SB Nation - Cody Wallace

49ers Unofficial Official 2009 depth chart

Fooch — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:24:24 -0000

At some point this week (I'm guessing), the 49ers will post what they consider their "official" depth chart for 2009. For now the site says the official depth chart hasn't been released.

The good news is that we do have an unofficial depth chart that seems likely to be pretty close to official. In that game release I received from the team, it includes a page with the unofficial depth chart. A couple weeks ago it would have meant a lot less in terms of week 1 starters. At this point though, even with a couple signs potentially in the offing (a TE and RB/FB), we probably have a pretty good take on it. I'd imagine most of us could write this on our own, but it's still worth posting what the team is saying.

The one thing I still find particularly interesting is that they only list one player at nose tackle (Aubrayo Franklin) with no backups. I'm curious to see how the team rotates players in to keep Franklin fresh. Will we see a line of Smith - Sopoaga/Balmer - Sopoaga/Balmer on occasion? On nickel it will be just as interesting. Maybe go Smith, Sopoaga, Balmer, McDonald? Just one of many things we'll find out on Sunday.

Underline: rookies
Italics: drafted rookie who has yet to sign
[player]: injured

Offense

Pos.	Starter	2nd	3rd	4th
WR	Josh Morgan	Arnaz Battle	Jason Hill	Michael Crabtree
LT	Joe Staley	Barry Sims
LG	David Baas	Tony Wragge
C	Eric Heitmann	Cody Wallace
RG	Chilo Rachal	Tony Wragge
RT	Adam Snyder	Tony Pashos
TE	Vernon Davis	Delanie Walker
WR	Isaac Bruce	[Brandon Jones]	Micheal Spurlock
FB	Moran Norris
RB	Frank Gore	Glen Coffee	Michael Robinson
QB	Shaun Hill	Alex Smith	Nate Davis

Defense

Pos.	Starter	2nd	3rd
LDE	Isaac Sopoaga	Kentwan Balmer	Ricky Jean-Francois
NT	Aubrayo Franklin
RDE	Justin Smith	Ray McDonald	Demetric Evans
SAM	Manny Lawson	Marques Harris
TED	Takeo Spikes	Scott McKillop
MIKE	Patrick Willis	Jeff Ulbrich
WILL	Parys Haralson	Ahmad Brooks
LCB	Nate Clements	Tarell Brown	Marcus Hudson
RCB	Shawntae Spencer	Dre' Bly	Allen Rossum
SS	Michael Lewis	Reggie Smith
FS	Dashon Goldson	Mark Roman	Curtis Taylor

Special Teams

Pos.	Starter	2nd	3rd
P	Andy Lee
K	Joe Nedney
H	Andy Lee
PR	Allen Rossum	Micheal Spurlock	Arnaz Battle
KR	Allen Rossum	Micheal Spurlock
LS	Brian Jennings

Nate Davis to play most of 49ers-Chargers game

Fooch — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:27:27 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

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Mike Singletary had a variety of comments today related to tomorrow's game and we can definitely infer a lot from them. I don't have a transcript at this point so we'll link to Maiocco's and Barrows's stories on the comments.

The biggest piece of news to come out of it, and the primary reason for this post, is that Alex Smith will be held out of the game and Shaun Hill will give way to Nate Davis after no more than 12 or so plays into the game. Depending on how the first drive goes, that means Nate Davis likely gets the final three full quarters, and maybe a little of the first quarter. Alex Smith apparently would be available if this were a regular season game, but the team would rather avoid aggravating the thumb injury in a meaningless preseason game.

Some other players that will be out ~~tonight~~ tomorrow are Arnaz Battle (shoulder), Cody Wallace (viral meningitis - not the bad bacterial one), Ahmad Brooks (knee), Jay Moore (groin), Brandon Jones (shoulder), Isaac Bruce (preventive), Frank Gore (preventive).

The injuries definitely can't be helping some folks in their battle for a roster spot. Jay Moore seems pretty much destined for the practice squad. Cody Wallace could be an interesting decision. In his article above, Maiocco discussed some battles to be determined tomorrow and included center/guard Matt Spanos vs. Wallace. I hadn't really thought much about it as Cody Wallace has quietly just sort of been there. Considering Eric Heitmann is the man for the foreseeable future at center, Wallace is just "there."

The team currently has Tony Wragge as a backup guard/center (although primarily a guard). Do you just let Wallace continue to sit on the roster not doing anything, or do you see what Spanos could do for you? Whereas the team has depth concerns at the tackle positions, they're in pretty solid shape at center and guard. What do you do?

Poll

Who makes the 49ers roster?

C/G Matt Spanos

133 votes

C Cody Wallace

232 votes

Both

60 votes

Neither

94 votes

519 votes | Poll has closed

Projecting the 49ers 53-man roster #4

Fooch — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:00:18 -0000

As the preseason rolls along, more and more positional battles are won, meaning more and more folks lock up roster spots. For example, yesterday's release of Damon Huard not only locks in Nate Davis's roster spot, but as far as I'm concerned, it removes him from our last 5 on list. I'd imagine it's not a major concern to Nate, but still worth considering.

As you'll notice, I've bumped down Bear Pascoe to last 5 on. Maiocco rolled out his 53-man roster projection (feel free to compare with mine) and actually went with J.J. Finley as the third tight end. He based his decision on the fact that Finley is getting the lion's share of playing time, although he admitted he's not completely sold on that pick. I can see why he might pick Finley, but for now I'm gonna stick with Bear, albeit rather tenuously. I've listed Finley as one of the first 5 off because honestly nobody else really jumps out at me for that list.

Offense
QB (3): Shaun Hill, Alex Smith, Nate Davis
RB (4): Frank Gore, Glen Coffee, Michael Robinson, Kory Sheets
FB (1): Moran Norris
WR (6): Isaac Bruce, Brandon Jones, Josh Morgan, Jason Hill, Arnaz Battle, Dominique Zeigler
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): Adam Snyder, Alex Boone

Defense
DE (5): Justin Smith, Kentwan Balmer, Demetric Evans, Isaac Sopoaga, Ray McDonald
DT (1): Aubrayo Franklin
OLB (4): Manny Lawson, Parys Haralson, Ahmad Brooks, Marques Harris
ILB (4): Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Jeff Ulbrich, Scott McKillop
CB (5): Nate Clements, Dre Bly, Tarell Brown, Shawntae Spencer, Marcus Hudson
FS (2): Dashon Goldson, Mark Roman
SS (2): Michael Lewis, Reggie Smith

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

Last 5 on: Ahmad Brooks, Kory Sheets, Dominique Zeigler, Alex Boone, Bear Pascoe

First 5 off: Jay Moore, J.J. Finley, Curtis Taylor, Ricky Jean-Francois, Micheal Spurlock

After the jump, I include a practice squad projection and some further thoughts...

Practice Squad (8): TE J.J. Finley, OLB Jay Moore, FS Curtis Taylor, DL Ricky Jean-Francois, FB Brit Miller, OLB Diyral Briggs, G/C Matt Spanos, DL Khalif Mitchell

I doubt Crabtree signs when the practice squad is first put together, but if he signs before the season, I'm thinking he gets Zeigler's roster spot and Zeigler gets to use his last year of practice squad eligibility. The Crabtree situation definitely makes the wide receiver decisions a little more difficult...if not now then at some point.

Maiocco's 53-man projection, as compared to my own, is particularly interesting for a couple of reasons. Under running backs he lists six, with the last being "Unnamed Fullback Not on Roster." I find that rather interesting given Michael Robinson's occasional use as a fullback. I'm curious what fullback that is. Lorenzo Neal? Is he considering Brit Miller "not on the roster" at that point? Although fullback isn't a glamorous position, I find myself immensely curious by what Maiocco means with that. I even shot him a tweet about it. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

The other major area where we differed was at offensive tackle. Maiocco had Alex Boone on his practice squad and Barry Sims as the only backup tackle, basically acting as a swing tackle. I know how most people here feel about Barry Sims, and since the retirement of Marvel Smith, I figured Boone had moved into much safer territory. This kind of has me wandering back to his unnamed fullback. Is it necessary to grab another fullback over a second backup offensive tackle? Riddle me that....

Other than that our 53-man rosters don't differ all that much. That is primarily due to the fact that the 49ers are in a position where they have sufficient talent to actually fill a 53-man roster (unlike a few years back). Following the departure of Damon Huard (making Davis a lock), probably 46 of the roster spots are close to locks. Non-locks on top of the last five on might include Marques Harris and Marcus Hudson. So not exactly a lot there.

Projecting the 49ers 53-man roster #3

Fooch — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:00:15 -0000

It is indeed that time of the week. Eight days ago we rolled out the second 53-man roster projection and plenty has happened since then to mix things up a little bit more. The biggest news affecting our roster projection is probably the return of Ray McDonald from the PUP list. As with before, new additions are underlined. After the jump I go into some of the details of my changes.

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

Last 5 on: Ahmad Brooks, Kory Sheets, Dominique Zeigler, Barry Sims, Nate Davis

First 5 off: Jay Moore, Alex Boone, Curtis Taylor, Ricky Jean-Francois, Micheal Spurlock

Right off the bat, I'm sure the Barry Sims projection will have folks up in arms. The problem with this projection is deciding whether it's more predictions, projections as things currently stand, or a mix of both. I mention this because in his recap of yesterday afternoon's practice, Barrows mentioned that Sims was getting first team snaps over Boone. Marvel Smith only practices once a day, so in the second practice somebody else has to fill in at right tackle (since Snyder is out). I certainly reserve the right to adjust this depending on how practice and this weekend shakes out, but for now Sims seems to have an edge. I definitely would prefer to see Boone on the roster, but I'm just not seeing it right now. I'm sure there will be plenty of comments about this one.

The return of Ray McDonald does not bode well for Ricky Jean-Francois. The bump off the squad for now also bumped FB Brit Miller off the first 5 off. While he has looked solid, I think the five guys listed there are significantly closer to securing a roster spot than Miller. If the team keeps 4 running backs, I can't see more than one fullback (assuming we're not counting Michael Robinson as a fullback). Miller and Boone are two prime practice squad candidates. They're also two guys who might be tough to slip through waivers; Boone more so than Miller.

Other than that I just don't see a lot changing at this point. One guy who has gotten a decent amount of publicity is Diyral Briggs. Takeo Spikes was talking him up on the sideline last weekend during the Raiders game. He continued to impress this past weekend and has probably made a sufficient case for the practice squad. It would be tough for him to crack the 53-man at this point, although certainly not impossible. At this point he's listed behind Parys Haralson and Ahmad Brooks at the Will outside linebacker position. Personally I'd keep Brooks just because of that impressive goal line play when he made the leap and almost sacked Russell. I just don't see the team taking Briggs over Brooks at this point. Harris is backing up Lawson on the other side with Jay Moore behind them so again, I don't see him leaping them, at least for now.

At this point, as the starters are being figured out, the last few roster spots remain up for grabs. That list of first 5 off, among many others are all scratching and clawing for some ~~craps~~ scraps off the table. Most would argue Alex Boone has the best chance of making the roster. I would tend to agree, but it remains a tough road ahoe. I continue to root for Jay Moore, but Harris's experience in the Manusky defense gives him a big advantage.

At this point, who do you find yourself rooting for the most among the numerous "roster underdogs?"

Projecting the 49ers 53-man roster #2

Fooch — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:00:18 -0000

Approximately six weeks ago I rolled out my initial projection of the 49ers 53-man roster. While there is still plenty of preseason football to be played, I thought a couple weeks of training camp and a preseason game is enough time to consider revisions to our 53-man roster projection.

I have to admit that this has gotten really difficult to figure out given some of the injuries and the Michael Crabtree holdout. Brandon Jones is out until early October with his shoulder injury and Zak Keasey is out for 8-10 weeks with his forearm injury. Neither player can go on the PUP list since they passed physicals at the start of training camp. I think that means Keasey is likely to be cut at some point soon and potentially placed on injured reserve if he clears waivers (if I'm getting the rules correct).

Then there's Crabtree. Given his holdout he's still not a member of the 49ers. That basically means we'll come up with a list of 54 players because once Crabtree is signed, he'd have to go on the 53-man roster and somebody would need to be cut. At this point Crabtree is not included in this projection. After the jump we discuss that impact among other things.

Also, I've underlined new additions to the 53-man roster.

Offense
QB (3): Shaun Hill, Alex Smith, Nate Davis
RB (4): Frank Gore, Glen Coffee, Michael Robinson, Kory Sheets
FB (1): Moran Norris
WR (6): Isaac Bruce, Brandon Jones, Josh Morgan, Jason Hill, Arnaz Battle, Dominique Zeigler
TE (3): Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Bear Pascoe
LT (2): Joe Staley, Alex Boone
LG (1): David Baas
C (2): Eric Heitmann, Cody Wallace
RG (2): Chilo Rachal, Tony Wragge
RT (2): Adam Snyder, Marvel Smith

Defense
DE (5): Justin Smith, Kentwan Balmer, Demetric Evans, Isaac Sopoaga, Ricky Jean-Francois***
DT (1): Aubrayo Franklin
OLB (4): Manny Lawson, Parys Haralson, Ahmad Brooks, Marques Harris
ILB (4): Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Jeff Ulbrich, Scott McKillop
CB (5): Nate Clements, Dre Bly, Tarell Brown, Shawntae Spencer, Marcus Hudson
FS (2): Dashon Goldson, Mark Roman
SS (2): Michael Lewis, Reggie Smith

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

Last 5 on: Ahmad Brooks, Kory Sheets, Dominique Zeigler, Ricky Jean-Francois, Alex Boone

First 5 off: Jay Moore, ~~Barry Sims~~ Curtis Taylor, Micheal Spurlock, Damon Huard, Brit Miller

***Ray McDonald is on the PUP list and would need a spot on the roster at some point in the season. Replacement TBD

After the jump I take a look at some of the changes and some of the notable omissions. After you've read that over, feel free to tear me a new one on some of these selections.

There are a few players that are giving me all sorts of trouble. Let's start at wide receiver. Once Crabtree signs, who do you cut? The quick thought is to get rid of one of the receivers (either Zeigler or Battle). However, if Crabtree signs before the season starts, or even that first week or two, Brandon Jones will not be back yet. Given that Crabtree has a ton of ground to make up, I don't think you want to cut a guy who's been playing since day 1. So who exactly do you get rid of to make room for Crabtree on the 53-man roster?

Quarterback
I'm a bit conflicted here, but I think it's just that initial rush of a good performance from Damon Huard. If Nate Davis doesn't get much playing time, can the team afford to have him sitting at #3 if they elect to waive Damon Huard? Or is this an indication that Huard isn't going anywhere and they might actually keep 4 QBs? Given the injury issues, can this team afford to give a roster space to a 4th quarterback at this point?

Running Backs
The season ending injury to Thomas Clayton helps Kory Sheets, but doesn't guarantee anything. I kept Sheets on the roster, but I actually am thinking that his real "nemisis" for a roster spot is Micheal Spurlock. Spurlock has shown a good bit of potential and has been getting moved around all over the field, including in the wildcat/taser formation. At this point, I think either Spurlock or Sheets makes the roster, but not both.

Fullback
Close to 2/3 of you think Brit Miller will make the 53-man roster for week 1 of the regular season. I'm not quite comfortable adding him in yet given the presence of Moran Norris and Michael Robinson. At the same time, I've elevated him to first 5 off the roster. Miller will see a whole lot of playing time and if he puts up similar performances in the coming weeks, he might bump somebody off the roster. Who that would be exactly, I'm not so sure.

Offensive Tackle
I succumbed to the pressure and replaced Barry Sims with Alex Boone. Sims did perfectly reasonable in his backup role last week, but consider me on the upside bandwagon of Boone. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised with any outcome in this battle. However, as I said before, it's going to be either Boone or Sims, not both, on the roster.

Miscellaneous
I thought I'd close with a few miscellaneous thoughts on other roster spots. I added in RJF with McDonald on the PUP list, but I think RJF is still in a tenuous position at this point. He'll need to build on last weekend's performance. I moved Jay Moore off my projection, and went with Marques Harris. Harris has experience in the Manusky defense and that veteran presence would likely give him an edge. And Moore retains practice squad eligibility.

2009 49ers Training Camp: An intriguing QB update

Fooch — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:46:48 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

Browse more photos »

Before we get to a review of the AM practice, this is probably the best picture I've seen from camp so far. Josh Morgan brought in a one-handed catch that had to be rather pretty, but this is still pretty impressive looking. As always, scroll over the picture to get a link to view about 10 more pictures from practice today.

In his recap, Barrows pointed out that this practice crystallized the QB battle. He pointed specifically to Alex Smith's abilities on the deeper passes, and Shaun Hill's abilities on shorter plays. In fact, according to Barrows, Hill was 11-12 and Smith was 5-9. Obviously that number has to be considered in the context of the distance of the various attempts (which we don't have at thia point). He didn't go much beyond that, while Maiocco and Mike Sando both came as close to declaring a leader as one might expect at this early a juncture.

Maiocco's article was particularly intriguing as it addressed a point that has been raised here time and again:

Smith looks very good on the practice field . . .
This morning, Smith was again very accurate. He is throwing the intermediate and deep balls exceptionally well . . .

If - IF -- Smith can carry over his practice-field success into the exhibition games against the Broncos (Aug 14) and Raiders (Aug. 22), there is a strong chance he will be the starter when the regular season opens.

The key, as has been said again and again and again and again, is whether Smith can turn these practice performances into game performances. Yesterday's practice didn't provide me enough opportunity to observe Smith make many deep passes. It was more of the short stuff, which probably favors Hill a bit. One of Smith's problems is his lack of touch on some of these shorter passes. I had a chance to meet up with Florida Danny recently (he was in SF for some other stuff) and he made a good point. In the past, on some of those checkdown passes Smith would still wind up like he was going deep and fire it in, when really a weak throw was what was needed.

We've got a quick injury update after the jump...

Injury Update

Kentwan Balmer was out for individual workouts again, as was Parys Haralson (out with a hip since the weekend). With Balmer it's good to see that he can at least get some workouts in. Those knee injuries automatically make me assume the worst when they happen. He was clearly in pain and even wripped off his helmet and flung it to the ground when the play happened.

Chilo Rachal left yesterday's practice with what is being described as a migraine. With David Baas also still out, the 49ers went with Cody Wallace and Tony Wragge at the two guard positions. Eric Heitmann went down with an injury at one point but returned later in practice. During that time Wallace moved to center and Matt Spanos came in at guard. Given Heitmann's current abilities, Wallace will definitely want to show versatility outside of the center position. It's not that he's going anywhere anytime soon, but a little versatility never hurts a guy in the eyes of the coaches.

The 49ers have only a special teams practice this afternoon so I likely won't have a recap for that unless anything interesting pops up.

Sources
Matt Maiocco Recap
Matt Barrows Recap
Mike Sando Recap

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.

NFC West Position-by-Position: Centers

Hawkwind — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:00:17 -0000

We're still plowing through our weekly installments of position by position breakdowns of the NFC West (check out previous stories here) and today we start looking at the big uglies, specifically the only player who touches the ball more than the quarterback. Yes the big men in the center of every offensive line get little fanfare but today we put them in the spotlight. Lyle Sendlien headlines the center of the Arizona Cardinals offensive line but how does the rest of the division stand and how would the teams rank?

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals opened training camp last year with what most assumed to be a decent veteran starter at center and the 'center of the future' as his primary backup. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, the veteran starting center, Al Johnson, never recovered from off season surgery and was placed on IR in early September. That move pushed young Lyle Sendlein, an undrafted second year player, into the starting lineup and left virtually no one to back him up. Luckily for the Cardinals, Sendlein stayed healthy, at least enough to play, all season long although most would say that his play was average at best. As with most undersized centers, Sendlein excelled at getting to the next level and picking up linebackers but he struggled with facing larger nose tackles either in the running game or passing game. Of course we know now that he played most of the season with a bum shoulder that required surgery in the off season but questions still remained about his future as a starter.

Head coach Ken Whisenhunt gave Sendlein a vote of confidence shortly before the draft, saying that he had the potential to be a great center in the league, and he backed it up by not addressing the position in the draft until late in the seventh round. Sendlein enters this season as the unquestioned starter and with a surgically repaired shoulder and more strength than he's had in years, there are hopes that he'll take the next step in his third season.

The depth behind Sendlein is still shaky, at best. There are three other 'true centers' on the current roster (Ben Claxton, Donovan Raiola and Patt Ross) and their respective careers have consisted of two games during the 2005 season. Trevor Canfield, the 254th overall selection this April is capable of playing guard and he's got a chance to be the primary backup if he performs well in camp. There's a good possibility though that if Sendlein were to go down for any length of time the interior of the line would get shuffled around with right guard, Reggie Wells, sliding over to center and someone stepping into his guard spot. Basically, the Cardinals need to have Sendlein healthy if they want anything close to average performance from the center position. Overall grade: C

San Francisco 49ers - Niners Nation

Center is a tough position to grade when it comes to the 49ers. They've got a very solid guy starting in Eric Heitmann (underrated in the league), but their depth is questionable at best.

Heitmann is still on the right side of 30 and quietly has been a very impressive center for the 49ers. Last season, Mike Martz actually referred to Heitmann as the best center he's ever coached by far. That can certainly be taken with a grain of salt, but it goes to show what some folks think of him. While the team is developing young talent around him, Heitmann has been the anchor of the line. Heitmann had fallen off the radar a bit due to a broken leg late in 2006. He struggled in 2007 while recovering, but seemed to be completely recovered in 2008. While he's not the most athletic of centers, he is able to stand his ground and anchor the line.

Behind Heitmann, question marks abound. Cody Wallace is listed as the backup center but it's hard to tell if he'll amount to anything in the coming years. He's entering his second year in the league and saw no playing time his rookies season so it's hard to tell what he can provide the 49ers. As a 4th round pick, there's just not a whole lot to work with looking ahead. The 49ers signed Heitmann to an extension through 2011 and if he stays healthy, Wallace might never see more than some backup time. This preseason could be big for determining Wallace's future role.

Although not listed as a center on most depth charts at this point, guard Tony Wragge filled in for Heitmann back in late 2006 after Heitmann broke his leg. If Heitmann went down again, Wallace might get a crack at the lineup, but it wouldn't exactly surprise me to see Wragge moved back over to center. Wragge is not great by any means, but he's a serviceable backup.

Given the lack of backup options, I'm probably grading this a little high, but I am really this happy with Eric Heitmann as the 49ers center this year. Grade: B

St. Louis Rams - Turf Show Times

The Rams have struggled to find a center since age caught up to Andy McCollum during the 2006 season, and the team parted ways with the then-37-year-old center after an injury riddled 2007 campaign. Heading into 2008, Mark Setterstrom looked like an odds on favorite for the job, but injuries got to him early in camp. The undersized, overmatched duo of Nick Leckey and Brett Romberg started at center for the Rams last season, making the middle of the offensive line by far the weakest link on an already troubled offense. Half of the numerous sacks endured by Rams passers last year came through the middle, which is to say nothing about how much the run game suffered.

Under new management and coaches, the Rams made a huge splash in the free agent market, signing Ravens C Jason Brown, the most coveted offensive lineman to reach free agency this year, to a lucrative five-year, $37 million deal. Whether or not they paid too much is beside the point. The Rams desperately needed to do something at center or risk losing the investments they've made in Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger. Brown, just 26, will be a cornerstone of an up and coming offensive line that could be the best in the division, if not this year, then very soon. Not bad for a unit that was the team's biggest liability just a few months ago.

Depth is a concern, but the Rams have a good situation in regards to their middle linemen. Should Brown not be available, they can plug in the capable Mark Setterstrom, who they would have killed to have at center last year. They also have the option of sliding RG Richie Incognito over to center and replacing him with either Setterstrom or John Greco (more on those names in the guard write-up) and be just fine in the middle. Grade: A

Seattle Seahawks - Field Gulls

Seattle gets a "B". Chris Spencer is decent to average but has good potential and the team drafted Max Unger, so there's further good potential and exceptional depth.

Seattle selected Chris Spencer with the 26th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was just the thirteenth center selected in the first round since the merger. Spencer was a great athlete and considered a safe pick. Fans envisioned a future star. Upon further inspection, that was an unreasonable expectation. Of the sixteen centers since 1970 selected in the first round, only three were ever elected to a Pro Bowl and only one was elected to multiple Pro Bowls: Don Mosebar.

Instead, investing in a first round center is investing in a starting center. Only one of the thirteen was a true bust, Robert Shaw, and Shaw blew out his knee and was forced into retirement. That's what Chris Spencer is, a starting center. He started 29 games in 2006 and 2007 after apprenticing under Robbie Tobeck, and was shut down in 2008 only after the season was lost. He's a steady center that shows flashes of great athleticism and physical dominance, but hasn't developed into a consistent or technically sound blocker. His footwork is unrefined, though he's improved enough to not trip over himself. Spencer is derided for a few reasons. Mike Holmgren was critical of his play. He reportedly was slow to pick up line calls. He is wont to the big gaffe. Finally, he's not Robbie Tobeck, and the memory of Tobeck has grown well beyond the man. Spencer is physically gifted. He's a former record setting power-lifter and rare- quick and agile for a center. So there's still chance of breakout in a big way.

Max Unger is not the opposite of Chris Spencer; he's more like the negative. Unger is not nearly as powerful and might struggle against stronger nose tackles. He's not unrefined and full of potential, but skilled and NFL-ready. He's a good athlete, but a better offensive lineman. Unger could overtake Spencer or settle in at guard. He's a natural center and has expressed his desire to play the position.

Between the two, the polished rookie and the veteran full of potential, Seattle should have an above average starting center and the best center depth in the NFL. The grade is tilted towards the starter, but accounting for Spencer's potential, Unger's potential, Spencer's standing level of play, Unger's polish and Seattle's depth at the position, this is a solid B with a chance to be better.

The only real sticking point in the rankings were between second and third so basically it's a clear cut top and bottom with a very close second and third:

St. Louis Rams
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals

--------------------------------------------------------------------

For the record, I think these ranking might look very different next year if Sendlien is healthy and his strength has improved as much as they're implying right now. He might very well be the key to the Cardinals offensive line being borderline average again this season or being well above average. Thoughts? How would you rank the division?

NFC West Position-by-Position: Center

Fooch — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:47:38 -0000

Up to this point we've discussed quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends. For the offensive line, we decided to break it up as centers, tackles and guards. At some point we may put together a single unit grade, but for now we're mixing it up a little more. And I'm not one to complain for additional posting material.

The center position is a tough one to grade for anybody, although I'm quite pleased with Eric Heitmann at the helm. The difficulty is in comparing with the rest of the division. We came up with the following rankings:

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

St. Louis Rams

Blogger: VanRam
The Rams have struggled to find a center since age caught up to Andy McCollum during the 2006 season, and the team parted ways with the then-37-year-old center after an injury riddled 2007 campaign. Heading into 2008, Mark Setterstrom looked like an odds on favorite for the job, but injuries got to him early in camp. The undersized, overmatched dup of Nick Leckey and Brett Romberg started at center for the Rams last season, making the middle of the offensive line by far the weakest link on an already troubled offense. Half of the numerous sacks endured by Rams passers last year came through the middle, which is to say nothing about how much the run game suffered.

Under new management and coaches, the Rams made a huge splash in the free agent market, signing Ravens C Jason Brown, the most coveted offensive lineman to reach free agency this year, to a lucractive five-year, $37 million deal. Whether or not they paid too much is beside the point. The Rams desperately needed to do something at center or risk losing the investments they've made in Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger. Brown, just 26, will be a cornerstone of an up and coming offensive line that could be the best in the division, if not this year, then vey soon. Not bad for a unit that was the team's biggest liability just a few months ago.

Depth is a concern, but the Rams have a good situation in regards to their middle linemen. Should Brown not be available, they can plug in the capable Mark Setterstrom, who they would have killed to have at center last year. They also have the option of sliding RG Richie Incognito over to center and replacing him with either Setterstrom or John Greco (more on those names in the guard write-up) and be just fine in the middle. Grade: A

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch
Center is a tough position to grade when it comes to the 49ers. They've got a very solid guy starting in Eric Heitmann (underrated in the league), but their depth is questionable at best.

Heitmann is still on the right side of 30 and quietly has been a very impressive center for the 49ers. Last season, Mike Martz actually referred to Heitmann as the best center he's ever coached by far. That can certainly be taken with a grain of salt, but it goes to show what some folks think of him. While the team is developing young talent around him, Heitmann has been the anchor of the line. Heitmann had fallen off the radar a bit due to a broken leg late in 2006. He struggled in 2007 while recovering, but seemed to be completely recovered in 2008. While he's not the most athletic of centers, he is able to stand his ground and anchor the line.

Behind Heitmann, question marks abound. Cody Wallace is listed as the backup center but it's hard to tell if he'll amount to anything in the coming years. He's entering his second year in the league and saw no playing time his rookies season so it's hard to tell what he can provide the 49ers. As a 4th round pick, there's just not a whole lot to work with looking ahead. The 49ers signed Heitmann to an extension through 2011 and if he stays healthy, Wallace might never see more than some backup time. This preseason could be big for determining Wallace's future role.

Although not listed as a center on most depth charts at this point, guard Tony Wragge filled in for Heitmann back in late 2006 after Heitmann broke his leg. If Heitmann went down again, Wallace might get a crack at the lineup, but it wouldn't exactly surprise me to see Wragge moved back over to center. Wragge is not great by any means, but he's a serviceable backup.

Given the lack of backup options, I'm probably grading this a little high, but I am really this happy with Eric Heitmann as the 49ers center this year. Grade: B

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan
Seattle selected Chris Spencer with the 26th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was just the thirteenth center selected in the first round since the merger. Spencer was a great athlete and considered a safe pick. Fans envisioned a future star. Upon further inspection, that was an unreasonable expectation. Of the sixteen centers since 1970 selected in the first round, only three were ever elected to a Pro Bowl and only one was elected to multiple Pro Bowls: Don Mosebar.

Instead, investing in a first round center is investing in a starting center. Only one of the thirteen was a true bust, Robert Shaw, and Shaw blew out his knee and was forced into retirement. That’s what Chris Spencer is, a starting center. He started 29 games in 2006 and 2007 after apprenticing under Robbie Tobeck, and was shut down in 2008 only after the season was lost. He’s a steady center that shows flashes of great athleticism and physical dominance, but hasn’t developed into a consistent or technically sound blocker. His footwork is unrefined, though he’s improved enough to not trip over himself. Spencer is derided for a few reasons. Mike Holmgren was critical of his play. He reportedly was slow to pick up line calls. He is wont to the big gaffe. Finally, he’s not Robbie Tobeck, and the memory of Tobeck has grown well beyond the man. Spencer is physically gifted. He’s a former record setting power-lifter and rare- quick and agile for a center. So there’s still chance of breakout in a big way.

Max Unger is not the opposite of Chris Spencer; he’s more like the negative. Unger is not nearly as powerful and might struggle against stronger nose tackles. He’s not unrefined and full of potential, but skilled and NFL-ready. He’s a good athlete, but a better offensive lineman. Unger could overtake Spencer or settle in at guard. He’s a natural center and has expressed his desire to play the position.

Between the two, the polished rookie and the veteran full of potential, Seattle should have an above average starting center and the best center depth in the NFL. The grade is tilted towards the starter, but accounting for Spencer’s potential, Unger’s potential, Spencer’s standing level of play, Unger's polish and Seattle’s depth at the position, this is a solid B with a chance to be better.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden
The Cardinals opened training camp last year with what most assumed to be a decent veteran starter at center and the 'center of the future' as his primary backup. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, the veteran starting center, Al Johnson, never recovered from off season surgery and was placed on IR in early September. That move pushed young Lyle Sendlein, an undrafted second year player, into the starting lineup and left virtually no one to back him up. Luckily for the Cardinals, Sendlein stayed healthy, at least enough to play, all season long although most would say that his play was average at best. As with most undersized centers, Sendlein excelled at getting to the next level and picking up linebackers but he struggled with facing larger nose tackles either in the running game or passing game. Of course we know now that he played most of the season with a bum shoulder that required surgery in the off season but questions still remained about his future as a starter.

Head coach Ken Whisenhunt gave Sendlein a vote of confidence shortly before the draft, saying that he had the potential to be a great center in the league, and he backed it up by not addressing the position in the draft until late in the seventh round. Sendlein enters this season as the unquestioned starter and with a surgically repaired shoulder and more strength than he's had in years, there are hopes that he'll take the next step in his third season.

The depth behind Sendlein is still shaky, at best. There are three other 'true centers' on the current roster (Ben Claxton, Donovan Raiola and Patt Ross) and their respective careers have consisted of two games during the 2005 season. Trevor Canfield, the 254th overall selection this April is capable of playing guard and he's got a chance to be the primary backup if he performs well in camp. There's a good possibility though that if Sendlein were to go down for any length of time the interior of the line would get shuffled around with right guard, Reggie Wells, sliding over to center and someone stepping into his guard spot. Basically, the Cardinals need to have Sendlein healthy if they want anything close to average performance from the center position. Overall grade: C

Poll

Who has the best starting center in the NFC West?

St. Louis Rams

84 votes

San Francisco 49ers

350 votes

Seattle Seahawks

15 votes

Arizona Cardinals

11 votes

460 votes | Poll has closed

NFC West Roundtable: Center

John Morgan — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:19:00 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Steve Vallos and John Owens are merely exchanging long protein strings.

Browse more photos »

Turf Show Times
Blogger: VanRam

The Rams have struggled to find a center since age caught up to Andy McCollum during the 2006 season, and the team parted ways with the then-37-year-old center after an injury riddled 2007 campaign. Heading into 2008, Mark Setterstrom looked like an odds on favorite for the job, but injuries got to him early in camp. The undersized, overmatched duo of Nick Leckey and Brett Romberg started at center for the Rams last season, making the middle of the offensive line by far the weakest link on an already troubled offense. Half of the numerous sacks endured by Rams passers last year came through the middle, which is to say nothing about how much the run game suffered.

Under new management and coaches, the Rams made a huge splash in the free agent market, signing Ravens C Jason Brown, the most coveted offensive lineman to reach free agency this year, to a lucrative five-year, $37 million deal. Whether or not they paid too much is beside the point. The Rams desperately needed to do something at center or risk losing the investments they've made in Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger. Brown, just 26, will be a cornerstone of an up and coming offensive line that could be the best in the division, if not this year, then very soon. Not bad for a unit that was the team's biggest liability just a few months ago.

Depth is a concern, but the Rams have a good situation in regards to their middle linemen. Should Brown not be available, they can plug in the capable Mark Setterstrom, who they would have killed to have at center last year. They also have the option of sliding RG Richie Incognito over to center and replacing him with either Setterstrom or John Greco (more on those names in the guard write-up) and be just fine in the middle. Grade: A

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch

Center is a tough position to grade when it comes to the 49ers. They've got a very solid guy starting in Eric Heitmann (underrated in the league), but their depth is questionable at best.

Given the lack of backup options, I'm probably grading this a little high, but I am really this happy with Eric Heitmann as the 49ers center this year. Grade: B

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan

Seattle selected Chris Spencer with the 26th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was just the thirteenth center selected in the first round since the merger. Spencer was a great athlete and considered a safe pick. Fans envisioned a future star. Upon further inspection, that was an unreasonable expectation. Of the sixteen centers since 1970 selected in the first round, only three were ever elected to a Pro Bowl and only one was elected to multiple Pro Bowls: Don Mosebar.

Instead, investing in a first round center is investing in a starting center. Only one of the thirteen was a true bust, Robert Shaw, and Shaw blew out his knee and was forced into retirement. That’s what Chris Spencer is, a starting center. He started 29 games in 2006 and 2007 after apprenticing under Robbie Tobeck, and was shut down in 2008 only after the season was lost. He’s a steady center that shows flashes of great athleticism and physical dominance, but hasn’t developed into a consistent or technically sound blocker. His footwork is unrefined, though he’s improved enough to not trip over himself. Spencer is derided for a few reasons. Mike Holmgren was critical of his play. He reportedly was slow to pick up line calls. He is wont to the big gaffe. Finally, he’s not Robbie Tobeck, and the memory of Tobeck has grown well beyond the man. Spencer is physically gifted. He’s a former record setting power-lifter and rare- quick and agile for a center. So there’s still chance of breakout in a big way.

Max Unger is not the opposite of Chris Spencer; he’s more like the negative. Unger is not nearly as powerful and might struggle against stronger nose tackles. He’s not unrefined and full of potential, but skilled and NFL-ready. He’s a good athlete, but a better offensive lineman. Unger could overtake Spencer or settle in at guard. He’s a natural center and has expressed his desire to play the position.

Between the two, the polished rookie and the veteran full of potential, Seattle should have an above average starting center and the best center depth in the NFL. The grade is tilted towards the starter, but accounting for Spencer’s potential, Unger’s potential, Spencer’s standing level of play, Unger's polish and Seattle’s depth at the position, this is a solid B with a chance to be better.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden

The Cardinals opened training camp last year with what most assumed to be a decent veteran starter at center and the 'center of the future' as his primary backup. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, the veteran starting center, Al Johnson, never recovered from off season surgery and was placed on IR in early September. That move pushed young Lyle Sendlein, an undrafted second year player, into the starting lineup and left virtually no one to back him up. Luckily for the Cardinals, Sendlein stayed healthy, at least enough to play, all season long although most would say that his play was average at best. As with most undersized centers, Sendlein excelled at getting to the next level and picking up linebackers but he struggled with facing larger nose tackles either in the running game or passing game. Of course we know now that he played most of the season with a bum shoulder that required surgery in the off season but questions still remained about his future as a starter.

Head coach Ken Whisenhunt gave Sendlein a vote of confidence shortly before the draft, saying that he had the potential to be a great center in the league, and he backed it up by not addressing the position in the draft until late in the seventh round. Sendlein enters this season as the unquestioned starter and with a surgically repaired shoulder and more strength than he's had in years, there are hopes that he'll take the next step in his third season.

The depth behind Sendlein is still shaky, at best. There are three other 'true centers' on the current roster (Ben Claxton, Donovan Raiola and Patt Ross) and their respective careers have consisted of two games during the 2005 season. Trevor Canfield, the 254th overall selection this April is capable of playing guard and he's got a chance to be the primary backup if he performs well in camp. There's a good possibility though that if Sendlein were to go down for any length of time the interior of the line would get shuffled around with right guard, Reggie Wells, sliding over to center and someone stepping into his guard spot. Basically, the Cardinals need to have Sendlein healthy if they want anything close to average performance from the center position. Overall grade: C