Evans, who turns 30 in September, has played seven NFL seasons. He started a career-high 11 games last season in place of injured Jason Taylor at left defensive end. Evans tied a career-high with 3.5 sacks.
The 49ers do not expect their defensive linemen to be pass rushers, and that is certainly not Evans' strength. At 6-foot-4, 287 pounds, Evans is a solid player who has played end and tackle in the Redskins' scheme. He recorded 33 tackles last season.
The 49ers expect to lose backup nose tackle Ronald Fields in free agency. Evans can easily fit into the rotation on the defensive line, but he appears to be best-suited to play left end. That also happens to be the position 49ers GM Scot McCloughan believes is the best spots for Isaac Sopoaga and Kentwan Balmer, although both could also be used for spot duty at nose tackle.
Titans free-agent receiver Brandon Jones was the team's first visitor. He arrived Friday evening to undergo a team physical. Jones is scheduled to meet over breakfast Saturday with coach Mike Singletary, among others.
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if signed, solid replacement of ronald fields.
How well regarded is Ronald Fields by the 49ers? He playing well wouldn't necessarily show up on the stat sheet, but did the coaches feel he usually completed his assignments?
Would be a good depth signing.
Ron Fields plays back up "nose tacle" NOT Demetric Evans. Demetric is best suited left side as Isaac Sopoaga and Kentwan Balmer. Now these two players can play nose tackle but better suited left side themselves! Get a nose tackle not a left tackle!
I'm thinking Sammie Lee Hill in the Mid Rounds as the bonafide NT option.
If we don't look at guys like Rocky Bernard, Tank Johnson or Grady Jackson, the second tier Draftees after Raji are all pretty similar.
IMO, grab the largest guy with the best competitive motor and see what you can do.
3 guys, Sammie Lee/Taylor/Pryor all might be options.
Of course Raji's linemate Ron Brace would fill the run stopper mode, but is not a prototype NT.
Get the 'Fat Man'.
Hi Matt, Great coverage as always. Why spend money on Brandon Jones? Okay, he played for a run dominated team
but his stats for last year were, GP-16, catches-41 yards-449, Avg-11.0, tds-1, and this was his best year in his four year career. Never caught more than 27 passes or eclipsed 400 yards prior to this year. I'm sure Bryant Johnson would better those stats in his sleep. Look to the draft and develop a receiver.
Matt - If the front office and coaching staff are sold that the starting FS is on the roster, i.e. Goldson, do you think the 9ers will still look for one in the draft, possibly at SS until they can see what Goldson can do as a starter? From everything I've read and watched, the CB's did not run well in Indy but the projected safeties did. Another quick thought, would Sing seriously consider Rey Mag at 10 if he runs decent at his pro day? He and Willis would be dominant together.
This potential signing doesn't make a lot of sense to me. You have two LDE in Balmer and Sope. You have two RDE in Smith and Mac. Why sign another LDE, who is probably better suited to play RDE, when the real need here is NT because Sope and Balmer's best position is LDE? Makes little sense especially when there are guys out there like Tank Johnson and Colin Cole. Franklin is a free agent after next season.
Sometimes I wonder about the 9ers personnel decisions. There are only a few players that they don't try to switch. Another LDE? We have 2. One we signed to a longer term, mo money deal, the other a 1st rounder. I expect one to start and one to play in heavy rotation and push to start. We need a RDE and a NT more than another moderately priced b/u. This is where it's OK to overpay a bit to get the one guy who fills/FITS a need.
Matt...thanks for all of the timely updates. As always, you are on your game!
Talking of Dl signings, what are your impressions of Chris Canty from Dallas? Is he a good fit, and do you think the 49ers are giving him a serious look?
Sopoaga fit nicely at LDE with Nolan's passive DL philosophy. Now that Manusky is using his pentrating linemen to their strengths Sope will be an good NT. Getting an experienced LDE like Evans or Spicer for a year or two will help hedge our bets on Balmer while he continues to develop into the position and allow Sope to move back to NT.
I think that's the conclusion one has to draw, given this interest in FA LDEs. Meaning McC could have said, like he did with the FS issue, that the NT we're looking for is already on our roster, too. Raji draft fans are swooning.
By the way, Berger, how'd your boy Red Bryant do up there in Seattle last year?
hey matt,
IMO this move doesnt sound very good for all the reasons above but what im really curious about is why the 9ers feel they need to get jones to stretch the field? Does Hill run a 4.3 40? when we drafted him he had great speed and u never hear anything about that anymore.
To FHM from an earlier thread. Orakpo would be an excellent choice as he is just what the Niners need, a threat on the edge that opponents will have to account for. Your statemnet that Univ of Texas players are busts
is bogus. Casey Hampton, Lyle Sendlein,Bo Scaife, Cedric Griffin, Nathan Vasher,Quentin Jammer,Aaron Ross,Michael Griffin Phil Dawson, Corey Redding,Shaun Rogers,Derrick Dockery,Leonard Davis,Roy Williams,Derrick Johnson, Cedric Benson,Ahmard Hall,D.D. Lewis and Phil Dawson are all starters in the NFL. So please don't put down a player when you don't have all the facts. Orakpo will be a solid pro and has the Demarcus Ware/Shawn Merriman potential.
Hey Matt, since the 49ers are bring back players they once cut, do you think the 49ers would be interested in bring back Kwame Harris? The knock on him was his pass protection but he was an above average run blocker. Since the 49ers are going to be a running team, it may be a good idea to give hime nother look and he will probably come cheap.
Hey berger -good to see you back...given the above scenario where does that leave A.Franklin? Would be interested in who you think we take at 10! Skeebers you wicked devil I presume you know Bryant played in what- two games and got 4 tackles ....avg.out just above our first rnd. pick last year(obviously not all rookies hit the ground running!)-yes I know Berger liked him -still think he was a good p/u...
Louisiana49er why would they do that? Get 5 more false starts a game? No thanks.
I agree. Just couldn't resist punking an old chum. It does point out that all the draft hysteria rarely translates to impact first years. Willis and OTs are the exceptions, not the rule. FAs are for immediate impact. The draft is for the future.
He seems like a better fit on the right side to me...287 seems a little undersized for an lde in this system. It would make more sense though if they were bringing him into play lde in that Ice or Balmer could move over and back up Fraklin at NT.
Hey Marc-sorry didn't respond to your RB/WR at ten scenario -it was an interesting exercise that was posed to Matt and deserved more response! So Berger poses the model of Sop.going to NT ...what do think...if so- do we take a late rndr."Fat Man" this year or wait! I am presuming neither one of you sees RAJI at 10!?
I have always wondered if someone was good why would his team let him go? It would appear his team had already decided his talent didn't match his price.
One must be careful in free agency
It looks as though the team has convinced themselves, because of the late run last year, that thay are not in need of many upgrades. I'm ok with that. I just hope they'll be able to hang with the best of the NFL. The good news is the Cardinals were only 9-7 last year. The Niners could very well go 9-7 this year. In the NFC West, 9-7 is domination(sad but true). And just like the Cards, when you get to the playoffs, anything can happen from there. Obviously Kurt Warner is better than Hill, but we'll see if Hill gets a fair shot once and for all. We also don't have many pro bowl offensive players, but things happen fast in the NFL. I wouldn't be shocked if the Niners pull out of their slump this year. So I guess I'm not too disatisfied with the "2nd tier FA aproach". I doubt they'll break the bank on Chris Canty, but that would be perfect.
Just curious, if Soap was put back at nose with the signing of an LDE, wouldn't Soap be better suited to start at NT with Franklin as his back up?
I'm with you Skeebers -just missed his passionate grumpiness -a good fan!
Skeebs- He was the best overall draft pick, stted by coaches and players alike, in pre-season. But he hurt his knee. He should be a beast this year.
We tried Soap at NT with limited success. Maybe Mcsing wants a more penetrating NT now. I just don't see Soap as a dominate NT. Maybe the idea is to bring in a spare DL, move soap to NT to
Replace fields, draft a fat man and sit him. Gives us 1 too many
I can't wait till we get a "real" 3-4 NT. Another mediocre DE, excellent!! It seems over the last couple of years we enjoy getting guys who are 30 and older. Nothing wrong with that but until we can actually learn to draft we are just going to keep restocking the depth chart. I am waiting for our MIA and NYJ moment. Guess I will have to wait another year while we try out the Sing experiment.
hightop- I'm sure the coaches know more than me but for conversation sake, it is my opinion Sope would start because he can push the center straight back, something Nolan did not allow, and that would create havoc for traffic near the LOS, like trap plays and three step drops. Frsanklin is a one gapper, and is good at it, but that is not the same as Sope can do.
Fraklin's better than Ice at nt...Ice is a valuable backup in that he can play multiple positions. Hopefully Balmer can step in and start at lde and let Ice backup either lde or nt, wherever he's needed most.
Skeebs- You know I take a roasting and just keep cool. After dealing with the yahoos at SFGate, anything here is mild. Good to see you found a place to hang! BTW, I never left. I read this blog multiple times a day.
Matt, I'd like to get your take on Soap as NT again. We know McC stated he felt Soap was a better LDE, but what are your thoughts?
Berger check on A franklin one gap-Coach Manusky used him more effectively last half of the season last year... but must agree with the above at some point must find a killer NT eventually ...Raji would be nice but most likely he will be gone -presently ambivalent about Brace but gets mentioned often...next years crop looks intriguing with T.Cody(likely to go early!) Ndamukong Suh(intriguing!) and Boo Robinson (!)...you still haven't told us who you like at ten spot! ...Buzz
Yeah Jon you are right about one too many -ofcourse who knows which player will make the team after the draft and the cuts! I'm enthusiastic about J Gilbert a DE aspirant who played DL in college(I'm sure you know him) throw him in the mix as well -who knows where the wheel lands!
Looks like Cassell just got traded to the Chiefs. The top 10 picks of the draft are going to be changing quite a bit. Still I hope we don't bit on either of the 2 top QB's but it could get interesting because they both may be there at 10 especially if DET passes. I am not sold on either.
I wonder why the 49es restructure Fields contract like they did with most of the team?
Unless they feel that Balmer will play NT and feel they need a better UT
Anyone who watched the defense the last 2 years has to see, even if blind, the team needs help in the secondary especially at FS. I can't count how many times the team had held the opposition to 3rd and long, only to give up a first down through the pass to keep drives going.