Off Season Thoughts

Great post. Add improving special teams to the list, which I think someone else started a thread on also.

We really need a great draft. 2012 was a big waste, all we have to show for that is James, Looney and Baldwin (via KC for Jenkins)?

Dial and Tank may become beasts, but at this point it could go either way, so no more projects. And we need to stop drafting guys that won't fit our systems or people we can't utilize (ie Lamichael James).

With yesterdays injuries and accounting for impending free agents, we really need to get at least 5 good players out of this draft.

i really don't like how our corners are ten yards off their man when it's third down and 6. That's frustrating as hell.

the thing with avril and bennet they signed 1 yr deals to see if they can bring up their values, we dont know if theres fa out there willing to do the same and come here. maclin would be the perfect example but i heard he was fixated in signing a 1 yr deal in philly

Originally posted by FredFlintstone:
the thing with avril and bennet they signed 1 yr deals to see if they can bring up their values, we dont know if theres fa out there willing to do the same and come here. maclin would be the perfect example but i heard he was fixated in signing a 1 yr deal in philly

avril was a 2yr 15 mil deal, bennett was 1 year deal. his brother, the bears te has mentioned about trying to lure him to chicago

Share nekkid pics of their girlfriends

Originally posted by crabman82:

Originally posted by FredFlintstone:
the thing with avril and bennet they signed 1 yr deals to see if they can bring up their values, we dont know if theres fa out there willing to do the same and come here. maclin would be the perfect example but i heard he was fixated in signing a 1 yr deal in philly

avril was a 2yr 15 mil deal, bennett was 1 year deal. his brother, the bears te has mentioned about trying to lure him to chicago

always thought bennett was just an example of the rich get richer just for a yr, they cant afford to give him big pass rusher money with all their other players due in some time. wish we can find someone who wants to sign here for a 2 yr deal at an impact position of need

Originally posted by ace52:
I was devastated by this loss, so much so that I didn't/couldn't post anything yesterday after the game. I was just too stunned by another heart-wrenching loss.
However, with some time to reflect, I think we are going to be OK next year. Our team still has a lot of talent, and our players play with a passion and intensity that will win most of the games that they will be in.

Still, to take the next step up toward becoming a SB champion, the Niners will need to work on a few areas. I would like to see the team do these things in this coming off-season:

1) Kap must improve: I don't want to see him go to Atlanta to work on his strength/athleticism. His athleticism is off the charts (for a QB) already. I would like to see him stay right here in the Bay Area, and I would like to see JH work with him in a QB clinic, if you will. During the season, a head coach has to divide his time between so many other things, so he probably won't have the time to do significant 1:1 work with his QB. Time should not be an issue in the off-season. Also, I think that JH should invite another expert to come to this "clinic" to work with him and Colin, because another set of eyes may bring a more objective view that JH himself may lack. Heck, I would like to see Jim reach out to Steve Young, who still cares enough about the team that if the Niners ask nicely, and pay him well for his time, will probably agree to come and help out the young 9er QB. Jim and Steve can really work with Colin on developing his pocket presence, more touch on his passes (he still throws the ball too flat sometimes, with not the right amount of arc to beat tight coverage). They should work with him on reading defenses, throwing under pressure, and throwing in the red zone with pressure in his face.

2) Baalke is a frugal GM, and that is good in general. However, if there is a stand-out WR with deep threat speed, and/or CB in the free-agent market, I hope that he will not hesitate to go after them even if they may be expensive, as long as they don't break the bank, so to speak. SEA made some free-agent signings this year (Avril, Bennett) that ended up helping them out a lot. Draft picks are great, but sometimes even outstanding rookies will make mistakes that a good vet won't make (see Reid whiffing on Lynch yesterday, for example).

3) I love Bowman, but I'm not sure if/when he can be back at 100% after that horrific injury. We need to keep Wilhoite (a very good LB, IMO), and go after a stud LB in the draft as an insurance policy in case Bowman can't return as the Bowman that we all know and love.

4) Let Lattimore gradually work himself into the starting RB role. I love Frank, but I think he is in the twilight of his career. Let him tutor Lattimore this coming season while splitting the carries with him, and later on, hopefully Frank will become a RB coach with the Niners.

5) The OL needs some upgrades. They have never been that good in pass protection, and for a line that is supposedly great at "mauling people" in the run game, they have not been able to consistently open holes for our RBs when going up against good defensive fronts. I would definitely keep Staley and Boone. The Niners should consider upgrading the other positions along the line, or at least have an open competition for them.

6) Try to keep Boldin. Enough said.

1) Kap needs to improve, but I doubt it'll be Steve Young helping to make that happen. Why? Because he's Steve Young, and probably doesn't have the time, assuming he'd even want to. Additionally, we need a more innovative mind on offense. Hopefully Roman gets a job elsewhere and we can bring in a guy like Kubiak (assuming he'd want to) to coach up Kap, the o-line, and add some more sizzle to the passing game.

An offensive mind like his would absolutely work wonders with our personnel.

2) I never got this preoccupation with "speed." Speed isn't the reason we lost yesterday, or the Super Bowl last year. Look at Denver, none of their receivers are exactly burners but they get the job done. Ditto for New England, New Orleans, and the list goes on. What makes for a good receiver is much more than what they clock in the 40 (see: Ted Ginn). Hell, all things considered our "slow" receivers did really well this year. Boldin hasn't gone over 1,000 yards since 2009 and speaking to statistics he hasn't had a season like this one since 2006. Mind you this happened despite our passing game being ranked 30th in the league (by total yards).

With better QB play--and I have no doubts that Kap will improve--we win both of those games handily. That said, Kap is still young and will improve in time.

3) I think our LB corps are fine as well. Sure, more depth never hurts, but we have two very capable backups in Skuta (who absolutely balled out this year despite his limited role), and Wilhoite.

4) Agreed. I'm sure I'll take a lot of heat for this, but I think that Frank should not be the starter going forward. Before, he was capable of besting eight man fronts even behind a crappy o-line. Now, it seems as if he can only get traction if he has wide open holes to run through. He is still a good RB, but he is not equipped to deal with fast defenses like Carolina and Seattle. At this point in his career, he's either boom or bust when he has the ball.

And to contend going forward, we'll need more consistent production out of the backfield.

5) Agree again. For however good we are running the ball, we're equally terrible with pass protection. Sometimes it is Kap holding the ball too long but others it's because these guys are just getting whipped up front. Changes need to be made.

6) This plus a million. With improved play from Kap and a fully healthy Crabtree (not to mention an easier schedule), we could literally be unstoppable next season.

Make it happen Baalke.

Looks like there are a few very interesting options out there as far as free agent WRs this year: Jeremy Maclin (as already mentioned), Jacoby Jones, Eric Decker, Julian Edelman, Dexter McCluster. I would love to have someone with the speed of Jones on our team though.

I would LOVE to have Kubiak as a coordinator but someone is going to hire him as a head coach in 2015. He has a great offensive mind.

Originally posted by PRIMETIME21:

i have my doubts, i rather get a eddie lacy type bruiser back.

Eddie Lacy and Lattimore are pretty similar in size. I think Lacy is maybe 10 pounds heavier so I do think we have the perfect rb to take over for Gore. I'm hoping that injury didn't ruin him :o

pay kap whatever he wants

Mr. AB81RULES.....Have you posted a salary cap thread lately ? I may have missed it but if you haven't I am looking forward to looking at it as I am curious . I think some personnel changes will be made and I would like to see where we are financially... Hang in there guys we will get #6 .My goal is to be the first to get #7 . A little arrogant and presumptuous you say.........I don't think so ! My dream is to have 6 and Seattle to have none.......Let's hit it Peyton.

Originally posted by crabman82:

Originally posted by tokash620:
I agree 100% with Crabman. We needed to score 7 on that opening possession to set the tempo of the game. Too many FG's instead of TD's. I think the play calling is predictable especially on 1st down. Was excited when we drafted LMJ but hasn't been used to show off his abilities. Kaep will get better but definitely need someone to back him up. Roman looks like a genius at times but those times are few and far between. Keep Crabtree. Try to re-sign Boldin for another year and draft a WR or two. Need secondary help. I believe there will be plenty of good free agents who would love to come and play for the 49ers so I think we will be good no matter what at the beginning of the 2014-2015 season.

it was like 4 times this year we went up 6-0 on teams instead of 10-0 or 14-0 and every single time we did that the other team responded with a td to make it 7-6. we just make it so much harder on ourselves then it has to be.

I had a horrible sinking feeling after that first FG but then they went up 10 zip and I thought...OK, that's a little better. But the Seahawks weren't getting in gear so I feared when they did...Oh well...what's done is done!

I think they need to make a change at OC and DC. Every time they get a lead they both get conservative. Ever since the other teams figured out how to stop the pistol and play option Roman doesn't seem to have a clue on how to make adjustments. About 80% of the time on first down with 8-9 guys in the box he tries to run Gore up the middle. Any high school coach will tell you it will not work. It seems like every time they get a turn over they always come out with nothing or a field goal. Every time they get in the red zone they become to predictable in the play calling. Harbaugh has a play sheet in his hands during the game and if he can't see what's going on then I blame him as much. Harbaugh needs to change Romans attitude on play calling or get rid of him. It's always been the same, you take what the defense gives you, and anybody that has studied Bill Walsh would know that. I've been a football fan for close to 60 years and I have never seen a team that doesn't use the screen play. Roman says the team is not built for that, Seriously! Make changes in those areas and this team will be hard to beat.

Re-sign Randy Moss