The 49ers are at least getting their newly drafted players into the fold. 8 of the 12 draft picks, including 1st rounder Jimmie Ward, have signed. Which means in the least that there will be a lot of fighting for roster spots. Sure, most of the available spots are for 2nd-3rd string, or special teams, but still, competition makes the team grow stronger. Hopefully.
Granted, Jimmie Ward has a golden ticket to the slot/nickel CB spot, much like Eric Reid last year being handed the keys to the free safety position. One can hope the transition is as seamless for Jimmie as it was for Eric. Other than that, Bethea takes over for Whitner, Ellington takes over for the remarkably-still-on-the-team-but-not-for-long LMJ (who showed up for OTAs today), Marcus Martin joins the battle for the center position with Looney and Kilgore Trout, Brtandon Thomas looks to replace Mike Iupati, and Carlos Hyde becomes the possible heir-apparent to Frank Gore. Marcus Lattimore may have something to say about that, though.
The rest, and the UDFAs, are scrambling for precious few spots. We’ll likely revamp the taxi squad as well. Harbaugh (or someone) said that the team will more than likely only carry 2 QBs on the roster. Which makes the fight between Beth-el, Gabbert, and Josh Johnson a fight to the death. UDFA Kory QB Falkner will more than likely go to the PS.
The one position I really thought they’d look to upgrade is WR. Although Ellington is a speed-burner, his value for now is as a kick/punt returner. He’d come in to the WR battle as 5th on the depth chart behind Boldin, Crabs, Stevie Wonder, and Quinton Patton. Oh, yeah, and Brandon Lloyd. Although I think the fight for the #3 WR will rub out one of either Johnson or Lloyd. Maybe he can pass QP and be the deep threat we so desperately need.
Other than that, it’s backup LB, backup CB and backup DE spots being determined. Let the fun begin . . .
Forty Niners Forever 
Damn Del, pretty ferocious winds and quicksand in that convenience store.
Looks like you forgot the 12 pack too 😀
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Booze kinda stuff.
Not sure how much this story got noticed out there but, it’s pretty eff’n scary to think about –
CNN exclusive: A meat processing plant in California was buying diseased dairy cows and processing them when government inspectors weren’t there, federal officials tell CNN.
After the cows were killed, employees at Rancho Feeding Corp., based in Petaluma, California, would hide the warning signs of cancer by trimming off diseased parts, using a fake stamp of approval or even replacing the heads of sick cows with ones from healthy animals, the officials say.
A tip from an employee led to a federal investigation and the recall of nearly 9 million pounds of meat processed by Rancho.
Replacing cow heads?
Seriously?
How exactly would you NOT notice that I wonder?
‘Look Jim, another brown cow with a black head’
‘Pretty odd Pete’
Not even safe to consume Hot Pockets as a result –
What’s this world coming to?
35 States and Guam?
I’d stick to Budweiser too.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/07/health/beef-product-recall/
If you are eating Hot Pockets, diseased meat is the least of your problems . . .
The government overseeing our food production? Isn’t that socialism?
Apparently self-regulation isn’t the way to go here.
With Hyde, Lattimore and Hunter on board, I’m down with the depth at RB. Gore can be phased out during the season, or before it starts, whichever. Frank should be congratulated for his service, and asked to stand down gracefully or gradually. At this point in his career, IMO his value is mostly as a pass blocker. Hopefully he can help show the younguns how it’s done, because he’s been great at it. I am always for having 3 QBs. If only two and Kap goes down, that means you are one injury away on the next play from having some wideout be the QB for the remainder of a game, and then hustling to get a substitute, train him up and get him ready to start in one week between games. IMO it’s worth it to carry three…
Gore is still good for 800 – 1000 yards this year, and your right he can surely show em how it’s done.
If Gore gets 800-1000 we won’t win the Super Bowl. If he’s 500 or less we will.
Was it 1978 when Freddie Solomon was forced into QB duties due to DeBerg and the #2 guy (Scott Bull?) going down? Those were the fugly days . . .
I think that’s the thing I’m reminded of. I don’t know if Freddy even threw any passes, maybe he did, he was a QB in college for a while, as I remember. I guess you can keep a third, real QB on the practice squad — but you tell me Chuck, is that regularly done? I don’t know. Still, even if that’s done, that QB wouldn’t get much real practice time throwing with the starting squad, it seems to me. These days, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility at all that two QBs could go down in the space of one or two games. Kap goes outside the pocket downfield and gets popped by a linebacker — if he takes a shoulder injury or something, we’re down to one QB on the active roster. Niners already don’t throw the ball enough, with only one QB available Roman would make him a handoff machine…
Handoff machine with an occassional 2 yrd pass, just to keep the defense guessing.
Lots of teams carry 4 by putting one on the ‘inactive’ list and one on the practice squad, along with the 1 and 2. Then again, teams do try to make due with 2 on the active, and a young guy on the practice squad. I’d be very surprised if we don’t at least keep Falkner on the PS.
What this usually means though is that they have someone who they can sign at a moment’s notice like Bethel-Thompson last year after they waived him earlier.
On a funny note (well, not at the time), just looked up that 1978 team. I vaguely remember them using backup DB Bruce Threadgill at QB as well. He was 0-2 with 2 INTs in his only action. I think it was the last game of the year and they didn’t want to risk Freddie getting hurt.
Freddie was something like 5-10 for 83 yards . . . and only 1 pick!
Like most teams if their starting QB goes down they are pretty much done. So are we.
And, in more fun news, Alex Boone is MIA at the OTAs due to unhappiness with the contract he signed.
Hopefully Boone finds his happy place soon because it’s probably not with more money coming his way. That’s the very reason he was signed as an UDFA – for a high reward (cheap player if he panned out). Boone also has zero leverage with Looney, Martin and Thomas in the mix. I know Thomas is injured, but if Boone’s a pain in the ass, Thomas can replace him next year. We might even have Bykowski still in the mix somewhere.
Yeah, the hope is Harbaugh can do for Gabbert what he did for Alex.
I hate to say it, but as far as rehab projects, Alex has the advantage over Gabbert for one reason: heart. Alex has it (with little talent), and Gabbert doesn’t (with more talent than Alex). If I was a betting man, I’d say Harbaugh doesn’t rehab Gabbert unless Gabbert visits the Wizard and finds a heart.
Yeah, Snarkk/Winder. I think Gore gets more and more breaks during the year. Surely 750-800 yards, but I think he loses playing time to Hyde, providing he can block.
I’m still not sold that Lattimore is going to be able to play 100% this season.
I think Hyde’s going to tear it up and Roman will telegraph his rare passing plays by putting Gore in to block.
Boone is worth a reasonable bump in salary IMO.
Simply because he’s been durable.
Good chance Snyder will lose out to Jonathan Martin as the swing tackle plus, Marcus Martin or Looney could secure a spot in the rotation as well.
We’ve still got Al Netter and the OG we claimed from Seattle last year on the roster too, Ryan Seymour.
See what shakes out.
I like Boone and I hope the brass can figure out how to keep him. He plays with an attitude and has been a solid player, can’t have to many good OL’s
Sure, Boone may be deserving of a raise, but this shit is annoying. No one twisted his arm to sign his current deal. Then again, I thought Gore would gladly renegotiate his deal as well. These guys aren’t paying attention to reality.
This is only the voluntary portion of the process too Chuck.
New Agent, repping a consistant, reliable performer, who’s making below market wages.
It’s a business.
If Boone balks when the attendance is mandatory, that’s when things could get testy.
He’s definitely earned his keep since cleaning up his College image.
He was a solid performer at Ohio St. (with a wreckless attitude) that caused him to go undrafted in the first place.
Can’t say he didn’t take his job seriously since he arrived.
I think they’ll work with him on this.
Oh Moses, smell the roses. You think they’ll “work with [Boone] on this?” Really? We just traded for Stevie Johnson and acquired his 4 million plus per year, and we’re strapped for cash, looking for players to restructure like Bowman so we can put together a deal for Kaep? I know the 49ers publically announced they would wait and see with Kaep until the Florida thing was resolved, but an extension still looms large whether it’s today or tomorrow. Steve Johnson – Bowman + Kaep =’s no extra money for Boone.
And Boone’s not going to sit out. I promise you that. No NFL player has held out since Vincent Jackson in his days with the Chargers. Boone is basically saying he’s unhappy and not going to go above and beyond, but when the mandatory stuff comes around, Boone will be there, and he’ll play and say all the right things. You wait. And he won’t get another penny from the 49ers. The minute Boone wants more is the minute they plug in Looney, Thomas and Martin. And when they feel underpaid the GM will have other O linemen waiting in the wings. Do you remember a guy named Carlos Rogers? Leverage. Sometimes you got it. Sometimes you don’t. With the O line, the 49ers have it.
All true Spit.
My initial response suggested leverage as well.
Carlos’ Contract clears up $6+Mil sometime in June I believe.
Guys like Snyder could be dispensable too, for the likes of Looney and others, simply due to his age.
I know your feelings about Baalke but, I think he’s played the Cap Mgt angles very well to this point.
Agree, Boone likely reports when mandatory attendance is required, simply because of the current CBA, penalties would lighten his bank account even further.
Holdouts were basically eliminated under the current arrangements.
He’s under Contract for 2 more years, he’s not dealing from a position of strength at this point.
Baalke has the cards and could deal him if other options arise.
Just saying that I’d be inclined to entertain a Cap friendly approach for a guy that’s proven to be very reliable.
I actually think Iupati and Crabtree are goners due to additions like MMartin and Brandon Thomas.
Stevie is the leverage for Crabtree.
Yes, I think there’s a way to make Boone happy without strangling the Cap.
Gore’s money is gone after this year too.
We’ll see how things go.
I wouldn’t sweat it with Boone. He’s worth a raise IMO.
If I didn’t know any better, I might actually think you’re approving of the moves Baalke made to plan for the future.
Thought that was my job?
To be fair, Boone is a proven commodity.
Baalke surely won’t cave on this, no way.
As was the case with TBrown and the lost wages last year, I think they value Boone enough to at least make a reasonable attempt to keep him happy.
He’s making peanuts by comparison, to many others in the League.
Something I think Baalke is positioned to do well with is Comp Picks for both Iupati and Crabtree next year.
2 former high 1st RD Picks, that probably will be too expensive to retain, still equals a valuable return that way.
HORSE-BLEEP!
woof
Oh Moses, smell the roses? That’s a new one. . .
Rogers was certainly a proven commodity, but he was obviously on the back end of his career path. Brown was just a casualty of his own dumbosity. Boone they could make some small concession for, but I don’t think he’s high on their list of must-sign guys. Boone was pretty much stupiding his way out of the league if not for the team’s willingness to help him salvage his shit. This is how he thanks them?
And all this talk about Stevie Wonder is intriguing at best. He’s prima donna’ed his way through a couple of injury-plagued seasons after his good start. Has he grown up? Will he embrace the team concept so thrust on the players here? How he goes will tell some about how they deal with Crabs. I’m not sold on the guy by any means.
“Dumbosity”……a new word is born!
My top 5 favorite players in the NFL right now…..
1.) Navarro Bowman
2.) Rocky Bernard
3.) Steve Smith
4.) Wes Welker
5.) Charlie Whitehurtz
1.) Bowman’s better than Willis, makes more plays and has more personality. He’s the team’s leader. At least the defense’s.
2.) Rocky Bernard knocked Alex Smith out of a game, a season and almost ended his Smith’s career prematurely. The year Smith was on the bench was my favorite Alex Smith year while he was in SF. Rocky was 95 in the Giants’ playbook, number two on this list, but number one in my heart.
3.) When he was younger, Steve Smith used to punch-out his teammates to the tune of facial reconstruction and many hours of counseling. Still the angriest man in football.
4.) The foot interview? The hit on Talib in the playoffs? Giving away the track’s money and then telling the track to go fly a kite when the said they wanted it back. Good stuff, Welker.
5.) And now Charlie Whitehurtz has cracked my top five. Why? Because he lost his jersey number in an arm wrestling match to a punter. I mean, honestly…. If you’re that weak that you lose an arm wrestling match to a punter, and you’ve been in the league, drawing league minimum pay for six or seven years, you’re fleecin’ a lot of NFL GMs. I could beat Andy Lee in an arm wrestling match as a double arm amputee. That buck tooth goober is straight out of a Beetle Bailey cartoon. I bet he could chew through an Aspen quicker than you could get your Stihl saw fired up.
Actually, Rocky Bernard is no longer in the NFL so technically he can’t make my “current NFL favorites” list. So my new number 5 favorite player is now a tie between Kaep and Hyde. Weak, I know.