Hitner

[maniax]

Anyone really want Whitner back at a premium price?

To be honest, I was more afraid last year when we lost Goldson. No one regrets losing Goldson now, Reid is an upgrade. I am not worried at all about drafting a safety and going that route.

Also, the problem with Goldson was he took too many unnecessary roughness/hit with the helmet penalties and so does Whitner. Whitner even developed such a reputation for this that he was getting BS phantom calls against him when he didn't even hit with his helmet. Safeties nowadays need to keep a low profile so they don't develop a reputation for hitting with the helmet (I don't recall Reid getting called for many of those penalties, and he keeps a low profile in that regard).

I am perfectly fine with letting him walk.

 

[NinerSickness]

I don't want him back at all. I'm annoyed he was even on the team this year. He & Goodwin should've been cut after Super Bowl 47.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I think Whitner brings as much or more in terms of leadership as he does play on the field. That could be important next year as our DB corps could have a lot of young players, but I'm not willing to pay a lot for it. Whitner is good, but he's not nearly good enough to risk compromising our ability to sign our younger impact players. If he'll take a moderate deal, I'm not opposed to signing him. I'm not interested in making him one of the better-paid safeties in the league. As you say, even if many/most of the penalties against him were bogus, vindication after the fact doesn't do us a whole lot of good.

 

[Chamoanlad]

I'd let him walk if he wants anything over 2mill. We have way too many guys who are alot more important to the team that need new contracts. With Fangio almost always leaving the front 7 without safety support and our CB's not being that great, we need a better coverage safety than Whitner is with the defense we play.

 

[DoobieKeebler]

Let him walk unless Baalke really can't find a safety he likes in the draft. And I don't want him going after a Safety in FA either.

If the Niners HAVE to keep Whitner, I'd only want him for 1 more year, so either a 1 year contract or a contract that lets SF cut him without consequence after the '14-15 season.

 

[bvanthielriceyoung]

I think Whitner brings as much or more in terms of leadership as he does play on the field. That could be important next year as our DB corps could have a lot of young players, but I'm not willing to pay a lot for it. Whitner is good, but he's not nearly good enough to risk compromising our ability to sign our younger impact players. If he'll take a moderate deal, I'm not opposed to signing him. I'm not interested in making him one of the better-paid safeties in the league. As you say, even if many/most of the penalties against him were bogus, vindication after the fact doesn't do us a whole lot of good.

 

[dreday]

His coverage skills suck 2 bad 4 me. Let him walk, but that leadship will b missed.

 

[tomikcon1971]

No way this happens but I'd love him as our number three at a number similar to what Dahl made this year. His leadership for two young safeties would be valuable. Again 0.1% chance this happens.

 

[NinerSickness]

I refuse to call him Hitner.

 

[h0ckeysk83r]

I refuse to call him Hitner.

You just did.....lol jk

Anyways I agree with most here. I think his leadership is a big plus for us and might be missed. But he will ask for too much as this is his last big contract. We can get younger and cheaper here while possibly adding better coverage lol.

 

[TobyTyler]

I agree with the OP. The problem for me now with Whitner as that he has been unfairly targeted by the league for illegal hits to the point now that every good hit he makes with his shoulder is called a foul. His effectiveness has been compromised and thus his value to the team lowered. Through no fault of his own, he has become a liability back there now. I hate the folks who are running the NFL now.

 

[Dodub]

I think Whitner brings as much or more in terms of leadership as he does play on the field. That could be important next year as our DB corps could have a lot of young players, but I'm not willing to pay a lot for it. Whitner is good, but he's not nearly good enough to risk compromising our ability to sign our younger impact players. If he'll take a moderate deal, I'm not opposed to signing him. I'm not interested in making him one of the better-paid safeties in the league. As you say, even if many/most of the penalties against him were bogus, vindication after the fact doesn't do us a whole lot of good.

This. Once again, Crims has the perfect post.

 

[TobyTyler]

I think Whitner brings as much or more in terms of leadership as he does play on the field. That could be important next year as our DB corps could have a lot of young players, but I'm not willing to pay a lot for it. Whitner is good, but he's not nearly good enough to risk compromising our ability to sign our younger impact players. If he'll take a moderate deal, I'm not opposed to signing him. I'm not interested in making him one of the better-paid safeties in the league. As you say, even if many/most of the penalties against him were bogus, vindication after the fact doesn't do us a whole lot of good.

The solution to that problem is to follow the Seahawk model of grab, hold and grab some more on every single play knowing that the refs can't/won't call a penalty on every down. It works for Seattle, why not the 49ers?

 

[whysies]

The solution to that problem is to follow the Seahawk model of grab, hold and grab some more on every single play knowing that the refs can't/won't call a penalty on every down. It works for Seattle, why not the 49ers?

I certainly understand the sentiment, but the notion that the refs will make calls (or non-calls) in favor of the 49ers does give me a giggle.

 

[TobyTyler]

I certainly understand the sentiment, but the notion that the refs will make calls (or non-calls) in favor of the 49ers does give me a giggle.

Why wouldn't they, they do it for Seattle? I mean is there a team farther away from the NFL's coveted media markets than Seattle? The NFL certainly has no stake in wanting them to win. That is the one redeeming thing about Seattle sticking it to the NFL as they come out of their little corner of the Northwest with an us against the world attitude and they kick ass. The NFL has got to hate that but still they let Seattle get away with ridiculous stuff.

 

[MHSL82]

I certainly understand the sentiment, but the notion that the refs will make calls (or non-calls) in favor of the 49ers does give me a giggle.

Why wouldn't they, they do it for Seattle? I mean is there a team farther away from the NFL's coveted media markets than Seattle? The NFL certainly has no stake in wanting them to win. That is the one redeeming thing about Seattle sticking it to the NFL as they come out of their little corner of the Northwest with an us against the world attitude and they kick ass. The NFL has got to hate that but still they let Seattle get away with ridiculous stuff.

How the Seahawks and Broncos Have Avoided Dozens of Penalties on Pass Plays This Season - WSJ.com

 

[Yadahell]

I'd like him back at a reasonable rate. One would think he would want to take one more shot at a Superbowl over pursuing a bigger contract elsewhere at this point in his career.

Draft Bucannon or perhaps Loston (who has played well in the past with Reid at LSU) or another prospect the team feels they can replace Whitner with next season.

Not the end of the world if they don't re-sign him, but I'd like to have him one more year to ease the transition of a rookie into his spot. I don't feel comfortable with what I've seen from Dahl to this point.

 

[TobyTyler]

How the Seahawks and Broncos Have Avoided Dozens of Penalties on Pass Plays This Season - WSJ.com

"But the Seahawks didn't incur a single illegal-contact penalty all season"

That is a stunning indictment of the ineptitude of NFL officiating crews.

 

[sjballer03]

"But the Seahawks didn't incur a single illegal-contact penalty all season"

That is a stunning indictment of the ineptitude of NFL officiating crews.

Sadly, I didn't need to read this article to figure that out. They couldn't even get a freaking roughing the punter call correct.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I'd let him walk if he wants anything over 2mill. We have way too many guys who are alot more important to the team that need new contracts. With Fangio almost always leaving the front 7 without safety support and our CB's not being that great, we need a better coverage safety than Whitner is with the defense we play.

That's not even a little realistic. Dahl signed for basically $1.5 million a year. Whitner is markedly better. $3-4 million a year is possible, but $2 million just won't happen. If that's our position, we may as well just move on now.