Great Jed York Article

[erckm510]

San Francisco 49ers owner turned around a franchise and stadium -- ESPN The Magazine - ESPN

 

[49ermann]

San Francisco 49ers owner turned around a franchise and stadium -- ESPN The Magazine - ESPN

I agree. Reading it gave me more confidence in the future of the franchise.

 

[NinerSickness]

I agree. Reading it gave me more confidence in the future of the franchise.

I've always had confidence in the future of the franchise. The Niners have a ton of young talent, draft picks, cap room, etc. It's the present that worries me.

I'm hoping Manningham, Crabby, Tank, etc will change my mind about the present when they get healthy (and I'm hoping Lemonier cracks the permanent starting lineup soon). Those pieces could save the Niners' season (and then there's Baldwin as a wildcard). But in its current state, I'm not extremely confident.

 

[49ermann]

I've always had confidence in the future of the franchise. The Niners have a ton of young talent, draft picks, cap room, etc. It's the present that worries me.

I'm hoping Manningham, Crabby, Tank, etc will change my mind about the present when they get healthy (and I'm hoping Lemonier cracks the permanent starting lineup soon). Those pieces could save the Niners' season (and then there's Baldwin as a wildcard). But in its current state, I'm not extremely confident.

Lemonier is currently a situational pass rusher. But so was aldon in his first year. Ahmad brooks is constantly grading out as one of our top defensive players. Brook's ability to defend the pass rush the passer and stop the run makes him tough to supplant.

 

[Jikkle]

NFL - Why the San Francisco 49ers will be even better in 2014 - ESPN

Mel Kiper likes our future too.

Now if someone with Insider could translate it for us..............

 

[threelittleturds]

I wonder how many 49er fans out there still hate the Yorks because they stole the team from DeBartelo... even though at this point it has been well documented that Eddie chose to walk away after he served his suspension.

 

[Hangman]

NFL - Why the San Francisco 49ers will be even better in 2014 - ESPN

Mel Kiper likes our future too.

Now if someone with Insider could translate it for us..............

It says a lot about the current state of your football team when even a critique turns into a compliment. Try this knock on the 49ers, for instance: Their 2012 draft could be a total bust.

Hey -- it might be. Depending on what happens with LaMichael James, who's sitting on 30 carries and 135 yards so far in his career, the class might not yield anything at all. James was the Round 2 pick, and first-rounder A.J. Jenkins is already gone, traded to K.C. for Jon Baldwin, who caught two passes for 19 yards in his one game so far this season. And that could really be it.

But here's that compliment: It probably won't matter.

First of all, the 49ers had drafted and pieced together the roster so well in the preceding years there really wasn't a place for a 2012 pick to play a significant role. Even this year, Jenkins wouldn't have been needed to play a major role if Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham were healthy. Secondly, the 2013 draft is already looking good. Eric Reid is playing a big role, Corey Lemonier is showing potential and Vance McDonald looks capable of playing a big role on offense as he develops. And this is before you even consider the potential of a healthy Tank Carradine, or the NFL redshirt that is Marcus Lattimore. Quinton Patton should at least provide depth once healthy.

Lastly, the 49ers' 2014 haul could be a good one as well.

2014 draft picks

The 49ers could add a lot of talent in the early rounds in 2014. Here's a current projection of their picks.

1st Rd
2nd Rd
2nd Rd (If K.C. wins 8 games, 3rd if not)
3rd Rd
3rd Rd (via trade)
3rd Rd (Likely comp for D. Goldson)
4th Rd
5th Rd
6th Rd
7th Rd (via trade)
7th Rd (via trade)
7th Rd (via trade)
7th Rd
The trade of Alex Smith to Kansas City is clearly working out for the Chiefs, but Kansas City's success also will create value for the 49ers. If the Chiefs win eight games, the third-rounder they used to get Smith becomes a second. They're 4-0 now, so the odds are in the 49ers' favor.

And when you factor in a likely third-rounder as compensation for the departure of Dashon Goldson in free agency, plus San Francisco's added third-round pick after a draft deal with Tennessee, the Niners should end up with a first, two seconds and three thirds. Besides Cleveland and St. Louis, no team should add more talent on the first two days of the 2014 draft than the 49ers.

That's a good thing, because the talent added, as well as the general approach to the draft, will serve a few goals.

Depth: The 49ers have been fortunate over the past two seasons when it comes to health. Last year, no team was healthier. But the 2013 team has taken hits, most notably at wide receiver and on the interior of the defensive line, and the effects are obvious. This is a team with a lot of proven starting talent, but depth will become more vital as injury trends catch up.

Flexibility: More picks means a greater ability to target additions via trade. Anquan Boldin was added because the 49ers have picks to spare. Their willingness to continue to move down the board selectively to add picks in the coming years will pay off in spots when they need to add a veteran.

Savings: Colin Kaepernick is cheap now, but he won't be soon. There are significant contracts the 49ers will either have to pay or pass on in the coming years (Aldon Smith is a clear example, regardless of current circumstances), and the more cheap talent the 49ers can add in the draft, the more space they'll have under the cap to handle those contracts.

As far as the 2014 draft is concerned, some needs are already emerging.

Wide receiver is one, and I can see the 49ers adding one as early as Round 1. They'll get weapons back, but it'll be hard to forget where they are now when draft time rolls around. I expect they'll add one with one of the early-round picks. A talent such as Sammie Watkins, who could be around in the middle to late first round, would be an immediate help.

I think cornerback is another obvious need. The 49ers are OK at corner, but not remotely elite. A great pass rush has masked some average talent over the past few years, and San Francisco should be looking to add more secondary talent in May. Players such as Bradley Roby (Ohio State) or Jason Verrett (TCU) could both be around in the late first or early second.

The interior of the defensive line is another clear target. Injuries this year have already been a detriment at nose tackle, and even though it might appear otherwise, we can't expect Justin Smith to maintain his form into his late 30s. If a wide-body, zero-technique type such as Daniel McCullers (Tennessee) is available in the late second or early third, he could be worth a look.

Ultimately, however, the 49ers have a strong roster, and more important, the ability to get deeper -- and cheaper -- through the draft. And 49ers fans who never wanted Alex Smith to go can feel comfortable cheering him on. Every game he wins adds to the likelihood the 49ers will be that much better in 2014.

The 49ers might be dealing with some early-season hiccups, but the future looks good.

 

[jayviabay]

I disagree with having a strong roster. If kap gets injured we dont have a back up QB that can win a game if needed to. Over the last few years, i believe the defensive starters in the trenches, plays over 94% of our defensive snaps. that means you dont have depth or confidence in the back ups on the roster. If J. Staley would have been lost in that rams game, we would of been in a world of trouble! I dont think what we have equates to a strong roster.

 

[darken65]

San Francisco 49ers owner turned around a franchise and stadium -- ESPN The Magazine - ESPN

I still miss Eddie but his nephew appears to have the same passion he had. His parents nearly ruined this team.

 

[imac_21]

I disagree with having a strong roster. If kap gets injured we dont have a back up QB that can win a game if needed to. Over the last few years, i believe the defensive starters in the trenches, plays over 94% of our defensive snaps. that means you dont have depth or confidence in the back ups on the roster. If J. Staley would have been lost in that rams game, we would of been in a world of trouble! I dont think what we have equates to a strong roster.

How many teams do have that?

 

[jayviabay]

How many teams do have that?

I would say, about 10-15 teams do have that.

 

[JMedlock5186]

I would say, about 10-15 teams do have that.

What 10-15

Dallas-Kyle Orton
Denver-Brock Osweiler
Detroit-Shaun Hill
Houston-TJ Yates
Indy-Matt Hasselbeck
Minnesota-Matt Cassell
New England-Ryan Mallett
Oakland-Matt Flynn
Eagles-Nick Foles
Seattle-Tavaris Jackson
Tennessee-Ryan Fitzpatrick
Redskins-Kirk Cousins

I dont think I would consider some of these quality back ups.

I would consider
Redskins-Kirk Cousins
Indy-Matt Hasselbeck
Dallas-Kyle Orton
Denver-Brock Osweiler
Houston-TJ Yates
New England-Ryan Mallett

 

[imac_21]

I would say, about 10-15 teams do have that.

I would say that's absolute bullshit. When we're talking about the 2013 Niners we're talking about a team with the ability to beat any other team (except the Seahawks in Seattle). We aren't talking about beating Jacksonville.

Can Denver beat SF, Seattle, GB etc with Brock Osweiller? How good is GB with Seneca Wallace? Seattle with Tarvaris Jackson?

The elite teams are weak at backup QB. The bad teams can't win with their current starter at QB.

So who are these 15 teams (nearly half the league) that have good enough backup QBs to be playoff teams? Since there are barely 15 teams that are good enough to be playoff teams, you have to be talking about

Seattle (Jackson)
Denver (Osweiller)
KC (Chase Daniel/Tyler Bray)
SD (Charlie Whitehurst)
Green Bay (Wallace)
Chicago (Josh McCown)
Detroit (Shaun Hill)
Cinci (Josh Johnson/Zac Robinson)
Baltimore (Tyrod Taylor)
New England (Mallett)
Miami (Matt Moore)
Indy (Matt Hasselbeck)
Tennessee (Ryan Fitzpatrick)
Houston (TJ Yates/Case Keenum)
New Orleans (Luke McCown)
Atlanta (Sean Renfree/Dominique Davis)

I'm leaving the NFC East out because that whole division sucks. I'm leaving the Niners out because you already said we can't win with our backup. On that list I see MAYBE 3 teams (Seattle and Denver because their defenses appear to be that damn good, Indy because Hasselbeck has been successful).

But everyone of those teams is significantly weaker with their backup QB. It's the nature of the league.

Seriously, which of those teams scares you with those backup QBs? Every other team in the league struggles to win with their starter, so I doubt they'd be successful with their backup.

 

[imac_21]

What 10-15

Dallas-Kyle Orton
Denver-Brock Osweiler
Detroit-Shaun Hill
Houston-TJ Yates
Indy-Matt Hasselbeck
Minnesota-Matt Cassell
New England-Ryan Mallett
Oakland-Matt Flynn
Eagles-Nick Foles
Seattle-Tavaris Jackson
Tennessee-Ryan Fitzpatrick
Redskins-Kirk Cousins

I dont think I would consider some of these quality back ups.

I would consider
Redskins-Kirk Cousins
Indy-Matt Hasselbeck
Dallas-Kyle Orton
Denver-Brock Osweiler
Houston-TJ Yates
New England-Ryan Mallett

As to your list, Washington is struggling to win with Griffin, so I don't see them winning with Cousins.
Hassellbeck is a maybe, but Indy is considerably worse with Hass than Luck.
Denver may keep winning with Osweiler because they're that good elsewhere (same argument could be made for us with McCoy if our defense plays like it can).
Dallas struggles with Romo, don't see them being any kind of good with Orton.
I think new England, with all the no-name pass catchers they have right now would struggle mightily with Mallett (and I was probably the biggest Mallett supporter on the board a few years ago).
Houston could be somewhat successful with Yates largely because they've been somewhat successful with shit from Schaub.

 

[Flyingiguana]

I still miss Eddie but his nephew appears to have the same passion he had. His parents nearly ruined this team.

yup, jed is doing well getting smart football ppl to run the show.

 

[jayviabay]

Jmeds list is pretty much the teams I was thinking of with depth at the position. I did think they would scare anyone or rise the stock of the team but they are serviceable. Without just focusing on that part of my post, do you guys think we have a "strong" roster?

 

[imac_21]

Jmeds list is pretty much the teams I was thinking of with depth at the position. I did think they would scare anyone or rise the stock of the team but they are serviceable. Without just focusing on that part of my post, do you guys think we have a "strong" roster?

Those teams are not strong at backup QB. They are significantly worse if their starter gets injured.

I do feel we have a strong roster. I think the evidence for that lies in the fact that we are still considered one of the better teams in the league despite 2 of our top 3 (possibly 3 of our top 4 depending on Patton vs Baldwin/Williams) out with injuries, our all pro pass rusher out with alcoholism, our starting NT out for the season, our pro bowl TE missing a game and playing with a bad hamstring, our all-world ILB missing at least one game with a groin injury, our #3 CB out for the season (and his replacement out with a knee injury). . .

Yet we're still considered one of the best teams in the league. I would say we have some very good depth.

 

[Flyingiguana]

how many teams have won a super bowl with their back up? not too damn many. outside of a young qb taking over for an injured starter, i can't think of more than maybe 1.

 

[Jikkle]

Every team out there odds of winning a SB drop dramatically if they lose their starter for the remainder of a season.

What you need your backup QB to be able to do is hold down the fort for a couple of weeks until the starter comes back.

I believe Colt would be able to handle being in there a couple of weeks if pressed into action. You can't completely look into the preseason because in the regular season he would be in with all the starters and have the benefit of game planning.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Every team out there odds of winning a SB drop dramatically if they lose their starter for the remainder of a season.

What you need your backup QB to be able to do is hold down the fort for a couple of weeks until the starter comes back.

I believe Colt would be able to handle being in there a couple of weeks if pressed into action. You can't completely look into the preseason because in the regular season he would be in with all the starters and have the benefit of game planning.

i say we just bring in another fullback and direct snap to gore if kap goes down