NINEster":2ore6iro said:
Also it makes the Niners look bad in retrospect, and they now have to deal with replacing him.
I'm probably in the minority here, but personally it doesn't make them look bad to me in retrospect. I want my org to stand by its players (and weather that storm)
when they're on the right side of things and it's feasible to do so. If that happens though, having two more questionable incidents with the same player immediately following that fire storm just makes it completely unfeasible to continue the relationship. I get that side of it too.
As for dealing with replacing him, that's not really a big deal IMO, as they basically already have drafted three viable starters moving forward in the past two years, and at absolutel minimum I believe at least one of them will end up being an above average starter or better (TJE was a UFA in 2012, Dial in the 5th in 2013, and Tank in the 2nd in 2013). Not saying any of those guys will be Justin Smith, but Ray McDonald, yeah. All three of them could very well end up being as good or better than McDonald, and have already shown that.
Guys like Reid (replacing Goldson), Bathea (replacing Whitner), Brock (replacing Brown), Hyde (replacing Gore), Boldin and Stevie (replacing Crabtree), Lynch (replacing Brooks) and the addition of Borland get whatever shine there is, but TJE/DIal/Tank, Kilgore and Martin (replacing Goodwin), the addition of Dontae Johnson, and Vance McDonald (replacing Walker) are all transitionary moves in the right direction (both for age and cap reasons) too IMO, and that's before you even get to into the IR rookies this year like Thomas, Acker, and Reaser, and Millard. It doesn't mean that the 9ers will win their division or go deep in the playoffs, but these are all hard moves to criticize, particularly given that we're only talking one first round pick of the bunch.