2013 Team Needs - Updates

Originally posted by ninermedic:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Don't forget, we have a slew of players who could come back after Week 6.

Who are the guys "on the bubble" when we get Manningham and possibly Dial, Carridine, Wright, or Crabtree back? Who does when Dobbs comes back after week 1?

I don't really have 5 guys I want to cut ...or are we counting on injuries by that time?

Do we choose between Harper and Celek?

TJE and Tukuafu?

Which WR is the first to go if Manningham comes back? What about if Crabtree is able to return?

I'd say Stupar is the clear next on the chopping block.

Then probably looking at TJE and maybe Celek.

But by week 6 there will be plenty of injuries to make room. The only ones we really have to worry about are Dobbs and maybe Owen if we actually sign him.

Originally posted by ninermedic:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Don't forget, we have a slew of players who could come back after Week 6.

Who are the guys "on the bubble" when we get Manningham and possibly Dial, Carridine, Wright, or Crabtree back? Who does when Dobbs comes back after week 1?

I don't really have 5 guys I want to cut ...or are we counting on injuries by that time?

Do we choose between Harper and Celek?

TJE and Tukuafu?

Which WR is the first to go if Manningham comes back? What about if Crabtree is able to return?

Here is who comes back after Week 6 or later:
RB Marcus Lattimore (PUP) - most likely will be red-shirted all year
WR Mario Manningham & Michael Crabtree (PUP/IR) - Manningham most likely will be ready after week 6 but Crabtree most likely won't be back at all
T Luke Marquardt (PUP) - most likely will be ready after week 6
RDE Tank Carradine (PUP) - most likely will be red-shirted all year
LDE Quinton Dial (PUP) - most likely will be red-shirted all year
CB Eric Wright & Chris Culliver (PUP/IR) - Wright most likely will be red-shirted all year and Culliver most likely won't be back at all

Tough TOUGH calls...referencing the list above in this thread, I predict we'll need at least four open spots if Owen Marecic is signed:

Here are the potential cuts:
FB: Dixon (for Owen Marecic?)
S: Ventrone (may be the first one cut)
ILB: Stupar or Moody (may be the first one cut since Skuta can play ILB as well)
LB: Skuta (since Lemonier will be the #3; highly unlikely)
DE: Tukuafu or Jerod Eddie (I think both will be gone either way by Week 7)
CB: Brock (I don't think so)
H-Back: Chris Harper (if he doesn't devlop)
TE: Celek if Chris Harper excels in 6 weeks
WR: Moore or Baldwin (If Boldin, Williams, VD, McDonald & Patton excel, this is likely)

Originally posted by NCommand:

Here is who comes back after Week 6 or later:
RB Marcus Lattimore (PUP) - most likely will be red-shirted all year
WR Mario Manningham & Michael Crabtree (PUP/IR) - Manningham most likely will be ready after week 6 but Crabtree most likely won't be back at all
T Luke Marquardt (PUP) - most likely will be ready after week 6
RDE Tank Carradine (PUP) - most likely will be red-shirted all year
LDE Quinton Dial (PUP) - most likely will be red-shirted all year
CB Eric Wright & Chris Culliver (PUP/IR) - Wright most likely will be red-shirted all year and Culliver most likely won't be back at all

Tough TOUGH calls...referencing the list above in this thread, I predict we'll need at least four open spots if Owen Marecic is signed:

Here are the potential cuts:
FB: Dixon (for Owen Marecic?)
S: Ventrone (may be the first one cut)
ILB: Stupar or Moody (may be the first one cut since Skuta can play ILB as well)
LB: Skuta (since Lemonier will be the #3; highly unlikely)
DE: Tukuafu or Jerod Eddie (I think both will be gone either way by Week 7)
CB: Brock (I don't think so)
H-Back: Chris Harper (if he doesn't devlop)
TE: Celek if Chris Harper excels in 6 weeks
WR: Moore or Baldwin (If Boldin, Williams, VD, McDonald & Patton excel, this is likely)

I have to disagree a bit here

RB Marcus Lattimore (PUP) - out all year unless something happens
WR Mario Manningham & Michael Crabtree (PUP/IR) - Mario should be good to go before week 6 so he should come on at 100%. Crabtree should be back by late November or December.
T Luke Marquardt (PUP) - if anyone aside from Lattimore has a red shirt year it's luke
RDE Tank Carradine (PUP) - I doubt we red shirt him. As soon as he's ready he will be in
LDE Quinton Dial (PUP) - same as tank
CB Eric Wright (pup) - he's on a 1 year contract, red shirting him would be retarded
Chris Culliver (PUP/IR) - he's done for the year

Originally posted by solidg2000:
I have to disagree a bit here

RB Marcus Lattimore (PUP) - out all year unless something happens
WR Mario Manningham & Michael Crabtree (PUP/IR) - Mario should be good to go before week 6 so he should come on at 100%. Crabtree should be back by late November or December.
T Luke Marquardt (PUP) - if anyone aside from Lattimore has a red shirt year it's luke
RDE Tank Carradine (PUP) - I doubt we red shirt him. As soon as he's ready he will be in
LDE Quinton Dial (PUP) - same as tank
CB Eric Wright (pup) - he's on a 1 year contract, red shirting him would be retarded
Chris Culliver (PUP/IR) - he's done for the year

Yeah, could certainly fall like that! FYI: I had Wright coming back after week 6 (PUP) but Culliver done for the year (essentially). So by your account, we'd need 5 open spots plus 1 for Owen (if we sign him). Who would you drop?

I think Dial will need a bit more time than Tank to come back. Maiocco indicated that the team expects Tank back after the 6 weeks, and that he'll be in the rotation.

A lot of people seem to think Crabtree will take the whole season to return, but I agree that he comes back in early December and gets a few games under his belt.

Originally posted by AutographDynasty:
I think Dial will need a bit more time than Tank to come back. Maiocco indicated that the team expects Tank back after the 6 weeks, and that he'll be in the rotation.

A lot of people seem to think Crabtree will take the whole season to return, but I agree that he comes back in early December and gets a few games under his belt.

Yeah, sure would be nice to get some updates; I know Fangio alluded to both not coming back this year but who really knows at this point. If Crabtree comes back, that would be a miracle in the mold of Peterson last year. Hunter came back after 8 1/2 months so to come back after 6 months would be epic (risky too, given it's his contract year).

david gettis, a serious deep threat, is available. just has to heal from hammy pull.

Is anyone worried or confused by our lack of OT depth, who can we sign if we get a season ending injury at LT or RT? I know Boone can slide over but not sure as a starter at LT?

?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?

Originally posted by xcfan:
david gettis, a serious deep threat, is available. just has to heal from hammy pull.

Keep 'em coming, you're 1 for 1!

It's safe to say we're all concerned.

At this point, can we get any better than what we already have at tackle? I'd like for us to sign a veteran tackle next offseason for low. Either someone that is willing to play for a low salary for a chance to win and can back up both tackle positions. At this point, that is the only glaring need. The others remain to be seen because we may have the solution already on our 53 man roster.

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:

At this point, can we get any better than what we already have at tackle? I'd like for us to sign a veteran tackle next offseason for low. Either someone that is willing to play for a low salary for a chance to win and can back up both tackle positions. At this point, that is the only glaring need. The others remain to be seen because we may have the solution already on our 53 man roster.

Yeah probably too late now unless we can pick up a veteran now on the cheap but then we will have to cut another from the 53. Pray for no injuries to either T!

Originally posted by NCommand:
Current Interests/Needs (in order of importance IMHO) - Note that top tier = higher need & second tier = secondary need (some breathing room). If a need is labeled top tier, it could also indicate the large drop off in talent from a starter to the next-man-up.

Top Tier T - We needed a "swing T" so we got three: Carter Bykowski and Luke Marquardt (PUP) and we brought back Adam Snyder. That said, Marquardt is on the NFI list, Bykowski was cut and NOBODY wants Snyder to be the backside blocker for CK (hand injury as well). Worse off, if there is another injury to Staley, we may have to mess with the chemistry along the entire OL and move Boone from RG to T (not easy to adjust to on the fly) and insert someone else at RG (2 of 5 positions); that would be Looney (LG) or Kilgore. This is NOT good. We still have a major hole here IMHO. I'm waiting for us to pick up a veteran LT...
Top Tier Cover SS - It's safe to say the FO got their man in Reid at FS. Dahl seems like a viable backup at both SS/FS and will also help a ton on ST. That said, Whitner still can't cover esp. in the RZ and looks even slower to me so far in pre season; so scheme will have to be the theme for 2013 here. Fangio is going to have to put Reid 1on1 on the Boldin's and tall slot TE's of the world. That said, he didn't do that with Goldson, so why would he with Reid? Nothing else to report here save for Spillman and perhaps, Robinson (if he even makes it; short as well). We shouldn't have to rely solely on the pass rush esp. in the RZ where passes are typically made less than a 3-step drop and right down the middle of the field (I'm looking at you Whitner and the underneath coverage of Willis/Bowman!).
Top Kickoff Coverage Unit/Ace Kick-Punt Returner - Our best gunners this pre season by far were Lockette, Morris and Osgood. All are gone. And Moore may not be playing gunner on ST either if he isa primary WR. This is an ignored area of concern and it cost us in the (NFCCG and Superbowl) and it still affected us greatly in pre season. Cox has looked better than James (injured) but nobody would classify him as "dynamic/electric" and nobody fears him taking it to the house every time he touches the ball (like we do against every team we face, it seems). While some teams have 2 dynamic returners, we can't seem to find one. Now Patton is being tried out, Williams is back but hasn't taken a snap all pre season and Hawkins was cut; he looked like the only real viable "dynamic" returner who has some "it" to him. We seem to have good interior guys but not lightning speed outside. Spillman and Brock will rack up the tackles again on the outside but these are the same two gunners as last year and that unit was average, at best. Raymond Ventrone was given to Seely but he is also expected to be cut when others return and come off the PUP. I'm expecting Seely to resign any day now. LOL
Top or Second Tier DE - Tomsula had Christmas with getting Cornellius Carradine, Quinton Dial and a major project in Lawrence Okoye but he may not see any of them until Christmas 2013! That said, Tank and Dial will most likely be red-shirted this year (PUP) and Okoye is still hoping to make the PS. Fortunately, Dobbs continues to impress and is expected t supplant either Will Tukuafu or Tony Jerod-Eddie after week 1.
Top or Second Tier CB - In the end, we only kept 5 CB's. For a team that is historically facing 4+ WR sets and tends to suffer injuries here, this may be a little concerning. There is now a good chance we lose both Marcus Cooper and Darryl Morris. We are expecting Eric Wright back after week 6 though and hopefully, he'll be up to game speed.
Top or Second Tier NT - SCHEME is the new THEME in 2013! With keeping 6 DL, expect many more 4-man DL sets with plenty of outside pass rushers up at the LOS. Ian Williams thus far, has been tremendous and appears to be even better than Sopoaga/RJF and Glen Dorsey appears to be a viable rotation NT and he can also play DE. Lamar Divens may be added to the PS and developed ala Ian Williams last year.
Second Tier WR - Well, it seems like Moore or Patton will end up being the primary WR opposite Boldin. Crabtree's injury hurts a lot but thankfully we have an even more productive veteran in Boldin to ease that loss. Do not expect Crabtree back at all this year though IMHO. That said, we can expect Manningham back after week 6 which is why we will start the year with only 5 WR's: X = Marlon Moore/Jon Baldwin --- Y = Kyle Williams --- Z = Anquan Boldin/Quinton Patton. The important thing to remember here is that we run a "package offense" so ALL of these guys will be used in all WR positions depending on the play called by HaRoMan. And let's be honest here, keeping only 5 WR's is a strong indication that we plan on using Vernon Davis and Vance McDonald a ton, lining them up everywhere to create mismatches. So lower your expectations in terms of total receptions from the WR group this year. I saw a couple times this pre season where we ran a 5-receiver set and only one of those players was a WR.
Second Tier C - In the end we stayed with the wiley vet, Jonathan Goodwin and his inflated salary but Daniel Kilgore put up quite the fight. Also, Looney has been working out at LG and C and he looks much much better at C. In fact, he looks legit at C.
Third Tier FB - This was a big concern of mine because we had nobody behind Bruce Miller and he is vital to our running game (and can catch). The team then cut Jason Schepler so my concern remained. But low-and-behold, Harbaugh goes out and gets "his" guy in Owen Marecic. He should fit in nicely in an offense he already knows and should add some ST value as well.
Third Tier TE - Harbauh got HIS man in Vance McDonald here too. Davis, McDonald and Celek should abolsutely tear it up this year. And most are expecting MarQueis Gray to get devloped in the PS.

Roster as of 9/17:

Offense: (27)
QB (3): Colin Kaepernick, Colt McCoy and B.J. Daniels
RB (4): Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, Anthony Dixon and LaMichael James; Marcus Lattimore (PUP)
FB (2): Bruce Miller and Owen Marecic
WR (6): X = Marlon Moore/Jon Baldwin --- Y = Kyle Williams --- Z = Anquan Boldin/Quinton Patton/Kassim Osgood; Mario Manningham & Michael Crabtree (PUP)
TE (4): Vernon Davis, Vance McDonald, Garrett Celek and Chris Harper (H-Back)
OT (3): Joe Staley, Anthony Davis and Adam Snyder (Alex Boone); Luke Marquardt (PUP)
OG (3): Mike Iupati, Alex Boone and Joe Looney (Adam Snyder)
C (2): Jonathan Goodwin and Daniel Kilgore (Joe Looney)

Defense: (23)
DE (4): Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Demarcus Dobbs and Tony Jerod-Eddie; Quinton Dial, Tank Carradine, Will Tukuafu & Lawrence Okoye (PUP/I.R.)
NT (1): Glenn Dorsey; Ian Williams & Lamar Divens (I.R.)
OLB (4): Aldon Smith, Ahmad Brooks, Corey Lemonier and Dan Skuta
ILB (4): Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Michael Wilhoite and Nathan Stupar; Nick Moody (I.R. designated to return)
CB (5): Tarell Brown, Carlos Rogers, Nnamdi Asomugha, Perrish Cox and Tramaine Brock; Chris Culliver & Eric Wright (I.R. & PUP)
S (5): Donte Whitner, Eric Reid, Craig Dahl, C.J. Spillman and Raymond Ventrone

Special Teams: (3)
PK: Phil Dawson
P: Andy Lee
LS: Kevin McDermott

Thought I'd update and bring back. Also, Seattle certainly exposed every one of these needs IMHO. Thoughts?

Updated with the official signing of FB Owen Marecic. We still have one more roster spot open.