All quiet for now, but Tomsula restores some confidence with combine showing

I've not posted anything on this blog since Trent Baalke's combine press conference, and that's mainly because there hasn't been much to talk about.

The combine has been and gone and, while details have emerged about what prospects the 49ers met with in Indianapolis, it is tough to read too much into the past week's events. Especially for a team that has not tended to draft players it has held meetings with in recent years.

One huge positive that did come from the combine was the press conference held by new head coach Jim Tomsula. His introductory press conference was an unmitigated disaster, however, Tomsula credited that poor performance to lack of sleep, and certainly appeared more refreshed his time around. 

He was engaging, coherent and generally very informative and detailed in his answers. You don't win games with how you perform in the press conference but, as Tomsula was heavily judged on his struggles in the introductory briefing, it was a relief to see him deliver a much better showing at the second attempt. And, going forward, the Niners would be wise to get him on the podium as much as possible.

Tomsula will soon learn more about the roster he will have to work with in 2015 as the offseason gathers pace. Free agency will soon be open and in preparation for the draft, I am going to attempt* to provide rankings for the prospects available at each position.

I will get things kicked off shortly with the wide receiver position, which - with the apparent release of Stevie Johnson on Saturday - projects as the 49ers' biggest need in the offseason.

*I may not get to every position and in that scenario I will strive to rank the prospects at the positions that most impact the 49ers.

Dissecting the depth chart: Outside Linebackers

By Paul Kadwill

2014 depth chart:
Ahmed Brooks, Aaron Lynch
Aldon Smith, Dan Skuta, Corey Lemonier


Signed through 2015
Ahmed Brooks, Aldon Smith, Aaron Lynch, Corey Lemonier



Ahmad Brooks
13 games (13 starts), 25 tackles, 5 assists, 6 sacks, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery

Brooks shared the 2014 team record for the number of sacks in the season, however his sack amount was its lowest since 2010.
But his season will be mostly remembered for several off the field incidents which caused him to be benched for three games for a variety of reasons.  These included talking adversely about how he was being utilised and missing a team meeting.
He is due to earn a $6million base salary that can swell to $9.5million with bonuses in 2015, so with the emergence of Aaron Lynch, it is looking increasingly likely that the 49ers will try to trade Brooks during the offseason.  This is even more likely when considering how much the 49ers will have to reduce costs in order to move back under the salary cap limit.  Even a release is likely, if no trade partner can be found.

(Daily Republic)

Aldon Smith
7 games (6 starts), 10 tackles, 5 assists, 2 sacks

After missing the first nine games of the 2014 season due to suspension, Aldon Smith came back and appeared in the remaining seven regular season games.
His underwhelming statistics are no doubt due to the huge amount of practice time and playing time that he lost through his suspension:  He was just too far behind the team to catch up properly following his ban.
Smiths off the field issues are very well known and documented, however he has shown a rare talent to get to the passer when playing regularly, which is why the team have stuck by him throughout his trials and tribulations.
2015 is the final year of his rookie contract and he is set to make over $9million.  With the salary cap issues that the team has, alongside the myriad of problems that Smith has experienced away from football, I would expect that the front office will be trying hard to get Smith to restructure his salary.  Perhaps a two or three year extension with a modest salary may be in the cards, allowing the team to spread his 2015 wages across more years, whilst at the same time retaining a naturally talented player who will hopefully find his form again next year.
But there has even been speculation that the team will let Smith go, however I believe that they will look into restructuring his contract first.  Elite pass rushers are hard to find, even if they have plenty of baggage.


Aaron Lynch
16 games (3 starts), 17 tackles, 6 assists, 6 sacks, 4 passes defended.

Alongside Chris Borland, Aaron Lynch was the pick of the 49ers 2014 draft.  Chosen in the fifth round, not much was expected of him during 2014 but with issues surrounding Ahmad Brooks and Aldon Smith, Lynch was able to see more playing time.  He even started in place of Brooks when the latter was going through his benching issues.
Sharing the sack lead with Brooks, but from far fewer snaps, Lynch has effectively pushed Ahmad out of a job.  I expect to see Lynch starting next season and it will be interesting to see how he gets on when he starts for a full 16 games.


Dan Skuta
14 games (10 starts), 25 tackles, 8 assists, 5 sacks, 1 pass defended, 3 forced fumbles.

Another example of the excellent coaching and scouting done by the 49ers, Skuta came into the team during 2013 after being a minor player on the Bengals roster, but in two seasons has flourished to be a very effective edge rusher and linebacker.  Taking the place of Aldon Smith was never going to be easy, but Skuta accumulated some impressive statistics during 2014 including leading the team with three forced fumbles.
An unrestricted free agent, Skuta will be looking for a starting gig in the league and his 49er career has shown that he is worthy of such a job.


Corey Lemonier
16 games (0 starts), 7 tackles, 3 assists.

Lemonier is somewhat of a mystery.  Touted as one of the next big things out of college, much was expected of him once he had been drafted out of Auburn. However, he is yet to produce anything of quality for the 49ers.
I would hazard a guess and say that he has struggled for the same reason that Tank Carradine has also been slow to catch on, which is that they just have not learned the nuances of working in the NFL to a point where the coaching staff are happy to put them into games.  In other words, they haven’t earned their way onto the field yet.  Former defensive line coach and now head coach, Jim Tomsula, had a noticeable input into the OLB training as they often line up along the line,  so if he has been unimpressed by Lemonier as he had been with Tank, then this could explain why we haven’t seen any kind of output from the ex Auburn Tiger.
Lemonier is going to have to work a lot to improve his chances of getting on the field in 2015 in anything other than Special Teams or garbage-time duties.


Looking ahead

In the pass dominated world of the 21st Century NFL, effective edge rushers and every-down outside linebackers are a premium.  The 49ers have a couple of players who have been influential in their recent success, but both are not without their problems.
Ahmad Brooks has almost certainly played his last game for the team, whether by being traded or if need be, cut.  Aldon Smith is in the upper echelon of pass-rushers and is a player that the team have not really had since recently voted Hall of Famer, Charles Haley.
Although not as volatile towards his team or coaching staff as Haley once was, Aldon Smith still presents the front office with a headache much like his predecessor.  Do they dare release or trade him not only to help alleviate their salary cap woes, but also to wash their hands of the constant issues that he brings? Or do they stick with their rare commodity, hope that he has learned his lessons and will return to his peak form and restructure/extend his contract?
If both Brooks and Smith go, then the team are down to just Lynch (good, but still very young) and Lemonier (yet to show anything).  If that happens, then Dan Skuta may well find his way back onto the team.
If Brooks is the only one to go, then I would expect the 49ers not to be in play for Skuta, but instead try to pick up another low risk/high reward vet as well as drafting an OLB in the upper half of the 2015 draft.

Whatever the outcome, the OLB position is definitely one of concern for 49ers fans.

Photograph reference

Daily Republich, 'Brooks and Smith', accessed online 20 February 2015 <http://dailyrepublic.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2014/07/25-Niners-Color-34p-1024x676.jpg >

Dissecting the depth chart: Wide Receivers

By Paul Kadwill

2014 depth chart:
Anquan Boldin, Stevie Johnson, Bruce Ellington
Michael Crabtree, Brandon Lloyd, Quinton Patton

Signed through 2015:
Anquan Boldin, Stevie Johnson, Bruce Ellington, Quinton Patton



Anquan Boldin
83 catches, 1062 yards (12.8YPC), 5 touchdowns

Yet again, Anquan Boldin led the team in receiving figures during 2014.  Although his numbers were down from 2013, Boldin showed his calibre as a true #1WR, coming up with the tough yards and the third down catches at many vital points during the year.
At 34 years of age, it is clear that the receiver is in the twilight of his career, however whilst he is still producing elite results, there is no reason to fear that he cannot reproduce these during 2015.  The real questions, for 2015 at least, lie behind Boldin on the depth chart.

(XN Sports)

Michael Crabtree
68 catches, 698 yards (10.3 YPC), 4 touchdowns

The decline of Michael Crabtree in San Francisco, again continued during 2014.  Without niggling injuries to blame, it has become abundantly clear over the last couple of seasons that Crabtree does not have what it takes to be a #1WR which is what he was drafted as.  Although his stats are still useful, they are by no means equal to the paycheck that he will be seeking during this offseason.  Lacking consistency and with ongoing physical and temperamental issues, I am confident that we have seen the last of Crabtree in red and gold.  A shame, as he had shown flashes of becoming an outstanding receiver, especially during the early days of the Harbaugh era.


Stevie Johnson
35 catches, 435 yards (12.4YPC), 3 touchdowns

After having three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons at Buffalo between 2010 and 2012, Johnsons 2013 campaign was cut short by injury.  San Francisco acquired him for a conditional fourth round pick before the beginning of the 2014 season, after Buffalo deemed him surplus to requirements.
The addition of Johnson gave 49ers fans much hope for a receiving corps that was lacking any depth in previous seasons.  With his unorthodox route running style, it was always going to take time for Johnson to gel with Kaepernick, but having previous success as well as decent speed and steady hands, it appeared as if the team would be on the verge of a breakout season through the air.
Johnson showed much during training sessions and preseason games, but did not see nearly enough passes thrown his way during the regular season, to fulfill his potential.  As the 49ers passing game dwindled in the doldrums, fans were becoming increasingly insistent on wanting to see him on the field more.  Obviously the coaching staff thought otherwise, so the 2014 season ended without much fanfare for the ex-Bills player.


Brandon Lloyd
14 catches, 294 yards (21YPC), 1 touchdown

Returning to the team that had drafted him and then parted ways once the relationship had withered, Brandon Lloyd was hoping to find a return to form after sitting out the 2013 season.  Used primarily as a deep ball threat, he gave the fans some spectacular catches to remember during the 2014 season, including an 80 yard touchdown in the win against the St Louis Rams in week 6.
With the 49ers still favouring the run, Lloyd saw scant few chances to be on the field in 2014 whilst being ultimately their fourth choice receiver.


Bruce Ellington
6 catches, 62 yards (10.3YPC), 2 touchdowns

Ellington was used as the primary punt and kick returner during 2014, so his playing time as a receiver was minimal.  Most of his receiving yards came towards the end of the teams heavy defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos.
A naturally speedy and elusive player, he has a chance to carve out a niche for himself on the offense during the future, whilst still continuing to handle his return duties.  Because of his size, it is doubtful that he will ever become a second or third receiver, although there are of course, numerous receivers in the league that have been successful without the standard set of desirable attributes.


Quinton Patton
3 catches, 44 yards (14.7YPC).

Quinton Patton is another player who has performed well when given the chance, especially during the preseason.  However, he was given scant opportunities of playing time during 2014, much to the growing frustration of the fanbase who were eager to see Patton and Stevie Johnson both see increased playing time towards the end of the season when it was clear that a trip to the playoffs was not on the cards.
Much like Johnson but with a more classical route running ability, Patton has flashed a talent for making difficult catches and of breaking away from defenders.  But, again like his receiving colleague, he does not have as much size as is perhaps required for receivers to have in the big and physical NFC West.  Patton can still have a quality career for the 49ers, but only if the coaching staff are willing and able to work him onto the field more.



Looking ahead

2014 saw the 49ers have perhaps their strongest collection of wide receivers for many years.  Before the season there was a lot of chatter around the league that the underperforming San Francisco passing game could and would breakout for a successful year.  Sadly however, this was not the case.  The receiving numbers in general, were pretty average, although this was as much about external issues (playcalling, offensive line injuries etc) as it was about the receivers themselves.

I would be incredibly surprised to see Michael Crabtree back in San Francisco next year.  He has never been consistent enough during his time with the team and the past couple of seasons have been utterly mediocre from the former top-ten draft pick..  In many games during 2014, Crabtree was completely absent on the field and his body language both on and off the field, were clear evidence that his mind was already thinking ahead to new pastures in 2015.  If I were a betting man, my money would be on Dallas.  Jerry Jones likes his big-name receivers and Crabtree is a native Texan, so it would be a perfect match if the two could join sides.

Anquan Boldin is continuing to excel in the National Football League.  But he will be turning 35 during the 2015 season, so there is every chance that this year will be his swansong.  Because of this, plus the probable loss of Crabtree, I would expect the 49ers to be looking to draft a receiver in the first couple of rounds of the NFL draft.  Ideally, he would need to be a big, strong receiver to thrive in the physical West, but talent can outshine tangibles, so if a super talented receiver is available who perhaps isn’t as physical as what Baalke would like, the front office leader may still pull the trigger.

With Stevie Johnson on the roster, the 49ers still have two receivers with multiple 1,000 yard seasons.  There have been rumours floating around for some time that the team may be consider cutting Johnson in order to alleviate their salary cap woes, although I hope that they will explore the possibility of restructuring his contract before doing that.  Receivers who have proven to be that productive are hard to find, so it would be beneficial for the team to try to keep Johnson around.  The financial cuts will have to come from somewhere though.

I would not expect Brandon Lloyd to return this year, as he was under utilised last season and with his personality, it is doubtful as to whether he would accept another minor role on a run-first offense.

Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington can both be larger assets within the 49er offensive system.  With a new coaching staff though, we simply do not know what the staff are planning in terms of the playbook, so we shall have to wait to see whether or not both players see an expanded role.  At the very least, Ellington still has his return duties, but Patton may have to put in another sterling offseason and preseason effort in order to stay on the roster, especially if the team do go ahead and draft a receiver in one of the first few rounds.


Photograph reference

XN Sports, 'Crabtree and Boldin', accessed online 20 February 2015 <http://xnsportspullzone.xnsports.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Anquan-Boldin-Michael-Crabtree-e1407169349163-1024x547.jpg >

Baalke offers assurances over veteran stars, but his words may ring hollow

The NFL Scouting Combine starts in Indianapolis this week as teams and prospects step up their preparations for the upcoming draft.

General manager Trent Baalke faced questions from the media on Wednesday and, while his focus this week will be on prospective new 49ers, he was primarily quizzed on the future of current Niners whose futures with the team are very much in doubt.

Baalke revealed he had already spoken to Frank Gore and reiterated that San Francisco is keen to see their all-time leading rusher return for the 2015 campaign.

"Frank's, everyone asks that question all the time. I think I've been asked that question for five straight years now. Frank's just the Energizer battery, he just keeps on ticking. The last two games of the season, I think you saw what Frank still has left in the tank. A very good football player. One of the most passionate, if not the most passionate football player I've ever been around. So, I still think he's got it in him. I know that he still believes it. I talked to him the other day on the phone and we're going to do what we can to get him back as a 49er."

Furthermore Baalke, per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area, insisted tight end Vernon Davis will be back for next season despite his dreadful performance in 2014 and added that the Niners are set to meet with Michael Crabtree's agent over a prospective new deal.

Veteran defensive lineman Justin Smith is another whose status is up in the air and it remains to be seen whether he will return for a 15th NFL season or choose to hang up the cleats following an impressive career.

Baalke stated that he is to meet with Smith after the combine, but his assurances over the likes of Gore and Smith are likely to ring hollow with much of the 49er fanbase following an offseason in which the name of the franchise has been dragged through the mud thanks to the departure of Jim Harbaugh as head coach and appointment of Jim Tomsula as his replacement.

Questions about Harbaugh's recent claims that his parting with the Niners was not mutual were expertly dodged by Baalke, however, for fans still annoyed by the saga of the exit of San Francisco's head coach, talk of the 49ers' commitment to their ageing stars may well fall on deaf ears.

Finally, Haley hears the call from the Hall

By Paul Kadwill.

Full recognition has finally come for Charles Haley, at the sixth time of asking.

One of the most dominant defensive players of the last thirty years, Haley reached the finals of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection process no less than five times, only to be turned away at the eleventh hour. On Saturday he received the call that had eluded him for so long:  He would be entering the hallowed halls of Canton, Ohio in 2015.

(Pixgood)

The resume of Charles Haley is exceedingly impressive.
After being part of the most impressive draft class of all time for the San Francisco 49ers in 1986, Haley gained twelve sacks in his first professional season.  During the championship seasons of 1988 and 1989, Haley would accumulate twenty-three sacks and play a hugely influential role in enabling the 49ers to win the Super Bowl in both years.  These statistics would be topped during the 1990 season, when Haley was chosen as the NFC Defensive Player of the year, as well as becoming an All-Pro, in no small part to the sixteen sacks that he tallied during the season.

(Ninersnation)

Charles would spend the first six years of his career with San Francisco, winning two Super Bowl rings and smashing a whole host of records.  During 1992 he was traded to the rival Dallas Cowboys, whereby he won a further three Super Bowls whilst continuing to put up impressive pass-rushing statistics.
This is even more impressive when considereing that Haley had to transition from a 3-4 outside linebacker in San Francisco, to a 4-3 defensive end in Dallas.

After a five-year stint with the Cowboys, he returned to San Francisco where he played for two more seasons and finally retired after the 1999 season.

In his career, Charles Haley amassed 100.5 sacks, with 66.5 of them being in the red and gold uniform of the 49ers.  He was the premier pass-rush specialist throughout the 80s and 90s, wreaking havoc on quarterbacks throughout the league during his career.
Haley also holds the record for the highest number of sacks in the Super Bowl, with 4.5 sacks split across his 5 Super Bowl wins.  He is also fifth on the all-time list of sacks in the postseason with 11.

So, with such a presdigious career, why has it taken so long for Haley to get the call from the Hall?  Also, why did San Francisco trade him to the Dallas Cowboys when in the prime of his career?
Both can be answered with the same phrase:  Character issues.

Or rather, a challenging personality that was a result of a medical condition that was not diagnosed until after Charles had retired from the NFL.
Throughout his career, Haley was tormented by his own antagonistic behaviour that caused strife between himself and his peers and coaches.
During his time with the 49ers, Haley was responsible for getting into fights with teammates including Jim Burt and even Steve Young, but his biggest mistake was when he threw a punch at his head coach, George Seifert.  This was the final straw for San Francisco after it had patiently tried to handle Haley for several years.  The swing at Seifert led directly to the trade with Dallas, who were the only team willing to take a risk on the player who had gained such a bd reputation throughout the league.
Even with the Cowboys, Haley continued his disruptive behavuiour.  But Jerry Jones was more willing to turn a blind eye to the off-field problems, as long as Haley continued his on-field dominance.

It was not until 1999 that Charles Haley was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental illness that was at the root of his erratic behaviour throughout his career. By this time though, the years of infamy were entrenched in the public psyche:  The damage was done.

Fast forward a decade and you could still see the damaging effects of Haleys antics, when it came around to consider him for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Although nobody on the voting panel would publically admit it, the reason for Charles Haley being omitted from the halls of Canton for so long, is generally accepted to be because of his caustic temperment whilst still playing the game of football.
It is a pity that this far into the 21st century, the stimga of mental health problems is still so rife in the western world and this is as true for the world of professional sports as it is in any walk of life.
Finally however, on the 31st of January 2015 Charles Haley, the quarterback assassin, received enough votes to rightly take his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.


Congratulations Charles Haley, you've earned it.



Photography references

Pixgood, 'Charles Haley has firve Super Bowl rings', viewed 1st February 2015, <http://djphillipfromgalt.hot1035radio.com/images/2014/01/charles-haley-five-super-bowls.jpg >

Ninersnation, '3 point stance', viewed 1st February 2015, <https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7ly5DfW8v8uRhE5gslit_L__0Xk=/0x437:2048x1589/1600x900/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45595058/359271.0.jpg >