The 49ers
The 49ers will draft either No. 6 of 7 overall, but they might be as deserving of No. 1 as any team in the league. The 49ers set an NFL record by being outgained by 2,672 yards this season - or 167 yards per game.
Changes certainly will be coming. Coach Mike Nolan has promised the club will be active in free agency to fill some holes. It remains to be seen how many of their own free agents they will be able to retain. Julian Peterson, Andre Carter, Derek Smith, Brandon Moore and Joe Nedney are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents.
The biggest change on offense starts at the top, as coordinator Mike McCarthy left after one season to become head coach of the Packers. Norv Turner, late of the Raiders, takes over and will implement his scheme.
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACK: Starter - Alex Smith. Backups - Ken Dorsey, Cody Pickett.
Instead of returning for his senior season at Utah, Smith experienced a rough rookie season with the 49ers. He threw 10 interceptions before finally getting into the end zone for the first time as a pro. His finished the season with a 40.8 passer rating. But Smith began to show some promise later in the season, though he still appeared to panic too quickly in the pocket. Now Smith must learn a new offense in his second season, as Norv Turner takes over as offensive coordinator in place of Mike McCarthy.
Dorsey did a decent job in three starts.
Pickett begins the off-season as the No. 3 quarterback. But coach Mike Nolan has made it clear that he would like to bring in a veteran backup to help tutor Smith.
I don't think that the problem is Smith as much as it's the sorry state of the Wide Receivers and Tight Ends on this team. If the 49ers had somebody who could catch the ball on a regular basis, than Smith would be performing better. At worse, it would allow coaches to see where he needs improvement.
RUNNING BACKS: Starters - RB Kevan Barlow, FB Chris Hetherington. Backups - RB Frank Gore, RB Maurice Hicks, FB Fred Beasley, RB Terry Jackson.
Many inside the organization believe Gore will supplant Barlow as the team's featured running back in 2006. Still, the 49ers plan to use two running backs to absorb the workload. The team might also draft a running back, in which case Barlow might have to perform well in the off-season camps to remain with the club.
Hicks also has earned the confidence of the coaching staff with his work ethic and running style.
Gore finished his rookie season as the 49ers' leading rusher. Gore rushed for 608 yards with a 4.8-yard average. Barlow had 27 fewer yards rushing on 49 more carries. His average was 3.3. The knock on Barlow is that he dances in the hole too much. Gore runs with an aggressive style and seems to have a knack of falling forward for an extra yard or two. But Gore is scheduled for off-season surgery on both shoulders. It will take him about five months from the first operation until he will be ready to play football, Nolan said.
Hetherington is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. The club would like to bring him back.
Beasley, who made the NFC Pro Bowl in 2003, lost his starting job while clashing with running backs coach Bishop Harris. Beasley, also a scheduled free agent, is not likely to be back.
The 49ers will have to add a fullback this off-season. They be shpping around for halfbacks to fill in for Gore until he recovers from his surgeries. This is the perfect chance for an obscure running back to step up and make his mark.
TIGHT END: Starter - Eric Johnson. Backups - Terry Jones, Billy Bajema, Steve Bush.
This area of the team gave the 49ers no offensive production. Johnson caught 82 passes for 825 yards in 2004, but he missed the entire season with a plantar fascia tear. Without Johnson, the 49ers had four tight ends combine for 20 catches for 158 yards and no touchdowns. Johnson is due $1.25 million in salary this season, and initially there were indications that the club would cut him because he has missed two of the last three seasons with injuries. But Nolan said recently that he expects Johnson to be with the club this season.
The 49ers need to do something to get the tight end back as an active part of the offense. How bad was the position last year? Terry Jones was released by the Ravens in the middle of the season, the 49ers claimed him, and he ended up as the team's starting tight end for the final six weeks of the season. That's pretty sad.
Obviously this is one of the areas that need a lot of improvement in the offseason. You don't need great players, just good ones. The 49ers don't even have that.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters - FL Arnaz Battle, SE Brandon Lloyd. Backups - Jason McAddley, Johnnie Morton, Rasheed Marshall, Marcus Maxwell, Otis Amey, P.J. Fleck, Derrick Hamilton, Rashaun Woods.
The 49ers need some help at this spot. Battle is a good player, but his durability has been an issue in the first three seasons on his career. Still, the 49ers signed him to a hefty contract extension during the season that includes more than $2.5 million in guaranteed money.
Lloyd is scheduled to be a restricted free agent, and the club has sent mixed signals about what it thinks of him. He probably will be back playing under a one-year tender. Lloyd is not very physical, and he appears incapable of going over the middle. However, he is capable of making some mind-boggling acrobatic catches. Lloyd was the team's leading receiver with just 48 catches for 733 yards and five touchdowns.
The 49ers need to find a legitimate No. 3 wideout. Morton does not figure to be back. Time is running out on Hamilton and Woods, both of whom have been hampered by injuries. Woods would have been cut last year, but his contract essentially would not allow it. Marshall, trying to make the transition from college QB, looked completely out of place and must make significant strides in the off-season program.
Again, an area that needs vast improvement. The 49ers have a young struggling quarterback. How much of his problems adjusting to the NFL is due to the ineptitude of his receivers? Quite a bit, I'd say.
I wouldn't give Battle more than a one year extension with a bonus only if he can play three quarters of a season or more without destroying his productivity. Loyd can be great if he got better coaching. He has the athletic ability, but lacks discipline. The 49ers need at least three more reliable receivers. They'll need to work the draft and get some quality players there and through free agency. Otherwise Smith will never get the opportunity to shine.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters - LT Jonas Jennings, LG Justin Smiley, C Eric Heitmann, RG David Baas, RT Adam Snyder. Backups - T Kwame Harris, C Jeremy Newberry, T Anthony Clement, T Patrick Estes, G Tony Wragge.
The offensive line started to play much better later in the season once the unit began practicing together for an extended period of time. Newberry underwent major surgery on his knee, and he will return to his starting job if he is physically able, but Heitmann played very well in his place for the final five weeks of the season.
Jennings, who has never played a full 16-game season, is being counted upon to earn the seven-year, $36 million deal he signed last off-season. Jennings is a big key to the offense because the 49ers were horrendous at the tackle positions last season. If they can put Jennings in the lineup and not worry about him, it shifts the focus to the other tackle spot. Jennings missed the final 13 games after undergoing shoulder surgery.
If Jennings remains healthy, it allows the 49ers to move Snyder to the right side to supplant Harris. Snyder performed admirably at left tackle after replacing overmatched Anthony Clement late in the season.
The team feels good about its guard situation with Smiley, Baas and possibly Heitmann (if Newberry returns to action). The line did a much better job in run-blocking at the end of the season, and it is a young unit, so the pass-protection aspect should show some noticeable improvement in 2006.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters - LE Bryant Young, RE Marques Douglas, NT Anthony Adams. Backups - NT Isaac Sopoaga, DE Travis Hall, NT Ronald Fields, DE/NT Chris Cooper.
Young led the team with eight sacks. For long stretches of time, he was far and away the most productive player on the team. But a right knee injury suffered in the 10th game of the season derailed his year. He missed three starts, and when he returned, he was not able to play at a high level. Young will return in 2006 for his 13th NFL season.
Douglas generally played well but was not spectacular while starting all 16 games. Aside from Young's eight sacks, the other linemen combined to record just four sacks. The 49ers shifted to a 3-4 scheme, but they also played a lot of 4-3.
Adams did a commendable job at the nose. If the 49ers can find a bigger nose tackle to clog up the middle, they might find that Adams is better suited to play end in a 3-4.
Sopoaga made some strides in his first NFL action, but he is an extremely raw player who has a lot to learn. Hall is not expected back next season.
Obviously, there is work to be done here. Young is good, hopefully he be past his injuries by next season. The others? Well, I'll just say that they are young and that allows for some hope. A couple of decent veterans could act as mentors to the younger linemen for a season, that'd probably help out a lot.
LINEBACKERS: Starters - LOLB Julian Peterson, ROLB Andre Carter, LILB Derek Smith, RILB Jeff Ulbrich. Backups - ILB Brandon Moore, OLB Corey Smith, ILB Saleem Rasheed, ILB Jim Maxwell.
There is a lot of uncertainty at this position group because of all the players who are scheduled for free agency. Peterson tops the list. The 49ers twice made him a franchise player, but don't expect them to tag him again this year. His salary would jump to $8.7 million, and the 49ers appear inclined to allow him to hit the free agent market. It is doubtful they would pay that much in guaranteed money to keep him. Peterson was a disappointment this season, as he didn't seem to grasp the new defense. Also, he did not exhibit the same speed that made him one of the game's premier linebackers. Peterson returned after missing 10 games in '04 with a torn Achilles' tendon.
Carter is also scheduled to be a free agent. The club would like to bring him back, but it will have to be at the right price.
Derek Smith is the player the 49ers want to hold onto. He led the team in tackles for the fifth straight season. He ended up being the team's best player.
The 49ers wrapped up Ulbrich to a contract extension. He missed the final 11 games after sustaining a torn biceps muscle.
Corey Smith is the only other linebacker who is under contract for next season.
Moore started when Ulbrich went down and might have helped his stock on the free agent market with his performance.
I'd keep Derek Smith and let the others go. Free agency will plug some holes and the draft could shore up whatever remains here. This is something that will take some time to fix. The first thing to work on is deciding whether the 49ers will run a 3-4 or 4-3 defense. If they decide to run both it will take much longer to fill these positions.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters - RCB Shawntae Spencer, LCB Derrick Johnson, SS Tony Parrish, FS Mike Adams, Backups - CB Bruce Thornton, CB B.J. Tucker, CB/S Mike Rumph, S Ben Emanuel, S Keith Lewis, S Marques Anderson, CB Ahmed Plummer.
Spencer started 14 games and played better than any other person in the secondary. He is a keeper.
Parrish likely will return in his starting role after missing the final seven games of the season with a broken left lower leg.
The rest of the secondary is up for grabs. Plummer, who entered the season as the starter, never returned to action after undergoing what was described at the time as minor surgery to clean bone chips out of his ankle. The club perceives Plummer as someone who has little desire to play football. He almost certainly will be released in the off-season because of a hefty contract for the coming season.
Adams shows some flashes and has a good work ethic. Johnson played well when he worked his way into the lineup. But Adams and Johnson are seen more as role players. The 49ers would like to upgrade at the free safety and left cornerback spots.
With the work left to be done with the Linebackers and Wide Receivers, this will tack a back burner. This will probably be temporarily fixed through free agency.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Joe Nedney, P Andy Lee, LS Brian Jennings, KR Maurice Hicks, PR Rasheed Marshall.
This was about the only strength of the 49ers in 2005. Nedney did a remarkable job, and the 49ers would like to keep him for a long time. Because he signed a one-year contract and the 49ers received a salary-cap discount, they are not able to sign him until the beginning of the new cap year. However, there are indications that the sides already have struck a contract agreement. Nedney set a club record for field-goal accuracy, making 26 of 28 field-goal attempts. He also provided a significant upgrade on kickoffs.
Lee generally punted well. He set a team-record with 107 punts. Because of a poor final game of the season, in which he had a punt blocked, Lee's averages took a significant dive. He finished with a 41.6 average with a 36.3 net.
Jennings, coming off a Pro Bowl appearance last year, had a perfect season. The 49ers' return games were not good. They need to find somebody to give them a little more pop out on kickoff returns and punt returns.
What the 49ers really need is a couple of good athletic players who can fill multiple roles. The Patriots train most of their players in three positions, this is something that the 49ers will need to do for them to be successful in the near future. A blindingly fast RB, who can serve as an extra WR, and return punts and kick-offs. A WR or Tight End who can pass like a Quarterback like Antwaan Randle El on the Steelers. And most importantly, a defense that can switch from 3-4 to 4-3 and back again in the middle of a game without a hitch. Players like Dante Hall of the Chiefs, Antwaan Randle El of the Steelers, and most of the Patriots. This is what the 49ers need to become competitive within the next couple of seasons.
Changes certainly will be coming. Coach Mike Nolan has promised the club will be active in free agency to fill some holes. It remains to be seen how many of their own free agents they will be able to retain. Julian Peterson, Andre Carter, Derek Smith, Brandon Moore and Joe Nedney are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents.
The biggest change on offense starts at the top, as coordinator Mike McCarthy left after one season to become head coach of the Packers. Norv Turner, late of the Raiders, takes over and will implement his scheme.
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACK: Starter - Alex Smith. Backups - Ken Dorsey, Cody Pickett.
Instead of returning for his senior season at Utah, Smith experienced a rough rookie season with the 49ers. He threw 10 interceptions before finally getting into the end zone for the first time as a pro. His finished the season with a 40.8 passer rating. But Smith began to show some promise later in the season, though he still appeared to panic too quickly in the pocket. Now Smith must learn a new offense in his second season, as Norv Turner takes over as offensive coordinator in place of Mike McCarthy.
Dorsey did a decent job in three starts.
Pickett begins the off-season as the No. 3 quarterback. But coach Mike Nolan has made it clear that he would like to bring in a veteran backup to help tutor Smith.
I don't think that the problem is Smith as much as it's the sorry state of the Wide Receivers and Tight Ends on this team. If the 49ers had somebody who could catch the ball on a regular basis, than Smith would be performing better. At worse, it would allow coaches to see where he needs improvement.
RUNNING BACKS: Starters - RB Kevan Barlow, FB Chris Hetherington. Backups - RB Frank Gore, RB Maurice Hicks, FB Fred Beasley, RB Terry Jackson.
Many inside the organization believe Gore will supplant Barlow as the team's featured running back in 2006. Still, the 49ers plan to use two running backs to absorb the workload. The team might also draft a running back, in which case Barlow might have to perform well in the off-season camps to remain with the club.
Hicks also has earned the confidence of the coaching staff with his work ethic and running style.
Gore finished his rookie season as the 49ers' leading rusher. Gore rushed for 608 yards with a 4.8-yard average. Barlow had 27 fewer yards rushing on 49 more carries. His average was 3.3. The knock on Barlow is that he dances in the hole too much. Gore runs with an aggressive style and seems to have a knack of falling forward for an extra yard or two. But Gore is scheduled for off-season surgery on both shoulders. It will take him about five months from the first operation until he will be ready to play football, Nolan said.
Hetherington is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. The club would like to bring him back.
Beasley, who made the NFC Pro Bowl in 2003, lost his starting job while clashing with running backs coach Bishop Harris. Beasley, also a scheduled free agent, is not likely to be back.
The 49ers will have to add a fullback this off-season. They be shpping around for halfbacks to fill in for Gore until he recovers from his surgeries. This is the perfect chance for an obscure running back to step up and make his mark.
TIGHT END: Starter - Eric Johnson. Backups - Terry Jones, Billy Bajema, Steve Bush.
This area of the team gave the 49ers no offensive production. Johnson caught 82 passes for 825 yards in 2004, but he missed the entire season with a plantar fascia tear. Without Johnson, the 49ers had four tight ends combine for 20 catches for 158 yards and no touchdowns. Johnson is due $1.25 million in salary this season, and initially there were indications that the club would cut him because he has missed two of the last three seasons with injuries. But Nolan said recently that he expects Johnson to be with the club this season.
The 49ers need to do something to get the tight end back as an active part of the offense. How bad was the position last year? Terry Jones was released by the Ravens in the middle of the season, the 49ers claimed him, and he ended up as the team's starting tight end for the final six weeks of the season. That's pretty sad.
Obviously this is one of the areas that need a lot of improvement in the offseason. You don't need great players, just good ones. The 49ers don't even have that.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters - FL Arnaz Battle, SE Brandon Lloyd. Backups - Jason McAddley, Johnnie Morton, Rasheed Marshall, Marcus Maxwell, Otis Amey, P.J. Fleck, Derrick Hamilton, Rashaun Woods.
The 49ers need some help at this spot. Battle is a good player, but his durability has been an issue in the first three seasons on his career. Still, the 49ers signed him to a hefty contract extension during the season that includes more than $2.5 million in guaranteed money.
Lloyd is scheduled to be a restricted free agent, and the club has sent mixed signals about what it thinks of him. He probably will be back playing under a one-year tender. Lloyd is not very physical, and he appears incapable of going over the middle. However, he is capable of making some mind-boggling acrobatic catches. Lloyd was the team's leading receiver with just 48 catches for 733 yards and five touchdowns.
The 49ers need to find a legitimate No. 3 wideout. Morton does not figure to be back. Time is running out on Hamilton and Woods, both of whom have been hampered by injuries. Woods would have been cut last year, but his contract essentially would not allow it. Marshall, trying to make the transition from college QB, looked completely out of place and must make significant strides in the off-season program.
Again, an area that needs vast improvement. The 49ers have a young struggling quarterback. How much of his problems adjusting to the NFL is due to the ineptitude of his receivers? Quite a bit, I'd say.
I wouldn't give Battle more than a one year extension with a bonus only if he can play three quarters of a season or more without destroying his productivity. Loyd can be great if he got better coaching. He has the athletic ability, but lacks discipline. The 49ers need at least three more reliable receivers. They'll need to work the draft and get some quality players there and through free agency. Otherwise Smith will never get the opportunity to shine.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters - LT Jonas Jennings, LG Justin Smiley, C Eric Heitmann, RG David Baas, RT Adam Snyder. Backups - T Kwame Harris, C Jeremy Newberry, T Anthony Clement, T Patrick Estes, G Tony Wragge.
The offensive line started to play much better later in the season once the unit began practicing together for an extended period of time. Newberry underwent major surgery on his knee, and he will return to his starting job if he is physically able, but Heitmann played very well in his place for the final five weeks of the season.
Jennings, who has never played a full 16-game season, is being counted upon to earn the seven-year, $36 million deal he signed last off-season. Jennings is a big key to the offense because the 49ers were horrendous at the tackle positions last season. If they can put Jennings in the lineup and not worry about him, it shifts the focus to the other tackle spot. Jennings missed the final 13 games after undergoing shoulder surgery.
If Jennings remains healthy, it allows the 49ers to move Snyder to the right side to supplant Harris. Snyder performed admirably at left tackle after replacing overmatched Anthony Clement late in the season.
The team feels good about its guard situation with Smiley, Baas and possibly Heitmann (if Newberry returns to action). The line did a much better job in run-blocking at the end of the season, and it is a young unit, so the pass-protection aspect should show some noticeable improvement in 2006.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters - LE Bryant Young, RE Marques Douglas, NT Anthony Adams. Backups - NT Isaac Sopoaga, DE Travis Hall, NT Ronald Fields, DE/NT Chris Cooper.
Young led the team with eight sacks. For long stretches of time, he was far and away the most productive player on the team. But a right knee injury suffered in the 10th game of the season derailed his year. He missed three starts, and when he returned, he was not able to play at a high level. Young will return in 2006 for his 13th NFL season.
Douglas generally played well but was not spectacular while starting all 16 games. Aside from Young's eight sacks, the other linemen combined to record just four sacks. The 49ers shifted to a 3-4 scheme, but they also played a lot of 4-3.
Adams did a commendable job at the nose. If the 49ers can find a bigger nose tackle to clog up the middle, they might find that Adams is better suited to play end in a 3-4.
Sopoaga made some strides in his first NFL action, but he is an extremely raw player who has a lot to learn. Hall is not expected back next season.
Obviously, there is work to be done here. Young is good, hopefully he be past his injuries by next season. The others? Well, I'll just say that they are young and that allows for some hope. A couple of decent veterans could act as mentors to the younger linemen for a season, that'd probably help out a lot.
LINEBACKERS: Starters - LOLB Julian Peterson, ROLB Andre Carter, LILB Derek Smith, RILB Jeff Ulbrich. Backups - ILB Brandon Moore, OLB Corey Smith, ILB Saleem Rasheed, ILB Jim Maxwell.
There is a lot of uncertainty at this position group because of all the players who are scheduled for free agency. Peterson tops the list. The 49ers twice made him a franchise player, but don't expect them to tag him again this year. His salary would jump to $8.7 million, and the 49ers appear inclined to allow him to hit the free agent market. It is doubtful they would pay that much in guaranteed money to keep him. Peterson was a disappointment this season, as he didn't seem to grasp the new defense. Also, he did not exhibit the same speed that made him one of the game's premier linebackers. Peterson returned after missing 10 games in '04 with a torn Achilles' tendon.
Carter is also scheduled to be a free agent. The club would like to bring him back, but it will have to be at the right price.
Derek Smith is the player the 49ers want to hold onto. He led the team in tackles for the fifth straight season. He ended up being the team's best player.
The 49ers wrapped up Ulbrich to a contract extension. He missed the final 11 games after sustaining a torn biceps muscle.
Corey Smith is the only other linebacker who is under contract for next season.
Moore started when Ulbrich went down and might have helped his stock on the free agent market with his performance.
I'd keep Derek Smith and let the others go. Free agency will plug some holes and the draft could shore up whatever remains here. This is something that will take some time to fix. The first thing to work on is deciding whether the 49ers will run a 3-4 or 4-3 defense. If they decide to run both it will take much longer to fill these positions.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters - RCB Shawntae Spencer, LCB Derrick Johnson, SS Tony Parrish, FS Mike Adams, Backups - CB Bruce Thornton, CB B.J. Tucker, CB/S Mike Rumph, S Ben Emanuel, S Keith Lewis, S Marques Anderson, CB Ahmed Plummer.
Spencer started 14 games and played better than any other person in the secondary. He is a keeper.
Parrish likely will return in his starting role after missing the final seven games of the season with a broken left lower leg.
The rest of the secondary is up for grabs. Plummer, who entered the season as the starter, never returned to action after undergoing what was described at the time as minor surgery to clean bone chips out of his ankle. The club perceives Plummer as someone who has little desire to play football. He almost certainly will be released in the off-season because of a hefty contract for the coming season.
Adams shows some flashes and has a good work ethic. Johnson played well when he worked his way into the lineup. But Adams and Johnson are seen more as role players. The 49ers would like to upgrade at the free safety and left cornerback spots.
With the work left to be done with the Linebackers and Wide Receivers, this will tack a back burner. This will probably be temporarily fixed through free agency.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Joe Nedney, P Andy Lee, LS Brian Jennings, KR Maurice Hicks, PR Rasheed Marshall.
This was about the only strength of the 49ers in 2005. Nedney did a remarkable job, and the 49ers would like to keep him for a long time. Because he signed a one-year contract and the 49ers received a salary-cap discount, they are not able to sign him until the beginning of the new cap year. However, there are indications that the sides already have struck a contract agreement. Nedney set a club record for field-goal accuracy, making 26 of 28 field-goal attempts. He also provided a significant upgrade on kickoffs.
Lee generally punted well. He set a team-record with 107 punts. Because of a poor final game of the season, in which he had a punt blocked, Lee's averages took a significant dive. He finished with a 41.6 average with a 36.3 net.
Jennings, coming off a Pro Bowl appearance last year, had a perfect season. The 49ers' return games were not good. They need to find somebody to give them a little more pop out on kickoff returns and punt returns.
What the 49ers really need is a couple of good athletic players who can fill multiple roles. The Patriots train most of their players in three positions, this is something that the 49ers will need to do for them to be successful in the near future. A blindingly fast RB, who can serve as an extra WR, and return punts and kick-offs. A WR or Tight End who can pass like a Quarterback like Antwaan Randle El on the Steelers. And most importantly, a defense that can switch from 3-4 to 4-3 and back again in the middle of a game without a hitch. Players like Dante Hall of the Chiefs, Antwaan Randle El of the Steelers, and most of the Patriots. This is what the 49ers need to become competitive within the next couple of seasons.
posted by Keko at 08:09
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