Dear zone:

Originally posted by Afrikan:

As long as we have Kap... I feel we have a chance.... so the faith is still there.

if we had traded Kap for Foles or Cutler, like some wanted..........well....

I wonder what we would have done with 2 1st rd picks bcuz I heard that's what they would offered, Foles and a 1st for Kap and probably an undisclosed. I personally would have been disappointed bcuz he's one of my favorite players. Kap gives me hope as well and even though we lose some games, my faith isn't shaken. I think it's clear that he was forced to be a pocket passer last year when our O-line was playing like crap but they let him be him, he a game breaker. I feel that T.Smith and Hyde will help progress out offense given the amout of youth and speed. Hopefully VD gets his form back as well. The beauty of rookies and backups playing most of last year is that we kinda know where they're at right now and it's not a complete unknown. We know what we have in MM, and we know what we have in a healthy Kilgore. Let's hope our redshirts/injured players can come in healthy and provide some depth for us.

If Justin Smith stays one more season our defense will be good. Our LB corps is still great. I live Patrick but our defense held up last season without him. Our secondary and passing game need to be the focus in 2015.

Nothing much changes the fact that Kaepernick holds the keys to this teams success. Losing Fangio hurt, I'm not big on Tomsula either, or Chyst as OC but at the end of the day Kaepernicks level of play from the pocket will be a HUGE factor.

If we draft or trade for a great pass blocking lineman and draft a very large WR to compliment Boldin/Smith our redzone issues might get better if Kap can read defenses pre-snap, go through progressions and work on touch/arch to get the ball over defenders (in lieu of depending on bullets with an open passing lane).

We all knew Gore was one foot out of the door. Hunter and Hyde will be interesting to watch but losing one if our best run blocking linemen hurt. Again, even more pressure in Kaepernick to significantly up his game.

I personally don't think he will. So there IS cause for concern. IMO.

Originally posted by Phil:
If Justin Smith stays one more season our defense will be good. Our LB corps is still great. I live Patrick but our defense held up last season without him. Our secondary and passing game need to be the focus in 2015.

Nothing much changes the fact that Kaepernick holds the keys to this teams success. Losing Fangio hurt, I'm not big on Tomsula either, or Chyst as OC but at the end of the day Kaepernicks level of play from the pocket will be a HUGE factor.

If we draft or trade for a great pass blocking lineman and draft a very large WR to compliment Boldin/Smith our redzone issues might get better if Kap can read defenses pre-snap, go through progressions and work on touch/arch to get the ball over defenders (in lieu of depending on bullets with an open passing lane).

We all knew Gore was one foot out of the door. Hunter and Hyde will be interesting to watch but losing one if our best run blocking linemen hurt. Again, even more pressure in Kaepernick to significantly up his game.

I personally don't think he will. So there IS cause for concern. IMO.

There is...I think the element of the "unknown" is real. We could make a grocery long list of these unknowns right now vs. what we DID know we had with the former regime (coaches and older players/cogs).

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Phil:

If Justin Smith stays one more season our defense will be good. Our LB corps is still great. I live Patrick but our defense held up last season without him. Our secondary and passing game need to be the focus in 2015.

Nothing much changes the fact that Kaepernick holds the keys to this teams success. Losing Fangio hurt, I'm not big on Tomsula either, or Chyst as OC but at the end of the day Kaepernicks level of play from the pocket will be a HUGE factor.

If we draft or trade for a great pass blocking lineman and draft a very large WR to compliment Boldin/Smith our redzone issues might get better if Kap can read defenses pre-snap, go through progressions and work on touch/arch to get the ball over defenders (in lieu of depending on bullets with an open passing lane).

We all knew Gore was one foot out of the door. Hunter and Hyde will be interesting to watch but losing one if our best run blocking linemen hurt. Again, even more pressure in Kaepernick to significantly up his game.

I personally don't think he will. So there IS cause for concern. IMO.

There is...I think the element of the "unknown" is real. We could make a grocery long list of these unknowns right now vs. what we DID know we had with the former regime (coaches and older players/cogs).

Sorry about my original post, there should be "O's" where some "I's" are.

Anyway, ya, huge unknowns. It started with dumping Harbaugh and Fangio. But Jim/Roman didnt head (coach) the greatest offense the last couple years.

I think our offense remains the "issue". If Brooks and Justin Smith come back it's still on our passing game. Things could go either way.... IMO it's mostly on Kaps development, o line blocking and replacing Iupati's run blocking.

I'm not in a state of panic, although Pat's retirement and maybe Smith's doesn't feel great. We need Kap to step up. Bottom line. And I've already felt this way since 2013.

Originally posted by Afrikan:

As long as we have Kap... I feel we have a chance.... so the faith is still there.

if we had traded Kap for Foles or Cutler, like some wanted..........well....

I have faith in Kap too. Forever linked to Wilson, I look at how the 2 franchises utilize their Qb's. Carpenter, Giacomini, Unger are out of town..no WR weapons to speak of which screams bootlegs, scrambles and improvisation...his strengths. Kap gets his weapons in WR and VD and priority in OL. The OL was bad in pass pro last year and, well...we saw it play out.

My fear this year is further giving Kap WR, specifically of the vertical variety, and we can't protect him for 3 seconds. Iupati wasn't doing Kap any favors so we probably get stronger there given Thomas and the comp pick for Iupati. I just hope the new staff will play to kap's strengths rather than making him something he isn't.

Originally posted by Phil:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Phil:
If Justin Smith stays one more season our defense will be good. Our LB corps is still great. I live Patrick but our defense held up last season without him. Our secondary and passing game need to be the focus in 2015.

Nothing much changes the fact that Kaepernick holds the keys to this teams success. Losing Fangio hurt, I'm not big on Tomsula either, or Chyst as OC but at the end of the day Kaepernicks level of play from the pocket will be a HUGE factor.

If we draft or trade for a great pass blocking lineman and draft a very large WR to compliment Boldin/Smith our redzone issues might get better if Kap can read defenses pre-snap, go through progressions and work on touch/arch to get the ball over defenders (in lieu of depending on bullets with an open passing lane).

We all knew Gore was one foot out of the door. Hunter and Hyde will be interesting to watch but losing one if our best run blocking linemen hurt. Again, even more pressure in Kaepernick to significantly up his game.

I personally don't think he will. So there IS cause for concern. IMO.

There is...I think the element of the "unknown" is real. We could make a grocery long list of these unknowns right now vs. what we DID know we had with the former regime (coaches and older players/cogs).

Sorry about my original post, there should be "O's" where some "I's" are.

Anyway, ya, huge unknowns. It started with dumping Harbaugh and Fangio. But Jim/Roman didnt head (coach) the greatest offense the last couple years.

I think our offense remains the "issue". If Brooks and Justin Smith come back it's still on our passing game. Things could go either way.... IMO it's mostly on Kaps development, o line blocking and replacing Iupati's run blocking.

I'm not in a state of panic, although Pat's retirement and maybe Smith's doesn't feel great. We need Kap to step up. Bottom line. And I've already felt this way since 2013.

It would be nice if the new coaching regime actually game planned to Kap's strengths as well. Watch what Seattle does for Wilson. Roll outs, designed runs, half field reads, moving the pocket, calling up deep balls and outside stuff when he is in pocket so that he can see. They work with his limitations and apply a heavy dose of Lynch besides. They don't constantly try to hammer the square peg into the round hole. Other than the height thing Kap has is the same guy in a lot of ways and we do none of that for him with worse pass pro to boot. Sure he needed to learn how to play from the pocket, read D better and how to loft a ball rather than always rely on his cannon of an arm.....but you do those things a little a time...work into it, sink or swim is no way to raise a QB. Did we see improvement in those areas? Sure...but at the expense of over all performance. The guy was never allowed to be comfortable for the whole season. Wouldn't you rather see him doing what he does well and then work the rest in slowly?

Originally posted by jbeale49:

Originally posted by Afrikan:
As long as we have Kap... I feel we have a chance.... so the faith is still there.

if we had traded Kap for Foles or Cutler, like some wanted..........well....

I have faith in Kap too. Forever linked to Wilson, I look at how the 2 franchises utilize their Qb's. Carpenter, Giacomini, Unger are out of town..no WR weapons to speak of which screams bootlegs, scrambles and improvisation...his strengths. Kap gets his weapons in WR and VD and priority in OL. The OL was bad in pass pro last year and, well...we saw it play out.

My fear this year is further giving Kap WR, specifically of the vertical variety, and we can't protect him for 3 seconds. Iupati wasn't doing Kap any favors so we probably get stronger there given Thomas and the comp pick for Iupati. I just hope the new staff will play to kap's strengths rather than making him something he isn't.

Or I could have read farther down where someone said the same thing in fewer words.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by 9erguy:

Originally posted by JiksJuicy:
I ain't even worried tbch.

With you.

Same

Ditto