Much as I hate to admit it, and and good as the 49ers are before the upcoming draft, Seattle is doing a a lot to strengthen their own ship after their near-epic playoff comeback vs Atlanta last year. They’ve already added Percy Harvin, albeit at a heavy cost (Sea’s 1st pick, 25th overall, a 7th round pick, and a 3rd round pick next year) for a possible prima-donna and they added two of the more coveted pass rushers out there in Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett. In other words, not nearly as much thrash around their roster as there is around the Niners, and they helped themselves out pretty well. The only hitch being the loss of draft picks GM John Schnieder loves so much. Seattle still has 8 picks in the draft, but may be looking to add some picks very sooon.
Word now out of Seattle is that they are looking at offers for Matt Flynn, the $20 million backup who was signed to be the starter, but was passed like a Pinto in the slow lane by Russell Wilson, the rookie phenom out of Wisconsin. The suitors for Matt’s fairly unproven services would likely be Jacksonville, Oakland, NYJ, and Buffalo. Jax must be the most enticing for Seattle as Jax has the 3rd overall pick in the upcoming draft, and has high picks in every round. Oakland can’t offer shit as they traded every pick in the foreseeable future for Carson Palmer and Terrelle whatshisface Pryor. Palmer doesn’t want to restructure his ludicrous deal, so the Raiders may just cut his ass. The Jets are in ‘anyone-but-Sanchez’ mode, so they could pull the trigger on a deal, salary cap hell notwithstanding. Buff? They recently jettisoned Ryan Fitzpatrick and need someone.
You have to wonder how desperate a team like Jacksonville would be to sign a QB. They are in a situation much like KC was with Alex. They saw a guy who they think is worthy, and took their shot. Whether Jax would give up a 1st round choice (too much, I’d think) to sign a guy who has a very small track record remains to be seen, but I’m sure Seattle wouldn’t mind getting something like the Niners got for Alex. A 2nd round pick and a 4th, or something for next year.
For what this is all worth, it at least extends the long-standing competition between Jim (what, me worry?) Harbaugh and Pistol Pete Carroll. These guys have been adversaries since their Pac-10 days, and this feud looks to be front and center in the NFL landscape for years to come. 2013 certainly should be an entertaining one from a football standpoint. The Niners and Seahawks looks to be the newest baddest rivalry going.
Forty Niners Forever 
chirp chirp chirp . . .
The Raiders are buried pretty deep in dead cap money this year anyway trying to trim the fat and rebuild. Some big guys that’ll work cheap and they can afford a high pick or two. They just need to start drafting with some common sense applied.
“passed like a Pinto in the slow lane” was pretty good.
There’s still some free agent talent out there. A.) I usually hate free agents. B.) I don’t know how much money we have left under the cap for free agents and draft picks.
But here are some interesting ideas…… DT Sedrick Ellis was a beast at USC and a first round draft choice who didn’t stick with the Saints. What about pairing him with Glenn Dorsey and seeing if those two together can rejuvenate their careers? Ellis and Dorsey replacing RJF and Ice? Could be a motivated pair.
There are a bunch of talented free agent tight ends out there: Fred Davis, Dennis Pitta, Dallas Clark and Kevin Boss? All of those guys can catch better than Welanie Dalker.
Wide receivers available are guys like Josh Cribbs, Laurent Robinson and Mohammed Massaquoi.
Peyton Hillis might be a nice trip down memory lane for Jim Harbaugh, maybe evoking thoughts of Toby Gerhart slamming the rock up inside and catching crafty passes out of the backfield.
Other available guys who could help along the D line are guys like Ty Warren, Alan Branch, Tommy Kelly, and even Casey Hampton.
I’m not thrilled about the safeties who are left in Jarius Byrd and Kerry Rhodes, but it might help Del sleep better at night.
The longer these guys sit on the market, the cheaper they get. I could see Harbaalke having an eye on one or two of these guys, hoping their prices soften while being scared to death of having to do a farewell salute on Youtube like double A. Ya never know….
Both Tommy Kelly and Sedrick Ellis are really interesting to me. Both have California connections that could mean a free agent discount to the 49ers, and both could help along the interior of the D line. Tommy Kelly signed a huge contract with Al Davis he never played up to, and I’m always, like Nnamdi, skeptical of guys who make big money and then still keep playing. It’s almost like they have too much to lose. And Tommy Kelly might blowup our locker room. But I could also envision a scenario where, like Randy Moss, Kelly comes to SF to win a Super Bowl and sees what it’s like to play for a professional football team. I can still remember Tommy Kelly interviews where he just complained about his team not trying. That’s good and bad – the frustration of wanting to win is good, but the inability to keep his mouth shut is no bueno.
Sedrick Ellis, for my money, isn’t as good, but he’s better in the locker room. What would you rather have? More upside in a much older Kelly, but a guy who’s a pain in the neck and already got paid? Or another Glenn Dorsey in Sedrick Ellis who’s still trying to prove he’s not a first round bust?
I could see the 49ers continuing to strengthen their D line in free agency and then using defensive draft picks on secondary players. Cullen Jenkins was expensive. But now, after the spending sprees are over, teams don’t have much cap room so guys like Kelly and Ellis won’t see big paydays. They’ll be lucky to make 3 million a year. But Ellis has something Kelly doesn’t – a brain. Ellis isn’t a guy to jump off sides or get taken out of his game emotionally. I just see more upside with Sedrick Ellis. Younger, smarter, from a winning organization, with something still to prove.
I called the Glenn Dorsey signing. I wouldn’t be surprised if the 49ers had Sedrick Ellis in for a look in the next few weeks.
The whole operation in Oakland is so screwed up that I’m not sure I’d hold anything the players say against them. If a guy is a malcontent with the Raiders it could just mean that he’s a sane human being.
I think they are done with the line FA wise, Spitty. They obviously hold Ian Williams in high regard. Well, who knows? I seriously doubt Tommy Kelly though. Major underachiever. Major fuckup. I still think they pick up Sensabaugh or Rhodes before they do anything on the D line. The rest of the guys you mention (Hillis, Cribs, et al) ain’t gonna happen.
Cleveland could very well trade for Flynn as well. Another desperate team searching for a QB.
Wow, talk is Carson Palmer may be destined for AZ. What a Godsend that would be. Got to wonder if they get into the Flynn mix. I forgot about them.
Barkley looked fine throwing to guys in shorts, but shit, I can do that passably well. Or I could 30 years ago . . .
Shit, I figured the title alone woulf get Dennis out of his stupor.
Spitblood
Last week you were saying the only way to go was to build through the draft. You said the Forty Niners would draft 14 players and 12-14 would make the team. Now this week you’re pushing Free Agents? Really? It seems you just try to take all sides just to be right.
You also asked this question ” the 49ers are reluctant to sign players to long term deal. When was the last time a player on the 49ers signed a five or six year deal?”
Seven current Forty Niners have 6 year or longer contracts and five more with 5 year contracts.
I ask you again do you have a clue on what you’re talking about or just like to dispense bullshit by the bucketload?
Spitty, the Niners have roughly $6 mill in salary and $6 mill in bonus/guaranteed money to pay for the rookies this year. We currently have $4.5 mill in cap room. Not a lot by any means. Which is why they are looking to extend Bouldin to ease the cap hit.
Tavon Austin to visit the 49ers pre-draft.Could see them using some of their ammo(5 picks high) to move up and grab him.They still need that dynamic. speed reciever who you can use out of both the slot,spread him out,or out of the backfield,throw in a Punt Returner as well.Dude is so versatile I’m sure Kap is licking his chops to add him as a deep threat.
Austin is damn near top 10. At worst top 15. If he’s around at 12, they may go for it. But I’d hate to see the Niners lose their 31st or 34th picks. He may be too costly.
Might as well wait to see if Keenan Allen falls to us.
I don’t know how Keenan did in the workouts, but after watching him play every game of his college career, he’s definitely not a burner.. he’s got great hands, but doesn’t have that breakaway speed. He’s tough as nails though.
If we go top ten or twelve, I would rather do it for the safety Vacarro or a top DL guy. There is only a small chance that we will move up that far. Somewhere around 20-25 seems more likely to me. Targeting one of the second group of DLs or Reid maybe?
IIRC, picks 31 and 34 *could* move us all the way to pk 11. That according to that NFL Draft Pick Value Chart thingamajiggy.
Correction. PK 13. PKs 31 and 34 = 1,150 pts. PK 13 = 1,150. Don’t know if that chart is a hard and fast rule, or more like a Pirates of the Caribbean guideline.
Seattle Slew by Bold Reasoning out of My Charmer. I can still vividly see the Slew streaking down the Churchill stretch to win the ’77 Derby. I was watching it on TV over at my grandma’s house. I bought a Seattle Slew ball cap many years ago. I’ve sweat in that thing so much that it’s now harder than one of his horseshoes.
Pat White? Surely you can’t be serious. Vanna White has better form and technique. Probably a stronger arm as well. You would too if you turned all those letters for all those years. How old is Vanna? She has to be AARP material by now. Buy a vowel? She needs to buy a time machine and set it back 25 years.
i’m going with vanna white too ! hey , at least she’s hot !
It’s too bad you went and banned the V-Tard, Chuck. His rants on Matt Flynn were pretty hilarious and this would have been a good chance to wind the turd up again.
Yeah, Chuck….. you should consider that. Let him in to drive him crazy, then ban him again. Who’s the more ruthless? It’s not like we have a lot to write about right now….
Sorry, Spitty but you get to be the resident lunatic. I have to draw the line somewhere.
Keenan was hurt for the workouts andhis pro day at Cal. That’s why he may fall to the bottom of the 1st round. Speed burner or not, he gets separation. Jerry Rice speed. Think he’d be a great outside WR provided he heals up.
The Raiders are doing right now what the Jets should be doing. I like what McKenzie is doing. Is it McKenzie?…. you know….. the black Irish dude with freckles who Madden recommended who came over from the Packers who used to play in the NFL and is now the Raiders’ GM? He’s dumping an older, ineffective, cancerous roster with an overpaid qb and telling that qb he won’t get paid X amount and that he’s either cut or restructured. He’s gutting the team and finding cheap alternatives. Why will Carson Palmer either do it or retire? Because he has no other options. He doesn’t want to be a backup. Carson Palmer and Mark Sanchez couldn’t start anywhere else. The Raiders have it right. The Jets?….. well…….
And forget the guaranteed money in Sanchez’s contract talk. You cut him and eat the entire thing if he won’t restructure. That’s the right approach.
GMs in general don’t like to make their teams worse in order to prove a point. The Jets seem to be under the impression, misguided as it may be, that they’re only a piece or two away from contention and eating Sanchez’s salary would cost them other players who they need. The Raiders are basically in a complete teardown mode. They know they’ll suck next year with or without Palmer and don’t have a lot of other guys they need to re-up or free agents they want to bring in. The smart thing for McKenzie to do would be to pull a Baalke and get a draft pick or two out of it. Lord knows the Raiders could use more picks.
“Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com reports that the Jets would swallow a $17.1 million cap charge if they released Sanchez. So they’d essentially have to pay Sanchez to be a quality starter and eat a salary-cap equivalent to an elite starter. And they’d get nothing in return”
Think it’s that easy to eat $17 million?
JDR – “GMs in general don’t like to make their teams worse to prove a point.” I think this is the biggest myth that teams and even GMs don’t understand. You don’t gut your team to prove a point. You gut your team to change its culture. In some, if not most cases, the team needs a new head coach to go along with hitting the reset button. McKenzie (I don’t even know right off if that’s his name), did this. Izod (GM in New York …. refuse to look up names tonight) didn’t dump Rex this year probably at Woody’s request. But either way, you bring in a new GM, new head coach, dump your older guys, play younger guys and see who sticks while getting higher draft choices who really care about the game of football. You think half the Raider team cared? I don’t.
The first order of business is getting a bunch of guys on the team who are passionate about football. This is one thing Mike Nolan and Scot McCloughan, despite all their blunders (challenging field goals and drafting Balmer) did correctly. They found guys like Frank Gore who just loved football with all their hearts. I don’t believe even Carson Palmer really is playing for the love of the game. I think he’s collecting a paycheck.
So, gut the team. Don’t be afraid to suck, not to prove a point, but because it’s necessary to start the rebuilding process. And also, don’t be afraid to call it a rebuild. So many teams are now afraid that if they don’t claim they’re going to win the Super Bowl that the fans will walk away. The fans know. The players know. You aren’t foolin’ anyone. The Jets aren’t foolin’ anyone. Show me one knowledgeable Jets fan that thinks the Jets are going to win the Super Bowl.
And regarding Mark Sanchez and his contract – what if the Jets are serious about Sanchez competing for a job and he loses his job? Then you have a 17 million dollar backup. What’s the difference between a 17 million dollar backup and eating 17 million dollars? Not much. Does it make it that much easier for you to swallow? Man up. Being an owner or GM isn’t easy. GMs get paid to make the tough choices. I guarantee you one thing – If the Jets made that tough choice to dump and eat Sanchez’s contract, there would be a lot of Jets’ fans out their that completely respected that move.
Interesting Sando article about the myth of the run-option QB and how often the Niners run it.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/category/_/name/san-francisco-49ers
Much less than I thought. (5.7% after Kappy took over).
The Flynn trade talk is being generated by his agent. Last year the Miami Dolphins had a shot at Flynn as a unrestricted free agent. His offensive coordinator at Green Bay now Head Coach Joe Philbin decided to pass and drafted a rookie to start
The defensive coordinator of the Seahawks who is now head coach of the Jaguars, Gus Bradley just also said they were not interested and would pass.
That should tell you Flynn is not a long term solution to any quarterback problems your team might have. Flynn was drafted in the seventh round for a reason.
TT, there are a lot of teams hurting at QB who would be willing to take a shot. Last year, the Dolphins coulda had Alex Smith for a song.
The problem with your dissertation, spitty, is any team is close. Parity (suck it, V) is alive and well. ANY team is close. Wash gets rgiii and they hit the playoffs. The Niners get a new coach and they are the cream of the crop.
Foe all the suckiness of the Jets, maybe a new QB gets them over the top. They dealt with more than their share of injuries. The raiders.? Yeah, they need to burn it all down and start over. But they are in a much worse position than even the jets.
Wrong. The Jets, Raiders, Panthers, Jaguars and Bills aren’t five players away from winning the Super Bowl. Close, in my opinion, is five contributors away with simultaneous coaching and drafting magic. Those teams are more like 7-10 players away, and numerous front office and coaching acquisitions away. That’s the equivalent of five years easy, if they by chance get it right. Maybe is a couple key guys in free agency (risky), and three years to draft and develop, but I’ll give you long odds that the Jets, Raiders, Panthers, Jaguars and Bills aren’t winning the Super Bowl in the next four years. Wanna take my bet? You’re 100% wrong that ANY team is close.
* Chuck only. 100-1 odds on a dollar. I’ll gladly take your dollar. 4 years – Jets, Raiders, Panthers, Jaguars and Bills don’t win the Super Bowl by 2016.
It took the 49ers (at the start of their rebuilding process in 2005) 8 years, three different coaches, three GMs and six years of high draft choices to get to the Super Bowl, and they still haven’t won the Super Bowl. I’d start thinkin’ about re-evaluating your claim that “ANY” team is close. It’s a long road.
Flynns sitting on a $20 mill contract, TT. Why would his agent want him traded? He likely won’t get more money.
One year left on Flynn’s deal and only $6 million in 2014 which is not guaranteed.
If I was his agent Matt Flynn only enhances his value if he’s a starter and that is accomplished when a team trades some assets to obtain him..
If I’m looking for a job as a backup then I’ll get paid like Jason Campbell who signed for $1.5 million per season or Josh Johnson who just signed for only $715,000.
If Flynn sits on the Seattle bench and holds a clipboard these are the salaries he can look forward to. That is why his agent is marketing him.
Well, maybe not any team. The raiders aren’t winning in 50 years. But for all that shit you just posted, you said, as well as plenty of others, that the Niners were 3 years away from contending back on 1/1/11. The perception was the FO was a mess of too much middle management and shitty communication. I certainly had my concerns about the FO even when harbaugh got here.
I disagree with that point as well. Jim Harbaugh turned this team around quicker than anyone else could have – or thought possible – hence his Coach of the Year award.
Before Jim even got here, though, like I wrote earlier, the team started its rebuilding process six years prior.
There are a lot of teams out there that aren’t in contention right now and won’t be for years – Panthers, Jets, Bills, Jaguars, Raiders, Bears, Cowboys, Chargers, Steelers, and Titans aren’t winning the Super Bowl or even going to a Super Bowl in the next five years and it’s because they don’t do what I wrote about earlier – tear it down and rebuild from scratch. They don’t because they’re afraid they won’t sell out their stadiums. Gotta bite the bullet. So far I’m a fan of what McKenzie’s doing.
And I’ll say this…… The Raiders, because of what McKenzie is doing, would be my first choice to see return to contending out of all the teams I just listed – including the Steelers.
Sando comes up with some good stuff sometimes. My concern with too much read option is the practice time it takes away from “real plays” and how relatively simple it is to defend when the defense has had a chance to prepare for it.
What we really need to get the edge in close/tough games and post season battles are a handful of plays that we can run in our sleep and know that they will work. Like Grimm and Jacoby running the counter trey.
Well, that’s the point.RUnning something 5-6% of the time isn’t really taking away from anything else.
The rebuilding process all depends on the damage the previous Front Office put on your team.
Terry Donahue, Al Davis and Mike Tannenbaum sold the cow for the magic beans which turned out to be pebbles.
Spitblood makes his usual bullshit argument showing once again he knows nothing.
The Colts went from a 2 win team in 2011 to 11 wins and the playoffs in 2012.
Same with the Vikings who won 3 games in 2011 and were a playoff team in 2012 winning 10 games.
A couple of teams will surprise in this coming season.
I forgot to mention the Redskins who went from 5 wins in 2011 to 10 wins and a playoff berth in 2012. The pattern is there that a couple of teams surprise every season and you are deluded thinking this is not possible.
Right, Spitty. Nolan started the rebuilding process. Sure he did. But it stalled. Sing couldn’t right it as well. 6 years isn’t rebuilding. 6 years is fucking up wildly. Both those guys did a little with a lot. Nolan had a tougher task, sure, but his 3 year plan was on schedule until Smith got hurt, and Nolan couldn’t get out of his own way, and he lost the team. Sing followed suit. Lots of people knew the Niners were underachieving. I certainly did. My point was the front office was a mess during the Sing years. I also said (repeatedly) that the team was Sing’s. Not Baalke’s (or McLoughan’s). Same with Nolan. They ran off his mojo for good or bad. And bad it was.
Same thing with Harbaugh. His drive has made the entire team and front office look like genuises. Nothing really changed anywhere on the team but at the HC spot in 2011. I was on record saying they could win a playoff game in 2011. Not too many people outside the bay area felt that way. I didn’t think the change was going to be as dramatic as it was, but certainly the team had talent whan Harbaugh came. Spit, you wanted to blow it up back then. Where would we be? Well, starting year 3 of harbaugh’s rebuilding. The NFL model isn’t to rebuild. Unless you are in horrible shape. As the Jets and Raiders are. Look at the Chiefs. They are coming off a 2-14 season, but they are in pretty good shape. Good young players, new coach in Andy Reid, and new QB Alex Smith. They sucked ass last year, but they are poised to be a possible 10-6 playoff team.
Jesus H. Christ will make his triumphant return before Alex Smith leads the Chiefs to a 10-6 record and the playoffs.
Del Mar Dennis
You might be in for a rude awakening.
Kansas City sent 6 players to the Pro Bowl.
The number two rusher in the NFL Jamaal Charles was hurt in 2012.
Playoffs are a possibility.
Bullit, me going to bed with Kate Upton tonight is a “possibility.” It ain’t happening, but it’s a possibility. Same with Alex Smith leading the Chiefs to 10-6 and the playoffs this year. But it’s a possibility.
Del Mar Dennis
Aren’t you the fella that guaranteed a Super Bowl for the Denver Broncoswhen they signed Peyton Manning? So where was Denver? They sure weren’t at the Superdome.
Your track record on predictions frankly sucks.
Del – What’s the “H” stand for in Jesus H. Christ? Is it Howard?
chuck , at that point a trained monkey with a dart board on draft day could have started our rebuilding process ! the good news is that nolan/sing kept us picking in the top 10 – 15 with a team that could have gone 10-6 ! we got to add tons of talent and circumvent the system ! so thanks john york and mike nolan ! lol
In hindsight this is crystal clear but at the time it was crazy making insane as it unfolded! I cursed Nolan, Sing not to mention Donohugh with the best of us.
There’s a very good chance that the Raider’s top two QBs next year are Terrelle Pryor and Geno Smith. That thought alone is enough to make a Raider fan go crucify themselves on this Good Friday. Hell. They might as well bring in Barabbas to run the scout team. At least he’s demonstrated some escapability in the past.
Since 2000 the Oakland Raiders have had eight different coaches.
That’s a lot of changes meaning coaching staffs last less than 2 years.
With that much change no business or organization can hope to succeed because you are constantly plagued by losing and a culture of failure.
It takes time to put winning plans and procedures into motion.
I often wondered why the Raiders made their kicker and punter the highest paid in the NFL?
Losing seemed to cloud the judgement of the front office as did senility.
Spit- Ran out of reply spots so I’ll be a jerk and start a whole new thread for a response. Regarding the Raiduhs, their cleanup is going to be far more extensive than just the roster. From what I’ve heard the whole culture of the organization, down to the office staff and scouting, was/is riddled with incompetence and apathy from the Undead Al era of the last few years. MacKenzie needs to completely clean house, and Palmer is just a very small piece of that.
As for Sanchez, I thought the $17m wasn’t his salary this year but what the team would have had to absorb against the cap with penalties they’d incur for cutting him this offseason. His salary next year would be less, and I believe the cap hit after next season for cutting him would go down as his guaranteed money was more front-loaded.
I really don’t know about Sanchez’s contract. I thought I read that none of it’s guaranteed next year, but can’t remember.
Regarding the Raiders, I agree. Then need to completely clean house. But they are doing that. And that little kid who clearly partied too much with the bowl cut, I think his name is Mark Davis (?), he’s looking like he’s smart enough to listen to Madden and let McKenzie just do his thing. What’s cool so far about McKenzie is that he isn’t draconian with his changes, but he knows they have to be made. I’d be surprised if McKenzie thought he had the qb of the future on the roster, or if McKenzie drafted a qb this year. I think it’s a reduced Palmer with Pryor (who I’ve always been curious about) as the backup. But I don’t know if the Raiders have a good qb coach, or if they even have a good OC. Time will tell. But yeah, they need to completely change the culture of the entire organization from top to bottom.
Regarding my list above, the Steelers might be smart enough right now to dump and clean up and start fresh. They have dumped Harrison, Mendenhall and Casey Hampton. The Steelers are a smart organization so I might take them off my list as a team that won’t bite the bullet.