Resigning Carter the First Step to a Solid Offseason

Feb 11, 2006 at 12:00 AM


After another down year for the San Francisco 49ers, one would think the team might be due to catch a break. And luckily, for the first time in quite a while, the salary cap, at least, won't be breathing down the team's neck, as the 49ers finally acquired about $20 million worth of separation between themselves and their most dreaded of foes. So it's finally all smooth sailing ahead, right?
     
Wrong. It seems that in the NFL, especially when you're the 49ers right now, you just can't win for losing. The best stocked position on the team—indeed the only position that's fair to call well-stocked—is going to need some major work to maintain this offseason.

Starting linebackers Derek Smith, Andre Carter, Julian Peterson, and versatile backup Brandon Moore are all poised to enter free agency. In fact, of the linebackers thought to have a starting future on the team, the only one under contract for 2007 at this point is Jeff Ulbrich. With all these questions about next year's linebacker corps, it's clear, then, that the Niners have some decisions to make.

And the first and most crucial answer should be resigning Andre Carter.

Carter, more than any other player on the Niners to-do list, would ensure the possibility of a solid offseason, because he gives them flexibility above all else.

Go ahead. Break down the possibilities. No solution works better than resigning Carter. With Carter, the team is poised to either remain in a 3-4 or return to the 4-3 depending on which players are available via the draft and free-agency.

Let's start with the two most valuable players who could be available when the Niners first pick either sixth or seventh overall: A. J. Hawk, a linebacker out of Ohio State, and Mario Williams, a defensive end from NC State. Both are considered to be as close to sure things as prospects can get, and both could fill definite needs for the 49ers. But each would send the team in radically different directions on defense.

If Carter is resigned, the team is effectively free to draft either, and whichever prospect falls to the team will be a welcome addition. Williams and Carter would be twin terrors off the edge with a switch back to the 4-3. The two would provide the team with a pair of DE's that could compare favorably with the best in the league. Hawk, on the other hand, would be able to admirably replace Derek Smith at the ILB position in the 3-4.

'But,' you say, 'all that is immaterial drivel. The Niners are trading down.' And there's a very strong possibility that you're right. But if that's the case, Carter is still a good first step to a solid offseason. After all, if the team does lose Julian Peterson, finding two new 3-4 OLBs would be much more difficult than only one, even in a draft that all agree is very deep at the linebacker position.

There are drawbacks to this strategy, of course. Carter has been injured over the years and there's no guarantee that he would be healthy enough to justify a new long term contract. He also didn't put up as many sacks as the team had probably hoped in his new role at rush linebacker. But he did apply good pressure, especially towards the end of the season (see the Niners win at St. Louis). With more experience in the system and better players around him, there's no reason not to expect his raw numbers to improve.

Resigning Andre Carter certainly isn't the only way to start the offseason, but it is the way that would provide the 49ers with the most flexibility in the draft and free-agency. For a team that still needs to find itself on both offense and defense, the freedom to do so that Carter provides may be too valuable to let go.

*************************************************

Random thoughts of the moment:

1)      I still think the 49ers most pressing need is at wide receiver, unless the team loses nearly all its linebackers. Unfortunately, this isn't a particularly strong area in the draft this year, especially if the team is looking for big playmakers. Both Norv Turner and Scot McCloughan have a history of liking bigger guys at the position, so there's no reason to think that will change now. And that brings me to my hope that the Niners could somehow acquire Eric Moulds, who would be the perfect stopgap for about three years, as Alex Smith develops into his pro role. There have been some indications of attitude problems with Moulds, but he's lasted ten years in Buffalo, so there's no reason to think that three years in SF is unreasonable.

2)      It's still early, but it sure seems like there's going to be a ton of talent in this draft. And the best place to be will be towards the end of round one and beginning of round two, where there will still be a ton of talent. Prospects selected here might have been mid first round picks had they come out in years past, and if the Niners could stockpile a few picks in this area, it should be well worth it.

3)      If you couldn't tell by my article, I'm really loving the idea of the 49ers possibly drafting Mario Williams out of NC State with their first pick. Line him up at LE, resign Andre Carter to play RE, and use the rotating group of Bryant Young, Isaac Sopoaga, Anthony Adams, and Marques Douglas at DT. Corey Smith could rotate in at DE, and suddenly you've got one heck of a defensive line. Sign Brandon Moore back if you can, and you've already got Jeff Ulbrich to play the MLB spot, so all you need is one WLB. Will Witherspoon in FA could do that nicely, or the Niners could wait until the second or third round in the draft to fill that spot.

4)      Overall, assuming the Niners manage to resign two of their free agent LBs, which seems reasonable, the team will probably be looking to replace one defensive player, add one cornerback or safety, and add some firepower to the passing game on the first day of the draft.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.


0 Comments

  • No Comments

Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News



Brock Purdy on pace to be 49ers' first 4,000-yard passer since Jeff Garcia

By JD Salazar
Sep 22

Since the turn of the century, there have been 179 single-season quarterback performances of at least 4,000 yards. The 49ers, as fans well know, have but one—Jeff Garcia's impressive but futile 4,278 yard effort in a 2000 season that saw SF go just 6-10. Since then, that franchise high-water mark has gone untouched. There have been a few other contenders to rally around in that span—Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick, and Jimmy Garoppolo, but each have fallen short of that historic mark. Brock Purdy, though, will at least threaten to meet that lofty expectation. With his latest 310-yard, two-touchdown performance, Purdy finds himself on pace for a 4,171-yard season in 2023. His key trait has been his efficiency; so far this year, he's completed 67.0% of his passes, and



49ers run defense faces first real challenge vs. Cardinals

By Rohan Chakravarthi
Sep 30

The San Francisco 49ers have dominated through three games this season, outscoring opponents 92-42 en route to a 3-0 record, which only has been matched by two other teams in the NFL thus far. Through three games, the 49ers have started strong, forcing opponents to implement more of a pass-heavy approach, while their opponents haven't been strong rushing teams as well. In Week 1, the Pittsburgh Steelers threw the ball 46 times, rushing just 10 times in a 30-7 loss to San Francisco. The Los Angeles Rams had 55 passing attempts and 22 rushes in Week 2, while the New York Giants had 33 passing attempts to 11 rushes in Week



Three quick takeaways from first half of 49ers vs. Cardinals

By Rohan Chakravarthi
20 hrs

The San Francisco 49ers have jumped out to a 21-10 lead against the Arizona Cardinals at the half, leading by two scores for the majority of the second quarter. With a half that consisted of longer scoring drives, the 49ers only saw three first-half opportunities, scoring touchdowns on all three of their offensive chances, all via running back Christian McCaffrey. The Cardinals gained some momentum at the end of the half, with quarterback Josh Dobbs conducting a 13-play, 87-yard touchdown drive that consisted of nearly five minutes, bridging the gap to within two touchdowns with under a minute left in the half. Here are three quick takeaways from San Francisco's first-half performance against the Arizona


Featured

More by Denis Griffin

More Articles

Share 49ersWebzone