Which OLB gets the boot?

[NinerSickness]

With all the WRs, RBs & bubble D-linemen on the roster this offseason, I don't think there's any way the Niners keep 5 OLBs. Aldon, Brooks & Lemonier are locks to make the team.

So if Lynch doesn't show much in the preseason & training camp, is his potential enough to keep him around as a project? Or should they go with the much-better-in-the-short-term Dan Skuta?

 

[deep9er]

With all the WRs, RBs & bubble D-linemen on the roster this offseason, I don't think there's any way the Niners keep 5 OLBs. Aldon, Brooks & Lemonier are locks to make the team.

So if Lynch doesn't show much in the preseason & training camp, is his potential enough to keep him around as a project? Or should they go with the much-better-in-the-short-term Dan Skuta?

IMO easy call..............Skuta.

 

[obxyankeefan]

Question about Ahmad Brooks


At UVA he was a problem child. He blamed the NCAA for his SATs being lost. He was one of the dirtiest players to have ever played there. But I have not heard anything really bad about him in San Francisco. Has he cleaned up his act or are the Niners just keepoing it local?

 

[supreme_clientele81]

Question about Ahmad Brooks


At UVA he was a problem child. He blamed the NCAA for his SATs being lost. He was one of the dirtiest players to have ever played there. But I have not heard anything really bad about him in San Francisco. Has he cleaned up his act or are the Niners just keepoing it local?

Well he did bash a teammate over the head with a bottle so there is that. But other then that he has been on pretty good behavior with the team.

 

[obxyankeefan]

Well he did bash a teammate over the head with a bottle so there is that. But other then that he has been on pretty good behavior with the team.

Thats good to hear. Kinda like Suh for the Lions, Brooks would make great plays at UVA, but turn around and do something dumb to take away from it all.

 

[DoobieKeebler]

Thats good to hear. Kinda like Suh for the Lions, Brooks would make great plays at UVA, but turn around and do something dumb to take away from it all.

Brooks is a great all around LB - reliable in coverage; stout in run defense; and good at getting to the QB - but he is the President of the "Jumping Offsides" club on the Niners. If someone on the defense jumps offsides, there's about an 85% chance it's him.

I present.... Exhibit A:

It would be more obnoxious if it wasn't so funny.




(P.S. Check out Cam Newton doing his best LeBron impression )

 

[NinerSickness]

Typical. Niners screwed on yet another BS call.

 

[DoobieKeebler]

Oh, and if we're picking between Lynch and Skuta, I think the braintrust is going Skuta. I'd personally prefer Lynch if the quality gap isn't too extreme, but I believe Baalke & Harbs would go experience over potential.

 

[deep9er]

Oh, and if we're picking between Lynch and Skuta, I think the braintrust is going Skuta. I'd personally prefer Lynch if the quality gap isn't too extreme, but I believe Baalke & Harbs would go experience over potential.

agree here because Lynch can supposed apply good pressure, potential to apply good pressure. just that when the scenario was set up, this part was included:

So if Lynch doesn't show much in the preseason & training camp,

 

[Badger8843]

Typical. Niners screwed on yet another BS call.

haha

 

[CalamityX11]

Skuta looks like to have the inside track since he's shown more to Harbs n Co than Lynch ATM...

Another thing, can Lynch offer help on STs?

Maybe Lynch has that upside as a pass rusher but is he going to show it...

 

[DoobieKeebler]

agree here because Lynch can supposed apply good pressure, potential to apply good pressure. just that when the scenario was set up, this part was included:

So if Lynch doesn't show much in the preseason & training camp,

Right, I get that, but your comment assumes Skuta will show something substantive.

They both just as easily could have mediocre showings. (I'm not real high on Skuta)

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I think there's a real possibility we keep five if Lynch makes things interesting. Skuta is a very good STs player; that's really what he was brought in for, and it was just a bonus that he ended up looking solid at OLB. Not to mention that Aldon will almost certainly start the season on a suspension.

 

[NinerSickness]

Right, I get that, but your comment assumes Skuta will show something substantive.

They both just as easily could have mediocre showings. (I'm not real high on Skuta)

I'm not high on Skuta either, but he at least was good enough last year that he probably could beat out a 5th-round rookie who showing much on the depth chart (for the short term at least).

 

[CalamityX11]

What are we expecting from Skuta, earth shattering play? no... he's a backup, more of a STs guy but when he came in for Aldon and then into the rotation he was really putting on pressure IMHO.... he was good and I cant think of a play right now where I'd say he f'd up....

if refs don't throw erroneous flags, his sack on cam would've been more highlightful.

 

[deep9er]

Right, I get that, but your comment assumes Skuta will show something substantive.

They both just as easily could have mediocre showings. (I'm not real high on Skuta)

actually no, because Skuta already played last year, and wouldn't be 'mediocre' now? if Skuta stays the same thru TC and Pre-Season, same answer.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

It's also worth pointing out that Skuta came in as an ILB. I don't know that he had ever played OLB before last year, and he ended up playing surprisingly effectively (not great, but solid for a backup). He was also battling nagging injuries. There is some reason to believe he could actually be a fair bit better this year than he was last year.

 

[Jikkle]

Skuta was your definition of solid and sorta what you look for in a backup which is a guy that is reliable and can hold down the fort while the starter is out.

Lynch has way more potential though and I believe it's going to come down to whether the team believes Lynch can be stashed on the practice squad or not.

 

[deep9er]

Skuta was your definition of solid and sorta what you look for in a backup which is a guy that is reliable and can hold down the fort while the starter is out.

Lynch has way more potential though and I believe it's going to come down to whether the team believes Lynch can be stashed on the practice squad or not.

definitely agree on Skuta, as he already showed it on the field.

if we forget the scenario set in this thread (Lynch doesn't show anything), does appear Lynch has MUCH more potential? in college he showed the ability to rush or otherwise disrupt the passing game, and that is obviously valuable.

so he was still drafted despite the baggage, and will be given a good shot at showing his stuff. he wouldn't even need to be 'dominant' THIS off-season, just show enough "flashes" during TC and Pre-Season.

btw - in this day and age of information, teams can no longer 'stash' players on the PS. being one of the better NFL teams, its a given we'll lose players off our PS.

 

[NinerSickness]

Well if this tweet has any merit to it, consider this thread moot:

@timkawakami

My own view, after talking to several sources: Aldon Smith hasn't only lost the benefit of the doubt, he probably won't play for them in '14



...And consider the 49ers' chances at competing for a SB this year moot too. Might as well cut Gore & trade Crabtree if this is the case. Think 2015 & a home Super Bowl.

The 49ers minus Aldon Smith = just another team.