What do we do with three potential all pro middle linebackers?

Assuming all three are actually healthy ... Borland would get snaps to spell Willis and Bowman in first and second down and short yardage situations. He has a long way to go in coverage so on passing downs or against teams that spread it out he sits.

IF we do make the switch. Bowman and Willis would make the jump to OLB since they are more athletic and can cover well while Borland will be the man in the middle. Now imagine Aldon and Tank on the ends and Williams and Dorsey in the middle

Originally posted by joejet:

Since all three of those guys were on IR by the end of the season, I don't think the 9ers need to worry about excess depth.

This

If the right offer was available I'd trade Borland. Doubt it will happen though because player trades are rare and it's just unlikely that a team will give up a high pick for Borland. You can always restock the shelves but I don't see the point of having a great linebacker on the bench.

Not a bad situation to have though.

IF they come back at preinjury form, the all pro's go back to their spots, the young t-rex goes to the bench.

move borland to safety

Originally posted by tjd808185:
If the right offer was available I'd trade Borland. Doubt it will happen though because player trades are rare and it's just unlikely that a team will give up a high pick for Borland. You can always restock the shelves but I don't see the point of having a great linebacker on the bench.

Not a bad situation to have though.

There is when your top 2 inside LBs have both had injures recently. We get Willis and Bowman back. Am so excited but can you honestly say you are certain they will both play 16 games next year.

I saw enough in the Seatle game when Borland went out. After those three there is a drop off. He is on a rookie contract cost is not a real concern. Depth is not a bad thing.

Borland is overrated. He makes splashy noticeable plays, but get completely abused in pass coverage and also found himself out of position pretty often on running plays. He gets credit for the great plays and the bad plays are ignored. Total liability against the pass. And I like him a lot. But he has nothing on Willis or Bowman.

Assuming that Willis and Bowman come back fully healthy, you then put in some packages were all three are on the field at the same time. Borland in the middle with Bowman outside opposite Aldon.

Of course a rotation also makes sense.

I am not the least bit concerned about whether or not Borland will be a very good player in this league, likely even make a couple of trips to the Pro Bowl. After all, he has been very productive at every level he has played, including the NFL last season. He has natural football instincts that can't be taught. At some point Willis will retire and we then have his replacement in place. Also, by spreading the reps around, both Willis and Bowman will play longer.

Originally posted by dwett:

Originally posted by tjd808185:
If the right offer was available I'd trade Borland. Doubt it will happen though because player trades are rare and it's just unlikely that a team will give up a high pick for Borland. You can always restock the shelves but I don't see the point of having a great linebacker on the bench.

Not a bad situation to have though.

There is when your top 2 inside LBs have both had injures recently. We get Willis and Bowman back. Am so excited but can you honestly say you are certain they will both play 16 games next year.

I saw enough in the Seatle game when Borland went out. After those three there is a drop off. He is on a rookie contract cost is not a real concern. Depth is not a bad thing.

I think some of us just don't know what to do with depth. Unless a team offers us better than what we used to draft Borland, so we'd need a first or second round pick which we won't get, you hold onto him. And as you said, he's on a rookie contract, so the cost isn't a concern.

This again

Originally posted by mkeniner:
Borland is overrated. He makes splashy noticeable plays, but get completely abused in pass coverage and also found himself out of position pretty often on running plays. He gets credit for the great plays and the bad plays are ignored. Total liability against the pass. And I like him a lot. But he has nothing on Willis or Bowman.

The dude was a 3rd round pick forced into action and made plays every game. He is not nearly as bad in coverage as you suggest and even had two INTs to seal wins.

PFF had him ranked as the 3rd best MLB prior to his injury. He singlehandedly kept our D at a top 5 clip when Willis was out.

Saying he is over-rated is absurd. He deserves to play and he will be on the field for most of the snaps next year.

Whatever D we run we need to get our best players on the front 7 on the field at the same time.

LDE- Aaron Lynch
NT- Ian Williams/Quinton Dial
RDT- Glenn Dorsey/Tank Carradine
RDE- Aldon Smith

*We would need to add another outside pass rusher preferably in the draft but that front 4 is as good as it gets. Tank would come in on passing downs and I believe he has 10+ sack potential on the inside. He is a disruptive pass rusher and would get swallowed up as a 3-4 DE. Ian Williams was a top 3 NT ranked by PFF prior to his injury. Dial also showed potential when he played. I really like this alignment.

WOLB- Patrick Willis/Michael Wilhoite
MLB- Chris Borland/Nick Moody
SOLB- Navarro Bowman

Again, this could arguably be the best set of 4-3 linebackers the league has seen since the Bears had a dominant D with Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs.

Willis is great in coverage and would line up over the TE and Wilhoite was as good a coverage linebacker that there was in the league to backup Willis. At SOLB Bowman would be freed up to make plays all over the field and would he a dynamic blitzer off the edge. Borland has the instincts of a 10 year vet. He would be great with Willis and Bowman on either side.

This formation allows us to out our best 7 on the field.

Originally posted by dwett:
There is when your top 2 inside LBs have both had injures recently. We get Willis and Bowman back. Am so excited but can you honestly say you are certain they will both play 16 games next year.

I saw enough in the Seatle game when Borland went out. After those three there is a drop off. He is on a rookie contract cost is not a real concern. Depth is not a bad thing.

You draft another one. You're going to create a lot of system linebackers Pittsburgh did that for years. I don't think for one second that Borland is Zach Thomas but if someone thinks he is they can have him for that kind of price tag. If I can get a starter for a backup I'd take that any day of the week.

Originally posted by SteveYoung:
Whatever D we run we need to get our best players on the front 7 on the field at the same time.

LDE- Aaron Lynch
NT- Ian Williams/Quinton Dial
RDT- Glenn Dorsey/Tank Carradine
RDE- Aldon Smith

*We would need to add another outside pass rusher preferably in the draft but that front 4 is as good as it gets. Tank would come in on passing downs and I believe he has 10+ sack potential on the inside. He is a disruptive pass rusher and would get swallowed up as a 3-4 DE. Ian Williams was a top 3 NT ranked by PFF prior to his injury. Dial also showed potential when he played. I really like this alignment.

WOLB- Patrick Willis/Michael Wilhoite
MLB- Chris Borland/Nick Moody
SOLB- Navarro Bowman

Again, this could arguably be the best set of 4-3 linebackers the league has seen since the Bears had a dominant D with Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs.

Willis is great in coverage and would line up over the TE and Wilhoite was as good a coverage linebacker that there was in the league to backup Willis. At SOLB Bowman would be freed up to make plays all over the field and would he a dynamic blitzer off the edge. Borland has the instincts of a 10 year vet. He would be great with Willis and Bowman on either side.

This formation allows us to out our best 7 on the field.

Whether it's 4-3 or 3-4, Borland will be in the bench for 60% of the defensive snaps when the nickel back comes in. Borland is not in the same league as Willis and Bowman in coverage.