49ers mailbag: How is the team doing so well? What about trading for A.J. Green?
How real are the 49ers? We’ll have a far better idea after the team hosts the Cleveland Browns on “Monday Night Football” in San Francisco’s first prime time game with Jimmy Garoppolo under center. In the meantime, let’s get to your questions for another edition of our weekly mailbag.
Marion Reed Jr. asks: I know it’s early, but has the team exceeded your expectations? We knew from all the resources allocated to the defensive line that they should be dominant but is Solomon Thomas a keeper with Arik Armstead, Sheldon Day and Ronald Blair III being free agents? Could another high pick be spent on D-line?
There’s no doubt the 49ers exceeded my expectations in the early going. They went all of 2018 without winning a road game and hadn’t beat a team in the Eastern time zone since Jim Harbaugh’s final season. Then they went and won back-to-back road games to begin the year for the first time since 1989.
San Francisco is third in scoring (32 points per game), fourth in yardage (421), eighth in opponents’ scoring (18 points) and third in total defense (283 yards). And their seven takeaways are still tied for the fourth most in the NFL despite being one of two teams that’s already had a bye week. The 49ers are the only undefeated team in the NFC.
That being said, they still haven’t been tested. Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton and Mason Rudolph is hardly a murderer’s row of quarterbacks. Though the Buccaneers might be a surprise team in the NFC after hanging 55 points on the Rams over the weekend.
Regarding Armstead, he could be the team’s most fascinating free agent decision this offseason. He’s off to the best start of his career with two sacks and the game-saving forced fumble against the Steelers. Armstead would undoubtedly demand an eight-figure yearly salary if he keeps this up, which would likely be too costly for the 49ers to retain him with DeForest Buckner and George Kittle due new contracts as soon as this offseason.
Perhaps the 49ers could try offsetting that loss by trying to keep Day and Blair on affordable contracts. But Blair is also having a good season and could be in line for a significant raise elsewhere.
That’s the cost of having a good roster. You can’t keep all your good players, particularly with Jimmy Garoppolo and Dee Ford making money near the top of the market at their positions.
For those reasons, yes, I believe Solomon Thomas is worth keeping around even if he’s struggling to get on the field. It would be wise to see what he could bring in his fourth season with a larger role given the cost certainty of his rookie contract.
Josh McCuan asks: Given the dumpster fire that is the Bengals, what are the odds that the Niners would be interested in acquiring AJ Green? They still need a true No. 1 receiver.
The Bengals are 0-4 and near the the bottom of the league statistically on both sides of the ball. It would seem they have little use for an aging receiver with a big contract dealing with an ankle injury (who also missed seven games last season because of a toe ailment).
My guess is the 49ers would pass for all those same reasons, unless Green were to get released. Then he could sign a new contract without his new team giving up anything in a trade. I’d imagine the Bengals will try to get him healthy and dangle him at the trade deadline rather than wait until the offseason where he would be a salary cap casualty while Cincinnati tries to get younger across the board.
San Francisco seems content with forging ahead with Deebo Samuel, Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis for now. Kyle Shanahan has said he doesn’t believe in having a true No. 1 receiver. The top options in the passing game vary by play according to formation, matchups and everything else. And as much as they want to win now, they’d also like to see what Jalen Hurd can offer once he’s healthy.
SuperYooper asks: How good is the Browns O-line? With the secondary issues the Niners have, a sustained push in the middle would really help in disrupting Baker Mayfield.
The Browns’ offensive line ranks 24th in the NFL in allowing sacks on 7.89 percent of drop backs, which is a clear weakness in an otherwise explosive offense loaded at the skill positions. Losing All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas was enormous and there’s a huge drop to Greg Robinson, the No. 2 pick of the Rams in 2014, who’s already on team No. 4.
Cleveland also dealt quality guard Kevin Zeitler to the Giants in the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. And it looks like the team missed with No. 33-overall pick Austin Corbett, who lasted just four games last season as Thomas’ replacement.
To your point, the 49ers’ ability to pressure Baker Mayfield could determine the outcome of the game. Mayfield’s completed just 59 percent of his throws and has a league-high six interceptions through four weeks.
Taylor Garcia asks: What position is Jimmie Ward going to play?
All signs are pointing to Emmanuel Moseley replacing Ahkello Witherspoon in the starting lineup Monday, which likely means Ward will take over for Tarvarius Moore at free safety. Then Ward could be moved to the slot in sub packages like he was during the third preseason game where he could replace K’Waun Williams. Though Williams was markedly better in the last game against Pittsburgh than he was in Cincinnati.
We likely won’t know until game time because we can no longer see how players are deployed in full-team drills at practice. All we know for sure is Ward no longer needs the awkward brace to protect his right ring finger, which is a sign he could be healthy enough to make his 2019 debut.
If Ward is healthy, it wouldn’t be surprising if the 49ers made him active as a possible super sub, perhaps taking the spot on the 46-man roster away from Verrett following his uninspiring performance in the Steelers game.
Chris Ancheta asks: Are we going to see Jalen Hurd play on Monday Night or will he be a healthy scratch? Who is inactive if he does play?
Your guess is as good as mine. It will depend on Hurd’s health and how he practices this week. If he’s fully up to speed on all his responsibilities on offense, then it would make sense to throw him out there, particularly since they could use him in ways the Browns haven’t seen on film.
But getting Hurd ready after missing six weeks or so is a tough task. It seems more likely the 49ers stick with the status quo at receiver to ensure Hurd is ready both mentally and physically before getting his first NFL action.
David Makepeace asks: What happens to the running back group when Tevin Coleman is back if they’re all healthy? Keep four on the roster? Will Wilson be picked up if they try to stash him on the practice squad?
I mapped this out in my roster spreadsheet (nerd alert!) and it looks like one of the four halfbacks would have to be made inactive. Wilson would be the most likely candidate despite scoring four touchdowns the past two games. The 49ers believe, rightfully so, that Coleman could be just as effective in the red zone. Coleman scored 28 touchdowns the past three seasons.
Here’s who I think will be inactive: quarterback C.J. Beathard, a receiver (Hurd or Kendrick Bourne), a running back (Coleman or Wilson), Ahkello Witherspoon, a defensive back (Jason Verrett or Jimmie Ward), tackle Joe Staley and defensive lineman Jullian Taylor.
The 49ers don’t have to make a roster move, for now, regarding their halfbacks. Though that could change when Trent Taylor comes back off injured reserve in November, or if the team decides to bring in a cornerback to add depth during Witherspoon’s absence.
This story was originally published October 2, 2019 at 4:00 AM.
