Hawks46":2bjspkcu said:
I will miss watching this guy dismantle the Cards and Rams OL's, but I won't be missing watching him beat up our continually under reconstruction OL.
Was a great player. Just more for the 49ers to over come this offseason, although it's not much of a surprise.
Who they got waiting to take his spot Marvin? He any good ?
They have a number of bodies to fill that spot, but a lot of question marks. I like all the guys they are gonna give a chance, but most of them need to prove themselves and all will be very different players than Justin.
1) Tank Carradine (2nd round, 2013): Played 4-3 end at Florida State AND tore his ACL so came into the league changing positions and injured. As Tomsula put it, he had to go from rushing like a Ferrari off the edge to playing in a phone booth. Also still had trouble with the knee as a rookie so had second procedure.
Started to play well late in the season, but still largely a ?.
2) Quinton DIal (5th round, 2013): Was a 3-4 end in college and not much of a pass rusher. BIG and powerful. Played well last year in relief and played DT as well when both Williams and Dorsey were out. Tomsula said recently though that he really viewed him as a 3-4 end.
3) Arik Armstead (1st round, 2015): We all know who he is...6'7" RAW ex- basketball player. Actually played the position at Oregon so might transition faster than some think, but certainly needs work and refinement.
4) Darnell Dockett (Free Agent 2015): Not the player he once was, never a great run defender, and coming off an ACL. Still, nice vet presence but not close to the player Justin was.
There are a few others...Ramsey, Jerod-Eddie, etc, but those are probably the 4 with the biggest role in playing this year.
Dorsey might get a shot to move out there as well.
Excited to see those first 3 get a shot in particular, but in no way to I expect them to replicate Justin. Lots of aging players out and lots of chances for young players this year. We'll see how well Baalke has stockpiled the last three years.
