Teams with better non-QB talent than SF

[bvanthielriceyoung]

Let's add Crabtree to this list too. He'll be healthy so easy improvement there.

 

[bvanthielriceyoung]

I think you are looking at it too static.

These young guys can have up and down seasons and vary from year to year. Nothing is a sure thing. We saw regression this year in some players that we would have thought wouldve stayed the same or gotten better. Thats the human element.

Some of these players all they have to do is rebound from their previous year to show some nice improvement. Iupati and Davis are too young players that played better the previous year. If they get back to that, there's some decent improvement there.

 

[NinerSickness]

I think you are looking at it too static.

These young guys can have up and down seasons and vary from year to year.

True, and injury / being healthy is the single biggest factor that determines those peaks & valleys. I'm just predicting based on the trend these guys have already set and trying to be as realistic about it as possible.

The 49ers' talent level, overall, is trending down.

 

[bvanthielriceyoung]

The 49ers' talent level, overall, is trending down.

We definitely have some of our all stars that are starting to get a little up there in age. Staley, Davis, Willis, and Brooks off the top of my head are all getting close to 30. The 2012 draft really hurts getting nothing out of but if some of these guys from the 2013 draft pan out, we'll get a nice boost of talent. Lemonier, Lattimore, and Carradine should all be some good reinforcements.

With all that said, this draft coming up is going to be huge for us. It could decide if it will push us over the edge and win a Superbowl and it could decide how much longer our window is open.

 

[NinerSickness]

Does everyone remember how awful DumbDumb was when he only had 1 thousand-yard receiver, the best OL in football and an all-pro' caliber TE?

It's beyond me how fans just assume that gray skies are gonna clear up & things will be better next season. SF had very few injuries compared to most teams this season. Defenders dropped would-be pick-6's in both playoff games before before Seattle. Luck was on the Niners' side all season (except in the Saints' game). You can't expect that to happen again.

Not all QBs get better with age. The great ones do, but most QBs are about as good as they're going to be by the age of 26.

 

[AU_Fever]

Seattle and Denver.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Does anyone seriously expect the 49ers to get better in the non-QB talent area? That's extremely unrealistic.

JSmith: Getting old; still great but not the 1-man wrecking crew he was in 2010 & 2011.

Crabtree: Injury prone; kind of slow; DumbDumb thinks he's Jerry Rice for some reason. Contract year; probably gonna get about 10 million a year .

Bowman: Let's be realistic about this. He's not going to be the same after that injury. He could still be great, but he'll never be the 2012 Bowman again. And he's REALLY expensive.

Secondary: Reid will probably be the only returning starter. It's not exactly easy to fill 3 starting positions in the secondary. Could the Niners get lucky like they did w/ Goldson as a late-round pick? Sure. That's usually the exception.

Gore: Will be 31

Boldin: will be 34 & is a FA.

How much more help do you expect to come? Because it feels like this team has peaked, and they're not going to be able to sustain this level of play unless they start thinking way outside the box & shake up the roster.

Name one non-QB starter on this team besides Reid you expect to be better in 2014 than they were in 2013.

Aldon Smith, Tramaine Brock, Alex Boone, Anthony Davis, and Michael Crabtree should all be better next year. The NT, whether it's Dorsey or Williams, should be better as well. We should go into next year with more/better depth along the OL and at DL. Our WR depth almost has to be better, though our starters may be worse in the short-term if Boldin leaves.

I take your point about Kap's supporting cast. I think it's the best in the league, with the only realistic competition coming from Seattle. And it's not all that likely to be better next year than this year, particularly if Bowman misses a big chunk of the season. But I think we can maintain at or near that level. We've got several promising young players from last year's draft, including Lattimore and Carradine who didn't play a snap. And we could add four or five more starting-caliber players in this year's draft (don't expect them to start next year, certainly, but at least to be part of the rotation). If Kap can improve - and it's a somewhat big if when we talk about where he is now and "very good" or "elite" passer status - I think we should be right in the mix for the foreseeable future. That said, I wouldn't give him a big contract this offseason. But if he's willing to take a deal that pays him $12 million a year, maybe with some generous escalators for pro bowl/playoff wins, I think it's a no-brainer to extend him.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Does everyone remember how awful DumbDumb was when he only had 1 thousand-yard receiver, the best OL in football and an all-pro' caliber TE?

It's beyond me how fans just assume that gray skies are gonna clear up & things will be better next season. SF had very few injuries compared to most teams this season. Defenders dropped would-be pick-6's in both playoff games before before Seattle. Luck was on the Niners' side all season (except in the Saints' game). You can't expect that to happen again.

Not all QBs get better with age. The great ones do, but most QBs are about as good as they're going to be by the age of 26.

That's been a three or four-year trend now, so we can't chalk that up entirely to good luck. Beyond that, the Niners lost quite a few guys this year. And this year was by far the most injuries we've suffered of late.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

So if Reid, Brock & Bruce Miller get a tiny bit better is that enough to propel the 49ers over the rest of the top teams? If you're realistic you'll say no.

How many of those teams are actively improving before we factor in FA and the draft? Which starters on Seattle will be better next year other than the QB?