Forty Niners Forever

Huh, the 49ers signed Brandon Jacobs to a one-year deal. The guy had an awful year last year, but I guess the hope is for a turnaround in new surroundings. The one thing he does bring is size, and the ability to get the tough yards on 3rd and short. Something fairly lacking lo these many years since William Bar None Floyd. He’s also a good enough pass-catcher. Bruce Miller was never really used as a true fullback, and Anthony Dixon failed as a short-yardage guy, so I guess this makes sense. He’ll mainly be backing up/blocking for  Frank anyway, and a 3rd down plugger.

49ers also took a look at Duece Lutui, FA guard from AZ. He was a starter for 5 years, but weight problems kept him out of the lineup last year. Ex-Niner Kyle Kosier is available as a FA. He was recently released by the Cowboys. He’s old though. Kilgore Trout is the guy that the Niners have pencilled in to replace Snyder. In other news, Manny Lawson is still out there looking for a place to land, as is Mike Wallace, FA WR extraordinnaire. Ladarius Webb, CB is also around, but his price tag will be high.

Well, the Niners have shunned the spotlight for the time being. We had our share of media hype around Manning, and the Smith mini-drama, but it’s back to the doldrums for these guys. ESPN should be happy about the recent J-E-T-S developments. They can frenzy out over the Annointed One and leave the rest of the football world in the background as the Jets figure out how to make Tim Tebow an H-back. 

If you think that this was merely a publicity stunt to garner attention for the Jets, bingo. The New York Football Giants are the defending champs and are getting all the fawning accolades, even though they’ve shed some components, and may be leaking fluid a little bit. The Jets needed some headlines, sooo, poof, Timmy Tebow Time. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Neither of those teams will be in the Super bowl next year, so why bother with them?

Anyhow, slow weekend. The Niners still need an RG and maybe D line depth in this free agency time. Off to Amador County . . .

There are apparently no hard feelings in the wooing of Peyton Manning and subsequent fallout to our own Alex Smith. But, whatever. Alex got his deal, the Niners have their QB, and Denver now has unrealistic expectations to try and live up to (with a QB who very well may not ever play a game for them). So, now that the 49ers have signed their QB, signed a few WRs, and kept their defense pretty much intact form last year, the focus will now be on he draft, and maybe an OG and KR to sign. The 49ers still haven’t replaced Adam Snyder (the Schwartz went to Deetroit) and they still haven’t really addressed the KR spot. Ted Ginn hasn’t signed, and Kyle Williams, with the addition of Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, and Perrish Cox (may be a KR), looks to be a guy without a spot.

I’m sure the Niners have their eyes peeled for an impact offensive guy like Coby Fleener from Stanford. He’s a big red-zone target that would complement the team nicely. There’s also Dontari Poe, the huge DL who dropped a few jaws with his 4.8 40. his value shot up the draft board amidst the questions of his heart and motor. You also have to wonder if the Niners would look at an RB to spell/replace Gore. Hunter is fine, but he’s more of a scat-back/change of pace guy. They may want to get someone like Davis Wilson from VT. he’s 206, but runs with power, is quick to the hole like Gore, and catches the ball well.  Dixon doesn’t seem to be wowing any of the coaches, so I wonder what his status will be this coming season.

The couple that can’t seem to extricate themselves from each other carries on for another 3 years. Through trials and tribulations, good or bad, ill will or happiness, the marriage goes on. Word is, Alex Smith and the 49ers agreed to terms on a deal. it’s somewhere near the original 3/24 that was on the table before free agency started. So, it’s back to the future, same as it ever was, tried and true, time tested, whatever cliche you’d like to insert.

My guess is that by the time OTAs roll around, all will be happy happy in Ninerland. The dalliance with Peyton Manning will be a distant  memory. Especially if Manning tweaks his nack gettting out of bed one of these days. Smith now has a WR corps that is MUCH better than in recent memory. The line is solidifying nicely (especially if the Schwartz is with us), and we still have a draft to negotiate.

So, signs are looking good for the upcoming season. All these hurt feelings and squashed prides will all be forgotten and shit will be good once again. Well, until that first Alex pass hits the ground uncaught.

Party on, folks.

Criminy, how much bullshit can one guy endure? The strange and terrible saga of Alex Smith’s American dream rolls on. Granted, I think some of the other transgressions perpetrated on him by the 49ers were worse than Manning-Gate. Nolan’s chucking him under the bus in front of the rest of the team and the media after his shoulder separation, questioning his toughness, throwing him into the Saints game (in’07, I was there) where he was pounded relentlessly, and Nolan left him in there with a bad shoulder to take numerous shots until he finally pulled him midway through the 3rd quarter, Martz’s preseason bullshit that Smith tried to work through and couldn’t, Jimmy Hat’s horrifically putrid offensive game plans, and Singletary’s snide media comments,  sideline screaming rants and subsequent yo-yoing of quarterbacks. For as much media-driven angst as this seems to be causing, the worst case scenario is for Smith to leave.  

The thing is, everyone knows this. Everyone seemed to know it before free agency started. Which is why the Niners original offer was low. Smith was coming from the erroneous assumption that he could get Kevin Kolb (5/63/18 guaranteed) money. The Niners were coming from the assumption that a $3 million raise (and a 3 year deal) should be enough going forward. Low-balling? Sure. But again, this last offseason was one marred by the lockout and a whole lot of craziness that ensued once free agency started. The Niners knew that Manning was out there, plus guys like Matt Flynn, and lesser talents like Ortron, Gross Rexman, JJ, Hasselhof, etc. Through all that BOTH sides said Smith was coming back. How much that played early on for his value won’t be known, but it sure didn’t seem very high once he did hit the market. Most other teams out there feel that Smith is the creation of Jim Harbaugh. For good or bad.

The rest played out as we saw. The Niners took the midnight train to Georgia (woo woo!) (work with me here, it’s Gladys Knight and the Pips) and tried to sneak away with the Peyton Manning prize. That blew up in their faces amongst the hurt feelings and a morning flight to Miami. So, here we sit. The only viable option is for Smith to come back to the 49ers. The only question is will they hard-line it at this point, and stick with the 3/24 offer they originally gave him? There’s something to be said about Seattle giving Flynn, a veteran of 2 NFL starts, more money than the 49ers are offering Smith. Smith WAS supposed to visit with Sea, but instead signed Flynn before Alex could get there.

I think he comes back. The Niners will kick down a little more scratch for the bullshit they put him through. I think it happens later today. By the time the OTAs roll around, the wounds will have been healed and all will be well going forward. As well as they can be with Alex at the helm. I kid, I kid . . . This IS the best scenario for everyone involved.  The latest revolting development in all this is the talk of Tim Tebow coming to the Niners. God help us all . . .

Well, so much for the Payton Manning scenario. Reports are out that Manning is heading to Denver. On the other hand, Alex Smith spent 5.5 hours in Miami talking to the Dolphins. I wonder what their offer was, but since Smith didn’t sign anything there, chances are, he’s coming back to the safety of the 49ers. Say what you will about Alex Smith, but he ceratinly has had an interesting NFL career to say the least. Among the myriad coaches and coordinators he’s slogged through, the expectations of being the franchise savior, and the whipping boy for huge rookie contracts, here we have another strange scenario where the team and caoches were all behind him to re-sign with the team until they weren’t. Whether Smith’s feelings are hurt is really beside the point, as the team felt a run at Manning was warranted. Has the rift become too deep to enable Smith to return?

No.

Smith’s best option is still here. Since the team would be better served in getting him back, they should up their deal a bit. In good faith and all that.  3/27, 12 guaranteed?

In other words, he should get a better deal than Matt Flynn did (3/26).

Excuse the wonderment here, but the 49ers find themselves in the exact same uncomfortable position that AZ was a a scant few days ago. And that was the distict possibility that they could lose their nominal starting QB Kevin Kolb, AND lose out on the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. Well, in a few short days, Kolb re-signed with AZ, and Peyton is knocking on our door. For good, bad, or indifferent, the Niners could very well lose Alex Smith AND fall out of the Manning race.

And, yes there are some that wouldn’t be too sad about that. Until you look at the fact that the alternative is someone like Josh Johnson (unproven), Matt Hasselhof (decomposing), or even Matt Flynn (unproven as well). There are others who say whoever the starter is, Jim Harbaugh will wave his majic QB wand and produce another winning starter a la the job he did with Alex last year. Given the fact the Harbaugh set the bar impossibly high after one short year,  Manning would have 2 years tops to produce a Super Bowl win for it to be considered a good move. Even if the status quo holds out, the bar is set to improve on last season. Which again means Super Bowl or bust. Heady stuff, yes, but QB roulette at this point is a very dicey game to be playing when Harbaugh has preached team team team since he arrived.

At this point, losing out on both Smith and Manning would be a fatal mistake. I’m not sold by any means on Manning being the missing piece to take the Niners to the championship (he may not be healthy or STAY healthy to play), and Smith did his part in spades to get the Niners close, but I’m good and goddamn sure that fricking Hasselhof ain’t the guy. Neither is Johnson. Both those moves would be strictly placeholders until Cappy Kaepernick is ready to go. Flynn? Who knows? And in Hasselbeck’s case, Cappy would be starting by week 6. In other words, without either Smith or Manning, the Niners definitely regress. Sure, they’ll likely make the playoffs, but again, that ain’t the goal going forward. The goal is Super Bowl XLVII. Anything short is failure. I don’t think Hasselhof/JJ or even Flynn get the Niners all the way. They screw up this QB search, and this season is likely a back-pedal.

. . . and Peyton Manning is the beginning, middle, and end. Things seem to be quieting down. The 49ers are looking at WRs (Schillens, Lloyd) and RGs (Schwartz, Davis), and are basically hunkering down for the conclusion of the Peyton Manning sign-a-palooza. Apparently, Miami is out, as Manning doesn’t like Stevie Ross, the Dolphins owner. So, Miami goes and low-balls Flynn because they were never really in the running for Manning? Wow. They look like the dumbest franchise out there. I don’t think either Smith or Flynn sign anything until Manning does.

There’s still a plenty of time for this to drag out, and Manning is now starting to throw passes. He’s at Duke U throwing for the Broncos now, and they are apparently offering 5 years, $60 million, with $30 mill guaranteed, for his services. A veritable bargain. Could even get the Niners interested, but it looks like it is down to Denver and Tennessee at this point. If I’m Manning, Denver has to look pretty inviting, with that weak-ass division to flourish in. A deal like that isn’t going to help Alex Smith’s bargaining position very much, but I’m still pretty solid with my prediction of 4/45/18 guaranteed.

UPDATE: Per Matt Barrows, Jim Harbaugh flew back east to watch Manning throw yesterday, and that the 2 met for a while. Seeing as Manning’s agent is Smith’s, you have to wonder how this plays out, but the reluctance to sign Smith certain’y takes on new meaning as the Niners throw their hat into the Manning ring.

. . . and there’s still no word on Alex Smith and his deal (or lack thereof). The latest news so far is Adam Snyder signed a 5 year deal with the Cards, Shawntae Spencer was cut, and Joshua Morgan is gone. So, unless these guys think Randy Moss and Chilly Rachal are more than adequate to be the starters now, they are in the market for a RG and a couple WRs. The Niners signed Perrish Cox and re-upped with Carlos Rogers to beef up their secondary. Reggie Smith has slipped down the depth chart once again. The D looks fairly well set going forward into the draft.

The offense? Well, there’s a ton of guys still out there to be signed. Chaz Schillens stopped by, as well as Brandon Lloyd. Schillens is a pretty solid guy who sems to have problems staying healthy.  Lloyd? Been there, done that, but the guy consistently puts up big numbers. It could work. Royal’s out there as well. He’d be a nice replacement for Ginn, as I don’t think Ginn or Kyle Williams will stick. This leads me to think these guys go heavy on the offense in the upcoming draft next month. As far as guards go, Evan Mathis is out there. Nicks was signed by the Buccos. The Saints signed Grubbs to replace him, and there are other out there still available like Geoff Schwartz, who is scheduled to come visit the Niners today. Leanord Davis stopped by, but he’s likely done at 33. I think they sign one more FA WR, a RG, and maybe a TE.

The draft will likely be tilted toward the offense as well. Unless some big NT fialls to them in the early to mid rounds . . .

. . . and the pieces are flying off faster than a 1972 Pinto. Trust me. A buddy of mine had a Pinto Wagon that was the slowest car in the world. Well, down there with those old mini-Blazers that Chevy used to put out. The Pinto would shift feverishly between 2nd, drive, and passing gear trying to get to Tahoe. mmmmm-Mmmmm-MMMMMMMMMM-mmm-MMMMMM-Mmmmmm, all in like 3 seconds. Volkswagen Microbuses would be passing us. Motorized wheelchairs as well.

But I digress. Harbaugh has started this free agency period putting back the pieces that made this defense a stout one. And, in response to the fact the Niners play Brady, Brees, E Manning, Rodgers, and possibly P Manning (maybe even 2x), among the usual Bradfords and Skeltons, he felt the need to bring back Rogers, and sign Perrish Cox, a CB with a bit of a history, but is also a good KR. So, the starting defense is intact, and they’ve beefed up the CB spot with Cox and the return of Holcomb.

Offensively? Well, we signed Randy Moss from the reclamation pile/unemployment line. He had a fairly miserable 2010 and promptly retired. He didn’t work last year. Is he coming back hungry? Or merely greedy? Hard to say. The guy is pretty much an enigma wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a mystery. Some guys swear by him, others call him a self-serving malingerer. Since he’s on a one-year deal, there’s little risk to the signing. He’s this year’s version of Braylon Edwards. In other words, expendable. That being said, they ARE looking for more help at WR. Chaz Schillens, one of the decent Raiders, will be in today for a look-see. At 6’4″ and 220, he’s the big WR that Harbaugh seems to favor.

As for Alex? I really figured they’d get this done by now. 4 years/$45 mill is what I said a week ago, and it still sounds right. I suppose they’ll go after JJ if Smith signs elsewhere. If he DOES sign somewhere else, it’ll be a little hard to fathom. I don;t think Cappy is ready, and to start him now would be pretty much caloig the season a trial-and-error period, and the al;ternative at best would be JJ. At worst? Well, there are a shitload of crappy FA QBs, and Matt Flynn. Donovan McNabb? Kyle Orton? Jason Campbell? Kyle Boller? Gross Rexman?

Bleeeech. In other words, there isn’t a compelling reason not to sign Smith, unless he’s really pushing for elite QB money. If so? Oh well. I don’t think anyone else goes to the moon for him. But, hey. Seattle is the team that could pull the trigger on him. If Smith is hell-bent on testing the market, he may be disappointed. And come back.