retailguy
05-30-2007, 06:21 PM
Interesting read.... Thoughts?
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/niners/2007-05-30-offseason-report_N.htm
49ers are reloaded, taking aim at top of NFC West
By Chris Colston, USA TODAY
If the San Francisco 49ers are going to fulfill their promise as one of the NFL's rising teams, Alex Smith probably will be the fulcrum.
"Quarterback is the biggest impact position in this league," offensive coordinator Jim Hostler says. "How your quarterback plays dictates how your team goes."
Smith was the NFL's No. 1 draft pick in 2005. After a brutal rookie year (seven starts, 50.9 completion percentage, one touchdown pass and 11 interceptions), the quarterback showed steady improvement last year. He started all 16 games, his completion percentage approached 60% and he threw 16 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions. Now in his third year, the 49ers expect him to surpass 3,000 passing yards and improve his touchdown-to-interception ratio.
TABLE: Additions, subtractions in San Francisco
"By the third year, a player isn't thinking — he's reacting," says Hostler, Smith's position coach the last two years. "He's caught up to the speed of the game. The thing I like about Alex are his mental abilities. He's a very smart kid, a tough-minded kid. He's a very good athlete, but his mental ability sets him apart."
Vice president of personnel Scot McCloughan says Smith must play well for the team to make the playoffs. But he isn't putting the entire weight of the team's success on Smith's shoulders, at least not yet. "He'll be more important to the team in the future than in 2007," McCloughan says. "This year the responsibility will fall more to the offense as a whole. Smith is our trigger man; he'll need to make plays, and I expect him to take another step forward in his development.
"But when we drafted him No. 1, we didn't expect him to win games for us until his fourth or fifth year. This season it will be more of a team effort."
McCloughan has collected good talent around Smith. Second-year Frank Gore rushed for a franchise-record 1,695 yards last season.
"A lot of factors go into a quarterback having a good year," Hostler says. "One key is having the players around him stay healthy. That gives him a comfort level and allows him to relax and play."
FIND MORE STORIES IN: National Football League | SAN FRANCISCO | Quarterback | NFC West | Wide receiver | Alex Smith | Mike Nolan | Scot Mccloughan
Wide receiver was a weakness in 2006, but the 49ers shored up that position. They traded a fourth-round draft pick for the Seattle Seahawks' Darrell Jackson, signed free agent Ashley Lelie and drafted Jason Hill in the third round. Jackson has notched three 1,000-yard receiving seasons and has 47 career TD catches, but knee injuries hampered him last year.
"Having guys like Jackson, Hill and Lelie will stretch the field and help our running game," McCloughan says.
But the best receiver might be tight end Vernon Davis. A hairline fracture to a bone in his left leg cost him six games last year, but he has eye-popping athleticism. He has the speed of a wideout (4.38 in the 40-yard dash), can bench-press 225 pounds 33 times and has a 42-inch vertical leap.
"He's probably our best threat with the ball in his hands," Hostler says. "He has the ability to change the game. But there's still a lot of work to do. His route running needs to improve, and he needs to catch the ball consistently."
A veteran offensive line features Larry Allen (entering his 14th NFL season), Jonas Jennings (seventh year), Eric Heitmann (sixth), Kwame Harris (fifth) and Justin Smiley (fourth) and gets a boost of youth with rookie Joe Staley, whom the team traded up to grab with the 28th pick. He's a bit raw but could evolve into something special, and he also has a chance to crack the starting lineup.
"If Staley keeps developing," NFLDraftScout.com analyst Rob Rang says, "he could end up being the best tackle in the draft."
McCloughan, who has worked with the Green Bay Packers and Seahawks, loves the mix of experience and youth in this line, which goes 10 deep. "From one to 10, this is the best offensive line I've been around," he says. "And I was in Seattle when they had Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson."
The 49ers hired head coach Mike Nolan two years ago based on the acumen he showed as the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, and this year's defense looks much-improved. New coordinator Greg Manusky, who coached the San Diego Chargers linebackers the last five seasons, replaces fired Billy Davis. He'll be employing mostly a 3-4 look this season, something Nolan has wanted to do since he arrived.
"Their defense should be better," ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth says. "I played with Greg Manusky (with the Washington Redskins from 1989 to 1990), and I know what kind of guy he is. I think he's going to do a great job there."
Nate Clements, 27, gives San Francisco one of the best cover corners in the league and is also exceptional against the run. "Nate Clements is one of my favorite players in the league," Schlereth says. "He's a nasty football player, a guy who does all the things you want. … In a division where you play Arizona and its two great wideouts (Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin), that's big."
Clements will also be seeing a lot of Seattle's Deion Branch and the St. Louis Rams' Torry Holt.
The team's other first-round pick, inside linebacker Patrick Willis, could make an immediate impact. With his speed (4.37 in the 40), Willis was a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine at Mississippi. Many scouts think he can step right in and become San Francisco's leading tackler.
San Francisco made other defensive tweaks that could pay off, signing free agent safety Michael Lewis, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin and linebacker Tully Banta-Cain.
"The addition of Banta-Cain is going to help them," Schlereth says. "At New England, he learned how to play three … positions, which creates the ability to put pressure on the quarterback merely with confusion. They could get a lot of garbage sacks that way."
The additions of Willis, Banta-Cain, 2007 draftee Jay Moore and 2006 draftees Manny Lawson and Parys Haralson bolster a solid linebacking crew that already included veterans Derek Smith, Brandon Moore and Jeff Ulbrich. McCloughan says the team will carry more linebackers because of the 3-4 switch and it also strengthens the special teams, "because instead of carrying more defensive linemen, you've got backers who are usually faster, more athletic and can be a bigger impact on coverage units."
Schlereth says he thinks San Francisco will jockey for the division title this year, and McCloughan doesn't disagree.
"The key for us is to get off to a good start," McCloughan says. "Our goal is to win the division. We play Arizona, a team we haven't beaten (since Nolan became head coach), on Monday night and then go on the road at St. Louis. Those are two big division games right out of the gate."
AROUND THE FIELD IN SAN FRANCISCO
Quarterback: Alex Smith needs to assert himself in his third year. He has been the league's youngest starting quarterback for two consecutive seasons. Trent Dilfer backs him up.
Running back: In his second season, Frank Gore increased his rushing total by 1,087 yards over his rookie year. His goal is 2,000 yards.
Wide receiver: Although Darrell Jackson was Seattle's top receiver, 49ers fans shouldn't expect him to post Seahawks-type numbers. Rookie Jason Hill could emerge as the best of the deep threats, though Ashley Lelie is now on board. The 49ers released Antonio Bryant, last year's leader in receiving yards.
Tight end: Vernon Davis battled injuries and inconsistency as a rookie in 2006. Healthy now, he has the ability to emerge as one of the league's dominant players at the position. Eric Johnson moved on to New Orleans, leaving the 49ers much thinner in terms of depth.
Offensive line: This could be the team's best unit. Guard Larry Allen is an 11-time Pro Bowler. Rookie Joe Staley could supplant veteran Kwame Harris at right tackle. When healthy, Jonas Jennings is solid at left tackle. Reserves Tony Wragge and David Baas add versatility and depth.
Defensive line: Free agent addition Aubrayo Franklin should start at nose tackle; head coach Mike Nolan coached him in Baltimore. At 320 pounds, Franklin has the bulk the position requires. Ronald Fields will push him. Bryant Young and Marques Douglas are the ends. Rookie Ray McDonald could have an impact.
Linebacker: The 49ers think second-year man Manny Lawson and free agent signee Tully Banta-Cain can provide pressure from the outside. Lawson started 11 games as a rookie, making the transition from college defensive end. First-round pick Patrick Willis should crack the starting lineup and be a longtime fixture. He will play immediately on third downs.
Secondary: The 49ers spent big money on free agents Nate Clements (cornerback) and Michael Lewis (strong safety); they are part of the team's defensive makeover. Lewis, who slipped a bit last year, was a 2005 Pro Bowler. The 49ers think Clements, 27, has several prime years left. Walt Harris led the NFC with eight interceptions.
Special teams: San Francisco is solid. Kicker Joe Nedney tied for third in the NFL with 29 field goals. Andy Lee averaged 44.8 yards a punt, seventh best in the league. Long snapper Brian Jennings is back, along with return men Maurice Hicks and Brandon Williams.
Coaching staff: Nolan and vice president of personnel Scot McCloughan are of one mind philosophically. The offense made strides last year under coordinator Norv Turner, now San Diego's head coach. Jim Hostler, Turner's replacement, must try to maintain that momentum. Greg Manusky replaces Billy Davis and will try to improve the 26th-ranked defense. Nolan has made it clear he expects the 49ers to make the playoffs.
Outlook: The offense should take a leap forward in Smith's third season, the offensive line is solid, Gore is a big-time back and Davis could become a game-breaker. Defensively, questions remain along the front, but the linebacking corps appears strong and Willis could be a rookie of the year candidate. The 49ers should be in the mix for the NFC West title all year and could be a dark-horse playoff pick.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/niners/2007-05-30-offseason-report_N.htm
49ers are reloaded, taking aim at top of NFC West
By Chris Colston, USA TODAY
If the San Francisco 49ers are going to fulfill their promise as one of the NFL's rising teams, Alex Smith probably will be the fulcrum.
"Quarterback is the biggest impact position in this league," offensive coordinator Jim Hostler says. "How your quarterback plays dictates how your team goes."
Smith was the NFL's No. 1 draft pick in 2005. After a brutal rookie year (seven starts, 50.9 completion percentage, one touchdown pass and 11 interceptions), the quarterback showed steady improvement last year. He started all 16 games, his completion percentage approached 60% and he threw 16 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions. Now in his third year, the 49ers expect him to surpass 3,000 passing yards and improve his touchdown-to-interception ratio.
TABLE: Additions, subtractions in San Francisco
"By the third year, a player isn't thinking — he's reacting," says Hostler, Smith's position coach the last two years. "He's caught up to the speed of the game. The thing I like about Alex are his mental abilities. He's a very smart kid, a tough-minded kid. He's a very good athlete, but his mental ability sets him apart."
Vice president of personnel Scot McCloughan says Smith must play well for the team to make the playoffs. But he isn't putting the entire weight of the team's success on Smith's shoulders, at least not yet. "He'll be more important to the team in the future than in 2007," McCloughan says. "This year the responsibility will fall more to the offense as a whole. Smith is our trigger man; he'll need to make plays, and I expect him to take another step forward in his development.
"But when we drafted him No. 1, we didn't expect him to win games for us until his fourth or fifth year. This season it will be more of a team effort."
McCloughan has collected good talent around Smith. Second-year Frank Gore rushed for a franchise-record 1,695 yards last season.
"A lot of factors go into a quarterback having a good year," Hostler says. "One key is having the players around him stay healthy. That gives him a comfort level and allows him to relax and play."
FIND MORE STORIES IN: National Football League | SAN FRANCISCO | Quarterback | NFC West | Wide receiver | Alex Smith | Mike Nolan | Scot Mccloughan
Wide receiver was a weakness in 2006, but the 49ers shored up that position. They traded a fourth-round draft pick for the Seattle Seahawks' Darrell Jackson, signed free agent Ashley Lelie and drafted Jason Hill in the third round. Jackson has notched three 1,000-yard receiving seasons and has 47 career TD catches, but knee injuries hampered him last year.
"Having guys like Jackson, Hill and Lelie will stretch the field and help our running game," McCloughan says.
But the best receiver might be tight end Vernon Davis. A hairline fracture to a bone in his left leg cost him six games last year, but he has eye-popping athleticism. He has the speed of a wideout (4.38 in the 40-yard dash), can bench-press 225 pounds 33 times and has a 42-inch vertical leap.
"He's probably our best threat with the ball in his hands," Hostler says. "He has the ability to change the game. But there's still a lot of work to do. His route running needs to improve, and he needs to catch the ball consistently."
A veteran offensive line features Larry Allen (entering his 14th NFL season), Jonas Jennings (seventh year), Eric Heitmann (sixth), Kwame Harris (fifth) and Justin Smiley (fourth) and gets a boost of youth with rookie Joe Staley, whom the team traded up to grab with the 28th pick. He's a bit raw but could evolve into something special, and he also has a chance to crack the starting lineup.
"If Staley keeps developing," NFLDraftScout.com analyst Rob Rang says, "he could end up being the best tackle in the draft."
McCloughan, who has worked with the Green Bay Packers and Seahawks, loves the mix of experience and youth in this line, which goes 10 deep. "From one to 10, this is the best offensive line I've been around," he says. "And I was in Seattle when they had Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson."
The 49ers hired head coach Mike Nolan two years ago based on the acumen he showed as the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, and this year's defense looks much-improved. New coordinator Greg Manusky, who coached the San Diego Chargers linebackers the last five seasons, replaces fired Billy Davis. He'll be employing mostly a 3-4 look this season, something Nolan has wanted to do since he arrived.
"Their defense should be better," ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth says. "I played with Greg Manusky (with the Washington Redskins from 1989 to 1990), and I know what kind of guy he is. I think he's going to do a great job there."
Nate Clements, 27, gives San Francisco one of the best cover corners in the league and is also exceptional against the run. "Nate Clements is one of my favorite players in the league," Schlereth says. "He's a nasty football player, a guy who does all the things you want. … In a division where you play Arizona and its two great wideouts (Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin), that's big."
Clements will also be seeing a lot of Seattle's Deion Branch and the St. Louis Rams' Torry Holt.
The team's other first-round pick, inside linebacker Patrick Willis, could make an immediate impact. With his speed (4.37 in the 40), Willis was a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine at Mississippi. Many scouts think he can step right in and become San Francisco's leading tackler.
San Francisco made other defensive tweaks that could pay off, signing free agent safety Michael Lewis, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin and linebacker Tully Banta-Cain.
"The addition of Banta-Cain is going to help them," Schlereth says. "At New England, he learned how to play three … positions, which creates the ability to put pressure on the quarterback merely with confusion. They could get a lot of garbage sacks that way."
The additions of Willis, Banta-Cain, 2007 draftee Jay Moore and 2006 draftees Manny Lawson and Parys Haralson bolster a solid linebacking crew that already included veterans Derek Smith, Brandon Moore and Jeff Ulbrich. McCloughan says the team will carry more linebackers because of the 3-4 switch and it also strengthens the special teams, "because instead of carrying more defensive linemen, you've got backers who are usually faster, more athletic and can be a bigger impact on coverage units."
Schlereth says he thinks San Francisco will jockey for the division title this year, and McCloughan doesn't disagree.
"The key for us is to get off to a good start," McCloughan says. "Our goal is to win the division. We play Arizona, a team we haven't beaten (since Nolan became head coach), on Monday night and then go on the road at St. Louis. Those are two big division games right out of the gate."
AROUND THE FIELD IN SAN FRANCISCO
Quarterback: Alex Smith needs to assert himself in his third year. He has been the league's youngest starting quarterback for two consecutive seasons. Trent Dilfer backs him up.
Running back: In his second season, Frank Gore increased his rushing total by 1,087 yards over his rookie year. His goal is 2,000 yards.
Wide receiver: Although Darrell Jackson was Seattle's top receiver, 49ers fans shouldn't expect him to post Seahawks-type numbers. Rookie Jason Hill could emerge as the best of the deep threats, though Ashley Lelie is now on board. The 49ers released Antonio Bryant, last year's leader in receiving yards.
Tight end: Vernon Davis battled injuries and inconsistency as a rookie in 2006. Healthy now, he has the ability to emerge as one of the league's dominant players at the position. Eric Johnson moved on to New Orleans, leaving the 49ers much thinner in terms of depth.
Offensive line: This could be the team's best unit. Guard Larry Allen is an 11-time Pro Bowler. Rookie Joe Staley could supplant veteran Kwame Harris at right tackle. When healthy, Jonas Jennings is solid at left tackle. Reserves Tony Wragge and David Baas add versatility and depth.
Defensive line: Free agent addition Aubrayo Franklin should start at nose tackle; head coach Mike Nolan coached him in Baltimore. At 320 pounds, Franklin has the bulk the position requires. Ronald Fields will push him. Bryant Young and Marques Douglas are the ends. Rookie Ray McDonald could have an impact.
Linebacker: The 49ers think second-year man Manny Lawson and free agent signee Tully Banta-Cain can provide pressure from the outside. Lawson started 11 games as a rookie, making the transition from college defensive end. First-round pick Patrick Willis should crack the starting lineup and be a longtime fixture. He will play immediately on third downs.
Secondary: The 49ers spent big money on free agents Nate Clements (cornerback) and Michael Lewis (strong safety); they are part of the team's defensive makeover. Lewis, who slipped a bit last year, was a 2005 Pro Bowler. The 49ers think Clements, 27, has several prime years left. Walt Harris led the NFC with eight interceptions.
Special teams: San Francisco is solid. Kicker Joe Nedney tied for third in the NFL with 29 field goals. Andy Lee averaged 44.8 yards a punt, seventh best in the league. Long snapper Brian Jennings is back, along with return men Maurice Hicks and Brandon Williams.
Coaching staff: Nolan and vice president of personnel Scot McCloughan are of one mind philosophically. The offense made strides last year under coordinator Norv Turner, now San Diego's head coach. Jim Hostler, Turner's replacement, must try to maintain that momentum. Greg Manusky replaces Billy Davis and will try to improve the 26th-ranked defense. Nolan has made it clear he expects the 49ers to make the playoffs.
Outlook: The offense should take a leap forward in Smith's third season, the offensive line is solid, Gore is a big-time back and Davis could become a game-breaker. Defensively, questions remain along the front, but the linebacking corps appears strong and Willis could be a rookie of the year candidate. The 49ers should be in the mix for the NFC West title all year and could be a dark-horse playoff pick.