hoxrox":1953jzll said:
49ers may be one of our biggest speed bumps to the SB next year, but I like our chances. They had their best chance this year and now their window is getting smaller.
Turnover-prone Kaepernick will have to get paid. Whitner, who is overrated by their fan base, may not return. Boldin, their toughest receiver, may not return. Crabtree and Davis are still having nightmares about Kam. They have no deep or speed threat that could stretch the field.
Gore is another year slower. Who knows if Lattimore will play?
Willis and Justin Smith are also another year slower. Respect them, but they are not the same players they once were.
Their secondary can be passed on as we saw in that Atlanta playoff game, even without Julio Jones. Rodgers is slow. Cox was picked up off the bottom of our depth chart.
Iupati and their best defender in Bowman may not even start the season.
Will Baalke scout and draft first-year impact players to replenish their ranks? Maybe, but I like our chances with Schneider and McCloughan better.
Will free agents flock to their team to play for a coach like Harbaugh? Or given a choice, would FAs rather play for Pete Carroll? The anonymous player poll already showed that Carroll won by a landslide. Now that he has SuperBowl credentials, we will attract even more free agents.
They still couldn’t stop Marshawn despite saying that was their #1 goal in the NFC game. How will they stop Percy?
Many of their fans, and talking heads like Stephen A and Bayless still maintain they are the better team on a neutral field.
I just don’t see that.
Since this is mostly niner related, just figured I'd respond. You aren't entirely incorrect. Mostly clarification.
1) Kap likely won't get paid till next year. If they keep him at current number and then franchise him next year, he'll likely still be cheaper over 2 years. It also gives them another year to be sure.
2) I've never been a big fan of Whitner and I was saying that in this forum before the season started. He actually probably had his best year in SF tho paired up with the rookie. Losing him might hurt because he is a physical presence back there and great against the run, but they won't miss him in coverage (funny....seems I said the exact same thing about Goldson).
3) I think Boldin will return. Both parties seem to want it to happen, but we'll see.
4) Crabtree and Davis nightmares...I'll just leave it alone.
5) Gore isn't going anywhere, but they certainly need to work youth into that position. Lattimore, Hunter, James, and probably a rookie. I'm actually not all that worried about replacing Gore as a runner. I'm more concerned with replacing him as a pass blocker.
6) Willis is just fine...just had injuries this year. Justin is getting older for sure but they've been working to replace him for a few years now. Glenn Dorsey is a part of that solution (Ian Williams was supposed to start at NT before he broke his ankle in week 2) as was the drafting of Tank Carradine. We'll just have to see if any of the replacements can be anything close to what he has been.
7) Their secondary will be different. Can't guarantee better, but certainly different. Reid will have a year of experience. Rogers is likely a cap casualty. They resigned Tramaine Brock during the year because he was playing very well. He's likely a starter next year. They also get Chris Culliver back who was out all year with a torn ACL in camp. He was probably their best CB in 2012 (tho most people remember him as the guy who should never have opened his trap in SB week). We don't yet know who the SS will be and CB is probably a position they invest heavily in on draft day.
8) Cox was picked up off the bottom of your depth chart, but he was first on the bottom of the 49ers depth chart. The 49ers released him before he signed in Seattle...and then was released and brought back to SF. The main reason they brought him back was that Rogers got hurt and Cox already knew the system.
9) Iupati WILL start the season. Its a broken bone. It will be 100% healed. Bowman is another story.
10) How will Baalke do? He'll have ALOT more chances to get it right than the Seahawks will. The 49ers own 11 picks overall and 5 in the first 3 rounds. They will likely end up with an additional 3rd when they get comped for the loss of Goldson giving them 12 overall and 6 in the first 3 rounds. If I understand correctly, I believe the Seahawks will have 2 picks in the first 3 rounds. We can argue all day over whos better (and I have alot of respect both for Schneider and McCoughan) but I'd say the Niners are in better shape here simply because of their firepower in the draft. They will also have more needs and holes to fill...so it works both ways.
11) Free Agents? To be honest, I don't think it'll matter all that much. Neither team will be looking at big name, big money, impact free agents. Both teams will be looking to lock up their own players and look for value in Free Agency. The Niners haven't had too much trouble in this regard and I don't see them suddenly having any now.
12) Marshawn is a Niner killer. Won't even try to argue. Percy? We'll see.
13) I really don't buy into the neutral field thing. Would the Nniers have won if the NFCCG were at Candlestick? Maybe. No way to know so not really worth talking about. All we do know is that the Seahawks won the Division, the Conference, and the league title. They are a better team until someone proves otherwise.
Here's the thing...you really never know what's going to happen from year to year. I thought the Falcons were way overrated but who saw them falling like they did this season? I sure didn't. If they stay healthy and get a few good draft picks the niners could be set for a run next year. At the same time if they don't hit on any picks and lose a few of the wrong players early they may not even make the playoffs.
If I were in your guys shoes I'd feel confident too. There will be more transition in SF than there will be in Seattle. We'll just have to see if they get better, worse, or stay the same. Everyone thought losing Goldson would be a huge loss. Instead they got a younger, cheaper, BETTER player in Eric Reid.
