49er Fans Starting To Feel Like They've Been Kicked Out Of Paradise
Sports anchor Dennis O'Donnell offers his analysis on the latest Bay Area sports sports news.
Wasn't it Don Henley who sang, "Call it paradise, kiss it goodbye."
Frank Gore was the heart and soul of the offense.
Mike Iupati was the Pro Bowl lineman he ran behind.
Justin Smith was the cowboy who still had bullets.
Patrick Willis already has a bust waiting in Canton.
49er fans everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE, are wondering what in the world is going on down in Santa Clara. One year ago the stadium was nearing completion, the 49ers were Super Bowl favorites and the only concern was where season ticket holders would set up their tailgate.
Oh, did I mention that fullback Bruce Miller was arrested on suspicion of spousal abuse?
This ranks among the darkest days in 49er history. Black Monday. It follows the departure of the immensely popular and successful head coach. The 49ers have gone from a franchise envied throughout football to a laughing stock in a matter of hours.
Thank God the Colin Kaepernick report was false. Or was it?
Armageddon or a brilliant plan by Trent Baalke? Let's take the emotion out of this whacked out day for just a moment.
Justin Smith and Frank Gore were past their prime. Jeremy Newberry told me last night that, while he wished Gore well, it was a smart business decision to let Gore go rather than pay him $7.5 million guaranteed.
Patrick Willis is 30 and is no longer the most dominant linebacker in football. He played in just six games in 2014 and admitted that his surgically repaired toe has been bothering him for years.
Mike Iupati is the biggest loss of the group because he's only 27, and is among the best run blocking guards in the NFL, ranking among No. 4 among the top 101 free agents in the NFL. The 49ers have options in Daniel Kilgore and Brandon Thomas, but neither is the run blocker that Iupati was.
Justin Smiths' replacement is Darnell Dockett, who missed all of 2014 after suffering a torn ACL in summer camp. Newberry, who knows plenty about surgically repaired knees, told me he expected Dockett to be at 100% and be a team leader on defense. He raved about Dockett's arrival.
Carlos Hyde has the task of replacing Gore. Newberry expects Hyde to share the duties with another back to be named later, possibly Kendall Hunter, who is returning from an ACL injury. Hyde ran for 333 yards, averaging 4.0 yards per carry, less than Gore's 4.7, but showed flashes of being a strong running back for years to come.
Finally, the 49ers are reportedly closing in on a deal with Raven's free agent receiver Torrey Smith who has made it clear he's done in Baltimore.
He's the field-stretcher that Colin Kaepernick has never had in San Francisco. Smith caught 11 touchdowns in 2014 and has 51 receptions on passes 20 yards or more.
While losing four players who have been the face of the franchise for years, the 49ers appear to have replacements, some arguably upgrades. Add to that Torrey Smith and suddenly you can downgrade Hurricane Jed to Storm Trent.
I'm not sure I'd call it Paradise, but I wouldn't kiss the 2015 season goodbye, either.
