The 49ers are getting down to the end of the preseason tonight with a game against the LA Clippers, uh, Chargers, here in the friendly strip mall of Santa Clara. Overall, the team has looked pretty sharp on both sides of the ball (the turnover debacle in Denver notwithstanding). Special teams has been spotty at best, and there have been way too many penalties, but overall I have a pretty good feeling about how the team looks. They don’t look as retarded as they did last year, but again, preseason can be deceiving. Just ask Aluminum Mike Singletary and his stellar 4-0 preseason record in 2010. Teams aren’t game-planning for specific opponents, and many games (like the KC and Minn games) are determined by the 3rd string players.
Be that as it may, there has been a flurry of team activity recently. Ahmad Brooks was cut loose (and subsequently signed by the Packers), Vance McDropsy was traded to Pittsburgh with our 5th round pick next year, for a 4th round pick, and we traded our 2019 5th round pick to the Deetroit Lions for once-and future star first round pick in 2015 guard Laken Tomlinson. Sure, it’s a small price to pay for a 1st round pick, but he has been very underwhelming on a team that is desperate for line help. My thought was he didn’t fit their system, but we’ll see. He’ll be holding down the left guard spot as Joshua Garnett heals up.
I love the fact that we are giving George Kittle the opportunity to take over the TE position, as Vance can’t dance couldn’t consistently catch either. All of our previous TEs Bell, Celek, and Dray among others, left little impression as well, so the job looks to go to Kittle. The backups will be a fight with the other 5 on the roster. Hikutini, Bell, Celek, Nelson, and Paulson.
After the game, we’ll take a look at the 90 man roster and see who stays and goes . . .
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
Garnett out for at least the first month of the season. That explains the Tomlinson trade.
this article breaks it down pretty good. It’s not “Kap is better than X number of back ups and he’s getting blackballed.”
https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/08/31/colin-kaepernick-nfl-blackball-national-anthem-protests
great to see pre season games carrying such meaning for the fans…..
Easy to make the assumption of his B. S. Protest as the reason, join the dots right?
Pro evaluators understand very well his skill set fits exactly 2 teams in the NFL and his baggage ain’t worth close to benchmarked status for those 2 teams. Like it or lump it those are real world facts.
Pro evaluators made Cade McCown a starter in the NFL, 12th. Mike Glennon as well. Osweiler got a $billion to suck harder that a vaccuum. If these are the options the Jets and Bears are going with, welcome to 4-24. But hey, who cares about winning when you look PC?
There are 2 QB with the same run first skillset, neither has a job, Kap and RG3, but only 1 protested yet both are unemployed. The other QB’s you mentioned are less skilled than either RG3 or Kap on a raw basis, but none of them need a revamp of an entire offense just for them and since neither RG3 or Kap can run a pocket passing offense or read a defense well, that leaves precisely 2 teams they could go to purely as back ups. Carolina and Seattle and in each case those teams would need a well above average running game and neither have it.
Sorry, but that doesn’t hold water, Flav. Kaepernick is better than at least 50 of the 96 QB in the league. The owners are chickenshit, plain and simple. Cade McCown? Please.He’s a fucking piece of shit QB who should be holding a clipboard. You are telling me Mike Glennon is better than Kaepernick? Not to mention the 40 or 50 shitty backups.
Kappy’s not the 2nd coming of Steve Young, but he’s better than a lot of QBs currently on NFL rosters. Half the players in the NFL could protest and it wouldn’t matter one iota. Kaepernick is the flash point to the owners and the disgruntled white trash that vilify him for his actions.
If you think it is difficult for teams to change their offense to fit a more mobile QB, then the league is full of moron OCs. Do Osweiler and Kizer fit the same mold? Did Montana and Young? Newton and Anderson? Romo and Prescott? It’s laughable.
Tell ya one thing, if Denver got Kaepernick last year, they would have been in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, this game is winding down. CJ Beathard is making Hot Tub Matt Barkley expendable.
The team actually looks pretty viable. Another quick turnaround?
DeAndre Smelter relegated to 3rd string.
Funniest line of the article:
Meritocracy? Right. If you run over and kill someone with your car while drunk, you are viable only if you are considered a great WR. If you get convicted of beating up your girlfriend felony-style, you are viable if you are a great pass rusher. Puch your GF unconcho in an elevator and get a rousing ovation from your team. IF you are a good RB.
Social commentary? Fair to middling players need not apply, Sorry, we have to protect the trailer park crowd. If Tom Brady took a knee (right), would he be blackballed? No.
If Kap could learn to read defenses and stay in the pocket he would be employed today. But he can’t do either one.
I was hoping Smelter would end up making the team. He still might, but he hasn’t made much of a name for himself in the games. Maybe the practice squad? Boldin with another long kick return for a TD. I have him being cut, but does two returns for touchdowns change that? I don’t know if he’s enough of a receiver to meet Shanahan’s versatility criteria. He’s said he prefers guys who can do more than just ST. We’ll see on Saturday.
It looks like we are gonna put a fairly good product on the field. Depth is gonna be our biggest enemy this year and that means we are going to let some good players go at positions where we have a log jam. RB and WR are two areas where that will take place. CB’s and OL is our weak spot and we will keep more players for those positions because we need to.
Laken Tomlinson? I’m always suspicious of 1st rd OL draft pick busts. But I like the aggressiveness of Shanny/Lynch. It’s a move that *could* pay off big time.
My friend was probably doing laps in his living room last night when Boldin returned that punt. He’s been bragging him up since he was drafted. Boldin is his nephew.
Read the post by spit. As usual, he says what somebody else thinks and gets it wrong. He’s a propaganda machine. He should stick to his own opinions and quit trying to speak for others.
Straw man arguments are easy to win, eh?
Yeah I’m concerned about the corners. Good to have Jimmy Ward back but he hasn’t set foot on the field. He was rocking the sunglasses at night on the sidelines.
O line? We are pass blocking well. Run blocking not so much. At times the RBs aren’t waiting for the blocking, other times the shit isn’t there. Work inrogress but we look about 80x better than a year ago.
If it’s between Boldin and Taylor then Taylor gets the nod. We’ll see.
Here at the library, so I thought I’d drop in. WordPress and my PC are still incompatible and will remain so pretty much forever, so I’ll be here only on rare occasions.
5-11
Really tough call – if we stay healthy (I’m talking to you, Hoyer) and play like we did in the first quarter against the Vikes, we’ll win a lot more than 5. But, we won’t get to play against Mr. Dink and Dunk Not Even As Well as Alex (yeah, Bradford) this year, so there’s that. Secondary is really suspect, our pass rush is unproven, and our run defense was all-time worst last year. How much will that latter improve? Run game is also questionable – is Hyde really THE MAN? Receivers look miles and miles better. Play calling is a million times better. Young defense should get a lot better as the season goes on. ST looks vastly improved.
w-Rams, Rams, Bears, Jags
?-Eagles, Colts
L-pretty much everybody else
I’ll check in in a month or so. Hi to everybody!
RT- Great to see you. I hate computer problems. I had adjusted my win/loss prediction about a week ago from 4-12 to 3-13. I am going back to 4-12. To me its all about depth because injuries always happen. I also think this is gonna be a real fun year to watch 49er football.
We traded a future 5th rd pick for the ex-#1 OLineman. I really hope he works out because this new regime seems to pick pretty well in the 5th. Kittle and Taylor were fantastic picks this year.
Our 2019 pick. . . I wouldn’t sweat it. better than a shitty punter, anyway.
Yes! Both those guys could end up being studs. Kittle looks like a natural and Taylor is fearless with stickum for hands.
No way I see Boldin beating out Taylor if it comes to that. Taylor is an actual viable receiver and Shanny likes him. His 40 yard punt return was overshadowed by Boldin’s great play. Taylor is a gamer and the Niners need depth at the slot wideout position. He’s had a great all around camp.
Hey RT. I think one area the D will improve the most is against the run. Pretty hard to go anywhere but up after last year. The D-line is green but pretty well stacked. The LB’s should be solid with Foster, Bow and Armstrong. All three are fast and good run-stoppers.
What are your problems, RTF? My settings are not really set to stop normal traffic.
I’m chomping at the bit for news on the cuts, but haven’t found anything yet. If any of you guys hear anything, throw it up here. 9 days until the first game!
Cuts are tomorrow. A lot of teams still have games to play so the cuts will be after that.
Yeah I know, but Shanahan said in his presser that most of the cuts will take place today. They just have to submit a final roster by 1300 tomorrow. I figured some leakage might take place.
Well, just looked at the schedule, and everybody played their last preseason game yesterday, except for Hou/Dal for obvious reasons.
So yeah, John the slashing will commence shortly.
A very painful day for some.
tru dat
Barkley gone, Beathard installed at #2.
That was a no-brainer. Still have to call out Larry Krueger for saying BeatHard should be the starter.
AZ cuts Chris Johnson and CB Daniel Gray
Who was promptly signed by the Giants . . .
Tim Barnes, Will Davis, Leger Douzable, Andrew Gardner, Tim Hightower, Louis Murphy released.
Kapri Bibbs, Andrew Lauderdale, Tyler McCloskey, Tim Patrick waived.
Also waived, Norman Price, Nick Rose, Shayne Skov and Vinnie Sunseri.
I had a feeling Hightower would be gone. Not profound, I know, but the Niners are going young and cheap. Perhaps Mostert now makes the team.
If Hightower didn’t fumble twice on 15 carries he might have made it. Douzable didn’t look bad.
Will Redmond and Prince Charles Iworah to be put on season-ending IR if they clear waivers, which you’d expect they would.
Joe Williams is in. Mostert is still on the bubble.
Report being floated that Garnett may go on season-ending IR. That would suck.
Shit. Seattle just got Sheldon Richardson from the Jets for Jermaine (not Jevon) Kearse.
Redmond? Fuck! The Baalke gift that keeps on (not) giving.
If the Jets were smart they’d sign Kaepernick just for the freak-show aspect of it all. They have decimated their roster and are guaranteed a 2-14 season. If not worse.
I couldn’t even tell you who their projected starting QB is.
Yeah, I have never seen such blatant tanking in my life. You could make a case that Baalky and Joe Thomas were right up there with them but in their defense I truly think they were trying to make the team better,
Insightful piece on Kyle Shanahan:
http://www.sfchronicle.com/49ers/article/49ers-Kyle-Shanahan-may-find-strength-in-Super-10977573.php
I like that we are all calling him “Beat Hard” now….. lqtm
Tramaine Brock acquired by the Vikings from Seattle via trade.
Ahmad Brooks lands with the Packers.
LJ the Jets starting QB is Josh McCown. Look at Kappy’s numbers last year and McClown’s.
This is from Kaps old QB coach and I think he should know better than most right?
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/09/01/colin-kaepernicks-old-position-coach-says-unemployment-is-football-related/
Of course there is some element of his social justice crusade in this, but the basic fact is Kap needs a highly specialized situation to succeed, and even then, over the course of a year, he won’t be able to win week to week because the defenses have figured out what it takes to contain him and he can’t beat you consistently without his legs and that is a proven fact. For a back up level QB, needing a very specific set of circumstance to have any kind of success, he just isn’t worth the headache when he also brings the circus to town with him.
I really don’t know why that is hard to understand.
Yeah, pretty hard to argue the numbers.
The Jets are in full tank mode, why would they want a better QB. And, Kap is a better QB than McCown, but that’s not saying too much. Does anyone know in Kappy is even keeping in shape? I don’t think he is.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/09/01/colin-kaepernicks-old-position-coach-says-unemployment-is-football-related/
He’s lousy in the pocket. If he’s not running…….he’s very ordinary.
And Josh McCown is starter material?
To the Jets he’s the Man. Well that’s the Jets.
Kap is a workout nut. I’m sure he’s in good enough shape.
Whatever. People can say what they want about all this but when you look at the state of NFL quarterbacking these days, it’s a pretty steep fall off once you get past the Brady’s and the Rodgers’s’s. The majority of teams have fair to poor QBs. To say Kap doesn’t fit a system or read defenses well enough just have Gannon or Cutler or McCown or 49 other shitty QBs trotted out there to look at and think yeah. Hackenberg is my guy!
The owners would rather posture than win.
Joe Williams on IR after injuring his ankle Thursday. WTF. Why was he even in there?
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/09/02/49ers-placing-joe-williams-on-ir/
It doesn’t say if it’s season-ending IR or the shorter version.
Kerley and Dial released.
The Kerley move probably bodes well for Victor Boldin, even though he’s an outside guy. Looks like he’ll make the team. That would mean at least 3 UDFA’s make the squad.
SF 49ers 2017 roster!
http://www.49ers.com/team/roster.html
Alex Boone cut by the Vikings.
Kerley and Dial both surprise me a little. I think given the choice they go with the guy not from the previous regime.
Boldin’s fast . I like that about him.
Here’s a guy looking for work that played for Quinn in ATL.
DT Joe Vellano/ 6’2″-300
No longer PS eligible however.
Wonder if Quinn/Saleh run similar schemes?
He got his first action as the guy that replaced VWilfork in NE after the achilles injury.
Garnett on season ending IR. That stinks. Joe Williams as well.
Like to see us get O line help.
Dial can start for many teams in the NFL. We probably should have kept him for his run stuffing ability. The new regime wants quicker personnel to get through the gaps. If we can cut a player like Dial we must have one of the best D-lines in the league. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! LOL!
Anyone know about Xavier Cooper claimed by the 49ers? He played for the Browns.
6’4″/300LB DE Nipper – Nicknamed “X”
Played for Washington State – “X” is an ex-Cougar 😀
Seems Blair being hurt left him an opening?
Likely a stop-gap for the time being?
Protect the QB…..SACK the QB 😀
Upon further review – Ronald Blair went to IR
He is eligible to return however….
I did see that NJ, that Blair can come back.
I didn’t see anything that Williams did that looked like a season-ending injury. WTF.
Looks like they didn’t want to expose Breida or Mostert Lurker John?
I think the move was made to protect them all –
Carlos is in his final year so, see what he does, while holding onto the rest perhaps?
From what I’ve gathered, Breida might have earned the backup job to Carlos outright?
I just listened to Lynch’s presser and while he didn’t come right out and say it, that may be what happened NJ. Breida had a great camp, but so did Williams. They may want him to work on some things, like not fumbling. I don’t know. I honestly don’t believe his injury was all that serious.
Yeah that does seem a bit fishy.
that was supposed to be a comment to Lurker. But you are right I believe that both Mostert and Breida out played Williams. But I also think Williams has a better potential skill set.
I just looked up Boldin’s 40 time and it was 4.54 seconds at the combine. Fast, but not burner fast. He’s also small at 5′ 8″ 178 lbs. He does look faster in game play and seems to have a knack for finding the seams, which is half the battle in returning kicks. He did that well at OSU also.
Taylor looks like a natural at punt returner. No Bruce Ellington two-step, just catch the ball and head straight up the gut with no fear. It’s been years since the Niners had a guy like that. The dude is a baller. Lynch sounded really impressed with him and all the UDFA’s that made the squad.
Don’t forget Kendrick Bourne, who was in Cooper Krupp’s shadow at EWU and in the draft, but who had a great camp and was very effective in the games. He could also be a real sleeper. It looks like we’re going to have a greatly improved receiver corps this year. We just need to keep Hoyer on his feet.
Jerry Rice never impressed anyone on a stopwatch 40 either.
Game speed is the name of the game.
5 UDFA’s made the roster: Magnuson, Bourne, Bolden Jr., Breida and Jerome. That has to be some kind of record. All 10 draft picks made the team, if you count Joe Williams. Going young!
Cool Victor Boldin video [22.5 mph in full pads!]:
The little bit that I’ve seen of Trent Taylor has been impressive.
He just might be my favorite ‘surprise’ of this Draft Class.
Watched him get lit up in MN, (which would likely have dislodged the ball from guys bigger than him too).
Kid took the lick, kept his grip, and licked his wounds on the sideline.
He’s got versatility too.
He’s going to contribute as a ST player right away, with the added ability to help in the Slot as well.
Tough Cookie 😀
There is a lot to look forward to this year. I don’t think we win a lot of games but I am pretty sure we will play everyone as tough as possible. I also think both Bourne and Taylor are superior WR’s.
Gotta love the combo of Goodwin and Garcon too Winder.
They have to respect them both.
Clear opportunities for others to get singled up, including RBs.
I like the way our front office took players we already had and put them on the PS. There is a boatload of players out there to choose from and we have 2nd pick on all of them. We decide to stick with what we have had for the last few months. That’s a strong commitment to the players and a good way to run an organization.
This is the best set of WRs in a good long while. Run game should come around at some point. Hyde struggled early but seems to be getting a little better in the new system.
Buwwitt and Skeebers have a labor day barbeque . . . not that there’s anything wrong with that. I mean the gay part.
Damn. Osweiler is going back to the Broncos? What a joke. He led them nowhere last year, and they are giving him the backup job? Wow.
Elway has to be thrilled at the play of Lynch and Siemien.
I wonder what part of that 16mil is gonna be the Bronco’s or if Cleveland had to eat it all. Anyway, fuck em both. Never was an E.lway fan and that is saying something being a die-hard Stanford fan.
Winder I think the Broncos pulled off a coup with Osweiller.
They laundered his Contract through Cleveland, (who had money to burn).
Cleveland,, in turn, bought a Draft Pick with him from Houston.
Now, Denver trims off $775G for Cleveland, who eats $15.225M of Osweiller’s $16M.
Cleveland. The mistake by The Lake. For good reason.
Gotta wonder if Elway is taking him back just to suggest he wasn’t wrong to select him in the first place?
The NFL…..WHAT a racket.
Funny thing is, if Elway had gotten Kappy last year they would have made the playoffs.
Elway may be a horse’s ass but he isn’t stupid. He has 2 shitty QBs and knows it. Well, now he has 3.
That division is wide open. We all know what San Diego is gonna do even though on paper they got better. This year sometime Mahome’s (sp) is gonna take over for Smith. And the Raiders hopes fall on Carr. Not sure how that one is gonna turn out.
The Raiders are the team to beat. But their hopes rest entirely on the shoulders of David Carr. Denver has a great defense but nothing else. KC either shits or gets off the pot. The LAClippers suck.
They are going nowhere.
NEW thread is up.