Why are our 1st, 2nd, & 3rd round picks sitting on the bench?

Originally posted by glorydayz:
We are playinmg against Andy Dalton this week, guess what round he was drafted in?

Do you actually think he would be starting if Palmer didnt retire? If Palmer was playing he would be on the bench looking on just like Kaep is doing, he's only starting because he's better than his backup, Aldon Smith is not starting because Parys is doing well, you cant bench a player with 2 sacks already and throw in a rookie. Aldon has been playing on the Nickel package and doing well, the more reps he plays on that package the more he'll grasp the Defensive system. People are comparing Aldon to Ware, I believe Ware was ready to play as a rookie just like Patrick Willis was, Aldon still has a lot to learn. Give it time, it wont be long.

For the most part.......YOU DONT WANT TO PLAY YOUR ROOKIES before they are ready. Yes I'm amazed by Cam Newton, Dalton (I wanted)
and knew was going to be good right away. But for the most part if you HAVE to play your rookies, your team isn't very good.

Let's go back a little bit, agree that Baalke has made some bad moves like the Taylor Mays pick and culliver is probably not a popular choice and we could have
picked up another corner. Last years draft seemed to have the DINGLE-BERRY hands on it, so I won't blame that all on Baalke.

1st draft
Lupati & Davis - are getting better, they are showing promise....but this draft and the team will hang on these picks. (I wish we had gotten Oher the year
before instead of crabtree.
Bowman - STUD / Great pick and we traded down and got a fourth
Dixon

2nd Draft
Aldon Smith - Looks great. He the kind of rusher that we need. And he's a hybrid player he can play the de or the LB. Most times you
aren't going to get a 3-4 olb from college because they don't run it enough. I like the way they are working him in too. Why put him out thater
to fail (but giving too much coverage responsabilities.....did fred dean ever cover anyone NO.

Collin Kaepernick - I have to admit I wanted Dalton. I think the 49ers were happy with either. Hopefully CK makes the transition. It's way
early to give up on the guy. I think Harbaugh needs to open up more of a spread for Alex and CK and we get to see them both shine.

Chris Culliver - The guy has all of the physical skills to play and he's fast. Time will tell on this pick. Should we have taken Prince Amakamuea
with the 1st pick and throw him in as starter? I like the Aldon pick.

Kendall hunter - GREAT PICK. I really wish he would play more. He is a weapon that should be used, but should he supplant gore no. But great
pick by Baalke.

R. Johnson and C. Jones - Gonzo - Seemed to be coaches picks.

Bruce Miller - I have to admit, the project from DE to FB is a little scary, but he looked very fluid in the preseason games. He's tough. I think
he would challenge by the end of the year for more playing time, but with Norris being hurt, he's going to get his chance.

I agree the 49ers NEED impact players with their top picks. They can't keep wiffing on high picks. Crabtree, Davis, Lupati.....haven't contributed like
they need to have them do. Give Harbaugh and the players some time, but I hope they learned something from the Dallas game. Being safe doesn't
win ballgames.

Final note......Bill Walsh got conservative at times too. It would drive me nuts towards the end of the games, he would run, and get very conservative too.


Goldson signed for 1 Million
Edwards signed for 1 million
Ray McDonald signed for 20 million - good deal

Aldon can't play every down or the opposing teams would expose his coverage skills. He is getting better every game though and as long as the D as a whole is getting more sacks and more pressure than that will lead to turnovers and 3 and outs. Doesn't matter what his stats are. Kaep was going to learn slowly regardless. A franchise QB is the hardest position to find in the NFL and there is no blueprint to getting one. You stick with what tools you think makes a QB successful and then you roll the dice with one. He hasn't even had a chance yet so quit trying to predict like you know he garbage. Chill out and have patience. Culliver and the DB spot is another hard position to learn on the fly. As someone else said, these guys may be boom or bust but if half of them work out than that's a great draft. The Niners are doing just fine and it will take a good part of the season to get the kinks worked out.

I don't believe that you pick starters with your first and second round picks. I believe you pick players who have the highest ceiling/will overall help your team out in a position you need the most. We needed a pass rusher and Aldon is a BEAST. He's being worked into the defense but the guy he would replace is playing damn good too. I think if it was anyone else ahead of him, he would become the starter really quickly.

As for Kaep, I love him. He has all of the intangibles you want in a QB and his last year in college showed how much he can get better in one year. Yea reports are that the Niners wanted Dalton before him, but they're not going to go, "DAMN GUESS WE BETTER JUST GET SOMEONE AND WASTE THE PICK" like some people are trying to suggest. They most likely went in with a list of people they wanted and what round they felt would be best to take them. I'm sure Kaep was right after Dalton, or else they wouldn't have taken him. I think if anything the draft showed that they were going to take the people they wanted to take, if they didn't want the player he wouldn't be on the team. So to say they just wasted the pick on Kaep because Dalton was gone is dumb. He'll be our started in the future and I hope he does good.

As or the other rooks, they're just that: rooks. You expect them to come in and start over vets and it just isn't going to happen all the time. Miller is getting playing time this weekend and I remember being really really impressed wit him when I saw him play. He can block well and he can catch too. In my opinion, I think he'll be replacing Norris very soon. Maybe even after this game.

Oh and your post about Taylor Mays. I believe that is Baalkes fault, but not in the same way you do. Baalke didn't want him, Singletary did. Numerous reports about how they got into a big blowup about it. Baalke eventually said f**k it and got him because of how much Sing wanted him. I don't think he should have folded, but when you're trying to secure your job and the big kahuna is that much into a player, it's best to take him. Would have rather seen Baalke stand up against him but oh well. Besides that one problem, i've liked what he's done. He's gone after players, got players, resigned some of the players for less money, all of that. And his deal with Gore was pretty sweet for both sides.

Again, I don't feel the first few picks HAVE to start their first year but to each his own I guess. You would rather take a player that can start day 1 and do good, I would rather have someone who will be slowly put into his position and do great.

Originally posted by glorydayz:

I always believed that the first two or three picks should yeild starters!

We have last years #2 traded to the bengals, and this years top 3 picks sitting on the bench, I don't get how Baalke is doing his job or how he even got promoted.
We need a guy like Ozzie (Baltimore) that will go out and draft a guy that he needs regardless of the hype or press. We went out and drafted rather blindly this year when you look at the positions we drafted.

I don't get it, no starters!

Aldon Smith IS playing. Hes actually already contributing.

Colin Kaepernick is a rookie QB, and our starter is better.

Chris Culliver isnt playing because young CB get torched, and we have better guys.

Where did you get this idea that your first 3 rounders had to be NFL ready starters by week 1 of their rookie season? Stop trying to find problems that arent there.

Originally posted by Whomeam:

I don't believe that you pick starters with your first and second round picks. I believe you pick players who have the highest ceiling/will overall help your team out in a position you need the most. We needed a pass rusher and Aldon is a BEAST. He's being worked into the defense but the guy he would replace is playing damn good too. I think if it was anyone else ahead of him, he would become the starter really quickly.

As for Kaep, I love him. He has all of the intangibles you want in a QB and his last year in college showed how much he can get better in one year. Yea reports are that the Niners wanted Dalton before him, but they're not going to go, "DAMN GUESS WE BETTER JUST GET SOMEONE AND WASTE THE PICK" like some people are trying to suggest. They most likely went in with a list of people they wanted and what round they felt would be best to take them. I'm sure Kaep was right after Dalton, or else they wouldn't have taken him. I think if anything the draft showed that they were going to take the people they wanted to take, if they didn't want the player he wouldn't be on the team. So to say they just wasted the pick on Kaep because Dalton was gone is dumb. He'll be our started in the future and I hope he does good.

As or the other rooks, they're just that: rooks. You expect them to come in and start over vets and it just isn't going to happen all the time. Miller is getting playing time this weekend and I remember being really really impressed wit him when I saw him play. He can block well and he can catch too. In my opinion, I think he'll be replacing Norris very soon. Maybe even after this game.

Oh and your post about Taylor Mays. I believe that is Baalkes fault, but not in the same way you do. Baalke didn't want him, Singletary did. Numerous reports about how they got into a big blowup about it. Baalke eventually said f**k it and got him because of how much Sing wanted him. I don't think he should have folded, but when you're trying to secure your job and the big kahuna is that much into a player, it's best to take him. Would have rather seen Baalke stand up against him but oh well. Besides that one problem, i've liked what he's done. He's gone after players, got players, resigned some of the players for less money, all of that. And his deal with Gore was pretty sweet for both sides.

Again, I don't feel the first few picks HAVE to start their first year but to each his own I guess. You would rather take a player that can start day 1 and do good, I would rather have someone who will be slowly put into his position and do great.

Nice post. Way too much whining in the Romper Room nowadays.

Originally posted by Whomeam:
I don't believe that you pick starters with your first and second round picks. I believe you pick players who have the highest ceiling/will overall help your team out in a position you need the most. We needed a pass rusher and Aldon is a BEAST. He's being worked into the defense but the guy he would replace is playing damn good too. I think if it was anyone else ahead of him, he would become the starter really quickly.

As for Kaep, I love him. He has all of the intangibles you want in a QB and his last year in college showed how much he can get better in one year. Yea reports are that the Niners wanted Dalton before him, but they're not going to go, "DAMN GUESS WE BETTER JUST GET SOMEONE AND WASTE THE PICK" like some people are trying to suggest. They most likely went in with a list of people they wanted and what round they felt would be best to take them. I'm sure Kaep was right after Dalton, or else they wouldn't have taken him. I think if anything the draft showed that they were going to take the people they wanted to take, if they didn't want the player he wouldn't be on the team. So to say they just wasted the pick on Kaep because Dalton was gone is dumb. He'll be our started in the future and I hope he does good.

As or the other rooks, they're just that: rooks. You expect them to come in and start over vets and it just isn't going to happen all the time. Miller is getting playing time this weekend and I remember being really really impressed wit him when I saw him play. He can block well and he can catch too. In my opinion, I think he'll be replacing Norris very soon. Maybe even after this game.

Oh and your post about Taylor Mays. I believe that is Baalkes fault, but not in the same way you do. Baalke didn't want him, Singletary did. Numerous reports about how they got into a big blowup about it. Baalke eventually said f**k it and got him because of how much Sing wanted him. I don't think he should have folded, but when you're trying to secure your job and the big kahuna is that much into a player, it's best to take him. Would have rather seen Baalke stand up against him but oh well. Besides that one problem, i've liked what he's done. He's gone after players, got players, resigned some of the players for less money, all of that. And his deal with Gore was pretty sweet for both sides.

Again, I don't feel the first few picks HAVE to start their first year but to each his own I guess. You would rather take a player that can start day 1 and do good, I would rather have someone who will be slowly put into his position and do great.

Have expectations become so minimal that the bolded is now praiseworthy?

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Whomeam:
I don't believe that you pick starters with your first and second round picks. I believe you pick players who have the highest ceiling/will overall help your team out in a position you need the most. We needed a pass rusher and Aldon is a BEAST. He's being worked into the defense but the guy he would replace is playing damn good too. I think if it was anyone else ahead of him, he would become the starter really quickly.

As for Kaep, I love him. He has all of the intangibles you want in a QB and his last year in college showed how much he can get better in one year. Yea reports are that the Niners wanted Dalton before him, but they're not going to go, "DAMN GUESS WE BETTER JUST GET SOMEONE AND WASTE THE PICK" like some people are trying to suggest. They most likely went in with a list of people they wanted and what round they felt would be best to take them. I'm sure Kaep was right after Dalton, or else they wouldn't have taken him. I think if anything the draft showed that they were going to take the people they wanted to take, if they didn't want the player he wouldn't be on the team. So to say they just wasted the pick on Kaep because Dalton was gone is dumb. He'll be our started in the future and I hope he does good.

As or the other rooks, they're just that: rooks. You expect them to come in and start over vets and it just isn't going to happen all the time. Miller is getting playing time this weekend and I remember being really really impressed wit him when I saw him play. He can block well and he can catch too. In my opinion, I think he'll be replacing Norris very soon. Maybe even after this game.

Oh and your post about Taylor Mays. I believe that is Baalkes fault, but not in the same way you do. Baalke didn't want him, Singletary did. Numerous reports about how they got into a big blowup about it. Baalke eventually said f**k it and got him because of how much Sing wanted him. I don't think he should have folded, but when you're trying to secure your job and the big kahuna is that much into a player, it's best to take him. Would have rather seen Baalke stand up against him but oh well. Besides that one problem, i've liked what he's done. He's gone after players, got players, resigned some of the players for less money, all of that. And his deal with Gore was pretty sweet for both sides.

Again, I don't feel the first few picks HAVE to start their first year but to each his own I guess. You would rather take a player that can start day 1 and do good, I would rather have someone who will be slowly put into his position and do great.

Nice post. Way too much whining in the Romper Room nowadays.

I'll second that.

Ideally, you never want to start a rookie. To do so indicates you have a major failing somewhere else in the organization.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
Have expectations become so minimal that the bolded is now praiseworthy?

No, that's how most teams draft. Unless either you or myself misread that sentence.

You identify a need and then you choose the draftee with the best combination of raw skills and between the ears stuff, right? At least, that's how I read the sentence.

Originally posted by BubbaParisMVP:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
Have expectations become so minimal that the bolded is now praiseworthy?

No, that's how most teams draft. Unless either you or myself misread that sentence.

You identify a need and then you choose the draftee with the best combination of raw skills and between the ears stuff, right? At least, that's how I read the sentence.

That's exactly how I meant it.

Originally posted by BubbaParisMVP:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
Have expectations become so minimal that the bolded is now praiseworthy?

No, that's how most teams draft. Unless either you or myself misread that sentence.

You identify a need and then you choose the draftee with the best combination of raw skills and between the ears stuff, right? At least, that's how I read the sentence.

I'm pretty sure that every team in every draft in every sport drafts who they wanted to take, and if they didn't want him he wouldn't be on the team. It just seemed like an odd observation to me.

Regarding your point about starting rookies and how it represents major organizational failure, I disagree. The '81 Super Bowl team started 3 rookies, the '88 Super Bowl team started 1, and the '94 Super Bowl team started 4. The Packers had 3 rookie starters last year. Rookies are often able to crack starting lineups despite being members of elite rosters. The fact that none of our current rookies have been able to do that so far...despite us having a marginally talented roster...is mildly concerning.

I think having rookies start is more indicative of a healthy draft than it is of overwhelming deficiencies. While it's not the end of the world and I think we'll eventually be very happy with Aldon & Hunter, I think glorydayz has a valid concern. Expectations have become alarmingly low around here, IMO.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by BubbaParisMVP:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
Have expectations become so minimal that the bolded is now praiseworthy?

No, that's how most teams draft. Unless either you or myself misread that sentence.

You identify a need and then you choose the draftee with the best combination of raw skills and between the ears stuff, right? At least, that's how I read the sentence.

I'm pretty sure that every team in every draft in every sport drafts who they wanted to take, and if they didn't want him he wouldn't be on the team. It just seemed like an odd observation to me.

It was mostly in response to the post someone made about how they decided to waste the pick because they couldn't get the QB who they wanted. I was trying to say that they look for certain kinds of people and take them, they're not going to just grab a guy they don't want because their first choice is gone. I probably could have worded it better.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by BubbaParisMVP:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
Have expectations become so minimal that the bolded is now praiseworthy?

No, that's how most teams draft. Unless either you or myself misread that sentence.

You identify a need and then you choose the draftee with the best combination of raw skills and between the ears stuff, right? At least, that's how I read the sentence.

I'm pretty sure that every team in every draft in every sport drafts who they wanted to take, and if they didn't want him he wouldn't be on the team. It just seemed like an odd observation to me.

Regarding your point about starting rookies and how it represents major organizational failure, I disagree. The '81 Super Bowl team started 3 rookies, the '88 Super Bowl team started 1, and the '94 Super Bowl team started 4. The Packers had 3 rookie starters last year. Rookies are often able to crack starting lineups despite being members of elite rosters. The fact that none of our current rookies have been able to do that so far...despite us having a marginally talented roster...is mildly concerning.

I think having rookies start is more indicative of a healthy draft than it is of overwhelming deficiencies. While it's not the end of the world and I think we'll eventually be very happy with Aldon & Hunter, I think glorydayz has a valid concern. Expectations have become alarmingly low around here, IMO.

Right, but how often do you get Lott, Williamson, and Wright in one draft? I'll give you that point, though. It was an amazing draft.

I find it interesting that your examples are good bookends for the dynasty portion of the franchise, '81-'94. It's worth remembering that those bookend years were also rebuilding years, '81 because we sucked eggs, and ''94 because Carmen Policy eventually ran out of wiggle room ;)

You brought up two outstanding examples, but I scarcely believe that you'd want to use them as the rule in your drafting decision matrix.

Originally posted by NinerGM:

Originally posted by susweel:
Because this idiot is calling the shots.

You mean the idiot that didn't overpay Franklin and Goldson and who had the foresight to give Edwards a ONE year contract because of performance/injury concerns...

BTW, I didn't know Baalke could make guys play or not. So unless Baalke is the both the GM, HC and position coach I'm not quite understanding how this thread makes sense by blaming the GM for not having players he chose play.

IMHO, the argument is a poor reach.

Since everybody is still basically in the honeymoon period with Harbaugh, rightly or wrongly, Baalke is going to be the Webzone's management whipping boy.

Originally posted by sincalfaithful:

Originally posted by glorydayz:

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
They are breaking them in slowly. Like all good coaches do. WTH are you guys complaining about this. Even Patrick Willis was slowly initiated into the defense with Derek Smith.

How long did it take for Willis to take D. Smith's position?

Willis was starting week 1 of his rookie season. He had 20 tackles in the opener against Arizona in 2007

This is true. I had forgotten about that. What I remember though was they originally had Willis backing up behind Derek Smith in camp and preseason. But Brandon Moore suck badly in preseason that they abandon their plan to ease in Willis and had him starting along side Derek Smith instead.