49ers- The new Redskins?

[49ersfan_87]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ml?eref=si_nfl

It's only day two of the NFL's free agency period, and already this much is apparent: The San Francisco 49ers have it in mind to become the new Washington Redskins

Let's start with the six-year, $45 million deal that the 49ers finalized Saturday with Bengals free-agent defensive end Justin Smith, which reportedly inclues $20 million guaranteed.

The 49ers just lavished big money on a free agent who played for a Bengals defense that finished dead last in the league in sacks, with 22. Smith had just two of those sacks, despite starting all 16 games for the sixth season in a row. San Francisco tied for 21st in sacks with 31. Was Smith an upgrade? It's at least debatable.

Showing they have learned something from last year's spending spree, most of the rest of the 49ers' moves have been small-scale by comparison. They locked up aging receiver Isaac Bruce at two years for $6 million, believing he'll enjoy a renaissance of sorts in new offensive coordinator Mike Martz's system, in which he thrived in St. Louis.
They added ex-Carolina running back DeShaun Foster (two years, $1.8 million) as Frank Gore's backup, gave a modest two-year deal to ex-Vikings inside linebacker Dontarrious Thomas, and acquired veteran return man Allen Rossum (one year at $870,000) and ex-Lions backup quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan (one year at $645,000). Earlier in the week, the 49ers re-signed two of their own potential free agents, keeping solid defensive tackle Jesse Sopoaga and linebacker Roderick Green at home.

Thoughts? Are the 49ers the new redskins?

[mikehop05]

yes

for now anyways, nolan needs wins quick to keep his job..

so of course they are going to do w/e they can to get good players and put together a decent season quickly

[A Perfect Score]

well...i dont think so. It isnt like they arent trying to build through the draft as well...the thing about the redskins is they normally trade and sacrifice draft picks for over the hill verteraans, something the Niners havent been doing. The niners sign all these FA's and then go and draft players...so nah, they are not the new redskins.

[MasterShake]

We signed one big FA this year, the rest are near minimum deals.

All the signings look smart to me, so that rules out comparing us with the redskins.

For comparison....the redskins traded us a 3rd AND 4th for Brandon Lloyd and gave him a 30$ million deal. THAT is a Redskin move...give up your draft and give a bad player alot of money.

[stl9erfan]

Granted, I'm biased. But I have to say, Don Banks seems pretty off base to me. For one, the Niners' biggest additions HAVE panned out. Anyone who watched the team last year knows just how big of a difference Nate Clements and Michael Lewis made. It's fine to say we were bad even with them, but I have no doubt we would have been much worse without them.

Also, the hallmark of the Redskins wasn't only that they signed a ton of FAs, but also stopped caring about the draft. The 49ers under Nolan, meanwhile, have done their best to stockpile picks, often using those to trade up to land more first round guys. Look no further than the trade of Brandon Lloyd to the 'Skins for 3rd and 4th rounders as proof of that. In fact, other than SF's trade of a 4th rounder last year (when they had four 4th round picks) to the Seahawks for Darrell Jackson, Nolan hasn't given up a pick for a veteran player, IIRC.

[nikkayeah]

i agree!!!

[Ness]

No. The biggest moves we've made haven't plagued us one year later. And we don't make ridiculous trades that don't pan out at all. Like someone else just mentioned, Michael Lewis and Nate Clements played their worth. I don't see how the author thinks that by signing Justin Smith the second day of free agency, that makes us the new Washington Redskins. Everyone else we signed are average to decent players that are providing us depth and experience more than anything else. Scott McCloughn said himself that he doesn't want to become a team that spends wildly in free agency annually. He wants to build the team through the draft as well. Which is why the 49ers haven't gone after any of the big name free agent receivers fiercely.

[JagHombre22]

Originally Posted by Ness

No. The biggest moves we've made haven't plagued us one year later. And we don't make ridiculous trades that don't pan out at all. Like someone else just mentioned, Michael Lewis and Nate Clements played their worth. I don't see how the author thinks that by signing Justin Smith the second day of free agency, that makes us the new Washington Redskins. Everyone else we signed are average to decent players that are providing us depth and experience more than anything else. Scott McCloughn said himself that he doesn't want to become a team that spends wildly in free agency annually. He wants to build the team through the draft as well. Which is why the 49ers haven't gone after any of the big name free agent receivers fiercely.

everyone except ashley lelie....lol

[jetsfan0099]

Yea, they spend a lot in FA. But not on players that are worth it, Nate Clements was a good signing last year, but getting guys like that OLB they signed was stupid. Getting Justin Smith is dumb, I don't get why everyone likes him so much, he isn't that great.

[21ST]

maybe so cause all we have done so far is resign todd collins and our sorry ass kicker

[Thunder&Lightning]

Originally Posted by jetsfan0099

Yea, they spend a lot in FA. But not on players that are worth it, Nate Clements was a good signing last year, but getting guys like that OLB they signed was stupid. Getting Justin Smith is dumb, I don't get why everyone likes him so much, he isn't that great.

Justin Smith isnt one of those high profile guys that will get 2 sacks a game. He is a guy that does everything right. Makes everyone around him better. Almost like a poor mans richard seymour. I dont see how you can say he isnt that great...

[YAYareaRB]

Lol Jesse Sopoaga goes to my school. He's related to Isaac Sopoaga but he doesn't play football. Typo