Hitner

[sjballer03]

Whitner will help bridge the age gap in our secondary. Without him, we would be getting way too young on that front. And then it would result in 1-2 years of growing pains, which I almost guarantee will cause problems in the playoffs. I don't see an adequate veteran replacement in FA.

Watching Whitner improve this season showed he has some room for growth. The fact that Reid would benefit for the consistency in having him back is something you can't disregard either.

 

[tallglassofwater007]

"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.

That is what I have been telling my friends. They break that rule so frequently and also go through players to get to the ball. In 5 games they should have had 26 more penalties according to the film in the article. Imagine if they looked at every game. Maybe they get away with calls because of their reputation of being a good D? If that is true then it is a slap in the face for all the BS the Niners (Whitner/Brooks especially) get called for.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

That is what I have been telling my friends. They break that rule so frequently and also go through players to get to the ball. In 5 games they should have had 26 more penalties according to the film in the article. Imagine if they looked at every game. Maybe they get away with calls because of their reputation of being a good D? If that is true then it is a slap in the face for all the BS the Niners (Whitner/Brooks especially) get called for.

I think they extrapolated based on reviewing five games to get 26 penalties over the course of the season. That's how I read it. That would be 8 uncalled penalties over the five games reviewed.

It is frustrating to watch Earl Thomas repeatedly getting to Graham early in the Saints game - granted in real time it was close - and then seeing Whitner flagged any time he puts a hard lick on someone.

 

[Chamoanlad]

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.

I agree Whitner is better and worth more, but with our situation I don't think it's a good idea and would just move on. He's a leader and helped Reid immensely, but is a luxury we can't afford. We couldn't cover a pair of #3 WR's that Seattle started in Tate and Baldwin and Seattle's WR situation is at worse going to stay the same if not get much better. The same thing has played out for 3 straight years where the defense does well in the regular season, but the secondary breaks down in the playoffs. We need to improve our CB and safety situation with guys that can cover. Our defense is better than Arizona's except in the secondary and they destroyed Seattle's offense IN Seattle. You can shut down the Seattle offense if you can cover and keep Wilson in the pocket.

That money for Whitner needs to be used to resign our key guys and try to improve our secondary.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I agree Whitner is better and worth more, but with our situation I don't think it's a good idea and would just move on. He's a leader and helped Reid immensely, but is a luxury we can't afford. We couldn't cover a pair of #3 WR's that Seattle started in Tate and Baldwin and Seattle's WR situation is at worse going to stay the same if not get much better. The same thing has played out for 3 straight years where the defense does well in the regular season, but the secondary breaks down in the playoffs. We need to improve our CB and safety situation with guys that can cover. Our defense is better than Arizona's except in the secondary and they destroyed Seattle's offense IN Seattle. You can shut down the Seattle offense if you can cover and keep Wilson in the pocket.

That money for Whitner needs to be used to resign our key guys and try to improve our secondary.

And I don't have a big problem with that. Just saying he's not coming back at $2 million. I think I would be ok going with youth in the defensive backfield. Brock got some good experience this year, Reid plays like a five-year pro, and Culliver has seen plenty of action. I don't love the idea of starting two rookies, but if they're high draft picks, I can live with it.

As far as the Hawks game, the lapse on Baldwin was a HUGE play, and a terrible mistake by Whitner. That said, it was one play, and he was in good position to defend the primary route. I wouldn't knock him too much for that single play, and other than that he played pretty well in the game.

As far as Arizona's D, they also had the best run D in the league. Limiting Lynch - and rushing for 139 yards themselves - was more important than their CB play IMO. Though I expect Seattle to make some moves at WR this year, and to have Harvin back all next season (at least until he gets banged up again).

 

[TobyTyler]

That is what I have been telling my friends. They break that rule so frequently and also go through players to get to the ball. In 5 games they should have had 26 more penalties according to the film in the article. Imagine if they looked at every game. Maybe they get away with calls because of their reputation of being a good D? If that is true then it is a slap in the face for all the BS the Niners (Whitner/Brooks especially) get called for.

Unfortunately, they've got Whitner on their watch list. They've effectively taken him out of his game and did irreperable damage to his ability to make a better salary.

 

[whysies]

Which free agent strong safety will the 49ers sign to continue Tony Parrish's/Michael Lewis'/Donte Whitner's legacy?

I refuse to believe they will draft someone or plug in some home grown talent. It's just not the 49ers way. I'm sure Lance Schulters would be rolling in his grave if the 49ers didn't sign a mid level free agent to play the position.

 

[AU_Fever]

If his asking price is too high, you have to let him walk. The Niners will miss his leadership, but he is a liability in pass coverage. Are there any safeties that the Niners can draft in the 2nd or 3rd round that might be able to start next season?

 

[TobyTyler]

Which free agent strong safety will the 49ers sign to continue Tony Parrish's/Michael Lewis'/Donte Whitner's legacy?

I refuse to believe they will draft someone or plug in some home grown talent. It's just not the 49ers way. I'm sure Lance Schulters would be rolling in his grave if the 49ers didn't sign a mid level free agent to play the position.

What about Culliver? I wonder if they might think about moving him inside if they don't lose Brown.

 

[AU_Fever]

What about Culliver? I wonder if they might think about moving him inside if they don't lose Brown.

Don't even mention this to Bingo! He's coming off a serious injury. Can he play free safety?

 

[TobyTyler]

Don't even mention this to Bingo! He's coming off a serious injury. Can he play free safety?

I thought Culliver was a Safety in college. Don't know if he is tough enough to play SS or not.

 

[sjballer03]

I thought Culliver was a Safety in college. Don't know if he is tough enough to play SS or not.

He was a free safety until his senior year, when he converted to cornerback. Converting him back can't be too difficult.

 

[TobyTyler]

He was a free safety until his senior year, when he converted to cornerback. Converting him back can't be too difficult.

We have a decent free safety though in Reid. I'm wondering if Culliver can handle the more physically demanding Strong Safety position.

 

[sjballer03]

We have a decent free safety though in Reid. I'm wondering if Culliver can handle the more physically demanding Strong Safety position.

If anything, Reid should be the SS between those two.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Which free agent strong safety will the 49ers sign to continue Tony Parrish's/Michael Lewis'/Donte Whitner's legacy?

I refuse to believe they will draft someone or plug in some home grown talent. It's just not the 49ers way. I'm sure Lance Schulters would be rolling in his grave if the 49ers didn't sign a mid level free agent to play the position.

Awesome. I laughed out loud ad the Schulters comment. I really liked Tony Parrish, though.

 

[whysies]

Awesome. I laughed out loud ad the Schulters comment. I really liked Tony Parrish, though.

I liked Parrish too brother. The only one I didn't really care for was Lewis. I think Whitner is pretty decent and perhaps a bit underrated by 49ers fans (but of course overrated by everyone else). That said if he can't come back at a team friendly deal for a short length of time I'm totally cool with moving on from him for all the aforesaid reasons.

 

[MHSL82]

"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.

"How Denver and Seattle were able to get away with such rampant rule bending is down to a loophole in how games are officiated. The referee who reviewed the film for the Journal said officials are reluctant to throw flags for the same infringement more than once in a game. "Technically, we're not supposed to referee that way," the referee said. "But there's a human element that says: Do I really want to throw the same flag seven times today?"

Officials are also hesitant to litter the field with flags because the NFL's referee grading system, which determines which officials will be allocated to marquee games, downgrades referees more harshly for wrong calls than for making no call at all.

In the Super Bowl, the official said, this phenomenon is likely to be more pronounced because officials are hesitant to throw a flag unless the infraction is a "train wreck."

 

[CalamityX11]

If anything, Reid should be the SS between those two.

not with his concussion history...

 

[NinerSickness]

I wouldn't want him back for free! Why? Because as long as he's around he's going to start, and as long as he's going to start he's going to suck in coverage.

 

[MHSL82]

I, for one, as a fan of football, be fine with them calling the game as they should. Teams should then asjust how they defend or how they play.