So where do the Niners stand in for the QB situation? Are they going to draft? Would they bring in a veteran QB? Are they any gumblings at 4949 Centennial about the situation?

The 49ers new GM (McCloughan has got to go) will need to draft a QB unless he thinks Cassll is good enough to go after in free agency/ or in a trade with New England if, somehow, the Patriots can resign him as a back-up (unlikely). Another possibility is Derek Anderson.
Hill is a good back-up, but with his (lack of) arm he can't be the future starter for a legit contender. JTO is actually better (athletic ability) but can't control the turnovers, so he's a waste. Alex Smith needs to move on and get a new start.

Gotta like what you're seeing from Cassel right now.
Wouldn't argue with a Martz/Warner reunion either.
After the season, the HC issue needs immediate attention and the rest will fall into place. The chemistry seems to be working, though still early, between Mike and Mike, so if they both are retained, I don't see a need to Draft a QB early.
Would like to see heavy selection emphasis on the lines, OT followed by multiple selections on DL/DE.
Right now, Alex Smith could be a very viable backup plan if we can restructure and make him more cap friendly.
The Draft should focus on QB pressure and I'd love to steal a mid round CB/S.

I think A Smith would be better served on the Niners bench. He is still so young. He has been through a lot already, and I think a couple years on the bench is just what he needs. He might still have a future with the team.

Matt, did you seriously forget the best QB prospect in the draft?

Sam Bradford is going to be eligible to declare for the draft. He may or may not, but I hope he is on the 49ers radar!!!

Matt, do you think McClougans future will be discussed this offseason? The only reason I ask is I think A Smith's future with the Niners is directly related to Scot McCloughans. No matter what, if A Smith stays, its with a pay cut, but if McCloughan is not with the team, is there any other support for him? Thanks.

I don't think Harrell will last to the 3rd Round. If he shows up & plays well vs Oklahoma & finishes strong I see him going in the 2nd Rd. But he's a tricky one to me. That Leach Offense is so well designed plus he has Crabtree, good receivers, & an effective running game. He knows that Leach Offense inside out...so it really fits asking if he's a system QB.

You forgot Sam Bradford who will be the 1st QB taken if he comes out. I think it's doubtful he'll declare. I believe he's a redshirt Sophomore so he shouldn't be in no hurry to get out of the best days of his young life.

Grumpy guy said McCoy has already said he's staying at Texas for another year so scratch him off.

Cassell sounds real intriguing who's a local guy. I'd be real interested to research that some more. All those FA QB's have something to offer. We could strike gold & Cassel could turn out to be our franchise guy. Warner IMO would make a great stop gap for 1-2 years if Martz stays. Garcia..I don't know. He seems injury prone at this stage. Kerry Collins is dead on solid but he's got a sweet setup at Tennessee even if/when he reverts back as a backup. All interesting scenario's. But we have to draft a QB 2nd or 3rd regardless IMO.

I believe McCloughan is assured to remain with the organization. --Matt M.

Once again, with the 49ers in dire need of a QB, they have scraps to choose from. This is Alex Smith all over again. The 49ers should be patient, and by God they shouldn't gamble their next 4-5 years on another Alex Smith. Go with someone who is a sure thing to at least be decent for a 6 year period of time, such as the case with Matt Ryan last year, or Cutler was, or the pickup of Brees was for the Saints. Come on people, even the Jets found a QB who could come in and contribute right away. It can't be that hard to find a decent QB in a league where Byron Leftwich and Daunte Culpepper are begging for jobs!

I listed the juniors and seniors. But, you're correct, even though Bradford is a sophomore, he'll be eligible to declare for the 2009 draft because he redshirted as a freshman. Therefore, he'll be three years removed from high school. --Matt M.

Matt do you ever talk to Alex Smith and is it reasonable to assume that he would want to play for the 49ers again?(I'm also under the assumption that he probably wont get much more then a minimum salary throughout the league)

It all starts and ends with the HC decision.
I truly think Singletary will stay if he plays spoiler to the AFC/NFC East playoff picture.
The guys are young, they need his intensity and old school style to really appreciate what it takes to win on a consistant basis and he's certainly got things motivated right now.
A QB/NT combo in FA would be a slam dunk and allow some latitude with the Draft order.
We have life right now, I think Dallas had better be on their game, because a simple move like Chilo getting a shot as the second coming of Larry Allen could be the kind of spark Gore needs to run wild on their LB and secondary level.

If Mike Singletary does not return (I hope he does cause I dont want to lose him to the Raiders probably). Jed York & McCloughan should really look at getting Steve Sarkasian as their head coach. He has played QB at BYU, was a QB coach in the NFL under Norv Turner, and has been a very successful OC for the college/pro team the USC Trojns for 2 yrs. Also, was very close to getting the Raiders job last yr. until he realized he was going to work for Al Davis. Plus he runs some form of the west coast offense with USC. Then Sarkisan should bring in Gil Haskell from Seattle (since Holmgren will be gone, and Mora might bring in Knapp as his OC) as OC and Paul Hackett as QB coach. Then if he is not signed by the Patriots u get Matt Cassell who Sarkasian coached at USC as a free agent to be QB. However, you still you draft a QB in the 4th Round for a Nate Davis from Ball State or a Hunter Cantwell QB from Louisville. I would love for the Niners to draft a QB in the 1st round they have pressing needs on the OL & pass rusher DE in the 1st 3 rounds.

Matt -

Can you tell us what the current relationship is between Alex Smith and the coaching staff? What do you think Singletary thinks? What is Martz opinion? Is Alex still acting like he wants to return (going to meetings and practice)?

Keep Shaun Hill, release Alex Smith, do not sign any '09 free agent starting QBs, draft a mid round QB, and sign a current backup QB from another team who looks like he has potential. As long as you build a defense around him, Shaun Hill will put up enough points to win. He should be the starting QB next year.

Let's see how Singletary does the rest of the year. And let's see if he has a plan to put in an offensive and defensive coordinator. I'm unsure M Martz will return. And we have to replace the defensive coordinator. The niners are allowing too many points.

All Shaun Hill does is play well. Let's give him a fair shot.

personally i think new england keeps CASSEL because they won't know the mental (or even the physical) status of BRADY until mid-way through camp. even after having what was described as a "minor knee surgical procedure" during the off season P-MANNING is not having the kind of steller campaign that colts fans have become accustomed to. i don't believe new england will take that type of gamble and pin all their hopes on BRADY by allowing CASSEL to walk. the other q.b.' mentioned are only marginally better then S-HILL and would only be a quick fix (if they can produce) rather than a long range answer. DEREK ANDERSON has the kind of arm strenght that o.c.' love but is he that much better then S-HILL? my preference would be for the team to use a 2nd - 4th round draft choice on a q.b. i know there are no guarantees here, but somehow this option makes me feel a little less queasy.

Matt – accurate prognosis on Nate Davis. Most likely a late first round pick. I still can't figure out how the kid throws such a tight spiral with gloves on.

Write this down for the 2009 NFL draft – shades of 2006 – Terrence Cody with the 6th pick, the niners trade up at the 22nd pick to take Nate Davis.

If this happens, barbecue and beers on me for all you blogheads here at Instant Niners. :D

The chances of the 49ers getting a franchise QB next year (based on Matt's list) are bleak. I saw, go after Hayneworth if he's available, pick up a RT, hang on to Alex Smith and Hill and just wait it out. We can't make the mistake of rushing a pick just because we need a QB. Look what happened with Smith. Had we waited we could have had a number of QBs who have hit the market. Hey Matt, I smell another what if column!

I completly agree. You never know what an entire Shaun Hill season would look like.

Why has no one mentioned a possible trade for Derek Anderson?? B.Quinn is their future and D.A. just got paid. That's a lot of cap room for a back up. He's better than any QB on the Niner roster or in FA.

I think I read that Singletary wants to go West Coast. How do the QB's you listed (other than Hill) look as West Coasters?

Harrell will fall down the draft boards like my friend Colt Brennan and we will pick him in the 5th round :) I also like Nate Davis alot

IMHO the 9ers need a qb to keep the seat warm in 09 until their draft pick is ready to start. If I had to take one of the free agents, I'd take Jeff Garcia. Cassell might be a decent player but he's young so you'd only take him if you thought he was the future which I don't. Having said that, I'm hoping Shaun Hill proves enough that he is the guy next year.

On the draft, my 2 favorite players are Matthew Stafford and Nate Davis. All the other guys will be also rans in the NFL. Josh Freeman from K State is unbelievable athletic with a cannon arm but he just hasn't put it together. I don't want another one of those guys.

What's with the overwhelming fascination with arm strength? I don't mean to single "louie" out, but to say you can't rely upon a guy to take you into the future because of lack of arm strength is just silly. 6' 4" guys with rocket arms are drafted every year, and most of them end up carrying clipboards or spend their careers on their back or throwing interceptions. The last guy we had who did not have much of an arm was a guy by the name of Jeff Garcia. Remember him? The team got rid of him because of (lack of) arm. Look how that worked out for us. I am not comparing Shaun Hill to Jeff Garcia, but let's consider the guy by the way he plays the game as opposed to his "measurables". Measurables got us Vernon Davis, Rashaun Woods, Kwame Harris, and Mike Rumph

just my opinion - THIS WEBSITE SUCKS!!!!.........And of course A. Smith will be our QB next yr....that is a no-brainer.

Franchise - I do think Cody will end up as a top 10 pick if he stays healthy & keeps up his strong play the rest of the year. I also like your boy NDavis. Waiting for him at our pick in Rd 2 is too risky. What picks are you trading or what's your idea for dealing up to the 1st for Davis?

If we take this route we have to keep the 2nd Rd pick for an OT. (Behind Cody the 2nd best NT IMO is BJ Raji/Boston College).

In my most humble opinion, the 49ers should definately look to the future as far as QB goes. And by future I mean someone to take over in the next 3, maybe 4 years. I really believe the 49ers need to give S. Hill the keyes and let him drive this thing till the wheels fall off. Put it in perspective; A. Smith couldn't get it done, neither could Dilfer, OR O'Sullivan. S. Hill's been the most consistent. Why are we not seein' this? What also get's me is, there is a ton of discussion about "what the Niners should do next year at QB," which if I'm S. Hill, would seem like a total slap in the face. J.T. was shoved down our throats, and was a total bust. With the SAME TEAM under Hostler's AND Martz's offense, S. Hill has them lookin' somewhat decent (granted, the play selection may be different). Bottom line S. Hill is a baller. People need to recognize the skills and pump the brakes on ditchin' Hill. I say, draft a QB next year, let him sit behind #13 for a few seasons and see how it's supposed to be done.

If we don't draft Nate Davis we will be
passing up an opportunity on the best QB
in the draft that by 2010 could bail out
this franchise from the horrific repercussions that ensue from a bust #1 pick like Nolan/McCloughan made in A.Smith.

We definitely need to draft a QB next year, but in the later rounds and let him take notes for a couple of years. As far as Hill, if he does well the rest of the season, I would say we stick with him the next couple of years. If he doesn't do well, then we hit the FA market and go for someone like D. Anderson, as mentioned on this board. I don't believe we can rush a rookie QB into starting until we shore up the O line. An OT in the first round is a good start.

Why all the love for Derek Anderson? You'd really want to trade ANYTHING for a QB who, over the last 16 games, has completed roughly 50% of his passes? The Browns are kicking themselves for giving him a long term contract after half of a good season... no need for the niners to bail them out.

Please don't let McClueless make this decision. Hire Homlgren as a consultant, Hire Steve Young,just don't let anyone from the Nolan era make these decisions. Hill may be the QB, but first let's see what he does against good defenses.

This is really SIMPLE,
JTO and Alex are gone,

Hill is the #1 going into next season,

Forget signing a Veteran, unless Cassell is available which he won't be,

NO on Derek Anderson!

DRAFT 2 QB's
Matthew Stafford is by FAR the best available, may be next year's Matt Ryan, pro style offense and everything else, make him our 1st PICK

Like McCoy, I think he will stay in school, like Stafford BETTER regardless!

Like Nate Davis, little concerned about his competition

3rd or 4th round QB selection, take Zac Robinson from Oklahoma State and the 49ers would be set.

A combination of Hill, Stafford, Robinson or Hill, McCoy, Robinson, or Hill, Davis, Robinson would be REALLY NICE!

Make No Mistake About It, QB has to be the #1 OFFSEASON Priority for the 49ers! It's the worst position on the team. You should draft at least one QB every year, I think Bill Walsh said that, you are bound to score on one of them!

Marco's right. Nobody's saying to get rid of Hill (Stampede). For myself I see him now as a LEGIT #2 whereas before I thought he was only a #3 at best. But he surprises me every week. If he plays well against these next 4 teams plus the Redskins in the finale he might well earn remaining to be the starter. (As with Coach Singletary we'll have a clearer picture of Hill after the Fins game.) We need another quality QB regardless whether he starts or becomes the backup. A solid 1-2 punch. I think we should take a close look at Cassel who's still young, has low mileage, & is a local guy. Then you still Draft your young QB & let him sit for 1 or 2 years. If the young guy develops nicely & we end up with 2 quality starters down the road that's just more bargaining power for us to fill another position of need if we wanted to or keep the quality continuity at QB. After what this franchise has gone through we can't be fiddling around with this QB situation anymore. The more quality QB's on board, the better IMO.

after reading 'franchises' blogs about BALL ST. Q.B. NATE DAVIS, i decided to watch him on espn2 last night. i have to admit that he showed some good all around skills and looked even better in rallying his team back for a win. but will the niners show any interest in a q.b. that is listed at 6'1'' - 6'2''? they seem enamored by the the prototypical size of 6'3'' - 6'5'' that are invited to draft combines. i was impressed by DAVIS' ability to throw on the run and find his receivers with good accuracy. also, he showed great mental fortitude in bringing his team back by never losing focus of the moment. i'll be looking forward to seeing him in post season match-ups against stiffer competition before i'm fully sold. but based on his numbers so far, he looks like a winner.

I'm anti-Cassel and anit-Anderson. Both those guys have a wealth of talent (esp. Cassel) around them and play average, back-up QB worthy football. They are your legit back-ups. And Mike, you're a doctor so I know your smart...J.T. is a local guy too, C'mon man. What the Niners have continued to suffer so greatly from is inconsistency. S. Hill should be the starter, I don't see what else he has to do to prove that, jump through flaming hoops? He beat a playoff team last year (Tampa Bay), and played a good Arizona defense this year. J.T. got the job and never started a single regular season game. And draft picks are a crap shoot, we all know that by now. I don't disagree w/ draftin a QB. But if they're gonna draft a QB, it should definately be no earlier than the 3rd round. They gotta start solidifying the foundation of both the O and D-line. It begins and ends in the trenches folks.

JVI1979 - honestly next years first 2 picks should be OL and DL in no particular order (unless we sign FA such as Haynesworth). 3rd round QB is an option. My concern with Cassell will be how much the market is offering, I can bet at least 3 or 4 teams will be firing money at him. Let`s just hope that distracts some attention from Haynesworth who would be a serious upgrade to our DEF. With the Nolan era I`ve become clear of 2 things:

1. A SF 49ers coach has to be aggressive in his style of play(whichever it maybe).

2. The offenses biggest priority position wise is to have a good OL. Without one, not even JOE could run a decent offense.

Honestly, Hill will be OK. Smith will be a decent back up, but we don't have our next HOB QB in any of them (at least for now). So draft a QB, but first give them an adecuate OL.

OFF SEASON PLAN
1. Sign Haynesworth
2. If there`s still a hole in the OL, take care of that first in the draft.
3. Then QB and CB in the second and third. Go for depth after that.

AND FINALLY, FOR HEAVENS SAKE RESIGN SINGLETARY AND MARTZ!!!

matt cassell... can you say UPSIDE?

Cassell? Really? Have you watched him play? No better than Hill. Definitely not an upgrade. Pass.

We have a quarterback who is 3-1 on carerr starts, whose career QB rating is over 100, who just won NFC offensive player of the week, and we're disregarding him because he doesn't have a cannon of an arm? Did we learn nothing from Druckenmiller? We have plenty of games remaining to figure out how good Shaun Hill really is. If he continues to impress, he should be the starter next year. Draft a quarterback if a good one is available, to play behind Hill until/if he gives us a better shot at winning.

We’re all just Niner Junkie’s over here. Your boy is winning me over. We’ll find out soon enough after the next 4 games. Good point about the playmakers surrounding Cassel + a good OLine. Shootme...I haven’t watched Cassel play yet (just heard positive reports from ESPN), he’s that bad? I can’t help it, I do like a QB who’s got some pop in his arm strength. It’s a great bonus but the accuracy’s a must.

I would like JEff Garcia to come home.

We never got Freeney, why do you think we'll get Haynesworth? The NFL may think we're 'tampering'. We didn't get Porter either. The so called players you really want are nothing more then Christmas dreams and Madden options.

Seriously you guys? Since the short Garcia era we haven't had a QB who is able to put up the numbers that Hill has. Look at his QB rating, look at his yards per game increasing, look at his TD to INT ratio. As he grows the rest of this lost season we will definitely see Hill get better and better. I am voting Hill in 2009. I wouldn't mind seeing Garcia come home either but I'm not sure what they should do with him. Should he ride the bench and mentor Hill? I think Garcia has to much of a game in him to do that. Get rid of Smith or at least negotiate his contract down. Then maybe when Hill retires as the next great niner QB, Smith will then be ready for the big leagues.
Sorry to rant but this is the niners most important move this off-season. I think the decision to pick Singletary has already been made but they just aren't saying it publicly yet.

Hey Matt, quick question for you.

What are the chances the 49ers could go after Julius Peppers next season? Do they have the room to make that play?

Also, Taylor Mays would look awfully good in a 49ers Uni...or one of those monster tackles...which position do you feel is more of a need at this point? O-Line/Secondary? (clearly D-line too which is why I mentioned Peppers)

Thanks, Mully