Ping 49ers - Derek Smith no longer UFA!

[Darkiller]

Really good news that MLB Derek Smith resigned with the Niners.
He has led the team in tackles in each of his 5 years with San Francisco and was also the Redsking leading tackler in his first 4 years in the NFL.

A really productive guy (163 tackles last season and 100+ tackles in each of the past 8 or 9 years) and also a "team player" which is what we need in San Fran. He is also regarded as the team's defensive leader ever since he signed here in 2001.

I am very happy because I thought he we'd lose him.

Now I think it also means the end of the 49er careers of both Julian Peterson and Andre Carter.

[Vince]

I agree with you on Peterson and Carter being gone -- I'm happy that Smith is not gone. With the potential drafting of A.J. Hawk, looks like we'll again have a solid LB corps with not much else around them. DK -- what do you think about Hawk as a first round pick? Not necessarily how good a player he is going to turn out to be, but the idea of the 49ers using their #1 pick on an OLB?

[Darkiller]

I think he would be a tremendous pick at #6. The same goes for DE Mario Williams and TE Vernon Davis who is said to be the next coming of Tony Gonzalez.

All in all, if I was the one in charge, I think I'd probably hesitate between A.J Hawk and Vernon Davis (so to give a great TE target to Alex Smith, we need that badly in our offense and although I am an Eric Johnson fan and he showed he could be really productive...you can't really trust his health unfortuntaly...)

So to me, Hawk or Davis would great picks at #6.
DE Mario Williams seems less in the 49er mold and what I heard, the Niners love A.J Hawk and would probably select Vernon Davis ahead of Mario Williams.

[BishopMVP]

Mario Williams will be a much more valuable player in the NFL. Not necessarily because he will be more productive then AJ Hawk, but defensive ends who can be legitimately compared to Julius Peppers are so much fewer than good outside linebackers. But hey, it's the 49ers, so it's not like one player will make the difference on that team.

[Subby]

I always liked Derek Smith when he was with the Redskins - kind of your prototypical hardnosed player...

[Darkiller]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Mario Williams will be a much more valuable player in the NFL. Not necessarily because he will be more productive then AJ Hawk, but defensive ends who can be legitimately compared to Julius Peppers are so much fewer than good outside linebackers. But hey, it's the 49ers, so it's not like one player will make the difference on that team.

You are right about this. Still top college DE aren't sure things in the NFL. Back in 2001, the 49ers drafted Andre Carter with the #7 overall pick and he still is not a star....You hit the bull's eye with a LB much more often and when a good LB is "said to be" a top10 pick, he usually is well worth it (see Brian Urlacher).

To sum up, yes Defense Ends are more valuable (and more expensive) than Linebackers.
Still, the chance of drafting a bust with a high pick is greater when you select a DE rather than a LB.

[Karlifornia]

I've seen/read that our beloved Niners may take a CB at the #6 pick..I think he's out of Virginia Tech or somesuch east coast school..I would definitely not be upset with a pick of AJ Hawk a #6. I mean, At least Bosworth could give him some post career acting pointers

[Darkiller]

dola,

Of course since there are more DEs than LBs usually drafted in the top 10 in any year, the likelihood of having a bust is obviously greater for DE...
Still, ask the Cleveland Browns (Courtney Brown and Gerrard Warren) if they'd select another DE in the top 3 still feeling sure about themselves...

[Crapshoot]

We have the money - I wish we would resign Peterson. When he's on, he's one of the best defensive players on the planet, and talent like that doesn't always come on the FA market. Moreover, he's fairly young.

[RedKingGold]

Also, don't rule out the fact that Ferguson...may fall to their pick.

If the top OT falls to the 49er's...there will be dancing in the streets

[Crapshoot]

Eh,
I don't see Ferguson falling, though that would be nice. I'm still pissed that we didn't trade out of the no 1 slot last year - picking Alex Smith because he was the flavor of the moment. Hell, this year - Smith would barely have been a first rounder.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Chris

I always liked Derek Smith when he was with the Redskins - kind of your prototypical hardnosed player...

Yep, and a genuinely nice guy. I met him at a postgame tailgate party once when he was with the 'Skins. We were both at Arizona State at the same time, and when I mentioned that, he was happy to sit down and shoot the breeze about the "old days" in Tempe.

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

Eh,
I don't see Ferguson falling, though that would be nice. I'm still pissed that we didn't trade out of the no 1 slot last year - picking Alex Smith because he was the flavor of the moment. Hell, this year - Smith would barely have been a first rounder.

Yeah, I think the Titans might shock everyone and take Ferguson. Meanwhile, Vince Young will slide all the way to the Raiders with the 7th overall pick.

It's a shame, because if the Niners had traded down and waited a year, they could have gotten Young.

In either case, I do believe in Alex Smith. I think everyone is so hard on him because of the expectations, but you gotta realize two things:

#1: The offense he played in in college was extremely QB friendly and he has to adjust to a more comlicated offense.

#2: The offense had little seasoned talent around it. I think there are some good young players (Lloyd, Battle, and Gore among them) , but they didn't have the experience. Plus that line was horrible.

I think getting Turner as the OC will also help. I think he can simplify the position for Smith and help him.

Remember, Turner was a QB guru before getting Heath Shuler. Shuler had the I.Q. of a Melon. Smith is a much more intelligent QB and more importantly, he has the hard work ethic to go with the talent.

I'm giving him another three years before giving up on him (see Aikman, Troy).
People forget that Aikman was selected in 1989 and was thought to be a bust until they won a super bowl in 1993. They thought he didn't have the moxie to be a starting qb.

Let's give Smith some time before writing him off

[Darkiller]

and now Aikman's in the Hall of Fame...

I am very happy that we drafted Alex Smith #1 last year and I wouldn't trade him for Mat "immobile" Leinart, Vince "the other" Young or Jay "hype-man" Cutler this year.