Poised for Free Agency

ESPN is reporting that the 49ers have axed safety Keith Lewis and pass rusher Tully Banta-Cain. The report says the team will save over $2 million. The big savings will come with either the release or the restructure of quarterback Alex Smith's deal. The 49ers were already in the top third in terms of cap space and now they'll have even more money available. The question is, who should they spend it on?

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | February 10 2009 at 11:45 PM

We've Seen This Before

The 49ers are 3-10 and at the tail end of another wasted season. The coach and quarterback appear to be at odds, the offense is putrid, fans are upset and screaming for action and what do the 49ers do? They hire a marketing guy and squelch rumors that John York is getting called back to Youngstown.

In a conference call to announce the hiring of marketing man Andy Dolich, the 49ers' newest executive said, "We have enough quality football people."

Oh really?

The 49ers list Mike Nolan, Scot McCloughan (vice president of player personnel) and Lal Heneghan, who's executive vice president of football operations as their main football people. Heneghan also functions as the team counsel and has little impact on the football side unless it involves a legal issue or the league. Director of football operations Paraag Marathe is the team's lead negotiator, handles salary-cap issues and oversees a team of interns, who develop statistical charts for player evaluation.

Terry Tumey handles budgets for the football side and does some contract negotiations and cap compliance. Tumey also played briefly for the Broncos. He has an MBA, as does Marathe. Heneghan is a lawyer. So other than the coaching and scouting staffs, the only people with pure football backgrounds are Nolan, McCloughan and director of pro personnel Tom Gamble.

On the business side, the 49ers have four vice presidents - one for stadium operations, another for communications, one for finance and a sales and marketing VP, who Dolich will replace.

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Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | December 14 2007 at 04:35 PM

It's good to be Green

Baffling that Roderick Green, oh ye of four sacks in very limited minutes last year, wasn't signed to an NFL team until now. And that team is the 49ers.

They signed the fifth-year veteran and former Raven today. Pressure and sacks have suddenly been extremely rare for the 49ers in the last four games. But the main issue seems to be quarterbacks getting rid of the ball faster than a lack of pressure. Nevertheless, Tully Banta-Cain has been slowed by the ankle injury he sustained in the Baltimore game on Oct. 7. And at this stage the 49ers need all the help they can get.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | November 07 2007 at 02:27 PM