LaMichael James was a Niner (CUT!)

I'll be shocked if he survives camp. We have Gore, Hunter, Lattimore and Hyde. I don't think any of thse guys are going anywhere....

Maybe if he didnt fumble the ball in the superbowl he would have a bigger role now. I doubt the coaching staff has much trust in him.

Originally posted by WINiner:

Originally posted by Allx9er:
Coaching staff dropped the ball with this one

Screw that. Some people are entitled and don't want to work for their accolades. LMJ is one of those people. You want to play? Be better than Gore, or Hunter, or Lattimore, or Hyde. Learn to pass block. Learn to be a team player. He's such a whiny little b***h.

We have NO idea of how much work he puts in so for you to say that lmj doesn't want to put the work in is bs. He doesnt have to be better then gore to still be able have a positive impact beyond ST. there are other ways to incorporate a rb into the game beyond just running between tackles. Hell, hunter had earned the the staffs trust and still didnt get a resonable amount of touches even if they would be just to spell gore. This teams creativity is limited to run blocking schemes anything else just doesnt carry much value (as determined by the staff in accordance with philosophy) Latt and hyde have more value at this point because they have the size to run in the box even though neither of them have proved anything. Put him on the field and watch him fail if thats all he can do but dont spend a high pick on a player give him only 20 something touches in a season. to say "we didn't have a chance to get deeper into the play book" as a reason as to why the team doesnt try to be more diverse in its approach as a whole is crap, bs.

He is kind of a crybaby but imho the coaching staff still dropped the ball

Is there anyone here that actually like James? I honestly don't hate him at all. And in the limited carries he's gotten, he's shown some good stuff. I was watching his highlights and he is tougher than I realized. I really think he could be better than Hunter (maybe he is?). I can't wait to watch him in the preseason

Underutilized... should just let him prove himself on a team that will use him often. If we do trade him, I hope there will be a clause in his new contract (on new team) that all social media is forbidden by him.

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:
If Coach would have used LMJ as a sproles type back, ie get the ball to him in space, then I would have liked the pick. But no, where is he used? Between tackles, where he likes to run, but just isn't big or good enough to be a solid #1 RB. The fact JH never used LMJ in space says that he just isn't interested in that kind of O...which is his decision. That being the case, not using LMJ in space, the pick at #2 was a bad one. I was completely fooled in that I rejoiced when his name was called. Finally a back to be used like sproles. Unh unh. Never apparently even considered, and hence, we got a RB to run between tackles, who really isn't that kind of NFL back. That kind of back is frank, hunter, dix. So the glad handing and props LMJ got during the draft told me he is on the cusp of getting traded. Just an opinion. But when I hear my HC and GM both sing the praises of a guy we rarely saw...well, you have to believe your lying eyes then.

right on.
harbaugh was naive in thinking college lmj would translate to nfl lmj with little-to-no loss of wow.
quicker-than-fast guys like lmj see their college-zoom factor emasculated by the nfl's just-as-fast defenders.
lmj's only eye-opening, nfl talent is as a sproles-like back, but he's definitely a lesser talent than sproles, so where does that put his worth as a 2nd rd pick? he was over-drafted, pure and simple.

No story here. They asked him and nothing has changed, so I expect his answer to be the same.

Originally posted by xcfan:

right on.
harbaugh was naive in thinking college lmj would translate to nfl lmj with little-to-no loss of wow.
quicker-than-fast guys like lmj see their college-zoom factor emasculated by the nfl's just-as-fast defenders.
lmj's only eye-opening, nfl talent is as a sproles-like back, but he's definitely a lesser talent than sproles, so where does that put his worth as a 2nd rd pick? he was over-drafted, pure and simple.

He is supposed to be a change of pace back, filling the role of a guy like Sprouls, as you said. The problem is that we really aren't like the new Orlean saints. More like the old new york giants under the tuna. He had Dave meggett, but Dave was harder to bring down than LMJ. LMJ filled in nicely for Kendall when he was hurt, but now that Kendall is healthy- we basically have two backs of the same type. He's the odd man out in this offense. We just don't go into a spread offense that often, and that's where I think he can be best utilized.

Originally posted by xcfan:
so where does that put his worth as a 2nd rd pick? he was over-drafted, pure and simple.

You are probably right, but I will reserve judgement until he is in an offense where he is featured more (which will probably happen this year sometime, after he is unloaded for a future pick).

Originally posted by Bluesbro:

Originally posted by xcfan:
so where does that put his worth as a 2nd rd pick? he was over-drafted, pure and simple.

You are probably right, but I will reserve judgement until he is in an offense where he is featured more (which will probably happen this year sometime, after he is unloaded for a future pick).

One of the more level-headed statements I've seen re: LMJ. It's funny how so many "experts" here make these proclamations that the dude is no good, when the fact is he's never really been used in a manner that best utilizes his skillset...and in 2012 when he did get more PT after Hunter went down, he did well, and even then he wasn't being used in the way many envisioned when he was drafted.

With the recent develops, I figured the LaMichael James thread deserves a bump up. I think the number 2 running back job is his to lose. He can take this thing by the horns from day 1. I also came across an interesting article about Carlos Hyde.

http://www.49ers.com/news/article-2/Carlos-Hyde-Eager-to-Start-Blitz-Pickup-Drills/1eecd45c-cb3b-43a2-8d3a-188f2fb34b0f

While LaMichael James would love more playing time and I believe he is capable of more than he has shown, I have never seen anything like this written about him. The article starts off talking about if you expect to be a 3-down back in the NFL, you have to know blitz pick up. Has anyone ever known of #23 putting in extra time in the film room or with coaches to improve this aspect of his game or does he take the CJ Spillman approach to studying? Talent alone won't cut it. And even though he is the front runner, if he isn't careful, Carlos Hyde could pull the upset and overtake him as number 2.

Matt Maiocco ‏@MaioccoCSN

LaMichael James is carted off the field after sustaining apparent left arm or wrist injury in blitz pick up drill.

Originally posted by Jcool:

Matt Maiocco ‏@MaioccoCSN

LaMichael James is carted off the field after sustaining apparent left arm or wrist injury in blitz pick up drill.

Just saw this myself. Man, this is why football is crazy and you can never be too deep at any position. We went from 5 deep to 3 in a matter of 2 days, hopefully LMJ can be okay, we need him with nobody else really capable of being our return guy & Hunter hurt. Lattimore's recovery all that more important now.

Cohn just said he injured himself in a blitz pickup drill against Wilholte.

http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/lamichael-james-carted-practice-field/