NFL team previews — NFC West
By Kevin Lynch
As published in print Aug. 21, 2000
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49ers DT
Bryant Young
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These are not the 49ers of our youth. This team bears little resemblance to the great
San Francisco clubs that won five titles in 14 seasons. With last season’s grand
collapse to 4-12, the team had no choice but to face the enormous debt accrued from seven
seasons of skirting the salary cap.
QB Steve Young, S Tim McDonald, LB Lee Woodall, DE Gabe Wilkins, and CBs Darnell Walker
and Craig Newsome are gone, to name a few. A slew of rookie free agents and an 11-man
draft class have arrived. The 49ers also lured QB Rick Mirer, DE Anthony Pleasant and OTs
Scott Gragg and Matt Willig.
Even with a 30-player turnover, the team could be better than last year. QB Jeff Garcia
finished the last five games with a flourish, tossing eight touchdowns and just three
interceptions. Garcia also has the luxury of a full training camp as the starter. Rookie
LBs Julian Peterson and Jeff Ulbrich have already impressed, and it appears rookie CBs
Ahmed Plummer and Jason Webster will help lift last year’s worst-ranked pass defense.
Top of page
| Quarterbacks |
Grade C+ |
| Garcia struggled through the first two games of the
preseason, even though he excelled in the minds of 49ers coaches during the offseason.
Garcia seemed to lapse back into his old habit of fleeing the pocket too early and failing
to spot open receivers. But the feeling was that Garcia just began the summer in a minor
slump and that he would regain the prowess he displayed at the end of last season. If not,
Mirer, of all people, seems ready to take the helm. The former top-round pick has been
reduced to a journeyman after winning the 1993 AFC Rookie of the Year award. But Mirer
showed flashes of his collegiate and first-year form in training camp. Tim Rattay has the
edge over fellow rookie Giovanni Carmazzi for the No. 3 spot. Top of page |
| Running backs |
Grade B- |
| Charlie Garner quickly emerged as the starting running back
last season after Garrison Hearst failed to recover from a circulatory problem in his
foot. Garner turned in the best season of his six-year career by rushing for 1,229 yards
and averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Garner sat out several training-camp practices because
of tendinitis in his foot, but the hope is that it won’t be a chronic problem. FB
Fred Beasley continued to impress after ending last season as a starter. Beasley is the
total package: a bruising 240-pound blocker who can also run and catch. Second-year man
Terry Jackson might have been the training-camp MVP. He’ll be the first running back
off the bench. The team could have more talented backs depending on the recovery of Hearst
and fifth-round pick Paul Smith, who is battling a calf pull. Top of page |
| Receivers |
Grade B+ |
| Possibly the deepest area on the team. Terrell Owens is
likely to be the primary target. The 220-pound Owens recently beat the Rams’ Isaac
Bruce and the Redskins’ Michael Westbrook in a 100-yard dash during the
"Superstars" competition. In addition to being fast, Owens may be the most
physical receiver in the game. Owens dedicated himself to an offseason training program
that included a high-protein, low-fat diet. He’s coming off a down year in which his
TD total dropped from 14 to four. Jerry Rice is back for what may be his last hurrah.
He’s the last link to the 49ers’ back-to-back title teams of the late ’80s.
Rice also brings professionalism and work ethic to a young team that needs both. Last
year’s QB switch affected third WR J.J. Stokes, whose production nearly was sliced in
half (63 catches in ’98 vs. 34 in ’99). Stokes remains one of the best third
options in the league. The newcomer to this crew is second-year man Tai Streets,
who’s definitely a player to watch. TE Greg Clark is a great blocker and underrated
receiver who needs to stay healthy. Top of page |
| Offensive linemen |
Grade B |
| Comedian Rodney Dangerfield could do a bit on this line. Talk
about no respect — the line was called "atrocious" by one fantasy football
magazine. No team had a higher per-carry average than the 49ers, and the line allowed 34
sacks last season, down from 53 the year before. One goal was to keep the line intact from
last season, but C Chris Dalman’s herniated disc put a crimp in that plan.
Dalman’s career appears to be in grave jeopardy, but the team believes it has a
more-than-adequate replacement in Jeremy Newberry, who switches over from right guard.
Dave Fiore, who started last season at left tackle, is the best bet to replace Newberry at
the ORG spot. Either Gragg or Willig will man one OT spot, while versatile Derrick Deese
handles the other side. Reliable veteran Ray Brown continues to man the fort at left
guard. Top of page |
| Defensive linemen |
Grade B- |
| The team is solid at defensive tackle with Bryant Young and
Junior Bryant as the starters. Young rebounded from a harrowing broken leg suffered in
’98 to lead the team in sacks with 11 last season. Nobody else had more than 4½. But
the team may have discovered a pass-rushing talent in Peterson, who turned in three sacks
in his first exhibition game. Peterson will be a rush defensive end on obvious passing
downs. Pleasant is likely to start at one DE spot. The veteran is cagey and is a good run
stopper. Rookies John Milem and John Engelberger will share time at right end with
second-year man Chike Okeafor. The backups will all be young players, with the exception
of DT Brentson Buckner. Top
of page |
| Linebackers |
Grade C+ |
| Ken Norton’s back injury has the entire team turning
blue from holding its collective breath. Norton has played in 144 straight games and
rarely misses a practice. Norton is expected to do more heavy lifting this year with his
switch to middle linebacker, where he often will be tangling with offensive linemen.
Winfred Tubbs will move to the "plugger" position, where he should make more
tackles. Peterson will serve as the outside linebacker, where his main responsibility will
be covering tight ends. Jeff Posey has found a home at outside ’backer after spending
his first two years as a defensive end. He’ll push for playing time. Ulbrich appears
to have a promising future, but he has been limited by a knee injury. He should be ready
by the season opener. Top
of page |
| Defensive backs |
Grade C |
| The secondary has been totally revamped. Pro Bowler Lance
Schulters is moving from free to strong safety. The team is likely to start the season
with Plummer on the left corner and four-year veteran Monty Montgomery on the right. At
presstime, sure-tackling Pierson Prioleau appeared to have the edge over Zack Bronson at
free safety. This group is expected to be better than last year’s secondary, which
ranked dead last in pass defense. How much better might determine how much better the
entire team is. Top of
page |
| Special teams |
Grade C |
| PK Wade Richey led the league in field-goal percentage with a
.913 conversion rate, a remarkable statistic considering the blustery winds of 3Com Park.
P Chad Stanley has a powerful leg, but he had two punts blocked in ’99 and a net
average of just 30.7 yards. Return man Kevin Williams, who worked under new special-teams
coach Bruce DeHaven in Buffalo, should be an improvement over R.W. McQuarters. Top of page |
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