dave mcbride Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writ...avis/index.html " I've heard that he needs work on his blocking, and I have to laugh at that one. There are no great blocking tight ends. OK, I'll amend that, there are no great pass-catching tight ends who worry the defense with their blocking. Guys like Kyle Brady or the Chiefs' Jason Dunn can block, and so can H-backs such as the Vikings' Jim Kleinsasser and the Redskins' Mike Sellers, but you won't see them catching any 30-yard TDs. Just keep it in mind -- Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland." what a great line! the blocking TE is an overrated figure - jay novacek couldn't block much at all, but he was a very good receiver and the cowboys had *no* trouble running the ball. same with denver and shannon sharpe - he was a lousy blocker too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 And that's why he is a hack writer and not a coach, scout, or anything else for a football team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Biscuit97 Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 The 49ers are gonna grab Davis so we probably won't even have a shot. Alex Smith needs some weapons. He looked even worse that JP. But Davis in the middle of the field with all of our speed at WR sure would look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of BiB Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 And that's why he is a hack writer and not a coach, scout, or anything else for a football team. 661105[/snapback] If you are going to run over the tight end as a designed play, why not just put in a tackle eligible? All a TE has to really do blocking is get in the way for a second or two before he releases. Oh, we are used to tricky offenses now. Double fake reverse screen pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted April 13, 2006 Author Share Posted April 13, 2006 And that's why he is a hack writer and not a coach, scout, or anything else for a football team. 661105[/snapback] except for the fact that he's actually correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34-78-83 Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 I think he feels just a wee bit better about being a lead writer for SI than being a scout for some football team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIZ Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 I think Vernon is gay............not that there is anything wrong with that. Reminds me of Sheldon Jackson and his painted finger nails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 except for the fact that he's actually correct. 661138[/snapback] And we disagree. I think there are times that you want to not show your hand, but need the TE to block down and help open a hole. Davis, ain't that guy. Sure having him go into patterns makes him dangerous, but you throw a good cover LB, or S on him and play 10 on 10 ball when he's on the field. I said this when Travis was here and I'll say it again, guys that need to have multiple skills, really need to have those skills. FB should catch and block. RB's should pass block, catch, and run. TE should catch and block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 The 49ers are gonna grab Davis so we probably won't even have a shot. Alex Smith needs some weapons. He looked even worse that JP. But Davis in the middle of the field with all of our speed at WR sure would look good. 661106[/snapback] They just traded WR Rashaun Woods (Rd #1, 2004) for a CB. I think you might be right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scribo Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 They just traded WR Rashaun Woods (Rd #1, 2004) for a CB. I think you might be right. 661155[/snapback] Except for the fact that the CB, Sammy Davis, sucks and is not a starter. But, really, I also think the 49ers will draft Davis. FWIW, Woods was obviously disliked heavily by the new regime in San Fran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 The problem is, SF has many needs so they could do anything and it would be an upgrade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 The problem is, SF has many needs so they could do anything and it would be an upgrade 661178[/snapback] That has a familiar ring to it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 Except for the fact that the CB, Sammy Davis, sucks and is not a starter. But, really, I also think the 49ers will draft Davis. FWIW, Woods was obviously disliked heavily by the new regime in San Fran. 661168[/snapback] I was thinking more that they ditched a WR than got a CB...but, you are correct...and so is apusz-ski in noting they need just about everything. i think Davis is a real possibility for them, but i won't be shocked if they pick someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 Except for the fact that the CB, Sammy Davis, sucks and is not a starter. But, really, I also think the 49ers will draft Davis. FWIW, Woods was obviously disliked heavily by the new regime in San Fran. 661168[/snapback] I don't know that they disliked Rashaun Woods so much as the fact that he's been horrible. He's caught only 7 passes in his first two seasons. Myself, I think the 49ers will draft Michael Huff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted April 13, 2006 Author Share Posted April 13, 2006 And we disagree. I think there are times that you want to not show your hand, but need the TE to block down and help open a hole. Davis, ain't that guy. Sure having him go into patterns makes him dangerous, but you throw a good cover LB, or S on him and play 10 on 10 ball when he's on the field. I said this when Travis was here and I'll say it again, guys that need to have multiple skills, really need to have those skills. FB should catch and block. RB's should pass block, catch, and run. TE should catch and block. 661153[/snapback] in a perfect world, you're right, but i'll always take the pass catching te threat over the pure blocker. i think the thing to do is assemble a good enough offensive line so that you don't have to worry much about the blocking quality of your tight end. that's what many of the good running teams in recent years have done -- seattle (stevens is a bad blocker), dallas with novacek, kc with gonzalez, and denver with sharpe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleTheWagons Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 I said this when Travis was here and I'll say it again, guys that need to have multiple skills, really need to have those skills. FB should catch and block. RB's should pass block, catch, and run. TE should catch and block.661153[/snapback] I mostly agree with this, but I would add a slight caveat - if the player is so superior at one skill it forces the other team to switch its base defense or defenders, his limited skills are less of a liability. For example, if the TE is a great receiver and forces the defense into using a nickle, then the TE just needs to block better than a 3rd WR to add value to the offense. Make sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 And we disagree. I think there are times that you want to not show your hand, but need the TE to block down and help open a hole. Davis, ain't that guy. Sure having him go into patterns makes him dangerous, but you throw a good cover LB, or S on him and play 10 on 10 ball when he's on the field. I said this when Travis was here and I'll say it again, guys that need to have multiple skills, really need to have those skills. FB should catch and block. RB's should pass block, catch, and run. TE should catch and block. 661153[/snapback] But is Vernon Davis a better blocker than Peerless Price, or Josh Reed, because that is really who he would be replacing. One would have to think we would be running a one back set with a double TE. Robert Royal would be the blocking TE and Davis the opposite TE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasker Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 My worry with Davis is his ability to catch, not block. From what I have read and seen, he does not have above average hands, and a good catching tight end needs that. Drafting him as a big WR is not the point, and his quickness probably matters a lot more than his 40 speed, but he's pretty amazing at both. I think if he is good at catching the ball, he will be an outstanding football player, and will be able to use his quickness to get open short, and occasionally use mismatches to go deep, and probably be terriffic at run after the catch. Worries about his hands (or blocking) aside, I would love him at #8, and would take him over Ngata, Huff, or Bunkley in a heartbeat. I think he will alter what defenses have to do, and make Evans, Roscoe, and Willis all more dangerous, in addition to the damage he inflicts personally. As a blocker, remember that because of his downfield ability, he won't often be lining up against run stuffers, so he can push the more mobile player who would be covering him out of the way. Right now I have long given up on my Mario dreams (back when he wasn't a top 5 pick), and think Davis would do more to make us a better football team than anybode else. Maybe trading down and getting Buckly or Justice plus another pick would be better, but I don't see a bigger impact available at #8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted April 14, 2006 Share Posted April 14, 2006 A TE who is an actual pass receiving threat completely changes the way a team is defended. I can virtually guarantee that guys like Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, Emmit Smith, Terrell Davis, and Tiki Barber would agree with me. It's also the reason Belichick has spent some serious first day draft jack on the position. Having a TE that can hit homeruns guarantees that teams can't sell their linebackers out or leave their safety in the box to stop the running game. That's especially true in the redzone, a place our team that has been without a receiving TE, has struggled for the better part of a decade. You're a hell of alot more likely to have a great offense with a big time receiving threat lining up at TE than a one dimensional drive blocker. If that wasn't the case, more teams would be lining up "tackle type" TEs - which pretty much no one is doing outside short yardage. Oh, and Dr. Z watches as much or more film than anyone who's not employed by a franchise. He knows his stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted April 14, 2006 Share Posted April 14, 2006 Oh, and Dr. Z watches as much or more film than anyone who's not employed by a franchise. He knows his stuff. 661622[/snapback] So what? He doesn't understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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