Official San Francisco 49ers Off-Season Thread (5-7): Let's get ready for the Draft!

i can't blame him for wantin more money when rookie contracts are absurd nowadays tho. but still, hurry up
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According the NFL Network, Crabtree signed a 5 year deal.

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Now a 4 year deal, weird.

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Now it saids 4 year deal for Coffee. Stupid NFL Network.
 
Originally Posted by 5288

Originally Posted by Burn916

You know it's the Niners thread when people are miserable/losing respect for players for completely expected things during training camp
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RELAX.
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some of these ignorant faithfuls are blaming it on crabtree, saying he's gonna bust just cause hes holding out for training camp?
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the **$*? you guys know it's manly the agent whos responsible for this so he can get his own money out of the whole thing.
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No, it's just like the Fedor thing. The athlete is the one with the ultimate power cuz they're the client. It's a simple matter tosay, "hey, do what I want or I'll fire you" to get teh agent in line.
 
No, it's just like the Fedor thing. The athlete is the one with the ultimate power cuz they're the client. It's a simple matter to say, "hey, do what I want or I'll fire you" to get teh agent in line.
It would be like the Fedor thing if the Niners front office told Crabtree "OK...we're going to give you a contract bigger than NateClements and Justin Smith's combined, you'll start from day one, you can put JB and Subway patches all over your jersey, and you can go play basketballin the NBDL on non game days." That's why Fedor looks like a sucker. Rookie holdouts in the NFL are w/e. Look how many other players aren'tsigned.
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[/td] [td] [table][tr][td] [table][tr][td] [h1]49ers' Willis prefers action over talking[/h1]
By Daniel Brown

[email protected]

If a play goes just right on the practice field, 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis might give his version of a fiery pep talk.

He'll say, "Good job, defense."

And he'll leave it at that.

Willis' gift is for grabbing, not gabbing. That makes him the ideal defensive captain for a team that has resolved to shut up and play. The 49ers are even selling T-shirts this season that say, "Don't tell me. Show me."

It might as well be Willis' motto.

"I'm not one of the people who says something every play to hear myself speak," Willis said as training camp opened over the weekend. "I feel there is a time and a place for everything."

A quiet leadership style is an intriguing choice for a middle linebacker who models much of his game after the Baltimore Ravens' Ray Lewis.

Lewis is a loudspeaker without an off switch. He encourages, celebrates, cajoles, admonishes, gestures and gesticulates from sunrise to sundown.

And Willis?

"I just do it whenever the time calls for it," the linebacker said.

Make no mistake, though. Willis is a leader. At the ripe age of 24, he is the face - if not the mouth - of the 49ers' defense.

Willis reached the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons, becoming the first 49er to do so since Ronnie Lott. By the NFL's tabulations, Willis led the league with 174 tackles in 2007 and finished second with 141 last season.

Tackles are an unofficial statistic, but by any count Willis is already an established star. As such, Coach Mike Singletary wants him to set the tone on the practice field and in the locker room, even if he does so quietly.

Willis is still growing into the role. "It's something I have to work on every day," he said.

But teammates are noticing the change in 2009. Linebacker Jeff Ulbrich, a nine-year veteran and a team leader himself, recalled Willis' early forays into locker-room speeches a year ago.

It wasn't exactly rousing stuff.

"To tell you the truth, there were times when it didn't seem like the most natural thing for him to do," Ulbrich said.

But it's getting there. At training camp, Willis leads the team in stretching before practice. And he does it with gusto.

Ulbrich said Willis looks much more comfortable, and he went so far as to evoke the name of an all-time locker-room leader: Bryant Young was once a quiet guy, too, Ulbrich said.

As a younger player Young led by example and kept his mouth shut, deferring to more vocal types such as Ken Norton Jr.

"But once B.Y. got that confidence, the words that came out of his mouth would make the hair on your neck stand up," Ulbrich said. "I think there are some similarities with Pat and B.Y."

Willis considers another role model when it comes to leadership. He likes the eye-of-the-storm mentality established by the great former middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears in the 1980s.

Fellow by the name of Singletary.

"I'm kind of a molded image of him," Willis said.

The bond between Willis and Singletary is so tight that the player said he views himself almost like an assistant. He has no problem taking charge after the final whistle, especially a defeat.

"That is one of the things I feel as captains that we have to do: speak up when things are not going well instead of just going through the motions," Willis said.

Of course, the 49ers pay Willis to serve as more than a motivational speaker. They expect another step in the evolution for a player credited with double-digit tackles in 26 of 32 career games.

"His progression as a linebacker elevated from his first year to his second, and I think it's going to elevate even more," defensive coordinator Greg Manusky said.

Willis will do so in his own way: Speak softly and deliver the big lick.
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[h1]Kawakami: Singletary in firm control of 49ers[/h1]
By Tim Kawakami

Mike Singletary, world-class motivational motto-maker, fashioned another memorable one for the 49ers' opening, crackling moments of Camp Singletary 2009 this weekend.

We are not going around you. We are going through you.

"I don't want any turning, I don't want any dodging, I don't want any jumping around," Singletary said over the weekend. "I want you going straight through the guy."

Singletary was describing a drill, "the Nutcracker," which pits individual offensive and defensive players lined up in a straight-ahead block/smash contest.

Five seconds of football sumo, with elegance and evasiveness completely disregarded.

One drill. But there was no hiding the larger meaning in the unveiling of "the Nutcracker" early Saturday and its scheduled return today and many other days.

"Not only is it about being tough, but it's about the mindset he wants our team to have," said star pupil Patrick Willis. "And that is, we are going to go through people. No matter who stands in our way, we are going to go through them. That drill helps with that mentality."

After two days and three practices, if there's one notable difference in this camp from previous years, it's probably not the increased physicality, though there is more of that.

And it's definitely not the uncertain quarterback situation between Shaun Hill and Alex Smith, since last year's camp had the big fun of a three-way QB duel.

The big departure: Singletary is so omnipresent, so open, so demanding and so likely to stop practice at any time for a long speech, it makes the practices feel like boot camp.

From "the Nutcracker" on, Singletary wants to turn these players into his players in a matter of weeks.

That's not unusual in the NFL. But it's very different from the four previous Mike Nolan training camps, which, in the end, seemed more about validating and celebrating Nolan than anything else.

The 49ers got better under Nolan for a few years, because he was organized and built a more talented roster, then just hit the wall in Year 3 because he could only take them so far.

We'll see how Singletary's style plays out over a multi-season span. But for now, for this veteran team, replacing Nolan's self-satisfaction with Singletary's searching, striving urgency should rev up its motor.

"He brings a little more energy just because of his motivational speeches and just everything he's got to say to get the team riled up," tight end Vernon Davis said. "He comes with a lot of energy, right away.

"Main thing I like about Singletary is that he gets on you. He'll stay on you. He'll watch everything."

For instance, on Saturday, Singletary stopped an 11-on-11 team drill, stepped into the offensive huddle and had a quick, animated discussion with a slightly surprised Alex Smith.

I cannot remember ever seeing Nolan step into any offensive huddle, have words with any offensive player or have any kind of public conversation with Smith.

Not in 41/2 seasons.

Very intentionally, Singletary is putting pressure on everybody, most especially the quarterbacks.

Saturday, Hill worked with the first unit; Sunday, it was Smith's turn with the No. 1 bunch.

Singletary said it was "outstanding" to hear Saturday's big crowd jeer Smith after a few errant throws, because he wanted to see Smith react to it.

Smith did well, Singletary said. But the coach was not exactly throwing roses to the QBs, either.

"I want to find a guy to lead the team," Singletary said Saturday. "And right now I'm not seeing that guy."

Back to "the Nutcracker," and to the larger meanings, because with Singletary, everything has larger meanings.

"It's fundamentals, it's leverage and it's using your legs, it's moving your feet," Singletary said. "And that gets tiring. And in a game, in the fourth quarter, those are the things - the fundamentals are what come back.

"And the team that's the most fundamentally sound is the team that's going to win that game at the end."

That's not too elegant or showy. That's not deceptive or political. It's just Camp Singletary, boiled down to five seconds of sumo, with the fate of the franchise on the line.


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[h1]Morgan a threat to go deep[/h1]
By Daniel Brown

On a day of practice featuring Candlestick-caliber winds, the 49ers offense kept the passes short Sunday. A notable exception was a long pass from Alex Smith to Josh Morgan, who made a terrific one-handed catch.

Morgan, a second-year player, hauled in the ball despite tight coverage from free safety Dashon Goldson.

It's the type of catch the 49ers hope to see often. They haven't had a 1,000-yard receiver since Terrell Owens ran his last out pattern in 2003.

The team needs a No. 1 receiver.

Is Morgan ready to be the guy?

"Does he have potential? Absolutely," Coach Mike Singletary said. "But a guy like Isaac Bruce isn't around for a long time for nothing. He knows what he's doing."

Bruce, 36, led the team with 835 receiving yards last year.

Morgan, limited to 12 games because of a groin injury, had 319 yards in 20 catches. All three of his touchdowns went for at least 30 yards.

"We have a lot of confidence in him," Singletary said. "It's just a matter of Josh continuing to get better."
  • Smith started with the No. 1 offense a day after Shaun Hill opened with the starters. It appears the 49ers will handle the quarterback derby much as they did a year ago, giving each contender an extended opportunity with the No. 1 unit.
    Singletary indicated that not much importance will be put on these early practices in terms of the Smith vs. Hill debate. Those two, as well as the rest of the players, are still navigating a new offense.

    "It is difficult to evaluate the quarterback when so many other things are wrong," Singletary said.
  • Fullback Moran Norris was excused for the first two days of practice for undisclosed personal reasons but arrived Sunday just as the action was winding down. The 49ers expect him to participate in the two practices today.
  • Linebacker Parys Haralson (hip flexor strain) and cornerback Tarell Brown (sprained right toe) sat out practice. Their status is listed as day to day.
    Ahmad Brooks took over Haralson's spot and Dre' Bly was the starting right cornerback.
  • Quarterback Nate Davis lofted a beauty of a pass over the middle toward the outstretched arms of fellow rookie Bear Pascoe. The tight end dived, got his fingers on the ball but just missed coming down with the play of the day.
  • There was no news on No. 10 draft pick Michael Crabtree, whose contract impasse has kept him out of camp.
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Originally Posted by NikeTalker23

I really have lost all respect for Crabtree. I never wanted him in the first place and this just makes me dislike him even more. Maiocco said "There are no new development in 49ers-Michael Crabtree negotiations. Crabtree hasn't changed contract demands, and 49ers aren't budging." Good, I'm glad the team isn't budging because they shouldn't. Those longer he holds out the more it will hurt him, not the team. I'm content wth the WRs we have.
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smh
 
Quick observations from49ers' morning practice

August 3, 2009 6:43 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The 49ers begin their afternoon practice in another hour or so. A few notes left over from the morning session:
  • These practices feature more high-impact physical contact than what I recall seeing at most training camps. Example: Frank Gore runs across the shallow middle on a pass pattern. He's about to catch the pass when linebacker Takeo Spikes decks him. The pass is incomplete. Gore gets up and runs back to the huddle, ready for more.
  • Manny Lawson stood out to me a couple times. As noted, he defeated Vernon Davis, a difficult matchup, in Mike Singletary's nutcracker drills. I also saw Lawson beat left tackle Joe Staley in a one-on-one pass-rush drill. Lawson celebrated after beating Staley with a quick move to the inside. The 49ers need to see more of this.
  • Also in pass-rush drills, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin beat center Eric Heitmann, who had little choice but to hold; Kentwan Balmer beat guard Tony Wragge, who also held; defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell convincingly beat center Cody Wallace; defensive end Pannel Egboh eventually prevailed against tackle Kyle Howard with a spin move; guard Matt Spanos fared better in an immediate rematch after defensive lineman Babatunde Oshinowo beat him in the first matchup.
  • Cornerback Dre Bly showed his frustration after receiver Josh Morgan beat him for a short reception. Morgan gained separation with a quick shove near the line of scrimmage before catching the pass from Shaun Hill.
  • Receiver Brandon Jones leapt high to make a catch over cornerback Marcus Hudson on a pass from Alex Smith.
  • Singletary kept urging players to stay off the ground. That is a standard message from coaches, but it's tougher to abide by such rules when the practices are so physical.
  • Smith's shoulder appears to be doing fine. The quarterback threw one pass roughly 60 yards in the air without any trouble.
  • Singletary likes what he's seeing from linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who continues to get work while Parys Haralson rests an injury.
  • Balmer "did OK" when working with the first team at right defensive end while Justin Smith received time off.
I spoke with Staley and Gore after the morning practice. Both seemed genuinely excited about playing for Singletary. More on that as camp progresses.
 
Observations from 49ers'afternoon practice

August 3, 2009 10:06 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- NFL careers generally do not turn on a single training camp practice. With that dose of perspective in mind, here's a look inside my notebook from the 49ers' practice Monday afternoon:
  • Rookie tight end Bear Pascoe had a rough day. He struggled in pass-protection drills and with his route running. Tight ends coach Pete Hoener was hard on Pascoe during the pass-protection drills. Hoener took a lower-keyed approach to helping with the route running. Good coaches know when to ride a player and when to back off. Hoener seemed conscious of the balance.
  • Manny Lawson again beat left tackle Joe Staley to the outside on a speed rush, something to file away as we monitor Lawson's progress. The 49ers need him to have an impact as a pass rusher. Beating Staley twice in the same day counts as a positive given that Staley is an established player.
  • Linebacker Jay Moore made the most of his afternoon. He contributed to Pascoe's problems in pass-rush drills (Barry Sims and Alex Boone were also Moore's victims, while Boone also lost a matchup against Pannel Egboh). Moore picked off a tipped pass. He later cut a finger batting down a pass near the line of scrimmage.
  • Nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin almost avoided contact in beating center Eric Heitmann with a quick move off the ball in pass-rush drills. That's the nature of pass-rush drills. You win some and lose some, and sometimes you look silly.
  • Coaches wanted converted linebacker Brit Miller, now a fullback, to watch how veteran Michael Robinson ran pass routes.
  • Tight end Delanie Walker made a stunning left-handed catch on a crisply delivered short pass from Shaun Hill. The ball hit Walker's left wrist area and seemed to stick. Walker tucked away the ball in one swift motion without help from his other hand.
  • Receiver Dominique Zeigler muffed a punt.
  • Free safety Dashon Goldson knifed through to break up an underneath pass. Goldson's speed must be a welcome sight for the 49ers in the secondary. Playing safety requires more than speed, of course, but the 49ers want to become more athletic at the position. Goldson is more athletic.
  • While coach Mike Singletary wants a physical camp, he called for caution after cornerback Marcus Hudson collided violently with receiver Brandon Jones. Both players went down hard and bounced up quickly, with Jones holding onto the ball.
  • Tight end Vernon Davis continues to catch everything thrown to him. I don't want to inflate expectations here. Davis has to show consistency over time. That said, he has certainly caught the ball well this offseason. I noticed it right away during a visit to 49ers practices a couple months ago.
  • Linebackers Parys Haralson, Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes did not practice in the afternoon. Ahmad Brooks filled in for Haralson and caused problems in the backfield. Singletary singled out Brooks for praise following the morning practice. Brooks seemed to provide a few more contributions in the afternoon.
I realize I've been heavy on 49ers stuff today, but the altnerative would be pretending I'm not at 49ers headquarters watching practices. That wouldn't be any fun.

.....
Can't wait for the season to start
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thanks for the clarification

i hope vernon, hill, and smith and do better than their madden ratings. 78, 69, and 67 respectively...

crabtree at 84 and bruce at 79...
 
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