Could Michael Spurlock beat out Battle and Zeigler?

I guess that depends on if we keep 5 or 6. What doesn't seem to ever enter into these sorts of discussions is that you need at least a couple of WRs capable and willing to play special teams. You know that Crabtree, Morgan and Bruce won't so that leaves all the other guys; Jones, Battle, Hill, etc. ...

The final WR spots may be determined by who can also play Special Teams.

Originally posted by prometheus:
I think we all are going to be surprised that Singletary will cut or ask Bruce to retire.

No.

Originally posted by King49er:
I will be disgusted if Arnaz Battle is cut,anyone who actually watched the games last year would know why I feel this way.

He was money on 3rd downs before he got hurt.

Anyone who thinks Battle should be cut is just a Madden player who is bothered by the fact that his rating isn't what they want it to be,in real life,he is an asset to this team.

The guy can't stay healthy and now we have a few wide receivers that are better than him, which hasn't been the case over the last few years. The fact Arnaz Battle is probably not going to make our team is a good sign, it means we have gotten better at the WR posistion and I bet u there won't be many teams that will rush to sign Arnaz Battle. I think the 49ers are privately trying to trade him or holding out hope that some team may be interested in trading for him in pre-season if they have a WR go down.

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by King49er:
I will be disgusted if Arnaz Battle is cut,anyone who actually watched the games last year would know why I feel this way.

He was money on 3rd downs before he got hurt.

Anyone who thinks Battle should be cut is just a Madden player who is bothered by the fact that his rating isn't what they want it to be,in real life,he is an asset to this team.

The guy can't stay healthy and now we have a few wide receivers that are better than him, which hasn't been the case over the last few years. The fact Arnaz Battle is probably not going to make our team is a good sign, it means we have gotten better at the WR posistion and I bet u there won't be many teams that will rush to sign Arnaz Battle. I think the 49ers are privately trying to trade him or holding out hope that some team may be interested in trading for him in pre-season if they have a WR go down.

Trading Battle for a pick would be great, but I just don't see it happening. Maybe if there was a backup DB that was better than what have and in a similar situation to Battle. Still though, I think it's unlikely we'd be able to trade Battle.

I do think that he could end up doing well for himself on the right team. Sort of like Cedric Wilson on the Steelers. A team that already has 2 good starters but is looking for dependable 3rd WR would probably be real happy with Battle. But that team will probably just wait for him to get cut.

mr battle is gone this year. way too much talent to ignore to keep battle. i like battle but the last two years he had injury issues with his legs. a reciever with bad legs is no good. he was a good player for us when we sucked but i think the team is too talented at receiver for battle to stick around

Originally posted by King49er:
I will be disgusted if Arnaz Battle is cut,anyone who actually watched the games last year would know why I feel this way.

He was money on 3rd downs before he got hurt.

Anyone who thinks Battle should be cut is just a Madden player who is bothered by the fact that his rating isn't what they want it to be,in real life,he is an asset to this team.

please man that's stupid

He has been money and he would be a great back up if he wasn't injured all the time. That's my only problem with him and why I don't think he makes the team, there's always something wrong with him. If he can get through training camp without getting hurt or missing practices it will be a miracle


edit: you know what, he probably will make the team but he will hardly play because of injuries

[ Edited by teeohh on Jun 14, 2009 at 18:57:39 ]

Originally posted by nw9erfan:

Originally posted by 49erRider:

Originally posted by TheFunkyChicken:
The conventional wisdom has been that it would most likely be Battle, with Zeigler having a slim chance to beat him out.

The problem with Battle is we all know what he can do. He's an average player that will put up mediocre numbers if given a LOT of playing time. He's never been anything more than average and now that he's getting older it's highly unlikely that will change. People on here love him because he was the "most reliable" receiver on the team for several years, but think back and tell me who we had that was any good back then. Nobody. Battle was the best receiver amongst a bunch of awful receivers. Now, I can't sing very well, but I guarantee if you put me in a group with a bunch of awful singers I will sing better than most of them, if not all of them. Does that really mean anything though? Not really. It just means I'm better than a bunch of other people that suck. Same thing with Battle.

Basically what I'm saying is we all know what to expect out of Arnaz Battle. We don't know what we'll get out of Dominique Zeigler or Michael Spurlock, and personally, I'd like to find out. They could both be terrible receivers for all we know. On the other hand, they could be solid receivers or even heavy contributors. We don't know because they've never been given the chance.

We have a very solid group of receivers right now, and if we were ever in a position to take a gamble on a wide receiver, now is the time. Brandon Jones is like a faster version of Battle, anyway. I'd rather see what one of the other two players can do than have Battle go out there and be an average player.

This is well expressed.... I certainly hope it is true. Jones does seem like the type...tough, gritty, and loves the game. I think Battle has been better than you give him credit for though (the NFL consensus is that Battle has been one of, if not, the best blocking WRs in the game). He has done all the little things and done them quite well....also has been a clutch player with a great attitude.

The real problem with Battle is that he is 30 years old and years of NFL abuse is finally catching up to him. He has a chronic arthritic problem with one of his knees which prevents him from practicing much during the season. The guy has been a total gamer since he joined the team but he is certainly past his prime and can't be depended upon to stay healthy. Sorry about that Arnaz...

Again, if the Niners cut Zeigler, mark my words, he will contribute to another team right away.... The guy just gets open and makes plays....period. My fear is that an NFC West team like Seattle or St. Louis, who both have a need for a good possession wideout will pick him up and really develop him into a solid starter. Keep Ziggy!!!

Like you, i just have a feeling about Ziggy. If we don't keep him, I think he'll contribute on some other team, and if he gets some real playing time, can have very respectable numbers and be a factor. McCafery is a good comparison though physically bigger; not quite the stick Ziggy is. If only he could put on 10-15 lbs! Don't know enough about spurlock yet. Let's see what transpires in TC.

no

Originally posted by 49erRider:

Originally posted by nw9erfan:
I think Battle has been better than you give him credit for though (the NFL consensus is that Battle has been one of, if not, the best blocking WRs in the game). He has done all the little things and done them quite well....also has been a clutch player with a great attitude.

And I think you give him more credit than he deserves, which is nothing new around this forum. He is NOT one of the best blocking WRs in the league and he most definitely is NOT the best blocking WR in the league. He's a good blocker, but you're going way overboard. He's the best blocking WR on THIS team. That's it. Anyone who thinks Battle is one of the best at anything needs to take a look around the league.

He plays with a lot of heart and many people like to say he's a "gamer," whatever that means, but don't fool yourself into thinking Battle is more valuable than he really is. He doesn't create seperation, he's not explosive (having a handful of explosive plays over the course of six seasons is not enough), he doesn't have great speed and he simply is not a playmaker. Everyone says he's "clutch," people need to get real. How many clutch plays has he really made? The only year he came up big on 3rd downs was 06 when Antonio Bryant was here commanding double teams, but people like to act like he's always come up big on 3rd downs, which is a load of crap and everyone knows it. Battle needs that #1 receiver to take attention away from him in order to make plays. Everyone also tries to say he has great hands, but in 07 he was competing with Darrell Jackson for the most drops on the team.

Battle is a mediocre player that plays with a lot of heart, but heart does not give you the skills required to be good at WR. He gets a lot of love on this forum, but lets get real for a moment, shall we? If Arnaz Battle was on a different team (one that you happened to know about, but was not your team) you wouldn't be giving him the type of credit you are. We all know this. He simply hasn't done anything to deserve the praise he receives. He's a 49er, so 49er fans will try as hard as they can to find a reason to praise him.

The fact of the matter is if he was really any good, he wouldn't be competing for the 5TH WR slot.

You seem to be missing my main point which is.....Battle is now past his prime and therefore can't be counted upon to stay healthy.....and I still think you are being too hard on him.

You are correct in saying that Battle's skills have never been first rate...I agree. He did have an off year in '07 so that is also a point you made that is correct. He played QB in college and therefore had to learn the position in the pros. He also lacks speed and quickness. However, overall, he has had very dependable hands and is extremely tough. Incidentally, my definition of a "gamer" is someone that plays hurt, doesn't complain, makes clutch plays, and plays all out even if his team is down by 40 points. Arnaz qualifies on all counts.
I've heard national commentators say that Battle has been one of the best blocking WRs in the game. I've been living up here in Seattle the past several years and have heard Seahawk coaches talk about his blocking and the little things that he does that show up on film that they wish their young receivers did.
I don't base my points on what zoners say and often disagree with the points being made in the Zone. I'm disagreeing with you right now! I've actually been one of the more outspoken critics of this team over the years....when I believe the criticism was justified...

Final point....I think if Arnaz Battle gets cut in TC, he will get a lot of interest around the league because he is such an intelligent team player....unless of course, it is really obvious that he simply can't play any more....which very well may be the case.

Originally posted by sanfranfan1210:
hopefully we keep him he seemed like a cool dude when I got his auto today

Nice guys finish last

The top five are set...and with the possibility they'll keep 4 QB's, that might be all the WR's they'll have on the 53-man roster. Zeigler's eligible for PS, so that's where he'll probably end up. I like what Spurlock brings...I'm just not seeing a roster spot for him.

Please be kidding, is this a joke, Ziegler and Spurlock will NOT be on the team when the season starts

Someone please answer this.....
When (if ever) was the last time Arnaz Battle was healthy?

Sorry to play the fact check police, but, here we go:

1) Before Battle's injury last season, he played in more than 40+ consecutive games. The "always injured" label is the most naive and untelligent label given to him by the masses on the board. It is an urban legend.

2) Battle has sat out a fair amount of practices in the past, but shows up for game time. The same pattern of missed practices can be said for many other players around the league, and yet Battle is seemingly the only one pointed out.

3) Battle did not injure his leg in 2008. I believe 90% of the board still thinks he had a knee injury. It was his foot. His legs are reportedly sound right now.

4) Battle led the 49ers in receptions before his injury in 2008....as a backup.

Personal statement: Even if you do not like a certain player, at least be fair in your statements about said player. Inaccurate statements either show bias, or a serious lack of knowledge. End the urban legends.

They'll try to get Zeigler on to the practice squad. I don't know if Spurlock is eligible for that. But, I've never understood why ANYONE doesn't like Arnez Battle. The guy is a great athlete, very smart and a good player.