Seahawks Get a Boost

So, for this offseason, I have been really focusing on what the Niners have been trying to do, and haven't really though that our rival Seahawks were going to do much because of their cap space problems they have. But, They somehow just got one of the most talented offensive stars the league has seen for the in the past 5 years. His name is Jimmy Graham. The former New Orleans Saint just agreed to terms on a deal that will send the prolific tight end to the Seattle Seahawks, along with a fourth round draft pick. In exchange, the Saints will acquire center Max Unger and Seattle's 2015 first round draft pick. I believe that this was a great deal for both of the teams in this trade. Although the Saints lost their best offensive playmaker, they got a experienced center that will anchor their offensive line for the next few years. Plus, the team got another 2015 first round draft pick. This will allow them to have more flexibility during the draft, and potentially get another great player in the first round of the 2015 draft. On the Seahawks side, They just got a giant tight end, that has the hands and speed of wide receiver. Graham has had record breaking numbers the past to years, and has shown that he can make even the best defenders look silly, with his moves and strength. Graham will make the Seahawks offense much stronger, and will give the team many more options, since the big man will have the most attention on the field. Overall, both teams got the best of the deal and will be looking to upgrade even more this offseason.

Offensive power for the Seahawks? Pic from www.bleacherreport.com

More big news is the trade of Sam Bradford from the Rams for Nick Foles of the Eagles. This was a surprising trade to me, because Nick Foles has been a really solid quarterback for the Eagles the past 2 years. He had a record setting game with 7 touchdowns and a 19-2 touchdown to interceptions ratio in 2013. He has been a hell of a quarterback for a team that has really needed one. On the other hand, Sam Bradford is also a very productive quarterback. That being when he is healthy. He has torn his ACL twice, which makes me wonder why the Eagles gave up what they did to get him. He is always getting injured, with a couple of minor injuries, then a big one that ends up keeping him out for the whole year. But like I said, he is very productive when he is healthy. He has good arm strength and vision on the field, while also having the ability to roll out of the pocket and get positive yards on the scramble. So now to what I think. Personally, I would not have done this trade. The Eagles gave away a great player that has been very productive for them, for a quarterback that is injury prone and inconsistent at times. I guess that the Eagles might see a backup in Sam Bradford, that is they try to get another quarterback in the upcoming draft. But, that is really the only possibility I see. Sam Bradford has not proven to be a trusted quarterback in this league, and will need to do much more in order to gain some trust. So thats the news, two big trades, one I thought was iffy, and another great day of 2015 NFL offseason.

Around the League

For this blog, I am going to be covering all of the latest happenings throughout the league, with every team. The big news is the signing of Ndamukang Suh by the Miami Dolphins. The fins signed the big star defensive lineman to a 6 year 114 million dollar deal. With this signing, Detroit is loosing arguably their best defensive player and the anchor to their amazing defensive line. With Nick Fairley also a free agent, the lions are going to have to make some good signings in order to boost their D-line to where it was in the past. The Dolphins lost Paul Soliai in free agency and needed a defensive lineman that could control everyone up front. Suh has been a 4 time 1st team all-pro selection while also making 4 pro bowls during his career up to date. When talking about the money aspect of things, I think that the Dolphins payed him a little bit too much money. Even though Suh is one of the best defensive lineman in the league right now, 19 million dollars per year is a little bit too much for anybody on the defensive side of the ball. But, because the Dolphins had the money, I guess that they could do what they want with it, even though a chunk of it just went to one player.

Suh will be a big addition to the Fins defense- Pic from www.suh90.com

Lets also talk about the trade between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills. This trade sent all-pro running back, Lesean Mccoy, to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for young and talented linebacker, Kiko Alonso. This trade was one of the most shocking in the past couple of years. It was very appalling to hear of this trade, because you never see the face of a franchise get traded for a player that has not necessarily proven himself in the league yet. I understand that the main reason for this trade was because of the cap space problems that the Eagles are facing. They didn't have much to work with before this trade, which freed up about 7 million dollars in cap room. This will allow the Eagles to sign another well known player to their roster, if they feel that it is needed. On the Bills side, I think that the decision to bring in Lesean Mccoy to their offense was a great one! they haven't had a prolific star on offense for a while, and they all of a sudden just got one of the best running backs to play in this game in the past few years. With C.J Spiller in the rotation as well, the bills will have a very deep core in the back field, and are going to need to use these tools in the right way in order to bring themselves to the top once again.

So in the first couple weeks of the offseason, there have been many signings and trades throughout the league that will be big in the upcoming season. I can't wait to see what else will happen in the next few weeks because there is definitely going to be some more big moves that will end up affecting the teams in this league in a big way. I will be posting more blogs about the rest of the league and will be up to date on the stuff that is going on around the league. 

The Good and The Bad

Good news or bad news first? Lets get to the good. Right now, there is lots trending throughout the 49ers organization. The recent news of Patrick Willis's retirement has most team executives in shock, while others are still trying to move forward in the business. I heard a rumor that the 49ers are the front runners to get the speedy receiver Torrey Smith, who is a former teammate of Anquan Boldin in Baltimore. These two receivers lit up the AFC when they were together, and now that Torrey Smith has more experience in the league, he is bound to be a big part of the Niners offense this upcoming year. With his crazy 4.43 40 yard dash time, Smith is most definitely going to be the deep threat that the niners have needed for the past few years. Since coming into the league in 2011, Smith has tallied 213 catches, adding up 3,591 receiving yards and 30 reception touchdowns. I believe that this will be a great pickup for the 49ers and will really open up the big play opportunities for their offense next year. With Michael Crabtree gone, Torrey Smith has a big spot to take. Will he be the next great wideout for the Niners? I am anticipating a lot from the former Raven and new San Francisco 49er.

Torrey Smith is the new addition for the 49ers- Pic from www.espn.com

The bad news is that 49ers great Justin Smith is said to be retiring. I would have to say that Justin Smith is the most hard working player I have ever watched play the game of football. standing six feet four inches and 285 pounds, Justin Smith was a menacing force both in and out of the tackles. He was said to be one of the strongest men in the NFL, and his opponents only say positive things about his work ethic. You can tell that he really has a passion for the game and loved to go and kick some ass on Sundays for the sixteen years that he played in the league. Since becoming a 49er in 2008, Smith has been one of my favorite players to watch. He was able to propel the team to victories, even when they could have laid down and gotten the s**t kicked out of them. He is the perfect example of a hard working person that was born to play football, and I have loved him for the time that he has spent working on my favorite team. You are legendary, Justin Smith.

Justin Smith is retiring from the NFL- Pic from www.mizzoumag.com

Right now, I have mixed emotions for my team. They have lost three of the best players to have play for the Niners this offseason, but maybe it is a new chapter. I loved Frank Gore, but it is now Carlos Hyde's time to be the face of the 49ers and the defense is going to have to step up after losing arguably the teams two best run stoppers on defense. I Am becoming very excited to see what this upcoming season is going to hold for the red and gold. Will they still be contenders in the NFC championship race, or will they fall into rebuilding mode? This will be an interesting season for the 49ers and one that I am ready to start. Kaepernick will have to pick it up next year and get back to his MVP caliber 2013 season. So in the mean time, lets focus on what the 2015 offseason has to bring us.

Patrick Willis Retirement?

I just found out that Patrick Willis, arguably the best defensive player to ever be on the San Francisco, is strongly considering retirement. I really don't know what to say to this. Willis has been my favorite player since I really started enjoying watching the 49ers play. In my eyes, I believe that he is the best linebacker to ever play the game of football in the NFL. He is known for his attacking speed and ability to smash runners, while also drop back in coverage. With all of these attributes, he has earned a pro bowl in seven of his eight professional years, and six total all-pro appearances. These statistics are considered to be some of the best for any linebacker to ever play the game. What I am really confused about is why he is retiring at the age he is at. After just turning 30 years old, he still has many productive years of football in front of him. He has shown in past seasons that he is still at a high level of play, and capable of destroying anyone that tries to challenge him anywhere on the field. Where are these thoughts coming from?

I believe that the main reason that he is considering retirement is because of the recent research found about the human brain and damage tom football. Patrick Willis is smart enough to realize that if he decides to keep playing the game of football, his chances of severely injuring his brain rise. Plus, with the hits that he enforces, he is bound to hurt himself. But, at the same time, he still has the chance to earn a hall of fame spot if he keeps performing at the level that he has before. I realize that the 49ers still have the talented Chris Borland to start next year if he decides to retire, but Patrick Willis has been the player that gives the 49ers their image and has led the team to where they have gone in past years. 

Patrick Willis- best linebacker of all-time- Pic from www.willis52.com

I really hope that Willis doesn't decide to retire. He has been the core of the 49ers amazing linebacker core for many years, and still has a lot in him. I understand that San Francisco has Chris Borland behind Willis, but We need the leadership and player that everyone loves. You have been the face of the franchise and we can't afford you leaving. Personally, you have always been my favorite football player and gave me the idea to try and play the linebacker position in the game football. You were th inspiration to have me start playing this game and I can't think of not seeing you on the field on Sundays with the San Francisco 49ers. But, I know one thing. If you really do decide to retire, you will most definitely be put into the NFL hall of fame and be considered one of the best linebackers to ever play the game of football. Who's got it better than us, nobody!

Offseason Begins!

I have to say that my two favorite parts of the football year would have to be split between the playoffs and the beginning to the end of the offseason. The offseason is the time for teams to get there crap together for the upcoming year, no matter how the past year went for them. I always like seeing the bottom feeder of the league come up with a big signing at the beginning of the year. This always gets me excited to see a special player on a different team, both in reality and on the big screen when I decide to play the new Madden game. This offseason, I am hoping that the niners make some smart decisions, both with resigning players and not signing ones that don't deserve a spot on the team. There are also some faces in the free agency market that the niners might be willing to get if they want to spend some big money.

First of all, lets talk about the question that many fans of the team have been asking all year. Is Frank Gore going to be resigned by the team? I would have to say that the niners would be stupid not to resign the guy. He is the leader in pretty much every rushing record for the San Francisco 49ers team and has helped them get to many places that they could not have gotten to without him. His style of running is an asset that the niners depend on to have a good offense, and he has experience with the team, and how to get his job done. I know that we have a potentially great second year running back behind him in Carlos Hyde, but this guy needs at least one more year of Frank Gore being his mentor in order to be a great player for the 49ers. I believe that Carlos Hyde will be the starting running back within the next two years, but he needs much more than size and speed to be great in this league. The team also wonders about the Chris Culliver free agency. Culliver has been a productive cornerback for the past 3 years for the 49ers. He was injured for about half the season this year, but when healthy, is a force that is hard to stop. The Eagles are looking at him right now, and are strongly considering signing him to a multi-year contract. I think that the 49ers need to focus on the offensive side of the ball right now. Culliver will be asking for lots of money, and frankly, the 49ers cannot afford his asked prices.

Frank Gore is a valuable asset to the team- Pic from www.sfgate.com

Overall, the Niners have a tough offseason ahead of them. They are going to need to sign some defensive backs for the upcoming future and try to resign the franchises leading rusher. They have a tight salary cap space, and will attempt to spend every cent that they can on personnel that will affect the team in a positive way in the future. I have faith in my Niners to do the right thing with their players, and am looking forward to what the upcoming offseason will bring to the Gold Gang and the rest of the league.

Season Finale

Even though I didn't think that this would be the ending to the 2014 NFL season for the 49ers, I am happy to say that I was proud of the way that the team played. With all of the turmoil of Jim Harbaugh going to the Browns at the beginning of the season, it was known that there would be tough obstacles to get past during the season and it would be a grind. But, I thought that the Niners had a very good season. They showed that they could play top notch defense with half of the time being backups, and could prevail out of games that they should have never won. But with all that said, there is still one game to go. This weeks matchup will face the 49ers team against the best defense in the NFL, Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have always been a tough matchup for the San Francisco team. It seems that no matter the records of the teams, there is always going to be a hard fought game. Unlike the 49ers team, the Cardinals have been a consistent all around team this year. They come into the game with a 11-4 record that is tied for tops in the NFL. There defense has been impenetrable up front, even with star player, Darnell Dockett, out for the season with a lower body injury. This game had a lot of hype since the mid point of the year and I was excited to see it unfold.

Will Jim Harbaugh be done as the 49ers head coach?-Photo from www.bleacherreport.com. 

The game started with an 8 play 80 yard drive by the cardinals ending with a touchdown from Ryan Lindley to Michael Floyd, this being the first touchdown pass every thrown by Ryan Lindley. The 49ers came marching back with a deep 76 yard touchdown pass from Kaepernick to Boldin. The Cardinals scored a touchdown and a field goal, while the Niners scored two field goals to end the half with the Cardinals leading, 17-13. The second half was all about dominant defense. Both teams were held to 0 points late into the 3rd quarter, until Bruce Miller caught a touchdown pass from Kaepernick. The 4th quarter was the same, with 0 points being scored, and the Niners coming out on top to end their 4 game losing streak.

I thought that the Niners ended the year on a great note! They won the last game of the season, and were able to show the country that they could beat a tough playoff team, even with all of their depleting injuries. I personally, I am very excited to see what will happen this offseason. There is speculation that Jim Harbaugh is going to end his time in the Bay Area, and take the University of Michigan's head coaching offer for their football team. This would end up reuniting Harbaugh with his college, and give him the opportunity to become a legend at the university. But more importantly, Who will the 49ers get if he does leave for Michigan. Will they promote a current staff member to the coaching position, or search the league for a coach that is willing to fill in a big pair of shoes? I will continue to inform on the current situation the Red and Gold are dealing with. Go Niners!!!

Thanks for a great season!- Photo from www.sfgate.com

Playing For Pride

At this point in the season, I am just waiting for the last games to be played. I understand that the season is still going, but the Niners playoff hopes are over, and I want to see all of the offseason drama. I think that this weeks game against the Chargers will be fun to watch for everyone and will end up to be a good game. But most importantly, I am not going to have to cry over a Niners loss for another season. I would say that that is a big positive. Plus, I will be able to focus on all of the other teams for the offseason. I will be writing more about coach vacancies and news that is going around the league as a whole. So finally, lets get to the game.

This weeks game against the Chargers is the "Battle of the Golden Coast" for the two teams.  This rivalry has been alive since the two teams came into the league. In the past, the Niners have won more games than the Chargers in the game. But this year, San Diego was looking to demolish their bitter rivals. The 49ers had the opportunity to knock the Chargers out of the AFC playoffs with a win and would spoil another season for star quarterback, Phillip Rivers. The game started out great for the 49ers, with a 52 yard touchdown run for Frank Gore, to cap off a 4 play 78 yard drive to start the first quarter. The run gave the team momentum to get up to a 21-0 lead over the chargers halfway through the second quarter. The Chargers scored a late touchdown to end the half with a 28-7 49ers lead. The 49ers team looked like playoff contenders in the first half and you could feel that they wanted to end the Chargers season. But, the Bolts came back to get the win, after outscoring the 49ers, 31-7, in the second half alone to win the game 38-35.

Frank Gore ripped off an incredible 52 yard run- Photo from www.cincyjungle.com

I thought that this game really summed up the season for the 49ers. The team had great energy to start the game, and would die down in the second half. I mean, they didn't score a second half touchdown until week 4 in the season. This showed that they did not have good game preparation and game plans for when they would get down. Next game and more importantly, next year, the team will have to get more disciplined in the second half of games so that they can win the tight games that will determine if they do or do not make the playoffs. Next week, the niners will conclude their season with a game against the division leading, Arizona Cardinals. The two teams matched up in the third week of the season, ending in a thumping victory for the Cardinals. This years Cardinals team is tough-nosed and enjoys kicking their opponents ass. I think that the niners will end the season in a strong way, with a win against one of the leagues best teams.

Photo from www.pbs.com