-SF does not make the playoffs, and isn't even close. Sorry to say this, but I simply don't see this offense getting us much past 3 more wins. 7-9. 8-8 maybe. I'll guess our draft spot at 12.
-Carolina plays tough, but at the end of the day their schedule is just too hard. They win 3 more. 7-9. They'll draft right around us. I say 10th.
-The Eagles are not the same after Westbrook retires. Major shake-ups in the organization. Draft picks are wanted. They like Kolb, but like most players, he's got a price. A top 10 pick may just do the trick.
-Mike Holmgren is ready to return. He's done with coaching, but interested in what Parcells is doing. Jed seems interested in bringing old faces of the 49ers back to SF. (Remember when Nolan wouldn't sign Rice because he was too old? The Motherf***er signed Johnnie Morton instead!!!) Anyways, Jed tries to remedy these sins.
Philosophy Change:
The return of Mike Holmgren, the acquisition of Kolb, and the strengths of our current players (Davis, Crabtree, Gore) drives the team towards more of a WCO. Some will say that it's yet another offensive philosophy change. Here's a news flash. We have no offensive philosophy. At all! One game with play primarily out of the I, the next game we're shotgun. Are the 49ers trying to run the simplest offense in football? The San Francisco 49ers running a "don't loose us games" offense? WTF? This is the San Francisco f***ing 49ers. Can we please bring some respect back to this once proud franchise?
Lighter O-lines. This big immobile lineman experiment isn't working. Instead of spending a 2nd round pick on another big kid, can we just get some athletic lineman that can pass protect? You run by passing, because regardless of how big you are, you simply won't mull over 9 guys in the box.
Coaching/Front office changes:
We bring in Holmgren in a Bill Parcells like role. Most important thing? His ability to recognize good QBs. This is a very important decision for us right now, and Mike is going to be the man to make it. He has also worked well with McCloughan before, and will offer a great amount of knowledge in our big draft.
Jimmie Reye stays. But Holmgren starts to help Singletary hire better positions coaches (QB Coach...sorry Mike Johnson, but Holmgren is the right guy to decide who should coach the most important position on the team, WRs coach--maybe--and most importantly O-line coach!).
The defensive staff stays in tact.
Clearly there is going to be discrepancy between the WCO offense that Holmgren will try to influence and Sing's run first mentality. How this will work out, I'm not yet sure. I like Sing's ability to get the best out of his players, and I like Holmgren's ability identify good QBs...a decision that will make or break our franchise. How the two will mesh will also be key. The thing to note is that you can have both. Philly ran a WCO and was one of the more physical teams in the game. I think it's a misconception that Sing is married to the I-formation...he simply thought it fit these players best.
FA:
-Atogwe(S). This is our big signing. The Rams will do their best to resign the vet safety, but players will often leave rebuilding franchises, and the Rams are the epitome of this.
-Logan Mankins (OG). Scotty's OG of choice in the 2005 draft becomes available, and we remedy the Baas pick.
-Lance Moore. This guy is a backup. Don't think anyone will value him otherwise.
-Our own: We resign or franchise Franklin and Sims. The rest wallk.
These are 3 big signings, but we have way to many glaring holes to be cheap here. These are all GOOD players, and young enough to be here for a good stretch of time.
Draft:
1-10. Traded to the Eagles for Kolb. He's a talented QB that's been coached well and sat behind a good QB for 2 years. Philli might not want to trade him, but this is a hell of an offer for an unproven QB. Especially when McNaab still has years left.
1-12. Trade down for the 20th and 52nd picks.
1-20. Brandon Graham (OLB Michigan). This guy is just good. Really really good. With Franklin and Graham the niners will finally have a NT/OLB combination to be a dominant 3-4 D.
(Trade both of our 2nd round picks and our 7th for the 21st pick)
1-21. Charles Brown (OT USC). There's a chance that Brown ultimately gets drafted much earlier than this, but my guess is that 3 to 4 tackles go ahead of him, which should put him in this area. He's going to be a good tackle regardless of the scheme we run, and should be on the level of Joe Staley...which is good enough for us to do what we need to do.
3rd Round. Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (CB/KR Indiana(PA)). This came down to this guy and Javier Arenas. I went with Owusu-Ansah based on the recent success of small school defensive backs. This is our new return specialist, and the guy in line to compete for a starting CB spot once Nate is let go in 2011 when his contract is too much to bare.
4th Round. Toby Gerhart (RB Stanford). Today everyone is talking about Toby, but when the off-season rolls around, his clear lack of elite RB measurables and FB-like frame will drop his draft grade. Singletary can't take it anymore, he personally runs the draft card to the podium, salivating at the 4th and 1 potential that Gerhart brings to the table. Not the standard WCO RB, but may be the perfect FB/RB tweener, who can run, catch, block and pick up short yardage.
5th Roud. Antonio Coleman (OLB Auburn). I don't really know this guy's draft grade, but I do know he's been consistently gets after the QB.
6th Round. Matt Copa (OT Stanford). Good OT. Smart Stanford player.
Depth Chart:
QB- Kolb, Hill, Davis
RB- Gore, Coffee, Gerhart
FB- Gerhart, Robinson
WR- Crabtree, Morgan, Hill, Jones, Moore, Dominique Ziegler
TE- Davis, Walker, J.J. Finley
LT- Staley, Sims
LG- Mankins, Wragge
C-Heitman, Wallance
RG- Rachal, Snyder
RT- Brown, Copa (or Boone and Copa to the PS)
DE- Smith, Balmer
NT- Franklin, RJF
DE- McDonald, Sopoaga
LOLB- Graham, Brooks
LILB- Willis, Willhelm
RILB- McKillop
ROLB- Haralson, Briggs
FS- Otogwe, Curtis
SS- Goldson, Smith
CB- Clements, Spencer, Tarrel Brown, Owusu-Ansah, Hudson
Lee
Nedney
Jennings
[ Edited by RollinWith21n52 on Nov 21, 2009 at 2:31 PM ]
