San Francisco 49ers go the extra mile
The San Francisco 49′ers are going the extra mile this year to try to win the NFC West and return to the playoffs. In fact, they are going about 10,000 extra miles. The San Francisco 49ers are going to be traveling the most of any NFL team this season. When you include preseason and regular season, the frequent flier miles start to add up for the Niners. San Francisco will have logged 35,219 miles in travel by the time the regular season is over and done with. I’m sure the team wouldn’t mind a few thousand extra miles in January or February. Of course the Niners travel plans are skewed by their trip to London to play the Denver Broncos on Halloween.
The next closest team is the Seattle Seahawks at 25,192 miles. The team which can most likely rent a cab to get to games? The Cincinnati Bengals which only have to travel 6,688 miles. By the time the regular season is done for the Niners, they will have logged enough travel to fly around the globe one and a half times.
Unfortunately, the Niners were selected to play in the London game this year, which of course counts as a Niner’s home game. If the NFL wants to continue this ridiculous game in London, they should do it during the preseason, not while sticking season ticket holders with the cost of 8 games, while the team only plays 7 games.
San Francisco 49ers dont wait until Saturday, 53 man roster today
The San Francisco 49ers started the afternoon earlier this afternoon, and in traditional head coach Mike Singletary fashion, they didn’t wait long to hand out the pink slips in order to get down to the 53 man mandated roster by 6pm EST on Saturday.
The 49ers have announced their entire listing of cuts this afternoon. In addition to what I already posted about CB Karl Paymah, RB Michael Robinson and WR Jason Hill, the 49er’s have released- LB Matt Wilhelm, K, Shane Andrus, LB Mike Balogun, OG Brian De La Puente, OT Matt Kopa, DE Derek Walker, QB Jarrett Brown, DT Will Tukuafu, WR Kevin Jurovich, LB Keaton Kristick, S Chris Maragos, WR Bobby Guillory, OC Cody Wallace, DL Khalif Mitchell, TE Tony Curtis, TE Joe Jon Finley, FB Jehuu Caulcrick and LB Bruce Davis.
It appears that it took very little time for Mike Singletary to determine who was ready to play for the 49ers and who wasn’t. So get prepared to go to battle with the remaining 53 and win the NFC West in 2010.
49ers start to make cuts
The San Francisco 49ers are not waiting until the deadline to start making roster cuts. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter via Twitter, the San Francisco 49ers have released RB Michael Robinson and CB Karl Paymah.
Michael Robinson was entering his 5th season in the NFL. The 6’1″ 220 pound quarterback out of Penn State has played his entire career with the 49ers, listed as a running back and featured on special teams. Selected in the 4th round, #100 overall in the 2006 NFL draft.
CB Karl Paymah is entering his 6th season in the NFL, drafted in the 3rd round, #76 overall in 2005 by the Denver Broncos. Paymah spent 4 seasons with the Denver Broncos and last season with the Minnesota Vikings. In his career, he has recorded 128 tackles and three interceptions. Paymah was signed to a one year contract with the 49ers on March 17th of this year.
San Francisco 49ers find gold in Dixon
This preseason the San Francisco 49ers acquired free agent RB Brian Westbrook but they had already found gold in the draft when they selected RB Anthony Dixon. Anthony Dixon was the 173rd player chosen, selected in the 6th round out of Mississippi State. The 6’1″ 230 pound back have been impressive to say the least for the Niners this preseason. He’s recorded a 4 yard per carry average, 74 carries for 300 yards and scored 4 touchdowns.
Last night, Dixon carried 12 times for 80 yards, and 46 of those yards came on an impressive run where he took the ball to the left, then cut back to the right on the line and took it the distance, stiff arming a defender before crossing the endzone.
49er’s starting RB Frank Gore has a history of missing a couple of games a year with injuries, and the Niners won’t have to wonder if Brian Westbrook will be able to shoulder the load if Gore misses time now. Of course Westbrook comes with his own lengthy resume of injuries. Anthony Dixon should be able to fill in as needed for the Niners with his hard running style.
A very nice pick up indeed at number 173.
Would 49ers swap Michael Crabtree for Chargers Vincent Jackson?
Given the events which came to a head yesterday between San Francisco 49ers WR Michael Crabtree and TE Vernon Davis, could you see a scenario which would prompt the San Francisco 49ers to trade Michael Crabtree to the San Diego Chargers for WR Vincent Jackson? I realize that head coach Mike Singletary told reporters this morning that everything was fine in the clubhouse and this situation with Michael Crabtree would not be a distraction, but you never know what happens behind closed doors. Not to mention NFL coaches and teams lie to the media.
So how would 49ers fans feel if that happened? Trading away a young player with a lot of upside but a crummy attitude that has yet to play in a pre-season game in his young career, for a talented veteran receiver who has already shown what he can do on the field.
Jackson is a huge target and a physical receiver at 6’5″ 230 pounds. Last season he had 68 receptions for nearly 1200 yards and 9 touchdowns. He will be suspended for the first three games of the season regardless of what happens by the Saturday deadline. If Jackson isn’t traded by the final 53 man roster cutdown deadline on Saturday, he will be suspended for the first 6 games of the 2010 season and his trade value plummets.
I doubt the 49ers would execute such a move but I know that Mike Singletary is not going to put up with much of Crabtree’s attitude, period. Jackson has made bad decisions off the field, with two DUI’s but in an interview on NFL Network, he vowed that drinking would never be an issue with him in the league again and he’s never been reported to have a detrimental locker room presence. Just something to think about, there are always last minute surprises in the NFL as teams adjust their rosters to get to the required 53 men.
