I’m sure you are all as thrilled as I am over the machinations that are occurring behind the scenes of the San Francisco 49ers front office as they wrestle with the idea of giving Jim Harbaugh a contract extension. Gladly for the sake of the team, the players, and the fans, they decided, amicably, to postpone contract extension talks til after this season.
The thing is, Harbaugh will immediately get the lame-duck designation after this season, depending on how things work out. The team could be at a very very important juncture in their desire to reach the promised land if this team falls short of its goal to win Super Bowl 49.
Harbaugh is currently on his original 5 year contract. One that is set to expire after the 2015 season. Due to his wildly successful start as a head coach here, the flag was raised by Jimbo after 2 season to ask for an extension. Things cooled a bit when they lost the Super Bowl, and then lost in the NFCCG last year. It got to the point of a nonsensical yet partially valid trade offer from the Cleveland Browns that was maybe taken semi-seriously by the team.
Harbaugh certainly has ruffled the feathers of those in the front office. In what ways, us on the outside don’t really know, short of his professions to want to keep certain guys that fall out of favor with the front office, or his maniacal sense of importance to the team.
Certainly, Harbaugh has done an outstanding job as head coach, no one is denying that, but what happens going forward? This is really Jimbo’s contract push. Getting so close so fast has really put him in a shitty position. He set the bar to ‘impossibly high’ in two short years. All the front office has to do is point at the trophy case and say, in their best Judge Smails voice ”Well? We’re waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiting!”
Yes, Bill Walsh turned around a much shittier team in three years. Yes, Walsh is an impossibly high standard to live up to, but Jim put himself in this position, and seems to be driving wedges between he and the front office by hammering this contract thing. He’s backed off, but if he doesn’t win the Super Bowl this year, and say the offense looks a bit ragged, what should the team do?
- Would you give Jim Harbaugh $10 mill a year for not winning it all?
- Would you lame-duck his ass and say win or take your khakis elsewhere?
- Would you say ~$8 mill, take it or leave it?
If we don’t win it all, I’m going with #3.
Forty Niners Forever 
C’mon, JJ Time!
And right on cue…Gabbert throws a pick.
Let me ask you people a question. What’s your prediction for this yr with Kap starting all 16 games? Sake of argument, let’s say 12-4. What would your prediction be if you knew Gabbert had to start all 16 games?
My answer? The 49ers are now on the clock…
Horrible pass by Gabbert… with radar lock. Time to see my boy who I secretly loved all along, Josh Johnson. Lol.
Who got beat for that touchdown? Anyone see?
Dontae Johnson
Dontae
Thanks.
Josh Johnson has to be smiling inside with how bad Gabbert just looked. If he’s relaxed and makes throws, he’ll get second team reps next week.
Josh Johnson — way to come in and assert yourself as the #2 QB.
My Lord.
Not after that play. Eek, just backup QB eek.
If this team had to play an entire season w/o Kap at QB, they wouldn’t even sniff .500
Calling Tim Tebow…
Jesus… Josh Johnson…. all you had to do was be average….fumble? The 49ers in general just look like shit from top to bottom…. which is a Harbaugh trait in preseason but still. 3 points in two games? Makes me nervous.
Anyone hear what’s up with Bethea? Cause Spillman and Dahl give me Diarrhea.
Concussion
He suffered a concussion.
Jesus… that’s not what we need. Reid’s already concussion prone and Jimmy Ward looks like he should be playing Pee Wee football.
No roster trimming for 2 weeks but some dudes lost their jobs today.
I wouldn’t want to be in the film room this week.
Paging Tim Tebow…
Don’t think the 49ers are making that call. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they made a push for a trade. Christian Ponder from the Vikes? He’ll be of no use to them as soon as they start. Teddy B.
But like I’ve said. If a team’s b/u QB has to play more than a game or two their season is over. As well it should be. If an NFL team could still make the playoffs using their b/u for the entire year, they should demand a new starter. Because he wasn’t any good to begin with in the first place.
If you compare how the Niners have played in this preseason to both the Cardinals and Seahawks – if preseason’s an indication – the 49ers aren’t making the playoffs.
Going back to the Jim Harbaugh debate, I don’t think the 49ers are going to be able to trade Jim Harbaugh to avoid a lame duck year. If Harbaugh wants more money, and a lot more, he’ll have to hit the open market. If the 49ers want to trade Jim with a year left on his contract, that assumes Jim will, like a player, sign a contract with the next team. But Jim won’t. If Jim gets traded to the New York Giants, the Giants give up picks for Jim and that hurts Jim’s chances to compete. In addition, Jim doesn’t have to worry about a franchise tag being put on him so he can completely work an open market bidding war. The only way a sign and trade would work would be if the team agreed to make Jim the highest paid HC in the NFL while the 49ers were also realistic about not getting much for the trade – something like a 5th round draft choice and not the bounty the Bucs got for Gruden. There are no completely stacked teams in the NFL right now that are just a coach away like that Bucs team was.
The best thing for Jim Harbaugh is to coach out his contract and announce to the league he won’t be accepting a new contract with the team he’s traded to… if he’s traded to avoid a lame duck year. If he does that, and the Raiders are stuck in the mud (which they will be if they don’t switch to Carr soon because Schaub, like a pitcher, has lost a ton of arm speed), the Raiders will give Jed York fits. If Jim plays his cards right, he could force Jed to pay him not big but huge money.
However, this 49er team is transitioning from a Super Bowl contender to a lot of guys retiring or going else where to play. And I don’t think much of Trent Baalke’s drafts. It’s possible Harbaugh leaves this Mickey Mouse organization for greener pastures when the 2015 season is over. And then the darkness will once again enshroud the Niner organization with plenty of fans on these blogs realizing way too late they were kidding themselves about Jed Yorks’ ability to run the team without Harbaugh.
Another thing that might be an issue that isn’t being discussed is “final say.” It’s obvious Harbaugh doesn’t want to be the GM, but he may want final say regarding contracts and even draft choices if he has an opinion. This isn’t Jim wanting to be the GM. This Jim wanting it his way if he has an opinion on a matter. If this is a sticking point, this organization is screwed.
What makes you so sure Jim wants to break the bank Spit?
You’re making a lot of assumptions about Contract demands when he’s already been put on record, saying he’s very comfortable financially.
Personally, I think they’ll get things done.
This could be more about his assistants than himself for all we know.
Try this on for size –
Roman was taking heat for the less than productive passing game.
Jim suggests it’s on him, not Greg.
He wants to prove that he’s not simply a run-oriented HC and vows to prove it this year.
Talks are tabled until after the season.
TBC……….
We obviously don’t know, what we don’t know.
I don’t expect Jed to be dumb enough to think he’ll low-ball Jim.
I’m convinced Jed is doing his due diligence to make a qualified offer.
Agree or disagree, it’s a 2-way street.
Brother John in Baltimore won a SB and took an extension through 2016, paying him an avg of $7M/yr.
Last year he got another year added, for missing the Playoffs, still reported as $7M/yr.
Sean Payton is listed as the top HC at $8M/yr from info I’ve been able to find online.
Jed need only think in terms of bumping Jim into the $7-8M/yr range to stay committed to Jim.
Not too ridiculous to me for Jed to go there, without offending Jim in the process.
I can’t see Jim asking to surpass his Brother unless, and until, he’s handing Jed Lombardi #6.
I hope Ken Acker beats out Donte Johnson. I can’t stand Johnson, Borland and Lynch… and Ward better beef-up and prove to be tough enough to stay off the injured reserve.
I think both Acker and Johnson will stick.
I don’t think either is starter worthy, as Rookies, but they could be protected, because teams like the NYJ are starving for CBs.
We’ll see…….
Baalke could even consider making some Coin for the Draft next year too, with a Trade.
Put your GM hat on and put away the pitchfork.
Man, our backup QBs suck. Think Nate Davis still has his 49er coloring book? LOL
ABAS may be turning to ABBG.
Damn the backup QB find another if he’s a loser. Anyway the Niners weren’t interested from the start in this game. It was pure shit. Pre-season is a complete waste except to see guys who will be cut.
Gorgeous stadium, very warm out there. Looks like the team went to the wrong stadium though. The highlight of the day was the near TD to Brandon Lloyd. After that, not so much to look at. the 1st string (and 2nd string for that matter) got no pressure on anyone. The underneath converge was nonexistent no matter who was out there.
Sure it’s preseason, but I’m not very thrilled about the offense at this point. Gabbert will be lucky to make the squad. Ellington looked shakey as well. JJ? We lit after the fumble in the 3rd. Found free parking close by. ATT beer prices….