The Vernon conundrum
Thursday, July 2, 2009

Here's a column I wrote today about Vernon Davis. The bottom line is that I think his Maryland coaches had a better plan for him than his 49ers' coaches have had in recent seasons. Does Davis run pass routes as precisely as Tony Gonzalez? Is he as acrobatic as Antonio Gates? Does he have Chris Cool.. .. read more..

Patrick Willis, the 49ers' inside man
Wednesday, July 1, 2009

We continue the in-depth look into the 49ers' roster with the rest of the inside linebackers .... Mark Washington . 6-3, 245. A couple of years ago, the 49ers were mildly bummed when the Dolphins plucked Washington off their practice squad at the end of the year. At the time, the 49ers were searchi.. .. read more..

Inside lbs the heart of Niners defense
Tuesday, June 30, 2009

After examining the 49ers' defensive linemen, it's time to look at the group playing behind them. We'll start with the inside linebackers, who, of course, are headlined by two-time Pro Bowler Patrick Willis. Look for the 49ers to keep four, maybe five, inside linebackers. Scott McKillop . 6-1, 244... .. read more..

Detailed d-line continued ...
Monday, June 29, 2009

Continuing our magnifying-glass look at the defensive line, here are the rest of the defensive players on the team who are 275 pounds and above ... Ray McDonald , 6-3, 290. McDonald's play seemed to tail off toward the end of last season. What we now know is that he was dealing with an ACL injury, .. .. read more..

Roster review: In-depth on the d-line
Friday, June 26, 2009

The 49ers may assemble for training camp in late July, but their first team practice won't be until Aug. 1. Yes, there will be a couple of rookie signings in that interim, but there also will be loooooooong stretches where there is no 49ers news whatsoever. (Cue the cold sweats and hives). Ah, but .. .. read more..

Alex Smith -- give credit where it's due
Thursday, June 25, 2009

Here's a column I wrote today about Alex Smith and the triumphant return of his right arm. Before the Smith bashers start crashing this site and accusing me of bias, I plan on giving equal time to Shaun Hill later this summer. I'm driving to College Park, Md. - I'm in Virginia this week - on Monday.. .. read more..

Niners: Who is practice-squad eligible?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

I know how your overactive minds work. Even though the 49ers have more than two months before their first roster cuts, you're already composing the final roster in your heads. Ok, I'll play along. To aid you in your roster machinations, here are the rules for the eight-man practice squad and which .. .. read more..

QBs take their battle off the field
Monday, June 22, 2009

The 49ers are taking the next month off. The team's quarterback battle, however, never rests. The two main combatants are engaged in their version of the Summer Games, a series of competitions that began earlier this month with a skeet-shooting duel in Morgan Hill. Shaun Hill, a country boy, took t.. .. read more..

Battle v. Zeigler, coming July 30 ...
Friday, June 19, 2009

I planned on writing about training camp battles, you know, closer to training camp, but since Arnaz Battle v. Dominique Zeigler appears to be a hot topic right now, why wait? The first thing that comes to mind is whether there will be any competition at all. Battle v. Zeigler assumes the 49ers wil.. .. read more..

49ers depth chart
Thursday, June 18, 2009

The 49ers don't have an official depth chart, and they probably won't have one until at least training camp. But I guarantee the one below is pretty darn close. Based on spring practices - who practiced with which group - as well as the depth in recent seasons, here's how I see the 49ers' depth cha.. .. read more..