49ers (1 Viewer)

[Z-Dog]

Oh and by the way, the teams which were horrible and turned it around are not at all analogous to the Niners, because those teams made good decisions. The Niners are making decisions like they want to emulate Detroit, not Dallas.

Which decisions from the Nolan era are you questioning?

1) Alex Smith #1 overall. They should have traded down.2) Getting rid of their only decent QB mid-season, so the fans couldn't complain about Smith starting.

3) Starting Smith.

4) Failing to retain their two best defensive players (Carter and Peterson).

5) Bringing in Norv Turner, fresh off 23 losses in two years coaching a more talented team.

6) Bringing in Trent Dilfer as a backup QB, so the fans won't complain as much about Smith starting.

7) Wasting a high first-round pick on a TE "to give Smith more weapons". (See Detroit, 2002-2004).

I'm sure there are others, but those stick out.

1) I don't remember there being any trade-down market. I think the team evaluated Alex Smith and decided that he could do the job. Saying that they should have looked ahed to the next year is not realistic. For one, Leinert was the only marquee prospect - they didn't know that Vince Young and Jay Cutler were going to emerge. I could see arguing to take Braylon Edwards, but they had spent a few picks on Woods, Lloyd, and then Battle.2) Meh... the fans complained plenty.

3) Old coach I agree. New coach, and no compelling other option than you #1 overall QB, I disagree

4) Don't understand the situations there well enough, so I won't comment.

5) Norv Turner is a good guy for a young franchise to learn fundamentals from. Besides, he went through a down spot in his career, but who is to say he can't turn it around. A good signing, imo.

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

7) I don't like TEs that high either, so I'll agree here on principle, even though I have a hunch that Davis will be excellent.

 

[CalBear]

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

No: They specifically brought in Dilfer, the worst free agent QB on the market, so he wouldn't push Smith for the job. They could have gone for McNair (which Baltimore did, despite having a young QB who performed much better than Smith in his rookie year), or Brooks, or Collins, or even Kitna or Harrington. But no, they went for a known poor QB that no one will want to see behind center.

 

[moleculo]

One thing about SF that I can't seem to understand about SF is that they had a very lopsided run/pass ratio last year - 52.39% of their offensive plays were runs (compared to NFL average of 46.67%). The only teams which ran more in terms of percentages were Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Denver, and Chicago. For a team which was as bad as SF ws last year, that's ALOT or carries. I assume it was to try to ease Smith into the offense and not get him killed - of course, I don't think they have the horses (in the trenches) to be sucessful as a run-first team, and that is likely why they were soo bad.

I'd have to assume that they will open things up a little more this year with Davis, Bryant, and some experience for Smith. They should return to a natural play-calling mix, and let the offense progress naturally. We should expect some offensive progression here, which would make SF much more competitive.

 

[CalBear]

I'd have to assume that they will open things up a little more this year with Davis, Bryant, and some experience for Smith. They should return to a natural play-calling mix, and let the offense progress naturally. We should expect some offensive progression here, which would make SF much more competitive.

Their offense could add 400 yards and 5 TDs to last year's totals and still finish #32 overall.And then there's the small matter of the #32 overall defense.

 

[Bri]

okay, for starters, hopefully we all agree that SF is terrible, and likely will finish last place again this year.But just how far away do you think they are from becoming a) a respectable team, b) a playoff team, c) a championship-caliber team?I really like Nolan, although I am not sure I buy into the "3-year plan" for him. I feel like this team is so under-talented that it may take 5 years (that would be '09) for them to really resurface as an upper-tier team.Discuss.

If alex smith and either of the RBs plays as good as the preseason hype they've received over the year(s) then they'll seem like they drastically improved this year. Without a RB or a QB (in essence)the team's shot right there.I like Alex Smith as a young prospect if they can keep him standing up. Generally it seems people have brushed him off already.

 

[dlptown]

LOCAL- I believe that hacman is on the right track versus CalBear. I didn't like the Smith pick, but there weren't a lot of options as I believe they did pursue all of their options in moving down and that Turner is likely to build the offense around his strengths- if Peterson is healthy thorugh camp, they can utilize the two TE set as he is good. Additionally, while I am not a 49er fan, I did watch many of their games and went to two. They have a lot of youth on the field, especially on D, but they have a chance to improve if their lines can perform- their secondary is going to be shaky again, but I think they did the right thing in letting Carter and Peterson go and recently signing Ullrich.

Regardless, I like the potential of Bryant and possibly Smith as they are going to have to put up points with the shaky D in that division...........

 

[BoltBacker]

1) Alex Smith #1 overall. They should have traded down.2) Getting rid of their only decent QB mid-season, so the fans couldn't complain about Smith starting.3) Starting Smith.4) Failing to retain their two best defensive players (Carter and Peterson).5) Bringing in Norv Turner, fresh off 23 losses in two years coaching a more talented team.6) Bringing in Trent Dilfer as a backup QB, so the fans won't complain as much about Smith starting.7) Wasting a high first-round pick on a TE "to give Smith more weapons". (See Detroit, 2002-2004).

The only one I agree with is #3. It was a disaster and accomplished absolutely nothing having Smith playing last season.All the others you'd have to convince me of what they should have done instead. Peterson/Carter were overpaid on the FA market. Turner has proven success as long as he's not the HC. Every team tries to trade down from the #1 pick but very few are successful in doing it. Bringing in a stop-gap like Dilfer was a move that was made a year too late. Vernon Davis was the most talented player on the board at the time(though I will admit it seems they overpaid when signing his contract). I can't really fault either SF for making any of those decisions.

 

[chris1969]

This is a question better asked at the end of the season, but I like Nolan and think he could do it.

 

[Armando]

Draft Peterson next year, make some OL upgrades and they could be decent. Somewhere along the way they have to find a #2 WR that can stay on the field.

 

[Assani Fisher]

remember how bad SD looked a few years ago? Well they had a surprise year and are now a playoff contender year in and year out. Don't underestimate any team in the NFL. I fully disagree that we can all agree that they are terrible and will finish in last again.

 

[Assani Fisher]

How far they are depends on Alex Smith. If he is a good QB who went through a tough adjustment, the could be .500 this year. People forget that the distance between a bad team and a good team is small - the Jets went from the AFC championship game to the scrap heap largely on the basis of three injuries - QB, C, and RB. If Alex Smith is a bust, they could spend the next 3-4 years coming to terms with that, and then they have to identify another QB. Could be a long time in the jungle for them. I suspect that they will be much better than most peopel expect, and they could be sniffing around the playoffs by next year. I don't know how many one- and two-year turnarounds it will take for people to realize that you're never as bad as the press clippings.

very good posting.Optimisitic outlook: Look at how bad NYG was supposed to be last year, and look at how much Eli improved.Negative outlook: Many of the various QBs that didn't pan out.

 

[Assani Fisher]

Oh and by the way, the teams which were horrible and turned it around are not at all analogous to the Niners, because those teams made good decisions. The Niners are making decisions like they want to emulate Detroit, not Dallas.

Which decisions from the Nolan era are you questioning?

1) Alex Smith #1 overall. They should have traded down.2) Getting rid of their only decent QB mid-season, so the fans couldn't complain about Smith starting.

3) Starting Smith.

4) Failing to retain their two best defensive players (Carter and Peterson).

5) Bringing in Norv Turner, fresh off 23 losses in two years coaching a more talented team.

6) Bringing in Trent Dilfer as a backup QB, so the fans won't complain as much about Smith starting.

7) Wasting a high first-round pick on a TE "to give Smith more weapons". (See Detroit, 2002-2004).

I'm sure there are others, but those stick out.

1. You make it sounds like there were offers coming at them from all angles. It was a weak year to have the #1 pick, and they weren't going to get a whole lot by trading down.2/3. Sometimes letting a QB learn on the go is the right move. You have no proof yet that it wasn't the best move to throw him to the wolves. You're speculating.

4. Fair point. I guess they didn't fit in with the direction they wanted to go.

5. Totally different since he was a head coach there.

6. Totally disagree. Dilfer is a great guy to mentor a young QB. He knows what its like to struggle as a high draft choice. Hes a high character guy. I could not disagree with you more here.

7. Disagree. You look at one time drafting offensive weapons didn't work. I could point out a bunch of times it did. Either way, its an exercise in futility and proves nothing.

 

[Assani Fisher]

There is plenty of historical evidence that QBs do better if they don't start in their rookie year. Smith was obviously not ready, even if you think he has the talent to succeed (which I don't).

this is complete bs.

 

[Assani Fisher]

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

No: They specifically brought in Dilfer, the worst free agent QB on the market, so he wouldn't push Smith for the job. They could have gone for McNair (which Baltimore did, despite having a young QB who performed much better than Smith in his rookie year), or Brooks, or Collins, or even Kitna or Harrington. But no, they went for a known poor QB that no one will want to see behind center.

You're underrating Dilfer. Not only is he a capable QB but hes a great team-first guy and one of the best players to mentor a young QB.

 

[Big Score]

By the way, I consider the departure of Brandon Lloyd to be another upgrade. He was nothing but wasted space on the field. He made some pretty catches and is a talented athlete, but he is not much of a football player.

48 receptions for 733 yards at an average of 15.3 ypc & 5 TD's with the QB carousel of Rattay, Dorsey, Pickett & Smith all throwing to him last year, no legit #2 across from him, a bad O'line contributing to a sub par running game & virtually no defense, tends to contradict your assertion that Lloyd was wasted space on the field.

 

[Otis]

By the way, I consider the departure of Brandon Lloyd to be another upgrade. He was nothing but wasted space on the field. He made some pretty catches and is a talented athlete, but he is not much of a football player.

48 receptions for 733 yards at an average of 15.3 ypc & 5 TD's with the QB carousel of Rattay, Dorsey, Pickett & Smith all throwing to him last year, no legit #2 across from him, a bad O'line contributing to a sub par running game & virtually no defense, tends to contradict your assertion that Lloyd was wasted space on the field.

Other receivers have done more with less. I stand by my statements about Lloyd. Guy is not a competitor, and not a good foootball player. He is the opposite of everything a guy like Anquan Boldin is.

 

[derek19]

Oh and by the way, the teams which were horrible and turned it around are not at all analogous to the Niners, because those teams made good decisions. The Niners are making decisions like they want to emulate Detroit, not Dallas.

Which decisions from the Nolan era are you questioning?

1) Alex Smith #1 overall. They should have traded down.2) Getting rid of their only decent QB mid-season, so the fans couldn't complain about Smith starting.

3) Starting Smith.

4) Failing to retain their two best defensive players (Carter and Peterson).

5) Bringing in Norv Turner, fresh off 23 losses in two years coaching a more talented team.

6) Bringing in Trent Dilfer as a backup QB, so the fans won't complain as much about Smith starting.

7) Wasting a high first-round pick on a TE "to give Smith more weapons". (See Detroit, 2002-2004).

I'm sure there are others, but those stick out.

Can you honestly name one player better than Vernon Davis left at 1.06?

Matt Leinart

I'd rather have Alex Smith over Matt Leinart any day. The Niners will never have a good enough O-line for Matt. Matt needs an O-line like the colts since he's a pocket passer. Alex is mobile.

I say to Matt, thanks for staying in school and getting ur #### smoked in the rose bowl!!!!

Glad to have Alex..

Are you saying this because you know for a fact that SF is unlikely to have a decent OL for the next decade?

They will have a decent O-line this year if they stay healthy. Colts O-line is way above decent....

 

[facook]

1) Alex Smith #1 overall. They should have traded down.

He was the consensus best QB in the draft. The Niners were looking to rebuild, and starting at the QB position is as good a move as any. Unfortunately it wasn't the year that Eli or Big Ben or Palmer came out. But discounting Smith after looking bad as a rookie is foolish. Give the kid a chance.

I actually rate that as a legit beef. I thought after Leinart said he was returning to school, their best bet was to take Edwards and wait a season to draft their franchise QB. They had to expect to be at the top of the draft again.

Supposedly, the first thing McG and Nolan did was sit down and thoroughly review every play Rattay was in the last few years. Talked to players. Ex-players. They obviously decided they had to upgrade over him, and Smith was the best ( ) QB in the draft that year.Rattay was the worst QB I've seen in a 49er uniform since Scott Bull. He had to be replaced.

If you want to talk in hindsight, I would have preferred the team to have taken Shawn Merriman.

Jim Druckenmiller, c'mon down!

 

[AbidingDude]

They will have a decent O-line this year if they stay healthy. Colts O-line is way above decent....

Yeah a big part of the offenses issues last year was the O-line. I think they may have finally realized Kwame Harris will not develop into a solid tackle, and having Newberry in and out does nothing for continuity. And when Jennings went down they were left with inexperience and a lack of cohesiveness. Newberry was an all pro, but he should probably retire. He wouldnt really help the line anyway when he can never practice. This year should be a big improvement there with a healthy Jennings, Larry Allen teaching the young guys, and just more experience for the line in general. I really like Smiley, Bass, and Snyder learning the G position from Allen. Hopefully they can get a guy to play solid at RT this year.I dont like letting Peterson go, but unless he returns to form he was overpaid. A big part of their issues last year on defense was the amount of injuries they had. I know every team has injuries, but the 9ers just don't have enough depth to play well after key positions go down. Having Peterson back last year wasn't even helping because he didn't look 100%. Injuries to the secondary and linebackers really hurt them devensively. I dont think they are that far from .500.

 

[Delusions Of Adequacy]

Reminds me of a story I read where some Japanese executives were touring an ancient Russian steelmill. As they stared open-mouthed at the 60-year-old technology the Russians were using, one of the foremen asked them, "Truthfully, how far behind are we?"

"Forever", one of the Japanese replied. "You're behind forever".

 

[facook]

Niners will improve quite a bit this year. They have the makings of a very solid O-line (although it would be much MORE solid if Newberry could get healthy. However, even assuming vast improvement, I see the 49ers going 4-12 again this year with wins:

vs. Oakland

@ New Orleans

vs. Green Bay

vs. Arizona

This year the Jets, Buffalo, and Green Bay will finish worse than the 49ers.

I believe they'll be respectable next year (@ .500), and a playoff contender in 2008.

 

[BoltBacker]

By the way, I consider the departure of Brandon Lloyd to be another upgrade. He was nothing but wasted space on the field. He made some pretty catches and is a talented athlete, but he is not much of a football player.

48 receptions for 733 yards at an average of 15.3 ypc & 5 TD's with the QB carousel of Rattay, Dorsey, Pickett & Smith all throwing to him last year, no legit #2 across from him, a bad O'line contributing to a sub par running game & virtually no defense, tends to contradict your assertion that Lloyd was wasted space on the field.

Actually I completely agree with Otis in this instance, and BTW a bad O'line contributing to a sub par running game & virtually no defense is more or less the perfect recipe for a below average WR looking(frim a statistical standpoint at least) like an above average WR.

 

[BoltBacker]

Niners will improve quite a bit this year. They have the makings of a very solid O-line (although it would be much MORE solid if Newberry could get healthy. However, even assuming vast improvement, I see the 49ers going 4-12 again this year with wins: vs. Oakland@ New Orleansvs. Green Bayvs. ArizonaThis year the Jets, Buffalo, and Green Bay will finish worse than the 49ers.I believe they'll be respectable next year (@ .500), and a playoff contender in 2008.

Disagree in regards to BUF. They already have a better defense and running game than SF. In fact SF only holds a clear edge over BUF at TE.

 

[thecatch]

Their center Newberry isn't looking too good. That OL will start to collapse and only Frank Gore has hope of making them look good, but a weak OL isn't going to help that passing game, and when opposing defenses start putting 8+ in the box and mixing blitz packages, it's going to be a long season.

=============

49ers' Newberry hurting, 'concerned for my career'

By Dennis Georgatos

MEDIANEWS

SANTA CLARA - Jeremy Newberry missed a third consecutive day of practice Monday because of a troubling recurrence of knee problems that could threaten the two-time Pro Bowl center's comeback with the 49ers this season.

In a somber health assessment, Newberry, 30, said he's dealing with pain and swelling in his surgically repaired right knee and his left knee.

He said an MRI last week showed significant loss of cartilage in the left knee. That's the same problem that led to micro-fracture surgery on the right knee last December to restore the joint's cushioning tissue and alleviate bone-on-bone contact.

Article in Contra Costa Times

Their OL should be the best its been in several years. Newberry is practicing on the 2nd team even when healthy.

 

[thecatch]

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

No: They specifically brought in Dilfer, the worst free agent QB on the market, so he wouldn't push Smith for the job. They could have gone for McNair (which Baltimore did, despite having a young QB who performed much better than Smith in his rookie year), or Brooks, or Collins, or even Kitna or Harrington. But no, they went for a known poor QB that no one will want to see behind center.

They desperately needed a veteran back there. Ken Dorsey and Rattay were not experienced enough to help bring Smith along. This pickup has already begun paying dividends in camp with they way those two have bonded.

 

[CalBear]

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

No: They specifically brought in Dilfer, the worst free agent QB on the market, so he wouldn't push Smith for the job. They could have gone for McNair (which Baltimore did, despite having a young QB who performed much better than Smith in his rookie year), or Brooks, or Collins, or even Kitna or Harrington. But no, they went for a known poor QB that no one will want to see behind center.

They desperately needed a veteran back there. Ken Dorsey and Rattay were not experienced enough to help bring Smith along. This pickup has already begun paying dividends in camp with they way those two have bonded.

McNair, Brooks, Collins, and Culpepper don't count as veterans?

 

[thecatch]

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

No: They specifically brought in Dilfer, the worst free agent QB on the market, so he wouldn't push Smith for the job. They could have gone for McNair (which Baltimore did, despite having a young QB who performed much better than Smith in his rookie year), or Brooks, or Collins, or even Kitna or Harrington. But no, they went for a known poor QB that no one will want to see behind center.

They desperately needed a veteran back there. Ken Dorsey and Rattay were not experienced enough to help bring Smith along. This pickup has already begun paying dividends in camp with they way those two have bonded.

McNair, Brooks, Collins, and Culpepper don't count as veterans?

What would McNair do for them? Start, push Smith's learning curve back a little bit, and complain when they went 5-11? Culpepper would have had no interest in coming to SF and even if he did that wouldn't be a smart move with so much invested in Smith. Brooks and Collins... two guys you definitely don't want your young QB learning from.

 

[BoltBacker]

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

No: They specifically brought in Dilfer, the worst free agent QB on the market, so he wouldn't push Smith for the job. They could have gone for McNair (which Baltimore did, despite having a young QB who performed much better than Smith in his rookie year), or Brooks, or Collins, or even Kitna or Harrington. But no, they went for a known poor QB that no one will want to see behind center.

They desperately needed a veteran back there. Ken Dorsey and Rattay were not experienced enough to help bring Smith along. This pickup has already begun paying dividends in camp with they way those two have bonded.

McNair, Brooks, Collins, and Culpepper don't count as veterans?

What would McNair do for them? Start, push Smith's learning curve back a little bit, and complain when they went 5-11? Culpepper would have had no interest in coming to SF and even if he did that wouldn't be a smart move with so much invested in Smith. Brooks and Collins... two guys you definitely don't want your young QB learning from.

Wasn't McNair quoted as believing he thinks he can start for three more seasons? Culpepper certainly plans on starting a lot longer than that. I agree with the Brooks/Collins comment...... I'd hate for any young QB to pick up bad habits from either of those guys and I'm not even really a Collins-hater, just a realist. Griese might have made sense though. He's better than Dilfer for sure but old enough he doesn't have long term plans for any starting gig.

 

[Big Score]

By the way, I consider the departure of Brandon Lloyd to be another upgrade. He was nothing but wasted space on the field. He made some pretty catches and is a talented athlete, but he is not much of a football player.

48 receptions for 733 yards at an average of 15.3 ypc & 5 TD's with the QB carousel of Rattay, Dorsey, Pickett & Smith all throwing to him last year, no legit #2 across from him, a bad O'line contributing to a sub par running game & virtually no defense, tends to contradict your assertion that Lloyd was wasted space on the field.

Actually I completely agree with Otis in this instance, and BTW a bad O'line contributing to a sub par running game & virtually no defense is more or less the perfect recipe for a below average WR looking(frim a statistical standpoint at least) like an above average WR.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. When you've got QB dregs like Pickett & Dorsey along with a rookie QB throwing to you, a collapsing pocket does not inspire these type QB's to stand strong and deliver the ball accurately. When this pocket is collapsing, game, after game, after game, the QB's tend to get real gun shy.

Bad D & no run game = Defenses know you're going to have to pass to stay in the game = Blitzing the snot out of the QB.

No legit WR #2 and Defenses know all they have to do is double cover the only viable WR.

The reason Lloyd was making the ESPN highlight reels for acrobatic catches (besides the fact that he's got incredible body control) and got the nickname Matrix, is because the passes the QB's were throwing to him were soooo bad.

Give the kid an accurate QB willing to stand tall in the pocket, like Favre, Bulger or Manning for instance and I bet Lloyd would've broken a 1,000 yards & doubled his TD's....easy.

Otis had mentioned that plenty of WR's had done more with less. I wracked my brains and I honestly could not come up with a single WR recently, who has played under worse circumstances.

For Lloyd to put up the numbers he did, considering the the wreck that was the 49er's offense last year, was pretty impressive to me. I would hardly call him wasted space on the field.

My anyway

 

[thecatch]

By the way, I consider the departure of Brandon Lloyd to be another upgrade. He was nothing but wasted space on the field. He made some pretty catches and is a talented athlete, but he is not much of a football player.

48 receptions for 733 yards at an average of 15.3 ypc & 5 TD's with the QB carousel of Rattay, Dorsey, Pickett & Smith all throwing to him last year, no legit #2 across from him, a bad O'line contributing to a sub par running game & virtually no defense, tends to contradict your assertion that Lloyd was wasted space on the field.

Actually I completely agree with Otis in this instance, and BTW a bad O'line contributing to a sub par running game & virtually no defense is more or less the perfect recipe for a below average WR looking(frim a statistical standpoint at least) like an above average WR.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. When you've got QB dregs like Pickett & Dorsey along with a rookie QB throwing to you, a collapsing pocket does not inspire these type QB's to stand strong and deliver the ball accurately. When this pocket is collapsing, game, after game, after game, the QB's tend to get real gun shy.

Bad D & no run game = Defenses know you're going to have to pass to stay in the game = Blitzing the snot out of the QB.

No legit WR #2 and Defenses know all they have to do is double cover the only viable WR.

The reason Lloyd was making the ESPN highlight reels for acrobatic catches (besides the fact that he's got incredible body control) and got the nickname Matrix, is because the passes the QB's were throwing to him were soooo bad.

Give the kid an accurate QB willing to stand tall in the pocket, like Favre, Bulger or Manning for instance and I bet Lloyd would've broken a 1,000 yards & doubled his TD's....easy.

Otis had mentioned that plenty of WR's had done more with less. I wracked my brains and I honestly could not come up with a single WR recently, who has played under worse circumstances.

For Lloyd to put up the numbers he did, considering the the wreck that was the 49er's offense last year, was pretty impressive to me. I would hardly call him wasted space on the field.

My anyway

Lloyd catches the ball with one hand better than anyone in the NFL... but that's about it. As a #3 receiver he's a great possession and redzone guy, but he doesn't have the speed, strength or toughness to be anything else. Not wasted space, but the ego didn't match the production.

 

[chris1969]

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

No: They specifically brought in Dilfer, the worst free agent QB on the market, so he wouldn't push Smith for the job. They could have gone for McNair (which Baltimore did, despite having a young QB who performed much better than Smith in his rookie year), or Brooks, or Collins, or even Kitna or Harrington. But no, they went for a known poor QB that no one will want to see behind center.

You're underrating Dilfer. Not only is he a capable QB but hes a great team-first guy and one of the best players to mentor a young QB.

Ask a Brown's fan what they think about Dilfer, I doubt if capable and best mentor come to mind.

 

[HobbesAB]

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

No: They specifically brought in Dilfer, the worst free agent QB on the market, so he wouldn't push Smith for the job. They could have gone for McNair (which Baltimore did, despite having a young QB who performed much better than Smith in his rookie year), or Brooks, or Collins, or even Kitna or Harrington. But no, they went for a known poor QB that no one will want to see behind center.

You're underrating Dilfer. Not only is he a capable QB but hes a great team-first guy and one of the best players to mentor a young QB.

Ask a Brown's fan what they think about Dilfer, I doubt if capable and best mentor come to mind.

Ask Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle how good a mentor Dilfer is. In Cleveland, Dilfer was promised a shot at the starting job so I'm not surprised he was focusing on that. In San Fran, he knows his role is the same as it was in Seattle

 

[chris1969]

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

No: They specifically brought in Dilfer, the worst free agent QB on the market, so he wouldn't push Smith for the job. They could have gone for McNair (which Baltimore did, despite having a young QB who performed much better than Smith in his rookie year), or Brooks, or Collins, or even Kitna or Harrington. But no, they went for a known poor QB that no one will want to see behind center.

You're underrating Dilfer. Not only is he a capable QB but hes a great team-first guy and one of the best players to mentor a young QB.

Ask a Brown's fan what they think about Dilfer, I doubt if capable and best mentor come to mind.

Ask Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle how good a mentor Dilfer is. In Cleveland, Dilfer was promised a shot at the starting job so I'm not surprised he was focusing on that. In San Fran, he knows his role is the same as it was in Seattle

Ok lets pretend that you won the mentor part, I'd love to hear how you defend capable.

 

[MLBrandow]

Ok lets pretend that you won the mentor part, I'd love to hear how you defend capable.

Dilfer has almost always been a winner. He's not a stats guy, but he's a winner. He's a very good "dont screw up" game manager.He's a guy that's not going to go out and anchor your team and win it for you, but he's also definitely not the guy who will let you down in the clutch.

 

[thecatch]

6) Now you're complaining the reverese of #2...

No: They specifically brought in Dilfer, the worst free agent QB on the market, so he wouldn't push Smith for the job. They could have gone for McNair (which Baltimore did, despite having a young QB who performed much better than Smith in his rookie year), or Brooks, or Collins, or even Kitna or Harrington. But no, they went for a known poor QB that no one will want to see behind center.

You're underrating Dilfer. Not only is he a capable QB but hes a great team-first guy and one of the best players to mentor a young QB.

Ask a Brown's fan what they think about Dilfer, I doubt if capable and best mentor come to mind.

Ask Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle how good a mentor Dilfer is. In Cleveland, Dilfer was promised a shot at the starting job so I'm not surprised he was focusing on that. In San Fran, he knows his role is the same as it was in Seattle

Ok lets pretend that you won the mentor part, I'd love to hear how you defend capable.

Who cares? All the niners want him to do is mentor. Worst case and he gets on the field, he's a better, more composed version of Ken Dorsey. It's win win from their backup situation last year.

 

[Otis]

So far, so good.

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...howtopic=257830