Monday, April 19, 2021

Not the Best, But the Best

 

MidWestDynasty

April 19, 2021 

7:27 P.M. CST


Alex Smith has called it a career.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft announced his retirement today through an Instagram post, and almost immediately the Bay Area writers heaped praise on him, along with J.J. Watts and 49ers owner Jed York.

Was Smith a superstar?  One of the NFL elites?  No, he was far from that.

So why all the praise then?

Because he was a consummate professional who was a winner.  Throughout his career, Smith faced adversity that would cause most NFL players – or everyday individuals for that matter – to crumble under the pressure.  The following are just some examples of said adversity. 

He had the stigma of being the top pick in the draft, being drafted over some guy named Aaron Rodgers who fell to the 26th pick in the draft.

He dealt with the burden of being a QB of a franchise and fanbase who expected him to live up to the likes of Joe Montana and Steve Young.

He went through a turnstile of offensive coordinators throughout almost all his career as the 49ers QB, along with two coaches who had no clue on how to play to his strengths.

He had Mike Nolan, the coach who drafted him, question his toughness when he suffered a shoulder injury which ended up knocking him out of the 2007 season.

When he finally got a coach who knew how to get the best out of him, he lost his position as the starter due to missing one game because of a concussion and Colin Kaepernick electrifying everyone with his athleticism.

He was traded to Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs in a move that the Chiefs clearly won.

For some idiotic reason, analysts labeled him as a game manager which they deemed to be a negative against him.

He went through being labeled a check-down king to a guy who takes too many sacks.

He watched as the Chiefs traded up for his eventual successor in Patrick Mahomes.

He was traded to Washington.

He suffered a career-threatening injury that almost cost him his leg.

 

That is a crapload of adversity, no?  And like I said, many others would have caved under the pressure of that adversity.

But not Alex Smith.  Instead of crumbling, Smith gave the 49ers another chance when Jim Harbaugh came calling instead of rightfully telling the 49ers to stick it where the sun does not shine.  He also mentored his successors when most guys only would a draft pick at their position as competition.  He even came back from that leg injury which made almost everyone who saw it believe his career was over.

And he was a winner on the field too, finishing his career with 99 wins – which is incredible once you consider that he was considered a bust because of the coaches he had to deal with before Harbaugh.

Was Smith elite?  No.

Should the 49ers have taken Aaron Rodgers instead of Smith?  Absolutely.

Would Rodgers have developed into the QB he is under Nolan or Singletary?  I highly doubt it.

Was Smith better than what his pundits say he was?  Yep.

Did the league lose someone great?  That depends on how you define greatness.  If you only define it based on stats, then the answer is no; however, if you define greatness based on the character of the player, then the answer is yes.

When I first joined a 49ers blog back in 2010, I learned that the fans who hated Alex Smith called his supporters Smithers, or someone who is an apologist for Smith no matter what.  That was considered an weak insult to me back then.  Now I consider it to be a strong compliment.  In fact, if you are not a Smither after watching Alex Smith’s career and the sheer adversity he faced during it, then you are either dead or…nope, you’re probably just dead. 

 

 

 

50 comments:

  1. Mid there you go buddy, well done. Also Alex gave us one of the top five ever Niner game against the Saints...Smith got bad rap for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  2. He was dealt a bad hand. Class act, MWD.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good stuff Mid.
    I admit that I was not an Smith fan and was adamant in my disappointment. I termed that period as being the Smith Wars as things became pretty intense given the hardcore debates and unruly arguments that filled the PD blog.

    I began to earn a great deal of respect for Smith when he assembled a number of teammates for Camp Alex to get a head start on the upcoming season with Harbaugh coming on board as head coach.
    It was Harbaugh’ call to replace Alex with Kaep and at that time it was hard to argue that move as CK performed very well. But it also turned out to be a positive move for Smith as he found stability in KC under Andy Reid.

    Mid, you are spot on that Alex Smith was not elite or a big star, but I don’t believe that anyone has garnered as much respect from his peers as has Alex Smith.
    Super star? likely not.
    A real hero? Yes sir!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alex was the consumate professional and deserved every success he achieved, and a lot more credit than he received.

    He may have been a "game manager", but he was very good at it.

    He may have been a "bust", but as far as "busts" go he was one of the best. His record was very good.

    Unfortunately he will always be considered a guy that wasn't good enough to take a team all the way, despite compiling a lot of winning seasons. While true, he was better than he received credit for.

    Great player? You're right Mid, depends on your definition. Nice article.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love Alex, but let's be honest, he was terrible at even the game manager part, for the first 5 seasons of his career. Remember, this is the first pick of the draft , and he finished his rookie season with 1 TD, and 11 INT's.

      Now, to be fair, it's not his fault he was over drafted, and he wasn't exactly set up for success. 5 different OC's in his first 5 seasons, that's tough!

      Injuries also held back his development. Of course, everything turned around for him after Harbaugh took over. In fact, Alex Smith might be Harbaugh's most impressive feat as a HC. Unfortunately, that marriage was short lived, and Kaepernick took Smith's job away from him.

      Alex is an amazing human being, a great teammate, and he actually did develop into an above average QB towards the end of his career.

      And at the end of the day, the way Alex persevered, and finished his career, should be an inspiration to everyone who appreciates NFL football!

      But man, what could have been if the 49ers had simply taken the consensus top QB prospect and future Hall Of Famer, rather than overthinking it.

      Sound familiar?

      Delete
    2. And I should have also mentioned that he was the ultimate "professional", and the way he fought through his catastrophic leg injury ... talk about a tough spirit!

      Also, a special mention about his taste in women! His wife is absolutely smoking hot and drop-dead gorgeous, IMO, so double good for Alex!

      Delete
    3. One more thing that needs mentioning:

      I might have watched every single pass Alex made over his first few seasons, and while he was athletic, he was also one of the least accurate QB's I've ever watched closely. If I had a dime for everytime I said

      "my gosh Alex, you can't even hit the side of a fricken barn!", or something like that!

      Delete
    4. And yes, the Niners definitely over-thought the draft in 2005! They saw Alex Smith as the "safer" pick, mostly because Aaron Rodgers has such a strong personality. But just about every well regarded analyst and scout felt that Aaron Rodgers was certainly the more talented QB coming out, and he was the home town kid for the Niners.to boot!

      Talk about an epic draft blunder, and the Niners didn't give up 3 firsts and a 3rd for Alex. Had they given up that for Alex, can you imagine how bad the 49ers would have looked, and how much worse their team could have been through that bad stretch?

      Delete
    5. They already have a pretty good QB in Jimmy G, who almost always wins when he's healthy. He's going to be in his 3rd year removed from the blown knee, maybe he can shed that dang brace and get back to the sneaky athletic QB he was when the Niners squired him.

      With Jimmy in tow, Mac probably shouldn't play this season anyways, right? A rookie QB had never won a Super Bowl. And simply plugging Mac Jones in ad a rookie is not doing him a good service, because he was almost always playing from a sparkling clean pocket last season, and he wasn't facing the speed of NFL linebackers, safeties and lineman. He was throwing to spots and hoping his WR's could make a play, and they usually would because they are ELITE WR's and RB's! It won't be like that in the pros, and we don't know how well he'll respond to adversity on the field, because he never had to last season. And let's face it ... his arm strength is probably below average/average, and windows are way tighter in the pros!

      I am betting Trey Lance is the next Josh Allen, and Fields looks like a bigger version of DeShaun Watson, so how can they pass on that for Mac "beer belly" Jones?

      No offense, but that could be the dumbest football idea I have ever heard, to be honest! I just can't come to grips with that.

      Delete
    6. What will Mac Jones be able to do in his 2nd season that Lance or Fields won't be able to do in their 2nd season?

      Now flip that around ...

      What will Lance or Fields be able to do in their 2nd season, that Mac Jones can't do?

      The 2nd list is WA, WAY longer than the first, I can promise you that!

      Delete
    7. And that's his nickname:

      Mac "Beer Belly" Jones

      I turned on his pro day, and was taken aback by the lack of badly conditioning, and then I heard KNBR's Larry Krueger talking about the beer belly. For me, that's always a red flag. In fact, the more and more I study this kid, the more entitled he appears. Also a very big red flag.

      Delete
    8. Lol! You're obsessed. I've never seen someone so easily triggered by a potential draft pick.

      Mac Jones 4Ever, baby!

      On Smith vs Rodgers, and the similarities to this situation, sounds to me like you might need a history lesson.

      Smith was the uber athletic, hyper intelligent, humble kid that put up Madden numbers playing in Urban Meyer's spread offense (which Ryan Day now runs at OSU). He was basically Fields, without as strong an arm.

      Rodgers was the "system QB" playing under Jeff Tedford, who was renowned for making guys look better than they were (Boller, Harrington). He who was accurate but labelled "mechanical", "robotic", "couldn't create on his own" and "panicked under pressure". He was basically Jones, but with a stronger arm.

      Here endeth the lesson.

      Delete
    9. I know the measurables Scooter. Alex Smith ran a 4.70 40, and reached 32" vert, at the combine.

      That's your definition of "Uber athletic"?

      Hah, if Alex was "uber athletic", Justin Fields must be The Flash!

      Delete
    10. At the time, that was considered an uber athletic QB.

      Delete
    11. He was certainly considered athletic, and I mentioned that. I also remember there were a lot of Niner fans who were instantly disappointed with the pick, and I think it's hard to imagine that added pressure didn't effect Alex early on in his career. But I'll tell you this, that level of dissapointment will be dwarfed by the level of dissapoinent if Mac Jones is the pick in 9 days.

      So now Niner fans are supposed to be OK with adding an enormous amount of additional pressure on Mac Jones, as if it's not hard enough to make the jump from college to the pros in the first place?

      What I really don't understand is how anyone could not be alarmed by the kind of pre draft analysis we've seen since the 49ers made the jump up.

      When have you ever heard analysts like Mel Kiper and Todd McShay (perhaps two of the most influential draft analysts in the country due to their enormous platform on ESPN) say things like this:

      "San Francisco should draft Trey Lance (or Justin Fields), but they probably won't."

      I mean, we've apparently entered some kind of alternate reality like the Twilight Zone, because in all of my years following the draft, I have never seen a situation where 95% of draft experts, analysts, and NFL pundits, believe there is a GIANT disconnect between who a team should be picking, and who they are likely to pick.

      On one hand, we are supposed to believe Kyle Shanahan is a QB whisperer who runs a QB friendly system, but on the other hand, we are supposed to be OK with Kyle drafting the QB who is widely considered to have the lowest ceiling, in part because his skill set is so one-deminsional.

      And all of this coming with the back-drop of Kyle Shanahan going on record about how his QB evaluation has evolved over recent times, in that he believes the best prospects are guys who can win from the pocket, but have the additional ability to makes those crucial off schedule plays that often make the difference in today's NFL.

      I mean, it's just CRAZY TALK at this point, and is no longer rational analysis. The idea that Mac Jones just might be the best choice, ahead of Justin Fields and Trey Lance, two modern day QB prospects who are believed to have the higher ceiling, even though Mac Jones likely has the lower ceiling, with more limited upside. Up until a couple of weeks ago, nobody had Mac Jones in the top 20 of their "big boards", but now it's suddenly a viable strategy to spend 3 firsts, and a third on him?

      At what point does this reach the level of being too unbelievable to buy into?

      Delete
    12. Look, you have your belief about what Jones is, and that is fine. I honestly very much get it.

      What I don't get is how you can be so SURE you're belief about what Jones is right. No offense, but you are not someone that has the skills required to know whether a player will or won't be any good.

      And yes, you have read and probably watched some "analysts" and "draft experts" that have an opinion on Jones that is at least somewhat aligned with your views. That's great. I can also point you in the direction of "analysts" and "draft experts" that agree with me when I say he is a good prospect.

      And the same goes with Fields. And Lance. Heck, Wilson and Lawrence too.

      So basically, what I am saying is, you're vehemence on this to me is completely laughable. You're adamant the pick will be awful, and don't have the self awareness to realise you're opinion is unreliable as you don't really know how to scout prospects. And neither do I, which is why I refuse to be so definitive on a prospect.

      Delete
  5. Very good post Scooter.
    That's why KS/JL have to identify who can take our team the whole way.

    ReplyDelete

  6. Ian Rapoport
    @RapSheet
    · 23m
    A possible pre-Draft addition? The #49ers are hosting former #Raiders pass-rusher Arden Key on a visit today, source said.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. https://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2018akey.php

      Delete
  7. Are also hosting Wayne Gallman, RB, another former SEC star:
    https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/146257-49ers-hosting-former-giants-wayne-gallman/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like a healthy Wayne Gallman over Tevin Coleman, so yah, I like it. I'm not sure where he's at health-wise.

      Delete
  8. Shanny, thoughts on moving up to #3, "you take your pick and I'll take what's left and beat you".

    I like that mindset but you better be right bro.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like that mindset too, Razor.

      What I don't like is "you take the top 2 QB's, and I'll take the 5th best QB and beat you"

      That's a losing mindset, IMO. And arrogant! In fact, the arrogance is the actual problem because it's getting away from sound, logical thinking.

      Delete
    2. And let's face it, it's a crap shoot anyways, so why not leverage your bet, and go for the gusto? I just don't relate to that kind of mindset.

      And if Kyle's being stubborn, and going against the advice of his FO, that's also a big problem. Kyle has not succeeded in the QB department, as a HC. Garoppolo fell into his lap, right, and his guy was CJ Beathard in the 3rd round (mind-blowing), when nobody else had anything better than a 5th round grade on this kid, in part, due to his physical limitations!

      Kirk Cousins is the definition of average, and he's supposedly Kyle's dream ride? Come on Kyle, a little less emotion and a little more analytics.

      Don't get me wrong about Kyle as an X's and 0's guy, he's already proven to be one of the very best. I'm strictly talking personnel. If a guy doesn't seem passionate for football (RB Joe Williams), then you probably ought to steer clear, no matter how well he fits your scheme. Right?

      Delete
    3. We can all agree that if Kyle takes Jones (he even has an average sir name), and either Lance or Fields has the better career, Kyle will always be labeled the guy who could call plays with the best of them, but absolutely cannot be trusted with the keys to personnel decision making? And if both Fields and Lance prove to be better NFL QB's than Jones, this will go down as the NFL's all-time worst draft pick, and worst NFL decision .... in the history of the 49ers (certainly), the NFL (probably), and maybe even American professional sports in general (possibly)!

      Delete
    4. He's not taking Jones. Didn't believe it then and I still don't believe it.

      Delete
    5. I don't believe it either, but some on here, like Scooter, seem to be drinking the cool aid.

      Mac Jones couldn't sniff the top 10 on a single mock draft in America .... until the 49ers traded up to 3. And that's the guy Kyle's going to stake his entire legacy on?

      Yah, when elephants fly.

      Delete
    6. Don't mistake me. I said I don't believe Jones is the pick. I don't dismiss it as a possibility.

      Delete
    7. 49Reasons: "I don't believe it either, but some on here, like Scooter, seem to be drinking the cool aid."

      LMAO: You say you "DON'T BELIEVE IT," yet you fill the blog obsessing about drafting him (Jones)? Then in the next sentence, you claim Scooter is "drinking the cool
      aid? What's "COOL AID?" Something the Cool Kids drink instead of "KOOL AID."
      If you're going to insult someone, the least you can do is get the spelling correct, other wise folks will wonder what you've been drinking. That is, besides your OCD condition....Don't ya think?

      Delete
    8. Scooter said he can see the reasoning behind drafting Mac. That's drinking the cool aid in my book.

      Can I ask you a personal question, GEEP?

      Delete
    9. Never mind, GEEP. I was going to ask how you feel about driving under the influence of alcohol, but you know what ... I realize I don't give a flying F how you feel about it.

      Peace out guys, I'm done here.

      Delete
    10. 49Reasons
      "Can I ask you a personal questions GEEP?"
      Sure, as long as it's related to football.

      Delete
    11. 49Reasons
      "I realize I don't give a flying F how you feel about it."
      If you don't "give a flying F how I feel about it," then WHY did you ask? Another irrational comment?
      We both know the answer, because yet again, you want to use it to question Mac Jones. You want to demean him to satisfy your obsession about him. You know it, I know it and everyone on the blog knows it.
      You, yourself have admitted "you've gone down the rabbit hole on Jones!
      BTW: You've "gone down the rabbit hole," not on facts, but on an assumption. An assumption based on speculation by so called experts who a rarely correct and in this case, wrong.

      Here is a question for YOU! Do you enjoy letting Scooter pull your chain and make a fool of yourself?
      Do YOU enjoy letting Mac Jones control your life? Go back and look at your post on this blog, 50% of the posts are you obsessing over the 9ers drafting Jones, because the talking heads believe he represents what KS likes in Cousins. So now your letting the talking heads, the so called experts, control your life also? SAD, really SAD.
      But I digress, let me answer your question...How do I feel about Jone's DUI of alcohol. ANSWER: If you do the crime, you should do the time.
      And here 49Reasons, is Mac Jones doing the time.....

      Alabama quarterback Mac Jones was charged with driving under the influence after being arrested Friday in Tuscaloosa.

      Per Matt Zenitz of AL.com, the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office announced Jones' arrest and DUI charge. He's also facing a separate charge of improper identification by a minor.

      Zenitz added that Jones' bond was set at $1,000 for the DUI and $300 for the ID charge.

      Alabama has suspended Mac for Saturday's game against LSU, Nick Saban announced.
      https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2742341-alabama-qb-mac-jones-arrested-for-dui


      So Jones, an 18 Y/O freshman, paid the penalty for doing something stupid. But you apparently believe he should serve a life sentence because you know more than the Justice system? That and you don't want the 49ers to draft him....Nothing "PRIVILEGED" about that, is there?
      Any other questions you'd like to ask me?

      Delete
  9. The 49ers have been leaking their love for Jones to get the Patriots to move up for him?

    ReplyDelete
  10. This love for Jones feels completely manufactured to me, but boy is it affective! If the Niners are using Mac as a smoke screen, I'm 100% down with that kind of brilliant thinking. It's very refreshing having an air tight organization in terms of intel.

    The only reason people aren't anywhere near certain it's Mac Jones anymore is because they feel like he's the least appealing of the top 5 picks, especially when you factor in off-field issues that very well may be linked to a sense of entitlement. He had to have known he was risking a potential football career, right? Drunk driving usually isn't premeditated, but you know what is? Drunk driving on a fake ID! What is going on with that?

    That's another thing I really like about Fields and Lance. They both seem like very mature young men, focused 100% on football. If it's true that Trey Lance spends a lot of his off time at children's hospitals and charity events, what does that say about his character? It sure sounds like he isn't out and about drinking and driving on a fake ID.

    Just saying!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 49Reasons: April 20, 2021 at 6:37 PM
      "Peace out guys, I'M DONE HERE.
      THE SAME DAY, THREE HOURS LATER

      49ReasonsApril 20, 2021 at 9:36 AM
      This love for Jones feels completely manufactured to me, but boy is it affective! If the Niners are using Mac as a smoke screen, I'm 100% down with that kind of brilliant thinking. It's very refreshing having an air tight organization in terms of intel.

      The only reason people aren't anywhere near certain it's Mac Jones anymore is because they feel like he's the least appealing of the top 5 picks, especially when you factor in off-field issues that very well may be linked to a sense of entitlement. He had to have known he was risking a potential football career, right? Drunk driving usually isn't premeditated, but you know what is? Drunk driving on a fake ID! What is going on with that?
      WELL SO MUCH FOR "BEING DONE HERE" AND BACK TO OBSESSION ABOUT MAC JONES. OH YES, AND HOW AN 18 Y/O GETTING A DUE SHOULD DISQUALIFY HIM FROM THE NFL (OR AT LEAST THE 49ERS), BECAUSE "WE," WHO EVER "WE" IS, DON'T WANT THE 49ERS TO DRAFT HIM.

      Delete
    2. Ooh, a gotcha moment.

      I'm sorry you don't know the difference between AM and PM, GEEP, but I can't say I'm surprised.

      As for the DUI, I have no idea where you got the idea that I think Mac Jones should be blackballed by the NFL for making a mistake as an 18 year old kid. Apparently I still haven't made myself clear. My problem with Mac Jones is almost entirely about how much draft capital the 49ers are giving up in order to move all of the way up to 3, in order to potentially draft a QB who has what most people believe is the lowest ceiling of the top 5 QB prospects in this class. That's a completely separate point than what his DUI might tell us about his mindset. I am not even getting into the obvious racial bias of how the DUI has affected his draft stock, but in my book, a DUI while using a fake ID does add additional risk. I'm not sure how that's a controversial take. I've also given Mac a hard time for looking completely out of shape at his pro day, not because I care how he looks on a poster, but because that's also a red flag, IMO.

      As for Scooter pulling my chain and making me look the fool ...

      There are like 15 people on this blog, GEEP. I think my reputation will remain intact.

      And BTW, I am always one to enjoy getting the last laugh, so don't you worry about that.

      Don't worry about calling me out for making one.more post, GEEP, this one will be my last.

      Peace out, and GO NINERS!

      Delete
  11. Landon Dickerson received a 3-minus off medicals, the equivalent of a C-minus in letter grades. Look for him to slide down draft boards, possibly to day 3.

    I'm hoping Jaelan Phillips receives a 2-minus medical grade which would allow us a chance of trading up for him.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Getting back to the Alex Smith story, he had no chance under a coach like Nolan, a new OC every year and a bad roster. This is exactly why so many top QB draft picks are considered busts when in reality the organization who drafted them were a bust.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My grade for Alex Smith's career would be a B-. He's not a bust. QB's that wash out of the league within 4 years like, Russell and Leaf are the busts.

      Delete
    2. Razor,
      I agree that AS was not a bust. But he was a disappointment especially when compared to Rogers who should have been wearing #12 in red & gold. But that wasn’t Smith’ fault, that pick was the fault of the 49ers front office.
      Unfortunately for Alex, he lived in the shadow of Aaron Rodgers from the many fans that carried the “what if” question.

      Delete
    3. Agreed. Although an argument can be made that he was a bust for the 49ers. Especially when you consider the economics of it. Alex really never played well until after his rookie contracts right? He was actually a bust until 2011, and by that time, all of the advantages of having a QB on a rookie contract, had expired.

      That said, Alex did eventually develop into a starter who could actually win games, including postseason games. But by that point, the 49ers had already decided they were going to move on and drafted his presumed successor.

      I love the guy, though. And all of the hard feelings I had for him which developed out of my frustration as a fan, were gone by the time he was traded. I mean, how could I stay mad about Alex Smith, when I could actually relate to his situation. Like you guys said, it's really not his fault that he was over-drafted, and forced to work with 5 different OC's over his first 5 seasons.

      He's a gentleman, and he's a gamer, and quitting isn't in his vocabulary!

      Delete
  13. Agreed but what chance did Darnold really have with the Jets? Bad roster and bad coach. Rogers got lucky and was able to learn from Farve and he’s had very good coaches. I wonder how he would have faired under Nolan and Singletary.

    It makes me wonder why lousy teams even draft a QB high. I would think they would be better off building up their roster and then drafting a QB later so he has a chance to succeed. I think this might be the reason the Niners didn’t go after Mahomes, Watson etc that first year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe that's part of what went into passing on Mahomes and Watson. Team was a mess. You could argue they weren't ready for either one, but I wouldn't be one of them.

      Either way, whoever the 49ers pick will have hit the lottery. Odds are they'll be successful under, Shanny and will go onto to have a very good career.

      Delete
  14. Coffee was right on Mahomes. Anyone know where CfC went?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He's on Twitter. His handle is 4evrnyt.

      Delete
    2. Right on Mahomes. Wrong on Mettenberger.

      Delete
    3. The 49er's JL, KS and FO are looking at adding FA players. This week they will interview and work out these three players
      * DE Arden Key
      * RB Wayne Gallman
      * SS Tony Jefferson

      Delete
  15. NFL film analyst Alex Rollins on Trey Lance:

    “You do see it consistently where his feet aren’t necessarily tied up with what he’s looking at and there are some wild inaccuracies, even on easy throws. Especially on the play-action bootlegs to the flat, I could make a cut up of five or 10 throws where he’s just missing it. They’re as layup as layup throws can get, so that’s definitely where I see some of the worry. Just the consistency, especially on the easy throws, that’s where I’m worried about him.”

    "The writer of the article then follows up Nobodywith this statement:

    The entire lure of Kyle Shanahan is having a young offensive coach who can draw up plays to get receivers wide ass open, to quote Bruce Arians. When you pay the iron price that the 49ers paid to move up nine spots in the draft, does it really make sense to take then a guy that neutralizes your greatest strength because of wild inaccuracies on easy throws?"

    I haven't watched a lot of film on Lance, but based on what I've seen I agree with Rollins. And I'm not sure that this can be easily fixed. When the bullets start flying, players revert to what is subconsciously programmed. On the plus side he is quite young so there is a chance this can be fixed. But based on the team giving up so much draft capital, I have a hard time getting on board with the idea that we might have to wait around 3 years for this improvement.

    One caveat though: It's unclear how he would play at this moment because he only played one game last season. It's possible he has already improved considerably in this area.

    My hope is that the Jets take Fields and Wilson drops to the 49ers or even if the Jets bluff the 49ers into trading up to #2 as long as the team doesn't give up a 1st to do it.

    https://www.ninersnation.com/2021/4/20/22394246/niner-nate-tion-podcast-the-one-issue-with-trey-lance-that-scares-you-the-most

    ReplyDelete

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