Originally posted by dj43:
We all know that replacing Joe Staley is in our near-term future. How? When? We don't know.
I am going to suggest the FO has moved on that. Here is why I think that:
What has made Staley so good for so long is that he is really a bulked-up TE. He had the agility/footwork of a TE coming out of college. He added enough muscle to play the power game when needed. However, the key to his game is his feet. It not only works in PP but is ideal for outside ZBS.
So, the 49ers went looking for a converted TE that had good footwork and now needs to build into the pro game. With the signing of Ryan Pope to the PS, the 49ers now have two guys that fit the Staley mold. The other guy is Daniel Brunskill. Both are former TEs. The scouting report on Brunskill is that he has better feet than Pope but needs to add lower body strength to make power moves. That is nearly identical to Staley. The difference with Brunskill is that while Staley had multiple years at TE in college, Brunskill only has one. However, he showed great promise in that one year.
Pope is similar but according to scouting reports, does not have the foot skills of Brunskill. However, he has a bit more power. The choices made by Shanahan's staff confirms that Brunskill is ahead of Pope, but both have potential for the team.
In both cases, there is a pattern that has shown success and fits the Shanahan offense better than some bulldozer-type brought in just to fill a back-up roster spot. Now that all the camp fodder is gone, and reps are more concentrated, expect both of these guys to continue to improve and fill a legit role on the team.
Terrific post , DJ. Think about this...two studs at OT that can move, (with Brunskill and Pope in the pipeline, and both like Joe S in a former life, played TE.), added to 4 TEs, who are all good blockers, kittle being the exception as a 1st class blocker and best receiving TE in the league,, added to Au Jus and Hurd, who both can both block, run and catch passes.....and what do you have?
It sounds like a machine that blocks well, catches, well, runs well, paired with an OC who has no equal in today's game, and ends up being a bunch of heavies that can move, block, catch, and run. But they aren't Trent Brown heavies. They are in the fast but sturdy group, which makes it sound like an O none of us have seen before.
Really ,we have the equivalent of 6 TEs, all blockers, and 4 of which are known as good receivers. We also have 2 OTs who can move and block. Then we have a WR who is a TE and RB, plus a FB who can block like a TE , run like a RB and catch like a WR.
Now i ask you: what does this sound like in the very early beginnings? RZ? Goal line? I just don't see those as problems anymore. Sure there will be exceptions, but...when the RZ Defense loads the box we will have 4 guys on the field who can block or run...or receive a pass.
But mainly, if the above is true, this is starting to sound like the beginning of a juggernaut...and one not easily stopped. And strange as it seems it is based on TEs, not WRs, even tho we have 3 very good WRs...ok, exquisite ones. So a running based offense based on guys who also are great receivers. And at OT, we have not only Joe and McG who can move but also BRunskill and Pope, two OLs who were former TEs to work into the lineup when Joe hangs 'em up.
We all have been trying to figure out what kind of O kyle is running, and now DJ has kindly shown us the way.
If this isn't kyle's Plan, i bet it is darn close. Really well done, DJ. If this is truly kyle's Plan, remember DJ figured it out first. And...it just makes sense. Ok, i am finessing the QB protection here, but i bet all this is based on the ball being gone in under 2.0 seconds.
