Football Diner 2008 Team Reviews / Previews
San Francisco 49ers
by Chris Brophy
19/8/2008
Overview
The 49ers entered 2007 as a fashionable dark horse pick for many and after starting off the season 2-0 it looked like those pundits might just be right but even in those two wins, the signs of what was to come were already there - mainly a struggling passing game. After showing signs of positive development under OC Norv Turner, former overall number 1 pick Alex Smith lost his way badly after Turner left to take the Chargers job and when you are playing catch-up a lot, having a passing game is a major need. With no passing game, the run game suffered and in turn, put too much pressure on the defense. Head Coach Mike Nolan gets a chance to get the ship back on the right heading and has added passing game guru Mike Martz to try and fix the 49ers biggest problem but many are surprised Nolan got another bite of the cherry.
Quarterbacks
A mess. Alex Smith regressed badly last year and then got injured. Trent Dilfer came in but soon gave way to Shaun Hill, a career back up. Hill at least looked like he could do the simple things well which was an upgrade on anything else seen in 2007 so he has being allowed a shot at competing for the starting gig. Dilfer has retired so Martz had the team bring in JT O'Sullivan who he had been tutoring in Detroit and it has now become a three way battle for the job with O'Sullivan appearing to have got in Smith and Hill's slipstream and managing to sling-shot his way past both of them. Smith is now being mentioned in the same sentence as the word "bust" a lot but he is only 24 years old and you still get the feeling he is going to get a chance somewhere but no one looks established here and musical quarterbacks could well be the order of the season.
Grade: D
Running Backs
The best part of the offense and if there is any positive for the 49ers QB, it is having Frank Gore line up behind you. Gore didn't get back to the level of his 2006 league leading season but with no passing game to stop the box getting stacked and many games spent chasing a deficit it's not really a surprise. Gore is a true do-it-all back though and still managed over 1100 yards on the ground and over 50 receptions. To give Gore a chance to take a break now and again, the Niners added DeShaun Foster who is talented but brittle. Foster ran for over 800 yards the past three seasons but he put the ball on the carpet seven times in 2007 and is something he must improve on. The versatile Michael Robinson should complete the half back corps whilst the solid Moran Norris should continue to lead the runners to the hole from his fullback spot. Zak Keasey is the other fullback and he usually spends the season bouncing on and off the roster but is drawing praise in camp.
Grade: A-
Receivers
A position of historical strength has become a glaring weakness in recent years for the 49ers and whilst the QBs hardly set the world on fire, having inconsistent targets didn't help. Additions have being made in long time nemesis and former Ram Issac Bruce and former Cardinal 1st round pick Bryant Johnson. How much gas does Bruce have left in the tank? The season will tell but he is an accurate route runner who is familiar with the Martz system. Johnson is a physical presence who got outshined in Arizona by Fitzgerald and Boldin so he might get a chance to prove he can be a good starter here. Arnaz Battle should be involved in the mix and has being the best of a bad bunch in recent years. Johnson and Battle have had hamstring problems in camp/pre-season which has given 6th round rookie Josh Morgan a chance to get involved in the mix and he'll fight last year's rookie Jason Hill for playing time. Veteran Ashley Lelie offers speed but a lack of route running abilities and it could see him not make the squad. At tight end, Vernon Davis needs to have a breakout year and offer a dynamic target in the middle of the field. Delanie Walker is the backup. This corps has being improved up but still has lots of questions that need answering.
Grade: C
Offensive Line
Much like the rest of the offense, very much a work in progress and carrying lots of question marks. Kwame Harris has jumped across the bay to frustrate Oakland fans and Justin Smiley was signed by the Dolphins. At the time of writing, the Larry Allen situation is still unclear but it's best to assume at this point he won't be back. Jonas Jennings returns from injury and with Joe Staley, they should form the tackle pairing. David Baas looks like he will tie up one guard spot whilst Adam Snyder, who has played some tackle but looks better suited to playing inside, should be the other. The team did draft Chilo Rachel in round 2 of the draft and he can push both of these guys. Eric Heitmann mans the pivot but could be pushed by another rookie in Cody Wallace. Depth looks better with the recent addition of Barry Sims and both he and Tony Wragge, who recently signed a contract extension, can push the starters. Knowing that Jennings health is hard to trust makes the Sims addition look even smarter. If the rookies can force their way into the starting lineup and make and impact, the Niners have a nice young line shaping up but at this point, whilst it looks better on paper, it still has a lot to prove.
Grade: C+
Defensive Line
The 49ers finished 25th in total defense in 2007 but it's a hard stat to judge because of the holes their offense dug for them. The Niners run a base 3-4 scheme and have made some useful additions for the line in the shape of former Bengal Justin Smith at DE and first round pick Kentwan Balmer who will try to push current starter Aubrayo Franklin. Isaac Sopoaga should be the other starter at LDE but all these guys will be involved in the rotation and asked to man different spots from time to time. The impact of Smith to help improve on last years total of 31 sacks for this defense and how much Balmer can contribute are the keys to this units success. Depth and help in the rotation will come from the likes of Ronald Fields and Ray McDonald.
Grade: B
Linebackers
Patrick Willis was a fantastic addition last year who instantly stood out head and shoulders above everyone else. He is now taking steps to become the leader of this unit and reports from camp state he is being far more vocal and showing all the signs of being the Niners defensive lynchpin yet again. With Brandon Moore and Derek Smith now gone, Jeff Ulbrich should line up inside next to Willis but could he could be pushed by new veteran addition Takeo Spikes. Outside, Tully Banta-Cain came over from New England and had 3.5 sacks as well as winning the season opener with a fumble recovery in the end zone but he sits behind Parys Haralson - who filled in for Lawson - on the depth chart currently. Manny Lawson returns from injury to come back on the other side but the team needs pressure from its outside guys to make this D work. Don't be surprised if they occasionally stand up Justin Smith on passing downs. Depth will come from rookie Larry Grant, Dontarrious Thomas, Roderick Green, Dennis Haley and Jay Moore. If the improvements on the defensive line work out, it should mean more opportunities for the linebacking corps. The recovery and development of Lawson is also key.
Grade: B+
Secondary
Improvements in the pass rush can really help this unit out but let's not take anything away from Nate Clements. He got paid a boat-load of money to come over from the Bills last off-season and whilst the Niners results meant he didn't get a lot of attention, he looked like he was living up to the price tag. Walt Harris didn't repeat his Pro Bowl form of 2006 opposite though as teams would rather challenge him than Clements. He'll be pushed for his job by Shawntae Spencer who struggled with ankle and quad injuries in 2007 but is liked by the coaches. Reggie Smith was added in round 3 of the draft and can play both corner and safety. For now he may look to be involved in nickel and dime packages. Safety sees Mark Roman line up at the deep middle but he could see a challenge from last years 4th round pick, Dashon Goldson. Michael Lewis plays closer to the line of scrimmage where he hits well but can be exposed in coverage. Keith Lewis offers depth but is better known as one of this team's best special teams players. A unit that goes as well as its star man Clements goes.
Grade: B
Special Teams
Joe Nedney has made the kicking job his own and Andy Lee went to the Pro Bowl as the NFC's punter. Brian Jennings sends the snaps back to Lee who also acts as holder on kicks. The team recently added veteran Allen Rossum to handle return duties after he was let go by the Steelers. Ironically, Rossum took a kick-off back 95 yards for a TD against the 49ers last season. If Rossum can improve this teams return game, this is a pretty good unit.
Grade: B+
Coaching
Mike Nolan is still hanging around after a difficult 2007 but at least he brought back the suit to the coaching wardrobe! There is no doubt a lot of Nolan's future is in the hands of new OC Mike Martz who is a master of drawing up plays and game plans but has been questioned over his play calling in the past. He is known for being pass happy and on a team where the only real star of the offense is running back Frank Gore, Martz must show that he is trying to bring the balance that will make Gore that much more effective. Greg Manusky runs the defense and he is charged with getting the young talent gathered on defense into a productive unit.
Grade: C
Overview
The Niners have certainly taken action to try and correct their problems, adding youth and some playmakers on defense as well as bring in a proven OC on offense to try and get some production in the passing game. There are still massive concerns that they do not have the QB or receiving corps good enough not just to run the system, but actually to play at an NFL standard. If the defense can improve that will at least help but unless the passing game works, it'll be another tough season for Frank Gore and ultimately, even in a weak NFC West, post-season looks well beyond them. That in turn could see the end of the Nolan "era".
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