49ers 2011 Roster/Depth Chart Predictions

2010-2011 The 49ers were


18th in passing yards 209.8
19th in rushing yards 103.6
24th in Opponents passing yards 231.1
6th in Opponents rushing yards 96.7

What do you think are Rankings will be this year? I think 13th in passing(Benefit of the Doubt) 11th in Rushing. 18th in Opponent passing yards .9th in Opponents Rushing yards

Your Thoughts?

4-12

Originally posted by fly15:
4-12

since he didn't ask for our record, and I know you're not stupid enough to believe so. You has us ranked pretty high in those categories. But I think I agree

I'm going to say 16th overall in offense, 12th in defense. We may have a slow start, but I think we'll be decent.

1st in total offense 32nd in defense

PPG: 49 PPG: 45
YPG 547 YPG: 500
Passing: 440 YPG Passing: 499 YPG
Rushing: 117 YPG Rushing: 1 YPG

I think rushing offense and passing offense both go up. Maybe 3-4 spots each???

I think rushing defense goes down a few spots. Maybe 12 or so.

I think passing defense goes up to around 20ish.

Either way just about every team has transformed and is completely different. Really hard to predict that stuff. My main thing is I think both offensive categories go up, passing defense goes up slightly and rushing defense goes down.

I like to periodically take a look at the roster in the pre-season and try to predict the eventual 53 man roster. The last prediction I made was before all of the FA moves, so I thought I would re-examine the players that are locks and the battles to come.

Offense: (25 players)

QBs: (3 roster spots)

Locks: Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick

Battles: The team needs to acquire a veteran backup. Kaep is still learning so they need a viable backup if Smith goes down or under-performs.


RBs: (5 players generally)

Locks: Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, Anthony Dixon, and Bruce Miller

Battles: Some of you may disagree with Bruce Miller being a lock. If he doesn't return from his injury soon enough the team might try to put him on the practice squad. More likely the team will hang on to him and try to coach him up through the season with the hope that he can take over by the end. The interesting battle will be between Jack Corcoran and Moran Norris. Norris is as one-dimensional as they come and even that dimension has been declining. Corcoran is an unkown at this point. He's lighter than the other two FBs and seems to be a better receiver out of the backfield. If he proves to be a good lead blocker the team might be more willing to part with Norris. Stay tuned.


WRs: (5 players generally)

Locks: Michael Crabtree, Braylon Edwards, Josh Morgan, and Ronald Johnson

Battles: I am including Johnson as a lock because he has shown some good hands during training camp and his position coach will definitely fight to keep him on. The question in this group is whether Crabtree will start the year on the PUP list. If he does then there will be two spots available. The team might also decide to keep 6 WRs but that is doubtful. Harbaugh will need all his RBs and TEs for his offense. If they just keep 5 and Crabtree is healthy at the start then the team will have to decide between Ginn, Kyle Williams, and Kevin Jurovich. Ginn's struggles as a WR make him expendable if other players can take over as KR/PR. Kyle Williams is a candidate for those duties as well and if he can show more from the slot position he could push Ginn out. Jurovich is the darkhorse candidate. He's a blue-collar guy who has been working with the team during the lockout. Dominique Ziegler is a fan favorite. He runs great routes and has great hands but he finds himself injured, again. Is he too skinny to see the field? Time will tell. If he can stay healthy he is probably the best player in this group but that might not be enough.


TEs: (3 players generally)

Locks: Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker

Battles: Konrad Reuland vs. Colin Cloherty. Much has been made of Harbaugh's TE friendly offense and because of that some have suggested the team will keep 4 guys. The only way that happens is if one of these two guys offers a better option as a blocker out of the backfield than the FB candidates. I don't see that happening. Cloherty's strength is as a pass cather but he has apparently bulked up some in the offseason to become a better blocker. Reuland comes from Stanford and has a good knowledge of what Harbaugh wants out of the position. This will be an interesting battle to watch.


OL: (9 players generally)

Locks: Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Jon Goodwin, Adam Snyder, Anthony Davis, Chilo Rachal, Tony Wragge, Alex Boone

Battles: The biggest question here is whether Chilo Rachal will finally show his potential. If he can solidify the RG spot this will be a very good line. If not Snyder and Wragge will be the candidates to replace him. If Rachal makes the team that leaves one spot open. Between Iupati, Snyder, Rachal, and Wragge the team has four guys that can play the interior so the last spot will probably go to the player that proves he can play some at the Tackle spot. Kilgore and Person will battle it out for that spot. The loser will probably be signed to the practice squad.


Defense: (25 players)

DL: (6-7 players)

Locks: Ray McDonald, Isaac Sopoaga, Justin Smith, and Ricky Jean-Francois

Battles: In my opinion, this is the thinnest squad on the team. The three starters should be solid. RJF has worked hard to put himself in the rotation but we haven't seen anything from him yet in game situations. If the team keeps six guys, which makes the most sense, then there are two spots available. Will Tukuafu was turning heads last year so he has a good chance to solidify a spot. Ian Williams is the next likely candidate. He has the potential to be a solid NT in a few years but doesn't offer much right now. That's why I believe the team will sign another vet with experience in the 3-4. They might wait until teams make cuts and find someone that way.


LBs: (8-9 players)

Locks: Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Parys Haralson, Ahmad Brooks, Aldon Smith, and Larry Grant

Battles: For those of you keeping score at home, that makes 6 locks. If the team keeps 6 DLs that would allow them to keep 9 LBs. If that is the case they will probably go with 4 ILBs and 5 OLBs since the OLBs can play DE when the team goes to the nickel or dime package. The last ILB spot will be between Scott McKillop and Keaton Kristick. McKillop probably has the leg up but Kristick impressed the team enough to make the roster at the end of last season so we will see. However, both of these guys could get bumped in favor of Blake Costanzo if Seely needs his special teams ace. Costanzo will only get the spot if the team feels that Bowman or Grant can be consistent next to Willis. The ouside LBs that could take the other two spots are Antwan Applewhite and Thaddeus Gibson. Kenny Rowe seems to be making a good impression so he might have an outside shot if there is an injury.


DBs: (10 players generally)

Locks: Reggie Smith, Madieu Williams, Donte Whitner, Carlos Rogers, Shawntae Spencer, Tarell Brown, Chris Culliver, and Phillip Adams.

Battles: The struggles this team has had with the passing game makes it almost a necessity to keep 10 guys here. The last two spots will probably be on S and one CB. The S battle will be between C.J. Spillman, Curtis Taylor, and Chris Maragos. Spillman has the advantage as the special teams ace but Taylor projects as a better all-around safety. Maragos seems to be having a nice camp so he has an outside shot as the scrappy guy that makes plays. My money would be on Spillman but Taylor is right there. Colin Jones doesn't really offer anything other than ST potential so I don't see him supplanting the other guys. The last cornerback position seems to be Tramaine Brock's to lose. The other guys in camp are all undrafted free agents. Of course, so was Brock last year so someone might come out of nowhere and suprise us all.


As an added bonus, I thought I would go out on a limb and suggest guys that are on the roster for Practice Squad duty:

1. Chase Beeler (Center) - Goodwin's signing solidifies the center position for the next few years but it never hurts to have a guy like Beeler waiting in the wings.

2. Chris Hogan (Wide Receiver) - He's a big body with good hands. Sounds perfect for the WCO.

3. Jeremiah Masoli (QB/RB) - It helps to have a guy that can play several positions on the practice squad.

4. Mike Peron or Daniel Kilgore (OG/C) - Only one of them figures to make the roster. The team will try to keep the other here on the PS.

5. Kenny Rowe (OLB) - He is playing well but there are too many guys ahead of him. He'll need a year on the PS to bulk up if his future is at OLB in the 3-4.

6. Cory Nelms (CB) - Nelms is a speedy CB with return abilities. He has potential to be developed.

7. Demarcus Dobbs (DE/DT) - He has a huge frame that could add wright. The team will need some young guys at this position since they are already thin.

8. Sealver Siliga (NT) - Again, they need guys on the DL. I don't think Siliga has shown mush in practice so they might pluck someone from another team.


So, how many of you read through the whole thing?

What's the REALISTIC diagnosis of where we are in 2011 opposed to where we were in 2010?

I'm throwing this out there to the even keel fans in the ZONE that are pretty realistic each year with their predictions. I'm not asking for predictions, just a realistic idea of how much the team and franchise has improved (or not) from last year...

Coaching

Undoubtedly most would agree that we should be better. I don't think anyone, fan of the team or not, could say anything different.

FA's lost and FA's gained

Last week it seemed like most people in the ZONE were ready to storm into the Santa Clara facility and drag the Powers that be, out into the street and stone them. It was even said that we were purposely losing to get Andrew Luck and that the suck was here to stay...

This week, most of those same people have us winning the Superbowl and are gauranteeing the *over*....

So the question is...Have we improved overall with the FA additions?

Obviously you can't put together players and expect them to gel over night, but during the course of the year and with the current coaching staff, is it realistic to say that this FA group will provide more than the players that we lost?


Returning players and rookies

I'm not going to mention one specific position because I don't want to create argument after argument in this thread, and I will only say that I am neutral on this matter for the moment, I'll pick a side after week 4.

Setting that aside and focusing on the core players, is it safe to say that we've added some good players through the draft that can contribute and also will the players that had average seasons last year, perhaps be improved due to coaching?

One glaring question, and one that no one may EVER be able to answer, what will Crabtree be able to contribute this year, with this staff?

On the surface, with the addition of Edwards, it would seem that the offense could be something REALLY, REALLY, REALLY special with VD, Crabtree, Edwards, J.Morgan, Ginn, D. Walker, Gore, Dixon and Kendall Hunter all in the mix.
With improvements on the O-Line from Iupati, Davis and the addition of Goodwin, then HOPEFULLY the subtraction of Rachel.....Is it CRAZY to think we have alot of good pieces in place to have a very solid offense when you add the improved coaching staff to the mix?

If this group just lived up to *Half* of their potential, it would seem they all have a very good chance to have a great year.




All That being said, I see us as anywhere from a 6-10 team to a 12-4 team.

The problem I have is taking my heart out of the equasian...

So where are we in 2011....??? Realistically???

We are a team with a new coaching staff, with no full offseason because of the lockout, and without a clear number 1 starting QB.

That puts us at 500 or below.

I'm not going to make excuses, a lot of teams have new staff members and had to go through the lockout. I am excited the way Harbaugh is doing things. He is filling the depth chart with young talent. I would be satisfied with 8 wins to be honest. I could see us getting to 10 wins if we are lucky, at the same time we could be a 5-11 team. I am excited about the new staff and personnel though. I think the entire 49er Empire is excited. I just hope they dont judge the staff on their first season coming off a lockout. It's been 9 years, We are starving for success.

I think we are gonna be good this season, we are going back to playoffs. My biggest concern is Alex. But I think if Coach Harbaugh thinks he can pull it off Im willing to give him my full trust for one more season.

Last week I was so disaponted with how our season was going and now I cant wait to the ignaugural game to beat seatlle ass.

9-7 at best.we have a tough schedule

I believe we upgraded in Coaching.

I believe the FA we pick up are an upgrade also. I wish we signed Rogers and Edwards to longer deals though. Hopefully we have a good season and they stick around for a few more years. I love that we signed a center and safety to three year deals and believe they are both upgrades from what we had.

I do like the draft class also. I am excited about CK but honestly want to see Smith succeed. I like Smith a lot coming out of college and would love to see everything the fans have invested in him pay off. I would not mind if he finally became our franchise QB and CK sat and watched for a few years and then took over or was traded like the patriots and eagles do.

I want to stay optimistic and say it's going to be a playoff year but my heart has been crushed for the last 3 years

My concern is "new system" "new coaches" "new players" NO continuity yet and as we all know it takes time to learn a new system!

Let's hear it for 2012 for the playoffs!!!

Jon Gruden took the Bucs to the super bowl and won it his first season with the bucs. Let's have a little hope in Harbaugh and Co.