Forty Niners Forever

In lieu of looking at current draft needs, let’s take a look at who our 2016 free agents are.

This way (for me at least) we’ll know what may be on Baalke’s wish list going forward. Next year’s FAs are:

▪  Wide receiver Anquan Boldin
▪  Outside linebacker Aldon Smith
▪  Tight end Vernon Davis
▪  Guard Alex Boone

Does this change the strategy? Well. A little, I guess. The defense already had its purge with retirements and defections. The only position I haven’t heard a lot of clamor about regarding our draft is TE.  Actually, Funchess is in our sights as a possible 2nd rounder, so he has been bandied about. He’s a tweener WR/TE, but is a big red-zone target, so he certainly could be a not to the future as VDs value sinks  to penny-stock-land. And I certainly don’t think we re-sign him, but this season will tell us something.

WR has been a big hole in this team for lo so many years now. Pretty much since TO left in 2003 anyway. Crabs has had his decent moments, but he’s hiking across the Bay for browner pastures. Patton and Ellington are the latest batch of underachieving WRs drafted by Baalke. Thing is, they don’t fit his mold of bigger bigger bigger, so you have to wonder why he went this route AFTER getting burned by the AJ Jenkins/LMJ small guy picks. That being said, the guys in this WR crop, another strong group, could yield us DaVante Parker. A guy who is 6’1 and 209 lb. and ran a 4.45 40. Works for me. I wouldn’t trade up for a WR, but he should be there.

If not? OLB is a concern what with Aldon Smith on his last straw screw-up-wise, and the inconsistent play of Ahmad Brooks. Aaron Lynch is fine as a rotation guy, but no one would think he’s an every down guy. Dante Fowler won;t make it to us, but Vic Beasley could. The other top OLBs all seem to be in a race to see who blows the most money before the draft. DE certainly fits here as well. Malcolm Brown and Arick Armstead being on the wish list, with local kid Henry Anderson from Stanfoo a possibility as a later-round sleeper.

Tackle? Possible with the imminent departure of Aaron Boone. Andrus Peate’s head has popped up on the radar recently, behind Ereck Flowers as the top tackle. I suppose that’s a possibility, and the line certainly strugled last year, but the hope is Brandon Thomas is fully recovered from his knee injury, and Marcus Martin is a) healed up, and B) can slide to guard.  Not as big a need for me as D line or CB. Somewhere where we were decimated this offseason.

So, looking to the future may not make anything hammer out any differently, but there is a definite need for a WR. I’m leaning away from these guys going CB in the 1st round and am now leaning back to WR. I’d love to get Parker, but we’ll see.  I don’t think we’ll trade up, but we will see soon enough.

Stillots of questions over who the Ni era should take with their 15th PCM in this draft. Through the process of elimination, I don’t think they’ll go with an LT as I’ve heard recently. I think there are enough LBs out there to find someone in the 2nd round.

After that, all bets are off. DL, CB, and WR are big needs. Torrey Smith is a good acquire, but we need more at that spot. TE even.

I wonder if the fact that Funchess is a tweeter type raises him up our board. Esp if we stop the ground and pound offense and mix things up a little scheme wise.

Beyond that there’s still Davante Parkertalk out there. Would you pass on him if he’s there at 15? I wouldn’t trade up for a WR but id look hard at him if he was there.

Or we might not. To paraphrase Pete Townsend.

Man, I find it hilarious that people really think that if Harbaugh stayed, Borland and Willis would not have retired. Or that Cox, Cully, and Gore would still be here. The problems this team faces would still be the same under Harbaugh. The PERCEPTION of the team would be different, but who gives a shit about that? Well, a lot of so-called fans who bemoan the ideal that St. Jim wasn’t trending down, or that his window was closing with the team that Trent Baalke (and ol’ Scotty the Tippler) built.

Like the fact that the problems with this offense that were supposedly going to be fixed last year, weren’t. Still too many inopportune time outs. Still too many 3rd and short failures. Too many 3 and out drives. Yeah we had injuries. But so did the defense. Moreso in fact. But the defense held together for the most part. The offense was a mishmash of poorly designed and executed plays. Blocking was poor to awful. And the lack of any kind of pushing the offense to new heights was squashed.

Near the end of the Raider game when we were close, but down 2 scores with 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter and the season on the line, we plodded down the field, using up the play clock every play, as we burned 5 minutes gaining 51 yards, and missed the FG. No no-huddle, no quick plays called at the line, no hurry-up. Just the same plodding offense.

Harbaugh and Roman had to go.
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RIP Bob St. Clair

For want of not really seeing this for a while, here’s our draft order.

First round: 15th overall selection
Second round: 46th overall selection
Third round: 79th overall selection
Fourth round: 126th overall selection (acquired from Denver Broncos in 2014 draft-day trade)
Fourth round: 132nd overall selectoin (compensatory pick)
Fifth round: No. 151 overall selection
Sixth round: No. 189 overall selection
Seventh round: No. 246 overall selection (acquired from Indianapolis Coltsfor LB Cam Johnson in 2013)
Seventh round: No. 254 overall selection (compensatory pick)

Saw some more stuff on Stephone Anthony, the ILB from Clemson. If he can hang around til 46, I’d take him.

So, here we are, closing in on the draft. Over the past 5 drafts, the Baalke era, there are a few things that are certainties. Baalke is very adept at gathering up draft picks. He is very adept at trading up and down to gather these picks. He has built through compensatory picks, through trades, and trades to future drafts in his efforts to garner as many picks. And he isn’t averse to taking chances on injured players.

The last strategy is up for debate, however. We all know the 49ers got Frank Gore in the 3rd round, after his multiple knee injuries in college, and he had a steller career. That wasn’t Baalke, and he didn’t sit a year, as the guys that Baalke has tried this on, have done. The ones that have been drafted this way are Tank Carradine, Marcus Lattimore, and Brandon Thomas. Lattimore, as we all know, retired after trying for nearly 2 years of trying to get into football shape. Wort the risk? Well, since the Niners had 11 picks that draft, sure. He was their 6th pick in that 2013 draft, and he was a beast before the injury.

Carradine is a mixed bag as well. He was a guaranteed high 1st round pick before his injury. After sitting the first 2 months of the 2013 season he was activated. However he never got on the field. In 2014, he played sparingly until RayMac was cut, and the injuries mounted. He admitted to not knowing the playbook well enough to get himself out there, but by the end of the season, he at least looked decent out there. So, he appears to be getting it at this point. The jury is still out on him.

Brandon Thomas is the latest injured guy Baalke picked. He was nominally drafted to take the place of Mike Iupati. Something Baalke felt would probably happen, and it did. The word on Thomas was of course that he was a guaranteed 1st rounder as well before his knee injury in pre-camp drills last year. He, along with NaVorro Bowman, appear to be fully healed from their injuries. This would be a Godsend as Thomas so far looks like he’s fully capable of picking up where he left off. And that is as a top-flight guard who is much more that one one-dimensional mauler that Iupati was. Thomas is much more nimble and quick on his feet than Iupati, and is a much better pass protector than Iupati could ever dream to be. If we are to get more diverse in our play calling and offensive flow, having mobile guards would certainly help a lot.

This year? I’ve said in the past that I don’t think Baalke flies around the board this year in a flurry of trades and pick-gathering, but there’s already been talk of SF trading up to get Alabama WR Amari Cooper. I think that’s a somke screen at this point, but if the past has taught us anything, anything is possible concerning Trent Baalke. His track record is very solid. That being said, I dont think he has the luxury of going after another red-shirt draft pick. I think he’s drafting from a need of gaining instant depth. D line, and defensive backfield dpeth are the biggest concerns that I see. O line depth behind that. Then go after a late-round WRs, RB, and TE. Maybe even a flier at QB. . . .

Gone is the old stale offense. Gone is the 5 headed play calling nightmare that was the previous regime. In are a bunch of untested coaches looking to make their mark despite the outside world looking at them like a bunch of imbeciles.

What does it mean for the upcoming season? Fuck if I know. Either the team had been hamstrung by a system has been fully digested and shat on by most other defenses amid slow developing pass plays and the ever loving 3rd and short runs up the middle, or we have a one-and-done QB who has already passed his freshness date and is circling the shitter a la RG 3 and out.

I happen to believe the former rather than the latter, but that’s just me.  Everyone’s in  a tizzy over Young Jed Tweetsalot and his antics, but he’s not coaching the team.

His part is over for now. Today we get to turn the page and start the new football year. The doors are open and the 70th season of this storied franchise has begun. The draft is getting closer, and things will start to get going in short order.

Had to devote a thread to Lon Simmons. Lon passed away at 91 yesterday after a LOOOONG run as a broadcaster for most of the Bay Area sports teams at one time or another. He got his start broadcasting for the 49ers in 1957, with local guy Bob Fouts (who’s son ended up being a pretty good QB). He held that job til 1980. He was also the voice of the Giants from their move west til 1973, then off and on through last year. He also was there in the A’s booth to broadcast the A’s beating the Giants. Bittersweet to say the least.

Anyone who grew up in the Bay Area in the last 60 years instantly recognized his voice. He was as big an icon in the area as any athlete. He was unfailingly described as one of the nicest guys out there, and never had a bad thing to say about anyone. Unless of course it was about some of the inept teams he was covering. His laconic style belied a cutting sense of humor that got the listening audience laughing and commiserating. I was bummed he missed out on the initial Super Bowl run for the Niners, but he came back in time to broadcast the John Taylor game winning TD in Super Bowl XXIII. He has been a constant presence recently with the Giants, and he has always been a true representative of both sports and all the Bay Area teams and a true gentleman all the way.

My wife had the pleasure of meeting Lon at a Giants charity event back in the heyday of the Al Rosen/Roger Craig Giants, and said he was very nice, courteous, and thoughtful. The same couldn’t be said for Mike Krukow.

These are two of may favorite Simmons moments.

I was at the Minnesota game, sitting in the wrong end zone, and it was funny just watching the crowd on either side of the field standing up as Young got further down the field toward the south end zone. When the far end zone erupted, the rest of the crowd on our side of the field erupted as well. Like a slow-motion backward wave.

It wasn’t until we got in the car to go home that we got to hear Lon’s call. By the time he was done, we were all laughing hysterically. One of the greatest moments in Niner, Candlestick, NFL, and Lon Simnmons’ distinguished history.

Rest in Peace, Lon. Condolences to your family.

Well, the 49ers did sign Desmond Bishop, he of a couple starts last year when the team got decimated by injuries. Lots of guys are coming by for visits, including WRs Hakeem Nicks, erstwhile NY Giant, and ex-Vike Greg Jennings.  Funny thing is, Michael Crabtree appears to be the forgotten WR as he dangles in free agent silence while players latch on to new teams. He may be a man without a team come June.

My hope at this point is we get a TE or two to compete with Vance McDonald. He has been underwhelming to say the least. Then again, the TE position last year was a wash, as VD did little to nothing, and the rest did less than that.

A slew of linebackers, including Lance Briggs, Phillip Wheeler, and Erin Henderson also paid visits last week. I’d like to see us get more line depth on both sides. Looks like that will be the focus in the draft.

Granted we need bodies to get through camp, and gaining depth will definitely help come draft day, but there’s nothing too thrilling about this process at this point. 28 days til the draft, and 24 days til I’m a year older . . .

Hangin’ in the Boise airport for a little while so I have time for a couple burgers and a cold one. Or vice versa. Something like that. And a little blog action. Crazy weather out here in western Idaho, eastern Oregon, Treasure Valley region. Rain, temps in the 20s, snow, then 75+ degrees today.

There’s talk that The Chipper may be machinating his way to somehow working a deal with Cleveland to pry their 12th pick in the draft, as they seem interested in Sam Bradford. But what then? Cleveland holds the cards to trade up and get Mariota much easier than Philly, despite the fact they have Johnny Rehab cooling his heels in the Magic Hills detox center, oft-travelled Josh McCown (remember him? I don’t), and no-name supremos behind those guys. Come to think of it. I’d be shopping for a QB if I was the Browns. They don’t lack for trying, but they are as good at getting QBs as the Niners are at drafting WRs.

So, will Cleve take the bait from Philly and get Bradford, a semi-proven commodity who can’t stay healthy?  Or do they package their 2nd first round pick into a deal to move up? Even they would pay a price to get to the #2 spot, and Jameis Winston is pretty much a lock to go #1 after killing it in the combine. Tenn has Mettenberg, a bit of a surprise 6th round success story (the next Tom Brady? No) that Tenn says they are committed to, but really, given the shot of getting Mariota, a guy with a much higher ceiling, I’d find it hard to fathom that they don’t go with him. Unless they trade down for some booty. Which makes a lot of sense for them.

But I digress. How does Philly proceed from there? Trade Bradford and get Cleve’s 12th pick, and then work a deal with Tenn if they are amenable? Tenn needs defensive help in a big way. Maybe they’ll trade recently acquired Bill Kiko Alonso and throw in a  3rd round pick. Chip keeps saying he ain’t gonna mortgage the future for the present,  but I’ll believe it when I don’t see it happen.

The Niners? Who knows? I think we are in a desperate BPA mode right now. I don’t think we can afford to target someone too hard at the cost of others. I don’t see us trading down out of the 1st, unless we get some kind of strong offer from someone for proven talent, or a plethora of picks.

Then again, I’m rarely right about this. Go Kentwan!!!!!!

Not much going on these days. The dust has settled, and the hens are clucking about the demise of the team. Oh, the unwashed masses. The hipsters are selling their tickets as fast as the hipsters coveted them it the first place. How easily they are distracted by the hope that wasn’t to be, and the reality that we now face. The team was getting old, the offense was stagnating, and the Lord God of coaches wanted to go to the Big House. Let’s hope the real fans realize that there was something to the team’s offensive woes, and the stagnation that seemed to creep in.

Throw out the meddling of the front office, or Harbaugh, or whoever engineered the maelstrom, and there’s very little that would be different right about now. Harbaugh wanted Super Bowl money for not winning the Super Bowl. Not gonna get it. Willis would have retired, Gore would have gone after the Indy money, Cully and Cox would have chased the money they weren’t going to get here as well. Borland? Yup. No one saw that. The coaching exodus? Not sure around the report that Gase would have stayed but for Jed saying Tomsula had to be the DC is simply baffling since that precludes the notion that this is Baalke’s team. Hard to think the entire coaching staff was blown up over Tomsula and his role going forward. But that played out as it played out.

So, either way, we would be facing a huge draft with a bunch of holes to fill. The only thing I thought would happen was one of Cully or Cox would stay. Oh, well. CB becomes a need. As does DL, OL, and LB. We get a 4 and a 7 as noted, so we have 9 picks.

This IS a very important draft, and Baalke needs to feel his oats in a big way.

As it lays now, I see BPA in the first 3 rounds. With two 4s, they can take a flier on a QB. Gonna be an interesting draft to say the least. I think we don’t try any more bargain bin injured guys, or trading around. This is going to be a straight load-up draft.

What I see if everything else is equal is:

DL, CB, OL, WR, QB, LB, DB, OL, WR.