49ers' off-season; Cap Space $8,346,186.00

[ChrisPozz]

49ers Blog and Q&A: Combine notes: Harbaugh says he'll respect "the box"

 

[ChrisPozz]

Coach's Notebook: Feb. 22

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Y! SPORTS

49ers gonna go after a CB in free agency. I have no problem with that it is a deep pool.

 

[NinerSickness]

Y! SPORTS

49ers gonna go after a CB in free agency. I have no problem with that it is a deep pool.

I wouldn't mind if they signed 2 CBs if they cut Rogers. Maybe DRC & McKelvin (fills both a CB spot and PR spot). It actually wouldn't add all that much to the cap considering Rogers & Ginn would be gone.

Signing both of them might actually be cheaper than signing Revis, and it wouldn't cost a 1st round pick.

 

[ChrisPozz]

I'm really interested in what Sean Smith could do with a change of scenery/structure. Keep hearing at least 8M per for him and I know alot of people say that's way too much for them based on what he's already done but I'd still be interested if it could be fit in.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

USA Today reports that the Eagles and Chiefs indeed discussed a trade that would send Nick Foles to Kansas City this week.
A source tells USA Today's Mike Garafolo that "no progress has been made," but that obviously is subject to change. The Eagles are reportedly "conveying" to the Chiefs that they plan to keep Foles, likely in order to maintain leverage in future trade negotiations. It's believed Philadelphia would accept a second-day draft pick for Foles. He was the 88th overall pick last April.
Related: Chiefs
Source: USA Today Feb 23 - 11:28 AM

 

[Ray_Dogg]

ESPN's Adam Schefter considers Miles Austin a "potential salary cap casualty" in the "coming days."
Releasing Austin would save the Cowboys $3.6 million versus the cap. Dallas was expected to approach Austin about a restructured contract after the season. With Schefter's report coming at this point in time, it's fair to wonder if Austin turned down a proposed pay cut. Austin is still an effective No. 2 and slot receiver, but lower-leg injuries have sapped his explosion and vertical speed.
Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter Feb 23 - 10:55 AM

 

[Ray_Dogg]

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel considers it "very possible" that free agent Greg Jennings' market could be soft enough that the Packers would be able to retain him.
In other words, Jennings isn't going to get -- or come close to -- his desired $14 million a year. GM Ted Thompson isn't ruling out Jennings' return. "We think it's a good way to manage the NFL if you're able to retain your own players," Thompson said. "We'd very much like to do that, and that includes Greg."
Source: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Feb 23 - 7:31 AM

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Hopefully the Chiefs thought the asking price was too high on Foles and they will go for Alex instead. I could also see them cutting Cassell and trading for both.

 

[deep9er]

Hopefully the Chiefs thought the asking price was too high on Foles and they will go for Alex instead. I could also see them cutting Cassell and trading for both.

wouldn't the asking price for Alex Smith be higher? 49er fans understandably underrate Smith, but he is a proven starter (last two years) including a few play-off games.

if you're the KC GM, i'd think its easier to justify Smith, even as a "stop gap"? he isn't getting a high salary relative to starting NFL QB's?

 

[imac_21]

wouldn't the asking price for Alex Smith be higher? 49er fans understandably underrate Smith, but he is a proven starter (last two years) including a few play-off games.

if you're the KC GM, i'd think its easier to justify Smith, even as a "stop gap"? he isn't getting a high salary relative to starting NFL QB's?

"Too high" is relative though. The asking price for Smith might be higher than Foles, but it might not be too high for an established QB.

The asking price for a 4 bedroom house on a busy street in Tulsa might be $550,000 and a shopper might consider that "too high." But a 4 bedroom waterfront house in SF might be $750,000 which would not be considered "too high" even though it's a higher price.

 

[Bemular]

wouldn't the asking price for Alex Smith be higher? 49er fans understandably underrate Smith, but he is a proven starter (last two years) including a few play-off games.

if you're the KC GM, i'd think its easier to justify Smith, even as a "stop gap"? he isn't getting a high salary relative to starting NFL QB's?

"wouldn't the asking price for Alex Smith be higher?"

No - Foles has the added value of potential - Smith does not.


"49er fans understandably underrate Smith, but he is a proven starter (last two years) including a few play-off games."

I haven't seen any 49er fans underrate Smith, at least not here - There are still a few who continue to overrate him. Case in point, suggesting he is a "proven starter". Smith is NOT a "proven starter" - he is a "stop-gap starter" and nothing more.

Whoever picks up Smith will have ZERO intentions of him being that teams' starter in two years; just as we didn't when we drafted Kap. Stop-gap starters are not proven starters - they are proven stop-gap starters. Those are two different things.

 

[deep9er]

"wouldn't the asking price for Alex Smith be higher?"

No - Foles has the added value of potential - Smith does not.


"49er fans understandably underrate Smith, but he is a proven starter (last two years) including a few play-off games."

I haven't seen any 49er fans underrate Smith, at least not here - There are still a few who continue to overrate him. Case in point, suggesting he is a "proven starter". Smith is NOT a "proven starter" - he is a "stop-gap starter" and nothing more.

Whoever picks up Smith will have ZERO intentions of him being that teams' starter in two years; just as we didn't when we drafted Kap. Stop-gap starters are not proven starters - they are proven stop-gap starters. Those are two different things.

just trying to stand back and TRY to see it as non-49er fans see it? yeah, i've called Alex Smith a stop gap myself despite the last two seasons. however if you're a KC fan, or Cardinal fan, you might not be as critical?

plus, if you're them without ANY QB, you'll have to bend a little or "suck it up" for the 2013 season? tend to think a GM will have to spend something to get a QB, even stop gap QB.

if you view Foles as your "QB of the future", then no doubt he'll cost more. but anything short of that is still "stop gap".

 

[Bemular]

just trying to stand back and TRY to see it as non-49er fans see it? yeah, i've called Alex Smith a stop gap myself despite the last two seasons. however if you're a KC fan, or Cardinal fan, you might not be as critical?

plus, if you're them without ANY QB, you'll have to bend a little or "suck it up" for the 2013 season? tend to think a GM will have to spend something to get a QB, even stop gap QB.

if you view Foles as your "QB of the future", then no doubt he'll cost more. but anything short of that is still "stop gap".

Ahh, okay, I got ya -

As for Foles - Yeah, I'm not sure what to make of him - I think Smith is less risk and less upside, and Foles 'may' be more of both. Honestly, Deep, this is about the most interesting off-season development with regard to QB's that I've seen in a long time. I see almost nothing as predictable at this point??

 

[MHSL82]

One predictable thing that I'm happy Harbaugh didn't say (and knew he wouldn't because it would be stupid), was the throw the balls out and compete or that Alex had a chance to start here. That would have driven me up the wall because none of us are that stupid to think that 1) there'd be any competition or 2) that Alex had any chance to beat him out.

Calling Alex elite was understandable because he was battling the media, but saying even the word competition would be awful because it wouldn't do what it ostensibly would have been said for - to muddy the waters. I would have had a big . Thanks for not putting us through that, Harbaugh.

 

[NinerSickness]

Here's just a brainstorming list of some of the players (in FA, trade & the draft) I think could really help the Niners. Obviously the Niners wouldn't sign ALL of these guys; they're just players I think they should consider:

Mike Wallace. Although I'm starting to like Justin Hunter a little more after some good measurements at the combine, but I wouldn't want the Niners to draft a WR in the 1st round again. I hope he lasts 'til somewhere in the 2nd. They're saying Miles Austin could get cut, but I'm also reading he isn't going anywhere; not much interest in him anwyay.

Jason Smith OT. Jumbo package TE to replace Leonard Davis. I think it's a perfect fit because he could even be a threat to go out for a pass (I think he used to play TE, so you know he's at least capable of catching passes). Keep the defense guessing! Will they run it? Will kaep run it? Will they throw a short pass to Jason Smith? Over the middle to Vernon? A bomb to Wallace? Oh crap! We forgot about Crabby!

Jared Odrick (if he's on the block).

Tyson Jackson. He's probably going to be cut. Don't know how much money he'll get. My first instinct says he'll be too expensive, but you never know.

DRC & Leotis McKelvin. Cut Rogers. Frees up Culliver to possibly play FS if they can get both of those guys. I like going after these guys instead of the top available guys like Nnamdi & Sean Smith 'cause I want the Niners to spend some money on the DL & maybe a pass-rush specialist.

Alan Branch. Seems like I want to get him every offseason.

Quentin Jammer. If he'll play FS, I like him a lot. A lot cheaper than franchising Goldson again.

Osi Umenyiora. Can't have too many pass-rushers. Could spell players at both OLB and DE.

 

[threelittleturds]

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel considers it "very possible" that free agent Greg Jennings' market could be soft enough that the Packers would be able to retain him.
In other words, Jennings isn't going to get -- or come close to -- his desired $14 million a year. GM Ted Thompson isn't ruling out Jennings' return. "We think it's a good way to manage the NFL if you're able to retain your own players," Thompson said. "We'd very much like to do that, and that includes Greg."
Source: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Feb 23 - 7:31 AM

That $14 mil a year is just obscene, the guy is delusional. Although considering how delusional the Green Bay beat writers and fans are... they are probably to blame for that crazy number. They are the ones who have said every day for the last 6 years that Greg Jennings is better than Megatron or Fitzgerald. Apparently he didn't factor in their blind homerism and insecurity.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

"Too high" is relative though. The asking price for Smith might be higher than Foles, but it might not be too high for an established QB.

The asking price for a 4 bedroom house on a busy street in Tulsa might be $550,000 and a shopper might consider that "too high." But a 4 bedroom waterfront house in SF might be $750,000 which would not be considered "too high" even though it's a higher price.

Too high??? I will buy that house RIGHT NOW if you can find it for me.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

"wouldn't the asking price for Alex Smith be higher?"

No - Foles has the added value of potential - Smith does not.


"49er fans understandably underrate Smith, but he is a proven starter (last two years) including a few play-off games."

I haven't seen any 49er fans underrate Smith, at least not here - There are still a few who continue to overrate him. Case in point, suggesting he is a "proven starter". Smith is NOT a "proven starter" - he is a "stop-gap starter" and nothing more.

Whoever picks up Smith will have ZERO intentions of him being that teams' starter in two years; just as we didn't when we drafted Kap. Stop-gap starters are not proven starters - they are proven stop-gap starters. Those are two different things.

A few thoughts on this topic. First, another variable to consider is that Andy Reid drafted Foles, knows him, and may want him that much more for that reason. That gives the Eagles leverage. Additionally, their starting QB situation isn't as stable as the Niners, so Foles may have more value to them than Smith does to us. Right now, Smith is basically just trade fodder, and the other teams know it.

That said, I think it's fair to say Smith is a proven starter. He's not elite, and he's not going to be, but he's a solid football player at the hardest position to play. We added Kap before Alex showed he could put together a season like he did in 2011. Now, I'm not saying we wouldn't still be looking to upgrade at QB following 2011, but it's not entirely comparable. Harbaugh hadn't been able to really get a sense of what he had in Smith. Smith was playing well - not at a level commensurate to his QB rating level, but well - prior to the injury this year. A team with confidence in its ability to work with QBs, like KC under Andy Reid, might very well value Smith as a starter. Especially if the Chiefs don't see any longterm starters out there this year.

Finally, even if a team only views Smith as a two-year stopgap, I don't see why they wouldn't at least consider trading a 4th round pick. Smith is affordable. He's competent at the very least. And once you get into the 4th round, guys don't become starters, much less contributors, very often. This is where the weak QB class helps us. A team that wants a QB who can step in and start this year doesn't have many choices.

 

[Bemular]

A few thoughts on this topic. First, another variable to consider is that Andy Reid drafted Foles, knows him, and may want him that much more for that reason. That gives the Eagles leverage. Additionally, their starting QB situation isn't as stable as the Niners, so Foles may have more value to them than Smith does to us. Right now, Smith is basically just trade fodder, and the other teams know it.

That said, I think it's fair to say Smith is a proven starter. He's not elite, and he's not going to be, but he's a solid football player at the hardest position to play. We added Kap before Alex showed he could put together a season like he did in 2011. Now, I'm not saying we wouldn't still be looking to upgrade at QB following 2011, but it's not entirely comparable. Harbaugh hadn't been able to really get a sense of what he had in Smith. Smith was playing well - not at a level commensurate to his QB rating level, but well - prior to the injury this year. A team with confidence in its ability to work with QBs, like KC under Andy Reid, might very well value Smith as a starter. Especially if the Chiefs don't see any longterm starters out there this year.

Finally, even if a team only views Smith as a two-year stopgap, I don't see why they wouldn't at least consider trading a 4th round pick. Smith is affordable. He's competent at the very least. And once you get into the 4th round, guys don't become starters, much less contributors, very often. This is where the weak QB class helps us. A team that wants a QB who can step in and start this year doesn't have many choices.

Agreed on the Foles & Reid relationship angle.

Perhaps our definitions of "proven starter" are different.

I was mentioning to Deep how I felt this was an "interesting" off-season for QB's. How things will unfold are worth the price of admission.