CFZ Playmakers and Road-Graders

[CowboyRoy]

I don’t understand all the buzz about the dire need for a TE.

Ferguson and Hendershot looked about as good as they could have as rookies. We aren’t going to build on that?

Agreed. And what this offense needs is speed on the outside. Even a great TE isnt going to give you that.

 

[Bobhaze]

Agreed. And what this offense needs is speed on the outside. Even a great TE isnt going to give you that.

Roy I agree we need some speed. And we could certainly use a speedy WR added to this offense. But a TE that’s a real weapon- the kind that can make defensive coordinators worry is a real weapon too.

Ferguson and Hendershot are good young TEs and have a future here. But they aren’t going to scare anyone. This draft has some depth with TEs that could be a difference maker. Not saying we MUST take a TE. Just saying if we did select a top shelf one this year, I wouldn’t be opposed.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Roy I agree we need some speed. And we could certainly use a speedy WR added to this offense. But a TE that’s a real weapon- the kind that can make defensive coordinators worry is a real weapon too.

Ferguson and Hendershot are good young TEs and have a future here. But they aren’t going to scare anyone. This draft has some depth with TEs that could be a difference maker. Not saying we MUST take a TE. Just saying if we did select a top shelf one this year, I wouldn’t be opposed.

We had a very good pass catching TE in Shultz. This team needs more speed.

Ferguson is going to be a good one and Hendershot has potential. Its a minor need.

 

[Verdict]

Well D-Law has not provided the sacks we wanted but he is probably the best DL we have against the run. Hes one of the best run stuffing DEs in the NFL. Not saying he’s been worth every penny, but calling him a waste of cap space is too harsh IMO. Everyone tends to judge DLaw on sacks alone. But that’s not all his value.

Tank has been given a pass in large part due to the fact that the rest of the DL was really sub par. He has played better, at times, in short stints. But he doesn’t show up nearly enough in my book. He is nothing more than “solid”. He is a classic case of overvaluing our guys.

 

[75boyz]

Tank has been given a pass in large part due to the fact that the rest of the DL was really sub par. He has played better, at times, in short stints. But he doesn’t show up nearly enough in my book. He is nothing more than “solid”. He is a classic case of overvaluing our guys.

Totally agree.

 

[buybuydandavis]

If I had to sum up what this team’s biggest roster needs are this off-season I would say it’s simply two types of players- playmakers and road-graders. Here’s my definition of those two terms:

• Playmaker: In football terms, a playmaker is simply a skill position guy that can make big plays in big moments more than just occasionally. On offense, they can be a threat to score at any moment, and on defense they can make a huge disruptive play like a turnover or sack at any moment.
• Road-grader: in football, a road-grader is simply lineman on either side of the ball that can control the line of scrimmage. They are big and physical. On offense, they open holes in the running game and pass block effectively. On defense they control and disrupt the running game and can cause the pocket to collapse.

When I rewatched the 49er playoff loss recently, what jumped out to me about our offense was that we only had two playmakers on offense- Tony Pollard and Cedee Lamb, and Pollard was injured by half. Obviously Dak did not play well but when I looked at what the niner D was defending, they didn’t have much to worry about with Pollard gone.

On defense, Micah Parsons is our only consistent playmaker. Road-graders? IMO we don’t have any on the DL, and we have two on the OL: Zack Martin and Tyler Smith. Tyron Smith used to be but he’s never available and Terrance Steele was getting there until his injury.

Going into draft and Free Agency, this team must find a couple of playmakers on offense and at least one big additional road-grader on defense. If we had a defensive lineman who could disrupt the running game and occasionally collapse the pocket from the middle, this defense goes up to the next level. And it was already pretty salty.

The Gallup contract is murder. Tons of money for a guy not producing. And an inevitable starting roster spot. He'll keep cheaper solutions that fit our needs better off the field. He was decent to pair with Cooper, as Cooper still stretched the field. But with Lamb neither stretches the field.

I don't think we need much more playmaker. Both Lamb and Pollard are legit. We need more speed, and need to use Pollard's speed to greater effect.
Send Pollard downfield more often, and use him as the motion RB/WR.
Get a fast WR to stretch the field.
Get a big bludgeoning back for between the hash marks and pass blocking.

We don't need more playmakers, we need more plays.
Get the running game working with Pollard, new Bulldozer, and Lamb.
Need a C soon. Getting a big strong one makes for a powerful run blocking oline.
Tyron, Tyler, Monster Rookie C, Martin, Steele. That's run blocking. Even sticking with Biadasz, that's a good looking run blocking oline.
Get the running game working, and that opens up play action passing downfield. That's how you get big plays without a fancy new playmaker.
Getting the C now protects us against Tyron going down. Move Tyler out to LT, Biadasz/NewC out to G.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Tank has been given a pass in large part due to the fact that the rest of the DL was really sub par. He has played better, at times, in short stints. But he doesn’t show up nearly enough in my book. He is nothing more than “solid”. He is a classic case of overvaluing our guys.

Last 7 games of the season, 0 sacks, 1 tackle for loss.

It's a pattern. He just disappears in the back half of the season.

 

[75boyz]

Last 7 games of the season, 0 sacks, 1 tackle for loss.

It's a pattern. He just disappears in the back half of the season.

Good call. I've made this post in the past as well.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Good call. I've made this post in the past as well.

We get to make it every year. Sad.

 

[Bobhaze]

The Gallup contract is murder. Tons of money for a guy not producing. And an inevitable starting roster spot. He'll keep cheaper solutions that fit our needs better off the field. He was decent to pair with Cooper, as Cooper still stretched the field. But with Lamb neither stretches the field.

I don't think we need much more playmaker. Both Lamb and Pollard are legit. We need more speed, and need to use Pollard's speed to greater effect.
Send Pollard downfield more often, and use him as the motion RB/WR.
Get a fast WR to stretch the field.
Get a big bludgeoning back for between the hash marks and pass blocking.

We don't need more playmakers, we need more plays.
Get the running game working with Pollard, new Bulldozer, and Lamb.
Need a C soon. Getting a big strong one makes for a powerful run blocking oline.
Tyron, Tyler, Monster Rookie C, Martin, Steele. That's run blocking. Even sticking with Biadasz, that's a good looking run blocking oline.
Get the running game working, and that opens up play action passing downfield. That's how you get big plays without a fancy new playmaker.
Getting the C now protects us against Tyron going down. Move Tyler out to LT, Biadasz/NewC out to G.

You make some good points. But…But if Pollard or Lamb go down, who is going to make Defensive Coordinators worry? Who is a threat to score at any time? Right now, no one besides Lamb or Pollard. Pretty thin.

 

[Verdict]

Last 7 games of the season, 0 sacks, 1 tackle for loss.

It's a pattern. He just disappears in the back half of the season.

He is really active at “talking” a big game.

 

[Bobhaze]

Last 7 games of the season, 0 sacks, 1 tackle for loss.

It's a pattern. He just disappears in the back half of the season.

In the two playoff games DLaw played last Jan, he had 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 QB knockdowns and 1 QB hurry. In the playoffs by comparison, he had more tackles, more TFLs and the same number of sacks as Micah Parsons.

And he was playing with a foot and knee injuries the last half of the season.

.

 

[buybuydandavis]

You make some good points. But…But if Pollard or Lamb go down, who is going to make Defensive Coordinators worry? Who is a threat to score at any time? Right now, no one besides Lamb or Pollard. Pretty thin.

Top 10 WR, top 5 RB.
32 teams.
That's really *not* thin.
WR *shouldn't* have been so thin after Lamb, but we made a bad decision with Gallup, and then Tolbert.
On the bright side, you really can often have a good veteran WR for a stick of gum.

The threat to score at any time?
I'm hoping it's the oline.

 

[buybuydandavis]

He is really active at “talking” a big game.

"Hot Boyyyyyyyz!"

 

[xwalker]

If I had to sum up what this team’s biggest roster needs are this off-season I would say it’s simply two types of players- playmakers and road-graders. Here’s my definition of those two terms:

• Playmaker: In football terms, a playmaker is simply a skill position guy that can make big plays in big moments more than just occasionally. On offense, they can be a threat to score at any moment, and on defense they can make a huge disruptive play like a turnover or sack at any moment.
• Road-grader: in football, a road-grader is simply lineman on either side of the ball that can control the line of scrimmage. They are big and physical. On offense, they open holes in the running game and pass block effectively. On defense they control and disrupt the running game and can cause the pocket to collapse.

When I rewatched the 49er playoff loss recently, what jumped out to me about our offense was that we only had two playmakers on offense- Tony Pollard and Cedee Lamb, and Pollard was injured by half. Obviously Dak did not play well but when I looked at what the niner D was defending, they didn’t have much to worry about with Pollard gone.

On defense, Micah Parsons is our only consistent playmaker. Road-graders? IMO we don’t have any on the DL, and we have two on the OL: Zack Martin and Tyler Smith. Tyron Smith used to be but he’s never available and Terrance Steele was getting there until his injury.

Going into draft and Free Agency, this team must find a couple of playmakers on offense and at least one big additional road-grader on defense. If we had a defensive lineman who could disrupt the running game and occasionally collapse the pocket from the middle, this defense goes up to the next level. And it was already pretty salty.

Dr. Seuss.

C A T

 

[Bobhaze]

Top 10 WR, top 5 RB.
32 teams.
That's really *not* thin.
WR *shouldn't* have been so thin after Lamb, but we made a bad decision with Gallup, and then Tolbert.
On the bright side, you really can often have a good veteran WR for a stick of gum.

The threat to score at any time?
I'm hoping it's the oline.

Man I agree witcha about the OL. They certainly are as responsible for big plays as the skill people.

 

[Big D]

If I had to sum up what this team’s biggest roster needs are this off-season I would say it’s simply two types of players- playmakers and road-graders. Here’s my definition of those two terms:

• Playmaker: In football terms, a playmaker is simply a skill position guy that can make big plays in big moments more than just occasionally. On offense, they can be a threat to score at any moment, and on defense they can make a huge disruptive play like a turnover or sack at any moment.
• Road-grader: in football, a road-grader is simply lineman on either side of the ball that can control the line of scrimmage. They are big and physical. On offense, they open holes in the running game and pass block effectively. On defense they control and disrupt the running game and can cause the pocket to collapse.

When I rewatched the 49er playoff loss recently, what jumped out to me about our offense was that we only had two playmakers on offense- Tony Pollard and Cedee Lamb, and Pollard was injured by half. Obviously Dak did not play well but when I looked at what the niner D was defending, they didn’t have much to worry about with Pollard gone.

On defense, Micah Parsons is our only consistent playmaker. Road-graders? IMO we don’t have any on the DL, and we have two on the OL: Zack Martin and Tyler Smith. Tyron Smith used to be but he’s never available and Terrance Steele was getting there until his injury.

Going into draft and Free Agency, this team must find a couple of playmakers on offense and at least one big additional road-grader on defense. If we had a defensive lineman who could disrupt the running game and occasionally collapse the pocket from the middle, this defense goes up to the next level. And it was already pretty salty.

I think if you focus on bringing in road graders that will transform some of our guys into playmakers.

 

[Rayman70]

If I had to sum up what this team’s biggest roster needs are this off-season I would say it’s simply two types of players- playmakers and road-graders. Here’s my definition of those two terms:

• Playmaker: In football terms, a playmaker is simply a skill position guy that can make big plays in big moments more than just occasionally. On offense, they can be a threat to score at any moment, and on defense they can make a huge disruptive play like a turnover or sack at any moment.
• Road-grader: in football, a road-grader is simply lineman on either side of the ball that can control the line of scrimmage. They are big and physical. On offense, they open holes in the running game and pass block effectively. On defense they control and disrupt the running game and can cause the pocket to collapse.

When I rewatched the 49er playoff loss recently, what jumped out to me about our offense was that we only had two playmakers on offense- Tony Pollard and Cedee Lamb, and Pollard was injured by half. Obviously Dak did not play well but when I looked at what the niner D was defending, they didn’t have much to worry about with Pollard gone.

On defense, Micah Parsons is our only consistent playmaker. Road-graders? IMO we don’t have any on the DL, and we have two on the OL: Zack Martin and Tyler Smith. Tyron Smith used to be but he’s never available and Terrance Steele was getting there until his injury.

Going into draft and Free Agency, this team must find a couple of playmakers on offense and at least one big additional road-grader on defense. If we had a defensive lineman who could disrupt the running game and occasionally collapse the pocket from the middle, this defense goes up to the next level. And it was already pretty salty.

yes gimme some of each.

 

[Rayman70]

Ferguson can be Kelce-like. I think hes a star in the making given the chance. I might draft Darnell Washington at 58 to replace our 3rd TE McKean. Thats a huge upgrade if we do that. the TE room would then be the strong suit of the team along with DQ.

 

[buybuydandavis]

In the two playoff games DLaw played last Jan, he had 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 QB knockdowns and 1 QB hurry. In the playoffs by comparison, he had more tackles, more TFLs and the same number of sacks as Micah Parsons.

And he was playing with a foot and knee injuries the last half of the season.

.

I had it wrong. Can't get used to a 17 game season. Just looked at the regular season gamelog for 2022.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LawrDe00/gamelog/2022/

I remember watching the game thinking that DLaw was showing up, and thinking it odd that my recollection of him showing up must have just been wrong when I looked at the stats.

DLaw's playoff play was just Dak flipped.
Those stats for 2 playoff games were *all* against SF. He was totally blanked against Tampa.

Great game against SF after the 8 preceding stinkeroos this year.

And the SF game is the outlier for his playoff career. Prior to it, he hadn't had a sack in the playoffs since 2014.
That's 5 consecutive playoff games without a sack.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LawrDe00/gamelog/post/