A Quick Glance at the Niners

The last two seasons the 49ers have won a grand total of six games. As odd as it may sound, the situation seemed even worse. The moral victories were few and far between, and malcontents were springing eternal. Pro Bowl fullback and consummate professional Fred Beasley—one of the underrated players of the Steve Mariucci Era—was shipped out to Miami. Though it is unclear whether clashes with the current coaching regime led to their departures, bookend linebackers and former first-round picks Andre Carter and Julian Peterson were allowed to walk as free-agents, the latter signing with division rival Seattle. Brandon Lloyd was sent to Washington for two draft picks for being too selfish and Jamie Winborn was benched in the beginning of the season and told a la Happy Gilmore to “go to his home!” He was later traded to Jacksonville. The latter two transactions revealed how much coach Mike Nolan learned over the course of the season regarding personnel. Clearly, Nolan wants his imprint on this team. Let’s hope it’s a harbinger for the future.

August is finally upon us and aside from signaling the end of summer, it denotes the dawn of a new NFL season. The San Francisco 49ers opened camp last Friday with all of their draft picks under contract, an impressive feat in the modern NFL. First-round pick Vernon Davis, the combine-destroying tight end from Maryland, is now the highest paid player at his position, above veterans such as Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, Jeremy Shockey and Todd Heap. Davis is being counted on to almost single-handedly lift the NFL’s worst ranked offense out of the doldrums.

Though the Niners missed on the opportunity to take talented but troubled University of Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks in the NFL’s supplemental draft last month, they were able to sign undrafted David Dixon, a supplemental candidate that was passed over by ever team. Though he shows promise, there are still questions about his makeup and game experience.

The Niners also added safety Mark Roman late of the Green Bay Packers. It says here on HMB that Roman will be starting by opening day.

Heard Mike Nolan this morning on the “Murph and Mac Show” on KNBR 680. Though not as cerebral as former coaches Bill Walsh and Steve Mariucci, Nolan conveyed a serious and focused persona, more along the lines of George Seifert. I think that both being defensive-minded coaches is not a coincidence. Let’s hope that Nolan can lift the Niners close to the level of Seifert’s teams. If you missed the interview, click here. Check out Mac’s rant on Armando Benitez’s recent struggles for a chuckle.

What the heck is the F-Back?

Kevin Lynch's daily notebook can be found here.

Don't completely blame the new regime for what is here. Take a glance at the past 49er drafts. Former GM Terry Donahue's anti-midas touch spanned from 1997 to 2004.