49ers Offensive Line

I thought this was interesting. Because from what I remember seeing and even Ted Nguyen commented on this was that the interior played fine and it was the tackles that were getting beat.

Originally posted by ajsjohnson:
Honestly a little confused as to why, in a critical developmental year, the Niners would leave the OL as possibly the weakest area of the team unnecessarily. I get that they drafted a guard last year, but it looks like a bad pick thus far. We need stability and consistency there...wouldn't be surprised if the season ends up being a disappointing one because of this misstep

Agree, and from an office politics point of view. ShanaLYnch just went to the NFCCG, their jobs are pretty safe for the next couple of years - I would think. Ownership will give them a year to get Trey to starter level and so they may have (by my calculations) a year or two free - before they feel some sort of ownership heat, so why not transition the OLIne this year to a more balanced power/Gap and zone run Line vs a pure zone run OLine - like the last couple of years. This transition will probably take another draft or two - depending on when Trent retires. I Wish we could have, in hindsight, chose a OLineman instead of the Sermon Pick.

I would really love to know what our scouts look at in o-lineman. I know it would never happen, but I would just love to see our scouting reports for past seasons to know what they are seeing. It seems that a lot of my draft interests on the o-line go to the Chiefs and Eagles lately, so I guess I have more in common with their scouts. Last year I was screaming for us to grab Trey Smith, and he lasted until the 6th - and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. I really wanted Landon Dickerson too, which would have required a trade up. I loved Jordan Mailata a few years ago as a develepment prospect. He was drafted in the 7th round, and is already amazing. This year I really had my eye on Darian Kinnard, who also got drafted by the Chiefs. All are big and physical run blockers. All have pass protection skills, with the ability to improve. All have ability to move that is better than their size shows. Landon is the least athletic of the bunch, but he still showed the ability to get to the second level in college. So all of these would have fit our zone run scheme. But we get guys like Banks instead, and that is what makes me scratch my head.

If we had drafted the way I wanted, We'd have Trent at LT, Trey Smith at LG, Landon Dickerson at C, Robert Hunt at RG, and Jordan Mailata at RT. With Tyler Biadasz as a C/G backup and Kinard as a G/T backup. I THINK Trey Lance would be much happier with this!

Originally posted by YACBros85:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by libertyforever:
I am wondering if Brunskill can still play OT. He has been playing interior OL in the last two seasons and this year's training camp. Not sure if he got any training snaps at OT. Perhaps he has been getting his body and weight to be ideal for interior OL and he won't be able to play OT at the 2019 level any time soon.

From what we have seen of Moore, Skule, and McKivitz, Brunskill had better be able to still play OT.

Preach!

Agreed.

Yup. I hope he's retained the muscle memory for the OT position, but if not - I'm hoping he can at least be as good as Tom Compton at pass protection (which isn't saying much). If I'm Foerster and you have McKivitz and Moore as your backup OT's - I'd be working with them till midnight to get them up to standards. Again, I didn't see them getting physically beat - but I did see them take wrong angles, bad steps, and probably some miscommunications with regards to their blocking whiffs. If they can eliminate those mental mistakes - maybe they become credible OT's. I hope.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Paul_Hofer:
The Niners won the 1989 Super Bowl with a double platoon at LT and RG. Steve Wallace/Bubba Paris and Bruce Collie/Terry Tausch. Platooning should allow players to use more energy rather than pacing themselves for a whole game. This not only allows players of equal skills to get on the field but allows better production from lesser players.

Oh yeah! That's right. You know, with 17 game seasons, this isn't a bad idea at all.

You lose a bit of continuity when you platoon your OLinemen. Not saying it's a bad idea, but I believe Wallace, Paris, Collie and Tausch were all long time veterans and were very similar in skill set that you could plug and play them. They also had a brilliant Offensive Line coach who could make lemonade out of lemons. I'm not so sure of Foerser and how he'd deal with very raw OLinemen like Brendel, Poe, Burford, and Banks and trying to coach them up on all kinds of stunts and blitzes and on top of that having to platoon them with a very raw 2nd year QB that's still green as heck.

Really good video . Gives me optimism about the interior

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by dj43:
I just finished re-watching the game (I know, I'm a masochist.) for the expressed purpose of watching Banks and Poe.

I understand that Banks was likely working against a grade-level higher player during his time in the game versus what Poe was facing. My conclusion is that Poe is the better player. He is just as strong if not more so than Banks. Poe also is noticeably quicker than Banks. His footwork is light years faster. His superiority stood out on the last play of the game as Purdy was scrambling around trying to make something happen. All the rest of the LOS had broken down into a chase scene except Poe who continued to hold off his man at virtually the same spot on the field as they started. It was funny really. It looked like they were having their own personal one-on-one while everyone else was off doing something else.

Poe is the starter, IMO.

Interesting. I'll take your word on it. You do have a good eye for OL talent.

One solution to the OLine problem is somehow getting Poe to be a starter. I don't think you throw a terribly raw guy like Poe in there right away, but I'd look to develop him over the course of this season so that towards the end of this season he can challenge for a starting spot. At least that's how I'd approach handling Poe.

It would be nice if Poe was so good that he was able to push Burford (at some point in the season) towards right tackle. Now Burford playing right tackle is a whole nuther can of worms though.

The only way I see that happening is if Brunskill would not be available. Other than this hammy, DB has been more than adequate at OT. I can't imagine moving a raw rookie to a new position this late in the TC.

As I said above, I look at Poe as the better player now and prospect for the future than Banks. In my eye, Banks has been the weakest link in the OL to this point.

Agree for now, and Hope Brunskill can come back and play - he has about another 15 days or so to heal up. Hope he can do it.

As NC said with injuries on this team every year, I think the OLinemen have to cross train, so playing Burford at OT would be more of an emergency stop gap measure if Brunskill can't do it, and McKivitz and Skule just totally stink to high heaven playing OT.

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by libertyforever:
I am wondering if Brunskill can still play OT. He has been playing interior OL in the last two seasons and this year's training camp. Not sure if he got any training snaps at OT. Perhaps he has been getting his body and weight to be ideal for interior OL and he won't be able to play OT at the 2019 level any time soon.

From what we have seen of Moore, Skule, and McKivitz, Brunskill had better be able to still play OT.

brun played OG last yr, not OT. But the word has been that he is a natural OT and not an OG, so he basically was played out of position last yr. (Coaches decision, altho not sure if it was kyle …or not). I thot i recalled him playing OT, rarely, but am not sure of that.

Moore played limited amounts last yr but he played OG and OT. His OG play i remember and it was okay. A LT he isn't. But did he play RT in PS ? we have seen Moore have some good moments in games last yr, but never at LT. And remember, don't know how the LG playing next to him played. Did he miss every block and makes Moore look bad …or was the DE over him just playing lites out? Since I have seen him play well last yr, not sure why kyle continued to play him at LT when it was obvious he was getting scalded every damn snap. That was foolish on either Foerester or Kyle's part. Bad as he played at LT, it doesn't mean he can't play OG or RT with a good RG next to him. I'll hold off judging him on any position other than LT…but there he was a fail.

McKivitz shone one game only and that was Rams game at RG when he fought Donald to a draw . Can't recall him playing any other position where he stood out as he did in that one Ram's game.

As for Skule, no memory of him having any standout games or even if he got much playing time.

Moving along to good news, i thot Banks played well, but he got beat a couple times, badly. I had Poe and Burford rated about equally, but if DJ has Poe over Burford, I bow to DJ. As a group I have all 3 as starters…unfortunately all at OG…Altho Poe is thot to be able to snap, too. With McG injured, and I think that is longer than advertised, and Brun injured ( no idea of how long), it would seem reasonable to try Moore at RT . Otherwise it is McKivitz, Skule, and that horse looks like it was ridden and put away wet.

Poe is the kid who is athletic, so if anybody is going to have a shot at RT, it might be him…in a pinch. Also he had a good TC and has good hands. I know he is an OG, but if Burford starts at RG, and Moore, Skule, McK can't cut the RT mustard, give Poe a shot. (And if Poe starts at RG, then give Burford a shot).

At C, Brendel looked good….and so did Sutherland…altho he got torched a couple times by DT stunts, and QB got zapped. Still, overall, he played ok.

So, overall, RT is the black hole, but my suggestions for that are above. And why the heck wasn't Moore played at RT, to see if he could hold it down? I know he did last yr, but not often. Coaching decisions re:: RT tryouts were really ineffectual. That did not look like Kyle's doing, but rather our OL coach
but honestly, i dunno.

Originally posted by Ghostofabshelmet:

I thought this was interesting. Because from what I remember seeing and even Ted Nguyen commented on this was that the interior played fine and it was the tackles that were getting beat.

I watched the game again on Friday morning and came to the same conclusion myself about the pass pro issues. Banks and Burford weren't without their share of mistakes though. Banks got abused on that 4th and 2 and Burford was called for holding twice. Other than that, they did a fine job.

Originally posted by YACBros85:

Originally posted by Ghostofabshelmet:

I thought this was interesting. Because from what I remember seeing and even Ted Nguyen commented on this was that the interior played fine and it was the tackles that were getting beat.

I watched the game again on Friday morning and came to the same conclusion myself about the pass pro issues. Banks and Burford weren't without their share of mistakes though. Banks got abused on that 4th and 2 and Burford was called for holding twice. Other than that, they did a fine job.

Watching the game live, I thought it was pretty clear who the main culprits were, but some decided to trash everyone's play and lump them all together, which made no sense. As you said, both had a couple mistakes, but they had way more positive plays than negative. The sky isn't falling people, but our tackle depth has me terrified unless Brunskill is allowed to play his natural position.

Niners bringing in free agent guard John Miller for a visit.

Originally posted by JTB1974:
Niners bringing in free agent guard John Miller for a visit.

When they move Brunskill to tackle, they are going to need some veteran depth at the guard spot. Maybe even a backup center as well.

Originally posted by JTB1974:
Niners bringing in free agent guard John Miller for a visit.

I remember the name but know nothing about him. Is he better than the current backups. Can't be hard

Originally posted by Giedi:
Agree for now, and Hope Brunskill can come back and play - he has about another 15 days or so to heal up. Hope he can do it.

As NC said with injuries on this team every year, I think the OLinemen have to cross train, so playing Burford at OT would be more of an emergency stop gap measure if Brunskill can't do it, and McKivitz and Skule just totally stink to high heaven playing OT.

Naah. The staff's probably got it. The OL performed very well last year. I don't think these guys need to be trained on what to tell the OLinemen to do and not do with their training and preparedness. Kinda far-fetched to think we'd know better than them on how to keep them healthy and ready to perform, no?

More talent at certain positions along the line though is certainly welcome.

Originally posted by Brucey72:
I remember the name but know nothing about him. Is he better than the current backups. Can't be hard

Meh he's a journeyman. Aren't gonna find anything of value on the wire at this point.

Not the most fleet a foot lineman either. Would be a questionable fit.