The Handloff Report: Showing Our Roster Dominance on the Waiver Wire

Greg Cossell often remarks that what teams do with their personnel decisions is a true indicator of what a team thinks. I believe you can expand that argument and propose that other teams also confirm the notion that we have one of the deepest teams in the league this year by examining the waiver wire after cut-down day.

It is now known that we made a claim for an outside linebacker Jamaal Westerman but that Arizona got him first. Therefore we will most likely pick up Clark Haggins. Note that we only "intend" to pick him up, which leads me to believe that we will not sign him until after week one, not guaranteeing his full salary for the year. It was clear that Harbaugh felt there was one position on his team that actually had better talent on the waiver wire.

Here is a list of the waiver wire pickups (former 49ers players in bold):

Jets: NT Isaako Aaitui, WR Clyde Gates, TE Konrad Rueland.

Dolphins: WR Anthony Armstrong, LB Sammy Brown, DB Troy Nolan, DB R.J. Stanford.

Patriots: C Matt Tennant.

Browns: LB Tank Carder (Dolphins also made a claim), NT Ishmaa'ily Kitchen.

Jaguars: TE Brett Brackett.

Colts: LB Sergio Brown (Giants also made a claim), T Mike Person (Seahawks also made a claim), NT Martin Tevaseu.

Raiders: DB Philip Adams, LB Keenan Clayton, T Willie Smith (Giants also made a claim; pictured).

Redskins: DB Crezdon Butler.

Cowboys: TE Colin Cochart.

Giants: T D.J. Jones.

Eagles: T Nate Menkin.

Vikings: G Mark Asper.

Saints: DB Rafael Bush.

Buccaneers: DT Corvey Irvin, G Julian Vandervelde, C Cody Wallace (Redskins also made a claim).

Rams: RB Terrance Ganaway, DE Kellen Heard.

Cardinals: LB Jamaal Westerman (49ers also made a claim).


Four 49ers players who couldn't make our roster due to the depth of our talent are now on other teams' 53-man rosters. Chip in the fact that we actually got a draft pick for trading Colin Jones and that makes it five players signed by other teams to one player requested off of waives. You'll also notice that of the six players who had multiple claims for them, two were former 49ers.

In Cossell's model, these other teams see more useable talent in our castoffs than in their own teams' rosters. This is what leads me to believe that the waiver claims is a gleaming example of the depth of our talent in comparison to the rest of the league.

Agree. This goes back to Baalke and staff doing a great job on building our roster from bottom to top.

We have too many draft picks now and wont be able to make room for the newly drafted rookies. Good thing.

Cody Wallace will never stick. He never was any good, don't get it.

Originally posted by BayArea:
We have too many draft picks now and wont be able to make room for the newly drafted rookies. Good thing.

I'm with you. If you have too many picks, it allows you to either consolidate those picks to move up or take a bunch of fliers and see how they develop in training camp.

Originally posted by BayArea:
We have too many draft picks now and wont be able to make room for the newly drafted rookies. Good thing.

depends on how you look at it

CB- 5th to compete with Brock
OLB- might need 2
FS- If Goldson leaves
NT- RJF and Ice could be gone
TE- blocking guy to compete with Celek and maybe Dobbs (who should be on D and emergency 4th TE)
WR- Moss and Ginn could be gone
KR/PR- need a starter now
ILB- could lose Gooden and Grant
DE- in this draft class might be the BPA due to a loaded draft
OT- need a dedicated 3rd option
C- Kilgore should start so we need a new backup
RB- if Jacobs leaves we might need a new power back

by my count thats 12-13 guys.....granted all wont make the team but we will have some openings and some battles