An alternative strategy to focusing on WRs

Totally agree w/Phoenix and pasodoc on not wasting time, $ or effort in a #3 WR.

We need a true #1 WR that gets seperation like VD does. Then that wiilll be 2 receivers that can get open and may need to be double teamed. That leavve Morgan & Crabs to run crisp routes.

I'm a fan of 3-4 TE sets like OTC mentioned in the "Draft" category. Fast TE's like Fleener, Allen, Charles would add a whole new dimention.

As far as RB are concerned, Robert Turbin Utah State, 5'10" 216 is very good and IMO bettter than Dixon. Next year's draft is loaded w/quality RB.

I agree with the opening post - I think we need to look at RB this offseason. I think we need someone who can replace Dixon and be ready to take Gore's place if another injury(s) occurs. I think getting a couple of WRs is important as well and a player like Fleener would be invaluable. We also need so more support in the Oline - RG as well as CBs. So lots to get done this offseason and Harbaalke is just the men to get it done.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
What is a #3 receiver going to add to this team they already don't have? Don't understand the infatuation with Manningham. He's not particularly fast, not particularly great at creating separation, he's basically Josh Morgan who played in a pass-happy offense with one of the better QB's in football.

Well for starters, he comes in and becomes the best WR on the team, and you wont break the bank. Then you leave it up to Baalke to get his big target in the draft. I would rather have Bowe, either of the Jacksons, and Colston, but I think MM would be a more likely scenario. All the others are going to command huge paydays.

The era of being known as a running team the last 7 or so years is over. We finally have a good offensive line that can actually pass block, so adding more talent to the receiver core makes a lot of sense. We should be more than a running team next year. We should get better, not stay the same by being a running team again.

We've tried to be a dominant run team for far too long and it really hasn't worked. I hope we start opening it up because I'm sick of all those 2 yard to negative 5 yard runs. Don't get me wrong I still want to be around 50/50 but we definitely have to get better in the passing game to back the defense off. I'm sick of running into brick walls. Getting another RB doesn't help that... our OL has shown they can't create great push consistently in the run game. Time to get a lot better in the passing game which will move everyone back and make our run game better.

Originally posted by Gore_21:
We've tried to be a dominant run team for far too long and it really hasn't worked. I hope we start opening it up because I'm sick of all those 2 yard to negative 5 yard runs. Don't get me wrong I still want to be around 50/50 but we definitely have to get better in the passing game to back the defense off. I'm sick of running into brick walls. Getting another RB doesn't help that... our OL has shown they can't create great push consistently in the run game. Time to get a lot better in the passing game which will move everyone back and make our run game better.

Agreed, it's a long road trying to break d-coordinator's idea of us as a team that can't hurt them on 1st/2nd downs in the passing game. They know if they can force us into 3rd and long it makes us rely on our mediocre passing game to get us out of tough situations. To break that idea we need to really open up the offense, not just short slant routes but deeper balls too. This is where we really could use a guy with either the jump ball skills/size to take advantage, or pure speed to burn safeties after the catch.

Originally posted by PRIMETIME21:

Originally posted by JTsBiggestFan:
Someone mentioned here the idea of going after LeGarrette Blount to be a 1A/1B with Gore, and not going after the creme da le creme of WRs. As most have pointed out, Larry Fitzgerald nor Calvin Johnson are part of free agency this season so there's no such thing as a receiver to die for.

Still I think with some minor tweaks at WR we could be strong. Would love to have another proven beast at RB to go along with Frank.

I think it will be interesting if we do not land the big names like Bowe or one of the Jacksons, if we take a lesser name and supplement our running game a bit.

I love being DIFFERENT from the rest of the league. The one thing that I have noticed from the forums of pass happy teams (Saints, Giants, Packers) is the notion that top running backs are not even worth as much as top pass rushing DEs. This came up in the Arian Foster/Mario Williams debate....who was worth keeping more, and 90% feel Williams is more important. And we all know Foster is sickKk!

We might get another RB at a good deal given the state of the NFL plus the 49ers strength. It would have to be 1A/1B of course, and believe me I don't think Frank would protest.

i agree, i dont think gore has much left in the tank

People were saying this last year and the year before. He's not longer in the prime of his career, but I bet he's still got a good 2 or 3 years left. We need to find his replacement soon. I'm honestly looking forward to see what Hunter can do next year.

Originally posted by ElDannMann:

Originally posted by PRIMETIME21:

Originally posted by JTsBiggestFan:
Someone mentioned here the idea of going after LeGarrette Blount to be a 1A/1B with Gore, and not going after the creme da le creme of WRs. As most have pointed out, Larry Fitzgerald nor Calvin Johnson are part of free agency this season so there's no such thing as a receiver to die for.

Still I think with some minor tweaks at WR we could be strong. Would love to have another proven beast at RB to go along with Frank.

I think it will be interesting if we do not land the big names like Bowe or one of the Jacksons, if we take a lesser name and supplement our running game a bit.

I love being DIFFERENT from the rest of the league. The one thing that I have noticed from the forums of pass happy teams (Saints, Giants, Packers) is the notion that top running backs are not even worth as much as top pass rushing DEs. This came up in the Arian Foster/Mario Williams debate....who was worth keeping more, and 90% feel Williams is more important. And we all know Foster is sickKk!

We might get another RB at a good deal given the state of the NFL plus the 49ers strength. It would have to be 1A/1B of course, and believe me I don't think Frank would protest.

i agree, i dont think gore has much left in the tank

People were saying this last year and the year before. He's not longer in the prime of his career, but I bet he's still got a good 2 or 3 years left. We need to find his replacement soon. I'm honestly looking forward to see what Hunter can do next year.

With 2 years or so left, I don't think the replacement needs to be rushed. Some of the best backs are really young so it's not a position that takes many years to polish up.

This was gore's first 16 game season since 06 and I think that goes to show that he can stay healthy when his carries are more limited. I mean 282 carries is still a whole lot, I think we can cut that down gradually with Hunter taking on even bigger roles, but doing so should make this bell cow last at least a few more years.

Hunter: 112 carries
Gore: 282

Next few seasons hunter can move up to around 180-200, gore 210-220. More of a rotational system than we've been doing. Eventually Hunter's skills will outshine gore's and the carries will reflect that. Let the gore ride off into the sunset gradually. With all that time there's no reason we can't find a diamond in the rough in the later rounds to beat dixon in camp and eventually take gore's spot as a rotation with hunter(if hunter doesn't turn into MJD)

Originally posted by mike:

Originally posted by ElDannMann:

Originally posted by PRIMETIME21:

Originally posted by JTsBiggestFan:
Someone mentioned here the idea of going after LeGarrette Blount to be a 1A/1B with Gore, and not going after the creme da le creme of WRs. As most have pointed out, Larry Fitzgerald nor Calvin Johnson are part of free agency this season so there's no such thing as a receiver to die for.

Still I think with some minor tweaks at WR we could be strong. Would love to have another proven beast at RB to go along with Frank.

I think it will be interesting if we do not land the big names like Bowe or one of the Jacksons, if we take a lesser name and supplement our running game a bit.

I love being DIFFERENT from the rest of the league. The one thing that I have noticed from the forums of pass happy teams (Saints, Giants, Packers) is the notion that top running backs are not even worth as much as top pass rushing DEs. This came up in the Arian Foster/Mario Williams debate....who was worth keeping more, and 90% feel Williams is more important. And we all know Foster is sickKk!

We might get another RB at a good deal given the state of the NFL plus the 49ers strength. It would have to be 1A/1B of course, and believe me I don't think Frank would protest.

i agree, i dont think gore has much left in the tank

People were saying this last year and the year before. He's not longer in the prime of his career, but I bet he's still got a good 2 or 3 years left. We need to find his replacement soon. I'm honestly looking forward to see what Hunter can do next year.

With 2 years or so left, I don't think the replacement needs to be rushed. Some of the best backs are really young so it's not a position that takes many years to polish up.

This was gore's first 16 game season since 06 and I think that goes to show that he can stay healthy when his carries are more limited. I mean 282 carries is still a whole lot, I think we can cut that down gradually with Hunter taking on even bigger roles, but doing so should make this bell cow last at least a few more years.

Hunter: 112 carries
Gore: 282

Next few seasons hunter can move up to around 180-200, gore 210-220. More of a rotational system than we've been doing. Eventually Hunter's skills will outshine gore's and the carries will reflect that. Let the gore ride off into the sunset gradually. With all that time there's no reason we can't find a diamond in the rough in the later rounds to beat dixon in camp and eventually take gore's spot as a rotation with hunter(if hunter doesn't turn into MJD)

I agree with you 100%. I'm really interested to see what Baalke and co. do this offseason at the RB position.

Originally posted by PRIMETIME21:

Originally posted by JTsBiggestFan:
Someone mentioned here the idea of going after LeGarrette Blount to be a 1A/1B with Gore, and not going after the creme da le creme of WRs. As most have pointed out, Larry Fitzgerald nor Calvin Johnson are part of free agency this season so there's no such thing as a receiver to die for.

Still I think with some minor tweaks at WR we could be strong. Would love to have another proven beast at RB to go along with Frank.

I think it will be interesting if we do not land the big names like Bowe or one of the Jacksons, if we take a lesser name and supplement our running game a bit.

I love being DIFFERENT from the rest of the league. The one thing that I have noticed from the forums of pass happy teams (Saints, Giants, Packers) is the notion that top running backs are not even worth as much as top pass rushing DEs. This came up in the Arian Foster/Mario Williams debate....who was worth keeping more, and 90% feel Williams is more important. And we all know Foster is sickKk!

We might get another RB at a good deal given the state of the NFL plus the 49ers strength. It would have to be 1A/1B of course, and believe me I don't think Frank would protest.

i agree, i dont think gore has much left in the tank

Agreed, Hunter will need help in sharing the load.

If the usually amazing GM Colbert of the Steelers goes completely dumb and just tenders Mike Wallace I bet we go after him, if we don't do that then we'll go after Garcon, Royal, Meachem, Manningham, Robinson, maybe Steve Johnson. But to go back on topic, I think JH will double dip at WR but will also look to bulk up TEs(Fleener, Charles, Rodriquez are possible in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively) and RBs(Polk if he falls to the 4th), Doug Martin, Bernard Pierce, Rob Turbin, Tauren Poole are all mid to late possible upgrades over Dixon). An all around bulk up will happen at WR, TE, and RB this spring.

Originally posted by DaveTheShocker:
Well for starters, he comes in and becomes the best WR on the team, and you wont break the bank. Then you leave it up to Baalke to get his big target in the draft. I would rather have Bowe, either of the Jacksons, and Colston, but I think MM would be a more likely scenario. All the others are going to command huge paydays.

The best receiver on the team? What are you basing this off of???? Manningham isn't any better than Josh Morgan, and he's definitely not better than Crabtree, just because he played in a pass-happy offense doesn't make him some sort of great addition. Put Morgan or Crabtree in that offense and they can put up the same type of numbers easy. Not to mention that even Giants fan say the guy is as dumb as a rock.


You're either way over-valuing Manningham or way under-valuing Morgan and Crabtree, seems to be a combination of both.

DONTAVIA BOGAN