2014 Team Needs - Updates

I am thinking the same way as you but I also think Skov will be in the 53 or on the PS with Wilhoite being sacrificed.

It's incredibly difficult to narrow to 53 and there may be stand outs in pre-season that demand consideration. Good problem to have, just wish we could do something to prevent other teams picking up people off the PS!

Originally posted by Buchy:
I am thinking the same way as you but I also think Skov will be in the 53 or on the PS with Wilhoite being sacrificed.

It's incredibly difficult to narrow to 53 and there may be stand outs in pre-season that demand consideration. Good problem to have, just wish we could do something to prevent other teams picking up people off the PS!

I won't even attempt the 46 for this very reason!

Baalke interviews are must hears/reads if you are a true Niner fan.

49ers' GM Trent Baalke reflects on 2014 draft class
By Ryan Sakamoto

May. 13, 2014, 8:00 am

"We tried. The phone was ringing. We were making calls, but there was just nothing that made a lot of sense to us at the time."

For OLB Aaron Lynch, a lot of people remarked about how he played at Notre Dame and then transferred. It was kind of interpreted it as a drop-off, that he didn't play up to expectations at South Florida. How do you account for that and what are your, what kind of drew you to Aaron Lynch?

"Well, I can't account for the performance. That's up to the individual. He's a young man that started his career as you said at Notre Dame and transferred down to South Florida. A good football player. There were reasons why he made the transfer. He did, as he mentioned in his press conference that he held there were some up and downs to it. He's a young man that has a lot of talent and a lot of traits to work with. He's young, 21 years old and has a huge arrow up. And, he's got the keys to the car now and it's up to him to drive it."

Head coach Jim Harbaugh just said that there's a significant process with him, it's something that needs the structure and that's something that this team is willing to do to work with him. What is it about him that makes you satisfied that you can work with him?

"Well, he was one of those players that we had brought in to visit with and we spent a lot of time with him. Coach is very good friends, as you know, with the head coach down there, coach [South Florida head coach Willie] Taggart. We know a lot of those coaches on that staff and spent a lot of time interviewing them, talking with them, talking to Aaron and just felt at the end of the day that he was a young man that we could work with."

You mentioned before something about you have to take chances, calculated chances, with guys. Does he fall into this category?

"I think you need to dig into him a little bit more. This isn't a young man that has a rap sheet that you're dealing with. He's not a young man that's been in a lot of trouble. He's made some mistakes. He's got to do some things differently. He understands that and we as an organization understand that. We have a structure here, a system here, that we feel we can help him. But, ultimately it comes down to the individual, as we all know. With Aaron it will be a process, but a process that we're comfortable he will be able to endure and flourish in."

You guys obviously, like everyone, want to identify guys that have a real passion for the game, that really love it.

"Love football players, good football players."

Does he qualify as far as those intangibles as far as you know?

"All I do is put on the film. Could you make it an A-plus-plus highlight tape? Absolutely. Is he a guy that every time you turn on the film was playing to that level? No, self-admitted. He would say that himself and has said that himself. What we're hoping to do is get him to play to that level consistently and we feel we can do that."

He was suspended like one quarter for some violation of team rules this year. I know you talked to coach Taggart about that. You're comfortable with that part of the whole thing?

"We've vetted him extensively. Like I said, we've talked to a lot of people. When we brought him in here we had him go through a couple of things, had a process to it when he was brought in. And feel very comfortable with the situation as it stands today."

He said that he had met with you three or four separate times on his one trip here. Why did you want to talk to him at different points throughout the day, if that happened?

"Just wanted to visit with him. Wanted to get to know him a little better."

You guys had a roster obviously that went to the conference title game and with 11 picks, conventional wisdom would think you'd use some of those picks to make some moves in next year's draft. Why not do that?

"Conventional is not fun."

Is that a testament to the overall depth of this class I guess is the better question?

"Once again, as we said, in order to make trades you have to have trading partners. And, sometimes you're able to do it and sometimes you're not. And then there's other trades that just don't make sense that people would be willing to do and do with you, but you've got to give up too much to do it. We're firm believers that the roster can't be 20-deep or 25-deep or even 45-deep, it's got to be 53-deep. And we try to build the strongest 53-man roster that we can. And in order to do that you have to have good football players, you can never have enough of them. Because, if you have 63 of them competing for 53 spots, it makes those 53 that earn them that much better and that's the goal."

What do you like about WR Bruce Ellington?

"I like a lot of things about Bruce. He's very competitive. You don't play two sports and major college football at the level he did without having something special about you, the mental toughness, the physical traits to do those things. He's a skilled athlete and he's a competitive athlete and those are good qualities to have. He's also a very smart, instinctive athlete. You put all that together you've got a pretty good package."

Were you surprised to see him there at 106?

"Anymore I'm not surprised at anything that happens in the draft. Guys fall, guys taken earlier than we may have had him valued. That doesn't' mean we were right. That doesn't mean the other team's wrong. That's the beauty of the draft. Everybody builds a different board. It would be very easy to make the picks if there were 260 players and they were valued one through 260 and guys just pull them off one at a time, but that's not how it is."

In terms of growth potential for him, does he have more just because he was splitting time between two sports, because he wasn't a receiver until he got to South Carolina? Do you see real upside to what he can do?

"Anytime you're sharing duties as an athlete and not being able to fully concentrate on one sport, there's certainly, you have to envision that there's some upside to the sport that they end up choosing because they haven't been able to spend as much time. Now, he's very unique. If you go back and look at his history in the sense that this is a young man that didn't bow out of spring football. This is a guy that would bounce between spring football and basketball, didn't miss any basketball games, didn't miss much if any spring ball. So, just a very competitive guy that's given everything he's had to both sports. Now he's going to be able to focus on just one like he has for the latter part of his last year there."

Even though the draft is over now, the undrafted rookie free agents, how many can you sign? [Inaudible]

"I don't know the exact number, but we're up there working on it as we speak. Some of the guys are still on the phone. But, we can have 90 total on the roster. I think, I want to say it's somewhere between eight and 10 rookie free agents that we're going to add, something like that."

Has Stanford S Shayne Skov signed?

"I don't know that. As I'm sitting down here they're still working up there."

In the material that was handed out on FB Trey Millard, it said that he's an accomplished writer and has published two poems. Did you read his poems as a way to get insight into him?

"If it didn't have anything to do with the draft I haven't read it. So, to answer, no I haven't. I'll be interested to when I do have some time. I love poems"

Who's your favorite poet?

"Walt Whitman."

Dr. Seuss?

"Did Dr. Seuss write poems?"

Yes, he was the best.

"Perfect. I love that guy."

What did you like about Trey on the field and DT Kaleb Ramsey your other seventh round selection? What stood out to you about those two?

"They're both good football players. When you look at Trey, he's played a lot of football at a big-time program. He's run the football effectively, he pass catches effectively and he blocks effectively. To be a fullback in our system you got to do those three things, and he does those three things. Kaleb's a young man that the scouts were tired of grading, to be honest with you, because he's been in the last three drafts. He's had some history, medical history that's kind of knocked him out of a couple of seasons. So, they were finally glad that this was the last time they had to watch him at the college level and put a grade on him, because in all honesty I think we have graded him for three straight years."

The 12 picks, they don't count on the 90 right now until they sign?

"Nor do the free agents. Nobody counts until they are officially signed. So, once that comes around, I'm sorry, the draft picks do count. The free agents will count as soon as they sign."

I have you at 86, 74 are already signed and then the 12 picks. That would only leave four guys that you could sign.

"I don't know what the number is. As I stated earlier, I'd have to get the sheet to be honest with you."

So, might you release some guys that were on the roster before the draft to make room for some?

"Once again, I don't know the exact number. Could somebody be released to make room for somebody else? That's always a possibility, but at this point in time I don't know if we're in that situation. Guys are still working upstairs. I'm down here taking care of this."

With FB Trey Millard, do you see him as just a pure fullback or is he somebody that can kind of have a more varied role in the offense?

"He's a fullback in our system and that is a varied role if you look we play [FB] Bruce [Miller]. He's going to be a guy that's going to be asked to block, a guy that's going to be asked to get out into routes, block both run and pass game and also at times, although it be vary few, they get the football. So, he's a well-rounded guy and has played a lot of ball at a high level."

You said you've got scouting reports on Kaleb for three years. What's the gist of the reports?

"Good football player. A very versatile football player. Has played all along the front at Boston College. A guy that can play three-technique, can play four-technique, has played some five-technique, gives you some inside pass rush. A very athletic big man and has played at a lot of different weights. So, he's a guy that has one of those body types that you can kind of massage to what you want him to be. A guy that could get down and play some stand up on his feet. He's athletic enough to do that. Or a guy that you keep the weight on and you make him an end in a three-technique in your sub package stuff. So, just a lot of versatility."

With 12 draft picks now and so many guys back from the last couple years, do you feel this is the strongest roster you've had at this point looking back at the last few years?

"We'll wait and see when they show up. Right now, we feel very good about the collection of guys that we have, both the guys that are in that locker room currently and the guys we've just added over the last three to four days. Feel very good about it, but the proof will be in the pudding when they show up and we get them on the field and we go to work."

What do you like about your new corner CB Dontae Johnson?

"6-2, 200 pounds. Runs 4.44, verified. Has played safety. Has played corner. Versatility. Intelligence. Very smart football player and an A-plus-plus character guy."

So he'll have an opportunity to compete for other positions aside from corner?

"Right now, we're going to lock him in and put him at corner and let him go to work. Once again, with all these young guys, the more focused you can get them in one area, at least early on, the better chance they have of developing. So, you want to give them the best chance that you can for them to be successful and the best thing for him is to put him out there at corner and let him go to work."

How much do any of these guys play press in college, at NC State for example?

"A lot, and quite honestly, that's one of the problems when you're watching receivers. You don't see them get pressed. So when people say, 'Well how's he going to do against press?' You tell me. We did one guy that, in fact we did all of the guys that we had ranked at a certain level, all the receivers, had our guys go through and cut up all of the plays that they went against press, even if they weren't throwing the ball on that down, just to see how they got off of press. And the most we saw one guy had 20 snaps against press coverage. A lot of them were down in the single digits, seven, eight, nine snaps in all the film we had on them. So, it's hard to say."

So how do you project a Bruce Ellington? Do you look at his bench press to see if he's got power? What are the things that you look at to try to project that?

"You look at their traits, their quickness, their strength. Those are two things that they need. They're savvy. Because technique you can teach them. You can improve their quickness a little bit. You can certainly improve their strength, but you look at the athlete, you look at the structure of the athlete and you look at the traits that you believe he has and what's in his body that you think you can develop and from that point on, it's up to the athlete."

He seemed to have good short-area quickness, in at least two combine drills that measure that. He ranked very highly. Was that something that you factor in?

"Yeah, if you play point guard in the SEC, you've got to have some short-area quickness. That's something that he definitely has. And one thing about basketball players, good basketball players understand spacing and they understand- they've got great instincts. They've got great body awareness and great feel for creating space for themselves because that's what good basketball players have to do. On defense, you've got to take that space away. On offense, you've got to figure out a way to create it and he's a guy that's able to do that on both ends of the court."

Did you watch him play basketball?

"Yeah, we watched a little bit of it. In fact, [Indiana Basketball head] coach [Tom] Crean said we've probably got the best point guard in the National Football League."

Yesterday, you said you need to stretch a field vertically and horizontally. You hear a lot of stretch a field vertically. When you say horizontally, what do you mean?

"53 yards, use it all. That's all you're blessed with, right? 53 yards. So, you use all 53 yards and you stretch them out. And then you do what you can vertically to stretch them out that way. And the team's that throw the ball well historically are team's that know how to get all 53 yards in play. If you only use 37 yards of it, you're probably not going to be as effective as the team's that can use 53."

Following up that question about the roster, would you at least say after the WR Stevie Johnson deal, do you think this is your best roster at wide receiver ?

"We think it's deep. We think it's talented. And there are guys that guys aren't talking about. We feel good about all 11 that are currently on the roster, 11 or 12, whatever that number is, I'd have to go back and look. But, we feel very good about it. I feel it is going to be a very competitive camp for that group, as it is for many."

Is this your deepest roster ever at that position?

"We feel good about it. I think you could make an argument that it is. But, once again, until they get in here and they go to work and these young guys get in here and we see where Stevie's at, we feel very good about it. Feel very good about the group and looking forward to watching them compete."

You took Ellington in the fourth round. Was this draft so deep at that position that in any other draft, he would have been a third round or second rounder. Can you say that? That guys are pushed into a later round and maybe they were more talented than that round?

"The deeper the pool is at any position, the further guys can fall, the more guys can get pushed down. But, to say last year, if he'd have been in last year's draft, he'd have been a second rounder or if he's in the year before that, he'd have been a fifth rounder, I don't know. We feel we got good value at the place we took them."

What kind of feedback do you get from your players during the draft?

"I get a few text messages. It's kind of interesting. Guys reach out a little bit. The one thing that good football players and good football teams have, they've got a competitive nature and our guys are not afraid to compete. So, when you guys are looking at it and saying, 'Oh, that's a deep roster, how is so and so going to react to this?' I would hope that they react very positively because it's only going to make them better. And that's the whole objective. If they become better, we become better. That's the number one priority, for us to become better, for us to become a better football team."

Any of those text messages compliments on a certain pick or are enthusiastic with an 'OMG' or anything like that?

"No, I wouldn't share that with you and they're all very positive. There's always a little bit of ribbing going on, but they're all very positive."

Any poetry?

"Dr. Seuss poetry. Dr. Seuss."

What was your reaction to the DE Michael Sam pick and was he ever on your radar?

"Very happy for him. Very happy for him. Yeah, he's a good football player. And you look at what has done in his college career, was he a fit for us? Yeah, we could use him. But, good football player that wish would've not went to the Rams. Wish he'd have went to another team so we didn't have to play against him. But, certainly a guy has make-it traits and is going get every opportunity to do that."

When you're in this evaluation process, do you ever forecast a year ahead knowing some other guys are going to be coming out draft eligible next year and does that maybe impact your line of thinking this year?

"I wish I could say yes to that. I know some guys do forecast out a little bit and say, 'OK, next year's tight end class is going to be…' I'm trying to get through today, to be honest with you. Do we know, have kind of an idea what's coming out the next year? Yeah, we do. But to say, there are so many guys that end up coming out, what, 100-plus juniors came out this year. No one would have predicted that. You'd have thought 60, 70 maybe. But, you throw 30 more guys into that pool and all of a sudden you're dealing with guys you never thought of. So, it takes a position that maybe wouldn't have had much depth and makes it a position of depth. It's hard to balance that out. All I know is in two weeks now, because the NFL's done such a good job of pushing this thing back, we're getting on a plane and going to Florida to start on next year's class already. Can hardly wait."

http://ninerfans.com/49ers-gm-trent-baalke-reflects-on-2014-draft-class/

Originally posted by NCommand:
Absolutely and thank you guys for the continued updates. Bummed about Fleming and Dax. I would have liked to see them compete but let's be real here; we are stacked.

Stacked. Watch every player we cut get snapped up by another team and we will all scream we shouldn't have let that player go, proof is someone else thought enough to put them on their 53. This year this will happen more than once. But, this is one of those nice problems to have (like complaining of all the taxes you have to pay on the incredible income you made).

NC-- interesting differences! I think there will be a premium on versatility going forward...just too many talented guy and no better way to separate them. A guy like Ward is really nice to have as he can play all the DB positions. Ventrone, Osgood and Spillman can't all stay on the team! I would guess that Ventrone is gone this year to make way for a more impactful player...though that supposes they find a replacement for STs.

I wish I had a better idea of which rookies can be key ST guys but we can't just assume...I would guess a Skov or Borland would be pretty ferocious but who knows.

Originally posted by NCommand:

I'll give it a go myself.

QB (2)
Colin Kaepernick
Blaine Gabbert

Rationale: Only two QB's are active on game days so QB Kory Faulkner goes to the PS.

RB (4)
Frank Gore
Kendall Hunter
Marcus Lattimore
Carlos Hyde

Rationale: Good-bye LaMichael James. This is a 4-headed monster.

FB (1)
Bruce Miller

Rationale: Derek Carrier is the new H-back and can double as a FB should Miller go down.

TE (3)
Vernon Davis
Vance McDonald
Derek Carrier (H-Back)

Rationale: Derek Carrier hits his stride and makes the team in the old Walker, H-back role.

WR (6)
Anquan Boldin
Michael Crabtree
Stevie Johnson
Quinton Patton
Kassim Osgood
Bruce Ellington (P/KR)

Rationale: Kassim is still our best gunner on ST and a good, tall, reliable veteran should we have a rash of injuries. Ellington becomes the K/PR specialist as well and knocks James off the team.

OT (4)
Joe Staley
Anthony Davis
Luke Marquardt
Jonathan Martin (OT & G)

Rationale: Luke is a bit of a surprise but he's just too good to let walk and both Staley/Davis seem to battle injuries every year. The coaches go with Martin as well d/t his experience and versatility.

OG (3)
Mike Iupati
Alex Boone (G & OT)
Joe Looney

Rationale: No surprises here but Boone should never have to move to OT d/t injury now.

C (2)
Daniel Kilgore
Marcus Martin (C & OG)

Rationale: Would anyone be surprised if Martin wins the starting C position? Either way, he can play G too. Versatility remains the theme for the OL.

DE (4)
Justin Smith
Ray McDonald
Tank Carradine
Quinton Dial (DE & NT)

Rationale: TJE/Dobbs played very well last year but Dial steps up his game and he has the size and versatility to play both DE and NT should either Dorsey or Williams go down.

NT (2)
Glenn Dorsey
Ian Williams

Rationale: Welcome back Williams. He's our slasher NT.

OLB (5)
Ahmad Brooks
Aldon Smith
Corey Lemonier
Dan Skuta
Aaron Lynch

Rationale: With Carradine and Williams back, Lynch is going to add another dimension of pass rush ability and depth on a rotating front 7. Like Aldon and Lemonier before him, he'll only be worked in on some pass rush downs giving Aldon/Brooks a break. He'll also be on ST.

ILB (3)
Patrick Willis
Michael Wilhoite
Chris Borland

Rationale: When Bowman makes it back to full strength, there is going to be a tough cut somewhere. But no surprises here.

CB (7)
Tramaine Brock
Chris Culliver
Jimmie Ward
Eric Wright
Perrish Cox
Darryl Morris
Dontae Johnson

Rationale: We carried 10 DB's in the NFCCG. Here, we carry 11 total d/t the growth of Johnson and Baalke learning from letting Cooper go last year to the Chief's. He wants to be able to play press and he beats out Cook.

S (4)
Eric Reid
Antoine Bethea
CJ Spillman
Raymond Ventrone

Rationale: No surprises here. The outside shot here is L.J. McCray d/t his P/KP abilities. He can also play the nickle ala Ward. He has the license to beat out either Spillman or Ventrone who are top-notch ST players.

ST (3)
Phil Dawson
Andy Lee
Kevin McDermott

Pretty much agree, but s few changes I'd make.

I'd carry Ward at S and let Bubba go. He's ST only, and I'm betting Borland can take his place there. That frees up a spot.

Lynch is purely Practice Squad this year. He's got too much baggage to be a risk there, and probably needs the time to mature. That frees up another spot.

One open spot goes to Moody at ILB, at least until Bowman returns.

Other open spot for TJE, who proved his worth last season.

Originally posted by OldJoe:
Stacked. Watch every player we cut get snapped up by another team and we will all scream we shouldn't have let that player go, proof is someone else thought enough to put them on their 53. This year this will happen more than once. But, this is one of those nice problems to have (like complaining of all the taxes you have to pay on the incredible income you made).

No question about it!!!

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
NC-- interesting differences! I think there will be a premium on versatility going forward...just too many talented guy and no better way to separate them. A guy like Ward is really nice to have as he can play all the DB positions. Ventrone, Osgood and Spillman can't all stay on the team! I would guess that Ventrone is gone this year to make way for a more impactful player...though that supposes they find a replacement for STs.

I wish I had a better idea of which rookies can be key ST guys but we can't just assume...I would guess a Skov or Borland would be pretty ferocious but who knows.

Very much agree that the ST-only guys better be pulling double-duty to stay now. Osgood and Morris are our top two gunners on ST but both can play other positions if needed (i.e. slot and WR). But Spillman & Ventrone, despite being ST standouts, could be in trouble esp. if their contracts are a bit high. Someone like S L.J. McCray could step in and add return abilities or gunner AND be a viable option at S. But overall, I agree...we may see the last of our "specialists."

Originally posted by oldninerdude:
Pretty much agree, but s few changes I'd make.

I'd carry Ward at S and let Bubba go. He's ST only, and I'm betting Borland can take his place there. That frees up a spot.

Lynch is purely Practice Squad this year. He's got too much baggage to be a risk there, and probably needs the time to mature. That frees up another spot.

One open spot goes to Moody at ILB, at least until Bowman returns.

Other open spot for TJE, who proved his worth last season.

This is a great point. Almost all of the rookies we brought can double on ST coverage, punt block or return teams (even P/KR duties). I believe Bubba may be a bit expensive too? We typically don't carry more than 4 OLB's as well anyhow on game day, so that could be true as well re: Lynch. If he shines like Cooper, will they risk the PS-move this time? I've had a feeling the coaches have plans for Moody as sort of that hybrid S/LB role hence why he was "training" with CK. Perhaps with the emphasis on press coverage and single-high S formations, he will be in on several "coverage packages" this year. Just a feeling. Seriously, TJE came out of nowhere last year, made the team and then contributed as a high-functioning backup. Well done kid...I could easily see him making it as well. But if Dial (who got a few snaps last year too) comes on, he just may add too much versatility to pass up (DE & NT). Like I said, the 53 is hard enough...I cringe thinking about picking the 46!

Good stuff, NC. Really like some of the moves you made.

I like dropping Snyder in favor of Marquardt. We have enough interior depth to do that. I like dropping Dahl and keeping a 7th corner. Carrier over Celek is a good move, more potential as a pass catcher, H-Back type.

Only thing I would do differently is find a way to keep TJE on the roster. He's quality depth. Dial over Dobbs is a good move for the future. He's cheaper and can line up anywhere on the line.

Originally posted by SofaKing:
Good stuff, NC. Really like some of the moves you made.

I like dropping Snyder in favor of Marquardt. We have enough interior depth to do that. I like dropping Dahl and keeping a 7th corner. Carrier over Celek is a good move, more potential as a pass catcher, H-Back type.

Only thing I would do differently is find a way to keep TJE on the roster. He's quality depth. Dial over Dobbs is a good move for the future. He's cheaper and can line up anywhere on the line.

Thanks man. I really like TJE as well and his future looks bright; he's young and cheap yet very productive. He's proven as well. I may have to rethink someone for sure on that. I recently made a few minor changes to the OP (notes) but that is one I'm going to have to think about given Carradine AND Williams are back and into the mix.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by oldninerdude:

Pretty much agree, but s few changes I'd make.

I'd carry Ward at S and let Bubba go. He's ST only, and I'm betting Borland can take his place there. That frees up a spot.

Lynch is purely Practice Squad this year. He's got too much baggage to be a risk there, and probably needs the time to mature. That frees up another spot.

One open spot goes to Moody at ILB, at least until Bowman returns.

Other open spot for TJE, who proved his worth last season.

This is a great point. Almost all of the rookies we brought can double on ST coverage, punt block or return teams (even P/KR duties). I believe Bubba may be a bit expensive too? We typically don't carry more than 4 OLB's as well anyhow on game day, so that could be true as well re: Lynch. If he shines like Cooper, will they risk the PS-move this time? I've had a feeling the coaches have plans for Moody as sort of that hybrid S/LB role hence why he was "training" with CK. Perhaps with the emphasis on press coverage and single-high S formations, he will be in on several "coverage packages" this year. Just a feeling. Seriously, TJE came out of nowhere last year, made the team and then contributed as a high-functioning backup. Well done kid...I could easily see him making it as well. But if Dial (who got a few snaps last year too) comes on, he just may add too much versatility to pass up (DE & NT). Like I said, the 53 is hard enough...I cringe thinking about picking the 46!

So question for you: can the Niners use Ward's versatility to disguise their coverage schemes? Put him in as the nickel CB on third downs and then drop him back into a cover two scheme?

Or go the other direction, with a Seattle-like one man (Reid) deep and Ward and the CBs in press coverage on third and long, after first showing something else? And wouldn't Moody fit into that "camouflage" defense as well?

Is Fangio creative enough to try something like that?

The interest in bigger, longer press corners (Cook, for one) seems to indicate that there may be a change of some kind coming for the defense.

And if Ward is what they say he is, and plays like he does in the clips I've seen, he may be my favorite rookie!

Originally posted by oldninerdude:
So question for you: can the Niners use Ward's versatility to disguise their coverage schemes? Put him in as the nickel CB on third downs and then drop him back into a cover two scheme?

Or go the other direction, with a Seattle-like one man (Reid) deep and Ward and the CBs in press coverage on third and long, after first showing something else? And wouldn't Moody fit into that "camouflage" defense as well?

Is Fangio creative enough to try something like that?

The interest in bigger, longer press corners (Cook, for one) seems to indicate that there may be a change of some kind coming for the defense.

And if Ward is what they say he is, and plays like he does in the clips I've seen, he may be my favorite rookie!

Oh absolutely. thl408 or johnny can speak to the specific formations we can use, but I don't think there is any question with Ward's range, versatility and ball-hawking skills, Fangio can have a field day with him and esp. given that he'll be on the field around 60% of the time. Off coverage schemes were dominant in our formations up until last year, even when we'd blitz. Some of that was personnel and some of that was the coverage schemes called.

But now? You have 4 CB's who excel at and can play press in Brock, Culliver and Johnson (Cook). We know Culliver and Brock can play off coverage as well. You have incredible range, speed, versatility and ball-hawking ability with Reid and Ward. Bethea isn't exactly poor in coverage either and has incredible read-react abilities esp. in run support and playing closer to the LOS.

Moody, I just edited, could also play that hybrid S/LB role in coverage as needed for Wilhoite on passing downs. Then you add in quickness and speed in Morris in the slot, the nickle/dime and backup support in Wright and Cox and Johnson and the playbook is wide open on defense.

Another factor that is not talked about is the ability to blitz Bethea, Ward and the two CB's esp. when they are in press coverage, up tight at the LOS. Even Cook has a real shot at making this team for his press abilities and NFL experience (esp. with real S help). But to me, we now have an array of talent on the backend to play press when needed, off coverage, some single-high S, disguise more coverages and even bring the blitz much more and still be outstanding in run defense/support. These are things we just couldn't do with Brown, Rogers, Goldson and Whitner. Period.

PS: The thing about Ward that stands out to me the most is his instincts/timing. With him playing the nickle, he seems like the ballhawk who could stay with his man, pass him off to Reid/Bethea/CB and then undercut routes, left and right. This is something Rogers did his first year. I believe he got almost all of his INT's on coming off and undercutting routes. It would not surprise me to see him as our INT leader despite being on the field 60% of the time.

PSS: As to Fangio, the only two beefs I had with him is that he wouldn't rotate his front 7 enough and played too much off coverage esp. when we blitzed (and didn't blitz enough). But after noting the weaknesses of Goldson's and Whitner's poor deep game (and undisciplined) and watching Brown & Rogers get tossed aside in press, the "off coverage" 90% of the time might have been d/t personnel. Fangio showed that he can learn...rotated the front 7 a lot more, blitz Wilson a lot in the NFCCG and played a little tighter up at the LOS on 3rd downs. So now that he has a more versatile group, will he take that next step?

Originally posted by NCommand:

Oh absolutely. thl408 or johnny can speak to the specific formations we can use, but I don't think there is any question with Ward's range, versatility and ball-hawking skills, Fangio can have a field day with him and esp. given that he'll be on the field around 60% of the time. Off coverage schemes were dominant in our formations up until last year, even when we'd blitz. Some of that was personnel and some of that was the coverage schemes called.

But now? You have 4 CB's who excel at and can play press in Brock, Culliver and Johnson (Cook). We know Culliver and Brock can play off coverage as well. You have incredible range, speed, versatility and ball-hawking ability with Reid and Ward. Bethea isn't exactly poor in coverage either and has incredible read-react abilities esp. in run support and playing closer to the LOS.

Moody, I just edited, could also play that hybrid S/LB role in coverage as needed for Wilhoite on passing downs. Then you add in quickness and speed in Morris in the slot, the nickle/dime and backup support in Wright and Cox and Johnson and the playbook is wide open on defense.

Another factor that is not talked about is the ability to blitz Bethea, Ward and the two CB's esp. when they are in press coverage, up tight at the LOS. Even Cook has a real shot at making this team for his press abilities and NFL experience (esp. with real S help). But to me, we now have an array of talent on the backend to play press when needed, off coverage, some single-high S, disguise more coverages and even bring the blitz much more and still be outstanding in run defense/support. These are things we just couldn't do with Brown, Rogers, Goldson and Whitner. Period.

PS: The thing about Ward that stands out to me the most is his instincts/timing. With him playing the nickle, he seems like the ballhawk who could stay with his man, pass him off to Reid/Bethea/CB and then undercut routes, left and right. This is something Rogers did his first year. I believe he got almost all of his INT's on coming off and undercutting routes. It would not surprise me to see him as our INT leader despite being on the field 60% of the time.

Add to that--Carradine on that front 4 on third down, passing downs. He, J.Smith, MacDonald and Dorsey could put some real pressure on a QB!

Looks like this is going to be a lot of fun to watch!

Originally posted by oldninerdude:
Add to that--Carradine on that front 4 on third down, passing downs. He, J.Smith, MacDonald and Dorsey could put some real pressure on a QB!

Looks like this is going to be a lot of fun to watch!

Big time! And if Williams gets his quickness back, he has that ability to slash through some gaps and create pressure inside (a missing element minus the ILB blitz).