The coach is well dressed and our 49ers are suddenly “chic” again! In other words they are considered a popular pick to make some noise not only in the NFC West, but the entire National Football League. As we get ready to open up camp, I thought it would only be appropriate to break down this team and the questions that surround it!
You know that the powers that be are starting to take notice when you get 4 prime time games in one season! An argument could be made that we have not been this popular since right before the wheels fell off our dynasty… That is for another day I want to concentrate on the here and now.
It starts with the man who took this job Mike Nolan who is entering his 3rd season as our head coach. It seems like every move that he has made since being hired have been the right ones. He and Scott McCloughan a.k.a. McNolan, have made a fantastic combination & they are just getting started!
The moves this past off season have been aggressive, well thought out starting with the free agent signing of Nate Clements. Clements as we all know was one of the premiere players available & McNolan wasted no time having him on the phone only a few minutes after the start of the free agency period in early March. They then proceeded to quickly get him signed to a block buster 8 year 80 million dollar deal. His talent will be on display early as we take on our arch rival in the 2nd game of the Monday night opening double header, against a team the Arizona Cardinal that has given us fits for several years. It is no secret that we struggle against A. Bolden and L. Fitzgerald & company. I think that Nate C. will have something to say about that in “Prime Time” on 9-10-07! Some say that we over paid because he’s “no Champ Bailey” but that is not fair because who is? We now have one of the best corners in the league on our team, a player that can shut down his 1/3 of the field. He’s young, durable, & has team player written all over him. Money well spent & he will live up to the hype plus tax!
Tully Banta Cain enjoyed a career year during the 06 season recording 5 ½ sacks while rushing the quarterback. The former Patriot is familiar with the 34 defense and should find his comfort zone with the 49ers early into the new season. I am looking forward to seeing what he can bring to our revamped defense.
Aubrayo Franklin is a player that Nolan is familiar with from his days as defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens. This is another player that McNolan had in their sights early in the free agent period. It is no secret that you need a big stout nose tackle to run a successful 34 defense. While A. Franklin is somewhat anonymous right now, it really sounds like Nolan feels he is just the type of player at that position this team has needed since Nolan took this job.
Safety Michael Lewis acquired from the Eagles is a hard hitter who brings an intimidating presence to the secondary. Lewis is better against the run then he is in coverage but with guys like Nate Clements and Walt Harris likely the starters at corner, the 49ers are hoping that Lewis can regain the pro bowl form he displayed in the 05 season.
With 11th pick in the first round the 49ers took the best player available in P. Willis who will really push aging veteran Derek Smith. This past off season Smith had eye surgery to correct a vision problem that contributed to Smith not leading the team in tackles for the first time in several years. The proud savvy veteran will not just hand the starting position to P. Willis, and this will be another very interesting story line in camp. While D. Smith might start early we all know that the talented rookie will see a ton of playing time this season. Wow, it felt great to type that!
Jim Tomsula will be expected to breathe some new life into our defensive line. While under the radar Nolan has stated repeatedly that he has the utmost confidence in Tomsula’s motivating & teaching ability.
Finally, on the defensive side of the ball Nolan hired Greg Manusky as his new defensive coordinator. Manusky learned from Wade Phillips who is widely considered one of the very best 34 tacticians in the entire N.F.L. Despite the fact that Manusky has never called a defense, Nolan feels that he is ready to step in and make an immediate impact on a defense that desperately needs to find a leader at defensive coordinator.
The offense will also have a new leader in Alex’s former quarterbacks coach in Jim Hostler. Hostler was hired to fill the very large shoes of Norv Turner, who decided to take the head coaching job with the Chargers. Hostler recently said that he will integrate parts of the West Coast Offense to go along with the offense that Turner installed here last season. Hostler will have more weapons this season then Norv enjoyed in 06!
It still shocks me that we were able to land Darrel Jackson from the Sea-Chickens for a 4th round pick. Jackson who was leading the league in touch down receptions late into last season, brings allot to the table as a play maker and should really help make our offense more versatile.
Ashley Lelie is expected to enter camp healthy after not showing the team anything since we signed him. A fast receiver if he can get on the field, he will be a “stretch the field” type of receiver that we have not enjoyed since the departure of the volatile Terrell Owens.
Future left tackle Joe Staley was drafted # 28 over-all after a draft day trade that saw the aggressive McNolan send next year’s first rounder to the Patriots. In his rookie season Staley will push the under achieving Kwame Harris at right tackle. Watching this kid’s high light reel we got a steal & a player that figures to be a fixture on our line for the next 10 years. He will have his work cut out to win a starting position in his rookie season but early on he’s really impressed the coaches.
The new special team’s coordinator is Al Everest who like the previously mentioned will be expected to keep that unit rolling smoothly along. The former special teams coach for the Saints has enjoyed tremendous success. He should continue to the same success here with guys like Nedney, and recently resigned & underrated punter A. Lee and company.
McNolan expects this team to make the playoffs now. For that too happen the new free agents, and all 3 new coordinators, will have to get on the same page early.
Alex Smith will also be expected to bring his game to the next level, as this team will only go as far as he takes us. He showed us a few glimpses last season, and with guys like super star in the making Frank Gore; and Vernon (Duke) Davis ready to step up, not too mention the free agent acquisitions previously mentioned, there is no reason to believe that Smith will not have a very solid season.
All together the 49ers spent 130 million in inflated contracts 39.7 of that bread was “guaranteed” money! McNolan expects results on that tremendous investment. If the team fails to make the play- offs worse yet, have a winning season what happens in the 2008 off season at 49 49 Cent. Blvd.? Not an issue as we will win 10 games minimum and qualify for the post season as N.F.C. West division champions baby. Still, it is an interesting question no?
Now that Nolan does not have to hold Billy Davis’s hand on game days will he be a more effective head coach? Will he go for it on 4th and centimeters or kick the field goal…..?? We all know that he will look sharp on game days after recently receiving permission to wear a suit for all of our home games! Nolan is going to be a better coach this season, & if he sucks at least he will look good while doing so!
And will someone please tell me who is going to start on our offensive line? We enter the season with all five of our starters from last year’s very successful unit. This year however, we hear that Baas is ready to step up, Big Smiles is in the final year of his contract (as is K. Harris), and we just invested a first round pick in Joe Staley. Who gets traded or do we keep everyone and let the chips fall where they may next off season? I would love to see Baas show enough to win a job giving us the option of landing a sweet 08 first day draft pick for Big Smiles versus letting him walk for notta. Trust me their will be injuries in camp to other teams, again McNolan are handling this beautifully! Stay tuned….
The banner is still hanging outside our locker room! Is this the year that we finally claim our first divisional title in 5 long ass seasons?
Finally, we get too talk about “the man” Frank Gore who has his eye on Eric Dickerson’s N.F.L. record 2,105 yards. Like all of us I love Gore and respect him & his story so much. Still, I do not want him touting the rock that much this season. Frank turned 24 this past May & I want him to play effectively into his late 20’s. When you look at his 1,695 yards last season I think that a few of us forget that he did that on 2 rebuilt knees (and after off season surgery to both shoulders), which still boggles my mind! The guy has tremendous heart, courage, and while Nolan supports his endeavor, I do not think he will get the carries necessary to pull it off. I expect M. Rob. To be a very steady reliable back up in his 2nd season, taking some heat off “the man”.
The 49ers are 20-1 to make the BOWL not 2-1 like the Pats however; all things considered it is a very nice start… McNolan are killing it in only year 3 baby who would have thought it?
No band wagon fans allowed. If you jumped off when we were down then go rout for the Patriots or worse yet the GURLS. We don’t want you anymore…
If you didn’t then grab yourself a girl put on your suit & let’s backs them up!!!! No wonder it is suddenly “chic” to be a 49ers fan again!
Author
