What is your biggest priority for improving the 2013 roster?

edit-double post

the secondary can probably be improved upon, but its also related to the pass rush fall off the face of the earth the past month. there was a couple of nice pass rush plays yesterday but all in all it had dropped off big time.

NT depth
CB depth
OLB/DE depth

Originally posted by GoGetit:

Originally posted by ninerempire25:
Whitner is HORRIBLE in pass coverage

Bring T Mays back

Originally posted by nickbradley:cp
Did my eyes decieve me? was that not Chris Culliver doing his best Rahim Moore impression vs. Jacoby Jones?

Whitner is just as responsible for that play as Culliver. Culliver got beat but its Whitners responsibility to cover the ball over the top. He bit on Boldin who was underneath coverage and he didn't down Jones. Granted CuIliver was pitiful but his coverage is usually solid and the stats show aside from some moments of inexperience he can stick to his mans hip.

Need a solid DL rotation. Aldon Smith was not ready to be a 3 down lineman for 16+ games. Justin Smith will need more rest next season. The O-line is the core of a good offense, the D line is the core of a good defense. The 49ers got it right with the O-line. Time to invest in the D line.

It's the secondary, plain and simple. First, we need 1 or 2 cover corners at the minimum. Rodgers and Culliver were exposed so many times during the playoffs, it was sickening. Second, is Goldson the answer at Free Safety? He can hit, but he didn't create turnovers like he did last year. Third, Whitner has to go. Great in the box safety on run downs, but horrendous in pass coverage. That has to be the focus, with some front seven help for the pass rush (d linemen and OLB).

Originally posted by crabman82:
the secondary can probably be improved upon, but its also related to the pass rush fall off the face of the earth the past month. there was a couple of nice pass rush plays yesterday but all in all it had dropped off big time.

Seemed like Flacco had way too much time on most plays.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
Nose tackle.



Nose tackle.




Nose tackle.



Soap was among the very worse NT's this year. The amount of times the 49ers got gashed up the middle because the NT was being handled by a single blocker was unbelievable. That should be THE priority.




Beyond that, a quality DE in the draft to rotate in and eventually replace Justin, as well as CB and FS.

I agree with this. Our dline needs to be spelled, and we have to think of Justin Smith's eventual replacement. They were tired by the end of the year.

I think a good cover corner in the secondary would help. However, there were a number of times where all the WRs were covered, but the dline let the QB get away...so too much time always allows the WR to get open.

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:
It's the secondary, plain and simple. First, we need 1 or 2 cover corners at the minimum. Rodgers and Culliver were exposed so many times during the playoffs, it was sickening. Second, is Goldson the answer at Free Safety? He can hit, but he didn't create turnovers like he did last year. Third, Whitner has to go. Great in the box safety on run downs, but horrendous in pass coverage. That has to be the focus, with some front seven help for the pass rush (d linemen and OLB).

Okay, this is a bit of an overreaction. The safety's are good. My biggest problem is that they focus on hitting rather than tackling.

Funny.., I kept saying Culliver could be moved to Safety and was average at CB, only to be revolked. Then for last 4 yrs. I wanted us to draft a NT and FB, and NOW we see the need for both positions.. Hmm,

I don't see it. They are pretty good. You just can't stop a good offense from catching the ball all the time. They will win some and lose some. There were times last night Flacco just heaved it up there and his receivers came down with fabulous catches even with challenging efforts from our DB. There were some good knock downs from our DBs too.

We need someone opposite Crabs. Someone to catch fades in the end zone.

D-Line as it does not have enough depth, that was exposed in the playoffs!
Seconday, we need at least 2 Cover Corners.
WR-We need a compliment to Crabs, a John Taylor type with size and speed! Wallace from pittsburgh would fit the bill nicely, but I don't know if we could affaord him!
OLB=Aldon and Brooks need a breather and we really have no one to relieve them!

And I still don't understand what happened to screens, traps, and crossing patterns last night, I didn't see any? Amazing! You notice no other teams even asked to talk with our Coordinators or Assistant HC! That speaks volumes right there!

I think we are in deep trouble next season, the Seahawks and Rams are going to be very tough, we may not win the Division or even make the playoffs! And harbaugh did not have this team ready from the start, he let the media circus prevail and it caused too many distractions. Walsh and Seifert kept that under control and put a clamp on the players!

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:
It's the secondary, plain and simple. First, we need 1 or 2 cover corners at the minimum. Rodgers and Culliver were exposed so many times during the playoffs, it was sickening. Second, is Goldson the answer at Free Safety? He can hit, but he didn't create turnovers like he did last year. Third, Whitner has to go. Great in the box safety on run downs, but horrendous in pass coverage. That has to be the focus, with some front seven help for the pass rush (d linemen and OLB).

I disagree about 150%.


It is all about the pass rush, the pass rush, the pass rush, the pass rush.



Culliver was one of the better ranked coverage guys in the NFL this year. Rogers slipped and Brown has never been anything special but Culliver has been solid all year long. The problem that comes into play is when you give a quarterback as much time as the 49ers have given to guys like Ryan and Flacco. They'll pick apart any cornerback, hell, Ryan made Richard Sherman look silly because he had forever in the pocket. They do need another cornerback to develop for the future, but it is ALL about the defensive line.


In this league you can have great corners and still be a s**t team. The biggest impact is your defensive line and this is where the 49ers fall short. They NEED an NT that collapses the pocket and requires multiple blockers, they need DE depth to rotate in and give guys like Justin a breather and eventually take over for him, they need OLB depth to rotate out Aldon, so he doesn't have to play every single down and get worn down by years end.


People will react to this game by assuming cornerback is the issue when it is far from it. The 49ers defensive troubles really started right around the time that Justin Smith got injured, after which they were unable to generate any sort of consistent pass rush. They need to upgrade defensive depth to have a steady supply of pass-rushers, much like the Giants do.



In regards to the safeties, I have no disagreement there. Goldson should be a SS and Whitner shouldn't be on the team. Buffalo made no effort to re-sign him and 49ers fans are now seeing why. As great as he is at hitting, he's been targeted more and toasted more than any other defensive back on the 49ers. Teams know that he is the weak link and they will continue to attack his side of the field, every single game.