My Ambitious (somewhat realistic) 2010 Wishlist by Position

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:

FB - Don't discount Norris. Look at the pathetic Lions. He was a bright spot on that team.

And he's 31 years old. He's not staying with us for another 7 years.

Originally posted by BMore9ersfan:

Originally posted by lamontb:

Originally posted by NickSh49:
Can we pull the damn Bear Pascoe bus over to the side of the road? He was drafted to be a blocking TE. Good Lord.

It's like last summer when everyone was saying Cody Wallace was going to replace Heitman by mid-season in 2008. What a joke.

It happens every year. There's always one or two late round draft picks or FA rookies that most people have never heard of prior to the draft but swear he's the next great thing after reading a couple promising blurbs about him during OTAs or watching him have a good Pre-Season game.

Yeah, kinda like Josh Morgan, huh?

The difference is, with Morgan, many good things were being said about his abilities and then he showed he can be a good player. So far, Pascoe seems to have shown receiving abilities and might actually be a pretty good player. Cody Wallace on the other hand, I don't even recall reading anything positive about the guy. Same goes for a lot of late-rounders that people here like to beef up. I think Pascoe may be different and that's not because I want him to be good, it's because it sounds like he might be. I'd rather have Vernon Davis end up being a good Tight End than anyone else.

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
Let me edit by saying that I DON'T think we should go for BOTH mentioned FA's. But these are options that we have at the positions.

QB
-Shaun Hill establishes himself, not just a short time solution, but as a winner who can manage this team all the way. Not as a 400 yd/game MVP, but as a guy who can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and put others in position to do the same. (He's the only natural leader on our team outside our head coach).

I completely disagree with this statement. Spikes, Willis, Clements just to name a few are big leaders on this team.

Originally posted by 49erRider:

Originally posted by BMore9ersfan:

Originally posted by lamontb:

Originally posted by NickSh49:
Can we pull the damn Bear Pascoe bus over to the side of the road? He was drafted to be a blocking TE. Good Lord.

It's like last summer when everyone was saying Cody Wallace was going to replace Heitman by mid-season in 2008. What a joke.

It happens every year. There's always one or two late round draft picks or FA rookies that most people have never heard of prior to the draft but swear he's the next great thing after reading a couple promising blurbs about him during OTAs or watching him have a good Pre-Season game.

Yeah, kinda like Josh Morgan, huh?

The difference is, with Morgan, many good things were being said about his abilities and then he showed he can be a good player. So far, Pascoe seems to have shown receiving abilities and might actually be a pretty good player. Cody Wallace on the other hand, I don't even recall reading anything positive about the guy. Same goes for a lot of late-rounders that people here like to beef up. I think Pascoe may be different and that's not because I want him to be good, it's because it sounds like he might be. I'd rather have Vernon Davis end up being a good Tight End than anyone else.

There's always going to be exceptions to the rule. Morgan has shown that he may turn out to be a special type of player, but even with him people seem to go overboard. I love what it looks like Morgan has to offer and I'm hoping for the best. Some people talk about the kid like he tore the league up last year. To listen to them talk you wouldn't think the they were discussing a guy that only had 20 receptions, 300 yards and 2 td and has yet to have more than 5 receptions or 100 yards in a game. Averaging 16 yards per reception is nothing to sneeze at though, but his relatively modest reception count suggests that we should temper our enthusiasm until he's done it over a full season. Don’t get me wrong, I think Morgan was a great find. Unlike some though, I’m not ready to crown him a stud until I see him perform at a high level over a complete season.

As far as Pascoe goes, I’m just as excited as anyone over what I’ve read about his performance during the OTAs. I’d like to see what he does in pads during live action though. Isn’t this the same argument that we hear about A. Smith? That he always looks great in practices, but when the bullets start flying he locks up. Doesn’t it make sense then that we take that same wait and see approach with all players until they prove other wise?

What we need from Pascoe is what we had with Brent Jones. Someone who can find the holes in the defenses and just catch the ball. Davis is athletic but can't catch and find the holes in the defenses on a consistent basis

Originally posted by Lott49ersFan:

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
Let me edit by saying that I DON'T think we should go for BOTH mentioned FA's. But these are options that we have at the positions.

QB
-Shaun Hill establishes himself, not just a short time solution, but as a winner who can manage this team all the way. Not as a 400 yd/game MVP, but as a guy who can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and put others in position to do the same. (He's the only natural leader on our team outside our head coach).

I completely disagree with this statement. Spikes, Willis, Clements just to name a few are big leaders on this team.

I mentioned that I didn't count Spikes because I don't think he'll be here in 2010. Willis is NOT a leader. Great player? Absolutely! Natural leader? Vocal leader? Simply not

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:

Originally posted by WillistheWall:
Sorry dude but youre dreaming. norris wont be our fb for the next 7 years, no way gore gets 15 tds next year, youre underrating coffie, haralson already is capable of 8-10 sacks, crabtrees still just a rookie, etc.

Great summary. And i'm not too high on Merriman. I think Wilfork is a better fit and someone we should pursue. Of course though, Franklin started to come around (so did a lot of the D) near the tail end of the season. Trying to predict 2010 is a little bit of a waste of time. As bored as you may be. -9fA

yup. and i wouldnt mind wilfork but if we really want to be able to pull that type of talent away from teams like the pats then we actually have to start WINNING. Because if we dont do that then this whole discussion is moot anyway. lets not jump the gun yet, the 9ers still have to play 2009.

Originally posted by wysiwyg:

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
QB
-Shaun Hill establishes himself, not just a short time solution, but as a winner who can manage this team all the way. Not as a 400 yd/game MVP, but as a guy who can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and put others in position to do the same. (He's the only natural leader on our team outside our head coach).

RB
-Frank Gore comes back to form, or at the least maintains. ~1300 yds and 15 TDs, with another 500+ receiving yards. This is not too much to ask for from a running team with some decent receiving targets and a player of Frank's talents.

-Coffee establishes himself as a guy who can gain the short yards. To be honest, this is not something I can see happening.

-Moran Norris becomes the lead blocker of the future. Not necessarily a perennial pro-bowler, but a guy we don't have to consider replacing for the next 7 years.

WR
-Morgan Establishes himself as a #1, Crabtree establishes himself as TD target and a great blocker, Jason Hill stays healthy, Ziegler makes the team and makes and impact. Brandon Jones is on this team? Why?

OT
-Alex Boone conquers his drinking/laziness demons, beats out Snyder and Smith for the starting sport, and becomes a legitimate run blocking starter by 2010.

OG
-Tony Wragge proves he can start once Baas is let go.

C
-I like Heitman. He anchors this line. Just wish that is Wragge starts at OG, and Baas moves on, that Wallace can be counted on as a backup

TE
-Sorry, don't see the long term potential for Davis, and lets face it, there is nothing to write home about behind him. I'm hoping Pascoe shows that he can catch 30 passes for ~300 yds per season. If Davis shows he can do 50/500 then we'll be set at the position with 2 decent receivers and great blockers. Would love a better outlet for Hill tho.

--------------

DE
-I think Smith is one of the best in the game as a 3-4 End. Can Balmer become effective? I hope so! He came out of college with size, athletecism, and strength. But he was raw. By 2010 I hope he can establish himself as a cusp pro-bowler.

NT
-I was Franklin here as a backup. He's a good player, but not the dominant NT that Spikes and Ulbrich alluded to. You need at least 2 NTs and I hope he's #2.

Here are options for the #1 NT:

-Wilfork. Pats won't re-sign him. They drafted his replacement, and they don't really re-sign players all that much. Does he fit here? I don't think he's a perfect fit. We see to like a smaller D-line, while the Pats love their big lineman. The bottom line, however, is that he's Wilfork, and we desperately need a NT.

-Suh - I think he's a perfect fit. Smaller than the 350lb NT, but may just be perfect for the system we are running which likes the Balmer/Ratliff sized guy as the middleman. He's athletic, strong, absurdly productive, and truly a playmaker.

ILB

-Willis develops further. I know people think he's perfect, but I think he's got a ways to go to be the centerpiece of our team. He could be, but may not be there quite yet.

-McKillop becomes the legitimate TED. He makes Willis better and becomes the leader of our defense that we really don't have right now.

OLB

-Haralson becomes an 8-12 sack guy. But moreso, he also becomes a guy that can get after the QB a little more often, make some other plays, and force a fumble or 2.

-Shawn Merriman. I know this sounds redicoulus. But it fits well. We need a pass rusher, he's one of the best ever. His contract is running out, and if he doesn't perform up to par this year --which is not too unlikely due to last year's injury-- AJ Smith may be reluctant to re-sign him for the type of money that his agent will demand. This team is not shy about spending on FAs when they like them, and we currently have plenty of cap space. Also, don't forget about the Merriman/Manusky connection, which may further push this team to pursue him. The big question is how much he wants to stay in SD, and how much the want him back.

CB

-Clements stays healthy, productive, and happy with his contract.

-Terrel Brown and Dre Bly hold their own. Nothing more, just hold their own. Maybe force a few turnovers.

S

-Eric Berry. With 2 first round picks there is no reason we can't target him if our QB situation is sorted out. Maybe the best safety prospect since Taylor, and could be the best safety on our team since Lott. I've said this before and I'll say it again. The correlation between having a great safety and winning superbowls is undeniable.

ST

-We draft a return man. As early as round 1 for all I care. Can we have someone who can take the ball all the way? Rossum doesn't exactly have many years left, and it's looking thin behind him. I really do want a Hester like return man.

I doubt all these things will happen. But its possible that we do draft 1 elite prospect, and sign 1 elite FA is he fits well.

Just bored and thinking about football. What are everyone's thoughts/own wishes?

If this is wishlist for next offseason, hmmm.

QB -- I don't want to reopen that can of 10,000 worms. Suffice it to say that there are too camps. I want to see what Nate can do but I am rooting for both Alex and Shaun to do will. If the situation is not solidified by next year, we'll probably use one of these 1sts. But to say that Hill is the only Natural leader on the tam?

RB -- I love Frank, but no way he makes 15 tds. He'll get 1,000 if he is healthy but Coffee will spell him. Norris is not the FB of the future.

WR -- I want 1A and 1B (Morgan and Crabs)

OT -- I'd like Boone to excel too

OG -- no

C -- not going there

NT -- If we could get Wilfork, great

ILB -- Agree

OLB -- Haralson is already a 8 sack guy

Merriman is not one of the best ever. Derrick Thomas, LT, yes. Merriman is a juiced up punk with 3 torn knee ligaments. Javon Kearse was on his way but petered out.

CB -- OK

S -- Taylor Mays lol

Eric Berry is superior to Taylor Mays in every facet of the game,the stats do not lie,just look at both of their stats and you will see that it is the truth.Not only does Berry cause more turnovers,he makes more tackles and can play every position in the defensive backfield.I know you guys get hung up on his size/speed combo,but it takes more than those two qualities o be a great safety.Mays is not very good in pass coverage,he is more suited to strong safety,Berry is a ballhawk and he also averages more than 40 yards a return on his interceptions.Check out the following links.

Eric Berry

Taylor Mays

Both are bad ass safeties,but the stats show which is the better one for the niners.I would be happy with either though,but Mays doesn't make the plays like Berry.

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by wysiwyg:

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
QB
-Shaun Hill establishes himself, not just a short time solution, but as a winner who can manage this team all the way. Not as a 400 yd/game MVP, but as a guy who can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and put others in position to do the same. (He's the only natural leader on our team outside our head coach).

RB
-Frank Gore comes back to form, or at the least maintains. ~1300 yds and 15 TDs, with another 500+ receiving yards. This is not too much to ask for from a running team with some decent receiving targets and a player of Frank's talents.

-Coffee establishes himself as a guy who can gain the short yards. To be honest, this is not something I can see happening.

-Moran Norris becomes the lead blocker of the future. Not necessarily a perennial pro-bowler, but a guy we don't have to consider replacing for the next 7 years.

WR
-Morgan Establishes himself as a #1, Crabtree establishes himself as TD target and a great blocker, Jason Hill stays healthy, Ziegler makes the team and makes and impact. Brandon Jones is on this team? Why?

OT
-Alex Boone conquers his drinking/laziness demons, beats out Snyder and Smith for the starting sport, and becomes a legitimate run blocking starter by 2010.

OG
-Tony Wragge proves he can start once Baas is let go.

C
-I like Heitman. He anchors this line. Just wish that is Wragge starts at OG, and Baas moves on, that Wallace can be counted on as a backup

TE
-Sorry, don't see the long term potential for Davis, and lets face it, there is nothing to write home about behind him. I'm hoping Pascoe shows that he can catch 30 passes for ~300 yds per season. If Davis shows he can do 50/500 then we'll be set at the position with 2 decent receivers and great blockers. Would love a better outlet for Hill tho.

--------------

DE
-I think Smith is one of the best in the game as a 3-4 End. Can Balmer become effective? I hope so! He came out of college with size, athletecism, and strength. But he was raw. By 2010 I hope he can establish himself as a cusp pro-bowler.

NT
-I was Franklin here as a backup. He's a good player, but not the dominant NT that Spikes and Ulbrich alluded to. You need at least 2 NTs and I hope he's #2.

Here are options for the #1 NT:

-Wilfork. Pats won't re-sign him. They drafted his replacement, and they don't really re-sign players all that much. Does he fit here? I don't think he's a perfect fit. We see to like a smaller D-line, while the Pats love their big lineman. The bottom line, however, is that he's Wilfork, and we desperately need a NT.

-Suh - I think he's a perfect fit. Smaller than the 350lb NT, but may just be perfect for the system we are running which likes the Balmer/Ratliff sized guy as the middleman. He's athletic, strong, absurdly productive, and truly a playmaker.

ILB

-Willis develops further. I know people think he's perfect, but I think he's got a ways to go to be the centerpiece of our team. He could be, but may not be there quite yet.

-McKillop becomes the legitimate TED. He makes Willis better and becomes the leader of our defense that we really don't have right now.

OLB

-Haralson becomes an 8-12 sack guy. But moreso, he also becomes a guy that can get after the QB a little more often, make some other plays, and force a fumble or 2.

-Shawn Merriman. I know this sounds redicoulus. But it fits well. We need a pass rusher, he's one of the best ever. His contract is running out, and if he doesn't perform up to par this year --which is not too unlikely due to last year's injury-- AJ Smith may be reluctant to re-sign him for the type of money that his agent will demand. This team is not shy about spending on FAs when they like them, and we currently have plenty of cap space. Also, don't forget about the Merriman/Manusky connection, which may further push this team to pursue him. The big question is how much he wants to stay in SD, and how much the want him back.

CB

-Clements stays healthy, productive, and happy with his contract.

-Terrel Brown and Dre Bly hold their own. Nothing more, just hold their own. Maybe force a few turnovers.

S

-Eric Berry. With 2 first round picks there is no reason we can't target him if our QB situation is sorted out. Maybe the best safety prospect since Taylor, and could be the best safety on our team since Lott. I've said this before and I'll say it again. The correlation between having a great safety and winning superbowls is undeniable.

ST

-We draft a return man. As early as round 1 for all I care. Can we have someone who can take the ball all the way? Rossum doesn't exactly have many years left, and it's looking thin behind him. I really do want a Hester like return man.

I doubt all these things will happen. But its possible that we do draft 1 elite prospect, and sign 1 elite FA is he fits well.

Just bored and thinking about football. What are everyone's thoughts/own wishes?

If this is wishlist for next offseason, hmmm.

QB -- I don't want to reopen that can of 10,000 worms. Suffice it to say that there are too camps. I want to see what Nate can do but I am rooting for both Alex and Shaun to do will. If the situation is not solidified by next year, we'll probably use one of these 1sts. But to say that Hill is the only Natural leader on the tam?

RB -- I love Frank, but no way he makes 15 tds. He'll get 1,000 if he is healthy but Coffee will spell him. Norris is not the FB of the future.

WR -- I want 1A and 1B (Morgan and Crabs)

OT -- I'd like Boone to excel too

OG -- no

C -- not going there

NT -- If we could get Wilfork, great

ILB -- Agree

OLB -- Haralson is already a 8 sack guy

Merriman is not one of the best ever. Derrick Thomas, LT, yes. Merriman is a juiced up punk with 3 torn knee ligaments. Javon Kearse was on his way but petered out.

CB -- OK

S -- Taylor Mays lol

Eric Berry is superior to Taylor Mays in every facet of the game,the stats do not lie,just look at both of their stats and you will see that it is the truth.Not only does Berry cause more turnovers,he makes more tackles and can play every position in the defensive backfield.I know you guys get hung up on his size/speed combo,but it takes more than those two qualities o be a great safety.Mays is not very good in pass coverage,he is more suited to strong safety,Berry is a ballhawk and he also averages more than 40 yards a return on his interceptions.Check out the following links.

Eric Berry

Taylor Mays

Both are bad ass safeties,but the stats show which is the better one for the niners.I would be happy with either though,but Mays doesn't make the plays like Berry.

I like him more too. This year will be very telling.

Originally posted by DANADA:
how can everybody have no faith in VD but half the people here still think Alex can be great. I think Vernon is in a much better position to be good player. Have some faith people.

Do not worry about Vernon and didnt he just have over 50 catches his second year?

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:

Originally posted by Lott49ersFan:

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
Let me edit by saying that I DON'T think we should go for BOTH mentioned FA's. But these are options that we have at the positions.

QB
-Shaun Hill establishes himself, not just a short time solution, but as a winner who can manage this team all the way. Not as a 400 yd/game MVP, but as a guy who can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and put others in position to do the same. (He's the only natural leader on our team outside our head coach).

I completely disagree with this statement. Spikes, Willis, Clements just to name a few are big leaders on this team.

I mentioned that I didn't count Spikes because I don't think he'll be here in 2010. Willis is NOT a leader. Great player? Absolutely! Natural leader? Vocal leader? Simply not

Leading by example is still leading. Are you going to tell me that you don't think Bryant Young was a leader? He was no more vocal than Willis is, yet he went out and played every down as hard as he could. Leaders don't always need to be the loudest players on the team. No disrespect to your viewpoint, I just see our leadership situation a little differently.

Originally posted by BMore9ersfan:

Originally posted by 49erRider:

Originally posted by BMore9ersfan:

Originally posted by lamontb:

Originally posted by NickSh49:
Can we pull the damn Bear Pascoe bus over to the side of the road? He was drafted to be a blocking TE. Good Lord.

It's like last summer when everyone was saying Cody Wallace was going to replace Heitman by mid-season in 2008. What a joke.

It happens every year. There's always one or two late round draft picks or FA rookies that most people have never heard of prior to the draft but swear he's the next great thing after reading a couple promising blurbs about him during OTAs or watching him have a good Pre-Season game.

Yeah, kinda like Josh Morgan, huh?

The difference is, with Morgan, many good things were being said about his abilities and then he showed he can be a good player. So far, Pascoe seems to have shown receiving abilities and might actually be a pretty good player. Cody Wallace on the other hand, I don't even recall reading anything positive about the guy. Same goes for a lot of late-rounders that people here like to beef up. I think Pascoe may be different and that's not because I want him to be good, it's because it sounds like he might be. I'd rather have Vernon Davis end up being a good Tight End than anyone else.

There's always going to be exceptions to the rule. Morgan has shown that he may turn out to be a special type of player, but even with him people seem to go overboard. I love what it looks like Morgan has to offer and I'm hoping for the best. Some people talk about the kid like he tore the league up last year. To listen to them talk you wouldn't think the they were discussing a guy that only had 20 receptions, 300 yards and 2 td and has yet to have more than 5 receptions or 100 yards in a game. Averaging 16 yards per reception is nothing to sneeze at though, but his relatively modest reception count suggests that we should temper our enthusiasm until he's done it over a full season. Don’t get me wrong, I think Morgan was a great find. Unlike some though, I’m not ready to crown him a stud until I see him perform at a high level over a complete season.

As far as Pascoe goes, I’m just as excited as anyone over what I’ve read about his performance during the OTAs. I’d like to see what he does in pads during live action though. Isn’t this the same argument that we hear about A. Smith? That he always looks great in practices, but when the bullets start flying he locks up. Doesn’t it make sense then that we take that same wait and see approach with all players until they prove other wise?

I agree with you, I'm just saying there is reason behind the hopes for Pascoe. It might not be much, but reason exists. A lot of the other guys I've seen people on here get behind have never shown any reason to think they will be any good. What has Cody Wallace done? What has Ricky Jean-Francois done in practice that people have raved about? What has Kory Sheets done in practice? I don't even know because they're obviously not making a big enough impact for the writers to mention it, but people still act like these guys are going to be big impact players. At least Pascoe has shown the ability to catch the football and has done enough to catch the attention of those who cover this team for a living. That's more reason to think he stands a chance at success than a lot of the other guys that people rant about.

Originally posted by Lott49ersFan:

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:

Originally posted by Lott49ersFan:

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
Let me edit by saying that I DON'T think we should go for BOTH mentioned FA's. But these are options that we have at the positions.

QB
-Shaun Hill establishes himself, not just a short time solution, but as a winner who can manage this team all the way. Not as a 400 yd/game MVP, but as a guy who can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and put others in position to do the same. (He's the only natural leader on our team outside our head coach).

I completely disagree with this statement. Spikes, Willis, Clements just to name a few are big leaders on this team.

I mentioned that I didn't count Spikes because I don't think he'll be here in 2010. Willis is NOT a leader. Great player? Absolutely! Natural leader? Vocal leader? Simply not

Leading by example is still leading. Are you going to tell me that you don't think Bryant Young was a leader? He was no more vocal than Willis is, yet he went out and played every down as hard as he could. Leaders don't always need to be the loudest players on the team. No disrespect to your viewpoint, I just see our leadership situation a little differently.

Bryant Young was far more vocal than Patrick Willis has been. The team looked up to him, not so much with Willis. Patrick Willis is a great player, but he's even admitted he is not ready to be a leader - yet. I would link you to the article where he says just that, but I'm too lazy.

Originally posted by Lott49ersFan:

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:

Originally posted by Lott49ersFan:

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
Let me edit by saying that I DON'T think we should go for BOTH mentioned FA's. But these are options that we have at the positions.

QB
-Shaun Hill establishes himself, not just a short time solution, but as a winner who can manage this team all the way. Not as a 400 yd/game MVP, but as a guy who can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and put others in position to do the same. (He's the only natural leader on our team outside our head coach).

I completely disagree with this statement. Spikes, Willis, Clements just to name a few are big leaders on this team.

I mentioned that I didn't count Spikes because I don't think he'll be here in 2010. Willis is NOT a leader. Great player? Absolutely! Natural leader? Vocal leader? Simply not

Leading by example is still leading. Are you going to tell me that you don't think Bryant Young was a leader? He was no more vocal than Willis is, yet he went out and played every down as hard as he could. Leaders don't always need to be the loudest players on the team. No disrespect to your viewpoint, I just see our leadership situation a little differently.

Willis is a phenomenal player, a great character guy, a hard worker, etc etc etc. He does many things that younger players should look up to, and in that respect he leads by example. But leadership is about more than being admirable. I'm talking about someone who controls the huddles, inspires people, and makes his teammates better. But more so than anything, it's a coach on the field, who understands the game, and his teammates, and knows how to allow each of his teammates to succeed on any given play. This could be anything from telling the defense where to line up, to calling the correct audible at the line, to Joe Montana calming down his nervous OT by pointing out John Candy in the stands. At this point Willis was unable to handle wearing the mic. This shows me he is not able to do what Rey Lewis, Dawkins, and Manning do. You ever see Big Ben running an offense? That's pretty special. But so is Hill. Purely as a leader, I think Hill is one of the best I've seen. The way his teammates respond, the way his offensive lineman go that extra mile for him, the way he manages huddles and the feel he has for the game is pretty special as well.

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by wysiwyg:

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
QB
-Shaun Hill establishes himself, not just a short time solution, but as a winner who can manage this team all the way. Not as a 400 yd/game MVP, but as a guy who can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and put others in position to do the same. (He's the only natural leader on our team outside our head coach).

RB
-Frank Gore comes back to form, or at the least maintains. ~1300 yds and 15 TDs, with another 500+ receiving yards. This is not too much to ask for from a running team with some decent receiving targets and a player of Frank's talents.

-Coffee establishes himself as a guy who can gain the short yards. To be honest, this is not something I can see happening.

-Moran Norris becomes the lead blocker of the future. Not necessarily a perennial pro-bowler, but a guy we don't have to consider replacing for the next 7 years.

WR
-Morgan Establishes himself as a #1, Crabtree establishes himself as TD target and a great blocker, Jason Hill stays healthy, Ziegler makes the team and makes and impact. Brandon Jones is on this team? Why?

OT
-Alex Boone conquers his drinking/laziness demons, beats out Snyder and Smith for the starting sport, and becomes a legitimate run blocking starter by 2010.

OG
-Tony Wragge proves he can start once Baas is let go.

C
-I like Heitman. He anchors this line. Just wish that is Wragge starts at OG, and Baas moves on, that Wallace can be counted on as a backup

TE
-Sorry, don't see the long term potential for Davis, and lets face it, there is nothing to write home about behind him. I'm hoping Pascoe shows that he can catch 30 passes for ~300 yds per season. If Davis shows he can do 50/500 then we'll be set at the position with 2 decent receivers and great blockers. Would love a better outlet for Hill tho.

--------------

DE
-I think Smith is one of the best in the game as a 3-4 End. Can Balmer become effective? I hope so! He came out of college with size, athletecism, and strength. But he was raw. By 2010 I hope he can establish himself as a cusp pro-bowler.

NT
-I was Franklin here as a backup. He's a good player, but not the dominant NT that Spikes and Ulbrich alluded to. You need at least 2 NTs and I hope he's #2.

Here are options for the #1 NT:

-Wilfork. Pats won't re-sign him. They drafted his replacement, and they don't really re-sign players all that much. Does he fit here? I don't think he's a perfect fit. We see to like a smaller D-line, while the Pats love their big lineman. The bottom line, however, is that he's Wilfork, and we desperately need a NT.

-Suh - I think he's a perfect fit. Smaller than the 350lb NT, but may just be perfect for the system we are running which likes the Balmer/Ratliff sized guy as the middleman. He's athletic, strong, absurdly productive, and truly a playmaker.

ILB

-Willis develops further. I know people think he's perfect, but I think he's got a ways to go to be the centerpiece of our team. He could be, but may not be there quite yet.

-McKillop becomes the legitimate TED. He makes Willis better and becomes the leader of our defense that we really don't have right now.

OLB

-Haralson becomes an 8-12 sack guy. But moreso, he also becomes a guy that can get after the QB a little more often, make some other plays, and force a fumble or 2.

-Shawn Merriman. I know this sounds redicoulus. But it fits well. We need a pass rusher, he's one of the best ever. His contract is running out, and if he doesn't perform up to par this year --which is not too unlikely due to last year's injury-- AJ Smith may be reluctant to re-sign him for the type of money that his agent will demand. This team is not shy about spending on FAs when they like them, and we currently have plenty of cap space. Also, don't forget about the Merriman/Manusky connection, which may further push this team to pursue him. The big question is how much he wants to stay in SD, and how much the want him back.

CB

-Clements stays healthy, productive, and happy with his contract.

-Terrel Brown and Dre Bly hold their own. Nothing more, just hold their own. Maybe force a few turnovers.

S

-Eric Berry. With 2 first round picks there is no reason we can't target him if our QB situation is sorted out. Maybe the best safety prospect since Taylor, and could be the best safety on our team since Lott. I've said this before and I'll say it again. The correlation between having a great safety and winning superbowls is undeniable.

ST

-We draft a return man. As early as round 1 for all I care. Can we have someone who can take the ball all the way? Rossum doesn't exactly have many years left, and it's looking thin behind him. I really do want a Hester like return man.

I doubt all these things will happen. But its possible that we do draft 1 elite prospect, and sign 1 elite FA is he fits well.

Just bored and thinking about football. What are everyone's thoughts/own wishes?

If this is wishlist for next offseason, hmmm.

QB -- I don't want to reopen that can of 10,000 worms. Suffice it to say that there are too camps. I want to see what Nate can do but I am rooting for both Alex and Shaun to do will. If the situation is not solidified by next year, we'll probably use one of these 1sts. But to say that Hill is the only Natural leader on the tam?

RB -- I love Frank, but no way he makes 15 tds. He'll get 1,000 if he is healthy but Coffee will spell him. Norris is not the FB of the future.

WR -- I want 1A and 1B (Morgan and Crabs)

OT -- I'd like Boone to excel too

OG -- no

C -- not going there

NT -- If we could get Wilfork, great

ILB -- Agree

OLB -- Haralson is already a 8 sack guy

Merriman is not one of the best ever. Derrick Thomas, LT, yes. Merriman is a juiced up punk with 3 torn knee ligaments. Javon Kearse was on his way but petered out.

CB -- OK

S -- Taylor Mays lol

Eric Berry is superior to Taylor Mays in every facet of the game,the stats do not lie,just look at both of their stats and you will see that it is the truth.Not only does Berry cause more turnovers,he makes more tackles and can play every position in the defensive backfield.I know you guys get hung up on his size/speed combo,but it takes more than those two qualities o be a great safety.Mays is not very good in pass coverage,he is more suited to strong safety,Berry is a ballhawk and he also averages more than 40 yards a return on his interceptions.Check out the following links.

Eric Berry

Taylor Mays

Both are bad ass safeties,but the stats show which is the better one for the niners.I would be happy with either though,but Mays doesn't make the plays like Berry.

I like him more too. This year will be very telling.

I am on the Berry Bandwagon. I like both safeties but from the evaluations and limited times I have seen them play I would say Mays is more a straight line athlete. Also, watching Berry he looks like a punt returner on defense when he gets back in a deep zone.

I said it in another post but to me Mays is worth one of our first round picks and Berry might be worth both. This year I hope I see a bunch of Tennessee games (on grainy YouTube clips that I can use as my tape to pronounce him the greatest ever!).