Last night, within seconds of Manning throwing the clinching interception, I received the following series of text messages from my friend Nate (a die hard 49ers fan like myself):

"Yes!"

(30 seconds later)

"Manning is no Montana!"

(15 seconds later)

"Legacy intact baby!"

As I received these messages, it occurred to me that I had subconsciously also been hoping for Manning to fail.  In the past few months the buzz for Manning being the best QB of all time has been rising.  He is indeed one of the greats.  But over the past few weeks in the lead up to the superbowl that talk started to annoy me.  The idea that anyone would take the place of the beloved Montana as the consensus best QB ever feel like taking something away from me, as a fan. 

This raises two questions that I would like to pose to the community.  First, am I alone?  Or did many other 9er fans (like those that visit this site) feel a sense of satisfaction in Manning ever so slightly tarnishing his best-QB-ever resume?  Second, is this emotion petty, or is it a legitimate expression of fandom?  Is it wrong to root for a great player to stumble just to preserve a cherished memory/bragging point?

What does everyone think?

While its probably a little early, I thought it might be helpful to write out what our new depth chart is going to look like and compare it to last year.  Its probably the easiest way to see if we've gotten better from a personnel perspective.  What does everyone think.  Looking at this it does look like the offense should be better, personnel wise, than last year.

(Let me know if I get any of this wrong.)

QB

2008 - JTO, Hill, Smith, Martin

2009 - Hill, Smith, Davis, Huard

Verdict - Upgrade.  JTO was terrible.  Davis has tools and might develop.

RB

2008 - Gore, Foster, Robinson, Clayton

2009 - Gore, Coffee, Robinson, Sheets, Clayton

Verdict - Upgrade.  Coffee and Sheets are intriguing and should be better than Foster, who looked washed up.  Clayton probably gets cut.

FB

2008 - Keasey

2009 - Norris, Keasey

Verdict - Upgrade.  Keasay's no longer hurt and Norris is the bruiser we were missing last year.

WR

2008 - Bruce, Johnson, Morgan, Hill, Battle, Zeigler

2009 - Bruce, Crabtree, Morgan, Hill, Jones, Battle, Zeigler, Bradford

Verdict - Upgrade.  Crabtree should be great.  Morgan and Hill are a year older and seem to be coming into their own.  Zeigler, Bradford or Battle might get cut.

TE

2008 - Davis, Walker, Bajema, Ryan

2009 - Davis, Walker, Pascoe

Verdict - No difference.  Pascoe is supposed to be the same kind of solid blocker as Bajema and a better receiver, but he's also a rookie.

OT

2008 - Staley, Jennings, Sims, Synder, Duckett

2009 - Staley, Smith, Sims, Synder, Boone

Verdict - Upgrade.  Smith and Boone certainly can't be worse than a guy that didn't even play (Jennings).

OG

2008 - Bass, Rachal, Wragge, Bender

2009 - Bass, Rachal, Wragge, Toledo, Bender

Verdict - Upgrade.  The players are the same, but Rachal has his rookie year behind him, Wragge got some experience and Bass isn't coming off a pec injury.

C

2008 - Heitman, Wallace

2009 - Heitman, Wallace

Verdict - No difference.  Same guys, same relative level of health and experience.

DE

2008 - Smith, McDonald, Sopoaga

2009 - Smith, Balmer, Evans, McDonald, Francois, Egboh 

Verdict - Who knows.  Hopefully Balmer comes into his own and Evans plays some quality snaps.  McDonald is coming back from surgery.  Egboh probably won't make the team.  Francois is a project who hopefully will help down the line. 

NT

2008 - Franklin, Fields

2009 - Franklin, Sopoaga

Verdict - Same.  Sopoaga rottaing with Franklin sound solid, but not strong.

OLB

2008 - Lawson, Haralson, TBC, Green, Moore

2009 - Lawson, Haralson, Brooks, Moore, Washington

Verdict - Same.  Lawson bulked up and Haralson had 8 sacks in limited action.  Maybe their better and maybe Brooks does something.  Or maybe we should have drafted 1 OLB to help our edge pressure.

ILB

2008 - Willis, Spikes, Ulbrich,

2009 - Willis, Spikes, Ulbrich, McKillop

Verdict - Better depth, same starters, so upgrade.

CB

2008 - Clements, Harris, Spencer, Strickland, Brown, Hudson, R. Smith, Rossum

2009 - Clements, Harris, Brown, Spencer, Hudson, Word-Daniels, C. Thomas, Rossum

Verdict - Downgrade.  We lost Strickland and Harris is really getting old. 

FS

2008 - Roman, Goldson

2009 - Goldson, Roman, R. Smith, J. Williams

Verdict - Upgrade, maybe.  Roman made no plays.  Hopefully, Goldson will make some without given up others.  Williams is a wildcard.  Smith was a relatively high pick.

SS

2008 - M. Lewis, K. Lewis,

2009 - M. Lewis, R. Smith, C. Taylor, Baker

Verdict - Same starter, but better depth.  K. Lewis was worthless.  Smith was a relatively high pick.

There has been much discussion of adding a pass rushing OLB in the first or second round of the upcoming draft.  Further to that discussion, I found an interesting article from The National Football Post regarding 10 yard split times for the various pass rushing prospects.  Here is the article: http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/03/behind-the-times-the-10-yard-split/

The article notes the importance of speed off the line for pass rushers and indicates that a "great"  time is 1.55 and under, a "good" time is under 1.6, and a "below average" time is anything over 1.63

The article also provides the following times for some of the top OLB prospects (supplemented with some info on other players from NFL Draftscout):

Clay Matthews, USC (6-3, 240), 10-yard split: 1.49
Lawrence Sidbury = 1.53
Aaron Curry = 1.53
Aaron Maybin, Penn State (6-4, 249), 10-yard split: 1.55
Michael Johnson = 1.56
Connor Barwin, Cincinnati (6-4, 256), 10-yard split: 1.57
Everette Brown, Florida State (6-2, 256), 10-yard split: 1.58
Clint Sintim = 1.58
Brian Cushing = 1.58
Brian Orakpo = 1.58
Clint Sintim, Virginia (6-3, 256), 10-yard split: 1.59
Victor Butler = 1.62
Larry English, Northern Illinois (6-2, 255), 10-yard split: 1.64
Robert Ayers = 1.66

I find these numbers a bit reassuring as Brown, Maybin and Orakpo all seem to have 10 yard split times commensurate with the quickness that we were told they had before the draft, whatever their 40 time may be. 

Does this info change anyone's mind about which of these players we should be targeting as a pass rusher? 

1) Coaching and Scheme: Keep the coaching staff together and try to build continuity.  While some may not like Martz, he has improved an offense that was historically bad last season (statistically in the bottom five in league history).  Yes, there were a lot of turnovers and sacks when "Just Turnovers" was refusing to throw the ball away.  However, since Nolan's firing and the Hill replacement the offense has looked solid.  We should give this group another year to come together and show what they can do. 

As far as Singletary goes, he may or may not be the best coach for this team, but I believe he deserves a shot.  A three year contract should do it.

2) Cuts: Jennings, Sims and TBC 
 
3) Do not resign: JTO, Jaime Martin, Duckett
 
4) Resignings: B. Johnson (2 year deal, #3 receiver money), Alex Smith (lowball offer for 3 years), Rossum (1 year deal, same deal as last year), Spikes (1 year deal, same deal as last year), Eric Heitman (4 year deal, starting C money), Tony Wragge (3 year deal, backup guard money), Keasey (1 year deal, minimum), Fields (2 year deal, minimum)
 
5) Signings: JP Losman (if Alex doesn't resign for the lowball offer) and Albert Haynesworth (whatever it take$ - picking up Haynesworth will improve the play of the entire front seven by attracting attention, and blockers, from the opposing offense) 
 
6) Roster Status after above moves

QB - Hill, Smith/Losman
RB - Gore, Foster, Robinson
FB - Keasey
TE - VD, Walker, Bajema
LT - Staley (Synder)
LG - Bass (Wragge)
C - Heitman (Walace)
RG - Rachal (Wragge)
RT - ??? (Synder)
WR - Bruce, Johnson, Morgan, Hill and Battle
 
DE - Smith, McDonald, Balmer,
DT - Sopoaga, Franklin, Fields and Haynesworth (maybe)
LB - Willis, Lawson, Spikes, Brooks, Ulbrich, Green, Harralson
CB - Clements, Harris, Spencer, Strickland, Brown, Hudson, Smith
SS - M Lewis, K Lewis
FS - Roman, Goldson
 
7) Assuming we get Losman and Haynesworth, our weakest starter are Synder (RT), Roman (FS),  Keasey (FB), Harralson (OLB), Harris (CB - but only because of age) and _____ (QB of the future)

8) Guys I like in the draft (this is probably a bit premature):
 
#1 pick (in the 8-15 range) in order of preference
- Matt Stafford or Sam Bradford (We're not getting either of these guys unless we trade up, and Bradford may not even declare, but if they drop for some reason we should grab them)
- Andre Smith (likely gone, top 5 pick), Michael Oher or Eugene Monroe (Stud LT/RTs to solidfy the line for the next 6 years - Heitman would be the oldest at 27)
- Terrance Cody (6'5", 370 DT) (absolutely huge NT would command a double team and free up Smith and our OLBs on the edge...but may not declare and only if we don't get Haynesworth)
- Rey Maualuga (6-3, 260.  That's a lot of money invested on inside LBs, and it may not be a need with the possible development of Ahmad Brooks, but this guy is an absolute beast.  Huge, powerful, fast, aggressive, strong interior blitzer, huge hitter, block shedder type.  Would be perfect next to Willis.)
- Vontae Davis (Vernon's brother, a great CB prospect, could add a family element to the Davis drama) or Malcom Jenkins (the top CB prospect) (to replace the ageless Walt Harris...who might be able to transition to FS and take over Roman's job)
- I don't like any of the pass rushers available this year at the top of the draft (Orapko could be good, but he also has potential steroids suspension written all over him.  He put on 50lbs of muscle in the past two years.  I have also read about Everett Brown, but he just doesn't strike me of being worthy of a pick this high.  Of course if we win out and we're picking closer to the number 15 pick than to the 9 pick, things may be different.)
 
#2 pick (in the 40ish range) in order of preference
- Taylor Mays (6'3", 230 playmaking S, HUGE upgrade over Mark "no picks in two years" Roman) (if we get him this late its an absolute steal)
- William Moore (playmaking FS, 6'1, 225, would be an upgrade over Roman, also likely gone by this point in the draft)
- Nate Davis (QB, Ball State) (also likely gone, but you never know with small school qbs...)
- Eben Britton, Ciron Black, Jason Smith, Russel Okung, Alex Boone, Phil Loadholdt (RT prospects at top of the second if we don't grab one in the first...I think we need to go OT with one of our first two picks...given that Mays, Moore and Nate Davis will likely be gone at this point, one of these tackles may be our best bet)
- BJ Raji (6'1", 325 DT) (second best NT prospect should be available in this range....but only if we don't get Haynesworth)
- One of the pass rushing OLBs: Greg Hardy, George Selvie or Jerrie Hugues (one of these guys will drop)
- Jeremy Maclin or Percy Harvin (if they drop this far, we could use the blazing speed and playmaking these guys bring)
- Brandon Spikes (6'3", 245 MLB, tough and good in coverage, to pair with Willis in 3-4...but not a big need)
 
Remaining Rounds: BPA, but I'd like a QB picked up at some point as well as a DB, a OLB/DE tweener, a OL for depth, and a big short yardage runner.