49ERS INJURY REPORT
Did not practice: RB Frank Gore (ankle) and WR Arnaz Battle. Coach Mike Singletary said
Limited practice: PR Allen Rossum (ankle). Rossum practiced catching punts today. The club expects him to be ready to return to that role. However, Delanie Walker and Michael Robinson will continue to be back in the kick-return roles.
Full practice: CB Nate Clements (thumb), S Dashon Goldson (knee), C Eric Heitmann (abdomen) and CB Marcus Hudson (concussion). All these guys should be available for duty on Sunday. Also, WR Josh Morgan should be back for the first time since he sustained his groin strain on Nov. 10. But Bryant Johnson will remain as the starter at split end. And Roderick Green, who missed practice yesterday with an illness, is back and ready to go.
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The Dolphins' injury report is short. CB Jason Allen (hand) did not practice.
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The 49ers must decide on Saturday whether RB Thomas Clayton will be promoted from the practice squad. By extension, that means a decision on Gore's status will come that day, too.
I asked Singletary if Clayton would be strictly as an emergency backup, such as the role WR Chris Hannon (now with the Dolphins) had a couple weeks ago in
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Singletary reiterated his design to get LB Ahmad Brooks in a game this season. "We need to see what he can do," Singletary said. However, this does not appear to be the week for that. Singletary said the club will probably have to wait until next week.
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I call this a GPS game. Matt, do you agree?
I call this a "8th or 9th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft" game.
In all honesty I dont miss Battle at all. I beleive that it was a blessing in disguise that battle & Johnson had lingering injurys because we got to see that both J.Hill & Morgan are our future & can play in this league.
man how can you just throw battle under the bus he's been the only decent wide receiver we've had for the last few years, he's been playing through this current injury for the last few weeks. although his punt returning in the jets game was a real mess haha.
In an earlier thread I asked whether Jason Hill has done any PR/KR duties in college or camp?
Matt, not sure if you answered then, any knowledge on this subject?
I'm curious why a guy with his speed hasn't at least tried it?
Battle is a good possession receiver who can do some good things underneath if you have some other good guys running deeper patterns.
The problem he has had the last three years is, he has been forced to be our number one or two option, due to lack of quality WRs on our roster. With Bruce, Hill, Morgan and maybe Zeigler, we now have more options. Which allows Battle to do the underneath 7 and 8 yard routes for first downs. He can be a real asset, though a limited one, if he can get healthy again.
Exactly, Battle has been one of the few bright spots on this offense the past four years. Also Bryant Johnson has great hands-he made some amazing catches in that win vs the Jets-that touchdown and he had a great catch on a quick slant that was thrown a bit high too. Bryant Johnson is a player the Niners should consider keeping on - especially if they can get him for another $2 million per year or whatever it is
Q: In an earlier thread I asked whether Jason Hill has done any PR/KR duties in college or camp? Matt, not sure if you answered then, any knowledge on this subject?
My response: He was a special-teams ace as a freshman at Washington State, leading the team in tackles and blocking a punt. But he was never used much in the return game. He had only two punt returns in college. And he has not been used in that area in his brief time in the pros, either. --Matt M.
Battle is a Warrior but it is time to move on he was a go to guy when we had nothing else. But he has always had nagging injuries and I think Hill has proven he can do the job. Morgan, Hill, and Ziggy are the future. Between Bruce, Johnson, and Battle next year 1 or 2 of those guys are not going to be here. Bruce has stayed healthy and produced and Johnson has been on fire lately not much room left for Battle..........I think Sing should turn Brooks loose on the Lambs.
I'm not sold on Johnson. Too inconsistent and the 2008 version of JJ Stokes. If the Niners land TJ, BJ is the odd man out.
I'm anxious to see Goldson get healthy and get back out on the field. Matt, do you think he'll be used differently or be given a bigger opportunity since Singletary is the one who scouted and was very impressed by him at one of the senior games(not the senior bowl) and made a push for the 9ers to draft him.
I like Battle a lot but he is limited in ability and with the emergence of Morgan, Hill, and Zeigler to some extent I would be surprised to see Battle back next year, especially with Bruce and potentially Johnson back as well. The 49ers have a nice group of WR's right now.
"The 49ers have a nice group of WR's right now." Yes they do.
Morgan and Hill were drafted, Zeigler, Bruce and Johnson signed as free agents by whom? By Nolan. So he probably did something right.
Yes, their young group of WR's look promising, but they still need that speed WR that can stretch the defense - hopefully they can find one in the draft.
Q: I'm anxious to see Goldson get healthy and get back out on the field. Matt, do you think he'll be used differently or be given a bigger opportunity since Singletary is the one who scouted and was very impressed by him at one of the senior games(not the senior bowl) and made a push for the 9ers to draft him.
My response: No, I don't think Goldson will get more playing time than he saw earlier in the season when he was healthy. Singletary, and the defensive coaching staff, likes the job Mark Roman is doing. Roman is seen as a valuable member of the secondary because of his knowledge of the scheme and his ability to quickly make and communicate the necessary adjustments. --Matt M.
I don't want the Niners to get TJ. That would mean giving up some nice draft picks. We have a solid WR foundation as it is. If BJ can be resigned for less than 3mil/year I'm ok with it I guess, but I wouldn't be heartbroken if he wasn't back. Battle, Bruce, Morgan, Hill, Ziegler is OK by me. Shore up the lines.
Amazing what consistent QB play, a solid head coach, and most importantly, a few wins can do to change the perception of the team. Wasn't long ago everyone wanted McCloughan gone. Now, we are happy and the team is winning. Look at the offense, and he drafted the entire line, minus Heitmann (but signed him to extension), drafted 3 solid TE's who fill their roles, stud RB in Gore, promising WR's in Morgan and Hill, special team standout Robinson. Amazing how winning cures everything.
Everyone keeps forgetting that Nowin not Mccloughan was in charge of the past 4 drafting years. Even this year when Scot officially was named GM, Nowin still had the final say - no matter what anyone in the front office says. This will be Scot's first true draft and I think he'll do just fine. The problem with Nowin's draft was that he was not drafting to fill immediate holes (you'd think this would be the case, because the 9ers have been terrible), but he was drafting with the thought of giving little to no playing time to this player until the incumbant left via FA or trade. He'd then turn around and give us the same lame excuse, "We'll play the one that gives us the best chance to win." (ie. Kwame harris, right) The team also did not have an identity. Are we 3-4 or 4-3, are we smash-mouth or finesse. Nowin was trying to find players that might be able to flip-flop. As we've experienced the last few years, it doesn't work. Singletary is taking it in one direction, one dentity -no flip flopping - that is what our 9ers need and are learning now.
Unlike Nolan, Singletary on draft day will not have the propensity to draft character-risk players – see Clayton and Tarrell Brown. Although Nolan has proven us wrong so far on those two players, you have to wonder who would Singletary/McGM have chosen at those slots.
Like every year for niner fans, I always look forward to draft day.
I doubt you'll see all that difference. Nolan avoided a lot of guys and so will Singletary. Sing will also get rid of guys who aren't with the program, like Nolan did with Barlow, Lloyd and Winborn.
Its quite possible that Singletary will take a chance on more *marginal* guys, because he has the charisma to get through and turn a lot of guys around. Look at how VD has responded in the last three weeks.
And of course, Sing actually *has* a workable program... unlike Nolan.
Matt, I notices scouts.com repeating something you said a while ago: Singletary will have to show that he has a plan in place to bring continuity to the offense. My question is why aren't people saying the same thing about the defense? Nolan was able to fire his DC and take over responsibilities because he was a former DC himself. Singletary doesn't have that experience and isn't thought of as "an X's and O's guy." Why does he get a pass defense and not offense?
Q: Matt, I notices scouts.com repeating something you said a while ago: Singletary will have to show that he has a plan in place to bring continuity to the offense. My question is why aren't people saying the same thing about the defense?
My response: Because it's seen as a sin to repeat the same mistakes. The mistake that the 49ers have made in recent years is being unable to maintain continuity on offense. --Matt M.