Eric Heitman - Considering his options

Eric Heitmann is an outstanding human being. He's the type of guy you root for and you are concerned about when he sustains a neck injury. Heitmann was poised to start his sixth straight season as the team's starting center when he got stepped on late in training camp.

The injury broke his fibula and knocked Heitmann out for the first six games of the season. However, a neck injury he sustained two days before that is now what's most concerning. While the leg healed, the neck has not, and Heitmann is hoping that more rest and treatment will "calm down" the nerve that's apparently impinged.

The other option is surgery, Heitmann said. With one year left on his deal, his future with the team is a question, which is too bad. Heitmann has probably been the 49ers' best linemen since his first start at center in 2005.

Heitmann continues to be a resource for the line and he's a daily presence at the team facility and on the sideline during games. "I still help the team any way I can," he said. That will never change.

McDaniels Mc-staken:

Was Josh McDaniels thinking, "This is the perfect place for a caper" when he surreptitiously filmed a six-minute segment of the 49ers practice at Wembley Stadium the day before the 49ers defeated Denver 24-16 on Halloween? Maybe. The fog, the trench coats, the cloak-and-dagger history of British espionage; he couldn't help himself.

The Broncos apparently turned themselves in after the filming the 49ers defensive walk-through. San Francisco only practiced a few defensive plays that day. Nevertheless, McDaniels was fined $50,000 by the NFL for his exploit. The story is much ado about nothing to quote a famous English writer.

However, it does thin the ice McDaniels was already skating on in Denver and it probably alerts coaches, already a paranoid lot, to potential peeping by the opposition.

The 49ers want to do with the situation. Here's the statement they released: "The San Francisco 49ers organization is aware of the results of the league's investigation involving the Denver Broncos. The situation has been addressed by the NFL, therefore, the team will not be commenting any further."

SMITH ON THE EDGE: I did some more checking around about the challenges of Troy Smith's ventures outside the pocket. He just seems so much better when he's out on the edge on bootleg passes and rollouts. First, it cuts the field in half for him, so he doesn't have to make as many reads. Secondly, without offensive linemen in front of him, it allows him to see the field. Thirdly, it takes advantage of his movement skills.

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Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | November 27 2010 at 11:46 AM

Mike Singletary's self analysis

Every time I begin to think Mike Singletary is struggling as the 49ers head coach, he responds with some insightful analysis that makes you believe that he gets it. CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco put Singletary on the therapist's couch for a line of questioning during Singletary's Tuesday news conference, and to his credit, Singletary admitted he needed to be more self-restrained in interviews, like the one he had last week with KPIX's Dennis O'Donnell, where he reverted back to his wide-eyed linebacker past.

"Should I have reigned myself in? Probably so," a subdued Singletary said. He also said he'd approach media interviews differently.

"I'm going to be more analytical," Singletary said. "(When) you guys ask a question, I'm going to stay on that question."

Hopefully, Singletary won't change too much. Certainly he wants to avoid the appearance that he's imploding. But Singletary is emotional, volatile even. He seems to have severe peaks and valleys, and he admits that's not going to change.

"I have to be who I am," he said. "I'm not a politician; I'm not a tap dancer. I say things I feel. I do have to do a better job and not let the media bait me."

What we see out of his football team seems to be a reflection of the man himself. The 49ers play with emotion, but they are high and low. For example, they got blown out by a rebuilding team in the opener and nearly toppled the reigning Super Bowl champions the very next week. We see the team play with energy, verve and purpose, but we also see them trip up over small details that make the difference between winning and losing.

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Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | September 21 2010 at 11:33 AM

Focus on Iupati

The offensive line is up for evaluation. I did an analysis of the line last month based on statistics from footballoutsiders (who else?). The numbers revealed the 49ers were better at pass protection last year, but not very good at run blocking, particularly with runs in the 5- to 11-yard range as a percentage of overall runs. This robbed the team of first downs and long drives.

The challenge this year will be to consistently turn out these mid-range runs in order to monopolize the clock. Enter the first-rounders, Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis. Their best attributes are their run blocking qualities and they could provide running back Frank Gore and other runners the kind of push to get 1 or 2 free yards before they get touched. That's why I thought it might be interesting to look at Iupati film from the Senior Bowl.

Playing in the first quarter as a right guard, Iupati looked nervous and unsteady. He was constantly grabbing and pushing and got caught for holding. He did show, however, an ability to get to the second level quickly for a man his size.

Once he moved to left guard, Iupati got more comfortable. In a telling drive at the end of the third quarter, Iupati consistently pushed back Tennessee defensive tackle Dan Williams, consider by many as one of the best defensive tackles in a class thick with d-tackles. Early in the game, Williams stood Iupati up on a short yardage run that now Raider Lamarr Houston made a play on to force a punt.

Iupati showed some surprising quickness for a man his size, particularly on his one pull in the second half, which opened the way for a 7-yard run. However, at times, he played a little high and couldn't break himself from the habit of grabbing.

That's where I'll try to focus when the 49ers open camp, on Iupati's use of his hands when the team comes out in full pads.

STATE OF THE TEAM ADDRESS: The 49ers held their State of the Franchise night and fans asked some good questions according to a blog on the 49ers web site. Personnel chief Trent Baalke said he expects all four of the remaining draft picks to be signed by the start of camp. Coach Mike Singletary was asked if the infamous "Nutcracker" drill that injured guard David Baas, among others, would return. Singletary said yes but in a modified form. Team president Jed York said fans arriving early this year to Candlestick will be treated to prizes, including seat upgrades.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | July 27 2010 at 10:43 PM

Can we talk football?

Finally, we can get the train back on the football rails. With the slight re-jiggering of the 49ers' organizational chart that includes Jed York's mushrooming authority, and the impending stadium vote in Santa Clara, guys with ties have usurped the attention.

The guys with helmets, particularly those with the newest, shiniest ones, and I'm talking draft picks, fared well in the last mini. On the last day of a four-day session, I paid particular attention to right tackle Anthony Davis, who couldn't finish practice during a rookie camp right after the draft. While Davis isn't going to win any conditioning drills, he looked spry and was actually bouncing around in team drills.

Davis, for the most part, matched up against defensive end Ray McDonald and seemed to get the best of him. Davis's athleticism can be eye-popping but he needs grooming. A few times he nearly whiffed in pass protection and on run plays away from him, he allowed too much penetration. But this is his first exposure and Davis is only a babe. Only 20, he couldn't even drink spiked Gatorade.

Another development on the offensive line, includes the physically-refashioned Alex Boone, who started to eat into Barry Sims's reps as the second-team left tackle. "It's been fun," Boone said. He also said his re-acquiescence with the left side is going smoothly. With Boone's versatility to play left and right, he could push Sims off the roster should Boone continue to develop.

The other guy who stood out was cornerback Phillip Adams. The seventh-round selection is very active and if he gains a half-step after learning the defense better, he could knock down a lot of passes. While that's not a lot of news, at least it's not about a bunch of guys with ties.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | May 25 2010 at 01:17 PM

O-line comparson

Undoubtedly, the 49ers are improving offensively particularly in the last two seasons when they jumped from last in rushing and passing in 2007 to 13th in passing and 12th in rushing last year and this despite shifting offensive coordinators and revolving quarterbacks. The basis of this improvement might be their offensive line, which played particularly well towards the end of last season and which figures to get better this year by adding two first-round selections.

However, the building of the line has been slow and expensive, not only in terms of contract dollars but also the devotion of high round picks. This type of O-line construction makes one appreciate how unique the 49ers once were with their O-line philosophy when they used to fill their line with light, smart players that no one else typically wanted. Those lines also proved to be elite.

Take the team's three-year stretch from 1992 to 1994, when they ranked first, first, and second in passing and third, third, and sixth in rushing. Their line was composed of these players, and the team had either the lightest line in the league or the second lightest.

Jesse Sapolu 278 pounds 11th round pick

Derrick Deese 270 street free agent

Ralph Tamm 280 low level unrestricted free agent

Steve Wallace 280 4th round

Harris Barton 286 1st round

Guy McIntyre 276 3rd round

Now compare that to what's happened the last three years when the 49ers ranked 32nd, 13th and 13th in passing and 27th, 27th and 12th in rushing.

Joe Staley 315 1st round

David Baas 330 2nd round

Eric Heitmann 312 7th round

Chilo Rachal 315 2nd round

Adam Snyder 325 third round

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Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | April 28 2010 at 11:43 AM

Baas signs

Starting left guard David Baas signed his one-year tender offer the 49ers announced today. Signing the tender was a forgone conclusion after Baas signed a waiver to participate in the team's two-day organized team activity practices a few weeks ago.

Baas struggled initially last season after sustaining an ankle injury in the 49ers' infamous "nutcracker" drills. The exercise was designed to increase toughness but was abandoned after players started to get hurt. Baas, however, finished the year strong. He's likely to be challenged in training camp. Many anticipate the 49ers picking a guard within their first four picks of the upcoming NFL Draft.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | April 13 2010 at 01:58 PM

The right tackle

At nearly every position, the 49ers have a player on their roster to decently fulfill that role with the exception of returner and right tackle. Returner can be filled relatively easily with a draft pick or even a free agent, but right tackle is a wholly different story and here's where the 49ers haven't been active in securing themselves a player.

So far, the team has stated that they will let their draft board speak to them on draft day. But that's the wrong approach when it comes to tackle. With the rest of the team set and with a crying need in this one position, the 49ers need to eschew the board and get a tackle.

They are hoping that one of the four top tackles (Oklahoma State's Russell Okung, Iowa's Bryan Bulaga, Oklahoma's Trent Williams or Rutgers's Anthony Davis) is available for them at the 13th choice, however on many mock drafts, they've all been picked by then.

On draft day or before, the 49ers might want to use their 17th pick and package it with the 13th in order to move up to get one of the four.

The other option is to gamble and grab Maryland's Bruce Campbell at 13th or 17th. Campbell was this year's combine superstar, but his playing time was limited. Many have compared him to former Terp Vernon Davis, but Davis put plenty of productive plays on tape where Campbell has not. The team also has second-round options such as UMass's Vladmir Ducasse, another gamble of choice who could be available. USC's Charles Brown also might be there, but several reports say he's soft.

The draft is really the only place to land a tackle. Yes, another former Terp Jared Gaither is reportedly available for a second-round choice from the Ravens. But the word around the league is that the mammoth Gaither (6-9, 340) doesn't love the game, rarely works out, and wouldn't fit into a Mike Singletary-coached team.

Scary, because you hear the same things about Rutgers's man Davis; he's the most likely tackle to fall to the 49ers out of the four. This is where Singletary's ability to assess the human character comes in, and it appears the 49ers have an interest in Davis.

No matter what they do, the 49ers have to get a tackle and if they can't get one of top four or three, then they should go for quantity over quality and expend a few middle-round picks on tackles. In some fashion they need a player or players to compete with Adam Snyder and the physically re-shaped Alex Boone come training camp.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | April 07 2010 at 02:48 PM

Wallace is up

Cody Wallace come on down. Of all the young players the coaching staff wants to look at, the 2008 fourth-round pick from Texas A&M;, will be active for this game and might get some playing time at center, particularly if the game is a blow out.

That would spare Wallace the more arduous task confronting a center - the two-minute. In a hurry-up scenario, the center makes all the line calls without help from the quarterback. As it is, Wallace said it took him all of last season to get the protections and adjustments down.

In the 49ers system, the quarterback identifies the mike linebacker, then most of the calls in terms of identifying blitzers and sliding the line accordingly go to the center. Although Wallace said the quarterback can make line calls if he sees something.

Wallace has never been active in this his third season with the team, but with Eric Heitmann about to end his eight NFL season and enter his 30th year of life (his birthday is Feb. 24) the 49ers are smart to see if Wallace can handle the job.

Wallace will have to prove his stout enough for the position; he has had trouble fending off larger defensive tackles in training camp and preseason games.

NO WORK FOR NATE: Mike Singletary put the Kibosh on any appearances by rookie quarterback Nate Davis.

"I want to get every ounce out of Alex Smith," Singletary said. If the 49ers are going to groom Smith into a starter in their new offense, it makes sense for him to take every snap. Also, Davis has rarely practiced because backup Shaun Hill runs the scout team. On top of that, Davis doesn't know the entire playbook. Waiting for an opportunity when he feels more prepared seems to sit just fine with Davis.

"I'm just bidding time and learning," Davis said. Since he doesn't yet know the playbook, Davis would need a wrist band with the plays in order to make the calls.

MILESTONES: Undoubtedly, this has been a disappointing year for the 49ers, but really, around .500 is what many predicted, and nationally, many thought the 49ers would be worse. An 8-8 finish would be one game better than last year's 7-9 mark and the team has seen the rise of some of there young players.

Free safety Dashon Goldson for example, is second on the team in tackles with over 100 and looks like an emerging player. Vernon Davis has a shot at a 1,000 yard season and could possibly break the all-time mark for touchdowns in a season by a tight end which was set by Antonio Gates in 2004.

Davis has 11 touchdowns and needs three more to surpass Gates.

Also, Frank Gore needs only 69 yards to become a 1,000 yard rusher for a fourth straight season, and reaching 1,000 this year is an accomplishment. Gore missed three games with an ankle injury and then was shelved with the team's move to the pass-prominent Raye-gun.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | December 23 2009 at 01:06 PM

Pashos Done

An MRI revealed that right tackle Tony Pashos broke his scapula in Sunday's 24-21 loss in Houston. He was placed on injured reserve. The 49ers have yet to replace his spot on the roster. It likely means Adam Snyder will go back to right tackle and Chilo Rachal will have solve his pass protections problems at right guard.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | October 27 2009 at 01:11 PM

Staley Sticks

The 49ers locked in their most promising offensive player Thursday with the announcement that left tackle Joe Staley signed a six-year extension. No one can argue with this move, in fact the move harkens back to the once-great 49ers, who made a point of handsomely rewarding their rising stars as a signal to the rest of the team.

It said and it says if you play well and become a team player, the organization will reward you.

"They came to me and I wasn't even expecting anything," Staley said. "I was thinking maybe if I played a solid year next year, they'd come to me, but they've obviously shown that they believe in me enough to get this deal done."

Staley got to be such a player with a discernible leap in his play in the second half of the season. Staley didn't yield a sack during that time despite facing elite pass rushers such as DeMarcus Ware and Joey Porter.

Ware and Porter notched sacks against the 49ers, but neither came against Staley. Ware benefitted from a five-man blitz and sped past tight end Billy Bajema to get Shaun Hill in a mere two seconds. Porter had the defining sack in the Dolphins win, sacking Hill in the final seconds to preserve the Miami win. He got past right tackle Barry Sims to get to Hill.

For Staley, the deal means he has found a home on the field and in the Bay Area.

"They can do what they want as far as roster moves and everything, but that's my position." Staley said of playing left tackle. "That's the way I look at it. That's my position. Everybody else can compete for other spots on the line."

That's where the 49ers and Staley might be slightly premature. If Marvel Smith overcomes his back problems, he might be the better left tackle. He's gone to the Pro Bowl from that position and he doesn't appear have Staley's ability to run block, which is where the better run blocker usually plays. But that's a relatively minor point. The bigger point is Staley could be carving out his own Pro Bowl niche. With rubber stamps at left tackle Walter Jones and Chris Samuels aging, Staley could wedge himself in there for a long time to come.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | June 04 2009 at 11:49 PM