Stevie Johnson status in limbo

Johnson and Crabtree, when both healthy, are nearly the same as far as production but I'd take Crabtree if there's 4.5 million to give to either of the two.....and I think that's what the organization is seriously considering...but that's just a hunch.

Originally posted by JimDrinkAMiller:
I really don't understand the need for an olb. If/when we release brooks we still have aldon, lynch and lemonier who played well his rookie year but not as well this past year. If we were to sign skuta or a comparable olb in free agency, we'd be set. If not it's still a less pressing need than DE CB G or WR. If frank leaves then add RB to that list.

Crabtree, iupati and cully are all starters, there's a good chance we lose all 3. True brooks was an all-pro but last season lynch looked very promising. I liked what I saw from tank late in the season as well.

Our front 7 is still the best in the league when healthy, and if there is a need it's at DE to replace Justin. Not a position where all the players under contract are young and talented assuming brooks is cut.

I was stating that those positions "OL, QB, DL, and OLB" were positions that should predominantly occupy early picks; not that the 49ers should be looking for another OLB.

The line is in trouble. Last year, it appears, has shown the wear and tear of a physical running game. It also demonstrated a heavy focus on one aspect of blocking at the expense of another (pass blocking). IMO, the 49ers should be looking at adding at least one offensive linemen within the firs three rounds. Receiver is a position of need but not to the level of the line. Many of the issues in the passing game last year (80 - 90 percent) involved other issues unrelated to the receiving corps; line being issue number one, HaRoman being issue number two.

The 49ers have addressed one of the glaring deficits, unfortunately, the other equal part is still outstanding. And we haven't even started with defensive line, which is the second priority.

Originally posted by SaksV:
Johnson and Crabtree, when both healthy, are nearly the same as far as production but I'd take Crabtree if there's 4.5 million to give to either of the two.....and I think that's what the organization is seriously considering...but that's just a hunch.

Disagree.

SJ is a much better receiver than Crabs.

Sherman owns Crabs

Neither are worth 6M!!

If we're going to pay someone 6 M - find one in FA.

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:

Originally posted by SaksV:
Johnson and Crabtree, when both healthy, are nearly the same as far as production but I'd take Crabtree if there's 4.5 million to give to either of the two.....and I think that's what the organization is seriously considering...but that's just a hunch.

Disagree.

SJ is a much better receiver than Crabs.

Sherman owns Crabs

Neither are worth 6M!!

If we're going to pay someone 6 M - find one in FA.

I'd choose SJ too. Fact is, I think Crabs needs to play for someone else to reach his potential. Part of me feels playing for the 49ers is an excuse to fail / under-perform.

Originally posted by Geeked:

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:

Originally posted by SaksV:
Johnson and Crabtree, when both healthy, are nearly the same as far as production but I'd take Crabtree if there's 4.5 million to give to either of the two.....and I think that's what the organization is seriously considering...but that's just a hunch.

Disagree.

SJ is a much better receiver than Crabs.

Sherman owns Crabs

Neither are worth 6M!!

If we're going to pay someone 6 M - find one in FA.

I'd choose SJ too. Fact is, I think Crabs needs to play for someone else to reach his potential. Part of me feels playing for the 49ers is an excuse to fail / under-perform.

Nice to see a poster with some patience. Crabtree has been playing in the NFL for six years and still has not reached his potential.

But not quite sure how playing for the 49ers is an "excuse to fail."

Gore, Staley, Miller, Kaepernick, Boldin, Willis, Bowman, etc. ????????

Originally posted by JimDrinkAMiller:
I really don't understand the need for an olb. If/when we release brooks we still have aldon, lynch and lemonier who played well his rookie year

You have Aldon until/if he screws up again, then he is suspended for a season and you have Lynch and Lemonier left.


Adding another pass rushing OLB us a must imo.

I'd prefer they work out an extension and back load it it have escalators. Having a vet presence is always valuable on a team. This would be a way easier decision if we knew what we would be getting from Vernon Davis. Boldin and Davis carried the team a year ago when crab was hurt but when one was getting shut down, the pass game was non-existent. It's hard to be successful when you become completely one dimensional. I'm on the side of ppl who agree the SJ is better than Crab and did better with worse QBs. And while I believe tht SJ can help, he needs opportunities, just like the rest of revievers on the team and if Kap is being rushed out of the pocket/sacked, it won't matter who we have at receiver.

Originally posted by buck:

Originally posted by Geeked:

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:

Originally posted by SaksV:
Johnson and Crabtree, when both healthy, are nearly the same as far as production but I'd take Crabtree if there's 4.5 million to give to either of the two.....and I think that's what the organization is seriously considering...but that's just a hunch.

Disagree.

SJ is a much better receiver than Crabs.

Sherman owns Crabs

Neither are worth 6M!!

If we're going to pay someone 6 M - find one in FA.

I'd choose SJ too. Fact is, I think Crabs needs to play for someone else to reach his potential. Part of me feels playing for the 49ers is an excuse to fail / under-perform.

Nice to see a poster with some patience. Crabtree has been playing in the NFL for six years and still has not reached his potential.

But not quite sure how playing for the 49ers is an "excuse to fail."

Gore, Staley, Miller, Kaepernick, Boldin, Willis, Bowman, etc. ????????

Attitude...

Some people need to fail their first marriage, get married again, get into the same fights, to understand that they may have a part in the less than optimal situation. Same for employer / employee relationships.

Sad thing, many people are soo full of themselves that they never figure it out. JEFF GEORGE for example.

I don't know why people are saying SJ isn't worth $6mil. Dude had 3 straight 1000 yard seasons and looked great when he got his chances last year. He could've been our #1 had Boldin gone down and they gave Stevie a shot. I never heard any reports of his causing trouble in the locker room or with the coaching staff, so I don't see why he should be penalized for the coaching staff not playing him. If he takes a paycut to stay then great, but I don't think he's done anything to deserve one. Dude showed up on Sundays when his number was called.

Originally posted by Disp:
I don't know why people are saying SJ isn't worth $6mil. Dude had 3 straight 1000 yard seasons and looked great when he got his chances last year. He could've been our #1 had Boldin gone down and they gave Stevie a shot. I never heard any reports of his causing trouble in the locker room or with the coaching staff, so I don't see why he should be penalized for the coaching staff not playing him. If he takes a paycut to stay then great, but I don't think he's done anything to deserve one. Dude showed up on Sundays when his number was called.

This

Originally posted by Disp:
I don't know why people are saying SJ isn't worth $6mil. Dude had 3 straight 1000 yard seasons and looked great when he got his chances last year. He could've been our #1 had Boldin gone down and they gave Stevie a shot. I never heard any reports of his causing trouble in the locker room or with the coaching staff, so I don't see why he should be penalized for the coaching staff not playing him. If he takes a paycut to stay then great, but I don't think he's done anything to deserve one. Dude showed up on Sundays when his number was called.

That's the nature of the NFL. Happens every years to a lot players.

Originally posted by jeepzilla:
Rice was a #1 reciever no doubt. But your statement reinforces what I'm saying. Rice was no speed demon. Play calling and route running.

I do agree we need speed on this team in the wide out position to open up the field. I just don't understand the label #1 #2 reciever etc. yes, I know Calvin and Julio are clear number 1's. What's Dez and why? Moss was a number 1 b4 he was here. What was he here? Still a number 1? So if you have a receiver that is fast and opens up the defense is he a number 1 for us but a number 7 for say Green Bay?

The combination of moss, with Vernon with Delanie walker and Ginn seemed to give us what we needed. Yet, none were #1's. You could argue we had a bunch of #2.5's!


Don't get me wrong, minus Dez attitude/demeanor I would love to have him on the niners. He fights for the ball. Something I just see from Q who I think is a great reciever/person.
But I don't see him playing much longer.

Exactly how many Superbowl's have these "#1 WR's" won........I think 49ers fans obsess too much on the WR position as a whole because of the team's history with guys like Rice and Owens.


You always need talent at WR but there's this over-reliance on having a "#1 WR" of which there is really a handful of guys across the NFL, true upper echelon #1 types. Its incredible how so many other teams manage to win without a "#1 WR." I'd say the last 3 SB winners all won without a traditional "#1 WR", even the Giants won more with a balance of guys than any single one truly dominant receiver.

Originally posted by Disp:
I don't know why people are saying SJ isn't worth $6mil. Dude had 3 straight 1000 yard seasons and looked great when he got his chances last year. He could've been our #1 had Boldin gone down and they gave Stevie a shot. I never heard any reports of his causing trouble in the locker room or with the coaching staff, so I don't see why he should be penalized for the coaching staff not playing him. If he takes a paycut to stay then great, but I don't think he's done anything to deserve one. Dude showed up on Sundays when his number was called.

In this market I would say that he isn't worth $6 mil but he should get $3-$4 mil a year easily. At worst he's a solid #2 WR who could start for any number of teams across the NFL. Its incredible how much some are underrating him in this thread. I think if you put him in Seattle, he could be a 1,000 yard a year receiver for them, he'd easily be the best receiver that they have.

Originally posted by lamontb:

Originally posted by Disp:
I don't know why people are saying SJ isn't worth $6mil. Dude had 3 straight 1000 yard seasons and looked great when he got his chances last year. He could've been our #1 had Boldin gone down and they gave Stevie a shot. I never heard any reports of his causing trouble in the locker room or with the coaching staff, so I don't see why he should be penalized for the coaching staff not playing him. If he takes a paycut to stay then great, but I don't think he's done anything to deserve one. Dude showed up on Sundays when his number was called.

That's the nature of the NFL. Happens every years to a lot players.

I know. If they run him out of town over a couple million then it'll be the first time I've genuinely questioned what this FO is doing this offseason. I can understand most of the other moves even if I don't necessarily agree with them. but Stevie would be a $6mil./yr receiver all day long for most teams. Without Stevie we go into the season with Boldin (on his contract's final year), 2 unproven players in Patton/Ellington, and then who? Chuck Jacobs or some third round rookie is the #4? Every year our receivers get seem to get decimated and we have so little depth at the position already.

Originally posted by NinerGM:
Pill, I usually agree with you bud, but not necessarily in this case; I really believe this is a very standard approach to offense and sure it would be great to have a receiver that encompasses all these features, but I simply don't think it's the team's highest priority right now in terms of personnel. IMHO, an offense can be just as effective without a downfield burner as long as the the slot receivers are exceptional route runners. So, speed or superb route running. I think this team has so much untapped talent and they shouldn't invest their 1st round pick in someone who will essentially be a decoy. Is this needed? Yes but could we have a very effective offense with Johnson, Boldin and Davis with a developing Patton and Ellington? Yes. New England showed you don't need a deep threat to beat a good defense. You need a good strategy. Hasn't this always been the case and was the reason for the birth of the WCO?

Good strategy first and foremost. Give Belichick and McDaniels the 49ers group last year, Boldin, Crabtree, Kaepernick, Johnson, Lloyd, Ellington, Patton, Gore and Hyde.....is there even the slightest doubt that the offense as a whole looks far improved.


You can have all the elite talent in the world but if your strategy is poor, you're not going to do well. This offense could have had Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones last season and the results would still have been largely underwhelming. You need to use your players to maximize their individual talent, not try and force them into a box that they aren't comfortable in.


As far as receivers go, the only thing I really see the 49ers lacking badly is a real vertical threat, doesn't even have to be a 1st round guy, just someone to give them some balance the way Baltimore had in 2012, they had Boldin and Pitta in the intermediate area, and they had Torrey Smith as the vertical threat to help spread the field. That's the kind of balance that the 49ers need along with better strategy and scheming on offense as a whole.