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With questions surrounding quarterback Alex Smith, the 49ers brought in offensive mastermind Mike Martz to improve the passing attack. Was it the right move?
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
2007 Record: 5 – 11
2008 Draft Selection: # 29
2008 Adjusted Salary Cap Number: 119.35
Prominent Player Departures:
OG – Justin Smiley, OT – Kwame Harris, RB – Maurice Hicks, DE – Marques Douglas
Areas of Need This Off Season:
Offensive Tackle, Linebacker, Cornerback
Free Agents Potentially on the 49ers’ Radar:
OT – Shane Olivea, Eric Pears, L. J. Shelton
LB – Victor Hobson, Takeo Spikes
CB – Roc Alexander, Dominique Foxworth, Hank Poteat
Summary:
The 49ers were supposed to re-surface on the NFC playoff scene after several disappointing years. However, Alex Smith and company could not put it together on a consistent basis and the Niners remained at mediocrity for yet another season. There were question marks about Alex Smith when San Francisco tabbed him their choice with the number one overall pick in 2004. Smith has shown flashes of brilliance worthy of the number one overall selection, but those flashes have been far too infrequent--there have been more speed bumps on this path then expected. To be completely fair to the young gunslinger, he has not been given an adequate supporting cast. Running back Frank Gore gives Smith a nice cushion of stability that is necessary in developing a young quarterback. Gore burst onto the scene late in 2005 and blew up in 2006. Gore had a solid 2007 season, though he was hampered by injuries and never seemed to be at 100 percent. Gore is a bruising tank of a back that, at times, is shifty and elusive and has a second gear that enables him to take it to the house. He is a capable receiver out of the backfield but is merely an average blocker. Getting back to Alex Smith, Gore (injuries included) has been the only supporting player that Smith has been able to count on. Smith suffered an injury setback in 2007 and will have to work hard to get back to speed and solidify himself as the captain of this ship. Receiver has been the biggest problem for the 49ers the past few seasons. To think that this team once boasted names like Jerry Rice, John Taylor, Terrell Owens and Dwight Clark as pass catchers…who would’ve thought that management would let the receiving corps get this depleted? Darrell Jackson was brought in last year to help Smith, but no such luck: Jackson is now on the free agent market. This year, San Francisco made a big splash landing one of the top free agent receivers in ex- Cardinal, Bryant Johnson. Johnson is big, runs good routes and has deceptive speed that allows him to get behind defenders. He will team up with another newcomer to the 49er locker room, Isaac Bruce. Bruce is no stranger to the Niners as they have seen him twice a year for what seems like forever. Bruce’s best years are behind him, but he is still an adequate number two and will be a great mentor to Jason Hill. On the offensive line, San Francisco lost guard Justin Smiley and he will need to be replaced. A player like Shane Olivea is flexible enough to play tackle or guard and is still in the free agent pool. Defensively, the 49ers are in need of a linebacker to help Patrick Willis and Manny Lawson. The Niners did an excellent job on their defensive line by adding free agent end, Justin Smith. This enables San Francisco to focus on another linebacker to plug into their 3-4 defense. Victor Hobson and Takeo Spikes are still available, though neither are that great in a 3-4. The draft is where San Francisco might be looking to fill this void and there will be a couple of linebackers that would fit nicely in the City by the Bay. Dan Connor, from Penn State, is a linebacker that is comparable to Paul Posluszny of the Buffalo Bills. Connor has a non-stop motor, a nose for the ball, and is an intense do-it-all competitor. Another player that is a hybrid linebacker/defensive end that is shooting up charts is Auburn’s Quentin Groves. He ran a 4.5 forty at the combine and is ideal for a 3-4 scheme. Groves is strong and explosive off the snap. Having Groves and Lawson firing off the outside and Willis manning the middle would be a huge advantage for the Niners secondary--they would be able to play more zone coverage and not be so reliant upon the big play. Speaking of the secondary, this unit is in need of a solid nickel back. Nate Clements was a huge acquisition last year and has the number one spot locked down. A player like Domonique Foxworth would be clutch as the number two or three corner. Roc Alexander and Hank Poteat excelled in minor roles as the nickel backs for their former teams as well.
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