49ers Offensive Line

Originally posted by Sourball:
Moving Boone to LT looks like the best scenario to me also. Except for what it does to his head now wanting starting tackle money

No...if he plays OT he'll want QB money!

Originally posted by Sourball:
Moving Boone to LT looks like the best scenario to me also. Except for what it does to his head now wanting starting tackle money

Joe Staley is still the best OL on this team, and he is still among the best LTs in the league. Unless he retired in the last 4 hours, he's still the starter there.

Originally posted by 49erphan:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by 49erphan:

Like a lot of people, I have been concerned about the offensive tackle situation. A. Davis has struggled with injuries (it's probably a good idea for him to take a year off and get healthy) and Boone hasn't shown himself to be particularly reliable lately, so though he may do well if he is kicked out to RT - lots of incentive for him to do so because he can cash in on it - I wish I could feel more confident that he would do well. Please excuse me for tooting my own horn a bit, but that's why I posted this back in May (in the "Bold Predictions" thread, post #10):

http://www.49erswebzone.com/forum/niners/182591-bold-predictions/

Baalke is going to wish he had acquired a much better back-up offensive tackle in FA or the draft.

Well he did grab Pears in FA (has to be better than Synder and J.Martin was) plus two developmental T's in Silberman and Brown (who is already getting nice reports). Obviously, had Baalke known about Davis, he would have taken additional measures to secure a viable and more assured replacement. But that's on Davis. Not Baalke.

Yes, Davis should have figured out that he was going to bow out before the draft, but with his injury situation, Baalke should have assumed there was a pretty fair chance that Davis would not be available for at least a big chunk of the season. I certainly hope Pears turns out to be better with a different scheme and coaches but I think it's fair to say he is at least a big question mark. And Silberman and/or Brown may turn out to be good OTs, but, again, they are least big question marks for this year. I think Baalke would have improved the likelihood of getting a good spare tackle if he had chosen one in the first or second rounds (or at least 3rd) of the draft. If not that, he should have aimed for an experienced vet with more proven recent play than Pears.

Well the thing is, reports indicate the 49ers did know it was a strong possibility Davis wouldn't play this season. Based on that, they must've felt pretty comfortable with their plan going forward. Plenty of options at RT. The best five with the best chemistry is what we're looking for. Maybe Pears has a veteran rejuvenation like others that have come here. I dunno. But I see several OL combos that could work.

1) Staley - Thomas - Kilgore - Martin - Boone

2) Staley - Pears - Kilgore - Martin - Boone

3) Staley - Thomas - Kilgore - Boone - Pears

4) Staley - Pears - Kilgore - Boone - Brown

5) Staley - Martin - Kilgore - Pears - Boone

6) Staley - Pears - Kilgore - Boone - Thomas

7) Staley - Kilgore - Martin - Boone - Thomas


I think the top two seem the most likely, based on reps in practice right now. (Pears mostly at LG/RT, Martin at C/RG)

Here's a thought trade for Mathis and put Boone out at RT...boom!

Originally posted by NinerGM:

Originally posted by Wu-5Rings:

Originally posted by NinerGM:
It's soooooo ridiculously early. I can understand if this was a LT we were trying to replace, but there will be cuts even before TC is done.

The players retiring are forcing our hand, we have no choice? Protect KAP at all costs. Someone has to step up. What other choice do we have at this point. Can't afford to let these rookies sit and learn.

Do you honestly think Baalke and Gamble are going to let this go unanswered? Do people really believe this? It's so much easier to replace a RT vs a LT. If this were Staley I'd honestly be concerned.

Agree

And, IMO, our RT is already on the team and can play at a high level.

Alex Boone.

Like him or not - he's here and under contract.

Originally posted by Hammerthrow99:
Kilgore was the top rated center in the NFL when he went down last year

Originally posted by 9moon:
I rather see this guys as our starting OL..

RT - Boone
RG - Thomas
C - Martin
LG - Looney
LT - Staley

.. i just really don't like Kilgore as a starter..

Kilgore is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO underated and he will dominate this season.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Here's a thought trade for Mathis and put Boone out at RT...boom!

Don't know his contract details, but my gut tells me it would be a barrier to that happening. Conceptually, it's a nice idea though.

Originally posted by Escobar:
LT: Staley
LG: Thomas
C: Martin
RG: Kilgore
RT: Boone

and don't re-sign or extend Boone, go T in Rd1 next year

COMPLETELY depends on how he plays!

Don't forget - he can ALSO play LT and play it well.

Originally posted by tsty:
Regardless of what all the pundits say, I agree with your post. We really only liked Kilgore at center because he knew the calls and Martin was a rookie. We need Martin to mature and take the job in camp because of the size. Looney needs to make a bigger impression this camp because after all these years in the offense, he still gets blown off the ball so I expect them to give someone else a chance to play guard next to Boone (I like Trenton Brown, the right side would be scary).

BULLS__T!

He was a top lineman last year and on to an excellent season.

AND how the F do you know that's why we only liked him???

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Good DLs are going to give us trouble.

Which is like every team in the NFC West

Initially - yes, without a doubt.

Our new guys will be vigorously tested from the first play.

That's another reason, IMO, to get the line established and working together ASAP!

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by 49erphan:
Like a lot of people, I have been concerned about the offensive tackle situation. A. Davis has struggled with injuries (it's probably a good idea for him to take a year off and get healthy) and Boone hasn't shown himself to be particularly reliable lately, so though he may do well if he is kicked out to RT - lots of incentive for him to do so because he can cash in on it - I wish I could feel more confident that he would do well. Please excuse me for tooting my own horn a bit, but that's why I posted this back in May (in the "Bold Predictions" thread, post #10):

http://www.49erswebzone.com/forum/niners/182591-bold-predictions/

Baalke is going to wish he had acquired a much better back-up offensive tackle in FA or the draft.

Well he did grab Pears in FA (has to be better than Synder and J.Martin was) plus two developmental T's in Silberman and Brown (who is already getting nice reports). Obviously, had Baalke known about Davis, he would have taken additional measures to secure a viable and more assured replacement. But that's on Davis. Not Baalke.

And add to that Dillon Farrel

Originally posted by Sourball:
Moving Boone to LT looks like the best scenario to me also. Except for what it does to his head now wanting starting tackle money

If he becomes a starting RT/LT then he deserves starting Tackle $$$

Originally posted by defenderDX:

He's absolutely correct. You can get by with far lesser talent in a zone blocking system. Look at Seattle's OL, they've been converting DL's and pulling guys out of their ass and still somehow making it work. 49ers start with better overall talent.


Shanahan regularly found guys in the 6th and 7th rounds who came in and were starters from Day 1. Its not a system that requires you to be physically dominant as much as it requires you to have good awareness, football IQ and agility.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Don't know his contract details, but my gut tells me it would be a barrier to that happening. Conceptually, it's a nice idea though.

He's making around $5 million this year.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by 49erphan:
Yes, Davis should have figured out that he was going to bow out before the draft, but with his injury situation, Baalke should have assumed there was a pretty fair chance that Davis would not be available for at least a big chunk of the season. I certainly hope Pears turns out to be better with a different scheme and coaches but I think it's fair to say he is at least a big question mark. And Silberman and/or Brown may turn out to be good OTs, but, again, they are least big question marks for this year. I think Baalke would have improved the likelihood of getting a good spare tackle if he had chosen one in the first or second rounds (or at least 3rd) of the draft. If not that, he should have aimed for an experienced vet with more proven recent play than Pears.

Well the thing is, reports indicate the 49ers did know it was a strong possibility Davis wouldn't play this season. Based on that, they must've felt pretty comfortable with their plan going forward.

Right, there was good reason to think that Davis may not be available for much or all of the season. I'm sure he did feel at least mostly "comfortable" with their plan going forward and Baalke certainly knows the players way, way better than me. But everyone makes goofs. I think this has the potential to be a pretty big goof. I hope I'm wrong because I want the O-line to play much better than last year. It's just going to take some decent play from the RT position most of the year to convince me that my hunch is wrong.