Twitter: Keanu Neal out

[Bobhaze]

We can't win without Neal.

Where would this team be without Keanu Neal?

 

[Walker]

Well Jaylon Smith come on up!

 

[ChronicCowboy]

Neal has been a barely average player this season. Hopefully Gifford can give us something a bit more.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

5M for a guy who started 14 games and was solid? Pretty normal FA signing and contribution.

Just cause a guy ain’t a star or making a bunch of splash plays doesn’t mean he’s a waste. Not saying he’s a beast but for how much he was paid and when in FA he was signed he’s been solid.

I’m willing to bet he’s done just as much as any other 1 year 5M dollar signing, probably more.

But here we are when we need him the most and he's not available.

 

[Stash]

He's on a 1-year deal worth 5 million bucks... one of the guys DQ brought in. I'm not expecting him back, especially if DQ bails for an HC job elsewhere.

Certainly not at anywhere near that price. He wasn’t close to worth it and missed games several times throughout the season.

 

[817Gill]

But here we are when we need him the most and he's not available.

Lmao so he got injured 1 time and now he’s a waste for the whole season?

 

[Stash]

5M for a guy who started 14 games and was solid? Pretty normal FA signing and contribution.

Just cause a guy ain’t a star or making a bunch of splash plays doesn’t mean he’s a waste. Not saying he’s a beast but for how much he was paid and when in FA he was signed he’s been solid. Not like he was billed to be a run stopping 2-down LB, he did his pass coverage/run and hit job just fine.

How many times did guys make him look bad in coverage like the last LB? Huge upgrade honestly in that department and it was nice to not get gashed by RB’s out of the backfield in the passing game this year. Jabril Cox should replace him next year but that doesn’t make the Neal signing any worse.

I’m willing to bet he’s done just as much as any other 1 year 5M dollar signing, probably more.

I would disagree.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Lmao so he got injured 1 time and now he’s a waste for the whole season?

If you're out for the win or go home games. Yeah, pretty much.

 

[817Gill]

Certainly not at anywhere near that price. He wasn’t close to worth it and missed games several times throughout the season.

Missed 3 games out of 17 and 5M is nothing lol. This isn’t 1997, 5M is minimal.

Again, for his price tag 14 games and a starting/nickel LB spot is a completely normal contribution. Not saying he was a worldbeater but he was much better against the pass than our LB’s last year.

Not sure how much you expect from a 5M second tier FA signing. We’re talking guys like Gerald Everett and Desmond King. Solid starters who aren’t going to be stars. That’s what 5M gets you. He’s contributed just as much as anyone with that price tag in FA around the league.

 

[visionary]

As if Neal was playing they would not run the ball?

exactly
I have it on good authority that niners we’re not going to run the ball at all but with Neal out, that changes everything

 

[817Gill]

If you're out for the win or go home games. Yeah, pretty much.

Oh ok yeah not really a logical take but pardon me for expecting that on CZ.

You might be a pessimistic poster but I don’t take you for irrational. But saying a guy is a waste because he’s injured for one game (could easily by back for next week) is DakAttack status.

A waste would be a guy who hardly played, not a 14 game starter/contributor. Sucks he can’t play this game but if you see him as that important then obviously he wasn’t a waste.

 

[817Gill]

I would disagree.

Already started the convo on another quote but how so?

 

[Stash]

Missed 3 games out of 17 and 5M is nothing lol. This isn’t 1997, 5M is nothing.

I hope so, because that’s what you got - nothing.

The guy missed games three times during the season for Covid and is out again when they need him most.

Again, for his price tag 14 games and a starting/nickel LB spot is a completely normal contribution. Not saying he was a worldbeater but he was much better against the pass than our LB’s last year.

You’ll have to show some support for that claim. For ‘starters’ you’re wrong about starts. He started about 4 games.

Not sure how much you expect from a 5M second tier FA signing. We’re talking guys like Gerald Everett and Desmond King. Solid starters who aren’t going to be stars. That’s what 5M gets you.

I’ll settle for available.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Oh ok yeah not really a logical take but pardon me for expecting that on CZ.

You might be a pessimistic poster but I don’t take you for irrational. But saying a guy is a waste because he’s injured for one game (could easily by back for next week) is DakAttack status.

A waste would be a guy who hardly played, not a 14 game starter/contributor. Sucks he can’t play this game but if you see him as that important then obviously he wasn’t a waste.

He's cheap, but you don't even notice he's on the field. He makes zero impact.

Greg the leg has played in all the games and we all think he's a waste. I don't believe simply playing for cheap hold any significance if your play isn't very good. You're just a body out there at that point. Heck, you could be like Greg and be making the team worse.

I think the reason he's missed games this year combined with now having to miss the most important game of the year thus far has made this a very disappointing signing.

 

[817Gill]

I hope so, because that’s what you got - nothing.

The guy missed games three times during the season for Covid and is out again when they need him most.

Since when is 14 games nothing? Again he’s a pass coverage and run and hit LB. We’ve had a lot less coverage issues from that unit and he’s done a good job covering backs.

You’ll have to show some support for that claim. For ‘starters’ you’re wrong about starts. He started about 4 games.


I’ll settle for available.

Are we really gonna be this obtuse? It’s football lol people get injured. Now if we signed the guy and he missed 12 games then I hear ya, but he’s been available for the overwhelming majority of the season. I get being upset that he can’t play but to act like he’s been a waste because he’s injured for this game specifically is pretty out there.

Well different people take the first snap depending on the other team and what they do. But he’s played a majority of defensive snaps in many of the games he’s played in. Sorry if you’re taking starter that literally but he has been counted on for a lot of snaps this season. Maybe I should’ve said “high snap contributor” instead.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NealKe01.htm

Again, I went ahead and googled guys who made 5M in FA on one year deals. Neal is near the top of the list in terms of contribution. You get a guy who gets all those snaps and is solid/average for that salary then you’re fine. Like the two guys I mentioned in my previous response, 5M is chump change in FA and gets you solid to average players; not stars. Maybe expecting too much for 5M?

Do we not remember how much RB’s would gouge us in the flats and on short passing plays? Neal has done his job but hasn’t gone above and beyond. Doesn’t sound like a waste at all.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Leighton Vander Esch and Luke Gifford are your starters. Look for the 49ers to run the ball.

What happened to Micah Parsons?

 

[Crown Royal]

Oh no.
Anyway.

 

[817Gill]

He's cheap, but you don't even notice he's on the field. He makes zero impact.

Greg the leg has played in all the games and we all think he's a waste. I don't believe simply playing for cheap hold any significance if your play isn't very good. You're just a body out there at that point. Heck, you could be like Greg and be making the team worse.

I think the reason he's missed games this year combined with now having to miss the most important game of the year thus far has made this a very disappointing signing.

Being disappointed is more of a result of your expectations. When we sign a second tier FA for 1-year 5M I expect a solid contributor which is what Neal was. They can’t all be Jayron Kearse.

His job was to be our pass coverage LB and we saw significantly less running back/out of the backfield passing game damage. That’s a role that won’t make any splash plays. His impact is taking an option away from the QB which he did more often than not. Not remembering him making a play goes two fold, how many plays do you remember being made against him? The answer to both isn’t a big number.

Keep in mind he made an amazing play versus Oakland on the fumble recovery.

It’s annoying that he was unvaccinated yes, but I don’t think I’ll ever understand people making getting sick a negative toward a player. Unless the guy was irresponsible going out and partying then it’s just how the world is now. Can’t get mad at a guy for getting the most contagious virus in decades.

Maybe you expected a star/top tier LB. But usually when guys sign 2 weeks into FA for 1-year 5M then you shouldn’t expect a guy who makes a bunch of splash plays. You should expect a solid contributor which is what he was.

He was always signed as a stop gap as this team likes to do. Sign veterans in FA to replace them with a draftee at the same position. Jabril Cox is our guy next year.

 

[Stash]

Are we really gonna be this obtuse? It’s football lol people get injured.

You use the word ‘obtuse’ and then attribute his missed time to “injury”. Check yourself there.

Now if we signed the guy and he missed 12 games then I hear ya, but he’s been available for the overwhelming majority of the season. I get being upset that he can’t play but to act like he’s been a waste because he’s injured for this game is pretty out there.

I didn’t say waste. I said a disappointment not worth the money. And I stand behind that.

Again, I went ahead and googled guys who made 4-6M in FA on one year deals. Neal is near the top of the list in terms of contribution. You get a guy who gets all those snaps and is solid/average for that salary then you’re fine. Like the two guys I mentioned in my previous response, 5M is chump change in FA and gets you solid to average players; not stars.

The two guys you mentioned? Heck of a case there…

Do we not remember how much RB’s would gouge us in the flats and on short passing plays? Neal has done his job but hasn’t gone above and beyond. Doesn’t sound like a waste at all.

Thank goodness for lowered expectations.

 

[817Gill]

You use the word ‘obtuse’ and then attribute his missed time to “injury”. Check yourself there.




I didn’t say waste. I said a disappointment not worth the money. And I stand behind that.



The two guys you mentioned? Heck of a case there…



Thank goodness for lowered expectations.

The injury I’m talking about is this week. Why so feisty? Arguing semantics doesn’t further discussion at all.

I guess your expectations were too high. If someone told me we are signing a guy week 2 of FA on a 1-year 5M dollar deal and we got 14 games of contributing snaps and got better at pass coverage on RB’s I’d say fine by me. This what you’re getting from these type guys, not a high quality borderline pro-bowler.

Sheesh dude when did you get this disingenuous? You want me to look up and list literally every guy who signed a 5M dollar deal and present you with a thesis paper? I did my fair share of research and gave you two options. If you’d like to rebuttal/compare other players feel free to take time out of your day to do so.

Usually a discussion works both ways. If we are both engaging it’s both of our responsibilities to provide our own evidence. So far there’s been a lot of your opinion but no data or facts to back it up. If you don’t want to have a civil discussion about it then don’t respond. I was under the impression you wanted to have a normal convo about it, not that you wanted to try to be snarky about every little thing.

And uh yeah realistic expectations are good not bad? Not sure why you’d expect a star or high caliber player out of a 1-year 5M dollar deal. You said yourself you didn’t even expect Kearse to make the team and that makes sense because of his price tag. But when the same logic is applied to Neal it’s wrong?

If you expected a guy making 1.1M to be cut, why expect a guy who’s 5M to be a high level player? He’s got the salary of a borderline starter/rotational contributor and that’s what he gave you. Not sure what you expected but objectively speaking due to price and recent performance it shouldn’t have been much more than what he gave us this year.