Eric Heitmann is a Good Football Player

Heitmann doesn't have the push in the middle and isn't a mauler for the power running game. He gets the job done with technique, and has the experience to make the line calls. That's why the people that have been brought in to compete with him for the job don't get it. Other players may be more of a fit physically, but they are afraid to put a younger player in there who may struggle with the line audibles.

Originally posted by RDB4216:
Heitmann doesn't have the push in the middle and isn't a mauler for the power running game. He gets the job done with technique, and has the experience to make the line calls. That's why the people that have been brought in to compete with him for the job don't get it. Other players may be more of a fit physically, but they are afraid to put a younger player in there who may struggle with the line audibles.

The drafting of Cody Wallace was done for 2 purposes. First, to be an insurance policy in case Heitmann was not fully recovered from his injury in 2007. Second, to prepare the Niners for the possibility that Heitmann would not re-sign with the team.

Now that Heitmann made a terrific physical comeback, and played at a high level in 2008, and extended his contract with the team, the future of Cody Wallace is very uncertain. If the Niners want Wallace to get into the game, he will probably have to beat out David Baas. However, he gives up about 30 pounds to Baas, so it is unlikely that Wallace will have much of a chance until at least 2010.

[ Edited by MadDog49er on Jan 31, 2009 at 09:55:02 ]

Originally posted by 09etihW:
"The center I like a lot." - Jimmy Raye II

http://www.contracostatimes.com/49ers/ci_11594771

i thought that was interesting too. jimmy knows our defensive guys better for obvious reasons but he singled out eric as a player he really liked.

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Originally posted by RDB4216:
Heitmann doesn't have the push in the middle and isn't a mauler for the power running game. He gets the job done with technique, and has the experience to make the line calls. That's why the people that have been brought in to compete with him for the job don't get it. Other players may be more of a fit physically, but they are afraid to put a younger player in there who may struggle with the line audibles.

The drafting of Cody Wallace was done for 2 purposes. First, to be an insurance policy in case Heitmann was not fully recovered from his injury in 2007. Second, to prepare the Niners for the possibility that Heitmann would not re-sign with the team.

Now that Heitmann made a terrific physical comeback, and played at a high level in 2008, and extended his contract with the team, the future of Cody Wallace is very uncertain. If the Niners want Wallace to get into the game, he will probably have to beat out David Baas. However, he gives up about 30 pounds to Baas, so it is unlikely that Wallace will have much of a chance until at least 2010.

He could replace Wragge on the roster, who I think is a free agent this year - or a RFA.

Originally posted by dmbgeek87:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Originally posted by RDB4216:
Heitmann doesn't have the push in the middle and isn't a mauler for the power running game. He gets the job done with technique, and has the experience to make the line calls. That's why the people that have been brought in to compete with him for the job don't get it. Other players may be more of a fit physically, but they are afraid to put a younger player in there who may struggle with the line audibles.

The drafting of Cody Wallace was done for 2 purposes. First, to be an insurance policy in case Heitmann was not fully recovered from his injury in 2007. Second, to prepare the Niners for the possibility that Heitmann would not re-sign with the team.

Now that Heitmann made a terrific physical comeback, and played at a high level in 2008, and extended his contract with the team, the future of Cody Wallace is very uncertain. If the Niners want Wallace to get into the game, he will probably have to beat out David Baas. However, he gives up about 30 pounds to Baas, so it is unlikely that Wallace will have much of a chance until at least 2010.

He could replace Wragge on the roster, who I think is a free agent this year - or a RFA.

If Wallace develops well this offseason, Wragge could be dispensible. Wallace will first have to show that he can play the guard position, since Wragge was the backup at RG in 2008.

Yes he is!!!

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Originally posted by dmbgeek87:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Originally posted by RDB4216:
Heitmann doesn't have the push in the middle and isn't a mauler for the power running game. He gets the job done with technique, and has the experience to make the line calls. That's why the people that have been brought in to compete with him for the job don't get it. Other players may be more of a fit physically, but they are afraid to put a younger player in there who may struggle with the line audibles.

The drafting of Cody Wallace was done for 2 purposes. First, to be an insurance policy in case Heitmann was not fully recovered from his injury in 2007. Second, to prepare the Niners for the possibility that Heitmann would not re-sign with the team.

Now that Heitmann made a terrific physical comeback, and played at a high level in 2008, and extended his contract with the team, the future of Cody Wallace is very uncertain. If the Niners want Wallace to get into the game, he will probably have to beat out David Baas. However, he gives up about 30 pounds to Baas, so it is unlikely that Wallace will have much of a chance until at least 2010.

He could replace Wragge on the roster, who I think is a free agent this year - or a RFA.

If Wallace develops well this offseason, Wragge could be dispensible. Wallace will first have to show that he can play the guard position, since Wragge was the backup at RG in 2008.

Wragge would be both RG and OC backups, since Wallace wasn't on the active 45 player roster.

Lets not be in too much of a hurry to dispense with Wragge, who is very versatile. My hopes for Wallace merely rest on him becoming an acceptable backup center.

Pity he cant play RT!!!

Originally posted by English:
Lets not be in too much of a hurry to dispense with Wragge, who is very versatile. My hopes for Wallace merely rest on him becoming an acceptable backup center.

Pity he cant play RT!!!

I hear you, but I do believe that if management wanted a RT, they would have selected a RT. Management made a decisive decision to draft Wallace, let's accept him for what he is.

[ Edited by singfan on Jan 31, 2009 at 11:48:27 ]

Originally posted by singfan:

Originally posted by English:
Lets not be in too much of a hurry to dispense with Wragge, who is very versatile. My hopes for Wallace merely rest on him becoming an acceptable backup center.

Pity he cant play RT!!!

I hear you, but I do believe that if management wanted a RT, they would have selected a RT. Management made a decisive decision to draft Wallace, let's accept him for what he is.

Singfan, the exclamation marks mean that the comment is not meant to be taken seriously

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by singfan:

Originally posted by English:
Lets not be in too much of a hurry to dispense with Wragge, who is very versatile. My hopes for Wallace merely rest on him becoming an acceptable backup center.

Pity he cant play RT!!!

I hear you, but I do believe that if management wanted a RT, they would have selected a RT. Management made a decisive decision to draft Wallace, let's accept him for what he is.

Singfan, the exclamation marks mean that the comment is not meant to be taken seriously

Oh, I don't know about that. An exclamation point usually means that you are trying to reinforce a point. I believe that, subconsciously, you are angry that we didn't draft a RT because you are dissatisfied with the RT position and feel that the last thing we needed to do was draft a backup center. Next time try one of the smileys and your message may be taken in a different way.

bump

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
bump

i agree...but get over yourself lol

lets just hope Snyder, Baas, and Staley turn out. we would be ahead of the game if we didnt need to make it a priority to sign any big name f/a oline guys. although we could use a RT

I don't hate the guy but he does leave much to be desired as a run blocker. Also, it seems defenses can tell what sort of play the Niners are gonna run by the way he looks up before he snaps the ball. Maybe I'm reading too much into that though. Anyway, he'll have to do as I don't see us picking up an impact center early on in the draft as our needs are safety(my eyes still hurt from glimpsing again and again teh suck that is Mark Roman) and DE(a lesser need IMO but one can't have too many rushers). However I wouldn't mind at all trading down for an extra pick in the first and picking up Alex Mack from Cal. This kid as an animal.

...Mack still stood out from all of the linemen from either team. It was facinating to watch him playing center. Not one lineman sniffed the quarterback on his watch and gaping holes were opened by the Pac-10 Morris Award winner. He showed a good motor by finishing plays and better yet, he finished every block during the game.

What probably raised his stock the most was how well he played at guard. On one play, he walled off the defensive line opening probably the biggest running lane of the evening. Both Eric Wood of Louisville and Unger played well, but they weren't as dominating as Mack was on the night. In fact, I don't think any offensive lineman was.

When scouts and NFL personnel pop in the game tape, Mack's draft stock should rise considerably for any team looking to get either a guard or a center.

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