SB Nation - Walt Harris

Greg Manusky Approval Rating, Week 10

Fooch — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:00:22 -0000

After enough requests, now seemed as good a time as any to roll out a Greg Manusky Approval Rating poll. We don't have a graphic for it yet, but I'll work on that.

For those who didn't know, Football Outsiders posts weekly DVOA ratings for offenses and defenses, and the 49ers are second in the NFL in total defensive DVOA. They stand third against the rush and eighth against the pass. Although there are certain areas where the defense can still improve (namely consistency), the swarming, aggressive nature of the defense seems to have them playing fairly well for the most part.

For this first approval rating, I'm curious what has caused the improvements in the defense? Obviously they've had some tough games, but overall, the defense is better than last season. The 49ers defense was ranked 14th last season when Nolan was fired, and finished the season ranked 18th. They were 20th against the pass and 17th against the run. Fairly middle of the road. In looking at the current depth chart, we've had a couple big changes, but really most of the defense remains the same in terms of personnel. The two biggest changes since day 1 are: 1) Dashon Goldson moving into the starting lineup in place of Mark Roman, and 2) Shawntae Spencer returning to the starting lineup ahead of Dre Bly (and Walt Harris since he was injured). The second change was more recently when Tarell Brown moved into the starting lineup over Nate Clements.

I think those changes have certainly impacted the defense, but enough to sit at the #2 position in all the league? I guess I'm wondering how much credit does Greg Manusky get? Aside from the big name coordinators, you don't hear a lot about your defensive coordinator. The offensive coordinators seem to get significantly more press, and it often seems easier to assess the OC as you're watching the game.

I remember there being some talk about how Manusky was never really completely free under Nolan, and that under Singletary he's been given a lot more latitude to run the defense as he wants. In general it seems like Singletary gets a lot of the credit for positives with the 49ers, while others take the blame. Given the improvements, who (or what) gets the credit for the 49ers general defensive prowess in 2009?

Poll

Do you approve of the job Greg Manusky is doing as defensive coordinator?

Yes

626 votes

No

17 votes

643 votes | Poll has closed

2009 DVOA Rankings: 49ers through Week 2

Fooch — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:21:53 -0000

Fooch's Note: Florida Danny put this together but had to run out so I'm posting it for him. Thanks to Danny for getting this together. He'll touch it up later this afternoon/evening.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: For the Niners Nation newcomers – say that 5 times fast – I’m our resident stats guy. In general, my role on here is to write up Niner-related articles from a statistical perspective. Most of my posts come during the season, as I write up a statistical preview and review of each game. For the vets who are wondering, I haven’t done so thus far this season because the matchup stats aren’t all that meaningful yet (for the stat-savvy folks out there, I’m talking about inadequate sample size). Aside from these game previews/reviews, I post stat-based articles periodically when the specific situation warrants it. For instance, my first post ever on NN was a statistical indictment of Mike Nolan as it regarded the bullsh*t he was feeding us during his weekly press conference. So, if you like stats or, more importantly, if you’d like to augment your 49er fandom with some information that you might not get elsewhere, look out each week (beginning after the 3rd game) for my stat previews/reviews of each 49ers game, as well as my other periodic stats articles.

I know, I know. I haven’t posted in a really long time. It’s been a confluence of factors, of which many of you would be familiar: graduate school, full-time work, preparing for fantasy football, etc. It didn’t help that the offseason was pretty boring, and – oh yeah – the human anti-stat, Mike Nolan, is no longer the 49ers’ head coach (aka no longer my go-to post topic).

So, with that said, today we’re introducing a new weekly post. Basically, it’s going to be a power rankings post not unlike what you see around the internet. However, the twist will be that, rather than telling you where the 49ers rank according to the inner thoughts of Pete Prisco, I’ll be telling you where the 49ers rank on a whole host of objective measures published by Football Outsiders (FO).

For those who don’t know about FO, first things first, go check them out, especially if you’re into the statistical aspects of the NFL game. We’ve had many battles here on NN about the value of FO’s stats, mostly due to a misunderstanding of statistical interpretation in general. Neither FO nor I pretend that statistics can tell you everything there is to know about NFL football. They’re simply another piece of the puzzle.

The fact of the matter is that, unless you’re a die-hard "football stats are meaningless" kind of fan, then you’re already being inundated by, and using, NFL stats. So, if you accept that you’re going to pay attention to any NFL stats at all as part of being a fan, then the important thing is to pay attention to the most valid stats, i.e., the ones that give the best information.

This is where FO comes in. Put simply – and this is coming from a statistical measurement specialist not being paid by FO to hock their products – they put out the best NFL stats you can find in the public domain. Why? Because they take your basic NFL yardage stats, and adjust them for how difficult it was for the team/player to gain those yards on a given play. For instance, gaining yards against DET’s defense last year was just a tad easier than gaining yards against PIT’s defense. Similarly, it’s a lot easier to gain yards when you’re down by 30 than it is to gain yards when you’re down by 3, and it’s much more difficult to rush for 3 yards on 3rd and 2 than it is to rush for 3 yards on 3rd and 20. Even if you knew nothing about statistical methodology, you’d likely compare things like opponents, game situations, and downs/distances when deciding which team is better than another. So if we agree that these factors matter in ranking NFL teams/players, wouldn’t it be a better idea to rely on stats that incorporate them rather than on stats that totally ignore them? Obviously, this is a rhetorical question. The main idea here is that I use FO’s stats because the stats you find on NFL.com don’t account for any of the factors that impact the relatively difficulty of gaining a yard. In other words, NFL stats assume that every yard is created equally, which we know can’t be true, so that tends to make an ass out of you and me when we rely on them to argue with our friends about teams and players.

OK, so now you know what I’m going to be presenting in these weekly posts, and why I’m going to be presenting it. Therefore, without further ado, let the stat geekery begin!

After the jump, I’ll grab a pen from my pocket protector, and detail the 49ers’ statistical rankings through their first 2 games…

OVERALL RANKINGS

The primary statistic by which FO ranks NFL teams is defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA). In English, that name means FO looks at the yardage gained on every NFL play, adjusts it to account for the defense it was gained against (as well as other factors), determines whether that yardage represented a successful play, and then compares that success rate to the league average. Therefore, DVOA is expressed as a percentage, and is interpreted as offensive success rate per play. For offensive (OFF) DVOA stats, positive percentages are desirable because a high offensive success rate is a good thing. In contrast, negative percentages are desirable for defensive (DEF) DVOA stats because a high offensive success rate is a bad thing. Finally, although special teams (ST) DVOA is calculated a little differently (see here for more details), positive percentages are what we want to see. Below are the 49ers’ team DVOA rankings through Week 2 (bold = top 8 in the NFL; italics = bottom 8):

Total	Rank	Offense	Rank	Defense	Rank	Special Teams	Rank
1.0%	18	-15.3%	27	-9.9%	8	6.4%	4

As you can see, the 49ers are the 18thbest team in the league overall according to FO’s rankings. With respect to interpretation, you should read the percentage in the "Total" column to mean that the 49ers are 1.0% more efficient overall than the average NFL team (FYI…TOT DVOA = OFF DVOA + ST DVOA – DEF DVOA).

Two points are worth making here. First, the Niners have the worst TOT DVOA among the NFL teams that are 2-0. The next worst 2-0 team is the Giants, who have a 14th-ranked 14.9% TOT DVOA. This shouldn’t be taken as a bad sign, however, because the DVOA stats above, along with all stats I’m going to present here before Week 4, have not been adjusted for opponents. This isn’t to say they’re meaningless, though, because the stats have been adjusted for all other important factors, including the ones I discussed earlier. So, for instance, the 2-0 Broncos’ 7th-ranked TOT DVOA of 28.8% is a mirage given that they’ve played CIN and CLE. It’s likely that their TOT DVOA will drop precipitously after the opponent adjustments are introduced after Week 3. Nevertheless, the fact that the 49ers are basically an average team thus far, despite playing two NFC West teams, isn’t exactly something we should be celebrating.

Second, and more optimistically, the Niners haven’t finished a season with a positive TOT DVOA since 2002, and have not ranked higher than 25th at the end of a season since 2003 (they were 18th). Thus, it seems the stats confirm what our eyes are seeing. Namely, that the 49ers are an improved team this season.

When looking at the 49ers rankings for the three team units, you see that the DEF and ST have been carrying them. The ST prowess is nothing new: SF finished 3rd in ST DVOA last year and 4th in 2007. The DEF, however, appears to have improved considerably (Remember: Negative percentages are good for DEF DVOA). Specifically, they’re 17.2% more efficient through Week 2 of 2009 than they were at the end of 2008 (7.3%; ranked 18th). Even more impressive is the fact that an above average DEF is something that hasn’t been seen by Niner fans since 2001, a season in which their DEF DVOA was -3.6%. And if you want to find a 49ers full-season DEF DVOA better than the one they have right now, you’d have to go back to 1997 (-25.8%).

The offense is another story altogether. Continuing the trend of recent 49er offenses, this year’s version is less efficient than the NFL average through 2 games. For the sake of comparison, the average NFL offense so far this season is that juggernaut in KC (-0.1%). Um yeah, wow, the Niners’ offense is 15% worse than the Chiefs’, who actually had Brady Croyle start 1 of their games. Soooo not awesome. Don’t fret, though. As you’ll see shortly, there are some specific aspects of the 49ers’ offense that are actually pretty good.

DOWN AND DISTANCE RANKINGS

Just a quick FYI for this section: "Short" means 0-3 yards, "Mid" means 4-6 yards, and "Long" means 7 or more yards. Also, because teams punt on 4th down the vast majority of the time, 3rd down DVOA stats actually include plays in which the team went for it on 4th down. Below are the 49ers’ down and distance DVOA rankings on both OFF and DEF (bold = top 8 in the NFL; italics = bottom 8):

Down and Distance	Offense	Rank	Defense	Rank
1^st Down Overall	16.0%	12	2.1%	16
2^nd & Short	-44.8%	26	10.9%	20
2^nd & Mid	-69.7%	25	65.3%	29
2^nd & Long	-80.8%	32	-64.2%	3
2^nd Down Overall	-70.2%	31	-24.6%	9
3^rd & Short	11.0%	19	37.7%	20
3^rd & Mid	28.6%	13	-61.5%	7
3^rd & Long	-13.2%	20	-60.7%	8
3^rd Down Overall	7.3%	20	-14.5%	9

Lots to talk about here. Through 2 games, it’s obvious where the 49ers’ OFF is committing an epic fail: 2nd down. Because their overall 2nd down DVOA is closer to their DVOAs for 2nd & Mid and 2nd & Long, we can infer that the Niners’ OFF is finding itself in a lot of these unfavorable 2nd down distances. However, that’s not to say that they’ve been inefficient on 1st down. Rather, it just means that the 49ers’ OFF on 1st down has been kind of boom or bust. Basically, they either pick up another 1st down or they go nowhere and end up in something like 2nd and 7. Now, you might think a 3-yard gain on 1st down is efficient. NFL history says otherwise. That’s because, in coming up with their success criteria for each down, FO used a long-since-discovered statistical fact that 5 yards (not 7) is the 2nd down distance at which OFF’s have a better-than-50% chance of picking up a 1st down. In other words, on 2^nd & 7, the OFF is at a tactical disadvantage vis-à-vis the DEF.

On 3rd down, the Niners’ OFF isn’t doing all that bad when you consider most teams, regardless of the opponent, are pretty bad on 3rd and Long. Also, as you’ll see in the next section, one aspect of the offense is actually pretty darn good on 3rd down, whereas the other is horrifically bad. Feel free to take a guess.

As far as the DEF goes, they’re in the top half of the NFL on each down. What’s interesting, though, is how there’s a kind of snowball effect for DEF success on each subsequent down. Specifically, the Niners’ DEF seems to be putting teams in a lot of 2nd & Long holes given that their overall 2nd down DVOA is closest to this split. In other words, much of the DEF’s 1st down success translates into further success on 2nd & Long. Similarly, their success on 2nd and Long creates the very advantageous situation in which the 49ers’ DEF can attack on 3rd and 4+ yards. (i.e., 3rd & Mid or 3rd & Long).

One more thing that I have to mention here is how much of an improvement the Niners’ DEF is showing on 3rd down over last year’s unit. Specifically, the 2008 DEF had an 11.2% overall 3rd Down DVOA (ranked 21st), and was ranked 30th in the NFL with a 75.7% DVOA on 3rd and Long. You want to know how to lose games, demoralize fans, and tire out your DEF players? Coach 3rd down defense like Mike Nolan. (Aside: Yes, that was my one shot at Nolan for the day.) But why the improvement on 3rd & Long? Must be the pass DEF right? Was that Nolan’s fault too? Answer in a moment.

DOWN AND TYPE-OF-PLAY RANKINGS

Here they are (Same thing applies as before about 3^rd/4^th Down):

Down and Type of Play	Offense	Rank	Defense	Rank
1^st Down Pass	-11.6%	27	32.2%	20
2^nd Down Pass	-78.5%	31	-0.7%	14
3^rd Down Pass	53.3%	10	-30.6%	8
Pass Overall	-9.2%	27	4.5%	13
1^st Down Run	34.0%	4	-47.4%	2
2^nd Down Run	-56.6%	31	-60.1%	3
3^rd Down Run	-125.9%	31	60.9%	26
Run Overall	-18.1%	25	-38.2%	5

For the sake of comparison, which will become relevant in a second, here again are the overall down-by-down DVOAs from the previous table:

Down	Offense	Rank	Defense	Rank
1^st Down Overall	16.0%	12	2.1%	16
2^nd Down Overall	-70.2%	31	-24.6%	9
3^rd Down Overall	7.3%	20	-14.5%	9

As they relate to the OFF’s ineptitude on 2nd down, we can see from the first table that the stats indicate inefficiency in both the run and the pass. However, as the Overall 2nd Down DVOA is closer to the 2nd Down Pass DVOA, we can infer that the pass OFF is more to blame. This makes sense given what I said in the last section about the OFF finding itself in a lot of Mid to Long situations on 2nd down.

For 3rd down, I asked you to guess which part of the OFF is better. Based on the first table, the correct answer – surprisingly – is the pass OFF. It turns out that Shaun Hill and the pass OFF are over 50% better than the league average on 3rd down, while Frank Gore and the run OFF are over 125% worse than average. What’s even more remarkable is that this is a total flip-flop from last season, when the Niners’ 3rd down pass OFF ranked 23rd at -6.1% while their 3rd down run OFF ranked 13th at 23.5%. Keep in mind that FO’s success threshold for 3rd (and 4th) down is getting a 1st down because, obviously, anything less than a 1st down means punting or turning the ball over on downs. So, with that in mind, what we basically have through 2 games this season is an OFF that is actually good at passing its way out of 3rd down situations. I’d say that’s a promising development, and a strange one given the philosophical differences between Jimmy Raye and Mike Martz. Perhaps it’s the lack of Martz’s signature 15-step drops on 3rd & Long that’s making the difference here? Time will tell.

Speaking of 3rd down passing, and going back to the question I posed in the previous section, yes, the 49ers’ pass DEF on 3rd down is the reason they’ve improved so much overall on 3rd down (at least through 2 games). As the first table shows, the Niners’ 3rd Down Pass DEF DVOA is over 30% better than the NFL average, which puts it in the top quartile of the league. Keep in mind that this has come against two teams, ARI and SEA, who are much better at passing (ARI pass DVOA = 39.5%; SEA = 21.7%) than running (ARI run DVOA = -31.1%; SEA = -3.0%) on offense. Therefore, the Niners’ 3rd Down pass DEF DVOA is most likely to get even better once FO incorporates opponent adjustments in a couple of weeks.

Deeper question: Why has the pass DEF improved on 3rd down? I offer two explanations. First, Nolan’s hybrid vanilla cow pie defense has been replaced by the more aggressive attack-style defense preferred by Manusky and Singletary. Aggression on 3rd down passes is a good thing, just ask the Steelers. Second, the passive pass-defending duo of Walt Harris and Mark Roman has been replaced by the more aggressive Shawntae Spencer and Dashon Goldson. Combine these 2 players with the hyperagressive Nate Clements, and you have the makings of something the 49ers haven’t had in a while: a turnover-creating secondary. So, essentially, what you have here is a situation whereby Singletary’s personnel, scheme, and philosophy changes are being vindicated by the statistics – through 2 games at least. It’s hard to argue against Singletary’s changes when they’ve immediately resulted in a 135% improvement over last season in 3rd & Long Pass DEF DVOA.

One last thing I’ll say about the down-by-down DVOAs. Except for 2nd Down OFF, the 49ers are exhibiting a situational pattern on both sides of the ball that is exactly what we want to see. Namely, as 1st and 2nd down tend to favor run-heavy play-calling, we’d like to see the Niners’ OFF and DEF having success in the run game on these downs. Likewise, as 3rd down tends to favor pass-heavy play-calling, we’d like to see the two units having success in the passing game on 3rd down. Well, that’s exactly what we see from the Niners through 2 games. They’ve been good in the run game when running plays are more likely, and they’ve been good in the pass game when passing plays are more likely. That, my fellow Niner fans, is called situational efficiency.

FIELD ZONE RANKINGS

For the OFF rankings in the table below, "Deep" means inside SF’s 20 yard line, "Back" means between SF’s 20 and 39, "Midfield" means between SF’s 40 and their opponents’ 40, "Front" means between their opponents’ 39 and 20, "Red Zone" means inside their opponents’ 20, and "Goal-to-Go" means inside their opponents’ 10. These are reversed for DEF rankings such that, for example, "Red Zone" means the opponent has the ball inside SF’s 20 yard line. Here are the rankings:

Field Zone	Offense	Rank	Defense	Rank
Deep	-52.1%	29	-54.5%	4
Back	0.7%	19	-18.1%	5
Midfield	0.2%	23	21.6%	25
Front	-60.5%	27	-6.9%	19
Red Zone Pass	-30.1%	21	4.5%	18
Red Zone Run	23.4%	10	7.2%	19
Red Zone Overall	-7.5%	18	5.6%	15
Goal-to-Go	82.3%	8	40.4%	19

From this table, you can see that both sides of the ball are having their biggest successes inside their opponents’ 10 yard line: The OFF’s best Field Zone DVOA has come in goal-to-go situations, while the DEF’s best Field Zone DVOA has come when the opponent is pinned deep in their own territory. Obviously, this has directly impacted the 49ers’ 2-0 start in two ways. First, the OFF hasn’t wasted their scoring opportunities, and, after all, the object of the game is to outscore your opponent. Second, the DEF has helped SF maintain a consistent field position advantage by not letting opponents move out of the shadow of their own goalline.

SPECIAL TEAMS RANKINGS

The way FO comes up with their ST DVOAs is different from their methods for OFF and DEF DVOA. It’s pretty intuitive though. Basically, the way it works is that each yard line is associated with a different probability of scoring points. For example, a team is more likely to score a TD when starting from their opponents’ 20 than from their own 20. Similarly, a 30-yard FG attempt is more likely to be made than a 50-yard FG attempt. For kicks and punts, efficiency is determined by the expected point difference between the yard line from which the ball is kicked and the yard line to which the ball is returned. For example, the highest efficiency punt would be one that’s kicked from your own 1 yard line (i.e., a place where the opponent is most likely to score) to your opponent’s 1 yard line (i.e., a place where the opponent is least likely to score). For returns, efficiency is determined in basically the same way, except in reverse. For FGs, efficiency depends on the length of the kick.

So, when you read the table below, understand that each stat represents the number of expected points of field position each special teams unit creates compared to the NFL average for similar kicks, returns, or FGs. Therefore, in this interpretation, positive numbers are good. For instance, the 49ers’ FG stat of 2.4 net points means that Joe Nedney has given the Niners 2.4 points more than what the average NFL team would expect to score at the distances from which he’s kicked his FGs. If you want more details about ST DVOA, see here. And below are the ST DVOA stats:

FG/XP	Rank	Kickoff	Rank	Kickoff Return	Rank	Punt	Rank	Punt Return	Rank
2.4	2	2.7	4	-0.7	16	1.8	11	-1.5	22

As you can see from the table, Nedney has been a beast, the punt team has been above average, and the return teams need improvement. These are pretty much the conclusions you would reach just watching the first 2 games. When Nedney and Andy Lee are on the field, I’m confident. When Allen Rossum is on the field, I’m taking a bathroom break because either (a) he’s not returning it very far, or (b) he’s going to hand it off to Clements for a 10-yard loss.

BOTTOM LINE

OK, so through 2 games, we can draw the following conclusions about the 2009 49ers based on their team statistics thus far:

1. They’re an average team that is currently being carried by its DEF and ST.

2. In stark contrast to the Nolan Era, they’ve become a very situationally effective team. Their statistical strengths so far seem to be 3rd down pass OFF, 3rd down pass DEF, goal-to-go OFF, long-field DEF, and field position. It’s really important to understand that these are the game situations that correlate the most with winning. It’s no wonder, then, that the Niners are 2-0.

3. Their statistical weaknesses so far are 2nd down OFF and returning kicks/punts. These are relatively minor things, so it’s actually nice to finally engage in nitpicking when it comes to the Niners.

Remember, though, the stats I’ve presented in this article have not been adjusted for opponent. We’ll have a much better idea about how efficiently the 49ers have been playing once FO starts incorporating opponent DVOA adjustments in a couple of weeks. Nevertheless, based on the stats, it’s a lot more fun to be a Niner fan these days.

**DVOA statistics used to produce this article were obtained from Football Outsiders.

Poll

What do you think is the biggest reason for the 49ers' improvement in 3rd down pass defense?

Singletary/Manusky's aggressive 3-4 has replaced Nolan's hybrid vanilla

298 votes

Spencer and Goldson have replaced Harris and Roman

50 votes

Both of the above

397 votes

Neither of the above (specify in comments)

17 votes

762 votes | Poll has closed

Golden Nuggets: Thinkin' thats a "no" on Crabtree.

Ninjames — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:00:47 -0000

Week one is officially under wraps and wouldn't you know it, it was a genuinely great week of football. Not just for the 49ers and their victory, I just enjoyed every game I watched. I mean, I was disappointed that the Raiders played decent but it was still a good game. Did anyone else feel the entire Buffalo Bills fan base cry out "Not agaaain!" collectively? I sure did. Still, what about the 49ers? I have a couple links for you, though not as much as yesterday. (Totally had a ton yesterday--not one thanks. Pfft.) Some (kind of) news about Michael Crabtree, some more recaps and notes from the game and yeah.. That's about it. Anyway, here's your links.

The 49ers have begun reducing their offer to WR Michael Crabtree. Will this make him sign? No, I doubt it. I personally don't care either. I'm sick of talk about this kid. (PressDemocrat.com)

Veteran CB Walt Harris says he wants to return next season. While not expressly stating he wishes to stay with the Niners, he plans to finish his rehab in Santa Clara. (SacBee.com)

Singletary hits rewind on the win at Arizona with some transcripts and some notes from the game. (MercuryNews.com)

Here's yesterday's edition of Singletary's Notebook. (49ers.com)

The Wrap Up with Eric Davis, a recap of Sunday's game at Arizona. (49ers.com)

The team definitely will need more from their run game. As I said yesterday, it was borderline abysmal. I expect much more from Frank Gore and much more from the run blockers. (Yahoo.com)

We got our tails kicked up front. At least, that's what Singletary said. I'd use different wording, personally--but then again I'm not talking to the media. If I were to say it, it'd be something along the lines of [entire quote removed for site decorum.] (PressDemocrat.com)

This line put's it nicely: 49ers' 2009 offense: Stubborn, phyical, uncreative... and 1-0. (MercuryNews.com)

How about some fake news? Crabtree is getting nervous. (ProFootballTalk.com)

Arizona Cardinals vs San Francisco 49ers: Q&A With Niners Nation

Hawkwind — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:10:06 -0000

by Paul Sakuma - AP

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree laughs at the idea of joining the team anytime soon. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

View full size photo »

The Arizona Cardinals are a couple of days away from facing the San Francisco 49ers to open the season and what better way to get an inside look at the 49ers than to ask Fooch of Niners Nation.com. You can also check out my Q&A with Fooch right here.

ROTB: Even though I'm sure that you're tired of talking about this guy and answering this question, what's the status of Micheal Crabtree? Is there any end in sight or is it actually possible that he'll sit out the entire season?

Fooch: Crabtree remains on the shelf unsigned (not exactly shocking news). The signals coming from Team Crabtree (which seems to be growing by the day) are a bit mixed at times. Deion Sanders (former Eugene Parker client) and Eric Davis (not sure his connection) have indicated Crabtree is very willing to sit out the season. He's made enough money from endorsements that he's fine financially and can get by without game checks.

At the same time, he's been working out with Trent Dilfer and he supposedly was living in the Bay Area. The Dilfer thing isn't big as any player would want to remain fresh, especially if he was not gonna see the field until the 2010 season. However, living in the Bay Area (if true) would indicate he might sign before the week 10 deadline (when he can no longer play this year).

The next major time frame is this weekend. A lot of folks think he'll sign by the first game, so we'll know where that stands in a few days. If he doesn't sign by then, I don't see any reason he'd sign until close to the week 10 deadline. It's a philosophical difference and I just don't see anything changing anytime soon. If a deal is done, somebody has to lose face given that the 49ers have said they don't want to meet him halfway. The 49ers have offered slot 10 money and don't want to go above Raji's contract. So really I don't know anything!

ROTB: I'm sure the story line that should have gotten the most attention in the Bay area was the battle for the starting QB spot if not for Mr. Crabtree but what are your thoughts on how it turned out? Was it ever really a battle and did the right guy win?

Fooch: I think the right guy won at this point. Shaun Hill was the so-called "reigning champion" at the position due to his finish last season, and as they say, you have to take the title from the champ. The competition started strong, but sort of petered out midway through the preseason. It ended up sort of being tie goes to Hill. While that is not exactly wildly inspiring, Hill is the man for now. He's never played more than 8 games in a season so it will be interesting to see how long it takes for scouting reports to catch up with him.

Alex Smith is the more athletic of the two, but Hill has consistently been solid. It's hard to say Hill was clearly the man for the job because of the level of competition in many of his starts (which man folks at NN will tell you). However, he was presented with opportunities and took advantage of those opportunities.

The real story of the preseason (not sure if this is good or bad for the short term) was QB Nate Davis. He was facing second, third and fourth stringers, but he showed some very solid skills. At one point there were thoughts he might end up on the practice squad, but he played through that quite ably. The 49ers have been looking for a long term answer at QB for most of the decade, and they might actually have one...or at least potential.

ROTB: I read that the Niners' new OC stated that they're goal to run the ball close to 60% of the time and with a stable of young backs led by Gore and some questions marks at QB, who could blame him. Do you think the 49ers running game is that strong that they can line up and just pound away at opposing defenses and can that type of offense even be successful over the course of a full season?

Fooch: Naturally I believe the 49ers have an pair of extremely talented running back in Frank Gore. In Glen Coffee I see a guy with clear talent who will make a solid backup option to Gore. Will that translate into an obscene amount of rushing attempts and yards? A lot of that will depend on the offensive line and certain aspects of the passing game.

Gore's career year (2006) came during a season in which the 49ers offensive line played out of its mind. If the o-line can bounce back from a couple of down years, I think the rushing game will benefit big time. Combine that with even a mildly competent passing game and it could make for a very solid rushing attack. The 49ers passing game doesn't need to be spectacular, but it has to remain at least a viable threat to keep defenses honest. Gore and Coffee will get their numbers, but a solid offensive line and moderately decent passing attack will allow for that 60% rushing # and the yards to follow.

ROTB: Even though the Niners' are taking an oath never to pass the ball, I've gotta ask a question about the receiving corps. With the players that are currently on the roster, who do you think will be the leading receiver by season's end? Also, will this be the year that Vernon Davis finally puts it together?

Fooch: If the 49ers do decide to throw the ball (I'm not holding my breath!), I think the leading receiver could very well be Isaac Bruce again. It depends in large part on what stats we're talking about. I think the most receptions will be Bruce because he has been a great security blanket. If we're talking yards, I think Josh Morgan will be that guy getting a lot of the deeper balls thrown his way. Touchdowns could also be Morgan, but Bruce seems a safe bet as that "security blanket," while Davis could be a solid red zone threat. Arnaz Battle is another receiver who could quietly load up on catches this season if he stays healthy.

As for Davis, I think he could put together a very solid season. People forget that in his sophomore campaign he finished 4th among NFC tight ends in most receiving categories. If he stays healthy and isn't held back to block all the time, I think he puts up very good numbers this season. Maybe not 80-100 catches, but I could see him getting 50+ catches, a lot of red zone TDs and some good yardage numbers (particularly YAC).

ROTB: The Niners' defense was pretty middle of the road last season (13th overall, 20th against the pass and 13th against the run). Outside of Patrick Willis, who's an obvious beast, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the Niners' defense? Who will be the primary pass rushers and what do you expect from them?

Fooch: Primary pass rushers? Well I'm waiting for the call given the preseason struggles of the pass rush unit. Ok, seriously, I think Parys Haralson once again leads the team in sacks. Manny Lawson will get more sacks than last season just because of the fact that he'll be on the field in more pass rush situations, actually attempting to rush the passer (novel concept I know). The pass rush is definitely considered a weakness by most. In the 49ers 3-4, the defensive ends do the grunt work of opening holes for the outside linebackers to then attack the passer. So the big question is whether Isaac Sopoaga and/or Kentwan Balmer can open holes opposite Justin Smith.

The team's strength will likely be against the run. Willis and Takeo Spikes are monsters in the middle. Aubrayo Franklin showed some improvement in a simplified offense, and the cornerbacks have proven to be solid open-field tacklers. The pass defense is a much bigger question mark. The lack of a consistent pass rush definitely doesn't help matters. Even the best corners need help from the pass rush. Nate Clements struggled a lot in the preseason and the 49ers surprised a lot of people by declaring Shawntae Spencer the #2 starter. In spite of the loss of Walt Harris in the offseason (ACL), the team's depth is actually decent. Dre Bly and Tarell Brown are behind Spencer and Clements and will provide solid help when the Cardinals are throwing to 3 and 4 wide receivers. However, it all comes down to the pass rush.

ROTB: For the final question we'll steal one from you, who are some young breakout candidates for the Niners this year?

Fooch: The 49ers have a lot of interesting young players to keep an eye on. On defense, Dashon Goldson took over the starting free safety position. If he can stay healthy (a big IF in the past), Goldson could be the ballhawking, center-field type of FS the 49ers haven't had in years. He's a ballhawk in practice, but he's struggled to stay in the lineup, even before being named a starter.

Also on defense is Tarell Brown. Brown slipped due to an off-field incident in college but has the potential to be a long-time starter in this league. He was slotted in as the #2 CB but a toe injury kept him out of a big chunk of training camp. I think at some point this season folks will see him in the starting lineup (and not as a nickel back).

On offense, RB Glen Coffee will see a lot of carries as an alternative to Frank Gore. The team is planning to run the ball...A LOT. They want to keep Gore fresh and Coffee has been given that opportunity. Coffee finished tied for first in rushing yards this preseason. Of course, part of that is due to playing a hideous Raiders rush defense, but still, he's looking sharp.

Also keep an eye on 2008 6th round pick WR Josh Morgan. He was projected to be a starter last season before a staph infection knocked him out week 3 of the preseason. He struggled with injuries but when healthy showed some serious skills. He's starting opposite Isaac Bruce and looks to be a legit deep threat for the 49ers.

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So what do you think of the Cardinals vs. Niners matchup?

NFC West Position-by-Position: Cornerbacks

Fooch — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:00:11 -0000

First off, I have only seen highlights and read Andrew's recap (big thanks to him for getting that up). I'll be watching a recorded version of the game tomorrow when I return to SF and will have plenty to discuss tomorrow afternoon and into next week. In the meantime, with the preseason getting going, we're nearing the end of our divisional position previews. Today we hit cornerbacks. To date, we've addressed safeties, outside linebacker, inside/middle linebacker, defensive end, defensive/nose tackle, quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, centers, offensive tackles, guards and total offense.

1. Seattle Seahawks
2. Arizona Cardinals
3. San Francisco 49ers
4. St. Louis Rams

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan
I don’t know Ken Lucas. I have known Ken Lucas, but I do not know the 30 year-old, recently cut by the Carolina Panthers Ken Lucas Seattle signed after the draft. The skill-set is still the same. Lucas is decent in man cover, but better at zone. He has great ball skills and is a sound open-field tackler. And the foundation of talent is still the same. Lucas is agile and athletic, but doesn’t have great deep speed. He’s physical and can lay a hit, but is not always steady and all those hits don’t lead to much. He only has two forced fumbles for his career. Josh Wilson already has three.

Wilson is Seattle’s nickelback and has the athleticism and talent to be perhaps the best nickelback in football. He’s exceptionally quick, agile and athletic. He has rare ball skills and despite his size, brings the hammer on tackles. His size, dependence on reading the quarterback’s eyes and habit of guessing wrong on routes cap his potential as a man defender, but Seattle is settled with him at nickel. There he can terrorize slot receivers, menace quarterbacks appearing out of a zone, strike as a blitzer and run back picks for a score.

Travis Fisher is a former starter that had the bad judgment to sign with the Detroit Lions. Like an overhyped, underbudgeted and overexpended bomb that kills actors careers, no Lion was spared an exodus from Detroit without at least a demotion. Fisher could still be very good if injuries and Recession City hasn’t leached his youth, vigor and soul. Kevin Hobbs is a rounded corner that will do a lot of little things well as a dime defender. He’s going to need to show something soon, because he’s not talented enough to stick in the league because of potential. Kelly Jennings is depth at starting corner. He’s not strong in a zone, not an open field tackler and has not shown pro-level ball skills, but he’s a very capable in strict man cover. Unfortunately, he stays close, but doesn’t do enough to stop the completion. Jennings is starting in place of Marcus Trufant.

Yeeaaah…about that.

Trufant never made it to training camp. He hurt his back in a drill and has been held out. Everyone is echoing the sentiment that he’s fine and this time out is just a precaution, but the length of the absence and the team’s recent history reporting back injuries causes concern.

Trufant has the ability to be a sub-elite corner. His man cover skills are excellent. He steps up against the run and is a steady open-field tackler. Given agreeable situations (i.e. a deep safety, a big lead, a cover 3) Trufant does have damn good ball skills, but he tends to forget them when things get dicey. He’s athletic and fast enough to run with anyone and on a good defense, Trufant is capable of being a great cornerback every game. He just hasn’t played on many great defenses.

If Trufant were healthy or I had a better grasp of how Lucas will play this season, Seattle’s corners could be an A. Potential for potential, it’s as deep, balanced, system correct and accomplished group as there is in the NFL. But there’s a lot of potential variance. Wilson’s value is locked up in turnovers, and interceptions come and go. Lucas could have been cut for reasons other than his salary. 30 isn’t old, but it is old for some. Trufant could be more injured than the team is leading on, or this could be the first in one of those injury waves that kills a year of about every player’s career. So, to complete a continuing theme, there’s talent for more and potential for less, but "B" expresses the union of those factors, and "B" best expresses the most likely performance by Seattle’s corner’s in 2009.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden
For the first time that I can ever remember the Arizona Cardinals boast two above average starting corner backs that could, with any pass rush, be borderline dominant. Promising sophomore Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had his ups and downs last year but by seasons end he became the team's best cover man and one of the fan's favorite young stars. He's possesses the size, athleticism and ball skills to be as good as any corner in the league but he'll have to continue to grow as a defender who with his head instead of relying on natural ability. Too often last year DRC was burned with double moves or play action passes and he was one of the worst run defenders at the corner back position in the league. He improved in some of those areas as the season progressed and he gained experience but in order for the Cardinals secondary to make the kind of improvements that are needed, they need DRC to play at Pro Bowl level this season.

The Cardinals free agent splash was signing bizzaro-DRC, Bryant McFadden. McFadden isn't an uber-athletic corner or weak against the run, in fact he's basically the exact opposite. No other corner in the NFL performed as well against the run than McFadden last year and his physicality also transfers over to his style of coverage. While he a decent athlete, he's not a burner so instead he tries to knock receivers off their routes and disrupt the timing of opposing passing games. As with some players who prefer the physical style, he's struggled to stay healthy throughout his career but when he's healthy he's been a force and he's young enough (27) to believe that his best days are still ahead of him.

Once you get past the Cardinals top two corners though, the question marks start popping up. First, how much will Antrel Rolle drop down to nickel corner this year? Can the veteran Ralph Brown parlay last season's late success into an entire season as the Cardinals nickel corner? How quickly can fourth round pick Greg Toler get acclimated to the speed of the NFL? Does tiny-man Michael Adams even fit in the mix?

The biggest wild card in the secondary is where Antrel Rolle plays when the opposing offense goes three wide because last year he spent some time at nickel corner, some time around the line of scrimmage and some time as the actual free safety. During camp he's still been dropping down to the corner back in some passing situations and some will say that the team drafted Rashad Johnson (former Alabama free safety) so that Rolle could move around in the nickel and dime defenses. Ralph Brown is the next corner on the depth chart and he's basically the savvy veteran who get's by on sub-par athletic ability but a very good understanding of the game. He doesn't have great size but he understands opposing offenses and can bait quarterbacks into bad decisions. In a limited role he seems fairly adequate but any scenario that includes him as a starter would seemed destined for failure. Greg Toler is an athletic rookie that the Cards are hoping cut from the same mold as DRC (good size, athleticism and from a tiny school), but he's extremely raw and would be best served by a season spent on special teams units. Last but not least is Michael Adams, a tiny (5-8, 181) corner with a massive heart, who has basically been a special teams player up to this point. If he were to see time at corner, I'm sure other teams would just throw over the top of him to any receiver over six foot tall but Adams isn't afraid to stick his nose in the mix on running plays and he's made quite a name for himself as a gunner on special teams. His nickname should really be "Rudy."

Overall the Cardinals depth chart at corner is pretty top heavy. DRC and McFadden have the potential to be one of the better duo's in the league, if they can get any help from the pass rush. Behind them though is a bevy of question marks. I feel split between an A (for starters) and a C (for depth) so we'll split the difference and go with a B.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch
The 49ers cornerbacks are all over the place. They've got veteran experience, youthful potential, and some unreached potential mixed in. At this point I'm willing to give them a C because there is too much talent to go lower, but the production hasn't matched the talent so I'm not able to go much higher at this point.

Nate Clements is the #1 cornerback at this point and probably for the near future. Given the large contract he signed in 2007, he's been in the spotlight from day 1. He's had games where he shuts down the opposition and he's had games where he gets destroyed. I've read that some scouts think he still has technique problems even though he's entering his ninth season. At this point I'm willing to live with the fact that he'll never be the Champ Bailey type of shut down corner. However, I do think he is sufficiently talented to take care of business as the #1 guy for the 49ers. Some help at the free safety position could also provide him with help in coverage.

As of a few months ago Walt Harris was relatively entrenched as the #2 cornerback. A blown ACL later and the team went out and signed Dre Bly to compete for the #2 job. His opposition was Tarell Brown, a 5th round pick in the 2007 draft. Brown's draft stock fell due to some police issues that seem now to have been a matter of wrong palce wrong time. In two seasons with SF he's had zero problems. He's slowly seen his playing time increase and went into 2009's training camp with a good chance at winning the #2 job. Unfortunately a toe injury on the first day of camp has kept him out of practice. Dre Bly hasn't exactly run away with the #2 position in Brown's absence, so if he can get back soon he could still win that job. Dre Bly had a rather abysmal 2008 campaign, but in chatting with Broncos fans, while some of it has to do with Bly's own talent, he also was being utilized in a system that didn't allow him to use his aggressiveness. He'll get that chance with the 49ers, so we'll see how much talent there really is and how over the hill he might be.

The two primary backups after that are Shawntae Spencer and Marcus Hudson. Spencer was a late second round pick in 2004 and has never really matched the potential due in large part to a rash of injuries. At this point, he's most effective as the #3 corner, getting most of his playing time in the nickel defense. If he can stay healthy, he would likely be down to 4th in the depth chart, which I think gives the 49ers a nice level of depth at the position. Marcus Hudson is a guy who somehow hangs onto a job without blowing anybody away. Beyond that the 49ers are just rolling out camp bodies.

I'd probably go a grade lower if not for the depth they have at the position. While it's not spectacular depth, it's still a mix of good and decent talent 1-4, thus the grade of C. I actually think the performance of Dashon Goldson in center field could go a long way towards improving the 49ers cornerbacks.

St. Louis Rams

Blogger: VanRam
Outside of wide receiver, there's no position where the Rams evoke more head-scratching than at cornerback.

On top the depth chart they've got Ron Bartell, a very good, underrated CB. Bartell almost hit the free agent market this year, disgruntled with the Rams former front office for not trying to get a deal done earlier. The new regime showered him with love and lured him back to the team with a solid contract that was still well below what he might have been paid as a free agent in the always crazy market for corners. What exactly did the team say? Who knows as far as persuasion goes. They did tell Bartell that his solid work in man coverage made him the team's top corner. They also probably told him that his speed and physical style of play made him a good fit for the new defensive system's demands for CBs to jam receivers and the line and then stick close on the routes. They also told him that he's part of the team's leadership cadre now, being one of the more expereinced players on the defense and the most experienced among the cornerbacks. Bartell will match up against team's top receivers this year.

Behind Bartell it gets a little foggy. Former first round pick Tye Hill is trying hard to avoid the bust label after injuries, lost confidence and a poor coaching situation that often left Rams d-backs confused as to where to play or who to cover. Jonathan Wade is a solid depth guy who has seen plenty of time at nickel and filling in for starters. Probably not a guy you want as one of your top two CBs for 16 games. This year's third round pick Bradley Fletcher is a big, physical kid from Iowa, and more than one draft pundit was surprised by the pick. Not all of them were, and that group has seen enough in camp so far to think that this might be a steal for a third round pick. Justin King, a speedy Penn State product who might have been a first round pick had he not graduated in three years, made a big impression on people in camp last year. Then he got hurt and missed the entire season. He's having a good camp, responding well to the defense and earning time with the first team.

Quincy Butler looked like a classic camp body when the Rams signed him in the middle of last season. Now, he's blowing everyone away with a great camp. It looks like the big, physical Butler has finally found a system suited to him. Having a head coach who used to coach some really good d-backs with the Eagles once upon a time certainly doesn't hurt. Butler still has to prove he's not an August wonder. If he does look good in the preseason and makes the final cut, he could be another feather in Billy Devaney's well-adorned cap of successful role players signed off the scrap heap. Relative unknowns Cord Parks and Marcus Brown round out the list of players trying out for the open jobs on the Rams depth chart.

Like so many units with the Rams this season, this is a group long on potential but mostly barren of results, so far. I'll give the group a C.

NFC West Position-by-Position: Cornerbacks

Hawkwind — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:00:10 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Arizona Cardinals' Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (29) breaks up a pass intended for Anquan Boldin, right, during afternoon practice at training camp Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Our divisional preview is winding down but there are still a couple of positions to cover including the defensive backfield. We looked at the safeties last week but up today are the corner backs and the Arizona Cardinals have a much improved group from a year ago but how do they matchup with their divisional mates.

Arizona Cardinals

For the first time that I can ever remember the Arizona Cardinals boast two above average starting corner backs that could, with any pass rush, be borderline dominant. Promising sophomore Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had his ups and downs last year but by seasons end he became the team's best cover man and one of the fan's favorite young stars. He's possesses the size, athleticism and ball skills to be as good as any corner in the league but he'll have to continue to grow as a defender who with his head instead of relying on natural ability. Too often last year DRC was burned with double moves or play action passes and he was one of the worst run defenders at the corner back position in the league. He improved in some of those areas as the season progressed and he gained experience but in order for the Cardinals secondary to make the kind of improvements that are needed, they need DRC to play at Pro Bowl level this season.

The Cardinals free agent splash was signing bizzaro-DRC, Bryant McFadden. McFadden isn't an uber-athletic corner or weak against the run, in fact he's basically the exact opposite. No other corner in the NFL performed as well against the run than McFadden last year and his physicality also transfers over to his style of coverage. While he a decent athlete, he's not a burner so instead he tries to knock receivers off their routes and disrupt the timing of opposing passing games. As with some players who prefer the physical style, he's struggled to stay healthy throughout his career but when he's healthy he's been a force and he's young enough (27) to believe that his best days are still ahead of him.

Once you get past the Cardinals top two corners though, the question marks start popping up. First, how much will Antrel Rolle drop down to nickel corner this year? Can the veteran Ralph Brown parlay last season's late success into an entire season as the Cardinals nickel corner? How quickly can fourth round pick Greg Toler get acclimated to the speed of the NFL? Does tiny-man Michael Adams even fit in the mix?

The biggest wild card in the secondary is where Antrel Rolle plays when the opposing offense goes three wide because last year he spent some time at nickel corner, some time around the line of scrimmage and some time as the actual free safety. During camp he's still been dropping down to the corner back in some passing situations and some will say that the team drafted Rashad Johnson (former Alabama free safety) so that Rolle could move around in the nickel and dime defenses. Ralph Brown is the next corner on the depth chart and he's basically the savvy veteran who get's by on sub-par athletic ability but a very good understanding of the game. He doesn't have great size but he understands opposing offenses and can bait quarterbacks into bad decisions. In a limited role he seems fairly adequate but any scenario that includes him as a starter would seemed destined for failure. Greg Toler is an athletic rookie that the Cards are hoping cut from the same mold as DRC (good size, athleticism and from a tiny school), but he's extremely raw and would be best served by a season spent on special teams units. Last but not least is Michael Adams, a tiny (5-8, 181) corner with a massive heart, who has basically been a special teams player up to this point. If he were to see time at corner, I'm sure other teams would just throw over the top of him to any receiver over six foot tall but Adams isn't afraid to stick his nose in the mix on running plays and he's made quite a name for himself as a gunner on special teams. His nickname should really be "Rudy."

Overall the Cardinals depth chart at corner is pretty top heavy. DRC and McFadden have the potential to be one of the better duo's in the league, if they can get any help from the pass rush. Behind them though is a bevy of question marks. I feel split between an A (for starters) and a C (for depth) so we'll split the difference and go with a B.

San Francisco 49ers - Niners Nation

The 49ers cornerbacks are all over the place. They've got veteran experience, youthful potential, and some unreached potential mixed in. At this point I'm willing to give them a C because there is too much talent to go lower, but the production hasn't matched the talent so I'm not able to go much higher at this point.

Nate Clements is the #1 cornerback at this point and probably for the near future. Given the large contract he signed in 2007, he's been in the spotlight from day 1. He's had games where he shuts down the opposition and he's had games where he gets destroyed. I've read that some scouts think he still has technique problems even though he's entering his ninth season. At this point I'm willing to live with the fact that he'll never be the Champ Bailey type of shut down corner. However, I do think he is sufficiently talented to take care of business as the #1 guy for the 49ers. Some help at the free safety position could also provide him with help in coverage.

As of a few months ago Walt Harris was relatively entrenched as the #2 cornerback. A blown ACL later and the team went out and signed Dre Bly to compete for the #2 job. His opposition was Tarell Brown, a 5th round pick in the 2007 draft. Brown's draft stock fell due to some police issues that seem now to have been a matter of wrong palce wrong time. In two seasons with SF he's had zero problems. He's slowly seen his playing time increase and went into 2009's training camp with a good chance at winning the #2 job. Unfortunately a toe injury on the first day of camp has kept him out of practice. Dre Bly hasn't exactly run away with the #2 position in Brown's absence, so if he can get back soon he could still win that job. Dre Bly had a rather abysmal 2008 campaign, but in chatting with Broncos fans, while some of it has to do with Bly's own talent, he also was being utilized in a system that didn't allow him to use his aggressiveness. He'll get that chance with the 49ers, so we'll see how much talent there really is and how over the hill he might be.

The two primary backups after that are Shawntae Spencer and Marcus Hudson. Spencer was a late second round pick in 2004 and has never really matched the potential due in large part to a rash of injuries. At this point, he's most effective as the #3 corner, getting most of his playing time in the nickel defense. If he can stay healthy, he would likely be down to 4th in the depth chart, which I think gives the 49ers a nice level of depth at the position. Marcus Hudson is a guy who somehow hangs onto a job without blowing anybody away. Beyond that the 49ers are just rolling out camp bodies.

I'd probably go a grade lower if not for the depth they have at the position. While it's not spectacular depth, it's still a mix of good and decent talent 1-4, thus the grade of C. I actually think the performance of Dashon Goldson in center field could go a long way towards improving the 49ers cornerbacks.

St. Louis Rams - Turf Show Times

On top the depth chart they've got Ron Bartell, a very good, underrated CB. Bartell almost hit the free agent market this year, disgruntled with the Rams former front office for not trying to get a deal done earlier. The new regime showered him with love and lured him back to the team with a solid contract that was still well below what he might have been paid as a free agent in the always crazy market for corners. What exactly did the team say? Who knows as far as persuasion goes. They did tell Bartell that his solid work in man coverage made him the team's top corner. They also probably told him that his speed and physical style of play made him a good fit for the new defensive system's demands for CBs to jam receivers and the line and then stick close on the routes. They also told him that he's part of the team's leadership cadre now, being one of the more expereinced players on the defense and the most experienced among the cornerbacks. Bartell will match up against team's top receivers this year.

Behind Bartell it gets a little foggy. Former first round pick Tye Hill is trying hard to avoid the bust label after injuries, lost confidence and a poor coaching situation that often left Rams d-backs confused as to where to play or who to cover. Jonathan Wade is a solid depth guy who has seen plenty of time at nickel and filling in for starters. Probably not a guy you want as one of your top two CBs for 16 games. This year's third round pick Bradley Fletcher is a big, physical kid from Iowa, and more than one draft pundit was surprised by the pick. Not all of them were, and that group has seen enough in camp so far to think that this might be a steal for a third round pick. Justin King, a speedy Penn State product who might have been a first round pick had he not graduated in three years, made a big impression on people in camp last year. Then he got hurt and missed the entire season. He's having a good camp, responding well to the defense and earning time with the first team.

Quincy Butler looked like a classic camp body when the Rams signed him in the middle of last season. Now, he's blowing everyone away with a great camp. It looks like the big, physical Butler has finally found a system suited to him. Having a head coach who used to coach some really good d-backs with the Eagles once upon a time certainly doesn't hurt. Butler still has to prove he's not an August wonder. If he does look good in the preseason and makes the final cut, he could be another feather in Billy Devaney's well-adorned cap of successful role players signed off the scrap heap. Relative unknowns Cord Parks and Marcus Brown round out the list of players trying out for the open jobs on the Rams depth chart.

Like so many units with the Rams this season, this is a group long on potential but mostly barren of results, so far. I'll give the group a C.

Seattle Seahawks - Field Gulls

I don't know Ken Lucas. I have known Ken Lucas, but I do not know the 30 year-old, recently cut by the Carolina Panthers Ken Lucas Seattle signed after the draft. The skill-set is still the same. Lucas is decent in man cover, but better at zone. He has great ball skills and is a sound open-field tackler. And the foundation of talent is still the same. Lucas is agile and athletic, but doesn't have great deep speed. He's physical and can lay a hit, but is not always steady and all those hits don't lead to much. He only has two forced fumbles for his career. Josh Wilson already has three.

Wilson is Seattle's nickelback and has the athleticism and talent to be perhaps the best nickelback in football. He's exceptionally quick, agile and athletic. He has rare ball skills and despite his size, brings the hammer on tackles. His size, dependence on reading the quarterback's eyes and habit of guessing wrong on routes cap his potential as a man defender, but Seattle is settled with him at nickel. There he can terrorize slot receivers, menace quarterbacks appearing out of a zone, strike as a blitzer and run back picks for a score.

Travis Fisher is a former starter that had the bad judgment to sign with the Detroit Lions. Like an overhyped, underbudgeted and overexpended bomb that kills actors careers, no Lion was spared an exodus from Detroit without at least a demotion. Fisher could still be very good if injuries and Recession City hasn't leached his youth, vigor and soul. Kevin Hobbs is a rounded corner that will do a lot of little things well as a dime defender. He's going to need to show something soon, because he's not talented enough to stick in the league because of potential. Kelly Jennings is depth at starting corner. He's not strong in a zone, not an open field tackler and has not shown pro-level ball skills, but he's a very capable in strict man cover. Unfortunately, he stays close, but doesn't do enough to stop the completion. Jennings is starting in place of Marcus Trufant.

Yeeaaah...about that.

Trufant never made it to training camp. He hurt his back in a drill and has been held out. Everyone is echoing the sentiment that he's fine and this time out is just a precaution, but the length of the absence and the team's recent history reporting back injuries causes concern.

Trufant has the ability to be a sub-elite corner. His man cover skills are excellent. He steps up against the run and is a steady open-field tackler. Given agreeable situations (i.e. a deep safety, a big lead, a cover 3) Trufant does have damn good ball skills, but he tends to forget them when things get dicey. He's athletic and fast enough to run with anyone and on a good defense, Trufant is capable of being a great cornerback every game. He just hasn't played on many great defenses.

If Trufant were healthy or I had a better grasp of how Lucas will play this season, Seattle's corners could be an A. Potential for potential, it's as deep, balanced, system correct and accomplished group as there is in the NFL. But there's a lot of potential variance. Wilson's value is locked up in turnovers, and interceptions come and go. Lucas could have been cut for reasons other than his salary. 30 isn't old, but it is old for some. Trufant could be more injured than the team is leading on, or this could be the first in one of those injury waves that kills a year of about every player's career. So, to complete a continuing theme, there's talent for more and potential for less, but "B" expresses the union of those factors, and "B" best expresses the most likely performance by Seattle's corner's in 2009.

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How do you think DRC and McFadden will match up against the rest of the NFC West?

NFC West Roundtable: Cornerback

John Morgan — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:55:29 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Josh Wilson forced more fumbles in 2008 (3) than Ken Lucas or Marcus Trufant have forced in their respective careers (2). (Not pictured, T.J. Duckett calling Pistol "short".)

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It's been so long I've forgotten these existed. We end by previewing each team's cornerbacks. Notice no one ever says cornerback corps? Or defensive end corps? Next to the Seattle's quiver of ends, its swarm of cornerbacks will best define or undermine the 2009 Seahawks defense.

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan

I don’t know Ken Lucas. I have known Ken Lucas, but I do not know the 30 year-old, recently cut by the Carolina Panthers Ken Lucas Seattle signed after the draft. The skill-set is still the same. Lucas is decent in man cover, but better at zone. He has great ball skills and is a sound open-field tackler. And the foundation of talent is still the same. Lucas is agile and athletic, but doesn’t have great deep speed. He’s physical and can lay a hit, but is not always steady and all those hits don’t lead to much. He only has two forced fumbles for his career. Josh Wilson already has three.

Wilson is Seattle’s nickelback and has the athleticism and talent to be perhaps the best nickelback in football. He’s exceptionally quick, agile and athletic. He has rare ball skills and despite his size, brings the hammer on tackles. His size, dependence on reading the quarterback’s eyes and habit of guessing wrong on routes cap his potential as a man defender, but Seattle is settled with him at nickel. There he can terrorize slot receivers, menace quarterbacks appearing out of a zone, strike as a blitzer and run back picks for a score.

Travis Fisher is a former starter that had the bad judgment to sign with the Detroit Lions. Like an overhyped, underbudgeted and overexpended bomb that kills actors careers, no Lion was spared an exodus from Detroit without at least a demotion. Fisher could still be very good if injuries and Recession City hasn’t leached his youth, vigor and soul. Kevin Hobbs is a rounded corner that will do a lot of little things well as a dime defender. He’s going to need to show something soon, because he’s not talented enough to stick in the league because of potential. Kelly Jennings is depth at starting corner. He’s not strong in a zone, not an open field tackler and has not shown pro-level ball skills, but he’s a very capable in strict man cover. Unfortunately, he stays close, but doesn’t do enough to stop the completion. Jennings is starting in place of Marcus Trufant.

Yeeaaah…about that.

Trufant never made it to training camp. He hurt his back in a drill and has been held out. Everyone is echoing the sentiment that he’s fine and this time out is just a precaution, but the length of the absence and the team’s recent history reporting back injuries causes concern.

Trufant has the ability to be a sub-elite corner. His man cover skills are excellent. He steps up against the run and is a steady open-field tackler. Given agreeable situations (i.e. a deep safety, a big lead, a cover 3) Trufant does have damn good ball skills, but he tends to forget them when things get dicey. He’s athletic and fast enough to run with anyone and on a good defense, Trufant is capable of being a great cornerback every game. He just hasn’t played on many great defenses.

If Trufant were healthy or I had a better grasp of how Lucas will play this season, Seattle’s corners could be an A. Potential for potential, it’s as deep, balanced, system correct and accomplished group as there is in the NFL. But there’s a lot of potential variance. Wilson’s value is locked up in turnovers, and interceptions come and go. Lucas could have been cut for reasons other than his salary. 30 isn’t old, but it is old for some. Trufant could be more injured than the team is leading on, or this could be the first in one of those injury waves that kills a year of about every player’s career. So, to complete a continuing theme, there’s talent for more and potential for less, but "B" expresses the union of those factors, and "B" best expresses the most likely performance by Seattle’s corner’s in 2009.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden

For the first time that I can ever remember the Arizona Cardinals boast two above average starting corner backs that could, with any pass rush, be borderline dominant. Promising sophomore Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had his ups and downs last year but by seasons end he became the team's best cover man and one of the fan's favorite young stars. He's possesses the size, athleticism and ball skills to be as good as any corner in the league but he'll have to continue to grow as a defender who with his head instead of relying on natural ability. Too often last year DRC was burned with double moves or play action passes and he was one of the worst run defenders at the corner back position in the league. He improved in some of those areas as the season progressed and he gained experience but in order for the Cardinals secondary to make the kind of improvements that are needed, they need DRC to play at Pro Bowl level this season.

The Cardinals free agent splash was signing bizzaro-DRC, Bryant McFadden. McFadden isn't an uber-athletic corner or weak against the run, in fact he's basically the exact opposite. No other corner in the NFL performed as well against the run than McFadden last year and his physicality also transfers over to his style of coverage. While he a decent athlete, he's not a burner so instead he tries to knock receivers off their routes and disrupt the timing of opposing passing games. As with some players who prefer the physical style, he's struggled to stay healthy throughout his career but when he's healthy he's been a force and he's young enough (27) to believe that his best days are still ahead of him.

Once you get past the Cardinals top two corners though, the question marks start popping up. First, how much will Antrel Rolle drop down to nickel corner this year? Can the veteran Ralph Brown parlay last season's late success into an entire season as the Cardinals nickel corner? How quickly can fourth round pick Greg Toler get acclimated to the speed of the NFL? Does tiny-man Michael Adams even fit in the mix?

The biggest wild card in the secondary is where Antrel Rolle plays when the opposing offense goes three wide because last year he spent some time at nickel corner, some time around the line of scrimmage and some time as the actual free safety. During camp he's still been dropping down to the corner back in some passing situations and some will say that the team drafted Rashad Johnson (former Alabama free safety) so that Rolle could move around in the nickel and dime defenses. Ralph Brown is the next corner on the depth chart and he's basically the savvy veteran who get's by on sub-par athletic ability but a very good understanding of the game. He doesn't have great size but he understands opposing offenses and can bait quarterbacks into bad decisions. In a limited role he seems fairly adequate but any scenario that includes him as a starter would seemed destined for failure. Greg Toler is an athletic rookie that the Cards are hoping cut from the same mold as DRC (good size, athleticism and from a tiny school), but he's extremely raw and would be best served by a season spent on special teams units. Last but not least is Michael Adams, a tiny (5-8, 181) corner with a massive heart, who has basically been a special teams player up to this point. If he were to see time at corner, I'm sure other teams would just throw over the top of him to any receiver over six foot tall but Adams isn't afraid to stick his nose in the mix on running plays and he's made quite a name for himself as a gunner on special teams. His nickname should really be "Rudy."

Overall the Cardinals depth chart at corner is pretty top heavy. DRC and McFadden have the potential to be one of the better duo's in the league, if they can get any help from the pass rush. Behind them though is a bevy of question marks. I feel split between an A (for starters) and a C (for depth) so we'll split the difference and go with a B.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch

The 49ers cornerbacks are all over the place. They've got veteran experience, youthful potential, and some unreached potential mixed in. At this point I'm willing to give them a C because there is too much talent to go lower, but the production hasn't matched the talent so I'm not able to go much higher at this point.

Nate Clements is the #1 cornerback at this point and probably for the near future. Given the large contract he signed in 2007, he's been in the spotlight from day 1. He's had games where he shuts down the opposition and he's had games where he gets destroyed. I've read that some scouts think he still has technique problems even though he's entering his ninth season. At this point I'm willing to live with the fact that he'll never be the Champ Bailey type of shut down corner. However, I do think he is sufficiently talented to take care of business as the #1 guy for the 49ers. Some help at the free safety position could also provide him with help in coverage.

As of a few months ago Walt Harris was relatively entrenched as the #2 cornerback. A blown ACL later and the team went out and signed Dre Bly to compete for the #2 job. His opposition was Tarell Brown, a 5th round pick in the 2007 draft. Brown's draft stock fell due to some police issues that seem now to have been a matter of wrong palce wrong time. In two seasons with SF he's had zero problems. He's slowly seen his playing time increase and went into 2009's training camp with a good chance at winning the #2 job. Unfortunately a toe injury on the first day of camp has kept him out of practice. Dre Bly hasn't exactly run away with the #2 position in Brown's absence, so if he can get back soon he could still win that job. Dre Bly had a rather abysmal 2008 campaign, but in chatting with Broncos fans, while some of it has to do with Bly's own talent, he also was being utilized in a system that didn't allow him to use his aggressiveness. He'll get that chance with the 49ers, so we'll see how much talent there really is and how over the hill he might be.

The two primary backups after that are Shawntae Spencer and Marcus Hudson. Spencer was a late second round pick in 2004 and has never really matched the potential due in large part to a rash of injuries. At this point, he's most effective as the #3 corner, getting most of his playing time in the nickel defense. If he can stay healthy, he would likely be down to 4th in the depth chart, which I think gives the 49ers a nice level of depth at the position. Marcus Hudson is a guy who somehow hangs onto a job without blowing anybody away. Beyond that the 49ers are just rolling out camp bodies.

I'd probably go a grade lower if not for the depth they have at the position. While it's not spectacular depth, it's still a mix of good and decent talent 1-4, thus the grade of C. I actually think the performance of Dashon Goldson in center field could go a long way towards improving the 49ers cornerbacks.

Turf Show Times
Blogger: VanRam

Outside of wide receiver, there's no position where the Rams evoke more head-scratching than at cornerback.

On top the depth chart they've got Ron Bartell, a very good, underrated CB. Bartell almost hit the free agent market this year, disgruntled with the Rams former front office for not trying to get a deal done earlier. The new regime showered him with love and lured him back to the team with a solid contract that was still well below what he might have been paid as a free agent in the always crazy market for corners. What exactly did the team say? Who knows as far as persuasion goes. They did tell Bartell that his solid work in man coverage made him the team's top corner. They also probably told him that his speed and physical style of play made him a good fit for the new defensive system's demands for CBs to jam receivers and the line and then stick close on the routes. They also told him that he's part of the team's leadership cadre now, being one of the more expereinced players on the defense and the most experienced among the cornerbacks. Bartell will match up against team's top receivers this year.

Behind Bartell it gets a little foggy. Former first round pick Tye Hill is trying hard to avoid the bust label after injuries, lost confidence and a poor coaching situation that often left Rams d-backs confused as to where to play or who to cover. Jonathan Wade is a solid depth guy who has seen plenty of time at nickel and filling in for starters. Probably not a guy you want as one of your top two CBs for 16 games. This year's third round pick Bradley Fletcher is a big, physical kid from Iowa, and more than one draft pundit was surprised by the pick. Not all of them were, and that group has seen enough in camp so far to think that this might be a steal for a third round pick. Justin King, a speedy Penn State product who might have been a first round pick had he not graduated in three years, made a big impression on people in camp last year. Then he got hurt and missed the entire season. He's having a good camp, responding well to the defense and earning time with the first team.

Quincy Butler looked like a classic camp body when the Rams signed him in the middle of last season. Now, he's blowing everyone away with a great camp. It looks like the big, physical Butler has finally found a system suited to him. Having a head coach who used to coach some really good d-backs with the Eagles once upon a time certainly doesn't hurt. Butler still has to prove he's not an August wonder. If he does look good in the preseason and makes the final cut, he could be another feather in Billy Devaney's well-adorned cap of successful role players signed off the scrap heap. Relative unknowns Cord Parks and Marcus Brown round out the list of players trying out for the open jobs on the Rams depth chart.

Like so many units with the Rams this season, this is a group long on potential but mostly barren of results, so far. I'll give the group a C.

2009 49ers Training Camp: Sorry Oshinowo fans

Fooch — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:23:23 -0000

I'm guessing this is gonna kill our lone Babatunde Oshinowo fan: According to Barrows Twitter page, the 49ers released Oshinowo and signed wide receiver Chris Francies. Francies went undrafted in 2006, signed as a free agent with the Green Bay Packers and spent 2008 on the New Orleans Saints practice squad. Given the extended downtime for Brandon Jones, Francies isn't much more than a camp body.

In the meantime, the 49ers practiced this morning and it wasn't exactly a good day for Alex Smith, who was 2 of 7 (recaps by the 2 Matts are below). Hill was much more accurate, but he was also throwing mostly underneath stuff, and wasn't all that successful going deep. From what I've read, it sounded like Brandon Jones was going to be the deep threat for this team. I think a guy like Morgan can fill that role, but for now this is definitely not a team that will be going for the homerun pass all that often. At least that's my thought for now.

Maiocco described the practice as more of a successful day by the defense than anything else. It sounds like Dre Bly is coming around. As long as Brown is on the shelf with his toe issue, Bly is able to put some distance between them. I think Bly was likely to be starting week 1 anyways, but this is pushing back any chance Brown has of passing him on the depth chart. I know some folks are down on Bly as a starter, but we could very well see a resurgence from him. As I recall, Walt Harris was thought to be on the downside when the 49ers signed him and he turned in a Pro Bowl season.

It sounds like injury-wise, not a lot has changed. Nobody appeared to get hurt today and Parys Haralson and Jay Moore were both back in full practice today. Brown, Willis, Walker, Baas and Robinson remain out of action. Let's hope folks can stay mildly healthy going forward.

After the jump I've posted a transcript of Mike Singletary's press conference today.

Sources
Matt Barrows Recap
Matt Maiocco Recap

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Post-Practice – 08-07-09
San Francisco 49ers

On how long Brandon Jones will be out:
"It’s going to be longer than a couple of weeks. It’s more like eight weeks. Yes. We had the X-Ray this morning. [There’s] a little bit of a fracture there, so it’s going to be longer than we anticipated. But, we’ll work through it. The receiver’s that we’ve got here, we’re very confident in our guys here. They’ll continue to work, and thankfully we’ll get him back after that eight-week period."

On how Brandon Jones’ injury and the fact that Michael Crabtree is not in camp affects the receiving corps:
"It doesn’t do anything, to be honest. As I said before, this is not a political speech. It’s the truth. We’ve got wide receivers that Jerry Sullivan is working his tail off with them. They’re growing, progressing. We’re fine for right now."

On who steps into Brandon Jones’ role as the No. 3 wide receiver:
"I think that’s something that Jerry Sullivan and myself, along with coach [Jimmy] Raye, sit down and talk about. Thankfully, as I’ve said before, we have some receivers, and I know we have some who are capable of stepping in and doing a good job. I hate that we lost Brandon Jones. He’s making great strides, doing a great job. Thankfully he will be back after that period."

On how much it hurts Michael Crabtree’s learning curve missing this many days of camp:
"You just never know. It all depends on how his learning curve is. If I know him, he’s working his tail off. He’s studying the playbook, but it doesn’t really come together until you come out and execute it. Hopefully, when he comes in, the learning curve is not as great as it may take some others. Hopefully he’ll just catch right on and go from there."

On whether Michael Crabtree has a playbook:
"Some of the things that we had in OTAs. I’m sure, somehow, someway he’s got something that he’s working with."

On whether the reports that Michael Crabtree may sit out the season perturbed him at all:
"No. Not at all. Not at all. For me, as I’ve said all along, when I come out here, the most important thing for me is to look at the guys that we have here and try to find the players that we need out of those guys and win football games. Thankfully, we have enough guys to do that. But, the whole Crabtree thing, as I’ve said before, I’m very excited about him when he comes in, but I’m going to focus on those guys out there and be true to the vision at hand."

On whether Michael Crabtree has become a distraction:
"No. We don’t talk about it. Hopefully we don’t ever talk about it because the thing we need to do is take care of business out here."

On when the last time he talked to Michael Crabtree was and how the conversation went:
"The last time was right before training camp. Just a matter of letting me know how he was doing. It was a good conversation, but nothing in-depth. He was doing well, just letting me know he was doing fine."

On whether he gave Michael Crabtree things to work on during that conversation:
"No."

On how surprised he is that the situation with Michael Crabtree is escalating in the media:
"You just never know what’s going to happen. When you have players, you have agents, you have the media, nothing surprises me when those three things are involved. As I’ve said before, I just focus on what’s out here. But, I’m not surprised at all, don’t know what to expect. I just have to keep it going out here."

On whether there’s a point where he says that Michael Crabtree has to get to camp:
"I will say this: I think, for me, it’s just – if I can just keep my focus here, and in terms of Crabtree, when he comes in, he comes in. Would you love to have him in? Absolutely. You’d love to have him. Would you want him here? Yes, we want him in. But, until that happens, I just can’t sit back and think about the what-ifs. All I can do is concentrate on what is, and control that."

On how much he thinks media, family and agents factor into a player’s contract demands:
"It all depends on the trust that the player has in the relationship. If he really trusts the guy, who knows? If he’s not sure, you just never know how that’s going to work out, but it all comes down to the trust of the player and the agent, and no one can really judge how strong that is."

On whether the team will bring in another receiver in light of Brandon Jones’ injury and the Michael Crabtree situation:
"At this point, we may or may not bring another receiver in and work him out and see what we have. But, there’s no sense of urgency in terms of doing anything right now, but continuing to work. As I’ve said before, we feel very good about what we have. It’s unfortunate that it happened to him, but we’re just going to keep working."

On whether surgery is necessary for Brandon Jones:
"No."

On whether Brandon Jones’ injury will heal on its own:
"Just time. He just needs time."

On Isaac Bruce playing every practice without veteran’s time off and whether he has considered giving Bruce time off:
"As I’ve said before, and I mean this in all honesty, I talk to these guys. I talk to our trainers. I talk to our doctors. How are they doing? How’s it going? Isaac Bruce wants to work. We’re watching it. It’s not like he’s out here running 80 routes a day. He’s smart. He’s a veteran. He knows what he needs to do. He knows what he needs. So, Isaac’s doing just fine."

On how soon he expects to get Patrick Willis back on the field:
"I don’t know. It’s a day-to-day thing. With Patrick, it’s not one of those things that I’m really thinking about a lot. I think Patrick is doing fine. When he comes back, he’ll pick up where he left off."

On whether he is being overly cautious with Patrick Willis given that Willis is the team’s best player:
"I think, with Patrick, he’s just one of those guys who will work himself to death. We’ve got a few of those guys. You’re blessed with them, but at the same time, the worst thing you can do is ask them a question and ask them how they’re feeling because they’re always going to say ‘great.’ So, you always have to, with Patrick, keep your hands on him and make sure you watch him. But, he’s fine. He’s doing great and feeling great."

On whether Dominique Zeigler could be the guy to step into Brandon Jones’ role:
"Certainly Dominique has continued to make strides since he’s been here. We’ll just have to sit down and talk about it and see what we’re thinking and we’ll go from there."

On whether he is satisfied with the progress the team is making one week into camp:
"We just talked about that a little bit as a team. I think right now, we’re on track. We’re not executing the way we want to execute right now, but I don’t think anyone is outworking us. As long as we continue to work, gain progress and confidence, the execution will come. I’m very proud of the guys in terms of the work ethic, but in terms of the execution, we’re not there yet. We just have to keep plugging away."

Golden Nuggets: Still No Contract

Ninjames — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:30:10 -0000

Good morning everyone, James here reporting for duty with another edition of the Golden Nuggets. As training camp begins we've got more and more articles, I've got about 10-15 in front of me right this second, I'll make an effort to read them all and get these up asap so you can read them, as I'm starting this edition a bit late. So what's in the news today? Of course, we've got Michael Crabtree talks who still has yet to sign a contract, but personally I'm not too worried/interested in the whole ordeal myself. I'll attempt to weed out most of those. Either way, here's some news for you.

A look, not only at WR Michael Crabtree's holdout but the possibilites of a rookie pay scale, which makes a whole ton of sense, don't you think? (SacBee.com)

In case you didn't already see it, the 49ers put CB Walt Harris on IR. (Yahoo.com)

Singletary is preaching preperation before practice, as the team has spent/is spending the first few days in training camp in the classroom instead of on the field. (PressDemocrat.com)

SI.com took a look at the top 10 positional battles this coming season, and what do you know, our own little quarterback battle made the list. Personally, I'm rooting for Shaun Hill. And I'm semi-interested in the other battles for our Niners a bit more...(SI.com)

Look folks, rookie contract issues are NOT new to the NFL. (PressDemocrat.com)

Could the Crabtree situation become a huge problem for the 49ers? No, no it wont... Also, I've always wondered who PFW's "team insiders" were. They always seem to be privy to such information and statements such as the one in this story which is clearly exclusive and not known by everyone else. ...Do I seem a little sarcastic right now? Sorry. (ProFootballWeekly.com)

Great America's owners are demanding more access to information regarding the 49ers' new stadium plans in Santa Clara, and are going as far as to threaten legal action if these demands aren't met. Interesting. (MercuryNews.com)

An article about free agent signee, DE Demetric Evans. (49ers.com)

The 49ers have one available roster spot at the moment. (PressDemocrat.com)

How do you feel about the way Singletary is handling the Crabtree situation? I hadn't thought of it, myself. (SacBee.com)

Here's some pointspreads for the 49ers this upcoming season. (Early pointspreads, that is.) (ProFootballWeekly.com)

49ers transactions for July 29

Fooch — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:01:22 -0000

The 49ers announced today that they have officially placed Walt Harris on the Injured Reserve list for his ACL injury. Additionally, Ricky Jean-Francois has been placed on the non-football illness list.

The Harris move is certainly not a surprise. After all, unless you're Jerry Rice, you don't come back from an ACL injury the same year it happened.

As for our man RJF's illness (I guess Frenchie is the alternative?), I'm not sure yet what the illness is. Let's hope it's just the flu or something else simple and short-term. With Ray McDonald going on the PUP list yesterday, the door was opened for RJF to get a crack at making an impact. Until we know more about the illness it's probably a little early too speculate. The upside to this happening now is the team won't be hitting the practice field until Saturday, so hopefully he'll be good to go.

Update 4:19pm: Barrows is reporting it's a "stomach illness" and he shouldn't miss much if any practice time. If he does miss any time, this means more practice time for undrafted free agent Pannel Egboh. While he's unlikely to make the roster, any playing time would allow Egboh to at least draw some attention to himself.