49ers Offensive Line

Originally posted by Pillbusta:

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
Still...6'0"" 220 isn't light for a RB. To put it into perspective, Bush is 6'0" 205.

That's about what Lynch listed at

Lynch 5'11" 215...pretty close! Hyde is a different kind of back but he'll be big enough.

Rawhyde had the second best tackle breaking ratio to lynch. 31% to 30%. Sure rawhyde didn't have a ton of carries but his style is similar to lynch lacy. We got a very good back boys ;) he is not better than gore but this year he is a better back bc gore is declining and Hyde is ascending.

Originally posted by elguapo:
Rawhyde had the second best tackle breaking ratio to lynch. 31% to 30%. Sure rawhyde didn't have a ton of carries but his style is similar to lynch lacy. We got a very good back boys ;) he is not better than gore but this year he is a better back bc gore is declining and Hyde is ascending.

Agree.

Another point - he's going to get better w/more playing time and coaching.

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:
No thanks on Mathis. We never pay big money for gaurds, so why start now; especially when you consider he is 33 and not likely in the long term plans? Build on what we have and dont give in, otherwise, what is the message we are sending? I dont want to spend just because we have it, at least not at the guard position.

Kevin Gogan, Larry Allen and Ron Stone were FA signings that greatly helped. I especially liked how Kevin was kicked out of a all pro game for picking a fight, the guy was nasty.

Good read by one of our own!

http://www.49erswebzone.com/commentary/1459-growing-pains-switching-power-zone/

BY MATT BARROWS

@mrizvi66 what do you think is going to be the most important training camp battle?

There will be some good battles at cornerback and tight end (where there are eight players and perhaps three roster spots) and for backup spots at wide receiver, safety, inside linebacker and along a very deep defensive line. But the most important battle -- or battles -- will be along the offensive line.

When the spring session ended, left tackle Joe Staley was the only lineman in the same spot he was in at the end of the 2014 season. Alex Boone was next to him at left guard, Joe Looney was playing center, Marcus Martin was the right guard and Erik Pears was playing right tackle.

The 49ers coaches did quite a bit of mixing and matching during spring practices in an effort to find the right combinations. They're unlikely to do much more experimenting this summer because a line that is missing two long-time starters -- Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati -- will need time to congeal. That is, the group that takes the field for Aug. 1's initial training camp practice ought to provide a good idea of what the line will look like against the Vikings in Week 1.

I thought it was interesting that Looney, not Martin, lined up at center during the most recent practices. That may indicate that the 49ers believe Daniel Kilgore, who is expected back after last year's leg fracture, is the best bet at center and that Martin should be getting solid practice repetitions at right guard.

Right guard then would probably be the best training camp battle -- one that pits Martin against Brandon Thomas and perhaps others, including Looney and Andrew Tiller. The 49ers seem to be stressing mobility in an offense that will incorporate zone blocking concepts more than in previous seasons. Martin, who trimmed a noticeable amount of fat from his frame during the offseason, seems to fit that mold.

Of course, the 49ers could conclude that Boone is better off at his more familiar spot at right guard. (He started there from 2012-14). Or that they should move him to right tackle and have Pears compete for one of the guard spots. Again, the Aug. 1 practice ought to be revealing.

********************

The next question is: Which offensive linemen will be active on game days? If Kilgore and Martin are both starting, Looney is an option to be uniform. After all, he can play all three interior spots. In fact, he started games at left guard, right guard and center last year.

Dillon Farrell can play all five spots and played in eight contests last year. The swing tackle? That may be Boone's job even if he starts at guard this season. However, it will depend on how seventh-round pick Trent Brown performs in training camp and the preseason. His had a promising spring session. The true tests will come when Aldon Smith, Ahmad Brooks, Tank Carradine and Co. are wearing pads and coming at him full speed.


Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article28030774.html#storylink=cpy

Thanks NC, good read. Particularly like the comments on Farrell and Brown who many assume are expendable camp fodder. Also...last comment regarding full speed practice with pads and hitting being another level. The fact that Brown looked good is somewhat surprising to me as huge rookies often have some transition difficulties in mini camps but have a bit more of an advantage when the hitting starts.

Originally posted by fister30:

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:
No thanks on Mathis. We never pay big money for gaurds, so why start now; especially when you consider he is 33 and not likely in the long term plans? Build on what we have and dont give in, otherwise, what is the message we are sending? I dont want to spend just because we have it, at least not at the guard position.

Kevin Gogan, Larry Allen and Ron Stone were FA signings that greatly helped. I especially liked how Kevin was kicked out of a all pro game for picking a fight, the guy was nasty.

Excellent call!

Gogan was the meanest OLine guy we ever had.

IMO, Larry Allen was one of the top 3 OLinemen in NFL history.

I was totally bummed when we didn't pick him in the draft.

I was hoping we would trade up to get him.

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
Thanks NC, good read. Particularly like the comments on Farrell and Brown who many assume are expendable camp fodder. Also...last comment regarding full speed practice with pads and hitting being another level. The fact that Brown looked good is somewhat surprising to me as huge rookies often have some transition difficulties in mini camps but have a bit more of an advantage when the hitting starts.

Oh yeah...there are going to be some big time battles for the OL...even between Silberman and Brown, Looney and Farrell, Thomas and M.Martin, Looney/Martin vs. Kilgore at C, possibly Boone vs. Pears at T, etc. And if we DO add Evan Mathis

There should be lots of mixing and cross-training.

Originally posted by NCommand:
Oh yeah...there are going to be some big time battles for the OL...even between Silberman and Brown, Looney and Farrell, Thomas and M.Martin, Looney/Martin vs. Kilgore at C, possibly Boone vs. Pears at T, etc. And if we DO add Evan Mathis

There should be lots of mixing and cross-training.

I'd pay good money to watch the one on one drills with OL. Brown against Boone would tell us a lot about both guys. Staley against either of them would also help demonstrate their quickness...or lack thereof! With the emphasis on being in shape and dropping weight, I expect a much better second half team!

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

Originally posted by NCommand:
Oh yeah...there are going to be some big time battles for the OL...even between Silberman and Brown, Looney and Farrell, Thomas and M.Martin, Looney/Martin vs. Kilgore at C, possibly Boone vs. Pears at T, etc. And if we DO add Evan Mathis

There should be lots of mixing and cross-training.

I'd pay good money to watch the one on one drills with OL. Brown against Boone would tell us a lot about both guys. Staley against either of them would also help demonstrate their quickness...or lack thereof! With the emphasis on being in shape and dropping weight, I expect a much better second half team!

Agree.

I also expect our 2nd Half coaching to be light years ahead of last years play calling and adjustments

More great news:

Marcus Martin Aims to 'Dominate' in Sophomore Campaign
Tyler Emerick

"Mature for his age" doesn't begin to describe Marcus Martin.

A year ago, the San Francisco 49ers rookie offensive lineman was the youngest player in the NFL.

Born on Nov. 29, 1993, Martin made his first career start (Week 9 against the St. Louis Rams) at just 20 years old.

That came a few years after he started as a freshman at Southern California at 17 years old.

But when talking about a player who has always been ahead of the curve, it's easy to forget that he is still growing. And that's the case for Martin, who feels like he hasn't yet stratched the surface of his potential.

"Man, I have plenty of room to grow," Martin said. "A lot of people tell me that I don't have my grown man strength yet. I laugh at it but it's for real."

Martin was thrust into the starting lineup last fall after starting center Daniel Kilgore suffered a broken leg. The timing of Kilgore's season-ending injury aligned perfectly with Martin's rehab from a dislocated knee cap he sustained during the preseason.

The rookie third-round pick started eight of the remaining nine games, filling in admirably at one of the most mentally demanding positions on the field.

"It was unbelievable," Martin said. "Everything was uphill at first, but I gathered information and by the end of the year, I felt so fluid.

"Playing in real games makes a difference. You actually understand what an NFL game feels like; the type of players you go against. You understand the speed that you have to play with and how quick you have to make decisions."

What makes Martin's rookie campaign even more impressive is the fact that he never felt completely healthy. The knee injury lingered even after he gained the starting center job.

"Looking back, I feel like there were things I could've done better to manage that injury," Martin said. "But now that I'm 100 percent, I'm working on trying to deal with the different impacts on my knee.

"Just getting adjusted to my second year and not looking at things like I'm a rookie. I think the biggest adjustment is just the ownership and the responsibility."

Martin's most noticeable transformation this offseason occurred in the weight room. During OTAs and minicamp, Martin appeared far leaner than as a rookie. He credited the change to the longest-tenured player on the 49ers roster.

"I'm lucky to have a guy like Vernon Davis in my life to be an inspiration and give me motivation," Martin said. "He taught me a lot of things this offseason. One thing I learned from him is that you can't get any better in your career without hard work."

Martin's relationship with Davis began early on in 2014 and evolved as the season progressed.

"I wouldn't say he took my under his wing from the beginning, but he liked me," Martin said. "And when he got to see me play, he was like, 'You know, I really see you having a bright future in the NFL. Trust me, if you put in the work and the time that it takes, you'll be unbelievable.'

"Vernon was a first-round pick but nothing was handed for him. He had to work for it. He fought his battles. So hearing that from a guy who has been doing it for 10 years is phenomenal, man. It's very motivating."

Just days away from training camp beginning, Martin enters as a realistic option to start at three different positions along the offensive line (right guard, left guard and center). The 21-year-old said that he isn't worried about the upcoming competition. This is just the next step in a budding career defined by early success.

"I'm going to play to the best of my abilities. I can't allow the thought of another man distract me from my goals. I have to stay focused," Martin said. "I'm using everything that I learned from an in-game experience and applying it to practice. So when I get my opportunity this year, I'll dominate."


http://www.49ers.com/news/article-2/Marcus-Martin-Aims-to-Dominate-in-Sophomore-Campaign/f0b60389-c6fa-4818-9340-15d9577a7dc0

Originally posted by NinerGM:
I thought Martin did pretty good and he wasn't 100%? Wow.

Not 100% and so young! I expect him to be a mainstay on the line for many, many years! Just wonder what his best position is--center or guard. I'm hoping he starts at guard because I believe Kilgore may be a bit ahead at calling line plays...but with the new sceme who knows!?

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

Originally posted by NinerGM:
I thought Martin did pretty good and he wasn't 100%? Wow.

Not 100% and so young! I expect him to be a mainstay on the line for many, many years! Just wonder what his best position is--center or guard. I'm hoping he starts at guard because I believe Kilgore may be a bit ahead at calling line plays...but with the new sceme who knows!?

The most encouraging news from him this offseason os that he's been killing it in the weightroom. I really think the defining weakness in his game last year was strength. If he's addressed that issue, the sky's the limit.

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

Originally posted by NinerGM:
I thought Martin did pretty good and he wasn't 100%? Wow.

Not 100% and so young! I expect him to be a mainstay on the line for many, many years! Just wonder what his best position is--center or guard. I'm hoping he starts at guard because I believe Kilgore may be a bit ahead at calling line plays...but with the new sceme who knows!?

The most encouraging news from him this offseason os that he's been killing it in the weightroom. I really think the defining weakness in his game last year was strength. If he's addressed that issue, the sky's the limit.