Barrows "49ers resigning Franklin, 50-50"

I hope we loose Franklin and gain Wilfork.....

Wilfork would be great, but I'd still like them to sign Franklin.

Originally posted by WINiner:
I hope we loose Franklin and gain Wilfork.....

I don't think the Pats will keep Wilfork since they used a mid 2nd rd pick on Ron Brace this year but you can be sure there will be a lot of teams interested in Wilfork. I gurantee you Wilfork will have more interest and get more money on the open market than Aubrayo Franklin will

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by DownSouth:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Oh well there's always Hampton or Wilfork.

Sopoaga at NT would be just fine, I don't think there would be much of a drop off and than let Balmer start at LDE. We will be okay either way, I still think Franklin will stay with the 49ers though.

Sopo played NT in the preseason against the other team's #2 and #3's. If he is anywhere close to a starting-quality NT, he would have dominated those backup-level O-linemen he played against. In those games, Sopo didn't even play well at NT, let alone dominate.

Sopo at NT would be a significant drop-off.

I think Franklin will be a Niner next year. If it comes to it, I think we'll use one of the tags to keep Franklin. Wilfork will be too expensive. I could see us go after an under-rated NT like Pickett or Bannan.

Soaps played NT late in 2007 and played very well. Pre-season? our whole defense played terrible in pre-season.

#1, if he played "very well", he'd have been the NT in 2008, #2, we didn't run a 3/4 in 2007 (the Nolan-hybrid era, ugh!), #3, which games in 2007 did he play "very well" in?

Originally posted by DownSouth:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by DownSouth:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Oh well there's always Hampton or Wilfork.

Sopoaga at NT would be just fine, I don't think there would be much of a drop off and than let Balmer start at LDE. We will be okay either way, I still think Franklin will stay with the 49ers though.

Sopo played NT in the preseason against the other team's #2 and #3's. If he is anywhere close to a starting-quality NT, he would have dominated those backup-level O-linemen he played against. In those games, Sopo didn't even play well at NT, let alone dominate.

Sopo at NT would be a significant drop-off.

I think Franklin will be a Niner next year. If it comes to it, I think we'll use one of the tags to keep Franklin. Wilfork will be too expensive. I could see us go after an under-rated NT like Pickett or Bannan.

Soaps played NT late in 2007 and played very well. Pre-season? our whole defense played terrible in pre-season.

#1, if he played "very well", he'd have been the NT in 2008, #2, we didn't run a 3/4 in 2007 (the Nolan-hybrid era, ugh!), #3, which games in 2007 did he play "very well" in?

Franklin missed about 4 games late in the 2007 season and Soaps replaced him and our run D was better than it was that whole year and Soaps played very solid football. And you say well if he played so well why wasn't he the starting NT in 2008? Well Nolan wanted him at LDE and you are forgetting he was a UFA and was going to command a lot of attention on the open market but we ended up resigning him (he got a nice size contract) before he could test the market. It was said the Packers and Browns were ready to pay him big bucks.

Originally posted by DownSouth:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by DownSouth:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Oh well there's always Hampton or Wilfork.

Sopoaga at NT would be just fine, I don't think there would be much of a drop off and than let Balmer start at LDE. We will be okay either way, I still think Franklin will stay with the 49ers though.

Sopo played NT in the preseason against the other team's #2 and #3's. If he is anywhere close to a starting-quality NT, he would have dominated those backup-level O-linemen he played against. In those games, Sopo didn't even play well at NT, let alone dominate.

Sopo at NT would be a significant drop-off.

I think Franklin will be a Niner next year. If it comes to it, I think we'll use one of the tags to keep Franklin. Wilfork will be too expensive. I could see us go after an under-rated NT like Pickett or Bannan.

Soaps played NT late in 2007 and played very well. Pre-season? our whole defense played terrible in pre-season.

#1, if he played "very well", he'd have been the NT in 2008, #2, we didn't run a 3/4 in 2007 (the Nolan-hybrid era, ugh!), #3, which games in 2007 did he play "very well" in?

Nose tackle Sopoaga re-ups with 49ers
John Crumpacker

Thursday, February 28, 2008

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

(02-27) 18:34 PST -- The 49ers kept another one of their own when they re-signed nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga on Wednesday to a five-year contract worth $20 million. Sopoaga, a four-year veteran, would have become an unrestricted free agent Friday, the start of free agency around the NFL.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"He feels very comfortable here," Sopoaga's agent, Kenny Zuckerman, said. "It's one of the closest cities to American Samoa. He really likes coach (Jim) Tomsula. He helped really develop him. That was a factor in staying. He's committed to the 49ers. It was definitely a good year for him. You see a guy who's just scratching the surface."

Under Tomsula, the 49ers' first-year defensive line coach, Sopoaga blossomed into a more complete player. He played in all 16 games, started five and recorded 58 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks and had a pass batted down.

There was not much difference in quality of play between starting nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin and Sopoaga in 2007, and the latter proved more productive than the former. In 14 starts, Franklin had 41 tackles and no sacks.



Read more: http://www2.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/28/SPK8VA9NU.DTL&hw=shaun&sn=368&sc=236#ixzz0WzbdhVAR

this team has to keep their functional starters...

they have to stop loosing key players....

they need to start finishing this builing process

Originally posted by ninergold:
He's really played well this year. If we don't get him back, we're going to take a step back.

Balmer hasn't really shown anything and the Evans signing on the DL has been a bust.

Has anybody noticed that Ron Fields has played pretty well after he left?

Did Franklin show anything last year? Everyone on the board was calling for Raji or Brace in the offseason. Not to mention I don't think Balmer gets bumped inside I would believe Soap would be better suited in that role and Balmer could hold his own on the outside

Originally posted by redmanc07:
Did Franklin show anything last year? Everyone on the board was calling for Raji or Brace in the offseason. Not to mention I don't think Balmer gets bumped inside I would believe Soap would be better suited in that role and Balmer could hold his own on the outside

He did once Nolan was fired and his assignments changed.

I truly believe that good nose tackles are products of their systems. Franklin has played well not only because he's elevated his game (he has), but Manusky has put him in position to succeed. However, Franklin playing alongside someone other than Justin Smith and in front of Patrick Willis is a different player.

Also, defensive linemen generally don't play past their 32nd birthday.

[ Edited by redrathman on Nov 15, 2009 at 21:27:40 ]

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Oh well there's always Hampton or Wilfork.

Actually, I'm hoping Hampton or Wilfork will make it easier to sign Franklin.

Just curious, but how will they make it easier?? If anything, they would make it harder for our FO to sign him. All he would do is compare his production to theirs, and if I'm not mistaken, hes doing all helluva lot better than both of them right now. We'll be pretty screwed if he makes it to the Pro Bowl.

Originally posted by Kolohe:

Originally posted by Oakland-Niner:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Oh well there's always Hampton or Wilfork.

Actually, I'm hoping Hampton or Wilfork will make it easier to sign Franklin.

Just curious, but how will they make it easier?? If anything, they would make it harder for our FO to sign him. All he would do is compare his production to theirs, and if I'm not mistaken, hes doing all helluva lot better than both of them right now. We'll be pretty screwed if he makes it to the Pro Bowl.

i think having those 2 on the market will lower the market value. and franklin will probably be teams 3rd option(maybe 2nd ahead of hampton).

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
Nose tackle Sopoaga re-ups with 49ers
John Crumpacker

Thursday, February 28, 2008

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

(02-27) 18:34 PST -- The 49ers kept another one of their own when they re-signed nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga on Wednesday to a five-year contract worth $20 million. Sopoaga, a four-year veteran, would have become an unrestricted free agent Friday, the start of free agency around the NFL.

Yea, we paid him similar to what Dallas paid their NT Ratliff. Let's just say Ratliff has played at a pro bowl level since. So far, Sopo hasn't lived up to his contract, let alone the team's expectations. He's by far the weakest position on the DL.

Quote:
Under Tomsula, the 49ers' first-year defensive line coach, Sopoaga blossomed into a more complete player. He played in all 16 games, started five and recorded 58 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks and had a pass batted down.

In a contract year, he played the best of his career....should we be surprised? Franklin has done the same, however he played really well the last half of last year too. The question is this--how did Sopo play since he got paid?

Quote:
There was not much difference in quality of play between starting nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin and Sopoaga in 2007, and the latter proved more productive than the former. In 14 starts, Franklin had 41 tackles and no sacks.

And since then (since Sopo got paid) Franklin has significantly outplayed Sopo and is playing at a pro bowl level this year and the last half of last year. Sopo can't say that for any point in his career.

Sopo just isn't a 3/4 NT (so far, he's an average 3/4 DE). He got many chances at NT in TC and in preseason this year. That happened b/c the coaches and brass knew Franklin's deal was up and wanted to see if Sopo could play NT in case Franklin walked. It's safe to say that those questions were answered. Something tells me that the coaches aren't banking on Sopo's play 2 years ago in a contract year. I think they'll be using much more updated information, like how he has played DE under Manusky (as opposed to Nolan) this year and how he looked at NT through this year's TC, PS, and regular season.

yea gotta watch players who all of the sudden play hard all the time when it's contract year. See Brandon Jacobs and Haynesworth.

[ Edited by lamontb on Nov 16, 2009 at 09:44:01 ]

I wish Abrayo had the attitude of "I hope to stay here" or "Working out a deal with the current team" rather than, i want to see what im worth.

Oh well, I dont suppose you can blame the guy.

Originally posted by DownSouth:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
Nose tackle Sopoaga re-ups with 49ers
John Crumpacker

Thursday, February 28, 2008

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

(02-27) 18:34 PST -- The 49ers kept another one of their own when they re-signed nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga on Wednesday to a five-year contract worth $20 million. Sopoaga, a four-year veteran, would have become an unrestricted free agent Friday, the start of free agency around the NFL.

Yea, we paid him similar to what Dallas paid their NT Ratliff. Let's just say Ratliff has played at a pro bowl level since. So far, Sopo hasn't lived up to his contract, let alone the team's expectations. He's by far the weakest position on the DL.

Quote:
Under Tomsula, the 49ers' first-year defensive line coach, Sopoaga blossomed into a more complete player. He played in all 16 games, started five and recorded 58 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks and had a pass batted down.

In a contract year, he played the best of his career....should we be surprised? Franklin has done the same, however he played really well the last half of last year too. The question is this--how did Sopo play since he got paid?

Quote:
There was not much difference in quality of play between starting nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin and Sopoaga in 2007, and the latter proved more productive than the former. In 14 starts, Franklin had 41 tackles and no sacks.

And since then (since Sopo got paid) Franklin has significantly outplayed Sopo and is playing at a pro bowl level this year and the last half of last year. Sopo can't say that for any point in his career.

Sopo just isn't a 3/4 NT (so far, he's an average 3/4 DE). He got many chances at NT in TC and in preseason this year. That happened b/c the coaches and brass knew Franklin's deal was up and wanted to see if Sopo could play NT in case Franklin walked. It's safe to say that those questions were answered. Something tells me that the coaches aren't banking on Sopo's play 2 years ago in a contract year. I think they'll be using much more updated information, like how he has played DE under Manusky (as opposed to Nolan) this year and how he looked at NT through this year's TC, PS, and regular season.

Soapoga almost basically plays NT as a DE in the 3-4 and he is doing more two-gapping than Franklin is. Soaps is the one taking up space while Franklin is just hitting the gap. Soaps can play NT in the 3-4, he has and played it well. He has great strength and holds his own at the point of attack. He is a differen't type of NT than Franklin though. Franklin beats guys with his quickness while Soaps is more of a power, space eater type of guy. I would also add while Franklin is playing at pro bowl level this year, Sopoaga is not that far behind as our starting LDE, he is playing very, very solid football.