3 positions that need to be addressed from now until training camp.

[phinfan2003]

1. A bulked up Smith may challenge at center.

2.Kendall Newsome: sleeper who showed ability.

3. One of us is a little confused here. In my mind, ss is the run support guy, and free saftey is the cover guy... Bua is a ss candidate... Meeuwssen is a fs candidate

Meeusssen is a FS coming out of college. I was referring to the fact that many publications stated that he was more suited for playing SS in the NFL.

 

[Bottle Nose]

Farsafety is pretty funny. If you heard Saban in those press conferences after the draft he was throwing out some crazy names as far as positions. When talking about Travis Daniels he said the kid played sub- safety, Money and Star positions on the field. Talk about a crazy defense Saban is brining in.

Yeah, I saw that and I was wondering if Saban was thinking of slow pitch softball where there is a sub-fielder...

 

[Bottle Nose]

Meeusssen is a FS coming out of college. I was referring to the fact that many publications stated that he was more suited for playing SS in the NFL.

The stuff I read just this afternoon read on him stated he was a drag them down tackler(whatever that means), and that although he has a excellent bod, he plays soft....

Thats what I meant when I thought he was more suitable for free saftey.

 

[jguig]

Bottom line...... One draft will not turn this ship around. It took Wanny a few years to wreak his brand of destruction. It will take another draft to bail us out. Now, at least, there is cause for hope. We have a leader who just gave us a solid draft. Hail Saban !

 

[dolfanmark]

Actually, I'm not that worried about the o-line, although I would like see an improvement from McKinney at C. The line played a lot better when Bates made Wise simplify the blocking schemes. And we have a lot of players competing for spots, so there's a lot of guys to choose from.

Also, we have 8 or 9 safeties on the roster. And I think Mario Edwards or Travis Daniels could wind up moving to FS, so there's a lot of options there, too.

We really need more depth at WR. Derrius Thompson has proved that he's slow, and gets no separation from defenders. Gilmore is fast, but can't catch the ball. No one else on the roster has shown anything at the pro level. In the NFL, you need 3 guys that are starting caliber, and another 1-2 guys that can contribute. And with a question mark at QB, you want that QB surrounded with as much talent as possible. If Chambers or Booker were to get hurt, there is not anyone on the roster that anyone in their right mind would want starting. We've got a little cap room after the Surtain trade. So in addition to looking for undrafted free agents, like Tony Madison from Kansas State, I think we need to bring in 1 or 2 NFL free agents. These guys are available:
Corey Bradford
Troy Walter
Troy Brown
Bobby Shaw
Tai Streets
Curtis Conway
Charles Lee

 

[phinfan2003]

Actually, I'm not that worried about the o-line, although I would like see an improvement from McKinney at C. The line played a lot better when Bates made Wise simplify the blocking schemes. And we have a lot of players competing for spots, so there's a lot of guys to choose from.

Also, we have 8 or 9 safeties on the roster. And I think Mario Edwards or Travis Daniels could wind up moving to FS, so there's a lot of options there, too.

We really need more depth at WR. Derrius Thompson has proved that he's slow, and gets no separation from defenders. Gilmore is fast, but can't catch the ball. No one else on the roster has shown anything at the pro level. In the NFL, you need 3 guys that are starting caliber, and another 1-2 guys that can contribute. And with a question mark at QB, you want that QB surrounded with as much talent as possible. If Chambers or Booker were to get hurt, there is not anyone on the roster that anyone in their right mind would want starting. We've got a little cap room after the Surtain trade. So in addition to looking for undrafted free agents, like Tony Madison from Kansas State, I think we need to bring in 1 or 2 NFL free agents. These guys are available:
Corey Bradford
Troy Walter
Troy Brown
Bobby Shaw
Tai Streets
Curtis Conway
Charles Lee

Bradford re-signed w/ the Texans. From that list, I would take Lee.

 

[phinfan2003]

Bottom line...... One draft will not turn this ship around. It took Wanny a few years to wreak his brand of destruction. It will take another draft to bail us out. Now, at least, there is cause for hope. We have a leader who just gave us a solid draft. Hail Saban !

What a buzz kill man! I still want my team to compete and with my heart I expect them to win it all. I don't like going into the season thinking we're one year away. Who would have thought the Chargers would have made the playoffs after being having the worst record in 2003?

 

[Jaj]

I hope another QB that we could develop drops off of one of the teams that got QBs. Arizona probably won't drop Navarre. S.F. if they can't complete a trade for anyone may drop Pickett who is a good developmental passer. I dono what's going to happen to Chris Simms in T.B. now.

 

[jlfin]

Left tackle will get taken care of next draft. 4 very nice prospects that are better the Barron in next years draft. 6-10 or 7-9 should put us in position to draft one of them.

You will be sorely disappointed then, because there is no way this team wins only 6-7 games this year. Heck, they almost won that many last season even with all the problems. This will be a well coached and disciplined team.

 

[dolphingator]

I hope another QB that we could develop drops off of one of the teams that got QBs. Arizona probably won't drop Navarre. S.F. if they can't complete a trade for anyone may drop Pickett who is a good developmental passer. I dono what's going to happen to Chris Simms in T.B. now.

Jaj I am in that line of thinking too, but those kind of guys have already shown they are not franchise-caliber though. I would NEVER have argued for drafting Chris Simms, I knew he would be a bust. I really want an INTELLIGENT guy, a smart decision maker, a guy whose Wonderlic is off the chart. That's about 10,000X more important than a strong arm because that guy can use what he has and won't play beyond his abilities.

 

[DeathStar]

what happened to shazor?

 

[Jaj]

Jaj I am in that line of thinking too, but those kind of guys have already shown they are not franchise-caliber though. I would NEVER have argued for drafting Chris Simms, I knew he would be a bust. I really want an INTELLIGENT guy, a smart decision maker, a guy whose Wonderlic is off the chart. That's about 10,000X more important than a strong arm because that guy can use what he has and won't play beyond his abilities.

I would have liked Orlovsky this year. We'll see if someone drops a decent QB who can be developed. Keys for this system are. A deep ball, good size, decent enough height, an intelligent guy, someone who can sling it accurately. I thought Guidugli would have made sense, but I guess not. Robert Kent from last year would have fit this mold as well.

 

[DannyNoonan]

Actually, I'm not that worried about the o-line, although I would like see an improvement from McKinney at C. The line played a lot better when Bates made Wise simplify the blocking schemes. And we have a lot of players competing for spots, so there's a lot of guys to choose from.

Also, we have 8 or 9 safeties on the roster. And I think Mario Edwards or Travis Daniels could wind up moving to FS, so there's a lot of options there, too.

We really need more depth at WR. Derrius Thompson has proved that he's slow, and gets no separation from defenders. Gilmore is fast, but can't catch the ball. No one else on the roster has shown anything at the pro level. In the NFL, you need 3 guys that are starting caliber, and another 1-2 guys that can contribute. And with a question mark at QB, you want that QB surrounded with as much talent as possible. If Chambers or Booker were to get hurt, there is not anyone on the roster that anyone in their right mind would want starting. We've got a little cap room after the Surtain trade. So in addition to looking for undrafted free agents, like Tony Madison from Kansas State, I think we need to bring in 1 or 2 NFL free agents. These guys are available:
Corey Bradford
Troy Walter
Troy Brown
Bobby Shaw
Tai Streets
Curtis Conway
Charles Lee

I agree on the WR issue: really a need for us now not having addressed it in the draft.

Yes, Bradford is signed already.

Other possibilities, as mentioned in other threads:
Az-Zahir Hakim is available (great choice for the 3rd WR)
David Boston (may not sign with the 49ers since they drafted a WR)

My list:
1. Hakim (go after him right away...just what we need)
2. Boston
3. Conway
4. Streets
5. Brown
6. Lee

I agree that the O-Line should be much better: new scheme, new coach, added two OTs (McDougle and Alibi). We are young here and have talent...I think Houck should help tremendously.

I disagree with you somewhat on the Safety issue. We do have a number of possibilities, but no one I'm comfortable with. We need to sign a veteran FA FS...perhaps someone will get released after June 1. Either that, or we'll have to count on getting very lucky that one of Tillman, Bell, or a converted CB steps up.