EDITOR'S UPDATE 4:25PM: Jennings had surgery on his right hand for a broken knuckle (sounds painful).  He'll be out Thursday, but apparently should be back for the exhibition finale against San Diego.

On Saturday Jonas Jennings apparently injured a knuckle on his right hand.  Now it looks like he'll miss Thursday's showdown with the Bears.  There is no word on the extent of the injury, but he's definitely out.

Jennings had been having a great camp, so it's definitely not good to see him get hurt.  At the same time, he's struggled to stay healthy during his career, so this isn't exactly a shocking piece of nice.  Barry Sims will get the start in his place.  While I'd prefer Jennings be healthy, it'll be good to see what Sims can do with the first team offensive line.  When Sims was signed, the coaches indicated he'd get a chance to compete for a starting position.  In reality, I have no doubt he was actually signed as insurance for Jennings.

In other injury news, Ashley Lelie is really hoping to play Thursday.  He wore a sleeve on his left calf to increase circulation and speed up his healing process from a small tear in his calf muscle.  Barrows indicated Lelie is planning on applying some pressure to the leg to see where he's at.  You know he's feeling a lot of pressure from the younger receivers.  Josh Morgan has shot past him and it's possible this is now a competition between Lelie and Jason Hill, if even that.

Finally, Michael Robinson seems to be closer to full health.  It sounds like if this were the regular season he could definitely play in the exhibition finale, but we'll see if they hold him out.  Considering the struggles of the kick off and punt coverage units, his importance is only amplified.

via sf49ers.com

After yesterday morning's practice, Takeo Spikes took some time to answer a bunch of questions from the press.  Considering how much time and energy it took to get Spikes signed and in uniform, he had plenty to say.  Further down are some of Mike Nolan's thoughts on the Spikes signing and the impact.

Previous experience as a Ted:
“The good thing about it, I played that position late in my career in Buffalo, but just defense, I played just defense my first four years in the league with Cincinnati, so that’s why I’m familiar with it.”

Impressions of Patrick Willis:
“He’s just—I’ve seen him do interviews on TV and everything, but he’s all that everybody says he is. I think he is a good young man and I think he is an outstanding player. Everything he’s proven over this past year, I mean it speaks for itself. We are going to get together and everything I know and some of the things I’ve learned over my years, I’m going to help him out and try to notate that transition over as far as him taking his game up into another level.”

Why the 49ers:
"...Even the first time I came out here to San Francisco, I was impressed...I was impressed with the coaching staff. It reminds me of the coaching staff that I had when I first got to Buffalo out of free agency out of Cincinnati and that really turned me on, and then having the chance to talk to the guys. Mark Roman, Nate Clements, Jonas [Jennings]. Those guys kind of stayed in my ear throughout time, all over the summer time. I still didn’t know, so I was just waiting and seeing what the best opportunity was and the big thing, it really wasn’t about money for me. I wanted to come somewhere where I thought I would have the best opportunity to win because I’ve been playing for eleven years now, so I’m trying to at least, at the minimum, get to the playoffs and then we are going to win it all in the Super Bowl. So, I felt like San Francisco was the best place for me.”

On his health:
“I’m fine. I’m good. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t. That’s a good way to look at it, but I got passed the surgery to the fifteenth week of the season. I almost made it through, but I’m fine now...I was hoping to play the season out, but that Monday night when Minnesota won, that kind of put us out of the playoffs, so there was really no need for me to go ahead and continue to finish.”

How long it will take to learn the defense:
“It’s just a matter of time. The good thing about this defense is it’s not loaded with a lot of stuff. I came from Philly, to where it was serious. It was a lot of stuff, but the good thing is it’s basic. You are going to have a couple of calls, but it is more so terminology for me. The best part about it is I’ve been in the league now, going on eleven years, so it’s not really much I haven’t seen. It’s really not anything I haven’t seen. Now it’s just finding out what we used to call it and call it that here now.” (Spikes mentioned it was similar to the defense he played in under Dick LeBeau in Cincinnati)

Comparing the Ted to the Mike:
"He’s (Willis) actually coming into the same position that I was when I came into Cincinnati because I was in that same position. A lot of the calls are for that side of the defense, the weak side. He’s sitting right there on the weak side, but at the same time the TED has a lot of opportunities to make plays, too. They are out there to make. Do I just sit back and bide and at the end of the day, “There’s just this play he’s got to make and everything,” nah. If there is a play out there to make, I am going to go out there and make it. I tell him meet me at the ball. I tell all the guys, meet me at the ball, all the time.”

Why not wait until an injury opened up a need to sign him:
“To me, it is important for me to come in and understand what I’m doing and not only that. To understand who I’m playing with so they get to know me and I get to know them. That’s what is more important for me than anything and I kind of had this date circled on my calendar but as time goes on—nobody likes training camp, I don’t like training camp, but I’m here.”

My thoughts
Spikes seems to realize his role while still having the drive to be a play-maker.  I definitely like that he wants to work with Patrick Willis to make him a better player.  Up through 2004 Spikes was a big time playmaker before injuries slowed him down.  He's shown the ability to be a tackling, while forcing some turnovers and getting some pressure on the QB. 

While he seems to have some Ted-type experience, I'm curious to see how he does in what could be described as a somewhat secondary role to the star of the linebacking corp, Patrick Willis.  Obviously Spikes will play an important role and he is saying all the right things right now.

Whether you think he's washed up or not, I think the 49ers have improved their linebacking depth, while also improving special teams coverage.  If Ulbrich isn't starting, he'll see even more time in special teams.  As the punt coverage showed on Friday, that can never be underestimated.

Mike Nolan's thoughts after the jump

Continue reading this post »

Earlier today, word came down that the 49ers had released Brandon Moore and would have Takeo Spikes visiting to take a physical.  Well, it's now official: Takeo Spikes is the newest member of the San Francisco 49ers.

Spikes actually has some 49ers connections.  He played with Justin Smith during Smith's first two seasons in Cincinnati.  When Spikes moved on to Buffalo he played with Nate Clements and Jonas Jennings.  Said Clements:

"He was a groomsman in my wedding so he's a good friend and I've been in touch with him about coming here the last few months," said Clements. "He’s a great addition. He brings leadership, playmaking ability and experience to the table, and I’m excited to have him here.”

Terms of the deal were not released, but I'd imagine it is not too long term a deal.  Spikes missed the final two games of 2007 after having surgery to repair of torn rotator cuff.  With the latest moves and one exhibition game behind us, I'm planning on throwing an updated 53-man projection in the next couple days.  This move certainly heats up the Ted battle.

Over the ten days of camp, one of the standouts has been Jonas Jennings.  Barrows and Maiocco both seem to be in agreement that he has stood out in the various drills thrown his way.  It's been beaten into the ground, but Jonas Jennings has always been immensely talented.  The problems that have kept him off the field and/or kept him from being a true standout have always appeared to be a combination of injuries and personal issues.  Last season he left the team with personal issues and that was one of many problems that hurt the team.

After the morning practice in Napa yesterday, Jennings was willing to open up and go on the record with Maiocco.  Events have certainly piled up on Jennings.  I don't think it's necessarily to blame anybody in particular.  At the same time, the tone portrayed about the situation ranges somewhere between annoyance and down right pissed off.

On moving to the right side of the line:

"I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not happy about it. But I'm just trying to be a team player . . . It's different when you play three years in college at left (tackle) and seven years in the league on the left and then in the eighth year you have to switch. It's something I have to get used to."

On last season:

". . . nobody still knows what really happened last year. First, I have personal problems, then I'm back at practice the next day. You do the math. Then I (reportedly) have problems in the locker room but then (it's reported) everybody loves me in the locker room. You know what I'm saying? People are doing a lot of guessing and wishy-washy stuff. People will write things. I don't know what you wrote, but I've been staying away from that and those types of questions because you can just go back to your sources."

One his mental state now:

"I'm under contract. I'm a loyal guy, so I'm going to carry out my contract and do my duty as a 49er. That's where it is."

On the injuries:

"Being hurt . . . I don't worry about things I don't control. People say this and say that, but everything I've been out for I've had to have surgery for. What can I do about that? Two shoulder surgeries, hand, ankles. If you play a violent game violently, man, of course something's going to come out of it. But I can't stop this guy from rolling me up in the back. That stuff is unavoidable. If I got caught up in that and worried about all of that, I'd probably have same amount of gray hairs you have . . .

If you're going to put out all that stuff . . . the Ronnie Lott thing and what he heard, that I don't get along . . . well, why am I around? I was just a permanent captain a year ago, and now I'm the scapegoat? It doesn't add up to me."

On dealing with the negative talk:

"Some (expletive) you just don't hear. There's no negative in my mind. You know what I mean? People are going to have their opinions and think what they want to think. If I'm such a bad guy, why am I still around? That's the way I look at it. I know I didn't do anything, but be hurt. What can I do about that? Especially when I needed surgery for it? Everything I've been out for needed to be fixed. They can think what they want to think, but when I'm going, I'm going."

If you get a chance to read through the entire interview, I highly recommend it.  While there is plenty left to inferrence, you can get a good idea of the mindset of Jennings.  I think he was really convinced he was going to get cut by the 49ers at some point before training camp.  Maybe I'm inferring too much from the conversation but it seems like he realizes the true business nature of it and he does not want to get emotionally invested in the team.

The team added Barry Sims in the offseason to compete at right tackle.  I am certainly glad to have a capable replacement in case Jennings misses more time.  However, I also think that if this o-line is to return to the form of 2006, Jennings needs to be the guy at right tackle.  In 2006 he played in 13 games and the 49ers rushing attack reached record highs.  It certainly was not all him, but he was an important key.

At 30 years of age, Jennings is in year 4 of the 7-year contract he signed.  Considering he's never actually played a full season I'd like to think his tires aren't too worn down.  Of course, the various surgeries certainly don't help.  So I see two questions coming out of all this.  First, what can the 49ers expect from Jonas Jennings this season and through the rest of his contract (or if he'll even last the final 4 years of his deal)?  Second, can the 49ers put together a solid offensive line with Barry Sims (or anybody other than Jennings) manning the right tackle position, or is Jennings a significant cog in this machine?

The 49ers got through their second day of padded practice with a few bumps and bruises but some interesting developments as well.

1. Mr. Goldson, please answer the white courtesy phone.  Mark Roman had to sit out today's practice with a hamstring strain, meaning Dashon Goldson practiced with the first team defense.  As long as Roman gets back to healthy I'd imagine he'll hang on to the starting free safety job for at least the beginning of the season.  However, if Goldson continues to make plays, as he's done in practice so far, he could snatch the job away.  Of course, if both are playing well, I'd imagine the team would find ways to get both in the lineup.  Goldson played a good bit of cornerback in college so he has the necessary flexibility.

2. Now if only Jennings could stay healthy and keep his head on straight, for crying out loud. Both MM (see the comments at the bottom) and Barrows have pointed out that Jonas Jennings has been the best offensive lineman in camp, with MM also giving a plug to Eric Heitmann.  Heitmann struggled last season after coming back from a busted up leg.  Jennings has had off the field issues and injury issues crop up ever since he signed his 7-year deal with the 49ers.  If these two guys can stay healthy and have bounce back years, I think this offensive line goes from weakness to strength.  Staley still has to prove himself at left tackle and Baas/Wragge/Rachal have their work cut out for them.  However, the talent is there for the 49ers to have a very good offensive line this season.  That would be HUGE for whomever is leading the team at QB.

3. QB numbers. Maiocco has been so kind as to provide his unofficial pass statistics for the 11-on-11 dills: Alex Smith is 65 of 99 (65.7%) with 1 TD and 3 INTs.  Shaun Hill is 60 of 94 (63.8%) with 1 TD and 4 INTs.  A couple things to keep in mind on those statistics: 1) The 49ers have worked inside the redzone in only one practice, 2) It's not a TD if it's not caught in the TD or there is no defender between the receiver and the end zone when he catches the ball.  So those numbers certainly have to be taken with a grain of salt.

4. Thank the lord he didn't pull a Jay Moore. Kentwan Balmer injured his ankle when a teammate fell on it during a running drill.  There were worries it was a high ankle sprain, but it appears to only be a mild sprain.  Moore suffered a high ankle sprain last year and missed the whole season.

5. Some other injury news.  Arnaz Battle was held out of practice but it appears to be a simple precautionary measure.  He has had knee injuries and other bumps and bruises in the past.  Battle has reached that point where he's turning into an established veteran where you know what you're gonna get from him.  You never want a guy losing reps in practice, but if it keeps him healthy I suppose it works.

I wanted to wrap up with an interesting quote from Mike Nolan after practice:

"Yesterday we had three turnovers and a couple of incomplete passes that when we get our timing and all down will be big gains. They turn into interceptions because they bounce off a guy’s pads or something happened that we might have gone to an inside guy instead of the outside with the ball. Just little things that when we get it down is an opportunity for a big play. We have to understand that. Guys come out and say, ‘Well I saw this with turnovers.’ But when you analyze it, it’s the right decision and makes us a big play that we didn’t have before. So there’s excitement. The guys see it, but you have to point it out so they’re not wondering, ‘Did I really see that, or did I not?’ When the coach talks about it, it’s a little bit more real than them looking at each other and saying, ‘Did you almost make a big play?’ ‘Yes, I did.’ Players are always going to say, ‘Well I almost hit it out of the park.’ And they popped out. It’s not really the same thing.”

This is one thing we all have to keep in mind as we roll through training camp.  With the new offense, it will definitely take some time for the offense to come together.  Mike Martz mentioned he had never been in a situation like this with an even split of snaps between the top 2 QBs.  I certainly hope that isn't detrimental to the development of some sort of cohesiveness in the offense.

This continued development of the offense will be something to keep an eye on through each othe preseason games.  I definitely want to try and do some charting of plays and see what kind of success Smith and Hill have early on.  It's only preseason, but for a small stretch Smith/Hill will still see #1 defenses so there should be some valuable analysis available.

The 49ers wrapped up their third day of practice today.  Apparently the original plan was to have a morning and afternoon practice, but Mike Nolan decided to cancel the afternoon practice.  The team starts practicing in pads tomorrow, so it sounds like a chance to give everybody a little rest before then.

On current injury issues
"Arnaz Battle is nursing a little bit of a hamstring that kind of bothers him somewhat. He might take fewer reps at times, although he didn’t today. But someone like Ashley Lelie, naturally that gives someone else the opportunity to take some of those reps so it’d be important for him to get back. He should be back in a few days."

"Walt Harris was held out of practice just because that’s the way we’re doing it. Just like we’ve done the last two years with him: one a day. That is the case with certain players. Jonas Jennings is one of those and Walt Harris, Isaac Bruce, Arnaz Battle – those are the four that come to mind. Joe Staley should be in at the middle or end of the week. We’ll see how it keeps going, but it will not be tomorrow. Aubrayo Franklin should be in the next day or two. [Damane] Duckett will be a few days. Michael [Robinson] has got a strained knee, and they’ll look at it when they go inside . . . it just looks like a strain.”

On the WR battle
"There are a few established guys and a couple I can speak of right away: naturally Isaac Bruce and Arnaz Battle. [Bryant Johnson] might be in that group but, at the same time, he’s in a new situation and a new offense, and it’s important for him to stay in the competition as far as doing everything he can to get better.”

On whether Battle and Bruce are considered the "starters," with Johnson the #3
“No, I would consider all three of them. I would just talk about a three-wide situation because that’s definitely the case. We’re trying to get our best out on the field, so they may be part of the best 11 as it looks right now when you compare them to a fullback offense or a tight end offense.”

On Josh Morgan
“He’s caught a lot of balls, so he has made a good impression. He’s done a very good job, and he’s working hard. He needs to continue to do those things not only on the field but off the field as far as taking care of his body . . . It would be nice if he factors in because he’s certainly done a very nice job for three days and five practices.”

On whether they'll keep 6 receivers on the 53-man roster
“No, I would hope for at least four. Five would be reasonable, but six would mean that we’ve got a decent core of guys. So, I was hoping for guys to show up and then we’d have six, but I wouldn’t go that far today.”

On whether Tony Wragge and Chilo Rachal are battling for a starter role or backup role
“You know, at this point, if everybody’s healthy, it will be a long shot for one of them [to start over David Baas]. But they keep getting better. I’d like for one of them to prove me wrong. You get your expectations too high on a rookie and you’ve either got a bad football team or you’re getting ready to be bad.”

MY THOUGHTS (Fooch, not Nolan)
It sounds like Josh Morgan is making quite an impact on the coaching staff.  Maiocco and Barrows indicated back in June that Morgan looked impressive in OTAs.  If Ashley Lelie can't get healthy, it wouldn't surprise me in the least to see Morgan get a roster spot over Lelie.  Considering the team has 3 solid receivers already, it would not be like cutting your top receiver by any stretch.  Lelie continues to frustrate.  He's out for several days and that's just not going to help him, especially considering he was in the dog house most of last season.

As for the battle at right guard, Nolan makes a good point about getting high expectations for a rookie.  Even if Rachal isn't able to step up, Wragge has been a decent offensive lineman when called upon.  And, as previously discussed, even if Wragge or Rachal doesn't take the starting job, they can work to providing some excellent depth.

Well speak of the devil.  Just as I post about why first and second round draft picks haven't been signing, the 49ers go out and come to terms with their second round pick, Chilo Rachal.

The most interesting thing is the fact that they refer to him as tackle and guard.  Rachal was a guard at USC, where he didn't allow a sack in 21 games.  However, during June's organized training activities, Rachal spent his time at tackle.  The team was worried about depth issues and wanted him to get some time there.  Since then, the 49ers have signed Barry Sims to compete with Jonas Jennings for a starting spot, and at worst be the backup to both Jennings and Joe Staley.

So what does this mean?  I honestly don't know.  Jennings has his injury history and Barry Sims is no spring chicken.  I'm curious to see where they line up Rachal in training camp.  I'd prefer he just learn one position as well as possible, but if he can develop the flexibility to play both guard and tackle, that only increases his value.

Now that Sims is signed, I'd imagine Rachal will compete primarily with David Baas, who is recovering from a torn pectoral.  Matt Barrows had some updated info on Baas:

The questions, then, are when will Baas be back? And will his absence allow Rachal, assuming he's at right guard, to usurp the position? I'm told that Baas is progressing nicely from his injury. He's out of his sling and he's been able to do some light work in the weight room. He is expected to go on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list when players have their physicals next week. He likely will miss all of the preseason but the team expects him back for the regular season. Baas has the added concern of losing upper body strength while he is kept from fully working out in the weight room.

Players never want to lose a starting spot due to injury, but the offensive line is certainly unique in the need for chemistry among the five guys there.  Barrows makes a good point when he asks what happens if Rachal is starting at one of the guard positions and forms solid chemistry with the rest of the line.  The negative would be forcing Baas back into the situation and having a discombobulated line trying to get back into rhythm.  Of course, this all depends on Rachal stepping up and taking the bull by the horns.  Let's hope that happens and he just slots right into a starting spot.

Aside from OTAs and a short minicamp, May, June and much of July are pretty quiet on the football front.  I'm guessing that's why the various publications put out their annual NFL Preview issues.  A lot will change in training camp, but for now, football fans demand information.  My first memories of this revolved around Street & Smith's.  Others have come along, including Athlon Sports and Lindy's Pro Football Preview, but for me, it all goes back to Street & Smith's.

We'll look at those magazines later, but for now I thought we'd start with CBSSports.com's Pro Football Weekly.  PFW gives letter grades to eight offensive and defensive units, a projected record and odds on winning the Super Bowl.  I've put all the pertinent information about all 4 NFC West teams in this handy-dandy chart:

As you can see, PFW seems rather bullish on the Cardinals and incredibly down on the 49ers.  I have no problem with the long Super Bowl odds, but does anybody honestly see this team going 3-13?  I suppose anything's possible and I'm probably more optimistic than an objective football analyst.  However, I honestly see both the offensive and defensive units improving in 2008.  I'm not predicting 13-3, but I think a 7-9 or 8-8 prediction is completely reasonable and safe guess.  Furthermore, even though the grades aren't all that good, there is no one unit that is so awful as to warrant 3-13.

Right off the bat, let's look at the running back position.  Steven Jackson is arguably the better running back in the NFC West.  Even conceding that point, would you rather have DeShaun Foster as your #2 back or the combination of Travis MInor and youngsters Brian Leonard and Antonio Pittman.  Sure there is upside in those last two, but Foster brings more to the table this season.

Looking at the offensive line grades, it's fair based on last year's performance.  However, I definitely think the offensive line will perform above a C- if they can stay healthy.  The addition of Barry Sims gives them a very capable backup to Jonas Jennings, meaning they won't be sliding guards to tackle and tackles to guard.

As far as the defensive backs are concerned, I think this a clear sign of not doing enough research.  It seems like they saw the 49ers final numbers and assumed the DBs were just as bad as everybody else.  They did acknowledge that Clements played well under his "$80 million contract" (that we all know is NOT $80M).  While Walt Harris certainly regressed from 2006, the depth behind him has grown.  Shawntae Spencer remains a talented back up and the youth movement of Tarell Brown and Reggie Smith brings a lot to the table.

They wrapped up the preview stating that:

At the very least, the Niners should be a lot more interesting with Mike Martz in charge of the offense.  But with so many holes to fill on both sides of the ball, a sixth straight losing season seems more than a little likely.

Considering they predicted 3-13, it seems like they think it's more like a lock.

Other Stuff
As with every preview magazine, PFW has several feature articles on everything ranging from the 10 players to keep an eye on throughout the year to the top rated players overall and at each position.  I'm disappointed to say that Patrick Willis didn't make the top 10 players to watch each week, or even the honorable mentions.  Of course the top 10 were all the usual suspects on offense.  The honorable mentions did include Ed Reed and Antonio Cromartie.  Personally, I think you're gonna see something special every week when Bamm-Bamm takes the field.

As far as the player ratings, 4.0-5.0 goes Pro Bowl, blue chip guys who "consistently make big plays."  3.0-3.9 goes to impact players who fall short in at least one area.  2.4-2.9 goes to starters who get the job done or a "still-developing player who has the potential to get it done."

Coming in at #50 and the highest rated 49er is Bamm-Bamm himself, Patrick Willis with a 4.0 (for new readers wondering about the Bamm-Bamm, Chad Johnson gave Willis that nickname just prior to playing against him last season.  Suffice to say, it has stuck here at Niners Nation). 

Next to many players they included little initials, such as u (upside), uu (huge upside), c (player is at a crossroads) and d (begun to decline or will soon).  Willis is notched with a uu meaning huge upside.  Only Brian Urlacher ranks higher than Willis, while Lofa Tatupu and DeMeco Ryans are also given 4.0.  Since Willis has uu, and those two don't, he gets the tiebreaker.  An interesting point is made in his little bio:

Willis had one of the all-time great seasons for a rookie linebacker, leading the NFL in tackles by a wide margin...Such a high tackle total is usually an indicator of a weak defense, but make no mistake: Willis had an outstanding first season.  A fast, tough inside linebacker who makes tackles sideline-to-sideline, Willis could be an All-Pro for the next 10 years if he stays healthy and hungry.

Aside from Willis, the 49ers get high marks for Frank Gore (3.75, although I think there should be a u next to Gore considering the impact Martz could have on the offense).  Vernon Davis comes in at 3.4 with uu and in the team preview they think he could blow up in the Martz offense (shocker there).  Joe Staley checks in at 3.3 with a uu, Justin Smith is a 3.4, Nate Clements is a 3.7 and MIchael Lewis is a 3.4.

And just to cap it off, the man, the myth, the legend, Andy Lee comes in at 3.8 with a u.  You have to love a punter with upside!

For those who missed it from earlier, the 49ers won the every exciting and popular Barry Sims sweepstakes, outlasting the Rams, Patriots and Ravens.  Sims signed a two year deal, although financial terms were not revealed.  In deciding on the 49ers, it sounds like it was a combination of locale, $$$ and playing time:

"What maybe tips it a little bit is the money is a little bit better and you don't have to move to play here," said Vierra, who declined to reveal terms of the deal. "All I can tell you is he had a good feel in San Francisco."

Sims previously played for the Raiders and had a home in San Ramon I believe, so not having to relocate probably helped.  He'll compete with Jonas Jennings at right tackle, but he has the flexibility to play both tackle positions, making him an extremely valuable asset off the bench.

53-man roster
The question now is how this affects everybody else.  While it's probably not a 100% lock, I'd imagine Sims is a pretty likely candidate for the 53-man roster.  I had indicated in the 53-man projection post that if the 49ers signed Sims, Damane Duckett would be the likely candidate to get axed.  Of course Duckett seems to be a pet project of the coaching staff, which might work out in his favor.  If they went with Sims OR Duckett, the team would carry 9 offensive lineman into the regular season.  One reason to go with just Sims is his availability as a right and left tackle.  Any thoughts on who is out of luck with the Sims signing?

Chilo Rachal
After being drafted as a guard, word was that the coaching staff was going to move Rachal to right tackle in large part due to lack of depth.  Now that there is a bit more depth, I'm curious if they still try and get Rachal some time at tackle.  It'd be nice if he could get a little time at both tackle and guard.  A versatile offensive lineman is a valuable commodity and considering how young he is, Rachal has time to develop both guard and tackle skills.

Jonas Jennings
Jennings is immensely talented, but unfortunately quite injury-prone.  If Sims has a good camp, this could very well be the end of Jonas Jennings as a 49er.  He has never been guaranteed a spot in 2008 and this gives the 49ers some more options.  Cutting Jennings could open up a spot for one of the other young options in camp, whether it be Joe Toledo, Alan Reuber, or Damane Duckett.  Of course, if Jennings is solid in camp and can stay healthy, that's kind of a moot point.

While the battle for who will be quarterback rages, the right tackle position has become something else entirely.  Assuming everyone is healthy, Joe Staley would be at left tackle and Jonas Jennings would be at right tackle.  Jennings is excused from the OTAs so health is not an issue yet.  However, in his absence, one time 49ers guard (for about 2 week) Chilo Rachal is getting a crack at right tackle for the first time since he was in high school.  Additionally, the 49ers signed Alan Reuber, a journeyman tackle who has bounced around the league.  While the Reuber signing may not make an impact once the regular season starts, it has gotten me thinking about this often forgotten position.

Jonas Jennings came to the 49ers amidst a decent amount of fanfare and a sizable contract.  He has subsequently proven to be talented and very injury prone.  When his 2008 option was picked up, the most interesting line was that he would be competing for a starting job and could still conceivably be cut.  He's dealt with what appears to be some important family matters and while we certainly feel for him, it's entirely possible Jennings is either gone or benched at some point soon.

This has opened the door for the guard we thought we drafted.  Chilo Rachal instead gets converted into a tackle and all of a sudden he's gone from competing with Dave Baas at right guard to competing with incumbent Jonas Jennings at tackle.  Throw in Damane Duckett and Alan Reuber and you've got a whole mess of bodies out there.  According to Nolan:

Head coach Mike Nolan said he was concerned about the overall unit. "We do need to add some depth there," he said. He figures he has "seven or eight" proven offensive linemen. "Last year, it was nine. Maybe that was a false sense of security."

The question becomes what will be the result at right tackle?  Considering the overall lack of depth, I think we can count that in the "Keep Jonas Jennings" column.  As I'm not all that knowledgeable about some of the nuances of the various offensive line positions, I turn to 49ers o-line coach George Warhop for guidance, followed by Rachal:

At tackle, Rachal has to learn to play "in space," that is, without being surrounded by teammates as he was at guard.

"One thing he's got going for him is he's extremely tough," Warhop said. "He's a very smart player." Rachal's new assignments "make sense to him. He just has to get sound technically."

Rachal said he played some tackle at USC in practice but not in a game. "It's not a big adjustment at all," he said. "After the first four plays (Monday), it pretty much came back to me."

Asked if the position switch was a nod to the fact Jennings has missed 27 games over his three years with the team, Warhop said, "I just think you can't have enough tackles, regardless of Jonas' history in terms of injuries."

I've thrown up a poll to see what people think about the future at right tackle.  The "Never" option basically means you think either Rachal is a bust or Rachal goes back to right guard and somebody else eventually replaces Jennings.  In reality this is probably a guess at best.  However, I think this is an interesting position battle to watch going forward.  While we want everyone to stay healthy, if Rachal played Lou Gehrig to Jennings' Wally Pipp, it might not be the worst thing in the world long term.