If its truly a "MERIT"ocracy

Originally posted by rtj03:
We have heard Harbaugh and Balke both say everything is earned and that this team is Meritocracy. If so...

Then the following get cut:
AJ Jenkins
Joe Looney
Ricardo Lockette
Tolzien

The first two are high draft picks but after week 2 preseason game both are not ready and are being outplayed (meritocracy). If they stick around and earn an undeserved spot because of their draft status then Harbaugh and Balke are all talk.

I do think we run a "meritocracy" as evidenced by the FAs and rookies really having to put up or shut up to get on the field. Look at Ian vs. Dorsey. Look at Namdi vs. Brock/Cox. Look how long it took Aldon to get on the field his rookie year. So I think you have to separate playing time and making the roster. When talking about the 53 man roster, more than current "productivity" has to be considered. Potential, salary, locker room presence and production all have to be considered. In reference to AJ, you can't ignore his raw "potential." You don't draft a guy in the first if you don't think he has star potential. Sometimes you have to give it time to develop. But, that's very different than starting AJ at the 2 spot behind Boldin. Generally speaking, its bad policy to cut your first rounder before the start of his second year to make room for a guy that would either go to the practice squad or pass waivers and be sitting at home until you called them back due to injury.

Originally posted by rtj03:
We have heard Harbaugh and Balke both say everything is earned and that this team is Meritocracy. If so...

Then the following get cut:
AJ Jenkins
Joe Looney
Ricardo Lockette
Tolzien

The first two are high draft picks but after week 2 preseason game both are not ready and are being outplayed (meritocracy). If they stick around and earn an undeserved spot because of their draft status then Harbaugh and Balke are all talk.

Cuts are not based solely upon who has played better in preseason games.

Cuts are not made simply on who is outplaying who. The staff has to weigh both current play and projected play (perceived potential).

The staff also has to weigh roster needs and who can fulfill those needs.

Baalke, Harbaugh, and staff will make cuts based upon what they think is best for the team. A player's merit is judged on his potential to contribute to the betterment of the team.

The 49er brain trust will not make cuts based upon evaluations of players made by the media or by fans.

I can not think of one example where the 49ers under Baalke or Harbaugh have kept an player they considered inferior and cut a player they considered superior.

Originally posted by Dr_Bill_Walsh:

I would meritocrAZZ dat redbone/AZN chick poooosay TBPH IMHO

I bet she has the bomb ewok slot

Originally posted by Rascal:
The proof is in the pudding. If they keep Jenkins it will set a precedence that it was all BS about meritocracy. That is why Baalke will need to think about it seriously. If you look at all the recent articles on the subject, heck the media is practically daring Baalke.

And the pudding is made by the media? If the media is daring Baalke, it is also daring Harbaugh.

Baalke, Harbaugh, and staff will make cuts based upon what they think is best for the team. A player's merit is judged on his potential to contribute to the betterment of the team.

The 49er brain trust will NOT make cuts based upon evaluations of players made by the media or by fans.

I can not think of one example where the 49ers under Baalke or Harbaugh have kept an player they considered inferior and cut a player they considered superior.

I am not arguing that Baalke and Harbaugh are infallible. It almost certain that they will and have made mistakes.

If they keep Jenkins it will not prove that it was all BS about meritocracy.

Keeping Jenkins will show us that they think Jenkins merits a spot on the roster, and that might prove to be a mistake.

Originally posted by ElephantHaley:

If they do cut Looney, and AJ, that'll be 3 players from the Brutal sleep walk 2012 Draft. I do gotta ask, Were Baalke & Harbaugh even awake in April 2012?? They have missed on every picks and they reached hardcore for LMJ!!!! As good as 2011 was, 2012 draft is just as bad!!

Look at where they were drafting in 2012, the depth on the team, the trades they made for future picks and the injuries to the players they did draft in later rounds. LMJ has been a solid player who is getting better and the jury is still out on AJ (except on the WZ) and Kilgore. The dradt is not as terrible as you make it sound IMO. We will see though