SB Nation - Dontarrious Thomas

Projecting the 49ers 53-man roster #1

Fooch — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:00:15 -0000

FOOCH'S NOTE: Typo on my part. I listed 54 guys by accident. I've decided to subtract Curtis Taylor at this point. Sfgfan made a good point that with Mark Roman working out at both FS and SS they'll have some flexibility there and no need for a fifth safety.

Over the last couple months, people have begun rolling out their 53-man roster projections. We had kiyoshi rolling out an immediate post-draft depth chart comparison to 2008. That was followed by sam23 with the impressively early projection. I believe there have been some more, so feel free to post them in here, or link to them. Up until now I've been posting projections at each position as an exercise to start squaring away the last few roster spots. The first 40-45 spots are fairly easy to determine. It's those last 8-13 that are a toss-up.

Last year I rolled out my first 53-man roster projection in early June. Things ended up busy enough this year that we've held off on the roll-out until only a few weeks before training camp. As we did last year, the second roster projection will be shortly after the first preseason game and the second will come just before the final preseason game. And don't forget that we'll have a practice squad projection coming soon as well. It's only slightly more useful than projecting the 2010 draft in August 2009, but what are you gonna do, right? Anyways, onto the projection.

Offense
QB (3): Shaun Hill, Alex Smith, Nate Davis
RB (34): Frank Gore, Glen Coffee, Michael Robinson, Kory Sheets
FB (1): Moran Norris
WR (6): Isaac Bruce, Brandon Jones, Josh Morgan, Jason Hill, Michael Crabtree, Arnaz Battle
TE (3): Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Bear Pascoe
LT (2): Joe Staley, Barry Sims
LG (1): David Baas
C (2): Eric Heitmann, Cody Wallace
RG (2): Chilo Rachal, Tony Wragge
RT (2): Marvel Smith, Adam Snyder

Defense
DE (5): Justin Smith, Kentwan Balmer, Demetric Evans, Isaac Sopoaga, Ray McDonald***
DT (1): Aubrayo Franklin
OLB (3): Manny Lawson, Parys Haralson, Jay Moore
ILB (5): Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Jeff Ulbrich, Scott McKillop, Ahmad Brooks
CB (5): Nate Clements, Dre Bly, Tarell Brown, Shawntae Spencer, Marcus Hudson
FS (2): Dashon Goldson, Mark Roman
SS (2): Michael Lewis, Reggie Smith, ~~Curtis Taylor~~

Special Teams
K: Joe Nedney
P: Andy Lee
LS: Brian Jennings
KR/PR: Allen Rossum

Last 5 on: Jay Moore, Ahmad Brooks, Curtis Taylor, Kory Sheets, Arnaz Battle

First 5 off: Ricky Jean-Francois, Dominique Zeigler, Thomas Clayton, Alex Boone, Justin Roland

***If McDonald starts the regular season on the PUP list, Ricky Jean-Francois takes this spot

After the jump I provide an overview of these projections, along with a look at the numerous bubble spots. After you've read that over, feel free to tear me a new one on some of these selections.

THE BUBBLE
As should be expected, there are several guys I've put on this list that are on very shaky ground. I'd like to make a quick clarification. I have Aubrayo Franklin listed as the only defensive tackle. That will most certainly not be the case once the season starts, but I think it would be some of the other primary defensive ends (Sopoaga and Balmer) spelling Franklin at times. Thus, I leave them at their traditional position.

WR
The bubble is really where it's all at. As I said before, the last 10 or so spots can be rather dicey, and the last 3 or 4, even more so. I took a look back at our various roster projections to see what people were thinking about some of these bubble spots. Many of you might be surprised to see Battle on my 53-man roster. I was a bit surprised myself, as I actually voted that neither would be on the roster way back when. However, when I got down to the end, I had some spots open and I think Battle's special teams contributions could very well carry the day. Of course, that also qualifies as one of my two or three most tenuous picks.

OT
Another spot where I really had to think was the last offensive lineman on the roster. For now, I've placed Barry Sims on the roster and Alex Boone as one of the first five left off. Based on our previous poll, I know a lot of people will disagree with me at this point. I actually had Alex Boone initially, given the undeniable talent this youngster has. However, there are two reasons I switched Boone and Sims. I think the team will go with a veteran backup at tackle and Alex Boone has practice squad eligibility. Sims was not good last year, but if an emergency arises and Joe Staley has to leave the field, I think the team wants a veteran on hand. Of course, if Alex Boone impresses in training camp, that could be one of the first changes I make on the second projection.

RB
Running back is another position that will certainly generate some controversy. After the first 3 guys, will Kory Sheets make the roster, will Thomas Clayton make the roster, or will neither? I decided to go with Sheets in this little exercise. People are high on him as a potential kick returner, which would certainly give him a leg up against Clayton. Also, given the potential he could bring as a running back, I see more reason to keep him than a guy like Micheal Spurlock. There are plenty of Clayton supporters (I've been one of them), but I'm slowly coming to accept the fact that we may just not see him in a 49ers uniform in the regular season anytime soon. Training camp might change that, so we'll see.

LB
Ahmad Brooks and Jay Moore are both larks for me at this point. I was getting close to 53 and like the talent both could bring to the table. Of the two of them, Moore is probably more likely to not make the 53-man given his practice squad eligibility. I think Moore is probably the #1 person most likely to be removed from this list come early August. It just pains me so.

QB
Why Nate Davis over Damon Huard? Well, first, I see no way Davis makes it through waivers onto the practice squad. Second, Damon Huard may be a great guy for all I know, but what does he really bring to the table? This team does not need a Trent Dilfer type mentor at this point. And as far as upside off the bench? Well, Huard doesn't bring that either. He's certainly not an awful QB, but there's just not enough there worth hanging on to.

Early thoughts for projection #2
Consider this a general summary of changes I would not be surprised by in the least. Jay Moore and Ahmad Brooks could certainly practice/play their way off this list. Kory Sheets and Arnaz Battle could both certainly do the same. Really anybody in the last 5 on or first 5 off could play their way on or off the list. Most of the free world finds preseason football completely useless. The rest of us realize how much value there is in these games. Well, at least 3 of them. Last season the preseason saw a guy like Josh Morgan played himself into contention (injury issues aside), while a guy like Dontarrious Thomas played himself off the team.

So, where am I way off? If you want to roll out an entire 53-man roster projection, fire away in the comments. If you just want to point out differences, that works too. Just a heads-up to post them here as opposed to a new FanPost for now. For references, check out the ESPN Depth Chart and the team site roster list.

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings: 2008 Final Edition

Gonzo — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:06:32 -0000

Back at the halfway point of the season, I put forth a set of Player Power Rankings for everyone's viewing pleasure. Now that the season is over and we've had a chance to see some of our players grow and mature while some others fell off the map, it's time to take a look at how those have changed since late October. The table comes after the jump. Remember, these are strictly my opinions, and are certainly open for discussion. . .in fact, discussion is encouraged, as I'm sure there will be some disagreements.

Player Power Rankings
Rank	Player	Mid-Season Rank	Change	Comment
1	Jared Allen, DE	4	+3	When you're made the highest-paid defensive player in the National Football League, you'd better be prepared to go out and prove why that was. Jared Allen did that this season, and then some. 14.5 sacks and three forced fumbles during the regular season, followed up by two sacks and a forced fumble in the playoff loss to the Eagles, showed the world what Jared Allen was brought here for. He's clean, he's tough, and he's the best pass-rushing DE in football. Oh, and he turns 27 in April.
2	Adrian Peterson, RB	2	0	I know he's getting the ball, you know he's getting the ball, the guys in the booth know he's getting the ball, everyone in the stands knows he's getting the ball, everyone on the other team knows he's getting the ball. . .and he led the NFL in rushing anyway. Sure, he had a case of the yips toward the end of the season. . .but is there a running back in the National Football League that you'd trade him for right now? Yeah, I didn't think so.
3	Kevin Williams, DT	1	-2	Tailed off a little bit at the end of the season, certainly, but still finished with 8.5 sacks and was his usual tremendous self against the run. Albert Haynesworth is going to end up getting paid more than #93 this off-season. . .but given the choice, I wouldn't trade Kevin Williams for him. In my opinion, Kevin Williams is still the best all-around defensive tackle in the NFL.
4	Pat Williams, DT	7	+3	The game against the Giants at the end of the year showed us what a valuable asset Pat Williams is to the Minnesota defense. As a run-stuffer, he's absolutely without peer, and was a huge part of the reason why the Vikings' defense was #1 against the run for the third consecutive year. One has to wonder how many more years we can get out of the big man, but if Ted Washington played at a fairly high level until he was 85 years old, I think Pat Williams can do the same.
5	Antoine Winfield, CB	5	0	The biggest little man in the NFL has finally been rewarded for his high level of play with his first trip to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl. Everyone knows about his ability against the run, but this year the Vikings' pass defense was 5th in the NFL in DVOA against #1 wide receivers, and the #1 guy on the other team almost always lined up against #26. It's about time he got the recognition that he deserves.
6	Steve Hutchinson, G	5	-1	Having the best guard in the NFL this far down on the list isn't so much about how he played in 2008. . .it's more about the high level that the five guys in front of him performed at. He's blocked for a 1,000 yard rusher every year he's been in the NFL, and as long as Adrian Peterson is in Minnesota, that streak should continue for a few more seasons, at least.
7	Ryan Longwell, K	8	+1	Tremendously consistent, and in fact might be getting better with age. He was 6-for-6 from 50+ yards this season, including the kick that put the Vikings into the post-season. Why? Because that's what Ryan Longwell does.
8	Chad Greenway, LB	17	+9	One of the big risers on the list, Greenway was an absolute monster over the second half of the season, despite the absence of fellow LB E.J. Henderson. He led the Vikings in tackles with 115, managed to throw in 5.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and got markedly better in coverage as the season went on.
9	Visanthe Shiancoe, TE	11	+2	Shank has developed into a serious threat at the TE position, particularly over the second part of this season. He was in the top 10 in receiving yards at the tight end position, and averaged 14.2 yards/reception. The only two TEs in the NFL that had more touchdowns than he did are a couple of guys that you might have heard of. . .Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. Finally appears to be worth the money that was spent on him in 2006.
10	Bernard Berrian, WR	6	-4	Berrian certainly did what he was asked to do when the Vikings signed him away from the Chicago Bears. Minnesota wanted him to come in and stretch the field, and his 20.1 yards/reception says that he did just that. But he did have a couple of games where he completely disappeared, and is probably more suited to be a #2 guy than a true #1. Hopefully we can find that true #1 here very soon and let Berrian do what he does best.
11	Madieu Williams, S	NR	NA	After he finally got himself healthy, he got on the field and was pretty effective for the most part. With the likely departure of Darren Sharper this off-season, Williams will likely move into more of a free safety/center fielder type of position, with Tyrell Johnson moving into the strong safety spot.
12	Matt Birk, C	9	-3	Another player that has, more than likely, played his last game for the Vikings. While still one of the best at his position, it certainly appears that he's lost a little bit. He'll turn 33 in July. . .he's the last holdover from the 1998 squad. . .and it probably won't be cost-efficient to bring him back at this point. Stranger things have happened, though.
13	Bobby Wade, WR	18	+5	The Vikings caught a lot of flack for signing this guy after the 2006 season, but you know something? This guy can play on my team any time. He led the Vikings in receptions again this season, he makes tough catches, he gets first downs, and he knows what his role in the offense is. I'm quite happy to have him here for another couple of years.
14	Ben Leber, LB	10	-4	Leber was his usual understated self in 2008. He goes out there every week and does his job in a solid, but not spectacular, fashion. He might be someone that the Vikings need to look at replacing in the near future, as he'll turn 31 this season, but he's still a good veteran leader and an asset to the defense at this point.
15	Cedric Griffin, CB	25	+10	Another big riser here, Griffin looked like a completely different player in the second half of the season. It appears that the coaching staff finally realized that Griffin isn't a "lay back and play zone" cornerback. He needs to be allowed to get up in people's faces and be physical. With Antoine Winfield getting up in age, Griffin will probably face more of a burden in the near future. . .oh, and he has a contract year coming this next season, too.
16	Artis Hicks, OL	15	-1	Played well in Bryant McKinnie's stead when he was called upon to do so, and filled in on other spots in the line as well. His versatility makes him a valuable part of the roster, but injuries clearly hampered him down the stretch, causing him to miss some time.
17	Gus Frerotte, QB	12	-5	Gus was brought here to be the backup, and he performed the way a backup quarterback would be expected to. He had some moments of brilliance, coupled with some throws that make you wonder how the heck he's lasted in the league as long as he has. His comments after the Eagles' game were particularly grating, since I really don't think he would have given us any more of a chance than Tarvaris Jackson.
18	Tarvaris Jackson, QB	28	+10	In the last 4 1/2 games of the season, we caught a glimpse of both what's so intriguing about Tarvaris Jackson, and what absolutely drives us crazy about him. Again, he's got all the physical ability in the world, but at this point, I don't think he's going to be able to put it all together as a consistent NFL QB. He gets bumped up the list, though, based on his performance at the end of the regular season when the Vikings were fighting for a division title.
19	Darren Sharper, S	14	-5	The greatest safety in Green Bay Packer history has probably played his last game in purple. As the season progressed, Sharper looked older and slower than he has at any point in his career, and started taking bad angles to the football. He's given us a few great seasons as a member of our secondary, but it doesn't look like he can get it done any more. If Sharper does prove me wrong, he'll more than likely have to do it in another uniform.
20	Chester Taylor, RB	23	+3	He didn't get nearly the number of touches that he got over the past couple of seasons, but Taylor proved why he and Adrian Peterson are still the best 1-2 running back punch in the National Football League. One of the best pass-catching backs in the league and a vital asset on third downs, he's approaching that 30-year old point where running backs tend to start declining, but he hasn't had a lot of carries over his career for the most part. We'll have to keep an eye on him.
21	Bryant McKinnie, OT	16	-5	Paid like an elite LT. Not an elite LT. Not to mention one stupid, drunken incident away from taking a year's vacation from the NFL. There are few players on the Vikings' roster as disappointing as Bryant McKinnie. Need more proof? I listed three other offensive linemen, one of whom is a backup, before I got to him.
22	Brian Robison, DE	29	+7	An interesting study. . .he played well this season, largely when spelling Pat Williams at DT on obvious passing downs. He also played pretty well when called upon against the Eagles as well. If nobody else is brought in this off-season, I firmly believe that he should be starting opposite Jared Allen at DE in 2009, but we'll have to see.
23	Tyrell Johnson, S	13	-10	His drop isn't because he played horribly or anything. . .but with Madieu Williams insertion into the lineup, he simply didn't get to contribute in the same way he did during the early part of the season. I think he's still got some promise as an in-the-box type of safety, and he's likely going to be a starter in 2009.
24	Anthony Herrera, G	19	-5	Still solid against the run, but his pass protection seemed to slip a bit in the later stages of the season. It seemed that whenever the quarterback had pressure on him, it was generally coming from his right. . .although I'm not sure how much of this is a function of Herrera's play as much as the play of someone we'll get to here in a while.
25	Ray Edwards, DE	21	-4	Talked a lot in the pre-season about Michael Strahan's single-season sack record. Came up roughly 17 sacks short of that mark. He's solid at DE, but with the talent that he's playing next to, he should be significantly better. The competition between him and Brian Robison in training camp in 2009 should be interesting.
26	Fred Evans, DT	24	-2	Again, solid, but not spectacular. At least he managed not to get tasered this season, which is always a plus. He is a pretty valuable backup, however, all joking aside.
27	Jim Kleinsasser, TE	27	0	How much fun was it watching ol' Jimmy K rumble downfield with that little slip screen in the Eagles' game? But his purpose here isn't to catch passes, it's to crush people as a blocker, something he still does tremendously well. Hopefully he'll be back next season.
28	Naufahu Tahi, FB	22	-6	I've said it before, and I'll say it again. . .good blocker, but for the love of God, STOP THROWING HIM THE FOOTBALL!
29	Napoleon Harris, LB	NR	NA	Same Napoleon Harris we saw the first time he was in Minnesota. . .solid against the run, can't blitz, can't cover. Good depth, but I really hope we don't have to rely on him to start for any length of time.
30	Charles Gordon, CB	31	+1	Showed some real juice as a punt returner, and was starting to improve as a cornerback as well. . .up until he got his ankle mangled against the Packers. His comeback from that injury is going to be interesting to watch. He really gives us a solid nickel option if he can come back.
31	Cullen Loeffler, LS	35	+4	Hey, let's give the guy some more props. . .again, I ask, when was the last time we saw a bad snap on either a field goal or a punt? It was before Cullen Loeffler came along, that's for sure.
32	Marcus Johnson, OL	30	-2	Played well in the early part of the season, particularly against Indianapolis, when he was asked to play LT (a position he had no experience at). Just didn't get a lot of chances as the season wore on. Still, he's the only member of Minnesota's 2005 draft class that has any chance of being worth anything in the NFL.
33	Benny Sapp, CB	41	+8	He committed some dumb penalties, to be sure, but overall wasn't completely awful or anything like that. He should be back competing for a spot next season.
34	Ryan Cook, OT	20	-14	By far the weakest link on the offensive line. Seems to be good for at least one drive-killing false start penalty a game, and gets beaten far more often than a third-year guy should be getting beaten. He probably won't be starting in 2009, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was off the roster all together.
35	Chris Kluwe, P	26	-9	A very disappointing season for Kluwe, to say the least. After the Eagles' game, DeSean Jackson came right out and basically said, "Man, that guy outkicks his coverage on almost every play." And you know what? He's right. Part of the Vikings' punt-return woes this year came from lack of special teams discipline, but a lot of it came from opposing returners having a lot of space to work with after they catch the ball, too.
36	Husain Abdullah, S	37	+1	Minnesota's leading special teams tackler in 2008. Given the state of the Minnesota special teams, I'll let you decide whether that's good or bad.
37	Vinny Ciurciu, LB	32	-5	This guy, on the other hand, was brought in a few years ago to be almost exclusively a special teamer, and he hasn't been up to snuff. Should be fighting for his job this coming training camp.
38	Marcus McCauley	42	+4	Actually wasn't all that bad when he got on the field. . .but for someone that was a third-round pick and showed a lot of promise a year ago, he should be getting on the field more frequently than he is.
39	Eric Frampton, S	38	-1	Another guy whose main job is to bolster the special teams. Have you noticed that a lot of these "special teams" types are going to be fighting for their jobs next season? Curious, that.
40	Ellis Wyms, DT	48	+8	Hey, at least I noticed he was on the field in the later part of the season. . .that's more than I can say for him over the first half.
41	David Herron, LB	33	-8	Played well in place of E.J. Henderson until Napoleon Harris was brought in. Then we really didn't hear from him much.
42	John Sullivan, C	47	+5	Barring a change via the draft or free agency, this is probably our starting center in 2009. Didn't do much this year.
43	Sidney Rice, WR	36	-7	Like I said on the mid-season list, it absolutely kills me to put Sid the Kid this low, but he had a terrible season. Injured for most of it, and when he did play, he didn't perform terribly well. . .and the route he ran on the play against the Eagles that wound up being a pick-6 was as horribly lazy a route as you're ever going to see. I don't know how much of that was the lingering effects of his knee injury, but he's on the verge of being a bust here.
44	Maurice Hicks, RB	43	-1	I expected nothing, and he delivered. Bravo, Maurice.
45	Otis Grigsby, DE	39	-6	Was actually hoping for big things out of Grigsby this season, but with the way the line rotation set up, he just didn't get a lot of chances.
46	Jeff Dugan, TE	45	-1	Probably should be a little bit higher, but I'm not sure where else I'd slot him at this point.
47	Erin Henderson, LB	44	-3	Has the potential to be more than "E.J's little brother," but didn't get a lot of opportunities to show it this season. He's one to watch for the future, though.
48	Aundrae Allison, WR	34	-14	Another guy that had huge expectations going into the season, and had next to nothing in production. There were questions about his work ethic when he came out of college, and it appears that it might be catching up to him once again. I hope he snaps out of it here soon, or he might find himself without a job.
49	Garrett Mills, TE	40	-9	Again. . .3 catches for 49 yards in the season opener. 2 catches for 16 yards the rest of the way, and spent most of the second half inactive.
50	Letroy Guion, DT	NR	NA	Was expected to be a project, and spent most of the year inactive.
Non-Ranked Players/Incomplete Grades
Rank	Player	Comment
NA	E.J. Henderson, LB	The Minnesota defense was #6 in the NFL in total yardage, #1 against the run, one of the best in terms of DVOA for the season. . .and they played without this guy from Week 5 onwards. I can't wait to see him back next season.
NA	Heath Farwell, LB	Based on the performance of the Vikings' coverage units this year, Heath Farwell may be the greatest special teams player in the history of the universe. Hopefully he'll be back healthy in 2009.
NA	Dontarrious Thomas, LB	He was here. I don't know how many games he was active for, but he was here.
NA	Drew Radovich, OL	Future prospect. Went on IR with a "shoulder injury" early in the year. Should compete for a spot in training camp.
NA	John David Booty, QB	Didn't see the field after the pre-season finale. Thank goodness.
NA	Robert Ferguson, WR	"Veteran leadership" and "downfield blocking" will only get you so far in this league.
NA	Jayme Mitchell, DE	It would have been nice to have him around to work into the line rotation.
NA	Michael Boulware, S	IR'd in pre-season. Hasn't seen the field as a Viking.
NA	Kenderick Allen, DT	IR'd in pre-season. Hasn't seen the field as a Viking.
NA	Thomas Tapeh, FB	Epic fail. What else can be said, really?
NA	Jimmy Kennedy, DT	Interesting signing, I think. . .brought in late in the year as Pat Williams insurance. Was a first-round pick a few years ago, so he's got some talent. I think he might stick. . .because, hey, if anybody can tap into the talent that he has, it would be Karl Dunbar. Keep an eye on him this off-season.

49ers in Free Agency: A look back

Fooch — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:38:46 -0000

In 54 days, the 2009 free agency period begins. There are some potentially big names on the market and I know people are clamoring for some of them already. I'll certainly be taking a look at the free agent market in the coming weeks, but for now, I thought I'd take a look back at the 49ers free agent pick-ups last off season. Unlike draft choices, it's a lot easier to assess free agent pickups after a single season. At the end, I've included a poll asking who you think ended up being the best free agent pickup. You'll notice Dontarrious Thomas is not included (or maybe you didn't notice it at all). Given his brief time with the team, I think it's safe to say nobody was going to be voting for him.

Justin Smith (6 years/$45 million): Smith was the big money haul this time around as the 49ers put on the full court press culminating in the Nolan helicopter ride around the Bay Area. No matter what you think of the dollar figure, Justin Smith earned his contract this season. If you were to just look at his statistics you wouldn't think he'd done a whole lot of much. However, he was involved in most every big play that happened on defense, even if he wasn't filling up the stat sheet. I think Parys Haralson can thank Smith for a fair number of those sacks he got this season. I could not be happier about the Justin Smith signing.

Isaac Bruce (2 years/$6 million): Bruce had an up and down season but he finished very strong. When the 49ers signed Bruce I said I did not think we were getting Bruce in the Jerry Rice as a Seahawk phase of his career and that proved mostly true. He was rather quiet for much of the first half of the season, before becoming Shaun Hill's go-to guy in the second half of the season. Bruce still has some game left in those old legs and I expect him to have a solid second season in San Francisco (although not having Martz around will be interesting in how it affects him). In year 2 I'd like to see his numbers come down a little due to the younger guys numbers moving up.

Takeo Spikes (1 year/$1.68 million): After an interminable wait, the 49ers inked Spikes during training camp to play inside next to Patrick Willis. And did he ever perform. Spikes had finished his previous season in Philly with an injury that some thought would slow him down. Fortunately it did not as he had a very good season with the 49ers. He finished tied for second in total tackles and had a three-game interception streak early on. Some people out there are mildly indifferent to his return, but consider me in the camp of people that really want him back. He proved he can still make plays and has to be a good influence on Bamm Bamm. The pressure is not on Spikes to be the man and so he can just settle into a role that seems to suit him quite well. And it certainly helps that he really wants to come back.

Allen Rossum (1 year/$870,000): Considering Rossum signed for the veteran's minimum, he certainly turned out well. I expected next to nothing from him heading into the season and he finished it third in the NFC in kick return average and first in punt return average for those with double digit punt returns. Not too shabby indeed. The downside were the injuries. Of course that only exemplified his value in the battle for field position. It'd be nice to get a younger guy back there that can stay healthy, but given the impact Rossum had, he might be worth bringing back to mentor a young returner.

Bryant Johnson (1 year/$2 million): It's hard to argue he was the most valuable free agent pickup last season. Injuries robbed him of most of training camp and it took him a while to get back in the swing of things. He settled into a groove late in the season and made some big catches. One reason to see some value is that his training camp injury gave us a chance to see the potential of Josh Morgan. Morgan got all of Johnson's first team snaps and was on pace to start the season opener before also being cut down by injury.

DeShaun Foster (1 year deal): Foster started off rather quietly, which wasn't surprising given that he was backing up a work horse back like Frank Gore. I think the optimal situation would have been to get more than the 2 or 3 carries he was getting for much of the season. Once Gore went down with the ankle injury, Foster showed some bright spots. He's a talented back, but he is a guy who needs to get a decent number of carries or else he gets rusty. Given his history I'm not sure if there's much better out there, but maybe it's worth grabbing someone in the draft to compete with Thomas Clayton for the backup role come July and August.

J.T. O'Sullivan (1 year/$645,000): Now, before you throw up on your computer screen and never return to Niners Nation again, follow me on this. J.T. O'Sullivan showed some signs of promise early on before crashing and burning midway through the season and giving way to Shaun Hill. The reason i'd consider him a valuable signing is because it indirectly (or maybe directly) led to the canning of Mike Nolan and the hiring of Mike Singletary. For the Shaun Hill faithful, if Hill had somehow gotten the job in training camp and struggled out of the gate, maybe we never see that second half surge. So, I think there's some value in considering that.

So there you have it. Who was the best free agent pick up last offseason? You can make compelling arguments for a few of these folks so let's have at it.

Poll

Who was the 49ers best free agent pickup last offseason?

Justin Smith

282 votes

Isaac Bruce

96 votes

Takeo Spikes

126 votes

Allen Rossum

11 votes

Bryant Johnson

5 votes

DeShaun Foster

1 votes

J.T. O'Sullivan

5 votes

526 votes | Poll has closed

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings, Mid-Season Edition

Gonzo — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:14:16 -0000

If you'll recall, I did this last year at the mid-season point and at the end of the season. Yes, I know we're not "technically" at the mid-season point yet, but we're pretty close to it, and I don't think one game is going to change these that much anyway.

Now, these aren't "official" or "scientific" or anything like that. They're my take on how the players that the Minnesota Vikings have put on the field this season have performed. I'm anxious to hear what some of you folks think about these. . .should be a good topic for discussion.

So, without any further ado, here are your mid-season Minnesota Vikings Power Rankings:

Player Power Rankings
Rank	Player	Comment
1	Kevin Williams, DT	The beast is back, and he's again showing why he's considered by many to be the best all-around DT in the National Football League. He's the team leader in sacks with 6, which also puts him in a tie for #6 in the league in that category, and he's again an anchor of what will be the NFL's best run defense.
2	Adrian Peterson, RB	With LaDanian Tomlinson finally showing some signs of wear, the mantle of "Best Running Back in the NFL" now rests squarely on the shoulders of All Day. He's on pace to eclipse the numbers from his outstanding rookie season, and only two running backs in NFL history reached 2,000 career yards faster than he did. And he's only going to continue getting better.
3	Antoine Winfield, CB	After some. . .including myself. . .questioned some of his ability last season, he's come back this year with a vengeance. He's got two sacks that forced two fumbles and led to two momentum-changing touchdowns in Viking victories, and he's been playing lights-out coverage for most of the year.
4	Jared Allen, DE	Has he been everything that he was advertised to be? Well, almost. . .he has five sacks on the season, and has been demanding the double teams that have opened Kevin Williams up to have the monster season that he's been having to this point. He's also among the league leaders in QB pressures, which are always helpful. Look for him to pick it up even more in the second half.
5	Steve Hutchinson, G	Another Viking, along with Williams and Peterson, that carries the title of best in the NFL at his position. This is his third season as a member of the Vikings, and he's still worth every penny. Meanwhile, Nate Burleson is still a glorified kick returner and went on IR after Week 1 this year. Boy, the Seahawks sure got us good with that poison pill, didn't they?
6	Bernard Berrian, WR	After the first two games of the year, I didn't think that #87 would be anywhere near this high on the list. However, as of now, he's on pace for nearly 1,200 yards and has given the Vikings a couple of huge plays since the quarterback switch took place. He's another guy that will look like a bargain in a couple of seasons.
7	Pat Williams, DT	Phat Pat has been fairly quiet this season. . .of course, for him, "quiet" is a relative term. He's still the Immovable Object to Kevin Williams' Irresistible Force, and continues to make every play he's asked to make in the running game.
8	Ryan Longwell, K	He's still amazingly consistent, he still doesn't miss from 45 yards and in, and he might still be the Vikings' most consistent offensive weapon that doesn't have the name "Peterson" on his jersey. With the way Brad Childress' "Kick Ass Offense" runs most weeks, you have to be happy to have a reliable guy like Longwell to turn to.
9	Matt Birk, C	Still among the best in the league at his position, and still makes pretty good calls at the line. You have to wonder whether or not this will be his last season with the Vikings. I have a sneaky suspicion that it just might be.
10	Ben Leber, LB	Going into his third season as Minnesota's most overlooked, most unheralded defensive player. Has been a leader on the defense since he's been here, and that role has only increased with the injury to E.J. Henderson. You won't hear his name much, but that's pretty much because he never gets beaten or finds himself out of position.
11	Visanthe Shiancoe, TE	Surprised to see him this high on the list? Me, too, quite frankly. It only took him about 20 games or so to get himself established, but since the change at quarterback, he's catching more passes and been infinitely more effective. He could be developing into a real weapon for the Vikings' offense.
12	Gus Frerotte, QB	Since becoming the starter, Gus has been basically the same quarterback he's been his entire career. He has moments and games where you think he's capable of being the guy for the long haul (see the New Orleans game), and then he has moments and games that remind you of why he's been a backup for most of his NFL career (see the Chicago game). Sadly, that still makes him more consistent than Tarvaris Jackson, and that's what the Vikings need at the QB position right now.
13	Tyrell Johnson, S	Another nice surprise for the Vikings. With Madieu Williams being out, teams have largely avoided Darren Sharper and tried to go after the rookie from Arkansas State, and he's been equal to the task thus far. He'll make a nice replacement for Sharper, who will probably be gone after this season.
14	Darren Sharper, S	As I said above, this is probably the last season in Minnesota for the best safety in Green Bay Packer history. He may have finally lost that step that Packer fans have been convinced that he lost three years ago. No interceptions this season yet for #42, but I can't help put think that will change as the season goes on.
15	Artis Hicks, OL	You know, considering the guys he was lined up across from in the Vikings' first four games, he really didn't perform that badly. He wasn't great or anything, but then again, you could say the same thing about. . .
16	Bryant McKinnie, OT	. . .the guy he was standing in for. Seriously. . .have I been the only one that's noticed that the offense really hasn't been THAT drastically different with McKinnie at LT than it was with Hicks lined up over there?
17	Chad Greenway, LB	Still a fine athlete with a knack for the big play. . .but, strangely enough, there are still times where the guy looks completely lost in coverage. He's in his third year. . .he really needs to cut down on those sort of incidents.
18	Bobby Wade, WR	Actually leads the Vikings in receptions this season with 30, and his on his way to eclipsing his stats from last season when he was the "#1 wide receiver." Still a very good YAC receiver, and can be counted on most times to the a first down when the Vikings need one.
19	Anthony Herrera, G	To be honest, I haven't heard his name very many times this year, either. For an offensive lineman, this can only be considered a good thing.
20	Ryan Cook, OT	Same for Cook. . .he's certainly not an elite right tackle by any stretch, but he's not getting regularly abused, either. Still, you can't help but have the nagging feeling that both parts of the right side of the line could use an upgrade.
21	Ray Edwards, DE	Only needs to average about 2.5 sacks per game from here on out to break Michael Strahan's single-season record. "It will be interesting to see if he can do it," the author said sarcastically.
22	Naufahu Tahi, FB	With as many times as he's thrown to in this offense, you'd think that he'd be the Vikings' leading receiver. He's averaging an amazingly low 2.2 yards/catch, but he has provided decent blocking to this point. And his name is still fun to say.
23	Chester Taylor, RB	It saddens me that I have to put Taylor this far down on the list. However, for reasons that I'm really not sure of, he's not being used in the offense this year nearly as much as he should be. He's only had 10 carries or more in two different games this year, and hasn't rushed for more than 44 yards in a game this season. He's still catching the ball well, but I still think he needs to be used more frequently. I love Adrian Peterson as much as anyone, but #29 shouldn't be getting ignored like this.
24	Fred Evans, DT	Has provided some pretty decent relief for the Williams' boys when he's rotated in. Had the bonehead play in Chicago that made a end-of-half field goal attempt five yards closer than it needed to be, but otherwise has been relatively solid.
25	Cedric Griffin, CB	When you think of somebody being "lost in coverage," Griffin is the first guy that should come to mind. Part of the reason that Antoine Winfield is having the season he is comes from the fact that, when Griffin is on the field, teams have no reason at all to throw Winfield's direction. I still think that Griffin could be an elite NFL safety, but it looks like the Vikings want to have Tyrell Johnson and Madieu Williams at the position for the long haul. It will be interesting to see what Griffin's Vikings future holds.
26	Chris Kluwe, P	You have to wonder if the guy's head isn't completely messed up at this point. The punt returns for TDs, the bungled snap in Chicago, Brad Childress bringing in punters to try out during the week. I still think he's a pretty decent punter, but he may have had more screw-ups this season than in his entire Minnesota career, and we're not even to the half way mark.
27	Jim Kleinsasser, TE	North Dakota's favorite son is still a killer in-line blocker, and his 34-yard reception against the Lions a couple weeks ago flashed us back to what he used to be capable of. One of the guys that I hope that this franchise always has room for in some capacity.
28	Tarvaris Jackson, QB	Well, what can I say. . .except that I was wrong about this guy. I doubt that he'll ever take another meaningful snap for the Minnesota Vikings, which in a way is kind of sad. He's still got a world of physical ability, and he appears to be relatively smart. He just got thrown into the fire way too soon. It will be interesting to see if he catches on with another team (because I don't think he'll be here next year) and, if so, how he does under the direction of a real NFL coach.
29	Brian Robison, DE	Another guy that really, really needs to get on the field more often. There's a very good chance that he's better than Ray Edwards, although Edwards remains the starting DE across from Jared Allen. I like Robison's intensity, and hope he starts seeing more playing time in the near future.
30	Marcus Johnson, OT	Has actually been pretty good when called upon, making him the only member of Minnesota's 2005 draft class to be worth a damn at the NFL level.
31	Charles Gordon, CB	Has performed ably as the nickel back this season, but hasn't shown much as a punt returner, other than an inability to get the hell away from the football when it's going to bounce inside the 10-yard line. Yeah, I'm still miffed about that play.
32	Vinny Ciurciu, LB	Actually didn't perform too horribly as MLB when called upon, other than getting penalized on a 4th and goal play against the Bears for getting pushed down by Desmond Clark. But, honestly, we don't want him out there at MLB.
33	David Herron, LB	Had two games where he started in place of E.J. Henderson, and then got hurt. Wasn't terrible, but wasn't great either. Good depth, but probably won't ever be a full-time guy.
34	Aundrae Allison, WR	Hasn't gotten quite the chances I had hoped that he would this season, and has inexplicably been stripped of his returner duties. I, personally, don't understand. . .but that's probably why I don't run an NFL franchise or anything.
35	Cullen Loeffler, LS	Hey. . .when's the last time you remember seeing a bad snap? And don't say "last week against Chicago." That snap was perfectly fine.
36	Sidney Rice, WR	Yes, it pains me to put him here. But, the reality is that he's missed 4 or 5 straight games with a knee injury. He's been alright when he's been on the field, but he's developing a reputation for being soft. The Vikings NEED him on the field, and he hasn't been there.
37	Husain Abdullah, S	Looks like he might be our team leader in special teams tackles. For a guy that I didn't even project to make the roster, that's pretty good.
38	Eric Frampton, S	Hasn't come alive the way I had hoped. Yes, I will run that joke completely and thoroughly into the ground. Thank you for asking.
39	Otis Grigsby, DE	Haven't really noticed him much this season. Not surprising, since he only has one tackle through seven games and has been inactive a couple of times.
40	Garrett Mills, TE	Was the Vikings' leading receiver in the season opener with 3 catches for 49 yards. Has 1 catch for 10 yards since. Maybe we bought into the hype too quickly.
41	Benny Sapp, CB	Decent enough in coverage, but I wonder what, exactly, it is that he does that. . .
42	Marcus McCauley, CB	. . .couldn't do. McCauley looked like he was really starting to come on at the end of last season, but has spent most of this year on the inactive list. Another one I don't understand.
43	Maurice Hicks, RB	I remember why I hated the Hicks signing now. It's because he didn't make us appreciably better at any spot on the field. He's not a great kick returner, he doesn't return punts, and he's not a very good RB. Other than that, great signing by Minnesota.
44	Erin Henderson, LB	The thing that people remember about Henderson the younger this season is seeing him get absolutely clocked on one of Reggie Bush's punt returns for a TD against the Saints. I really have nothing else to add here
45	Jeff Dugan, TE	Spent most of the year inactive. . .really hasn't done a whole lot when he's been on the field. Not a lot to say.
46	Robert Ferguson, WR	Yes, I know. . .veteran leadership, blocking, yadda yadda yadda. Seriously, we could have kept Martin Nance here.
47	John Sullivan, C	Has been active for every game this year. Can't say that I've noticed. Have you?
48	Ellis Wyms, DT	I know he's been on the field, but he's yet to register any sort of a stat this season. I haven't seen anyone do that since the glory days of Chris Hovan.
Non-Ranked Players/Incomplete Grades
Rank	Player	Comment
NA	E.J. Henderson, LB	With the level he was playing at prior to his injury, he probably would have been #1 on this list if he was still healthy. The guy's a monster in the middle, and is already sorely missed by the Minnesota defense.
NA	Madieu Williams, S	Williams says that he "hopes to play" against the Texans coming out of the bye. I've been hoping to see him play since we signed him in March. Hopefully he can help shore up the pass defense a little more.
NA	Heath Farwell, LB	If you don't think losing a special teams leader can make a big difference, look at the special teams coverage last year WITH Farwell, and then this year without him. A bigger loss than even we could have imagined during the pre-season.
NA	Dontarrious Thomas, LB	Well, he's familiar with the system, so it will be interesting to see how the Vikings use him.
NA	Napoleon Harris, LB	Same story as Thomas. Started at MLB against the Bears and got worked over pretty good. We'll have to see if he's better adjusted after the bye week.
NA	Drew Radovich, OL	Appeared to be stricken with "Hey, we want you on the team, but we really don't have a spot for you at the moment, so hang out on IR"-itis. That's my diagnosis, anyway. I'm not a doctor or anything.
NA	John David Booty, QB	Inactive all season as the #3 QB. With the way he looked in the pre-season, I can only consider this a blessing in disguise.
NA	Letroy Guion, DT	Inactive most of the season. Hasn't done much.
NA	Jayme Mitchell, DE	It would have been nice to have him around to work into the line rotation.
NA	Michael Boulware, S	IR'd in pre-season. Hasn't seen the field as a Viking.
NA	Kenderick Allen, DT	IR'd in pre-season. Hasn't seen the field as a Viking.
NA	Thomas Tapeh, FB	Pretty much epitomizes the Brad Childress era to this point. Signed a 5-year contract, played in exactly two games, was inactive for a month, and then got cut. Epic fail. Probably wouldn't have been signed if the knee surgery he had in the off-season had been discovered. Whether that's Tapeh's fault or Minnesota's fault is up for debate, but the end result is still bad for the Beloved Purple.

And there they are, folks. . .my take on the Vikings' roster to this point of the 2008 season. Feel free to discuss, debate, agree, disagree, or whatever it is that you feel like doing with these.

Vikings Bringing Back Dontarrious Thomas

Gonzo — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:50:12 -0000

So sayeth the folks at Access Vikings.

I kind of like this move, to be honest. We can't have Vinny Ciurciu out there at middle linebacker in crunch time. . .or at any other time, for that matter.

Thomas, who the Vikings selected in the second round of the 2004 Draft, signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent this off-season, but was released during Training Camp. The Vikings will have to make a roster move to accomodate Thomas once his paperwork clears with the league.

EDIT: Apparently said roster move is going to be rookie OL Drew Radovich moving to the injured reserve list with an injured shoulder.

49ers claim Ahmad Brooks; Waive Dontarrious Thomas

Fooch — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 20:17:27 -0000

Well, the Dontarrious Thomas era ended before it really even got going. The team released Thomas and signed for Cincinnati Bengals LB Ahmad Brooks. Here's a brief scouting report on Brooks from ESPN:

His durability is a concern . . . He has excellent size for the middle in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme and is aggressive with some natural playmaking ability . . . He has enough speed to make plays outside the tackle box when he takes good angles. Brooks is a powerful, jarring tackler who arrives with some nastiness. His recognition and instincts need to improve . . . Brooks remains a work in progress and he has to stay on the field with more regularity to reach his potential, but there is a lot to build on here and he could have a bright future.

When the 49ers first signed Thomas, his scouting report sounded similar in that he has the physical ability but has to learn the mental side of things. So I guess they saw enough of Thomas to decide they might as well try somebody a little different?

EDITOR'S UPDATE 2:40PM: Kirkendall over at Cincy Jungle was kind enough to throw some information my way about Ahmad Brooks:

You might like this guy. He's been a guy that's full of potential, based on his beastly size and super-aggression on the field. At the same time, he still has durability issues and has often times over-run plays and forgotten assignments. He's a good pass rusher up the middle though...

I asked him about his abilities on special teams since backing up Patrick Willis would mean not a lot of regular linebacker time. I was curious if mental issues would hurt him on special teams:

Not really. The very nature of special teams, for the most part, is too simple for a man like Brooks to screw up. The dude can run, hit and pile-drive people through concrete walls. His biggest problem has always been a mental make-up; taking a long time understanding his role and assignments.

Real quick, Brooks has been a middle linebacker for a majority of his career. The Bengals decided to move him to strong-side backer this offseason, before dumping him.

So does that mean maybe the 49ers use him as an outside linebacker as well, or will he strictly back up Bamm Bamm?