CB situation

One of the things I'm going to watch closely is the competition between Cox, Morris and Ward. I still have a hunch that Cox will be the "starting" nickleback at the beginning of the year and Ward will grow into the position as the season progresses, but if Morris has improved quite a bit since last year, then he could jump to the front of the line.

In 2013 draft I wanted the 9ers to draft Tyrann Mathieu specifically for slot coverage but they picked Lemonier in the round where they could have gotten Mathieu. Last year Carlos Rogers did a better job than I thought he would do covering the slot so that worked out okay. But then Rogers was let go (too expensive for his contribution) and I was back to being concerned about slot coverage again (especially because of facing the likes of Harvin and Tavon Austin twice and Wes Welker at least once). If Ward ends up close to Mathieu in ability to cover in the slot then I guess it all will have worked out well in the long run.

Brock
Culliver
Johnson
Acker
Morris
Cox (IF they keep 6 CBs)

Cook will not make this team and neither will Cox if Ward proves to be adept in the slot.

Originally posted by reasonable1:
Brock
Culliver
Johnson
Acker
Morris
Cox (IF they keep 6 CBs)

Cook will not make this team and neither will Cox if Ward proves to be adept in the slot.

You honestly think there's the possibility that Ward won't win the nickle CB's spot? Ward (and the 2 other CB's we drafted) is precisely the reason that Cox and Morris won't make the final cut. I'm not a betting man but if I were I'd put rent money on, baring injury, that there's no way on the planet that Ward won't be the opening day starter at nickle corner!! I have us keeping 6 CB's - Cully, Brock, Ward, Cook, Johnson, and Acker, all in that order. There's no way Johnson or Acker can be hidden on the PS, even less likely that we'll cut a 2014 drafted player, and doubtful that we carry 7 CB's (if we did Morris would be the guy we keep). Cox will not be on our 53 man roster.

Originally posted by 9ersLiferInChicago:

Originally posted by reasonable1:
Brock
Culliver
Johnson
Acker
Morris
Cox (IF they keep 6 CBs)

Cook will not make this team and neither will Cox if Ward proves to be adept in the slot.

You honestly think there's the possibility that Ward won't win the nickle CB's spot? Ward (and the 2 other CB's we drafted) is precisely the reason that Cox and Morris won't make the final cut. I'm not a betting man but if I were I'd put rent money on, baring injury, that there's no way on the planet that Ward won't be the opening day starter at nickle corner!! I have us keeping 6 CB's - Cully, Brock, Ward, Cook, Johnson, and Acker, all in that order. There's no way Johnson or Acker can be hidden on the PS, even less likely that we'll cut a 2014 drafted player, and doubtful that we carry 7 CB's (if we did Morris would be the guy we keep). Cox will not be on our 53 man roster.

Yes and Fangio has said it shouldn't be assumed he will win it. Considering he couldn't practice in OTA's and Mimi camp he's already a little behind the other CB's.

There are 15 defensive backs fighting for a roster spot on the team.

Here are the cap numbers for those 15 defensive backs.

Since Reaser will almost certainly go on one of PUP lists, I did not include him as one of the 15.




The cap saving numbers in parenthesis ( $$$ ) are loses, not savings.

Originally posted by SFrush:

Originally posted by 9ersLiferInChicago:

Originally posted by reasonable1:
Brock
Culliver
Johnson
Acker
Morris
Cox (IF they keep 6 CBs)

Cook will not make this team and neither will Cox if Ward proves to be adept in the slot.

You honestly think there's the possibility that Ward won't win the nickle CB's spot? Ward (and the 2 other CB's we drafted) is precisely the reason that Cox and Morris won't make the final cut. I'm not a betting man but if I were I'd put rent money on, baring injury, that there's no way on the planet that Ward won't be the opening day starter at nickle corner!! I have us keeping 6 CB's - Cully, Brock, Ward, Cook, Johnson, and Acker, all in that order. There's no way Johnson or Acker can be hidden on the PS, even less likely that we'll cut a 2014 drafted player, and doubtful that we carry 7 CB's (if we did Morris would be the guy we keep). Cox will not be on our 53 man roster.

Yes and Fangio has said it shouldn't be assumed he will win it. Considering he couldn't practice in OTA's and Mimi camp he's already a little behind the other CB's.

Like I said, there's no way on the planet that Ward won't be the opening day starter at nickle corner. Ward is gonna be ready for mandatory camp. Missing mini camp won't keep him from earning a starting spot. V. Fangio has it right to make rookies earn their way on the field. But I had no doubt in my mind that Eric Reid would earn the staring role while V. Fangio was stating, very strongly I might add, that Reid would just be handed the starting job simply because he's a 1st rounder. But Reid was given every opportunity to claim the position. I expect nothing else to be given to Jimmie Ward. If nothing else, first rounders are afforded every opportunity to claim a starting role. And nobody can convince me that there's another person on our roster better than Jimmie Ward for the starting nickle corner spot, notwithstanding him missing voluntary mini camp!! Book this: Jimmie Ward will win that slot corner spot.

Defensive Back Snap Count

Of the fifteen defensive backs fighting for a roster spot, ten played in , in the NFL last year.

Culliver did not play last year, but I included him in the table, and used his snap count from two years ago.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by CWin4949:
aint even worried E.Wright gonna solidify our CBs this year....

From the stands or what?

Or what... in church, he and Glen Coffee will be praying for us

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by CWin4949:
aint even worried E.Wright gonna solidify our CBs this year....

From the stands or what?

Man, you my boy Phoenix....

Originally posted by Wrathman:
Not on the team anymore.

serious???? Well then, Carlos Rogers got that stuff locked down then....

Originally posted by LVJay:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by CWin4949:
aint even worried E.Wright gonna solidify our CBs this year....

From the stands or what?

Or what... in church, he and Glen Coffee will be praying for us

Who cares, we got T.Brown to hold that ish down then.....

like Hammer said, it's all good....

Brock, Reid, Bethea and Spillman are the locks.

Other side of Brock - Cully, Cox or Cookie. We'll just have to see about Cully's status (recovery and/or league discipline?) throughout TC and preseason. I'm okay with Cox (he's solid), but if anyone (Cookie, Johnson, Acker or whomever) can unseat Cox, then that's saying a lot right there.

Morris is doing his part to play the slot... did all he was asked to do in OTAs and it seemed like he impressed the coaches. He's the fastest, not afraid to hit someone going full throttle and has serious closing speed. The rookie yr is out of the way, he's focused and determined to win that spot. Did I mention he has serious closing speed

Ward was a smart pick (put him anywhere / backs up any spot), but I don't think he'll be a full starter this year unless someone gets hurt or a couple of guys don't pan out and get cut/practice squad. Ward will be competing with Morris and (IF) he beats him out, then it will be Morris that will be the back up to Ward. IMO, we're good with either one playing the slot. Of all the rookie DBs, Ward (of course) is the lock even though he is still recovering from injury (unless coaches think otherwise).

If Johnson and Acker step up and makes it (seriously) difficult for coaches to decide which one hits the PS, then that's a plus and definitely helps solidify our secondary.

Dahl, Mc Cray Cray, Ventrone and DJ Campbell... we'll see but..............

Originally posted by CWin4949:
serious???? Well then, Carlos Rogers got that stuff locked down then....

Originally posted by CWin4949:
Who cares, we got T.Brown to hold that ish down then.....

like Hammer said, it's all good....

Singletary will nut crack errryone back in shape

Originally posted by LVJay:
Singletary will nut crack errryone back in shape

Jeez, somehow I forgot our last two first rd picks were Ss, or DBs. On a team known for running, blocking, Great D, it is interesting that two yrs in a row we go safety/CB. As for Brock, he should have started the yr ,which we all saw after he replaced the injury. Bethea has his bonafides as a true pass breaker-upper(see his video), not a tackler after the catch like whitner. That leaves 4 more guys, all of whom I like to fill out our DBs, and that speaks volumes about how much better I expect our D backfield this yr. Sure Ward could be a bust, but I doubt it. Still he has to earn his spot, but I am betting he does. Cully I hope is healed with no residual problems, Cox I don't know much about but our late picks are the ones I really am interested in. The ability to play press this yr, esp against SEA, is about as exciting as it gets. Bring on the season.