Patrick Willis Expected to retire

[purguy12]

What makes you think the report about Kaep is false?

It was false. Its been reported that is was false and Baalke came out and said 0% chance of Kap getting traded.

 

[Tubbs1518]

It was false. Its been reported that is was false and Baalke came out and said 0% chance of Kap getting traded.

He also said they were keeping Harbaugh too.........just saying.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

MAN ....

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Willis...great player, true warrior...glad to see him call it a career on his terms.

 

[Pattersonca65]

He also said they were keeping Harbaugh too.........just saying.

They never came out and made that kind of firm committment during the season

 

[BHF]

As a football fan, this sucks. Willis was one of the greats. Total respect for him.

But as beat up as you get playing the middle in the NFL, I can't blame him. Especially if he doesn't believe that the Niners will be making a run at a ring in the next few years.

 

[purguy12]

As a football fan, this sucks. Willis was one of the greats. Total respect for him.

But as beat up as you get playing the middle in the NFL, I can't blame him. Especially if he doesn't believe that the Niners will be making a run at a ring in the next few years.

Thank god we got Borland

 

[BHF]

Borland looks like he has talent, but the chances of him being another Willis are exceedingly slim. And losing Smith and Fangio on top of that? You have to wonder of the defense of the second half of the season will become the norm.

 

[shopson67]

Borland and Wilhoite played well last year so they will step right up nicely. But Willis was the captain and the heart of the defense. Bowman needs to step up in that regard.

Agreed. They're losing a lot of leadership in Willis, Gore, and Justin Smith, but the cupboard isn't bare. Borland, Hyde, and Dockett are able replacements (but not equals).

 

[shopson67]

Don't forget Crabtree, Culliver, and Cox. 49ers are going to be completely different.

Is Crabtree really any better than incoming Torrey Smith?

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Wow, the 9ers are going to straight up suck next year.

 

[ducky]

Is Crabtree really any better than incoming Torrey Smith?

The 49ers actually upgraded there. Smith at least gives the team a vertical threat (only Davis provided that before). Boldin was a good signing but the problem was him and Crabtree played the same position and had to run the same routes to be effective. Both are possession WR's.

At the very worst, it was just a lateral move. But IMO it will be a better fit overall.

 

[ducky]

Borland looks like he has talent, but the chances of him being another Willis are exceedingly slim.

Yeah but Willis had played a lot worse than a lot of people realized for a couple of years now because of the injuries. And the chances of Willis ever being the Willis everyone thinks of was even more exceedingly rare than the chances of Borland developing into that.

What killed that defense, and what could still possibly save it, was Bowman going down. He had been the better ILB on that team for something like 3 years running when his knew blew out.

Although getting a 3-4 DE to play as well as Justin Smith had played is next to impossible. He had an AMAZING run in SF after coming over and being placed in his proper position of 3-4 DE after playing his first years in Cinci as a 4-3 DE. That was a great job of a team seeing a player who was a good football player and understanding he could be even better in their system.

 

[ducky]

So here's a question for everyone:

Are either of these guys Hall of Famers?

Probably not right?

 

[Clayton]

So here's a question for everyone:

Are either of these guys Hall of Famers?

Probably not right?

Justin Smith isn't mostly because he didnt do anything on the Bengals. If he had 2 years less on the Bengals and two years more on the Niners then he would be.

Willis will make it but might not be first ballot. I think Bowman and Borland doing really well could hurt his image a bit though

 

[BHF]

Yeah but Willis had played a lot worse than a lot of people realized for a couple of years now because of the injuries. And the chances of Willis ever being the Willis everyone thinks of was even more exceedingly rare than the chances of Borland developing into that.

Sure, but it's all relative. Instead of being the consensus best MLB in the game he's been "merely" a Pro Bowl level talent.

What killed that defense, and what could still possibly save it, was Bowman going down. He had been the better ILB on that team for something like 3 years running when his knew blew out.

Agreed.

Although getting a 3-4 DE to play as well as Justin Smith had played is next to impossible. He had an AMAZING run in SF after coming over and being placed in his proper position of 3-4 DE after playing his first years in Cinci as a 4-3 DE. That was a great job of a team seeing a player who was a good football player and understanding he could be even better in their system.

And I think Smith hanging them up is what is going to turn that defense from good/very good to average at best. He anchored the run game and set up the pass rush as well.

 

[ducky]

And I think Smith hanging them up is what is going to turn that defense from good/very good to average at best. He anchored the run game and set up the pass rush as well.

It will never be a taken stat but I don't think any DL that I have ever seen has "assisted" in more sacks than Smith. He would (sometimes illegally) occupy two blockers in a pass scheme by blowing up one guy so much or flat out holding a blocker that was supposed to be blocking someone else and allow the OLB on his side to sprint to the QB virtually untouched.

 

[ducky]

Justin Smith isn't mostly because he didnt do anything on the Bengals. If he had 2 years less on the Bengals and two years more on the Niners then he would be.

Willis will make it but might not be first ballot. I think Bowman and Borland doing really well could hurt his image a bit though

I don't know.

Smith I agree because of the Cinci years won't likely make it.

But Willis I think will miss it because he simply is retiring before his time. Hard to put a guy in who only played in 112 games. The last player to go in who played in less than 140 games in his career was Winslow in 1987.

 

[dredinis21]

Borland looks like he has talent, but the chances of him being another Willis are exceedingly slim. And losing Smith and Fangio on top of that? You have to wonder of the defense of the second half of the season will become the norm.

Last year, the Niners D of the second half of the season was without it's starting DE, starting NT, backup NT, both Pro Bowl starting ILB, and it's #1, #3, & #4 CB.

Let's put their front 7 into perspective:

DE NT DE
Dockett Dorsey Tank (subs Dial, Ian Willams, TJE)

OLB ILB ILB OLB
Aldon Bowman Borland Lynch (subs Ahmad Brooks, Wilhoite, Lemonier)

I hate losing guys like Gore, Justin Smith, and Willis, but the Niners have drafted very wisely for the future and have seemingly planned their drafts to line up with impending FA. For example, knowing that Iupati was going to go to the highest bidder, they drafted highly touted Brandon Thomas in the 3rd. He's a guy that many had as a 1st rd talent at OT/OG that tore his ACL in pre-draft workouts and they red-shirted him on IR last year. They knew Gore was getting long in the tooth and they drafted Hyde as the bell cow heir apparent and he hasn't disappointed. Justin Smith has been toying with retirement for a couple of years now and they have drafted Tank Carradine, another guy who was seen by pundits as a top 10 draft pick before tearing his ACL early in the college season, as his heir apparent. He has shown tremendous pass rush abilities as a 3-4 DE while working to hold up the edge in the running game.

Last year, the amount of injuries that this team had on the defensive side while still having a top 10 D was amazing. Guys like Dan Skuta, Michael Wilhoite, Quintin Dial, Tank Carradine, along with rookies Jimmy Ward, Dontae Johnson, and Chris Borland got extensive PT which will be crucial to the sustainability of this D's success.

So considering they finished in the top 10 (IIRC I believe they were in fact a top 5 D) defense despite starting 7 new players that weren't pencilled in as starters to begin the season, is it really all that bad that the D of the second half of the season becomes the norm by simultaneously also getting significantly younger?