SANTA CLARA – Trent Baalke was interviewed in the 49ers’ media room Tuesday afternoon. Here’s a transcript. Q: What’s the process to determine if Ray McDonald will play Sunday or ever again for the 49ers? BAALKE: Right now it’s a legal matter, and there is such a thing called due process and we intend on letting that play out. Q: You let Aldon Smith play two days after a DUI….
The 49ers just announced they have extended Glenn Dorsey’s contract through the 2016 season. Here is a written statement from 49ers’ General Manager Trent Baalke: “Glenn is a true pro who has quickly become a valued contributor to our organization both on and off the field. He is a quick study and a very good football player that has earned this extension, and we look forward to his future contributions.”
This is my Monday column. Trent Baalke has to be swallowing hard this morning. Blaine Gabbert, the quarterback Baalke acquired to back up Colin Kaepernick, has a passer rating of 17.6 through two exhibition games. Trading for Blaine Gabbert was Baalke’s worst decision as an NFL general manager, worse than his decision to draft A.J. Jenkins or to trade for Jon Baldwin or to invest in a red-shirt draft choice…
SANTA CLARA — This is what Trent Baalke said about Carlos Hyde Saturday afternoon. ME: What about Carlos Hyde has stood out to you in training camp so far? BAALKE: You have to like his pad level, his vision, his feet. He is a 235-pound back that has small-man movements. He gets his feet in the dirt quick. He gets in and out of things. He sees things. He’s a…
SANTA CLARA – This is what Trent Baalke said about Marcus Lattimore Saturday afternoon. Q: Why isn’t Marcus Lattimore active? Did he reinjure himself? BAALKE: He has had no setbacks. He’s coming off, as well all know, a horrific injury. We want to make sure, as does he, that he is 100 percent mentally and physically ready to go to help this football team and to give himself the best…
SANTA CLARA – Trent Baalke sat down with Bay Area reporters and answered questions for 45 minutes Saturday afternoon. Here’s what he said about Vernon Davis. ME: When you extended Joe Staley’s contract this offseason, you said you were excited to make him a 49er for life. When you extended Frank Gore’s contract a few seasons ago you said the same thing, you were excited to make him a 49er…
This is my Wednesday column on Vernon Davis. SANTA CLARA – This is about Vernon Davis and the nature of news. Davis, who held out of OTAs and mini-camp because he wants a new contract, ended his holdout and showed up Wednesday for Day 1 of the 49ers’ training camp. A positive start. But not positive enough for the 49ers. The 49ers chose not to make Vernon Davis available to…
The 49ers just announced that Joe Staley, who already was signed through 2017, has signed a two-year extension through 2019. Here’s a written statement from Trent Baalke: “In today’s NFL, it is rare for a player to play his entire career with one team. With this extension, Joe will likely be a 49er for life. He is a three-time All-Pro and core member of our football team. His commitment and professionalism…
This is my Thursday column on Colin Kaepernick’s contract extension. SANTA CLARA – The six-year, $126 million contract extension the 49ers gave Kaepernick seemed preposterous. Why make Kaepernick the highest-paid player in football after just 29 starts? That’s not enough data to justify paying anyone that much money. Kaepernick may turn out to be a Hall of Famer, or he may turn out to be a talented player who never…
This is my Saturday column assessing the 49ers’ draft. SANTA CLARA – Chris Culliver is the 49ers’ wild card this season. The 49ers did not draft a cornerback until the end of the fourth round on Saturday. They took Dontae Johnson, who started more games at safety for North Carolina State last season than he started at cornerback. He’s a developmental project. So, pencil in Culliver as the 49ers’ starting…
Here is my news story on the 49ers’ first round selection, Jimmie Ward. SANTA CLARA — The 49ers had clear needs at cornerback and wide receiver coming into the draft. The 49ers chose to address strong safety in Round 1. With the 30th pick, the 49ers drafted Jimmie Ward, a 5-foot-11, 193-pound strong safety from Northern Illinois University. But he most likely will not play strong safety for the 49ers…
This is my Wednesday column predicting what Trent Baalke will do in the upcoming draft This is not a column telling Trent Baalke what to do in the upcoming draft. We know what he has to do. He knows what he has to do. This is a column predicting how he will do it. What we know: The 49ers have two major needs. Just two. Wide receiver and cornerback. Michael…
SANTA CLARA – Here is what Trent Baalke said about David Fales on Friday. Q: What do you like about David Fales as a prospect? BAALKE: I like a lot of things about David. He’s a very composed, a very smart football player. You look at him statistically – he has won a lot of games. He won a shootout this year in the Fresno game which I happened to…
SANTA CLARA – Trent Baalke was interviewed by Bay Area reporters for an hour Friday morning. Here is a transcript of Part I of the interview. Q: Are you going to pick up Aldon Smith’s fifth-year option on his rookie contract? BAALKE: Why did I know that was going to be the first question out of the blocks? That’s still being discussed internally. Q: Do you hope that he will…
Fact No.1: The 49ers were linked publicly to five big-name wide receivers during free agency — DeSean Jackson, Golden Tate, Emmanuel Sanders, Hakeem Nicks and Julian Edelman. The Niners signed none of them. Fact No.2: The 49ers have been linked publicly to three cornerbacks who are projected to get drafted in the second or third round of the upcoming draft — Bashaud Breeland, Jaylen Watkins and Stanley Jean-Baptiste. Fact No.3: At the…
Every year, Trent Baalke makes at least one draft pick that comes out of left field, like the A.J. Jenkins pick or the Vance McDonald pick or the Corey Lemonier pick. Predict one player Baalke will pick out of left field this year, and explain your reasoning for the pick.
According to the Philadelphia Enquirer, which cites “three independent NFL sources,” the Eagles “have intensified their efforts to trade Pro Bowl receiver DeSean Jackson.” Seems to me the 49ers could trade their second third-round pick, pick No.94, to the Eagles for Jackson. Seems to me the 49ers should be able to easily outbid any other team for Jackson. Time for Trent Baalke and Paraag Marathe to make it happen.
This is my Wednesday column. Yes, of course the 49ers should trade for Eagles’ wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Not even a discussion. On Tuesday, CSN Philly reported that the Eagles are shopping Jackson for a third-round pick, and that the 49ers are interested. Let me list the reasons the 49ers should make this trade: 1. The 49ers have two third-round picks, two second-round picks and a first-round pick. The 49ers…
This is my Friday column on Trent Baalke. After Day 1 of free agency, I thought the 49ers’ moves were weak. Not bad, but weak. Trent Baalke didn’t really do anything. He cut Carlos Rogers, let Donte Whitner leave and replaced him with an older, cheaper safety – Antoine Bethea – traded a sixth-round pick for Blaine Gabbert, and traded a conditional seventh-round pick for Jonathan Martin. Woo hoo! Meanwhile,…
Here is my Wednesday column. Here is the current stock report of six prominent 49er figures, letting you know if their stock is up or down. Jim Harbaugh: Stock down For eight consecutive years, his stock was up, up, up. That trend ended Jan. 19, the day Harbaugh lost the NFC Championship to the Seahawks the same way he lost the Super Bowl to the Ravens the season before —…
