Another retired player..ugh!

[Balljim55]

I can see a situation where he comes back towards the end of training camp claiming to have a cleansed body and soul.

 

[Pattersonca65]

I can see a situation where he comes back towards the end of training camp claiming to have a cleansed body and soul.

I doubt it. Was pretty beat up. Had two concussions and was experiencing some scary symptoms last year, according to him.

 

[Montalban]

Anthony Davis just retired. WTF is going on with this team?

What's next, our draft picks retiring after training camp?

 

[poewelch84]

I do not want to see Peers, Looney or J Martin starting for us. We will be in Big trouble. J. Martin was flat out bad last year.

J Martin was released it is the Martin prospect out of USC that was a third round pick last season.

 

[poewelch84]

I'm not as concerned as some I mean Davis barely played last year and Iupati was hurt or average last year so I don't think the O-Line play will be as much of a loss. Losing Willis and Smith hurt the most from leadership and on the field if they were close to their former selves and it doesn't sound like they were going to be. I still feel like at lot is being over blown because Bowman should be back and he is an all pro and Brock should also be back at CB and was the starter before injuries sidelined him. Not to mention getting Dorsey back to add more depth to the D-Line. We'll just have to wait and see how things play out.

 

[Pattersonca65]

I'm not as concerned as some I mean Davis barely played last year and Iupati was hurt or average last year so I don't think the O-Line play will be as much of a loss. Losing Willis and Smith hurt the most from leadership and on the field if they were close to their former selves and it doesn't sound like they were going to be. I still feel like at lot is being over blown because Bowman should be back and he is an all pro and Brock should also be back at CB and was the starter before injuries sidelined him. Not to mention getting Dorsey back to add more depth to the D-Line. We'll just have to wait and see how things play out.

The concern on the online is going to be with the two rookies and how they are going to perform, Martin and Thomas were considered top college prospects. Hoping those two guys work out because I don't see Pears as anything more than a backup.

 

[poewelch84]

But like I said with how Iupati played and how J Martin (Davis was hurt for large parts) played last year it couldn't be much worse in most respects to last year.

 

[Uhsplit]

Nothing is clear. Staley and Boone are both good players (assuming Boone doesn't start off shaky again). Boone has played OT and played it well in the past when filling in for injuries. Outside of that, there are questions. Kilgore played quite well prior to the injury. If he can return, center is in good shape, too. That leaves two spots. Last year we drafted a guy widely regarded as the top center and probably a top-5 interior OL. We also drafted an OT/OG who probably goes early second but for his injury. We don't know how they'll play, but there is reason to expect they'll be okay. Even with Davis leaving, there are several NFL teams that would swap situations with us in a second, including:

The NFC champion Seattle Seahawks. They are trotting out a unit whose best player (Okung) was mediocre last year and who has a long injury history. Their next safest bets are a second-year RT who was extremely shaky in pass protection as a rookie and an OG who is a DL convert and who was shaky all around last year. The last two spots are total question marks. They'll either be plugging in two guys who were taken in the late-4th this year, or falling back on some UDFA "vets."

And the St. Louis Rams. They are moving a second-year OL who was pretty bad as a rookie, a failed OT who has been passable at OG, and a bunch of draft picks.

And the Carolina Panthers. They've got a good center, and then a barren wasteland.

You are partly right on the bolded.
Correct about Okung. Next safest is JR Sweezy whose is solid in the run game and lacking in pass pro, but everyone knows Seattle is a run 1st team. He has only missed a couple of games in his career and has essentially started at RG for Seattle for a few years. I am glad to have him on the team at low cost, but not for long when his rookie contract expires. Personally, I would like to keep him but he will be a solid commodity in free agancy.
Next is Britt who played every down on O as a rookie last year. Decent as a road grader, and needing pass pro help. Many mistakes but was reliable.
Lemuel Jean Pierre, who has covered for Unger more than once looks to be current #1 at C and Bailey current #1 at LG. No one yet knows how that experiment will work out.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

You are partly right on the bolded.
Correct about Okung. Next safest is JR Sweezy whose is solid in the run game and lacking in pass pro, but everyone knows Seattle is a run 1st team. He has only missed a couple of games in his career and has essentially started at RG for Seattle for a few years. I am glad to have him on the team at low cost, but not for long when his rookie contract expires. Personally, I would like to keep him but he will be a solid commodity in free agancy.
Next is Britt who played every down on O as a rookie last year. Decent as a road grader, and needing pass pro help. Many mistakes but was reliable.
Lemuel Jean Pierre, who has covered for Unger more than once looks to be current #1 at C and Bailey current #1 at LG. No one yet knows how that experiment will work out.

The book on the OL guys other than Okung is the same: good run blockers, bad pass blockers. I could go with Sweezy being "safer" than Britt, the point is that both have weaknesses.

I don't love the Niners' OL situation by any means, but the Hawks' OL has to be a major concern for their fanbase (those who actually pay attention to that sort of thing). That said, they've had a pretty shaky line for a couple years now. Their RB and QB are uniquely suited to play behind a shaky OL.

 

[Montalban]

I'm not as concerned as some I mean Davis barely played last year and Iupati was hurt or average last year so I don't think the O-Line play will be as much of a loss. Losing Willis and Smith hurt the most from leadership and on the field if they were close to their former selves and it doesn't sound like they were going to be. I still feel like at lot is being over blown because Bowman should be back and he is an all pro and Brock should also be back at CB and was the starter before injuries sidelined him. Not to mention getting Dorsey back to add more depth to the D-Line. We'll just have to wait and see how things play out.

You don't think those were two huge reasons why the offense, and Kaepernick in particiular, were so bad last year? Its a big concern in my opinion.

 

[Pattersonca65]

You don't think those were two huge reasons why the offense, and Kaepernick in particiular, were so bad last year? Its a big concern in my opinion.

It is a concern because the team might be starting a couple of rookies (at least I hope Pears is not starting). It can take time for rookie Olinemen to develop and we don't know how good they will ultimately be. It also takes time for olineman to gel as a unit. So there is a concern.

 

[Montalban]

It is a concern because the team might be starting a couple of rookies (at least I hope Pears is not starting). It can take time for rookie Olinemen to develop and we don't know how good they will ultimately be. It also takes time for olineman to gel as a unit. So there is a concern.

Definitely.

 

[Uhsplit]

The book on the OL guys other than Okung is the same: good run blockers, bad pass blockers. I could go with Sweezy being "safer" than Britt, the point is that both have weaknesses.

I don't love the Niners' OL situation by any means, but the Hawks' OL has to be a major concern for their fanbase (those who actually pay attention to that sort of thing). That said, they've had a pretty shaky line for a couple years now. Their RB and QB are uniquely suited to play behind a shaky OL.

I have no argument with your post. OL is our known weakness on the team. My only point was Sweezy>Britt. Good thing about those 2 is that they have been very reliable as far as injury goes. I would rather have a line like those 2 who should get better over time vs higher priced injury prone guys like Unger (who is now gone)and Okung.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I have no argument with your post. OL is our known weakness on the team. My only point was Sweezy>Britt. Good thing about those 2 is that they have been very reliable as far as injury goes. I would rather have a line like those 2 who should get better over time vs higher priced injury prone guys like Unger (who is now gone)and Okung.

Yeah, I won't quibble with you on Sweezy vs. Britt. Admittedly I was crediting Britt with likely improvement in his second season. A little early to say Britt is reliable in terms of injury, though. He's only played one year.

 

[Uhsplit]

Yeah, I won't quibble with you on Sweezy vs. Britt. Admittedly I was crediting Britt with likely improvement in his second season. A little early to say Britt is reliable in terms of injury, though. He's only played one year.

Compared to Unger, Okung, and Carpenter he is a Timex.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Compared to Unger, Okung, and Carpenter he is a Timex.

Well sure, but those three - and especially Okung and Unger - have been remarkably injury prone.

 

[poewelch84]

You don't think those were two huge reasons why the offense, and Kaepernick in particiular, were so bad last year? Its a big concern in my opinion.

What I'm saying is that sure they are losing them will hurt but Iupati hasn't been the same player he was so it can't been any worse, and Davis didn't play much and J Martin was terrible so once again it can't been any worse than last season which was 8-8. Overall I expect it to be an improvement at at least one of those positions it just might take a few weeks.

 

[Montalban]

What I'm saying is that sure they are losing them will hurt but Iupati hasn't been the same player he was so it can't been any worse, and Davis didn't play much and J Martin was terrible so once again it can't been any worse than last season which was 8-8. Overall I expect it to be an improvement at at least one of those positions it just might take a few weeks.

But that was 8 and 8 with Gore, Crabtree, Willis, Borland, Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Culliver and the other starting CB. Those guys are gone and have not been replaced. 8 and 8 is a pipe dream in my opinion, especially with the improvement of all the teams in our division.

 

[Pattersonca65]

But that was 8 and 8 with Gore, Crabtree, Willis, Borland, Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Culliver and the other starting CB. Those guys are gone and have not been replaced. 8 and 8 is a pipe dream in my opinion, especially with the improvement of all the teams in our division.

Crabtree was bad last year, the receiving core is better this year than last. Hated to lose Willis, but Willis was out at least half the season and when he did play wasn't nearly as effective because of his toe. Bowman is back this year. From early reports, Vernon Davis looks like his old self. One of the starting corners is coming back this year. Hyde may end up being better than Gore was last year. 8-8 is not unrealistic. We don't know that all of the teams in our division improved.

 

[poewelch84]

But that was 8 and 8 with Gore, Crabtree, Willis, Borland, Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Culliver and the other starting CB. Those guys are gone and have not been replaced. 8 and 8 is a pipe dream in my opinion, especially with the improvement of all the teams in our division.

Borldand was only starting due to injury. Willis was out most of the season and they get Bowman back and essentially have a starter in Wilhoite coming back. Culliver was a starter but they are getting one back in Brock. McDonald missed time to off field issues and they have been drafting younger DE in the past couple of drafts so they'll have to step up plus they do get Dorsey back from injury. They did lose Justin Smith which was a blow but they gained Dockett who should be able to fill most of Smith's role. As for Crabtree he wasn't great last year and has never been a top WR in the NFL and Torrey Smith isn't either but he's better than Crabtree so that is an upgrade. Also hopefully their sack leader won't be out 9 games this season which should help a lot. Losing Gore will hurt particularly in picking up blitzes but Hyde though more of an unknown has some talent and they brought in Bush and get Hunter back so over all most of their losses have been managed if you will.