T1B

Offense
Quarterback
Starter: Alex Smith
Reserves: Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey, Cody Pickett
I have confidence that Alex Smith will beat out Tim Rattay and Ken Dorsey for the position. Smith seems to possess all of the necesarry athletic skills to be a star at QB, but most importantly, he seems to possesses the intagibles and very astute mind for the game. Tim Rattay is a good backup QB, but that is all he is, and same with Ken Dorsey. Cody Pickett may be the 2nd most talented QB on the roster, but he needs to pickup the offense better and improve his accuracy. I think that the 49ers made a good choice with Smith as he reminds me of a more athletic version of Tom Brady. Hopefully he will have the same type of winning success as well.
Unit Grade: B

Running Back
Starters: Kevan Barlow, Fred Beasley(FB)
Reserves: Frank Gore, Terry Jackson, Tony Ficklin(FB)
This is the make it or break it year for Barlow. Physically, he is as talented as any RB in the NFL, but he took a beating last year, both physically and mentally. I think Barlow got too much blame for his failures last year because he was running behind the worst offensive line in the NFL since the Texans inagural season. I expect him to have over 1000YDS this year. Frank Gore could be a huge steal. He isn't flashy but he is very difficult to bring down and he will push Barlow hard. Terry Jackson is a great special teamer and a good 3rd Down RB. At FB, Fred Beasley is one of the leagues best, and don't be surprised if Tony Ficklin makes this team. He is a phenomenal athlete and was one of the top JuCo players as a FB and DE.
Unit Grade: B

Wide Receiver
Starters: Arnaz Battle, Johnny Morton, Brandon Lloyd
Reserves: Rashaun Woods, Rasheed Marshall, P.J. Fleck, Marcus Maxwell
This is probably the 49ers biggest position of concern. The 49ers will be praying either Arnaz Battle, Brandon Lloyd, or Rashaun Woods steps up as a big play performer. Battle is explosive after the catch and could become an Anquan Boldin-type mid-range WR. Lloyd has trouble getting seperation but he makes some phenomenal catches. And Woods really needs to make his mark. Behind Derrick Hamilton who is injred, Woods has the most natural talent. He has great hands, knows how to seperate, and has pretty good speed (4.49 40), but he just needs to build some confidence. Johnny Morton is a solid possesion WR and will be a good security blanket, but that is all he is at this point in his career. Behind those 4, the 49ers have P.J. Fleck, a firey competitor who lacks all the measurables, and two BIG projects with some good potential in Rasheed Marshall and Marcus Maxwell.
Unit Grade: C+

Tight End
Starter: Eric Johnson
Reserves: Aaron Walker, Billy Bajema
Eric Johnson is one of the best receiving TE's in the NFL. He will surely lead the team in receptions again and will be Smith's prime target when he is in trouble. Johnson needs to improve his blocking and stay injury free however. Aaron Walker needs to be utilized more. He plays with a mean streak and has good hands. Bajema is a limited athlete but is a good blocker and will be an upgrade over Steve Bush.
Unit Grade: B+

Offensive Line
Starters: LT Jonas Jennings, LG Justin Smiley, C Jeremy Newberry, RG David Baas, RT Kwame Harris
Reserves: Eric Heitman, Adam Snyder, Scott Peters, Patrick Estes
The success and health of the offensive line will be a key determinent of the teams success. If the line stays healthy then it is a solid group of young players. Newberry and Jennings are the rocks, but Kwame Harris could be the most talented and he is moving to his natrual position at RT where he could really excel. Baas and Smiley are two great run blockers inside and play with meanstreaks but they are very young. Heitman and Snyder are good reserves, however, the OL has no depth beyond that. Estes has shown that he will be capable of being a solid OT in the NFL, but he is transitioning from TE and will not be ready this year. Everyone else is a fringe NFL player.
Unit Grade: B+(W/ Newberry)\B- (W/O Newberry)

Defense
Defensive End
Starters: LDE Bryant Young, RDE Marques Douglas
Reserves: Tony Brown, Chris Cooper, Anthony Adams
The 49ers' starters at DE are very underrated. Marques Douglas is a very solid veteran who has played in Nolan's 3-4 defense and will be expected to provide at least 5 sacks. Bryant Young, at this stage of his career could excel playing LE because he will not have to face constant doubleteams. I expect Young to have a great year. Depth again will be a problem. Tony Brown is a high motor guy and has some skill, but I am not a Chris Cooper fan. After that Anthony Adams will be counted to play some DE if injuries occur.
Unit Grade: B+

Nose Tackle
Starters: Anthony Adams
Reserves: Isaac Sapoaga, Ronald Fields
While the 49ers don't have an established NT, I think people are low balling Adams. Remember in Baltimore Nolan's starting NT was Kelly Gregg, an NT who is the about the same size as Adams (6'0" 310) and less athletic. Adams has very quick feet, is wide, and has a good motor. He may be a very effective NT. If not, the 49ers still will have a good rotation with Sapoage, a big, extremely strong, and very athletic but raw NT and Ronald Fields another big and athletic NT who played the position in college.
Unit Grade: B-

Line Backers
Starters: OLB Julian Peterson, ILB Jeff Ulbrich, ILB Derek Smith, OLB Jamie Winborn, Elephant Andre Carter
Reserves: Saleem Rasheed, Brandon Moore, Andrew Williams, Richard Seigler
Linebacker is undoubtedly the 49ers deepest and most talented position. If Peterson comes back to full form he is a top 3 LB in the NFL. In the middle Ulbrich and Smith are solid, toughnosed players who rarely make mistakes and on the otherside Winborn is ready for a breakout year. The ultimate success of the 3-4 defense hinges on the 49ers ability to effectively rush the passer and that responsibility falls upon Andre Carter who will be used in the Elephant role similar to Charles Haley and Kevin Greene in the early 90s. Carter has great athleticism and if he can produce 10+ sacks the defense will surprise some people. Behind the starters Brandon Moore, Andrew Williams, Saleem Rasheed, and Richard Seigler are all solid young players with good potential.
Unit Grade: A-\A

Cornerback
Starters: LCB Ahmed Plummer, RCB Shawntae Spencer
Reserves: Willie Middlebrooks, Daven Holly, Derrick Johnson
The success of the CB position depends on two factors. Plummer's health and the continued growth of Spencer. When healthy, Plummer is a consistent CB who doesn't give up too many plays and can be counted on, however, his price and injury status of his neck make him a very risky player. Spencer is a young, lanky, and athletic CB who has potential to be a great cover CB. He gave up some big plays his rookie year, but he has the makings of a very solid CB. He needs to continue to make steps forward and not back. Middlebrooks is a CB with a lot of skill but he has not lived up to his potential. He will be a good Nickel CB and maybe he can reach his potential in a new area. Holly and Johnson were late round additions, but in other drafts they could have 3rd Rd picks due to the depth of the CB position this past year. Both are great athletes and have impressed in minicamps. I think that both could have key roles in the future on this roster.
Unit Grade: B

Safety
Starters: FS Mike Rumph, SS Tony Parrish
Reserves: Dwaine Carpenter, Keith Lewis, Rayshun Reed
The move from CB to S could transform Rumph from a solid NFL player to a potential ProBowler. Rumph is a hard hitter, with great speed, and ball skills but just didn't have hips fluid enough to be a top notch CB. He could excel as a FS. Tony Parrish was not as impressive as the year before last year, but he is still, simply put, a playmaker. The depth at this position is average. Carpenter has good talent but is not nearly consistent enough. Keith Lewis is a hard hitter and a special teams ace.
Unit Grade: B+



the truth

Please send some of those drugs back east.

sin

Ricky in Miami

your QB's, RB's, arent 'B's. more like a D. unless B stands for Bad. and the WR situation there is horrid. F. but johnson might be an A TE.

Why not just send us the URL you copied that from and we can all regurgitate the take of the sports writer you coped.


BTW, Dallas= A+

lessee here....skins.

QB- C... ramsey will likely be a decent QB, at least. we have yet to see what he can do with an NFL caliber system and with wr's who can get open. a good running game and O line wont hurt him.

WR- C+... moss is explosive. patten is solid. jacobs could be very good. thats about it.

RB- A... portis is still money. a revamped O line will have him back on top. Betts isnt a bad backup.

TE- B+...cooley led the team in TDs after leading all college TE in receptions the year before. can run well after the catch and block. nice pickup.

O line- B+...with jansen back and rabach taking over at center, they will be good. they were the worst part of the team last year and killed the O. up from a D minus last year.

D line- A-...cornelius griffin is good. daniels should be good after injury last year. they were tough last year.

LBs- A...marcus washington and lavar arrington (back form injury) nuff said.

DBs- A...springs was excellent last year. walt harris is servicable. carlos rogers won the jim thorpe award last year at auburn. taylor, if not in jail, is a beast and matt bowen is back. let the beatings begin.

K- C? who knows? who is the kicker anyway?

and, of course, the coach is an A+, in case you tools forgot.

G.O. wrote:your QB's, RB's, arent 'B's. more like a D. unless B stands for Bad. and the WR situation there is horrid. F. but johnson might be an A TE.

Exactly. Reading M2's reveiw you'd think the 9ers are going to be playoff contenders.

Joe in PB wrote:

G.O. wrote:your QB's, RB's, arent 'B's. more like a D. unless B stands for Bad. and the WR situation there is horrid. F. but johnson might be an A TE.

Exactly. Reading M2's reveiw you'd think the 9ers are going to be playoff contenders.

Joe, I think a .500 record could win the NFC West, being the division is so weak. I think it's not out of the question that the Niners could end up 8-8 this season, and I'm actually thinking they will end up winning the division this year.


m2

Rod Gardenr should be the next coming of RJ Soward.

Good topic for the end of the season :o

Dumbass wrote:Rod Gardenr should be the next coming of RJ Soward.

if you read the panthers fan message boards, you'd swear they just signed randy moss.

good for a laugh.

Ravens:

QB: C. Boller has all of the tools, but, to date, has only BEEN a tool. At least this year he's gonna have some people to throw to outside of Todd Heap and the other team.

RB: A. Jamal Lewis, crackhead or not, is one of the best backs in the game.

WR: B. Mason is good when he's healthy. Clayton is the real deal, if he can stay healthy. (It was never a problem in college, but he already has a pro injury under his belt...) Devard Darling is a burner. There's some pistons under the hood, but they need Boller to get them the ball still.

TE: A. Todd Heap is the man.

OL: Incomplete. Considering that they have Flynn listed as both the starting C and LG, that tells me a lil' bit about Mulitalo's physical condition. When he's healthy, he's a beast in the run game though... If they can keep everybody held together, and Rimpf develops well, they're a B+/A-. If not, they're a fuct.

DL: Incomplete. They're what they need to be. Big, space-taker-uppers. Drafting Dan Cody will allow them to do some mixing things up as he's well-suited physically to play a 3/4 hybrid DL / LB, but, with Kelly Gregg as your best player, your unit is what it is. This unit, as it stands, system aside, is a C at best.

LB: A. THIS unit, on the other hand, is sick. Suggs is ridiculous. Ray Lewis might be the best ever. Slaughter. Thomas. Decent... they make solid tackles, but nobody really wants them covering backs in the flat or anything...

CB: A. McAlister might be the best in the game right now... although there are a lot of arguments there... and Samari Rolle is one of the better cover corners as well.

F/SS: A. Will Demps has become quite the player. There was a time when I didn't think he has "what it took" to play for the Ravens, but he's proven me wrong. Then there's Ed Reed. 9 picks last year, from the SS spot. That's nuts. It's amazing to think that between he, McAlister and Ray Lewis, they might have three of the best players in the league at their respective positions, all on the defensive side of the ball.

Special Teams: B+. Stover and Zastudil are both money... and Sams has shown he can occasionally break one in the return game, but he's nothing to get excited about.

the_ouskull

m2 wrote:I 'rote this' take mieself. I did N'OT co'piey it form sum San Fagci''sco rag. It's total'y unbia'sed and s'tuf'f.

t'he tr'uth

Danny, you a Ravens fan?

The Bucs will suck horsecocks.

mvscal wrote:

m2 wrote:Joe, I think a .500 record could win the NFC West,

It might,wbut it would take a minor miracle for the Niners to get half way to .500.

That is a seriously shitty team with rookie QB and a new coach. They're two or three years away from worrying about getting to five hundred

You're too arrogant for your own good.... :roll:

Can you give me the turn around on the "Chargers season" from 03' to 04'????

I'll be waiting, Mr. Nixon....

fuckin' tards, every board needs em


the truth

mvscal wrote:The Niner's situation isn't even remotely comparable. At least the Bolts had the best running back in the league and an OK defense going into last year.

The Niners have nothing. You don't have a single playmaker at any position. Personally, I think Nolan was a good hire and he will get it turned around eventually, but it damn sure ain't happening this year.

It would take Mike Martz throwing the ball 100x a game, wasting Steven Jackson and going for it every 4th down regardless of the yardage for the 49ers to win the division.

Some how I think that's all very plausible.

mvscal wrote:

jiminphilly wrote:

mvscal wrote:The Niner's situation isn't even remotely comparable. At least the Bolts had the best running back in the league and an OK defense going into last year.

The Niners have nothing. You don't have a single playmaker at any position. Personally, I think Nolan was a good hire and he will get it turned around eventually, but it damn sure ain't happening this year.

It would take Mike Martz throwing the ball 100x a game, wasting Steven Jackson and going for it every 4th down regardless of the yardage for the 49ers to win the division.

Some how I think that's all very plausible.

It will take more than that. The Niners are easily the worst team in the weakest division in the league.

No disagreement there. Martz just happens to be the most overrated coach in the NFL. If anyone will find a way to go 4-12 with a good team, it'll be Martz.

PSUFAN wrote:Danny, you a Ravens fan?

Here's the deal... I was a Giants fan until Phil Simms let his kid go to Tejas. (Little did I know how well that would work out for OU...) So, I decided to kinda hop around, be a free agent for a bit. As with all pro sports, I'm more into players than I am teams, but, I'm working on that, and, also, considering that I know the Ravens first round draft pick pretty well, it makes sense for that to be the team that I decide to be more fond of than others...

...although I still prefer players to teams... I guess to answer your question, yes, I AM a Ravens fan. There's some Sooners on that roster, man. Kelly Gregg. (Had a class with him...) Trent Smith. (He and I were in a wedding together... not our own, assholes...) Dan Cody. (Class...) Mark Clayton. (He's my boy like Blue...)

the_ouskull

The Donkeys:

Draft- suxcked.

Free Agents- picked up half of the Browns D-line, and no, not the good half.

Coach Shanny is rapidly turning into Don Shula just before he retired.

mvscal wrote:The Niner's situation isn't even remotely comparable.

The Niners have nothing. You don't have a single playmaker at any position.

I'm glad the average golf fan... and Bob Hope lover feels this way, cause I'm taking it to the bank....

P.S. Alex Smith maybe the best qb ever, in NFL History when it's all said and done...

He has that kinda talent...

The 20 year old... just added a one recently.... and listen to what people are saying...

you need to read every post, before you open your mouth and make a fool of yourself...

"Smith's powerful arm has drawn appreciative cheers from the fans assembled at the 49ers' training complex for the first three days of camp"

Quote from an article from ESPN

It seems as though he is doing so good and picking up the offense that the coaches have been giving him more time with the 1st team than originally anticipated.

2. He wins.
Everyone likes a winner, and Alex Smith is one. In his two years as a starter at Utah, Smith was 20-1 and guided the Utes to their first outright conference championship in 46 years during his sophomore season before leading them into a BCS game last year. At Helix high school, Smith was 25-1

47-2 in high school and college says a winner like never in history over that 4 year period....EVER!!!!!

What the average fan(mvscal) has no knowledge of...

outside of Garcia, and Owens... the core of the team that went to the NFC Championship game a few years ago is still in tack, minus the worst coach in 9er history is gone... and the coach that designed the Raven's incredible defense over the last few years, is now the Niner's coach...

We drafted Bass outta Michigan...who was voted the best O Lineman in the Big 10, and Snyder outta Oregon who was voted the top O lineman in the Pac 10...

We also added Jonas Jennings from the Bills, who could be the best LT in football( he didn't allow a single sack last year) even with Bledsack as his QB!!!

Newberry will be conimg back at center after missing all of last year due to injury(he was a Pro Bowler)...

The Niners will be running the 3-4, with the coach who ran the Ravens D....

The strength of the 3-4 D is the linebackers....

and the Niner's may have the best in the NFL!!!

Julian Peterson..(PRO BOWLER)

Andre Carter...(PRO BOWLER)

Andrew Williams.. The head hunter from the Miami Hurricanes...

and Jaime Windborn...who could be the best of the four....

At tailback ... Kevin Barlow... and Frank Gore( who has been called the best running back the Miami Hurricanes have ever seen) by the coaches and the players who played there!!!



the truth

ms wrote:P.S. Alex Smith maybe the best qb ever, in NFL History when it's all said and done...

He has that kinda talent...

then he wrote:you need to read every post, before you open your mouth and make a fool of yourself...

Oh the irony.

Can you at least let the dude take an NFL snap before you compare him to the greatest QB's ever? Why? because he has a strong arm? Jeff George, much?

Glad that you're excited about his prospects, but talk about putting the cart before the horse.

If the niners go 5-11, you can consider it a fantastic year, and a step in the right direction. 3-13 is more likely!

m2 wrote:P.S. Alex Smith maybe the best qb ever, in NFL History when it's all said and done...

He has that kinda talent...

This may come back to haunt you.

sin

M.A.

Please do not judge us Alex Smith fans on the basis of moronSquared's posts. TIA

Cuda wrote:The Donkeys:

Draft- suxcked.

What the hell are you talking about, we got Mo "Lightning" Clarice and at least three undersized dbacks.

Draft rating A+++++++++

Free Agents- picked up half of the Browns D-line, and no, not the good half.

But by picking up the Browns defensive line coach, they won't miss a beat from last year........ :cry:

Coach Shanny is rapidly turning into Don Shula just before he retired.

sinner........