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Displaying 1 - 10 of 11 |
Next »Linebackers
Merriman: Would signing him make Manusky a merry man ?
Mike Singletary poo-pooed his team's possible interest in the soon-to-be-released Shawne Merriman, but Merriman's one-time position coach lauded the former Pro Bowl pass rusher. "When I had him four years ago, Shawnie was a great football player," Manusky said. "I love everything about him. He's a true football player."
Manusky didn't reveal whether the team would take a look at Merriman, who hasn't played a full season in three years because of a litany of injuries. He was also suspended in 2006 allegedly because of steroids.
Nobody better at pass protection than Gore.
THE GORE QUESTION: CBS maintains Frank Gore accounted for 55 percent of the 49ers offense during Sunday's telecast. The actual figure is around 40 percent and that percentage might be going down.
Offensive coordinator Mike Johnson said the team is going to incorporate others into the offense and might mean running back Brian Westbrook. Even though Eagles coach Andy Reid called Westbrook the smartest player he ever coached, the 49ers are still wary of his ability to pass protect.
"We do more than most teams do in terms of re-directing the protections," said Johnson, which makes learning the protections without a training camp a protracted process. And then there's the fact that Frank Gore might be the best pass-protecting running back in this or any other galaxy. So good, that Gore consistently makes up for deficities in protection.
"I can't imagine anyone better," Alex Smith said. "He puts so much into it, and he's so instinctive."
NOTES: Linebacker Takeo Spikes turned back to his locker after coming out of the players' lounge to see a bright yellow LSU tee-shirt in his locker courtesy of alum Ricky-Jean Francois. The two then went back-and-forth about the Tigers' clash with Auburn, which is where Spikes went to school. ... Spikes and Manusky said the difference this year is not that more teams are devoting lineman to Patrick Willis, it's that other players around Willis aren't stepping up to make tackles.
| October 21 2010 at 01:09 PM
The Manny Lawson Debate
Excuse me while I prune and weed a little. The blog went fallow for 11 days while I vacated for vacation and colleague David White was preoccupied at Pebble. I've returned just in time for the opening of the true offseason - no more OTA's or minicamps, drafts or big signings.
Instead, we have a hallowing silence until Aug. 2 and the start of training camp. Fortunately, the 49ers experienced an very uneventful off-season on the field, with no big injuries. Even most of their somewhat balley-hooed semi-holdouts: cornerback Shawntae Spencer, linebacker Manny Lawson, cornerback Nate Clements, and nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin returned for the mandatory mini. All but Franklin reported for the team's mandatory camp last weekend, with Clements, Lawson and Spencer staying away and missing volunatary workouts because they wanted work out on their own and spend time with their families. Meanwhile, Franklin's absence is hardly surprising - those receiving the franchise tag, typically wait until the last minute to sign it.
Is Manny Lawson up in arms about his contract?
The most intriguing of all these semi-holdouts is Lawson. He led the team in sacks with 6.5 and, more importantly, he constantly contained runs to his side. Lawson seems to be finally realizing his first-round potential. However Lawson has competition, chiefly, from Ahmad Brooks. In limited time, Brooks made six sacks, in fact when he started playing more in the last six games, Brooks collected five sacks; but can he set the edge like Lawson?
Not only that, which player is going to progress faster? With those crucial questions looming, the 49ers have little incentive to lock up Lawson. Consequently, Lawson will likely play his final season at $630,000 in salary, while Brooks ($4.2 million over two years) and Travis LaBoy (1 year, $1.6 million) make more. That's probably what's most irksome for Lawson. However, that blow should be softened by the fact Lawson will have made $7.5 million over the last five seasons. So no reason to shed tears.
| June 21 2010 at 03:30 PM
A night Willis won't forget
Once I started to ask the question to 49ers coach Mike Singletary on Tuesday after Patrick Willis's news conference, he knew exactly what I was going to say and he started to chuckle. I was asking about a now infamous meeting during Willis's rookie year, when Willis inadvertently took on his coaches.
During training camp that summer, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky had ducked into the linebackers room to ask if any players had questions about the overall scheme. Manusky wanted to know how his players were fitting in.
Willis took it as a chance to clear his mind.
"I don't even know why you drafted me," Willis answered. At that point veteran linebacker Hannibal Naives started tapping Willis's chair with his foot. Naives was trying to get Willis to shut up, Willis thought Naives was encouraging him to keep going.
"I'm not a 3-4 linebacker," Willis continued and he went on for a while. "I'm a 4-3 middle linebacker. Why am I even here?"
After Manusky left, Willis stayed in the linebackers room at the request of his position coach at the time, Singletary.
Once the rest of the linebackers left, Singletary lit into him. "Who are you to say anything! You're a rookie! You're nothing!" Singletary railed at him.
That night, Willis said he cried on the way home and then he quickly became the linebacker that was rewarded with a five-year extension, one that will pay him $29 million in guarantees and one that will jump his salary from $900,000 to $11 million this year.
"He grew up that night," Singletary said, still smiling. "He learned a lot about himself, he learned a lot about me. He really grew up that night. That's all I'll say."
That single night didn't turn Willis into an All-Pro. But he did learn about the NFL, and he learned what it meant to play for Singletary, a man he continued to compliment during his news conference on Tuesday.
Of course all that is in Willis's past, what's in his future is much more intriguing. Singletary said Tuesday during the news conference that Willis still has a long way to go. In comparing him to Baltimore's Ray Lewis, Singletary said, "He can do all the things Ray can do ... Ray is going to do it one way. Pat is going to do it another way. He's still working on his technique."
A scary thought for Willis, who at one point thought he'd never make it as a Mike Singletary-coached linebacker.| May 04 2010 at 02:35 PM
Willis signs five-year extension
In possibly the best news for 49ers fan this offseason, the 49ers signed Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis to a five-year contract extension. Terms of the deal aren't official, but it's said to potentially be worth $50 million. The 49ers are planning a news conference with Willis this afternoon.
"I am very proud of what Pat has been able to accomplish," 49ers coach Mike Singletary in a statement. "He is the epitome of what a 49er is all about. Pat has had to overcome a lot in his life and has maintained the ability to stay focused on his goals. Before it is all said and done, he may go down as one of the best to play the position. I am thankful that our organization has realized Pat is one of the core pieces to this puzzle, and I am excited for our community, fans, coaches and players, that we will have Pat here for a very long time."
If the 49ers are going to be successful, it will be Willis who will lead them. The team's best player has won all the accolades, first-team All-Pro, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and has been the NFL's leading tackler the last three seasons according to league rankings. Willis also leads all NFL linebackers with 18 passes defensed since 2008.
| May 04 2010 at 12:03 PM
Ulbrich out
The 49ers placed linebacker Jeff Ulbrich on injured reserve with the after affects from a concussion. Coach Mike Singletary said the decision was made after Ulbrich went through a series of tests last week at Stanford and after consultation with Ulbrich and his family.
Singletary said Ulbrich will be away this week but will continue to be involved with the team as a quasi-coach for the rest of the season. Ulbrich will sit in meetings and maybe even travel. The one who might miss him the most on the field is Patrick Willis.
"I remember one preseason game my rookie year he was calling out the plays, run or pass," Willis said. "It made me look real good. Not having him on the field is like losing a brother."
Willis said Ulbrich not only helped him when he was a rookie to eventually take over his position, Ulbrich would ask questions in meetings for Willis so the rookie didn't look bad.
Everyone seemed supportive of the decision.
"That's something you can't mess around with, your brain," said defensive end Justin Smith, who's one of Ulbrich's best friends on the team.
Ready, Rotate!: Tony Pashos now has a starting job. He'll be the right tackle because Adam Snyder will rotate with Chilo Rachal at right guard, where Rachal has struggled, particularly in pass protection. Snyder dearly wanted to lose his typecast as a guard/tackle before the season and that's what motivated him to talk to Singletary about competing for the right tackle spot, which he won over the now retired Marvel Smith. Now Snyder will have to switch, again, to guard.
"I told him, 'Look, you are a starter in the NFL,'" said Snyder's good friend, left tackle Joe Staley, "not many people can say that."
Singletary said Snyder was enthusiastic about the chance."He saw the opportunity," Singletary said.
More for Crabtree?: Singletary refused to expound on his offensive coordinator's comment that rookie Michael Crabtree will get a few looks in Houston this Sunday as a slot receiver in the 49ers three-receiver set. However, he did seem satisfied with Crabtree's progress so far, as did Shaun Hill.
"Physically, he's much bigger than he appears," Hill said of his newest weapon. "He plays big. He has very strong hands and he attacks the ball."
Wilhelm Signed: If the 49ers ever found a good replacement for Ulbrich, it's Matt Wilhelm, the former Charger who played under defensive coordinator Greg Manusky in San Diego. Wilhelm was an inside linebacker in Manusky's scheme since he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2003 draft. He was in the Eagles training camp this summer but had difficulty converting to a 4-3 and didn't make the team.
"I know the meat and potatoes of this defense," Wilhelm said. He also is likely to replace Ulbrich on special teams.
| October 19 2009 at 12:52 PM
Brooks Claimed
The 49ers gambled Sunday, releasing a solid character and able player in Dontarrious Thomas, and replacing him with the sometimes troubled and sometimes ill-motivated Ahmad Brooks. The team nearly nabbed Brooks in the 2006 supplemental draft, the 49ers were willing to part with a 4th-round choice for Brooks, who had been booted off the University of Virginia team for academic and legal problems.
The Bengals surrendered a third-rounder for Brooks in the 2006 supplemental draft and recently waived him during Sunday's last round of cuts. At 260 pounds and a one-time candidate for the Butkus award at Virginia, Brooks is a malleable player with the talent to pass-rush, tackle and cover. In his rookie season in Cincinnati, Brooks started five games and last season he won the job at middle linebacker. In season opener against the Ravens, Brooks made eight tackles, a sack and forced a fumble, and seemingly, was fulfilling his potential.
The next week he sustained a groin injury against the Browns. A chronic problem since college, Brooks underwent season-ending surgery.
Brooks was shifted from the middle to strong outside linebacker this year and he quickly sank in the depth chart from second to third string early in training camp under new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
It's likely the 49ers will station Brooks at ted, the strong outside spot, the position he didn't take to in Cincinnati. The team might feel that Brooks could respond in San Francisco with the inspirational Mike Singletary as his position coach and leaders like Patrick Willis and Jeff Ulbrich as his fellow linebackers.
Even though it's a gamble to waive Thomas, the 49ers don't lose too much by releasing him. He didn't pan out at the strong-side linebacker spot and was shifted to back up Willis on the weak side. Now Brooks will compete with Ulbrich and Takeo Spikes at the ted spot.
Brooks's signing might be a commentary on Spikes, who has yet to over take Ulbrich as the starting ted. Read More 'Brooks Claimed' »
| August 31 2008 at 02:36 PM
Spikes Signed
Takeo Spikes has signed, and he will be available to the media Monday.| August 10 2008 at 09:05 PM
No More Moore
I just talked to Brandon Moore, who was released by the 49ers earlier Sunday. He was matter of fact, although he did admit to being surprised. Moore has always been classy in his dealings with the media. He's been available and thoughtful in his answers, and obviously never shied away from the tough interview. Here's what he had to say.
Brandon Moore out, Takeo Spikes in?
Why did this happen: "I guess they wanted to go in a different direction and I wasn't in their future plans."
Is that what they told you: "Not in so many words. Obviously I didn't have the year I wanted to have last year and Patrick had a great year."
What do you mean you didn't have the year you wanted to have: "I could only control my part and obviously, I didn't play as much as I wanted. In was one of those situations where I would have loved to play more."
Do you think they cut you to make room for somebody else like Takeo Spikes: "Yes. I think that's probably the direction they want to go."
You came from being undrafted to a starter, do you reflect on that at a time like this: "I'm thankful to the 49ers. They allowed me to accomplish some of my goals."
Is this an opportunity for you: "Yes. Its a situation where you want to go where you are celebrated, not tolerated. In many ways, I look at this as a gift."
I never quite understood the 49ers handling of Moore after the 2006 season when he led them in tackles with 114 and sacks with 6.5. He was also named the Matt Hazeltine winner, awarded to the most courageous and inspirational defensive player by vote of his teammates.
Nevertheless, Patrick Willis was drafted and rightly took over at the mike, which is where Moore had played. But at 240, I figured Moore would move over to play in Derek Smith's spot at the "ted" particularly after Smith started to struggle there. But that never happened.
The "ted" is a different position that calls upon the linebacker to play over the guard or center and occupy blockers so the "mike" can make tackles. But the ted also must tackle and play in coverage. Obviously, the 49ers coaches didn't think he could handle that position and that's why they made Jeff Ulbrich the starter there.
The last part of the interview was interesting. I heard last week that the Spikes talks were heating up and wouldn't be surprised if he or somebody else was signed soon. Stay tuned.
| August 10 2008 at 01:41 PM
Butler Cut
Humble, soft-spoken and loaded with promise, 49ers free-agent linebacker Ezra Butler would be the last person one would expect to be caught in a 2008 Hummer on suspicion of DUI with a marijuana in the car at 11:30 at night in Reno. But that's what happened on Saturday night. On Tuesday, the 49ers released him.
A South African, Butler wound his way out of the country by first playing cricket in England and then landed in Southern California at the behest of his Uncle Jonathan, a Grammy Award-winning Gospel singer. There, he played football.
"I didn't know what 'down' meant until my sophomore year," Butler said at the 49ers' May minicamp. He also said the transition was difficult from South Africa and London to California. He was teased because of his accent.
But his uncle thought it was worth it. In South Africa, there are blacks, whites and coloreds, Butler said. As a colored, he was on the bottom of the social order "I came here because of the opportunity," he said.
At nearly 6-2, the 245-pound Butler runs a scary 4.57 40-yard dash and was a mad tackler his junior season at Nevada-Reno with 75 tackles, 15.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and five and a half sacks. He kept it up his senior year with 87 tackles, 12.5 behind the line and two-and-a-half sacks. But that's when he showed his first sign of trouble. Last season he was suspended for a game for breaking team rules. He also tested positive for pot.
A hamstring pull kept him from participating in the combine, and to his surprise, he went undrafted. A number of teams wanted to sign him as a free agent, but he chose the 49ers because of the 3-4 scheme and the greater possibility of making the team.
One NFL scout tagged Butler as a second-round talent and strongly urged his team to take him in the sixth round. But ultimately his team, like many others, was scared off by the positive drug test.
Now, Butler is threatening to fade away altogether. Another team might take a chance on him, but the more likely route is to prove himself in the Arena League or the CFL. The incident in Reno is too bad for Butler and the 49ers, who were working him at the inside "ted" linebacker spot.
| May 27 2008 at 07:36 PM
The Take On Takeo
As Jim Lehrer would say, "First, the news of this Thursday:"
49ers quarterback Trent Dilfer is a 49er no longer, at least for now. The team announced today they are terminating his contract rather than pay a March 15 roster bonus of reportedly, $500,000.
But Dilfer expressed a desire a week ago to work for the 49ers in some capacity in the future. Dilfer still needs to decide whether he'll retire after playing for 14 seasons for five different teams (Tampa Bay, Seattle, Baltimore, Cleveland, and the 49ers).
He went to the Pro Bowl in 1997 and won a Super Bowl in 2000 with the Ravens. Dilfer said he was leaning towards retirement after the 49ers signed former UC Davis quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan. New offensive coordinator Mike Martz took O'Sullivan from his previous coaching stint in Detroit. Martz told Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee that O'Sullivan would vie for the starter's job along with Alex Smith and Shaun Hill.
And for those who want to know, Isaac Bruce won't wear Jerry Rice's no. 80. The 49ers apparently feared a fan revolt.
Linebacker Takeo Spikes did visit the 49ers today and as of 4 p.m. had left the 49ers building. He'll probably get wined and dined tonight and Spikes has no other visits scheduled. I smell a signing. In Spikes' first five years with the Bengals he made over 100 tackles a year, including a 152 in 2002.
He went to Buffalo in 2003 and recorded 126 tackles, but hasn't reached that milestone since. Last year, he had 64 tackles with the Eagles and 43 the year before when he missed four games.
At 242 pounds, Spikes is well-suited to play Derek Smith's vacated "ted" linebacker role.
Read More 'The Take On Takeo' »| March 13 2008 at 04:16 PM
Veteran 49ers writers Kevin Lynch and David White analyze the stats with an insider's insight.
By Kevin Lynch, David White, Read Bios
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