Oft-maligned AJ Jenkins showed up in Atlanta to work out with Colin Kaepernick. Kappy, seen here hanging with the flotus (http://instagram.com/p/WVGSuGNBNd/) will hopefully get back to Atlanta and get AJ on schedule to make an impact this season. He’d better be all in, otherwise he’ll be cast out with the rest of the WR corps.
As it is now, the Niners need to pick up at least 4 WRs. Mossy Randy and Ted Ginn will go their own way, and Kyle Williams and Mario Manningham are coming off pretty substantial injuries.
In other words, we are back to ground zero in regards to wideouts. Crabs had a very good year, and Manningham was doing very well before he was injured. He’s got the longest rehab, and last I heard he was out of his cast and boot, but other than that, no idea. The WRs in the draft aren’t fairly impressive, but there are some intriguing FAs out there.
Namely, the guy I liked in the 2008 draft, Ramses Barden out of SLObispo. He’s 6’6″ and is buried on the Giants depth chart. He had one start and had 9 catches for 138 yards. Decent route-runner who has great hands. He’d be a red zone wonder. The other guys are either very pricey (Mike Wallace, Wes Welker, Victor Cruz, Greg Jennings) or very brittle (Danny Amendola, Danario Alexander). Dwayne Bowe is available. How good is Bowe? He puts up big numbers, but I haven’t seen him play. I hear things like he doesn’t go after balls and is overrated but who knows? he’d help, but again, he’d be a big $$$ guy. Not sure if he’s worth it.
There are plenty of 2nd-tier guys like Brian Hartline, Michael (Hey!) Spurlock, Manny Sanders, and David Nelson who could be signed fairly cheaply to provide depth. I’m sure there are fliers in the draft we could get, but I haven’t looked into that yet.
Forty Niners Forever 
Heard Rumour Niners could be looking at WR Danny Amendola (yes the midget reciever who shredded the Niners D last year) as a slot reciever.
Yeah he’not the big guy we all crave,but when healthy (key word healthy) can produce Ala Wes Welker.Great hands,possession reciever,not breakaway speed though.Gee sounds like Crabtree.
Breakaway speed is overrated for a third WR. Give me a quick guy who can get open and make catches to move the chains. It’s all about sustaining drives.
The 49ers draft and off season are a complete mystery to me. I know everything, so the prior statement should come as a surprise to some not named my nemesis – “Touchdown Unca Tommy.” Regardless what the 49ers do in free agency and the draft, the team is in a good position to upgrade it’s talent straight across the board. We know the O line is set, and so are our linebackers. We could use more talent at the skill positions on offense, and on the D line and secondary. It doesn’t take a genius to see where we are lacking and need help.
Harbaalke just need to take a long term approach to continuing to upgrade talent. No quick hitters like Revis or mortgaging for a win now strategy. That never seems to work. Re-sign your own, do your due diligence in the draft, and don’t be afraid to gamble a little bit. Conservative is good, but afraid to pull the trigger isn’t. I love me some Star – even with the heart issue. It’s curious to me that nobody is sharing their thoughts on Star’s condition. And by “nobody,” I don’t mean other teams, but other media outlets. Some sports journalist should be giving us some insight as to what his heart condition could mean to the NFL. If Star drops from top five to top fifteen, I’m hoping the 49ers seriously consider moving up to grab him. Mike Mayock is making a case for Star as a DE in a 3/4, but Mayock also says Star’s versatile. I could see Star starting at DE, then moving to the NT position in time.
And really, if you were to pin point the 49ers’ biggest need, I’d argue it’s replacing Soap. The NT in a 3/4 makes a huge impact on the game. I’d love for Harbaalke to find us a world beater at the nose this off season. But like I wrote before, Harbaalke could go in any direction with their first two picks – WR, DT, CB and Safety are my bets for the first round and early second.
You’ll have to excuse me, I’m still suffering from PTSBLSD.
Post-Traumatic Super Bowl Loss Stress Disorder.
I wish I was joking.
Dennis, flash message follows:
–
“You had best un-fuck yourself or I will unscrew your head and shit down your neck!”
The plan to bring in a top FA WR should include some plays to get him the ball lest he mentally check out from too many decoy wind sprints and downfield blocking duties.
Sopoaga had a good year in the base package, in 2011, not so much last year, when he was in, and we played a lot of nickel with “Isaaco” on the sidelines. He was not as good at NT as Aubrayo Franklin. Not sure why Isaaco didn’t rotate in for Justin, but we do need a better nose in our base 3-4 than RJF.
Right, no fear. Soap played in about 30%of the defensive plays last year. Given that most teams are opening things up, soap, or his replacement, won’t be seeing the field all that much anyway. Yeah,we need to replace him, but we need upgrades/depth across the whole d line.
To have a nemesis, spotty, you need to do a better job of keeping up. Shoe-tying is also your nemesis . . .
That’s why I wear Velcro.
Alex Smith will be cut….Alex Smith will get 4mil a year…You would have to be a genius to see that coming, a real talent guru, as well has have your finger on the pulse of the current NFL marketplace.
I wouldn’t pay Smith a pack of gum to qb my team.
Yet by all accounts the guys that do this for a living have given up as much as 2 2’s.
You blind yourself Spit. Hard to take you seriously when you obviously missed by a country mile with this call.
I don’t care if I missed by twice that much. I simply wouldn’t have traded for Alex Smith. I think it’s exactly this reason that Andy Reid was fired by the Eagles. He makes bad decisions. Let’s not forget that Reid took his O line coach and turned him into a D coordinator after Jeffrey Lurey (sp?) spent millions on guys like Nnamdi and company. If you’re going to bring in the dream team in free agency, you better have great coaches at the positions and particularly at the coordinator spots to handle the drastic change in team chemistry. Bad decision making on Andy’s behalf is what cost him his job in Philly. Who knows what Andy’s record will be in KC? But the Chiefs have a lot of talent.
That’s not to say I don’t love that we got compensated. Obviously I do. It’s also not to say Andy won’t have success in KC. But a Super Bowl? Only if Andy finds a replacement for Smith fast and develops the guy. Smith isn’t a Super Bowl caliber qb, and that’s what this game is all about….. and that’s why I wouldn’t have traded for Smith. Teams need to decide whether or not they want to compete for Super Bowls, or just entertain the fans. I think Andy’s an entertainer. Smith is a stepping stone. The Chiefs were just 2-14, but they’re loaded with talent that’s been hurt. There record with Smith next year should jump to something like 8-8 or even 9-7, contending for the playoffs. But Super Bowls over the next three years? Doubtful unless they change the qb.
Trading 2 2’s means they don’t view Smith as a stepping stone Spit, that’s starter level trading. Reid has been a consistently successful coach. The idea that teams are not trying to attain a SB win is a dumb one, the NFL enacted the salary cap to try to level the playing field so the dynasty teams don’t control the SB and to a large degree it has worked. A SB is the holy grail but damn near impossible to get even if you have all the right ingredients, coaching, players, stadium income, solid fan base, ownership, GM and to some degree or other most teams are lacking in some departments. Fixing teams top to bottom to make a run at a title is extraodinarily difficult.
The Niners had almost everything going for them and came up a hair short. They have a better shot than most to get a SB win in the next couple of years but that’s hardly a guarantee, does that mean they are playing for entertainment purposes only?
What did Steve Young say before the Packers’ game? “Getting home with your four down linemen – that’s the secret sauce.” With Justin Smith’s injury, the 49ers needed to blitz in the playoffs and Super Bowl. Ray McDonald is solid. Isaac and Justin are getting old, with Isaac potentially being shown the door. So, for my money, the 49ers’ greatest need isn’t in the secondary, but it’s along the D line.
The New York Giants won two Super Bowls with pressure on Tom Brady. Guys like Tuck, Osi and JPP got all the glory, but the real warriors were guys like Canty, Rocky Bernard, Cofield and even Shaun Rogers (who was hurt most of the time). The Giants know that if DTs beat their men, the outside pass rusher like Osi, Tuck and JPP are that much more dangerous, thus making their lacking secondary better as well.
This is why the Giants just had Cullen Jenkins in a for a look just recently, and why right now, the 49ers and Seahawks are having Jenkins in for a look this weekend as well. The 49ers are weak along the D line. With Justin Smith’s injury, the 49ers needed to get pressure on the qb with blitzes. Aldon’s game was off, the secondary was exposed. All of that started with Justin’s injury, so it underscores the need for a pass rush right up the middle. For my money, if Cullen Jenkins looks good, I sign him. But I don’t stop there. If Star’s heart condition checks out as something teams can work with, and the heart condition is manageable and doesn’t rapidly regrade, I move up to grab Star to eventually replace Justin Smith. Justin, Ray, Cullen and Star would automatically make our secondary light years better. And as we saw, like the Giants, inside pressure makes Aldon and Brooks that much more dangerous. Pressure, pressure, pressure. But not with OLBs……. The pressure needs to come from right up the middle I hope that’s where Harbaalke focuses on upgrading this team this off season. But again, I have no clue what Harbaalke will do.
Actually, I have to correct myself. I think Shaun Rogers was on the Saints last year and hurt, but was just signed by the New York Giants this off season. I’m not sure, but it once again underscores the importance of having dominant DTs. The Giants know what they’re doing along the D line. Hope the 49ers can grab Cullen Jenkins before Seattle gets ’em. And I think Seattle is just trying to leverage up Cullen’s payday, making the 49ers pay more for his services because Seattle has Mebane, Red Bryant and Alan Branch.
So your thinking of a scheme change to 4-3 after the year Aldon just had?
Not at all. What give you that idea?
We actually play more nickel 4-2-5 than anything else, and I don’t see that changing.
gives*
Versatility is the key. We need to be able to mix it up all the time. It was great that for one year we played pretty vanilla on defense and said, “Here we are….. this is what we do….. come ‘n get some.” But that won’t work forever. Versatile bodies up front mean you can disguise stuff better. Justin can play DT and DE. That’s huge. Mayock was saying Star can do the same thing….. and I’m betting because Justin can do it, and the rest of the league took notice,, Star’s secret value is really high to NFL teams in the “know.” If I’m right, teams are looking extra hard at Star’s heart condition. Personally, I’d like to know. I think Star is worth packaging up 31 and 34 for a top twenty pick. I’d have a deal worked out with a team sitting around twenty – if our guy is there, we want to trade.
It’s true Grump they do play nickel a lot, but Aldon is on the field either way. Spit lays out a plan not to have OLB rushing the QB. Aldon set records in various ways rushing the QB, imensly successful at it so why would anybody change that formula and instead use only inside pressure?
Lol….. No, I layout a plan that has the middle of the D line being upgraded to get pressure on the qb. When the middle is more dangerous, the outside linebackers are better. And really, so are our players in the secondary. The Giants don’t take JPP or Tuck off the field (and I wouldn’t take Aldon off), but the Giants value studs in the middle like Rogers, Cofield and Canty. That’s where I’d focus my attention this off season. Cullen Jenkins would be a nice start.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/matt-maiocco/49ers-turn-attention-backup-qb-job
Matt Maiocco steals my shit all the time. MATT SCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I seem to remember National Football Post extolling the virtues of Matt Scott and his possible landing sites.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/nfl-rapidreports/21798571/report-cullen-jenkins-scheduled-to-meet-with-seahawks-49ers
CULLEN JENKINS!!!!!
The Cards release CB Gay. I hope Gay replaces Culliver. Just for the laughs.
If Gay was on top of Culliver on the depth chart, his head might explode. Gay on top, Chris. That’s as bad as it gets. LOL
But I still think Culliver will come back better next year. Whitner, not so much.
Is on top better than Gay behind?
I think part of Culliver’s sensitivity training could be showing Gay the ropes.
Culliiver & Gay go to a gay bar.
Culliver says to Gay:
What’s the #1 pickup line at a Gay bar?
Gay looks at Culiiver and asks what?
Culliver answers “May I push in your stool..
“Pass over the middle…… Culliver stuck by Gay. Gay misses the ball and the man and really lays into Culliver. Culliver is on his knees in disbelief. The trainer comes out and says ‘where are you? Do you support Prop 8?'” Gay is emotional. Culliver is carted off the field by CSI SF special victims unit wearing dolphin shorts and dancing to YMCA while Culliver lies motionless on the gurney. While wearing blue blockers in the post game interview, a tear runs down Gay’s cheek as he says….. “That’s my cornerback.”
2 guys that could be around at 31 that would make me think awhile are Justin Hunter and Tavon Austin.
No, I’m not anxious for another WR selection with a 1st Rd Pick but, either guy would fill a need.
Austin is a weapon and would replace Ginn immediately on STs.
He could be brought along as a WR behind Kyle.
Manningham may not be ready to play and his Contract would be something to take into account.
Hunter is the tall deep threat we covet.
Hard to see him there at Pick 31 but, I’d have to think we’d make good use of him if he were.
We have the ammunition to deal up so, if that were to happen, I’d target Vaccaro, XRhodes and maybe, just maybe, Lotulelei if he slid out of the Top 10.
Heart condition issues being put to rest of course.
I think Mannigham is done personally NJ.Dude is what 33? Coming off ACL& PCL surgery.
Yeah it’s been time and get ballsy in this draft.If they like Patterson go up and get him at #9all or go Vaccaro or the dude from Alabama the CB I’m drawing a blank on right now.
Hey do you know much about the guy from SMU Margus Hunt? DE 6’8 275 lbs, some drafts have 49ers taking him in 2nd-3rd round.Think he’s 26in already ,could be a bust to me,guess you never know though.
Yeh Alleykat, I like Margus a lot after seeing him in Indy.
He could easily be there for us in Rd 2 too.
Hard to ignore a 6’8″ guy that played in the 3-4 in College and threw up 38 reps on the bench.
Ran extremely well too. For a big dude he was smooth.
He was a Track guy before he took up football too.
Plenty to like about the guy.
I wouldn’t think twice about adding him.
He’s a bit raw in football terms so we’d have to develop him some.
I wouldn’t have a problem with that either.
One other thing to consider with the NYJ, beyond all the Revis banter.
They Draft at 9.
I’m always open to talking to a rebuilding Team in the Top 10 when I have lots of Picks in my pocket.
Quite frankly, our Pick at 31 could be very enticing to Teams wanting to move up too.
Waiting until Pick 34 from KC isn’t a terrible option, especially if we can grab another Pick for next year from someone.
Baalke has turned this Draft into his own personal playground.
NFP has put up it’s top 50 free agent list. Goldson is at #10 but Jarius Byrd of the Bills is rated higher at #4. Also there are 5 TE in the top 50, none named Walker and the headliner Gonzalez at 13 with Spits buddy Jared Cook next coming in at #25.
The list is here if your interested: http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/The-NFPs-top50-free-agents-of-2013.html
I heard the Bills franchised Byrd. Don’t know if that’s true, but it might be.
Yep, Byrd got the FTag Spit.
See how it goes for Goldson, I’m not seeing a big payday for him myself.
I actually think Cyprien would be a nice trade off for Goldson 12th.
Similar in size, hits like a freight train and has some INTs to his credit.
Wouldn’t have a problem selecting him.
Randy Moss just tweeted: “Wished we could’ve finished the job!!thanks for the opportunity an good luck in the future 9ers”
Moss gone, Manningham hurt, Ginn fragile…… wouldn’t be surprised at all to the see the 49ers go wide receiver if someone fell in their lap. Not saying I’d like it, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
We might draft two WRs, but my hunch is, it will not be with our first two picks.
I agree Grump.
Most of the WRs are gonna go in the Mid Rds I think.
I see us spending early on the Defensive side of the ball.
I agree….. I wouldn’t go receiver either. But we’ve got two big needs – receiver and D line. I’m just saying it wouldn’t surprise me if the first overall was a receiver. What if that kid from Cal or the kid from Tennessee was there when we drafted at 31? We’d have a hard time passing up on either guy.
Randy helped in his own way with the Locker Room I think.
Perhaps we do the same thing in FA this year with a guy like Richard Seymour.
Get an aging Vet with the right credentials to have around for the guys we’re likely to add via the Draft.
Talking about Margus Hunt with Alleykat, he’s a raw talent who could pay huge dividends as a 5-technique DE.
Put him in the same mix with a guy like Seymour and see what happens.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/nfl-rapidreports/21798429/report-jared-cook-looking-to-be-tagged-as-a-receiver
I’d give this guy 5 million per year, easy. I think he’s better than Vernon Davis. That would be an awesome combo.
All about the Cashola.
Right guy at the right price is how Baalke works the Roster.
He’s the right guy, there’s no doubt about that. And the price is right at 5 million per year. The only question is his availability….. looks like the Titans will franchise him.
Jared Cook is better than Vernon Davis?
Damn you seem to really have it bad for this guy Cook but can’t produce one viable reason to support your claim.
His stats are underwhelming.
If you check out Cook the knock on him is he can’t block and he’s not interested in blocking.
Good fit for the Forty Niners?
Is this your usual bullshit?