unreasonable contract demands = unemployed mediocre quarterback. Again, simple math.

    PS. One other equation. 0 < chance of coming back to the Niners. :)

  8. Teams don’t sign players based on what they did years ago. If that was the case, why not just sign Joe Montana, or Steve Young. Actually, I’d sign them before signing said mediocre quarterback. They would, in Seb’s words, give them their best chance to win. ;)

    1. Joe can barely walk without pain and Steve took too many blows to the head.
      .
      It would be cruel joke to even consider them. Kaep is 29, and in the prime of his life.
      .
      Considering the present QBs, Kaep is far superior to them, and posters who think otherwise, have hate clouding their judgement.
      .
      Luckily, Lynch may want to win so much, he will sign Kaep because he does give them their best chance to win. I hope they sign Kaep for the same amount as Hoyer, and let them compete.

      1. And yet I’ve seen the Montana QBing tapes he did with Walsh and he moves better than Kaepernick. A broken-down 50-year-old (when he made those tapes) has better feet and drop-back than your woobie.

        1. Yea, and if Joe Montana were here right now, he’d annihilate the west with fireballs from his eyes, and bolts of lightning from his arse.

        2. I am not going to compare Kaep with Joe, because Joe is the best QB I have ever seen. Everyone else would pale in comparison. I even think he is better than Brady because the Pats had to resort to cheating to win. Even in the last SB, the Pats O line held like crazy and illegally blocked downfield before the receiver caught the ball.
          .
          Yes, Joe in his prime was poetry in motion, but to compare QBing tapes to live games is specious. Joe also had Jerry Rice to throw to, and no present Niner WR reminds me of JR.
          .
          Joe also had an elite O line. Last season’s O line ranked 30th. The Niner O line gave up the most QB pressures per pass play in the league. The Cowboys amply demonstrate how important an O line is to the success of a team, and how much it aids the QB.

          In other news, I am sad about the passing of Joe Sr. Joe never would have achieved all his success without Joe Sr throwing and catching with Joe in his formative years. I wish to give my condolences to the Montana family.

  9. Wasn’t this horse beaten soundly enough last column?

    Grant, any ideas how the corner situation is shaping up?

  10. That horse wasn’t just beaten East, it’s been beaten and buried too many times to count! Something tells me he’ll be back yet again!!

    1. Sigh! It’s like some people can’t move on. They’re cyber stalkers. The guy isn’t on the team for crying out loud. We might as well talk about the chances of Gabbert returning.

    1. A few of us already knew that, but confirmation is a standard form of flattery.

  11. Noticing something a little funny about our WR core and that is we currently have 6 of them that are 5’9″ or shorter. A cursory glance at a few teams in the NFL shows that if a team has a receiver under 5’10” at all(the Pats don’t) they only have one or two. Suppose it could be a search for a return specialist.

    1. One of the reasons I think Helter Smelter might make final cuts. He’s a bigger receiver coming from a complex spread flexbone offense….

    2. Yes, I have mentioned this a few times. It isn’t uncommon for a Shanahan team to have more small WRs than the average NFL team, but he has never entered a season with less than 2 bigger WRs.

      1. The 2016 Falcons only had 2 players of that size range and they had one on their 2015 roster. Doesn’t seem to be that common. We’ll see how many of the 6 end up on the final roster.

          1. And at the Redskins he had:
            – Santana Moss, Aldrick Robinson and Nick Williams in 2013.
            – Moss, Robinson and Brandon Banks in 2012.
            – Moss, Banks, Terrance Austin, Anthony Armstrong and David Anderson in 2011.
            – Moss, Banks, Austin and Armstrong in 2010.

            So yeah, not uncommon for him to have quite a few small framed WRs.

            1. Benjamin was already on the team when KS arrived. Hawkins was signed about a month after Shanahan arrived. Do OC’s tend to have that much influence on the type of players singed and did Shanahan have that much of an impact that they were singing “his” types of receivers less then 30 days after arrival. I just don’t see OC’s having that much influence on how a GM picks his players.

              Moss, Robinson and Williams are all 5’10”.

              That’s also not recognizing that in his last two most successful seasons he used only one and then two receivers of that size. You guys are also trying to compare him having one or two of that size versus the SIX that are currently on the roster.

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