Moving on to one of the best bands to come out of the south, Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Nothing fancy is how I think the 49ers deal with the impending FA period. Which cracks open in 2.5 hours.
My take is the 49ers try to keep the proverbial band together without hitting free agency hard. Keep Whitner and Brown. Maybe Cox if he’s cheap. Dawson as well. Other than that? Who knows? There’s talk of getting VD’s brother, VD the CB, from the Colts. These others are peripheral guys who can be replaced in the plentiful draft.
So, seeing what happens these next couple weeks determines what they need in the draft. I certainly don’t think they go after a FA WR, but maybe a backup D lineman on the cheap? Sure. OTher than that, and maybe a CB/SS if they let Whitner go, I don’t see the Niners going into a free agent frenzy.
Forty Niners Forever 
Revis cut loose by the Buccaneers.
Cue the Niner rumors
Hell to the no. Unless he’s a bargain. The best I ever had . . .
I think the 49ers have managed the safety position perfectly, until yesterday. Three, four years ago they let Goldson hit and test a soft market, and brought in Whitner. Whitner and Goldson were really a huge part of the 49ers’ success, and I believe, if we had a better qb established in 2011, the 49ers were the best team in the NFL, and would have won the Super Bowl. Then last year the 49ers lost the Super Bowl and now, today, the 49ers don’t have Whitner or Goldson. Sure, both guys had their issues in coverage, but both guys could hit. That’s what separates today’s safeties from Goldson and Whitner.
So Goldson leaves and Baalke, instead of going after another safety in free agency, moves up for a gem in Reid in the first round to work with the veteran, Whitner. Perfect move, albeit, and I admit, a little risky.
The 49ers had the model. They knew what do to. They could have done the same thing this year. They had a smart second year FS in Reid, retained Ed Donantel, and could have gone after another safety in this year’s first round – a safety who could hit. Safeties with a presence over the middle are the formula for success the last fews years, and certainly a big part of Seattle’s recent Super Bowl victory.
Instead of looking to the draft to find a hitting SS, the 49ers spent money on the first day of free agency (never a good idea) and brought in an older safety to play alongside Reid. Did Baalke lose his nerve? Not wanting to expose himself to being left without a safety until the draft once again? I think he did. However, and to be fair, this year’s crop of safeties aren’t as deep, and going to the well a second time is risky.
I would have preferred the 49ers went to that well a second time in the draft waited in free agency and went after a ss like Quintin Mikel (sp?) from the Carolina Panthers. Calvin Pryor, or even better, Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix would have been perfect behind Mikel for one year – maybe moving Pryor or Clinton-Dix into the lineup immediately or halfway through the season. Now the 49ers are once again betting on an older and smaller safety in Bethea to play alongside Reid for the next two or three years. I think this is a mistake, but only time will tell. If I had to bet, I’d bet we’re in for missed tackles down in the box, and the occasional play over the top of Bethea. I think the correct move was to wait and draft a safety in the first round, even though Reid is only a second year player.
They have other needs besides SS. They filled a need with a solid guy. ALL the good FA safeties are gone, and the Niners got one of them. You expect them to sign another pro-bowler off the draft? Dream on. I just find it funny you pick one thing to obsess about. Passes the time I suppose.
Again, you get the known entity and draft a CB or 2. They’ll draft a sleeper SS in the 4th.
Have you looked at the top 3 or 4 safeties in the draft? Of course you haven’t.
I mean, if I was a Seahawks fan I’d be pissed. They are losing guys at an alarming rate.
Quality guys too. So far their team is definitely diminished this off season.
I think the Broncos have made a huge mistake, but Elway will be loved for it. As far as legacies go, this helps Elway’s. He had nothing to lose. With Peyton Manning being as old as he is, Elway had to bolster the D fast and try to get Manning back to the Super Bowl, but it won’t work. The Broncos will flirt with not making the playoffs.
Talib is a malcontent and a head case. Ware isn’t a leader, and his play has declined. Ware’s soft. He’s a name only. Talib is an upgrade over Bailey but Talib has a ton of issues and he’s not the toughest player on any team. It’s not difficult to knock Talib out of a game. Belichick could keep Talib in games (barely) but John Fox and Jack Del Rio don’t garner the same respect around the league, and in the locker room. I commend Elway for making these moves, but the better move, for the long term, would have been to find a rookie backup to Manning (Osweiler isn’t the answer), and continue to build through the draft. The Chiefs and Chargers will probably have better records than the Broncos at the end of the year. Elway’s doing a good job, but he just reached …. and he’ll get his hand burned on the stove with fans giving him sympathy.
No to mention Talib had issues with weed in the past.
Welcome to Colorado Aqib.
It’s legal here.
CB Chris Cook coming in for a visit on Thursday!
Lets hope he moves on somewhere else.
You want missed tackles?
His name is Carlos Rogers.
He’s gone.
As for the Safety theory you proposed Spit, CPryor is a FS, as is C-Dix.
The guy that would be my best fit is Deone Bucannon from Washington.
Excellent size – 6’1″ 211 Runs very well, 4.49.
Turned in a 36.5″ Vert with a 10’5″ Broad.
Arms – 32 3/8″
He’s also a solid tackler, 384 in 49 games. Add 15 INTs to the mix as well.
By comparison, C-Dix 6’1″ 208 ran 4.58, 33″ Vert 9’11” Broad. Arms – 32 3/8″
Pretty close, until you factor College stats.
100 Tackles in 38 games with 7 INTs.
Calvin Pryor – 5’11” 207 4.58 40. Good Vert at 34.5″ 9’8″ Broad.
Biggest knock perhaps? Shorter arms – 31 3/8″
Give me Deone.
There’s alot of buzz for Jimmie Ward from Northern IL. He’s only 5’11” 193.
He didn’t run in Indy but had great College numbers.
55 games 320 Tackles and 11 INTs.
But…it’s Northern IL.
A guy like Deone might not necessarily be a 1st RD Pick either.
The SS Group is carrying 2nd RD grades and beyond, for what that’s worth.
RD1 should be BPA for Baalke between WR or CB IMO.
I’d love to see him make a move up for Justin Gilbert but, he’s likely out of reach.
In a perfect scenario, we stick at 30, get Odell there.
In RD 2 we nab Deone and WR Donte Moncrief.
I could live with a CB in RD1 too if we miss on Odell.
Just not sure who would carry a low 1st RD grade there.
My best guess would be Kyle Fuller from VA Tech.
6’0″ 190 4.49 40 38.5″ Vert 10’8″ Broad. Long arms too, 32 7/8″
54 games – 207 tackles 10 INTs
I’d be happy with him.
I would go CB 1st round WR second unless the value is wildly the other way. WR is such a tough pick to hit on.
With both areas, DBs and WRs as deep as they are 12th, I’d be happy with the BPA approach at either position.
When dealing with College prospects, it’s never automatic at any position.
CBs can bust just as easily as WRs.
Look at Mo Claiborne in Dallas, Dee Milliner NYJ.
Neither guy has shown much and, both were rated extemely high when they came out.
H3LL, I’d have a tough time passing on a guy like Louis Nix or LB Ryan Shazier if either slid to our 30th slot.
Go BPA.
Always a good formula.
Another consideration I’d propose, if Iupati is iffy to extend is, OG Gabe Jackson from MS State.
He might be a RD 2 steal.
SS Mo Alexander from Utah State did well at the Combine too.
Don’t know much about him though.
6’1″ 220 4.54 40 38″ Vert 10’3″ Broad 32 5/8″ arms.
Not much on him, JUCO transfer apparently.
He’s a sleeper-type, late RD Pick perhaps?
He took a pretty stiff jail sentence for slugging a teammate –
Could be a risk in that regard?
http://tinyurl.com/mnk26yz
How about Eric Decker going to the NYJ?
Quite a surprise.
$36M 5yrs $15M Guaranteed –
Might help is in the Draft however?
NYJ could look to another position now with his addition.
Calvin Pryor is a strong safety in the NFL. Bank on it. Ha Ha is an Ed Reid clone. Both guys could play in the box if needed. And if you want interchangeable safeties, Ha Ha’s your guy. Ha Ha is serious. That dude will be a stud in the NFL. If he fell past 15, I’d grab him.
1st Round – CB
2nd Round – Safety
2nd Round – Running Back
3rd Round – Wide Receiver
Ha-Ha is overrated –
You can keep him.
Pryor goes ahead of Pick 30.
Deone is our guy.
NJ – with all due respect, you’re full of shit… and increasingly so. You come in here every night and shit on this blog, talking crap about things you don’t even know about, hoping it fits within your scheme of things. Back some shit up with some facts that aren’t twisted to support you 49er company man shtick, or else just STFU.
Think I supported my viewpoint pretty well Spit.
Brought you Combine stats, College stats as I was able to find them too.
Tell me what I twisted.
Simply comparing the stats and giving an opinion.
We’re all FOS, that’s what we do here.
You hate Baalke, I respect his efforts.
I get it.
No company man schtick from me, I don’t work for the company.
You don’t have to like my opinions, I don’t have to like yours.
No harm, no foul.
Stick the STFU remarks up your A$$.
No need for that garbage.
The 49ers have gone down the wrong road. And it’ll be hard to reverse course now. The formula for winning championships in SF was hard hitting safeties and an amazing rushing attack. Now we have Bethea and Frank Gore still making 6 million a year. Baalke sucks! That dude’s in over his head. Take away Tom Gamble and Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke is Scot’s McCloughan’s assistant.
Bethea is the Vet addition to insure/bridge to the Rookie we Draft in May Spit.
He’s on par with Whitner, and saves some money.
The Cap is being handled just fine.
Be nice if our Safeties wouldn’t give up the big plays.
Our Front 7 is where our rush Defense earns it’s keep.
Baalke sucks.
Baalke replaced Gamble.
That’s why Gamble asked to go to Philly.
His hometown.
Baalke was a Scout earlier in his career and moved up, just as Gamble did.
Young guys replace old guys all the time.
Part of the natural progression of things.
Phils Jaw Jack-O-Meter was showing Draw, now edging towards TILT
When Gamble left he took a lot of the front office knowledge with him regarding current NFL players. Baalke looks to be the guy who’d rather draft older players. When you can’t draft, this is what you have to do…. go older. Thank god Harbaugh knew about Eric Reid from his days at Stanford.
Here’s Bethea highlights. Nothing to whine about last year either. Him and Reid will be okay:
Lol…. nice try. This highlight reel is old. Most of the plays Bethea has Bob Sanders next to him which is the Colts in their heyday when Manning scored a million points and the safeties knew what was coming…. and Bethea was young. hell, there’s one highlight with Boldin in a Cardinals’ uniform. LOL. Don’t try to sell me this is the same player. 9 year veteran.
Where-as Pryor will only get better. Bethea getting worse every day, Pryor getting better….
Naw he played good last year too and will only improve w/ Reid like your boy Whitner did after a miserable 2012. Pryor won’t be there at 30 my friend
So good the Colts let him get out of town and four other safeties got paid more on opening day? Don’t represent a guy different than he truly is. He’s old. Your highlight reel was a weak attempt at manipulation.
Spit there’s no question that a younger option is coming in May.
You want a 2nd yr FS playing next to a Rookie SS?
That’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Good chance Bethea doesn’t see the end of his Contract with us.
For now, he’s on the Roster.
Isn’t the worst move I’ve ever seen.
You want to rag on Baalke but, McCloughan had his share of garbage moves too.
Kentwan Balmer comes to mind.
At this point, the team is getting younger.
Older Vets, like Boldin, help in the transition at every position.
Think Boldin helping the WR pick(s) in May.
Bethea helping the SS pick.
Spitwad Browns wanted your boy Whitner @ $7M per and there was no way we could match that and sign a vet CB in advance of the draft. Unless we’re keen to compete with the Browns at any price
I want a first round SS in Ha Ha or Pryor. That’s a disaster waiting to happen? Yeah, like Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, Kenny Vicarro and Eric Reid? Good thinking. One thing’s for sure… first round safeties haven’t been busting lately. Looks like that’s the safe pick. Let’s me guess, NJ…. you want a wide receiver in the first? Hmmm….. what about AJ Jenkins? Tell me about him again? How’d he turn out? Wide receiver is much more risky than safety, but hey, if you want to bang your head against the wall, go for it.
Phil….. Who’s advocating paying Whitner 7 million? I’m advocating, and have been, drafting a safety in the first round.
Baalke brought Harbaugh to SF too,
Not sure why you don’t like what he’s done for this team.
We’re pretty well managed under his watch.
2 guys that got beat in the NFCC gsme in Seattle are gone now.
Whitner and Rogers.
It’s about improving and planning ahead for the GM.
It’s not like Bethea is a nobody.
He’s a former Pro Bowler, still getting it done.
Read what I’d proposed earlier Spit.
Odell would be a guy I’d like at 30 if there.
Anyone can bust.
Get over AJJ.
He’s gone.
Swung and missed.
We got Reid last year. Baalke knew what he was doing there huh?
I know, Harbaugh made that Pick?
The former QB has all sorts of insight on the Defensive side of the Scouting?
You have an issue with Baalke, so be it.
You won’t get Pryor at 30.
I’d pass on Ha-Ha.
We’ll see what Baalke does in May.
All comes down to Scouting and slotting. If they’re guy is on the Board, they Pick.
If not, they pass and trade back or, take the next best option.
You keep insisting Pryor and CDix are SSs.
They’re not.
SS in Louisville was Hakeem Smith.
SS in ‘Bama was Vinnie Sunseri
Just because you want a 1st RD pick at a specific position doesn’t make it the better pick.
It’s on the Scouts to assign those Grades.
Look at CBs Mo Claiborne and Dee Milliner from recent years.
Both guys ranked as can’t miss Pro’s.
Both guys are mediocre.
A guy has to fit the system he’s being Drafted into.
CDix had a 100 tackles. You expect him to play in the Box at SS?
Dream on.
Hey Grumpy,
We play a lot of 4-2 these days. Allen wouldn’t be key in run defense anyway. He can play some inside tackle and outside end as a rotation/situational pressure guy. He wouldn’t be worth all the money he probably wants but he wouldn’t mind winning a championship or two for less I’d bet. QB pressure is what we can use more of and Allen would bring it.
I don’t think a big name/big money receiver is going to change the offense that much. Even one that draws double teams for a few games, like Moss, doesn’t fool defenses for long if he doesn’t get targeted but rarely. If that’s all it took, to pay a big time receiver to run deep routes, we’d be throwing a lot more deep stuff now.
Spit you made a remark about Gamble taking his NFL knowledge with him to Philly.
He’s working with GM Roseman there now.
Another team that had a horrible Secondary.
Just signed an old CB, Malcom Jenkins.
They needed a S also.
They added Chris Maragos on a 3yr deal.
Maragos was a Baalke Pick a few years back and got cut, went to Seattle.
Now he’s in Philly.
I’d call that an average move, since he wasn’t starting next to Earl Thomas.
How about applying your old player theory to Elway in Denver.
Paying $30M to Ware and letting Decker walk?
I guess that move makes sense huh?
Ware is breaking down, missing games too.
Bethea is an Iron Man at SS.
Hard worker, still getting it done, much like Boldin.
Some guys can defy their ages in this game, most don’t.
London Fletcher comes to mind in that scenario too.
The Colts obviously felt money was needed at other positions, Bethea became expendable to them.
Happens all the time.
Better to know what the values are to your team, then to keep throwing money at guys that aren’t producing up to their Contracts.
Santonio Holmes perhaps?
Mark Sanchez?
Baalke puts a value on each position and the player he’s paying to fill it.
Many GMs, like Jerruh, are completely clueless.
Spitblood says:
March 12, 2014 at 10:29 pm
NJ – with all due respect, you’re full of shit… and increasingly so. You come in here every night and shit on this blog, talking crap about things you don’t even know about, hoping it fits within your scheme of things. Back some shit up with some facts that aren’t twisted to support you 49er company man shtick, or else just STFU.
What exactly is sh!tting on the blog mean Spit?
We’re talking Draft options.
Sure, I’m trying to predict what options Baalke has in mind.
I know what I do research on, I post my opinions about it, just as you and everyone else does here.
You like your guys, I like my guys.
In the end, we wait to see what happens.
Maybe I’m right, maybe you’re right.
It becomes reality when Baalke does his job.
If you did your research, you’d know that Pryor and CDix are listed as FSs.
Get your facts separated from your opinions, before telling me to STFU.
I don’t bring an agenda here to sh!t on you or anyone else.
Just sharing opinions and research info I’ve located.
It’s OK to debate the options.
Stick the STFU remark up your A$$.
You were torqued out about Baalke spending $25M on Gabbert too.
Fact is, he picked up Gabbert for the final year of his original Rookie deal, which is 80% paid off already.
What he got was a 1st RD QB for $2M.
A low risk option to use as an upgrade over McCoy.
You want to debate 9ers that’s fine.
No need for the personal insults.
I read your opinions, I have mine too.
Keep it civil, show some respect.
With all due respect…..
My mistake, Gabbert was on a 4yr Deal – not 5.
So 75% is done, 80% –
Don’t want to be accused of twisting anything –
Blaine Gabbert is set to earn a guaranteed $2.011 million this season. Gabbert’s salary this season is fully guaranteed for injury, skill and salary cap concerns, a source said, which virtually assures the backup job is his to lose. The entire four-year, $12 million deal Gabbert signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a rookie was guaranteed.
Don’t want to pile on here because I think pretty much everyone brings something to the table in our attempts to figure out what’s best for the Niners. NJ, Spit, 12, NF, etc all have good things to offer. The back and forth is useful, educational even. So bully (sorry Jonathan Martin) fer us. It’s going to come down to seeing what Balky does and how that matches our high or low expectations. It’s too soon to tell in some cases but we will be proven either right or wrong. As will Balky. We need a good productive draft this year with WR & DBs top of our list as Grumpy sez.
I’m all for taking a S in the first round if there is value there. Pryor looks like he could be a great player for us if we can get him- even trading up. Bethea is a stop gap while our yet to be acquired new guy(s) get up to speed. He’s a penalty free tackling machine as the admittedly old career tape above shows. Saw some stats about his recent tackling vs Whitner I just saw are eye opening: over last three years Bethea has 349 tackles vs 228 fer Donte. Pass D not so much but he’s another character type who will bring needed leadership to the team and a professional example for the future draftees in backfield we do get. I’m optimistic we’ll get a couple more players in draft or FA which will leave us equal to or improved in our backfield. IMHO
Info on Bethea:
http://www.ninersnation.com/2014/3/12/5500256/antoine-bethea-signing-49ers-scouting-report-colts-blogger-scout
Recent -lol- vid of safeties on FA market this year incl. Whitner & Beth-A
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/multimedia/videos/Film-Room-Safeties-On-The-Open-Market/32bc58f2-e07c-4e1b-98c6-2b85d3680c25
SNARKK here’s the tiny url of the same link:
http://tinyurl.com/opur7kn
Morning Phil.
Whitner was not very good in 2012, he played in the same scheme with Goldson who was pretty good. The following year we have Reid in for Goldson and hey presto Whitner plays much better.
The exact same thing could happen with Bethea for all Spit knows. Spit gives his opinions as facts and gets nasty when his “facts” are questioned. Spit cobbles together a storyline that fits in with his point to try to support his stuff.
I like reading some of his ideas either for their entertainment value or for the occasional nugget he uncovers because he thinks unconventionably.
I don’t mind his schtick, characters are the lifeblood of blogs, but he gets personal and that is not so funny.
NJ has his info, he has basic limited facts to support his case. For instance the niners need a SS and he has researched good college SS. Spit knows the 2 big name safeties and try’s to make a case for them. He doesn’t know they are FS. So he proclaims they will be SS in the NFL. It’s kids stuff.
Funny all the same but i don’t see that particular debate ended in a draw.
Just watched some Dri Archer highlights. No, I wouldn’t use him as a RB going up the middle, which seemed his primary responsibility with the Golden Flashes. But on his kickoff returns, plus reverses and end arounds when he’s lined up wide, Holy Mallard! The guy’s a flippin’ blur.
Only Chris Johnson timed better in the combine 40 in the 26 years they’ve been doing it. I want him. If only to see how Roman screws it up.
Another oddity about Archer is although he is small he is a long strider. He matched the record set by Megatron for the least strides in the 40. I don’t know if Baalke will go after him or not but he does have some skills at a minimum in the return game.