Another retired player..ugh!

[Montalban]

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.

Are you sure? I've heard nothing positive about that at all. I did forget about Dockett; he will help

 

[Pattersonca65]

Are you sure? I've heard nothing positive about that at all. I did forget about Dockett; he will help

Bowman is doing great. He is right on schedule. He wears a knee brace just for protection during driills but takes it off for other things. He is going to be a full training camp participant. No known setbacks yet

 

[Montalban]

Bowman is doing great. He is right on schedule. He wears a knee brace just for protection during driills but takes it off for other things. He is going to be a full training camp participant. No known setbacks yet

Good to hear. They are going to need him at his best; especially with Willis gone

 

[poewelch84]

Bowman is doing great. He is right on schedule. He wears a knee brace just for protection during driills but takes it off for other things. He is going to be a full training camp participant. No known setbacks yet

^
This sums it up

 

[GoreRush]

We actually lost 8 starters: Willis, Smith, Cox, Culliver, Lupati, Davis, Gore, Crabtree.

Retirement is more appealing for these veterans than taking a lot of money to play for this team.

 

[Pattersonca65]

We actually lost 8 starters: Willis, Smith, Cox, Culliver, Lupati, Davis, Gore, Crabtree.

Retirement is more appealing for these veterans than taking a lot of money to play for this team.

Cox, Culliver, Iupati did not retire and they went for the money with the exception of Gore. For Gore it was also additional playing time and he was going to get less money and have a smaller role with Hyde taking over duties. The 49ers had little interest in Crabtree. Davis didn't really retire. He is taking a year of two off.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

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.

That's not close to accurate. Just looking at this offseason, Crabtree was replaced by Torrey Smith, Cox was replaced by Wright, and Justin Smith and Ray McDonald were replaced by Dockett and Armstead (and players already on the roster). If we consider moves made last offseason with this offseason in mind, Iupati (not named here, but I'm extrapolating) was replaced by Brandon Thomas and Gore was replaced by Hyde. The only position where we aren't plugging in guys who were explicitly added as replacement players is ILB, where Bowman replaces Willis/Borland so far as the 2014 season goes.

Then factor in that Aldon Smith, Dorsey, Ian Williams, Brock, and Bowman are all starting caliber players returning to the defense after missing over half of last season. Jimmie Ward was a borderline starter and missed seven games. On offense, Hunter returns, Kilgore should return, Bush was added, Davis should be right after a year when he clearly wasn't.

I'm not at all prepared to say this is the 2011 or 2012 team, but people who are writing us off entirely just aren't paying attention. This team, with a defense that lost half its starters to injury and with an offense that was completely incompetent despite legitimate talent, won eight games last year and lost two of those in very fluky ways (fumble into the endzone on a sneak that would have scored, outscored 28-7 in the second half of a game they were leading 28-7 at half and then fumbled on the opponent's 45-yard line in OT). We may be the worst team in the division, but we'll still be dangerous. And I think the offense could (should) be markedly better.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

We actually lost 8 starters: Willis, Smith, Cox, Culliver, Lupati, Davis, Gore, Crabtree.

Retirement is more appealing for these veterans than taking a lot of money to play for this team.

That's just a ridiculous line. Anyone who thinks that applies to Willis or Justin Smith doesn't know them. And it wouldn't make any sense in Borland's case, though he wasn't getting a lot of money for two more years. The only player who that's even a consideration for is Anthony Davis, but the guy is "retiring" at 25. You don't do that unless you want to leave the game, not just your team.

Players who aren't happy on a team generally pull a Randy Moss in Oakland routine. The Barry Sanders routine is much rarer.

 

[NeverTellMeTheOdds]

Almost seems like Borland's decision may have influenced his.

Or the Harbaugh decision influenced all these decisions...

 

[Pattersonca65]

Or the Harbaugh decision influenced all these decisions...

New member? Welcome.

Doubtful Harbaugh had any influence

 

[NeverTellMeTheOdds]

New member? Welcome.

Doubtful Harbaugh had any influence

I've been lurking for a about a year, and joined a few months ago.

 

[Pattersonca65]

I've been lurking for a about a year, and joined a few months ago.

Quit lurking and start joining in . It is pretty quiet right now but should start picking up once training camp and preaseason starts. Even our moderator seems to be MIA. (Just checking to see if he notices, lol)

 

[darken65]

Quit lurking and start joining in . It is pretty quiet right now but should start picking up once training camp and preaseason starts. Even our moderator seems to be MIA. (Just checking to see if he notices, lol)

 

[darken65]

I've been lurking for a about a year, and joined a few months ago.

Geez ,where are my manners? Welcome to the 9ers board and to SportsHoopla. Hope to see you posting here.