The Skillz Report

Give & Go: Niners Have Some Signing To Do

 

By D-Rock; originally written 2/22/13

 

The Niners have 11 players who are soon-to-be free agents.  I want to offer my take on each one and also rank their importance to the team.  Now would be a good time to unveil my ranking system.  My ranking system ranges from one D-Rock: [DR], and goes to five D-Rocks: [DR][DR][DR][DR][DR].  (Yes, I'm an egotistical, self-centered, attention-whore...what do you want from me?)  All kidding aside, I guess I could have used stars: ****....but that's soooo boring.  Plus, people don't appreciate the designation "DR" as much as they should.  So anyway, here it goes...

 
Tramaine Brock
[DR][DR]

Brock is a special teamer and i believe one of the gunners on the punt team.  All I remember from Brock is that he let Mario Manningham score a touchdown in 2011's NFC championship game (Brock came in when Tarell Brown got injured late in the game). He's not really a standout on special teams (to me, the standouts are Spillman, Wilhoite, Gooden, and Dixon). Plus he must not be that great of a CB because the Niners brought in Darcel McBath and Perrish Cox, two guys who at least saw some playing time in the secondary.  I don't think you can say that about Brock.

 

Leonard Davis
[DR]

They liked to bring big boy Davis in on Jumbo packages.  This guy is an effing mountain of a man, but is he effective?  I haven't really seen much from him as a run blocker, but then again I don't pay too much attention to O-linemen.

 

Ted Ginn, Jr.
[DR][DR][DR]

Ginn has been returning punts for the Niners ever since he was signed by the team.  Despite having a monster game against Seattle in 2011, he hasn't done much in the past two seasons and looks to have lost a step or two.  Having said that, if they don't sign Ginn does that mean Kyle Williams will take over as a PR?  <shudders> I'd rather have Ginn.  I'm sure the Niners could sign him cheap.</shudders>

 

Dashon Goldson
[DR][DR][DR][DR][DR]

The Niners placed the franchise tag on Goldson last season and the talks are that they might do it again.  Before the beginning of last season Goldson didn't participate in training camp due to the contract negotiations.  It's hard to tell how displeased a player is about all this contract stuff because all of this contract positioning and refusing to report to training camp is orchestrated by the player's agent.  I hope Goldson doesn't get disgruntled with all of this franchise tag drama.  I want him to be a Niner for a long time and I want him to want to be here.

 

Tavares Gooden
[DR][DR][DR]

"T-Good" as he is called has been a solid contributer to special teams.  I don't know where he falls on the LB depth chart but he seems like he would be right up there with Larry Grant.  I know he brings a lot of "sizzle" to the special teams unit.  Anytime a player offers intangibles like that you want to think twice before letting someone like that go.

 

Larry Grant
[DR][DR]

Grant did a wonderful job of filling in for #52 two seasons ago.  Some have said that he would probably be a starter on some NFL teams.  It seems to me that he will be a highly coveted free agent, which means he likely will be too expensive for the Niners.

 

Clark Haggans
[DR]

I don't know what Haggans' value is to the Niners.  I believe he was brought in as an insurance policy when Parys Haralson got injured early in the season (preseason, I think) for the whole season.  If he got playing time, it was very little.  To me it seems like he would just be taking up a spot which would be better used for a rookie with potential.

 

Ricky Jean-Francois
[DR][DR][DR][DR]

I just love saying this guy's name.  He is near the top of the depth chart for the Niners D-line...which doesn't necessarily say much as the Niners D-line doesn't look to have much depth.  The D-line is one area I think the Niners need to focus most on in the upcoming draft, and I'm hoping they draft at least two D-linemen.  Having said that, we need Jean-Francois on the roster to help fill the gaps...both literally and figuratively.

 

Randy Moss
[DR][DR]

Coach Harbaugh said he wants Moss back this year.  I'm not sure if I want Moss back or not.  He didn't seem to pose too much of a threat to opposing defenses and the rapport between he and Kap didn't seem all too great.  Wide receiver is another area the Niners should focus on in the draft.  On the outset, it looks as though A.J. Jenkins isn't what the Niners thought he was.  Crabs would benefit from another playmaking WR on the field.  Maybe Manningham can be that guy...or maybe the Niners can grab a future superstar in the draft.

 

Isaac Sopoaga
[DR][DR][DR]

Sopoaga is one of the longest tenured Niners (I believe he and his 2005 draft-mate, Andy Lee, are only behind Brian Jennings). 

Sopoaga has been a workhorse for so long, but he's also getting up there in age.  Can he maintain the productiveness that he's given the Niners all of these years?  As I said earlier, the Niners need to draft at least two D-linemen...AND they probably need to bring in free agents as well.  The D-line is at a tipping point, and it's a shame the Niners didn't address this last year.

 

Delanie Walker
[DR][DR][DR][DR][DR]

The swiss army knife of the team.  This guy is invaluable.  THE most underrated player on the Niners roster.  Yes, he's dropped some critical passes in recent history, but he's also made some terriffic ones that more than make up for it.  I want to see Walker in a Niner uniform for years to come.