49ers' Alex Boone has risen from the depths of alcohol abuse

What about flipping Staley and A. Davis in the offseason? It's not always an easy transition but teams have made this switch successfully in the past. I don't mind Staley at LT and I think the O-line is looking pretty good, just something to think about. There is no question that Davis has the much higher ceiling, the guy is a physical specimen.

O-line is as much about ability as it is about schemes and chemistry. Davis is all of 22- years old. Can he handle LT duty? Plus he and Boone seem to be clicking well on the right side. Would it be worth it for us to move an inexperienced Davis against the league's best pass-rushers while simultaneously hoping Staley and Boone have the same chemistry? I'm not sure.

Let's not also forget that Iupati, a mauler in the run game, is still shaky at pass protection. As he gets older and better and gels with the line, that'll take make things easier on Staley.

Originally posted by oldman9er:
Staley's just not solid enough to man the LT spot all by himself when going against the best rushers. It should be the coaches' jobs to make sure he gets a little help on that island when going against the Clay Mathews and Jared Allens of the league. He's a decent pass protector, but far from perfect.

Goodwin's been better this season, but he does show a lazy side... does lack the anchor against powerful DTs... and does lack his own power to move DTs off the ball.

Haters be witness. btw was this filmed with a rock?

Originally posted by oldman9er:

Staley's just not solid enough to man the LT spot all by himself when going against the best rushers. It should be the coaches' jobs to make sure he gets a little help on that island when going against the Clay Mathews and Jared Allens of the league. He's a decent pass protector, but far from perfect.

Goodwin's been better this season, but he does show a lazy side... does lack the anchor against powerful DTs... and does lack his own power to move DTs off the ball.

Originally posted by sspiker:

I look at Staley almost the same way I look at Alex Smith. There are only going to be 5-7 "elite" QBs in the league. 32 teams can't all have a top 10 QB. We have a QB that executes a winning game plan very well, and in the last two years has shown at least some potential to put the team on his back (though not enough to rely on him all the time, the way you could an elite QB).

The specialization and quality of pass-rushers has reached the point where there's only going to be a small handful of "elite" LTs that can shut them down, and even those elite guys are going to have some snaps where they get beat. Joe Staley isn't an elite LT; he's not top 10. But he's absolutely fantastic in the run game, and can execute a winning game plan well.

If you're talking about "upgrading" at the LT position, then you're talking about using a top 10 pick, and we'd have to trade up to get that.

But for some reason they leave staley on an island ....JH must be snoozing in the OL meetings

Any improvement for Staley over the season? If the oline settles in and the blocking schemes are settled then hopefully the whole line will be pulling together as well and taht section of the team will be in good shape. IF the oline settles hopefully that will give A. Smith one more second of assessment time for his receivers to get to the spot he is throwing to.

Eff you Adam Snyder

That's not fair. F you, Chilo Rachal. Snyder is a great player in the proper role: a solid back-up who can play any position on the line. I'd be thrilled to have him still on the team in that role. He was forced into the starting line-up by Rachal.

Originally posted by sspiker:
That's not fair. F you, Chilo Rachal. Snyder is a great player in the proper role: a solid back-up who can play any position on the line. I'd be thrilled to have him still on the team in that role. He was forced into the starting line-up by Rachal.

Agree.