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Originally posted by A-R-S:
Banks - Brendel - Burford
It's possible this turns out to be a really solid interior OL.
it's also fair to point out that this could be the worst interior OL in the NFL. Which is a really strange place to be for a team that is so incredibly stacked at every other position
Originally posted by Giedi:
The first couple of years of Kyle's HC career the 49ers invested about one draft pick on the OLine per draft, but the last two years they have drafted two OLinemen every year. I think that was adequate preparation for Mack's retirment. It may not have been trading three number one picks for a center, but they do have a lot of raw OLine talent on that offense. Two of the OLine picks since being a head coach was a first round and a second round pick. They werent all 6th round picks or undrafted guys like West and Poe. Not all of the past losses is all on the OLine, Jimmys lack of mobility, arm strength and athleticism did play a role too. Don't get me wrong though- I'm a Jimmy fan.
As for the future, I think Kyle is betting on his own coaching ability vs getting a talented but high price cap free agent veteran. In other words, Kyle is gambling he can do better developing OLinemen vs hiring them. I think he can easily win that gamble. We shall see.
Originally posted by NinerGM:
Originally posted by NCommand:
Originally posted by AB81Rules:
There has to be something wrong with Tretter as to why no one else has signed him, 31 other teams have passed on him, I know he has injury concerns, I'd love him, but if not, I'm not gonna lose sleep over it.
He's super injured. He's able to gut it out without practicing every week but these 17 game seasons might be the end for him. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he retires or can't pass a physical.
And remember he needs to practice with so many new young players added to the OL. This isn't a plug-and-play scenario with the 49ers. These guys need all the snaps they can get so I can't see the coaching staff being okay with a starter who can't routinely practice. He's not a role player, he'd be the de facto leader at the LOS.
Originally posted by NCommand:
Originally posted by CatchMaster80:
Originally posted by NCommand:
It is a fair point. If they weren't going to get Corey Linsley last year for 5 years and went the cheaper Mack route, they also needed to get Mack a young talented draftee who could have learned from Mack for a year...like Banks from Tomlinson. Like Burford for McGlinchey. It's absolutely inexcusable to be here right now. Both Brendel and Brunskill are near 30 and not long term options. West is now our best long term option and he's an UDFA and probably a year or two away from being ready to play such a pivotal position in this offense. But Mack definitely didn't help anyone. Having no healthy contingency plan just continues to validate their own blind spot for the OL. Other teams have recognized their OL issues and immediately addresses them. Us? We either run it back or get worse. And that will always cost us in the end when it matters most.
We don't know what he told the Niners front office. All we know is that there was a good chance he wouldn't return. He may have told Lynch that he was 90% sure he wouldn't return. The Niners knew when they signed him that he was probably going to be a short term fix.
Retiring for an athlete is a hard thing unless they are forced to because of injury. They are giving up something they have done and loved for most of their life. To walk away isn't easy and I'm not even talking about the money.
I'm sure many of you played sports in high school or maybe played in softball leagues as an adult. Eventually the day comes when you just can't do it anymore. You have to give up something you love and you also have to admit that you're getting older. That's why some of these guys wait so long to make a decision. Once you retire from a pro sport it's really tough to ever come back and be anything close to what you were.
Totally. I have zero issues with him retiring. Ride off into that sunset.
Originally posted by Aj_hwd954:
You will when Trey is getting knocked senseless
Originally posted by TonyStarks:
Dude still has some years left IMO. dammit. This team just got a whole lot worse.
Originally posted by dj43:
Let's push the general Center conversation over the Offensive Line thread and keep this thread for comments and appreciation for Alex Mack.
Exactly..
Originally posted by NCommand:
Originally posted by Giedi:
The first couple of years of Kyle's HC career the 49ers invested about one draft pick on the OLine per draft, but the last two years they have drafted two OLinemen every year. I think that was adequate preparation for Mack's retirment. It may not have been trading three number one picks for a center, but they do have a lot of raw OLine talent on that offense. Two of the OLine picks since being a head coach was a first round and a second round pick. They werent all 6th round picks or undrafted guys like West and Poe. Not all of the past losses is all on the OLine, Jimmys lack of mobility, arm strength and athleticism did play a role too. Don't get me wrong though- I'm a Jimmy fan.
As for the future, I think Kyle is betting on his own coaching ability vs getting a talented but high price cap free agent veteran. In other words, Kyle is gambling he can do better developing OLinemen vs hiring them. I think he can easily win that gamble. We shall see.
With all due respect, I don't consider 5th-UDFA's as investments. Those rounds are for special teams and fliers on players you hope can contribute some day. Depth. I can't lump them in that group with real investments such as McGlinchey and Banks. Those were clear targets for starters...as was the capital used for Trent, Tomlinson and Richburg. You need the depth too but to lump all picks together in the same investment bucket is a bit disingenuous IMHO.
Further proof is that none of those investments are starters today....6 off seasons later. They are get-by players. And for good reason.
Could the new crop of Moore, West, Poe, Nick, etc. become more some day? Maybe, but odds are they end up in the same group/bucket as Skule and McKivitz.
Brunskill should be in that group as well given he was an original UDFA Baalke pick. LOL
As to the future, we've got 4 of the 5 OL spots as massive question marks today. Could the future still end up bright? Maybe. But nothing after 6 years gives me confidence this isn't ShanaLynch's biggest blind spot in personnel. If they're still like that in the off season where Trey will be the new starter, it's unlikely to change going forward too. It's just not a big priority for them.
Future Hall of Famer! 
Originally posted by dj43:
Let's push the general Center conversation over the Offensive Line thread and keep this thread for comments and appreciation for Alex Mack.