FAR has been extremely underwhelming for me. Although it's not over yet, I would have liked to see a bit more impact.

Maybe Belly-cheat will sign him. Moss was a malcontent before joining the Pats. Moss AND Owens? With Welker? The an über productive all-headache team

Certainly not a very sexy off season by any means, but productive. Matt, if you include resignee's, this makes 7 total. Are they most likely done aquiring FA's at this point?

Hey Matt,

Any idea what the asking price for Julius Peppers is? and if the 49ers at all interesting in him???

I still don't think the Niners have made enough improvement to beat the Cardinals next season, and may have actually fallen behind the Chickenhawks. I hope Singletary can work some magic in the draft.

feel the same as "jon in SoCal"...i would at least thought the niner would be getting ONE impact player. and i was hoping to be a Offensive Lineman (a Tackle). but yes, been disapointing so far, but FA isn't over yet.

Matt, what happens when a team has a lot of cap room, but doesn't spend it? Do they get "roll over" cap space, or does it just go away?

On Alex Smith..."His agent wants him to look at other situations".

LOL...how about waiting tables down at Applebees? WalMart cart greeter...Subway Sandwich engineer...Do you want fries with that...

Question: what happens when a team has a lot of cap room, but doesn't spend it? Do they get "roll over" cap space, or does it just go away?

My response: Unused cap space goes away. But teams can use the cap space as a way of rolling it over to the next year. The 49ers had a good cushion of cap space last year, so they gave Donald Strickland an absurd incentive of $7 milion if he had 15 blocked punts. For some reason, special-teams incentives are automatically considered "likely to be earned" and count against that year's cap. When the incentive was not reached, that $7 million credit carried over to the 2009 cap. --Matt M.

It doesn't really go away. The cap usually goes up and we would just have more space under it. There are lots of cap avoidance techniques that they use to boost the cap with likely to be earned incentives and stuff. There is an explanation here:
http://www.askthecommish.com/salarycap/faq.asp

However, I don't think anyone really knows how it works.

Can you say SPURLOCK. Receiver-Kick returner signed! Or did the Niners dump him.. The Evans signing is big--he'e an excellent player. And the Jones signing, I believe, will pay off. And maybe the Niners see something in Jimmy Williams that we don't see, especially if they are willing to let Roman market himself. Oncer they add the draft picks the roster should round out nicely. While the may not need another lineman, I think Vonnie Holiday is worth a look. He played well last year!!! If Smith does not sign, go after Kyle Boller. He could compete and he's hometown--Cal.

That is kinda funny. On a more serious note, the Niners made him a wealthy man. He won't have to work ever again if he plays his cards right. He'll be back, I hope. Matt, if he doesn't get a deal done with the Niners, will the team then pursue Leftwich? If A. Smith isn't here, wouldn't Condon then be ok with that?

Some of you will never get it. You want the big splashy headlines even though it NEVER translates to wins on the field. Last year the Niners, Jets, and Browns made all the big splashes and free agency and none of them made the playoffs. The Cowboys continually sign big name players and it doesn’t translate into wins. The Redskins have done it this entire decade and have yet to win a playoff game. However, teams like the Steelers and Pats build almost exclusively through the draft and add second tier players to compliment their team in Free Agency. Well, those guys have now won 5 of the last 8 Super bowls. So it begs the question, what don’t you get?

Thanks Matt, and Jon in So Cal.

Matt, what possible situations would Condon think are better for Smith than this one?

Matt, what's your take on all the articles going around questioning the competency of our front office? With the Warner saga, I feel like it was a win-win situation, with Warner forcing the Cards into spending more money being the most likely scenario. The Huard signing isn't exactly thrilling, but then again, signing a 3rd string QB rarely is. I figure they just wanted a veteran QB with some game experience to mentor Hill, Smith and any QB we might draft (Jeff Garcia not being the mentor type). So is my love of the Niners just blinding me to the incompetence of the front office, or is there some truth to the allegations? As someone in more close contact to the operations, I think you're in a better position to set the record straight. Thanks.

Big Jim - How about working under Norv Turner in San Deigo (His hometown) and backing up Philip Rivers to get his career back on track. If I'm Smith or his agent - that's a no brainer.

Matt, what are the chances the Niners pursue Safety Roy Williams who was also cut by the Cowgirls?

Thanks for the info on Garia, I would of loved to see this guy back in red and gold. Wouldn't that be nice, Jeff Garcia and Terrel Owens back with the 49ers! If I could be GM for one day that's what I would do, sign the two of them!

AMEN, Mike in SF #2.... Although Garcia woulda been nice.

Question: what's your take on all the articles going around questioning the competency of our front office?

My response: My take is when teams lose there is a lot to criticize. When teams win, everybody is lauded. It's that simple. The onus is on the 49ers to win and change people's opinions. --Matt M.

Question: what are the chances the Niners pursue Safety Roy Williams who was also cut by the Cowgirls?

My response: That would make no sense. They already have a safety (Michael Lewis) who is at his best close to the line of scrimmage. They need somebody back there with more range who can make plays in the passing game. --Matt M.

Well Said. For every Reggie White there are 100 "bad to OK" guys.

Did anyone listen to Scot McCloughan on Murph and Mac this morning? I don't know if its just me, but the guy sounds so damn nervous! He sounds like a guilty man being interrogated. I also believe Scot said he was not closing the door to T.O.

That would be an extremely scary offense - Brady, Welker, Moss, and TO

I might get slammed for this, but I would welcome TO back to the bay. I would only give him one year at a time with ridiculous incentives. I got no problems with TO. As a matter of fact, we have not had a really good receiver since. The whole team has really sucked since also. I know it isn't just TO to blame, but still. But as Matt says...It isn't a good fit. We are probably better off w/o him. I wouldn't mind having a little get together with Marvin Harrison though.

I can't believe this guy is even in the league at this point...

Here's my take (not that you asked me).

This team suffers from the weight of "expectations."
I live in Phoenix. The Cards & Niners (historically) have almost been polar opposites.

No doubt that the 49ers have struggled in a long time. That said, when people make them out to be horrible, it's rididculous. Horrible compared to the Bill Walsh era? OK. Compared to almost everybody else. Not by a long shot. Now that the Niners have a real HC, things will quickly start to improve (if people have some patience).

Some people now almost look to the Cards as some kind of "role models." Pure stupidity. Their GM really isn't very good (much of the core of this team was drafted by Denny Green). They have drafted in the top ten for what seems forever. You have to make some good picks in that situation (it almost can't be helped). Really. You can use a dart board if you had to when you are drafting 3, 5 8 and 10, year after year, and get some great players

Still, they stupidly passed on guys like Terrell Suggs and Adrian Peterson when guys that knew how to draft (and most fans would have jumped at the chance).

They bring in Kurt Warner as a FA in 2005 and then draft Matt Leinart the next year #10. Because of that, they constantly tried to play Matt over Kurt, to justify the pick. Kurt had to play because, in 2007 (after being benched for Leinart in 2006) becauseLeinart got injured and was out for the season. Warner started 11 games and played very well. Still, Leinart was named the starter going into 2008. They had to play Warner again in 2008, not because of injury to Leinart before the season started, but because it was pretty obvious to anybody with half a working brain that Warner was the better QB.

The Cards succeed last year almost in spite of themselves.

Then look at the recent Warner saga. Ron Jaworski was just on ESPN laughing about it. He talked about how great Warner has been the past two years and how, if Cardinal management knew what they were doing, they would have had Warner in their office the day AFTER the SB to get a new deal done.

It was often said the the old Oakland A's won in spite of the owner, Charles Finley, a not because of him (Look at the Boldin situation. A player that Warner and most others have often labeled as the most respected player on the team).

That's pretty much the case in AZ.

Mike Singletary has a vision. If the owners and GM are smart and patient, he'll implement that vision and a few years from now people will start looking to the 49ers once again with respect and not contempt.

Just my 2 cents.

Great post. They don't get it, because they don't understand how the game of football works. All they care about are "big name" signings.

Marvin Harrison would be a great addition to the team. If the 49ers were to make a big mistake taking T.O. I would hope it was only for a year. I doubt T.O. would come back, but you never know. Any new news about Bruce sticking around?

I hear you Mike #2. The issue I have is the 9er brass should not be going after 2nd tier players to compliment our own 2nd tier players whom we call our starters. They need to have the mindset that the guy we're going after (whether FA or Draft) can start for this team - IE. We need a speedy WR that can stretch the field, yet we did not take Desean Jackson.

Just say NO to T ("Team?? What's a team??")O.

And Mike in SF #2, you are on the money. Ditto GeoMak.

Mike in SF2 mailed it. We're building a team here, not a collection of individuals. Evans should prove to be an excellent addition and is an upgrade at that spot. It also has a carry over effect on the nose, as Soap will now spell Franklin, and Soap is better than Fields, so that's another upgrade. Brandon Jones with his blocking should be an upgrade over Bryant Johnson, and Moran Norris is a major system upgrade at FB.

So, with the draft to come, we've directly or indirectly upgraded 4 out of the 22 starting spots for O. and D. That's pretty good, imho, and we are certainly moving in the right direction.

As for T.O.? Eroding skills, no longer a No.1 WR, locker-room cancer...ha ha, good one.

Matt,if you had to (a) guess one remaining FA the 49ers will sign and (b) pick one they should sign, who would those players be?

Yeah, very well put Mike in SF #2.

Matt,
My first thought on hearing about T.O. was the same as yours.But the more I considered it,I came to the conclusion that it would be worth a shot. The reason is that, of all the coaches in the league, Singletary is the only one who could straighten him out. T.O. is basically a good person who is a prisoner of his own emotions. He had a rough childhood, raised without a father and he needs that father figure. Singletary is the perfect guy to provide that tough-love in a straight forward, honest way. T.O.'s talent and work ethic are not in question. If they make it work, it solves our receiver problem for a cxouple of years.

Two more cents:

Shaun Hill should be fun to watch this year. Considering that he got shafted in the pre-season last year, he did a hell of a job coming off the bench. Mentally, I think he has what it takes to be a winning QB.

And on a related note, these minicamps are huge. Because Singletary has already had his baptism by fire, he should really gain from these in terms of making real progress with players (as opposed to just getting acquainted). A big advantage over other teams, I think, and helps to neutralize the disadvantage of yet another change at OC.

What some people don't get is that our problem has nothing to do with not signing big name FA's, it has everything to do with our organization and those that lead it. Teams like the Pats, Pitt, etc. have excellent foundations and leaders from ownership to head coaches. Watch what happens to KCC this year or the NYJ, they will improve remarkably because they are being built from the ground up with competent people. Look at MIA last year, not a lot of big names but a team built from the inside out with the right players to fit a specific set of needs for a specific plan in place. It's called vision, we have none, we have been terrible at drafting, terrible at creating cohesiveness, terrible at bringing in the right people in the right order. We are floundering in mediocrity. And it's hard to blame any one person outside of ownership because they have all been in flux so much. Our GM is just not very good and since we are stuck with Sing and crew I hope they can figure out something but I just don't see a real vision for the future, as evidenced by courting Warner for the day. Talk about sending mixed signals.

Matt, any way Niners make a concerted effort to go after Jason Taylor and Torry Holt?

I think adding Taylor would be a big boost to our D like how Jack Reynolds helped back in the day. What do you think?

I think T.O. obviously has a lot problems that come from his childhood. I think T.O. needs therapy rather then a good coach.His problems go way beyond a good coach! Why do you think Singletary is THE ONLY COACH, that can straighten him out.? Maybe taking some time off from the game would be a good thing for T.O.

Pats signed a big name FA receiver and went 18-1. Cardinals signed a FA QB and went to the superbowl. Saints signed a big name FA QB and has made the playoffs every year since.

I could go on but it's clearly not correct to say big name FA's can't help teams.

If Mike Singletary doesnt believe Jeff Garcia is a upgrade over Shaun Hill or Alex Smith he is absolutely offensively illiterate, no if's and or buts. This my people is the reality of our beloved 49ers and it hurts and we as fans are being used as guinea pigs again by this organization. first with Mike Nolan and now with this neanderthal Mike Singletary!

Matt, does the team see Duckett as a possible starter at RT and thus explaining the lack of pursuit of FA OT's or is he mearly OT depth?

RealFan, please go on. You named two teams and erred on the third. The Saints didn't make the playoffs last year. Don't stop now. Regale us with the vast amount of times a big name FA signing has been a ticket to the SB. The Cardinals, by the way, signed Warner to be a backup, not a big name QB.

I'll help you out, Realguy. Think Reggie White and Deon Sanders. And the Pats have been making SB runs for almost a decade - all without Moss. Not much left of your point, is there?

Never bring back T.O. He is a cancer. One even Singletary could not mitigate.

A pretty good free agent period, in my opinion.

Resigning Spikes was the key, to me. Our defense was much improved with him next to Willis.

I like bringing Moran Norris back. Keasey was a dumb idea, as he never was a big part of the offense as a receiver.

I like resigning Rossum. It's nice to win the field position battle more often, and he made that a reality last year.

Also like bringing in Evans. Good to have DE that can help stop the run in our 3-4. Smith and Sopoaga are studs, but we needed help here. Sure hope Balmer starts showing why we drafted him where we did.

The only signing I don't get is Brandon Jones. He's injury-prone and he's never put up the type of stats warranting the money he got. The last "deep threat" we brought in was Lelie. Hope this move works better, but I don't see why it will.

Hope we resign Strickland.

Also, I would like to resign Alex Smith.

Remaining needs: (1) effective pass rusher, (2) right tackle, and (3) free safety (unless Goldson is the answer).

Hope we draft Orakpo!

McClueless on KNBR didn't shut the door on T.O.; in fact he left it WIDE open...

So tell me Matt why havent they brought in Jermaine Phillips? I truly hope thay are not standing by the "we already have the safety on our roster theory.

Technically, Moss was a trade, not a FA. Warner was a question mark. He was brought in to (hopefully) start, not as a back-up. Leinart wasn't even on the team when Warner got there. Warner was not in high demand when Arizona signed him as he struggled in NY (thumb injury, everybody wanting Eli to start, ball control system, etc).

Fat Albert. There's no doubt in my mind that Washington (surprise) will regret this sooner rather than later. Why? It's simple. Fat Albert is a great player who just won a 41 million dollar lottery.

He doesn't have to make one tackle or sack the rest of his life and he'll still be living large.

Some athletes, that doesn't matter. A guy like Michael Jordan? He would give 110% whether he was playing for free or a billion dollars.

Haynesworth? I don't think so.

Your condescending comments about how nobody else gets it imply that the 49ers are following a great master plan developed by recent Super Bowl winners, and you do 'get it': build through the draft, sign 2nd tier free agents, and ignore the big name fee agents. How then do you explain the annual bad drafting, big bonus signings (Jonas Jennings, Clement & Justin Smith) and frivolous pursuit of Warner ? What people are upset about is that this team has no plan at all. There is no rhyme nor reason for anything they do. eg: They claim to have settled on a conservative running game approach, and then chase a spread formation 300 YPG or bust QB. The lower tier signings are only the results of this team's limitations, not a master plan.

If their was a Brees, Moss (who was traded for the record) or Warner available in FA we WOULD have gone after them........ because we DID go after one of them. One thing the 49ers cannot control is the supply of players available in Free Agency. In 07 and 08 their were big name players available at positions of need for the 49ers and we signed them. In 2009 that was not the case, sans Warner , and we certainly gave that one the old college try.

I look forward to seeing our team on the field in battle after a Coach Singletarys' training camp. Then maybe these insulting naysayers on this blog will be silenced from writing checks their asses can't cash. No to T.o. even though Singletary is the toughest coach out there who could open a can of whupass on him.

Matt,no offense but the front office is a joke. I rather have a rookie QB at 3nd string then a loser like Huard. Also Scott is proven he has no brain. Smith is a bust. Everyone else around the league sees it. Why can't he?

What did he say. Recap.

You are wrong. He's not a 300 yard or bust QB. Does he prefer that? Yes. that said, anybody that thinks he CAN' run more of a ball control offense is delusional. Really.

If he wanted to (hypothetically) he could have gone to SF and been a big upgrade over Hill.

http://www.knbr.com/common/global_audio/201/5085.mp3

This will make up for the goofups on Warner and getting Huard. We got to do something in FA. To do nothing makes the team worthless and a joke of the league. We look like the little olympic team that can't win a medal.

A bad FA=a bad draft. Mocks are saying we're going to take Sanchez.

http://www.knbr.com/common/global_audio/201/5085.mp3

Matt, are there any timeline 'restrictions' for restructuring or waiving Smith?

Question: Matt, are there any timeline 'restrictions' for restructuring or waiving Smith?

My response: No, but if he wants to join the QB competition, he better get it done by March 16, when the team gets together to start learning the offense. --Matt M.

Hi Matt. On the question of the competency of the 49ers' front office, you are being WAY to diplomatic. I understand the position you are in as far as burning bridges, but Jed the boy-king, McSpineless, and the reverend Mike are rightly considered a joke around the country.

MM - PFT is reporting that the Niners are hosting free agent CB Eric Green of Arizona on Friday. Any additional scoop on this?

If Roman agrees to a trade then the 49ers need to look for a free agent free safety. Mike Brown is a FA i wonder if he maybe a good fit and we need some INTs in this position which is tough eventhough Ed Reed made it look too easy last year.

Mike Singletary spoke of a vision. He has it and it will work. The problem with his "vision" is that it's gonna take a few years to take hold.

It started in his first game (with VD). But there are no "quick fixes."

It's going to take bringing in quality players (mainly through the draft) getting rid of dead weight, adding a few FA's here and there and BETTER COACHING of the players on the roster (than they've gotten in the past).

It ain't gonna happen overnight, no matter how hard and how long some of you bitch and moan. It's going to take a little time.

And trashing MS and his vision because they entertained Warner (who is clearly better than any QB that's passed through SF in a long, long time) or because they haven't broken the bank on a guy like Haynesworth is kind of ignorant.

Matt,

After hearing how the FA period would be quiet for the 9ers I believed you'd have tons of time to pull ingenious, albeit sophomoric pranks on your cohorts. Man, was i wrong. You have been prolific to say the least. Thanks for all the updates.

Matt, you didn't say so but I don't think that Smith has the option of kicking the tires around the league. Even though everyone knows he will not play next season on his present contract, he IS under contract to them until they cut him. They could keep him until June and avoid some of the cap hit, and after most teams have lined up their 2009 QB situation. That would also put pressure on Smith to renotiate a favorable deal sooner so he can at least compete for the starter's job.

but Jed the boy-king, McSpineless, and the reverend Mike are rightly considered a joke around the country.

By who and for what?

TO to the Raiders?

If TO is in silver and black, maybe we get Crab-5 at #10.

My educated guess is Everette Brown at #10 and Brian Robiskie in the 2nd round.

Matt,
What teams do you see as a possible home for Owens? Any way the Seahawks take him, even though they signed TJ? The Bears maybe?

Hi Matt--

If the people of Santa clara vote down the 49ers stadium, and the Yorks don't want to do business with San Francisco no matter what Jed says, are they bound for Los Angeles? I feel if the 49ers don't have a winning season, how will the voters of Santa Clara pass a ballot if all they see is a 'losing team?'

Heard about the night putting man. 16 year old daughter of the dean.

Question: What teams do you see as a possible home for Owens?

My response: Can't even speculate on that one. It would take a unique team with unique circumstances to roll the dice on that one. I mean, he was in great situations THREE times and he squandered those chances. --Matt M.

Question: PFT is reporting that the Niners are hosting free agent CB Eric Green of Arizona on Friday. Any additional scoop on this?

My response: Nope, other than the fact I've received confirmation on the report from one of the sides. --Matt M.

Back to TO for a second. With what the Colts are going to save on Harrison, maybe Wayne and Owens?? hah probably not. Baltimore might be good, but we remember what happened last time TO talked with the Ravens. Philly out, niners out. Skins just signed coles right.. so theyre out. Chi or Minn could be a good fit, i would love to see how Ownes meshed with the QBs on those teams!

Would it be too much of a media circus if Owens went to NY?

I still say the 49ers take Owens back. Owens just gets frustrated when situated with wrong QBs like McNabb and Romo that can't get to the next step. The coaches of the Eagles and Cowboys are not exactly geniuses with a vision, but if Sing has a vision and he can control problem players, why can't Owens come back? We need to do better then this in FA. I won't accept the fact we signed a nobody in Huard. I hope we dump him.

Mike Nolan is gone, we're entering a new era, so the past should be forgotten. Nobody knew Jennings would be injured all the time or else they wouldn't have signed him. Clements and Justin Smith were not bad signings. I don't think we should have even bothered going after Warner, but when an oppurtunity presents itself, sometimes you consider adjusting your plan. Yes, we do have a vision and a goal, but there are also variables present. You can't predict the future so you can't expect everything to go exactly as planned and be accounted for. The "lower tier signings" are filling holes and solidifying depth with players who fit our picture. What is so hard to understand? Before everyone bitches about everything, wait until free agency is over, wait until after the draft, and wait until after the season, and THEN you can whine all you want if the team hasn't made any progress. The dark days are behind us. I know the team has been bad for a long time, but be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day.

The lower tier signings makes us a laughing stock. Look, maybe other teams can get away with that method, but they got coaching, which translates into good players, which translates into reserves for the what if scenarios. The 49ers have nothing like that:

No coaching
No reserves if the key player is hurt
NOthing resembling something good on the team if we did get say a Warner. We don't have a WR. Now if this Evans is good, I put him way over Sopoaga and feel he/Smith can generate the pass rush we seriously lack.

We got to get Owens.

Hi matt, based on your post up top that Smith feels he has unfinished business with the 9ers. He should be telling his Agent to simply get a deal done. Instead it looks like we have the case of another Agent who thinks he has his clients best interest at hand, and thinks he knows best, but in reality is only looking out for himself - the more money his client gets, the more he gets ..............

Those signings were bad because they overpaid for each and every one of them ... that isn't aftersight - it was consensus among most football experts at the time. Jennings was critiqued for his injury history & work ethic, Clement because he wasn't a shut-down corner, and Smith because he didn't fit our system. They were right on all counts. But I wasn't commenting on the quality of those players; I was commenting on the lack of a cohesive plan. And the Nolan era is not dead. His alter egos are still running the team. McCloughan is still the GM, Singletary was the asst. head coach during Nolan's entire tenure, and most of the coaching staff and players were hand-picked by that triumvirate of fools. Both Singletary and McCloughan still speak reverently re: Nolan and the foundation he built. Plus the Yorks still run the show. What may I ask is different?

NoWin was an idiot; McClueless is a moron

Actually, to the quoter

Nolan=Dennis Erickson
McClueless=Donahue

Remember what they did to this club?

Donahue II is doing a good job righting our ship.
Oh yeah

Jed York=Shane McMahon
Ever watched wrestling and you see Shane McMahon doing that dance and talking smack? that's Jed York and his daddy
John York=Vince McMahon
Taking his Federation into the gutter. John has done a great job 'injecting the poison' into the 49ers. I have no confidence Jed will ever fix this team. And

WWF to WWE
The SF 49ers will become LA 49ers.

Just a matter of time.

Darren: Feel free to say something intelligent in your posts.

Matt – In about your 8th paragraph above you say the team doesn’t want a 3-way competition at QB. In the next paragraph I think you’re saying Huard is strictly here as proverbial camp fodder, and presumably later 3rd string clipboard carrier. So, if Alex does get away, what viable options are there to compete with Hill? Simms, Garcia, Leftwich? Who else, other than a rookie?

PS. to Darren 11 --- please send me some of whatever you are smoking.

It's time to play the game.
Unfortunately, the 49ers are not doing a good job when you play to lose the game.

Be nice if the team actually did something. In Monopoly, to not buy Park Place but settle for the lower tier property never makes you a winner.

If Huard is not going to be our 3rd QB, that means Sanchez or stafford...I prefer Crabtree with our 10 or Macklin. We need a standout WR, and we have none...

But if we were to sign T Owens, if McClueless did leave the door open (but no telling what TO wants), that could take care of the WR need. Least TO replaces Bruce that I know is not returning.

Great to find a great forum to turn to. I'm from the ESPN blog, but too much trolling has occured and you're not allowed to give an opinion.

And lions and tigers and bears OH MY!!!

Question: I think you’re saying Huard is strictly here as proverbial camp fodder, and presumably later 3rd string clipboard carrier. So, if Alex does get away, what viable options are there to compete with Hill?

My response: I wouldn't call Huard "camp fodder." He has a strong chance to make the team. But the plan is not for him to split the reps and compete for the starting job. If Smith does not return, then the 49ers probably will go out and get somebody else who can push Hill for the job. The names you mentioned (Garcia and Leftwich, certainly) are viable. --Matt M.

The lower tier signings makes us a laughing stock? Why, because we aren't wasting money by overpaying for "big name" guys? HWhat do you mean we have "no coaching"? And you say "Now if this Evans is good, I put him way over Sopoaga and feel he/Smith can generate the pass rush we seriously lack." You do realize that in our scheme most of the pass rush comes from OLB's, right? Not to mention Evans is not a pass rusher. And no, we do NOT have to get Owens. The last thing we need is an overpaid, overrated, aging receiver with a big mouth and a selfish attitude who can't catch and is too lazy to run routes the way he should. He is NOT the same player he was when he played here. And Roscoe, I agree that we overpaid, but that's usually the case when you pursue top teir free agents. Yet everyone on here is bitching that we aren't doing it again this offseason. Ironic isn't it? And lets get one thing straight, Singletary is NOTHING like Nolan, and that my friend is a wonderful thing.

Sounds like you need a WAAAAAAAAAmbulance. Seriously, get a grip.

Matt,
If I read your players acquired/lost correctly, we're 3-3 so far this year, right? We believe the mystical formula takes actual playing time into consideration, so it's impossible to project for next year yet. It also looks like we could lose a couple more FAs (and pick more up).

Most years, we end up getting comp picks in the draft. Do most teams? Do we factor this into FA acquisitions - that signing one this year could cost us a comp pick next year?

What do you think about Nate Davis from Ball St? I think he'll be pretty good at QB in the pros, and he'll likely be around in the 2nd or even 3rd round. BTW, your comment about Daren11 was amazingly funny.

JTO was not supposed to split the reps and compete for the starting job, we all know how that turned out. I dont think we can safely say that Huard isnt in the running for starter despite what the team says, thats what scares me..

LOL Darren... you've become my eternal optimist on this blog.

Sorry to disappoint you, but my Chargers down here are more likely to beat the Niners to the punch. The Carson Chargers just didn't have a nice ring for Spanos, so he's just biding his time for the inevitable LA opportunity.

You're stuck with red and gold for awhile, through thick and thin.

The Niners badly need a #1 wideout, but please not the cancer T.O., besides they already have their version of T.O. in Vernon Davis. Looks like Huard was signed in case Smith changes his mind? Thanks for the updates Matt.

Seriously, what do you have to be proud of in the last 10 years? Being the joke of the NFL? Only the Bengals, Raider, and Lions are thought of as worse franchises. You make comments on here like we have been a powerhouse in the last decade. After Mooch left, this team has been a JOKE. Wake up.

Everybody realize that re-signing Rossum and Spikes back means that all the starters who went 5-3 to end the season will be back to start next season? I don't know the last time SF had all 26 starters (I count P, K, KR, and LS as starters) and the HC returning. Moran Norris adds still more. And we haven't yet used our #10 and #42 overall draft picks. The Niners are finally building some continuity. Look at the competition: AZ is the prohibitive favorite, and properly so, but they've lost at least one imporant starter (Pierce), both coordinators, and will have almost an entirely new RB corps -- and they barely beat SF last year...so let the wags rip the Niners for the next 6 months. After that, it's Physical with an F.

Funny you say no coaching well Singletary needs a chance to be proven a failure before you can call him a failure. Manusky's playcalling on D got a lot better with Nolan gone. We hired Tom Rathman as RBs coach who is going to do wonders. We now have a competant O-Line coach. Yes Raye isnt the "sexy" OC pick but as I said why not have the guy be a failure before calling him one. Saying he is a bad pick before he has even called one play is insanely stupid.

So wait you say we have no reserves in case key players get hurt right after blasting the team for lower tier singings? What would you have wanted us to do at WR over Jones? Pay Housh 6 mil a year when he is going to be 32 this coming season and we don't even know what he would be like without there being a true number 1 WR to protect him? Wouldn't that be what a lot of people complain about?(Signing number 2s and 3s instead of going for a number 1 WR) Just because he has great Fantasy stats lining next to Chad Johnson doesn't mean he is going to be the right WR for us(I am not assuming you wanted us to get Housh btw I am using this as an example).

These lower tier signings you are talking about are going to be those reserves who can come in when a key player goes down. Why trade for/sign someone when you can get that kinda player for much cheaper in the draft anyway. Yea getting a Warner would be great but we could probably draft a QB cheaper and have them give us more years. Why trade a first or second rounder for a Peppers or Suggs when you can pick an Orakpo(if he lasts at 10) or another DE/OLB with the 10th pick? Same goes for the need at RT and NT.

It's obvious that this year the team is taking the marathon approach to free agency and not just blowing their load early. I don't think we do any big signings unless someone is released before the draft.

whoa Az had to really dish out the mollah! 15 mil signing bonus plus 19/23 mil contract in first year! the 2 year 23 mil contract is so misleading when it's so front heavy.

cmon even you know Owens is getting closer to self destruct.....his numbers are declining because of his age, who do you think he his going to blame for his declining numbers, his age or his teammate/coach?......I can't believe owens is still high off that catch against greenbay....that play pretty much changed his life (and so many people in the nfl) and he never looked back.........

I had not realized. Great point Rich. I would have preferred offensive continuity by us keeping Martz but 100% starters is pretty darned good.

Shield, don't forget if Warner quits anytime he will have to pay back a pro-rated part of the signing bonus. It's called guaranteed but it's not guaranteed in all circumstances. Ask Ricky.

So maybe he gets paid in year 1 but he still has to earn half of it in year 2.

I support the team. Why do you think they call us the Faithful? We're farther along than we've been in a while. So far, all indications have pointed to the fact that Singletary has this team headed in the right direction. You act like Nolan's still here.

Seriously, what's the point of all the whining when we haven't even seen the finished product on the field yet? He's 5-4 as a HC so far. Until that changes for the worse, you can save all of your crying.

While there weren't many obvious big moves for the 49ers to make in free agency this year, there were a few. I wonder about Rocky Bernard and Canty. The price for Haynesworth made him ridiculous unless he was the single missing piece to a run at the Super Bowl. And I thought the Warner thing was ridiculous for all the reasons already mentioned on the blog. Their pick up of Evans makes me think that they might want to switch to a 4-3 if they cant draft Raji at #10 or move up in the draft to get him. My main point is, without a real stud at Nose Tackle you can't have an effective pass rush. We might already have the right Ends and Linebackers if we get a Nose that requires a double team.
At Safety, I expect McCloughan to use his great talent to trade Roman to Arizona for Keith Lewis.

The front heaviness of the contract is because of the niners offer. If they did the deal their way it would have been back heavy. So that if his performance next year isn't as good, they could dump him and save a lot of cash or force him to restructure. If he does suck next year and they dump him, he'll only be out 4 million the way the contract is now.

Glad MS wants NO PART of the T.O cancer! Here's a guy so full of himself he's just about self destructed. Couldn't even play for Dallas, who like the Raiders, take the scum and think they can make them into a polished professional. YEA RIGHT!
The Raiders aren't the Raiders they were 20 years ago! They used to take players who were just about at the end of being wanted by any team. They would come together with the winning players the Raiders had and made successful teams. It doesn't work that way today. Cohesion is long gone! Everybody cares about ME FIRST! That's one reason the Raiser's are confusion itself! And Dallas with their egotistical owner Jerry Jones, thinks it can do anything by just the touch of Jones' hand! And he fails every year.
T.O. Cancer might be cured by letting the guy sit out a year or two! But that won't happen! Some team who thinks they have the golden hand will pick this sad case for a professional football player up, and then their team will be infected with the Cancer he brings!

DirtyJersey9er,If he starts Alex Smith he's a failure. Alex Smith means another losing season.

So I shouldn't whine because I haven't seen them on the field, but you should gloat about how great they are and you haven't seen them on the field? Yeah that makes sense. You are a walking contradiction and delusional. I have more validity to criticize them because the evidence is there with a bare roster (two Pro Bowlers) and SIX straight losing seasons. My evidence is tangible. Your evidence is pure fantasy. Your arguments and reasoning are irrational and have no validity.

wasnt rocky benard the one who killed my QB - A.Smith?....thank God fatso is gone from our division....

Matt, you had a post toward the end of the season about the niners being closer to making the playoffs than perceived. I realize that this upcoming season is different, just as they are every year. But based on what has transpired this offseason, do you feel they have progressed, or regressed?

Your reading comprehension is severely lacking. I said that since Singletary has taken over, we've improved. In other words (words that maybe that you can understand), there's no reason to think we're not going to continue to build on what he started here, until we see otherwise this upcoming year. Did I put it simple enough for you?

Good post, Terry. I can hardly believe it's you.

Yes, very simple. I agree that we have no talent and no direction, thank you.

The Panthers and Falcons made the playoffs last year with ZERO pro bowlers on either team. Miami had ONE. Dallas had THIRTEEN, but failed to make the playoffs. Your constantly leaning on your two pro bowlers as your big wonderful proof that the Niners suck is clear evidence that the sucker is you.

Yes you simplified it well. I can fully understand now that you are a completely delusional idiot, thank you.

The Panthers and Falcons made the playoffs last year with ZERO pro bowlers on either team. Miami had ONE. Dallas had THIRTEEN, but failed to make the playoffs. Seahawks and Browns had SIX. Packers FIVE. See any winners in there? Your constantly leaning on your two pro bowlers (same amount as AZ) as your big wonderful proof that the Niners suck is clear evidence that the sucker is you.

San Diego already has a pretty good backup QB in Billy Volek. Although, I wouldn't mind if we some how landed him in exchange for Alex Smith :)

Matt:
What kind of fish was Hill fishing for? I mean Matt where is the beef with that interview?

No Jimmy Johnson Niners have 9 Trophies!! I know I keep saying it. But think about that Niner fans!! Jerry Jones is alter ego of Al Davis...however that works.
In the old days, Dallas was the All American Team Rodger the Dodger and all that puss and the EVIL Oakland Raiders..both great franchises 30 years ago. Now both are inept. It's fantastic!!

I had a conversion! And Geo was the preacher! Don't give in Skeebers! There's gonna be a change! And that's winning in itself!

San Diego already has a pretty good backup QB in Billy Volek. Now if Norv wants Alex Smith that bad, maybe we could get Billy Volek back in return. I wouldn't mind throwing in a 7th rounder to sweeten the pot.

That's funny Terry.

I haven't forgotten about you. I've got a few spring trainings games and things going on. I'll be emailing in the very near future.

It seemsas though Mike in SF#2 is positing a straw argument,i,e.g.,big free agent signings are stupid and hence we are playing it smart by making no-impact signings.Other than resignees,this team has done nothing to upgrade itself.Anyone who really gets it would expect us to address our crucial needs at tackle and safety in FA,not with big splashes like,ah,for example,Seau,Thomas and Harrison of the Pats,but with mid-level splashes like that Welker guy.Taking care of needs in FA and taking the BPA in the draft,is convetional coachiing wisdom.That doesn't make it right,maybe they get it either.

Despite the fact that the 49ers have had a very weak WR corps the last few years (worst in the NFL?), WR is still the easiest position to get a real good player (either by draft or FA). A number of them are available every single year. Isaac Bruce was a good pickup last year. Hill and Morgan look like good young players who can really make it (and maybe Ziegler as well) and there will certainly be good ones available in the draft (round 2, 3, 4). The hardest position to get a real good player? Easy. Pass rusher. There are very VERY few good ones in the entire league and even more difficult to evaluate in college than QBs. Owens? As he gets older, his physical skills start to mean less when balanced against his "QB killing" and "team killing" attitudes.

Wsmith - I suggest you check your sources as the Nineres have 8 pro bowlers on their roster: Spikes, Clemments, Lewis, Lee, Willis, Gore, Harris and Bruce. By my count that is 8 players, 4 of which made it in 49ers uniforms. We have another four that are close and were named as alternates. I know your outlook on life is always with a glass that is half empty but I suggest you lighten up a bit and enjoy it while it lasts. We are year two with Mc in charge and year 1 with Jed in charge. Let’s not forget Bill Parcells and Miami chased Mc hard last year to make him the GM of the Dolphins and he chose to stick around here. I supposed you think Parcells is an idiot for chasing Scot? Or maybe he knows a thing or two about the NFL.

Wsmith - I suggest you check your sources as the Nineres have 8 pro bowlers on their roster: Spikes, Clemments, Lewis, Lee, Willis, Gore, Harris and Bruce. By my count that is 8 players, 4 of which made it in 49ers uniforms. We have another four that are close and were named as alternates. I know your outlook on life is always with a glass that is half empty but I suggest you lighten up a bit and enjoy it while it lasts. We are year two with Mc in charge and year 1 with Jed in charge. Let’s not forget Bill Parcells and Miami chased Mc hard last year to make him the GM of the Dolphins and he chose to stick around here. I supposed you think Parcells is an idiot for chasing Scot? Or maybe he knows a thing or two about the NFL.

Mike in SF i just want a competent front office to start,I agree we dont need a lot of pricey free agents, But we do need people to run this organization with knowledge and pride. I am tired of being used as guinea pig by inexperienced coaches and GM's.

You're obviously not worth the time when all you can do is act like a tough guy hiding behind your keyboard calling other fans names. Way to argue your case little guy. With every comment you make, you expose what you really are...

Wsmith reality isnt something that isnt realized on this blog by many

dcsham are u serious? did Alex Smith's agent really go there where did u get this info?

Randy in Santa Rosa,

You can put RealityCheck in the same category as Wsmith. They have no game & there the type of people (not fans) who bitch & moan about their supposed team but yet don't have any intelligent solutions.

GeoMak,

Great post. Good insight. I agree with you in total.

Traj

Randy in Santa Rosa,

You can put RealityCheck in the same category as Wsmith. They have no game & there the type of people (not fans) who bitch & moan about their supposed team but yet don't have any intelligent solutions.

Thank you, everybody!

The course of this thread is a sterling example of why we don't want TO back on the 49ers. It seems to be infected by a cancer - call them fantrolls - fans whose lack of respect for the team make them virtually indistinguishable from regular garden-variety trolls.

Fantrolls, remember to keep supporting the team financially. Otherwise, you really are just trolls. Good thing you're not on the 49ers, though. I can't imagine a sucking sound loud enough to describe the impact your brand of respect would have on any team that would have you.

Thank you everybody!

The course of this thread is a sterling example of why we don’t want TO back on the 49ers. It seems to be infected by a cancer – call them fantrolls – whose lack of respect for the team make them virtually indistinguishable from regular garden-variety trolls.

Fantrolls, we support you as long as you are contributing financially to the team. Otherwise, you really are just trolls. Good thing you’re not on the 49ers, though. I can’t imagine a sucking sound loud enough to describe the impact your brand of ‘respect’ would have on any team that would accept you as a member.

You can put RealityCheck in the category of a knowlegdeable 49er fan who is smart enough to know when a team is being ran in the ground. As Judge Judy says "dont pee on my leg and tell me its raining" obviously F49er u enjoy getting pee on quite often and im quite sure u are holding a umbrella to stop the drench. You are more of a groupie than a fan having the nerve to critize fans who expect more from an regime that hasnt sniffed the playoffs in 6 years,You can be a groupie i am a fan who will expose groupies like you as u hang from the nutts of your the mediorce players who u worship.

So true. I might as well write off the 2009 season already, according to these whackjob "experts".

Insightful. Thanks.

I'm so glad you "faithful" are delusional and ok with losing year after year after year. You could write a fairly large book with your excuses and rationale for McClueless. When we win a Superbowl with McClueless as our GM, I promise you I will never come to this message board again with my "half empty glass" or "little man hiding behind a keyboard" issues. Until then, get a clue, the Niners suck.

It is obvious the way to get better is to add quality players to your roster, who fit the scheme you are trying to run. Whether or not you find these players in the draft or in free agency is irrelevant. It is ridiculous to say that you should only build your team through the draft and add depth through free agency (or vice versa.) Build your team by adding quality guys, who cares where they come from!

The 2009 SEASON:

The 49ers, in Mike Singletary's 1st full season, will end up between 7-9 and 12-4.

The worst they will be is 7-9. The best will be 12-4, IMHO!

Most likely (if I had to hazard a guess . . .9-7) and a dogfight to the finish with the Cards and Hawks for the division.

All things being equal, that would qualify as a pretty good season in Singletary's first full season.

All you people who are bitching about the Yorks. STFU. They may have made a million mistakes, but they did ONE thing right . . . they promoted MS.

All you people bitching about Scott McCloughan? STFU. Whatever players he and his scouts choose will be coached to the maximum of their potential by MS and his assistants.

Give this new regime more than five minutes to get this train wreck back on track!

Insightful. Thanks.

I sure hope that day comes sooner rather than later. In the meantime, wash your hands, it's time for dinner and a bedtime story.

I sure hope that day comes sooner rather than later. In the meantime, wash your hands, it's time for dinner and a bedtime story.

It looks like the Niners agree with you, Matt.

Matt,

In your experience of covering the 49ers, I would like to hear your earnest opinion of T.O. Was he a nice person with you when you talked with him in SF? Do you buy into all the media statements of him being a selfish "cancer," or do you feel that he just wants to win a Super Bowl so badly that he can't be happy unless his team wins the big one?

As always, thanks for your informative, level-headed, and unbiased reports on this blog!

Amen GEOMAK-everyone has right to express an opinion but the redundancies and sniveling negativity posted by some about the 49ers is quite simply boorish-once is enough...after that please tell your therapist!

Matt, what do you think is more likely to happen?
a. 49ers sign t.o.
b. 49ers sign torry holt if he is cut
c. trade for braylon edwards

T.O. NO! I think he should pursue his real dream and be a backup basketball player for the Washington Wizards which would be great for an I and me player or he can try to play baseball and get hit in the head like Deon. Well at least he was at his best for the 49ers, thanks T. Hopefully some crappy team will need a player to boost ticket sales instead of wins. To bad he cant his team to a 6th SB win, sorry.

Digital High Five!!

I've got to be honest. I'm a longtime Bears fan (and 40+ year NFL fan). I love MS and watched every Niner game since he took over.

I currently live in Phoenix (I moved here in 1994 to follow Buddy Ryan when he became HC of the Cards in 1994).

I must say that it's been quite shocking, over the past few months, listening to some (many) fans in the bay area. While you guys have every right to be disappointed and discouraged for what has gone on recently, many people just go on and on and on about the recent past.

The past is behind us all. look forward to the future. And the future in SF hasn't been this bright in a long, long time.

All positions on an NFL team are important (Owner, scouts, GM, HC, assistant coaches, players).

That said the MOST important person, is the HC. He's the "sun" around which everything else revolves. Think of Lombardi, Landry, Walsh, Parcells, Jimmy Johnson etc.

Mike Singletary IS the right HC for the Niners (or any other team). He is cut from the same cloth as those coaches I just mentioned. It's no guarantee of how he'll do, of course, but he has the DNA.

It makes me sick to my stomache the one of the all time great Bears (Samauri Mike) is now coaching the 49ers and we're stuck with a guy named Lovie, a crappy GM and cheap ownership.

I'm happy for you Niner fans but depressed over what's in Chicago.

It's a new era in Ninerland. Some people need to let go of the past a little and give the new regime' a chance here.

LOL-back at ya'

Interesting GeoMak-thanks for your honesty(I had a feeling you might be a disgruntled AZ fan previously but now I see more clearly)! I agree wholeheartedly about Coach Singletary and feel so fortunate to have him here and not to have lost him when he sought HC positions elsewhere! Mentioning him in lineage with the above with no small dash of Coach Wooten will(I trust) prove to be spot on! Welcome to the fold...

Question: Matt, In your experience of covering the 49ers, I would like to hear your earnest opinion of T.O. Was he a nice person with you when you talked with him in SF?

My response: There were times T.O. was absolutely great to be around. But he was undoubtedly the moodiest person I've been around in the 49ers' locker room. During his time with the 49ers, generally, the veterans did not think much of him. But he was very popular with some of his younger teammates. He was very nice about going out of his way and befriending some of the lesser-known players and undrafted guys. But there were many people -- employees and other teammates -- who considered him extremely rude. You just never knew what you were getting with Owens from one minute to the next. --Matt M.

Question: what do you think is more likely to happen? a. 49ers sign t.o. b. 49ers sign torry holt if he is cut c. trade for braylon edwards

My response: I don't think either of those three options is likely to happen, but definitely NOT option A. --Matt M.

Sorry -Typo- Coach Wooden!

Hi Matt

I remember you mentioning (during the scouting combine I believe) that you interviewed Jimmy Raye and were going to write about it in more detail. I know that other 49er happenings have kept you very busy. Wondering when the write up about your meeting with Jimmy Raye will happen

Thanks

Hi Matt

I remember you mentioning (during the scouting combine I believe) that you interviewed Jimmy Raye and were going to write about it in more detail. I know that other 49er happenings have kept you very busy. Wondering when the write up about your meeting with Jimmy Raye will happen

Thanks

Hi Matt

I remember you mentioning (during the scouting combine I believe) that you interviewed Jimmy Raye and were going to write about it in more detail. I know that other 49er happenings have kept you very busy. Wondering when the write up about your meeting with Jimmy Raye will happen

Thanks

Matt,

Is Alex Smith healthy enough to be a camp arm?

I think a lot of Niner fans are reacting to the harshly critical articles that were recently written, and I've got to admit it's hard not to get defensive when someone publicly demeans your team. Matt's earlier response that the media will laud a winner and trash a loser, while it didn't really tell us what we want to hear, is probably the best advice for the offended fan (not to mention a breath of fresh air coming from a journalist). The fact is, none of us or any journalists were in those front office meetings when they decided to bring in Warner for a visit, so none of us know what the reasoning was. I have to believe they realized signing Warner was a long shot, so it makes sense that their motivation might not have been to actually sign the guy. Last year, we were a botched Martz sequence from having the same record as the Cardinals, so weakening the Cards in any way could be enough to swing the divisional balance of power and spring us into the playoffs. It's possible we were simply driving up the price leaving the Cards a bit less to spend. Maybe we were just stalling to see if another team would jump into the fray and get Warner out of the division entirely.

The point is, I'm speculating, as is everyone who isn't privy to what went on in those front office meetings. We can argue that the front office needs to keep us better informed so imagination doesn't get the better of the public opinion of the franchise. But in the end, that's not really their job. As long as the Niners start winning more games, the front office is doing their job, and as Matt's earlier comment implied, we're just going to have to wait and see if our front office is competent or not.

Until then, you have to be at least somewhat encouraged by Sing's coaching style and the aggressiveness with which the team ended last season when it could have just as easily mailed it in. So expect criticism, doubt as well as blind optimism from people who don't know how this will play out and stay tuned for what the Niners accomplish on the field.

To me (as an outsider) I almost see some kind of inferiority complex at work here (along with a ton of negativity).

The Warner situation. Flip it around. Let's say Warner decides to test the market and the Niners don't give him a call. What's the FIRST thing people in the bay area are going to say? "How come we're not calling up Warner?" It's not like we still got Joe or Steve under center? Our front office is too cheap or not serious enough about winning. Damned if you do; damned if you don't.

To me, the front office was going to get criticized no matter what they did. It's stupid. Big deal. They took a longshot at getting a great player, if even just for a few years.

All I know is that earlier today, on ESPN radio, Ron Jaworski blistered, not the Niners, but the Cardinals over the Warner affair. Said (rightly so) that Warner has played great for the past two years and that he's personally carried the team on his shoulders. And yeah, he's got Boldin and Fitz but you still have to make the passes to those guys.

Said the Cardinals should have had Warner in their office the day AFTER the SB to start working on a new contract. said that it was CRAZY to even let Warner get on an airplane to go anywhere.

Blistered the Cards. Not one word of criticism of the 49ers.

BTW: This nonsense about how Warner didn't fit Singletary's system is hysterical (and ironic). Why? He didn't fit Ken Whisenhunt's system either! Really.

In 2007 Whisenhunt (his first year as HC) named Matt Leinart to start. After an early season ending injury to Leinart, Warner came in and and started 11 games and generally played very well.

After that season, Whisenhunt named Leinart to start the 2008 season. He did, however, relent a little and tell Warner he could compete for the job (which Warner ended up winning).

In the week one victory over the Niners last year, Warner lobbied the coaches at halftime to open up the offense more. And the rest, is history.

That said, Whisenhunt came from Pittsburgh a smash mouth team. His OC, Todd Haley is a disciple of Bill Parcells, a smash mouth coach. They wanted to run more of a balanced offense when they came to Phoenix which is one reason why they kept starting Leinart over Warner.

What happened in Arizona last year was almost accidental, in a way. But you play to your personnel. Late in the season Whisenhunt even admitted that he wish the offense was more balanced, but he conceded that that is difficult with guys like Warner, Boldin, Fitz and even Breaston playing pitch and catch so well.

Not only that, people make it sound like the Cardinal offense is some exotic passing scheme. It's not. The key to it working is what Jaworski alluded to in that ESPN conversation. It's Warner FINDING and HITTING the OPEN man. That's the key. And that's why Warner is an upgrade over most QB's in any type of offense. His ability to find and hit the open man.

In fact, a few Cardinal players on offense, when asked the big difference between Leinart and Warner said just that: "That Warner is quicker and better at finding, and then hitting, the open receiver."

hmm last time I checked the niners made the playoffs in 2003. so we are 6 years removed. before last year, cardinals last made a playoff appearance in 1975, so let's not crown the cardinals champs of the nfc west so quickly. here's hoping that history prevails over a team that made history.

TO IS A CANCER

I cannot tell you the relief that I felt when the Niners traded him. He followed a Great receiver (Rice) and two Nearly great receivers (Clark & J. Taylor) yet we never heard any of the drama from them that he caused. I was aware that the move would cost us games (and it did), but being used to humble players, I welcomed his departure.

Hating the East Coast ESPN bias I was glad to hear that he was going to Philly, I really didn't care for the fact that he screwed the Niners out of a trade with a half decent compensation (because he wanted to go to Philly), but I figured that they (Philly) would get what they deserved...and I was right.

It is not possible to be a true Niner fan and stand the Cowboys. Besides the history of the many legal problems with the team (players & Head Coach), no one I knew voted for them to be called "America's Team" so when I heard that they were going to be the recipients of ALL that he had to offer, I was ecstatic. After all my two favorite teams are the Niners and ANYONE that is playing against the Cowboys

I was also thankful that he didn't help them to obtain their 6th Superbowl Trophy (before SF reached that goal) because the image of him holding the Lombardi Trophy would be splatered over the TV, and we would have to hear him slam all of his prior teams (him saying) how they were nothing compared to him and his (cow)Boy's.

That being said, I would LOVE for the niners to sign TO. Not for his talent or potential. I would love to see it because he is incapable of thinking about anyone else but TO, and it would bring me pleasure to see Coach Mike Singletary kick his prima donna butt when he starts to act like football is a solo sport.

Now don't get me wrong I don't enjoy seeing people get the crap kicked out of them for no reason. I am saying that having had to listen to him whine for years and act a fool on ESPN is reason enough.

So PLEASE DO SIGN HIM at least until the first butt kicking

Please excuse that I posted this (incorrectly) as a comment on an old MM blog. It was not my intent to do multiple postings.

Do you think that if good ol' speed hungry Al Davis gets T.O. we will have a shot at Crabtree in the draft?

what are the chance of alex smith forcing the niners to release him so he can try to resurect his career elsewhere?

You are only making the other view point better with your comments. The ARI coaches may have moved away from their initial gameplan for Warner. But what would have happened when Warner continually "suggests" the offense work differentlt - and Singletary doesn't budge. Now Warner is unhappy. And you could have this constant butting of heads.

Gravelburn-point taken- criticism is not in itself negativity if it about something (not some private dealing with oneself) and certainly there is much to turn a critical eye towards in the 49er camp which will not mitigate until the seasons begins(and hopefully there are some notches in the win column). However posters who use any topic to spew the same anger laden premise over and over again are simply a drag to this forum provided by our generous host.

guerquin Smith doesn't have to force them to do anything. If he doesn't get a reduced deal done he'll be cut.

Matt,

I'll ask this question differently. With so many OT's out there in FA why haven't the 49ers made an effort to bring some in? Clearly there are some servicable OT's out there right? My thinking is by securing a veteran OT before the draft it opens up more possibilities to what the 49ers can do with pick#10

Would TO be a good mentor for VD. from my perspective enough said.

The thing with Warner is this. It was always a longshot. Even if he wanted to come to SF and even if MS was willing to open up the offense, with guys like Fitzgerald and Boldin it would have been quite different for Warner.

My main point (elsewhere) is that people who think that Warner could not be effective in more of a conventional, balanced offense are ignorant. Would he be happier in more of a passing offense? Yes. Would he be an improvement in Singletary's offense over guys like Hill and Smith? Yes.

The other point is that as a coach you have to be somewhat flexible and adjust to your personnel. If bay area native Tom Brady was a FA and said to the 49ers "I'd really like to finish my career with the Niners but I'd like for you guys to throw a little bit (not a ton) more, what do you think MS and company would say? I pretty sure it would be yes.

Finally, if a player suggests/wants to do something (a HOF type player) and it works and you're winning, a coach can live with that.

Sometime in November or December last season, there was a story in the Arizona Republic whereby Ken Whisenhunt was saying that he wished the Cards were more balanced on offense but hey, we're winning so I can live with it. (They did run the ball more in the playoffs, however).

Warner himself, around that same time, said that even though he loves to throw, he too almost wished they could run the ball a little more effectively, because it puts so much pressure on him to carry the team on his shoulders otherwise.

He even acknowledged the contradiction: That he loves his passing offense but wouldn't mind being a better running team.

You guys keep saying Singletary has "a vision", and you have no idea what that really means, and neither does Singletary.

What's the vision? Scaring the hell out of prospective coaches and players? Saying you want to be Physical with an F then pursuing a QB who needs to throw 40 times a game?

He doesn't have a vision. Neither does McCloughan. And neither does Jed.

Do you think it's a good sign when we can't even get good Free Agents to VISIT us???

You don't play close attention. He's already revealed something of his vision. He (like great coaches done by, eg. Vince Lombardi, Tom Landry, Bill Walsh) wants to prepare his men for the football field and beyond that for the rest of their lives.

You, like SO many people are completely ignorant when it comes to Warner. You make INCORRECT statements like this:

pursuing a QB who needs to throw 40 times a game?

Needs to throw 40 times a game?

Warner, while preferring to throw 40 times a game, doesn't NEED to do that. People make it sound like if he doesn't throw 40 times a game that he'll be the second coming of Ryan Leaf.

Anybody that doesn't think that Warner would have been an upgrade over Hill and Smith doesn't know much about football.

They took a (LONG) shot at an HOF type QB. It didn't work. Big Deal!

Agree with you here. All QB's would do better with a better running game and a more physical OL. A lot of people are doubting Sing and the front office, which is a natural thing to do given the low success rate the 49ers have been experiencing. It really comes down to winning. If they win, then Sing would be considered a genius with a vision. If they don't, he'd be perceived as a clueless phony. The exact same actions will be perceived at the opposite ends of the spectrum, depending on the results. I am optimistic that Sing will win because the game of football is more about execution than anything else.