Morning Tailgate: May 21
Posted by on May 21, 2012 – 10:02 AM
It’s an important time in the offseason for veterans and NFL newcomers alike. With the third and final phase of the NFL’s offseason schedule starting up around the league this week, it’s time for Organized Team Activites to begin.
OTAs for the 49ers start officially on Tuesday with 10 on-field sessions set to take place over a three-week period. So what’s the big deal about OTAs? And why are they discussed so much?
According to seven-year NFL veteran safety Matt Bowen, OTAs represent a substantial period in the offseason for players to focus on technique and football conditioning.
The former Rams, Packers, Redskins and Bills safety, who writes for NationalFootballPost.com, offered insight into the benefits of participating in the OTA sessions.
“As a player, I needed OTAs to work on my footwork, route reads, deep half drops, leg strength through functional football movements, etc. And that can be applied to every position,” wrote Bowen in a recent piece for NFP.
“And for rookies it is the perfect time to get introduced to NFL speed during practice.”
The OTA-phase of the offseason program also allows veterans to wear helmets on the practice field. There won’t be any live contact or offense vs. defense drills. The offense vs. defense scenarios will have to wait for the team’s mandatory three-day minicamp sessions.
More on the 49ers rookies and the latest team headlines can be found after the jump.
Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee passes along his 49ers depth chart as OTAs are set to begin on Tuesday.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com shares the latest on the 49ers New Santa Clara Stadium construction efforts which will begin to literally lay the foundation on Monday. Maiocco: “Forty-eight cement trucks from Central Concrete Supply Company will line up at 11 a.m. to deliver 12-yard loads of fluid grout every 10 to 15 minutes as 3,000-plus anchors or piles will be drilled to support the stadium and ensure a deep, secure foundation.”
Maiocco also shares comments from Jim Harbaugh last week that said Michael Crabtree has the best hands Harbaugh has “ever seen on a wide receiver.”
Maiocco also takes a look at the 49ers options in the return game behind wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. Maiocco: “Ginn last season handled 56 punts and 29 kickoffs without a turnover. Among NFL players with at least 20 returns, Ginn ranked third in kickoffs with a 27.6-yard average and fourth on punts at 12.3.”
TWEET ABOUT IT
SB Nation visited with a handful of rookies over the weekend at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event. A.J. Jenkins and LaMichael James were in attendance, and Jenkins was featured in this SBN video clip.
Tags: A.J. Jenkins, Jim Harbaugh, LaMichael James, Michael Crabtree
Posted in Morning Tailgate | 59 Comments »
59 Responses
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By time2speakup on May 21, 2012 | Reply
OK Taylor, one last time re: “after the jump” with feelings I promise. Very recently I communicated to you that I never found anything “after the jump” and you, more or less intimated it was a sort of “journalistic” exercise (that frankly left me still somewhat in the dark as to why you use it so frequently since it misleads – Oh well). Anywho, today you write, “More on the 49ers rookies and the latest team headlines can be found (wait for it) “after the jump.” And once again, what I would really like to followup and read, I cannot find. The four references M. Barrow and the three on M. Maiocco are right there in your text on the very next line. Surely that can’t be your “after the jump” because it makes little sense. This usage is very misleading.
By natedawg on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Did I really just read that Crabtree has the best hands that Harbaugh has ever seen? I don’t mean to be negative but really man? That’s a bold statement considering the history of receivers that we’ve had. Rice, Owens, and now Moss, As much as I would love to see it, I’m still waiting for a Crabtree break out.
P.S, I heard Jeremy and 11 years are lovers
By Basil on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Yeah I’m waiting for the same thing myself ….
By nuner fan in canada on May 21, 2012 | Reply
I agree with you time2speak up.. You tell them..
By dave g. on May 21, 2012 | Reply
NateDawg..I know what you saying about Crabtree. I believe Harbaugh was talking about WR’s he personally coached or played with. Also, lets keep things in perspective: Coaches like to talk one of their guys up sometimes as a motivation force of “I believe in you”. And on your last P.S. comment: It very well is a love story…I used to think it was more of a one-night stand (i.e. “hit-it & quit-it”) but its become abundantly clear its a love story. And I believe Jeromy is the catcher in that relationship. Exhibit A: The Emotional, Irrational & Non-Logical Tirades of the estrogen filled side.
By 49er hit squad on May 21, 2012 | Reply
as far as crabtree goes,,the kid caught EVERYTHING that came anywhere near him while at texas tech,,,of course it was against cover 2 or cover 4 most of the time,,but I believe that crabs had no confidence in the systems being taught to him and alex and the rest of our guys during the “lean years” as I call them,,better known as the nolan-singletary dark ages offense,,but he now sees a system that he can believe in and in so doing will get the best out of him,,,I hope,,
By 49er hit squad on May 21, 2012 | Reply
but the kid has ALWAYS had very good hands,,catches the ball softly and tucks it away,,we haven’t seen much of it,,how could we with the offense that was being run here before harbaugh and roman got here
By ninerz 1 on May 21, 2012 | Reply
NateDawg, I believe what coach was referring to was the best hands for THUMBSUCKING!!!!oops,I mean show us something besides your gums flapping!!!!
By marcos g on May 21, 2012 | Reply
I AGREE WITH DAVE G AND NATE DAWG ABOUT JEROMY AND 11 YEARS, COULDNT HAVE SAID IT BETTER MY SELF. LAUGHING REALLY LOUD RIGHT ABOUT NOW, I WAS HAVING A BAD DAY TIL I READ THAT. THANKS GUYS!!!
By ELEVEN YEARS WITH ALEX on May 21, 2012 | Reply
wow so the coach talks up his guys so they try and play better ….hmmm so thats why alex thought he was better and tried to get money in freeagency …..guess the guy really is a dunce to not figure that out …yeah im good coach said so so pay meh my monies …..lol
By NINERSS ALL DAYYY on May 21, 2012 | Reply
He said Best hands not the Best receiver…and Crab Has GREAT HANDS!!!! He is not the fastest nor the tallest but he does have some of the best Hands in the game!!!!! Guy is 24 give him a chance to break out!!
By rjdniner on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Hit squad …after reading 11yrs post I got nothing to worry about when it comes to spelling and having people understanding my posts….
By jeromy on May 21, 2012 | Reply
oooh, highschool jokes, “hes gay, haha with him haha” freaking kooks no wonder you support Alex, your brains arent big enough to expect a good QB, morons
By natedawg on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Good point to Dave G and Hit Squad, about trying to get this kids confidence up, and the team as a whole. But from a guy who use to play QB and a now coach of Randy Moss, I was still a little surprised by that comment.
I think the best hands that I have ever seen is Brandon Lloyd. he’s like a monkey palming the ball like its nothing. I remember when he was a 9er he made the sickest diving 1 handed catch that I’ve ever seen! We should have never gotten rid of him, but like Crabtree, he’s was never a true #1. (Like game changing #1, i.e, Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, Larry Fitz, etc) If we would have had him and Owens together that would be a sick 1+2 punch.
PS, Yea I agree about Jeremy being the catcher, but 11 years has also forgotten to take his midol as of recently, so maybe they are both Twinks in that relationship
By natedawg on May 21, 2012 | Reply
And yea he was sick at Texas Tech, but that was college, I still need to see it in the NFL. For someone who whined about a contract for half his rookie season, I have expected much more out of the kid. I’m still kind of upset about how that went down. You thought you were the best receiver in the draft, but the Raiders picked Hayward Bay over you, and in my opinion, they have pretty much been equal so far in their careers. So you think you deserved 1st WR picked $ so you hold out for half the season? Cry about it man, earn your money on the field.
By natedawg on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Jeromy, out of the options that were available, we got the best QB for the upcoming season period. I would have welcomed Peyton, but who knows, a new system and a year off, he may have bombed and we would have been out 100 million. And either way, he wanted to blow Elway like you blow 11 years every night, so we got the best QB for this year.
Alex brought us to a 13-3 season last year, he had his best statistical season of his career, and he knows our system already. If we got anyone else they would have had to learn a new playbook, new system, new players everything. With all of the new weapons that Alex has, he will succeed.
So you and 11 years are the only “Kooks” on this page. So no one cares about your opinion, its old, we read it every day, it is what it is so get over it. If you love the 9ers so much that you go on here daily, why don’t you use your time more productively by going on other teams blogs and trying to annoy them? Go tell the giants your welcome for handing them a Superbowl last season.
By dave g. on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Oooh, Jeromy you actually are right about something. We should use grammer school jokes on you…we should have known those would be over-your-head. You can relate to over-your-head right, like when Eleven teabags you. So, are you saying that Harbaugh & Baalke don’t have the brains to recognize a good QB? You do realize they the ones who made the move, we simply agreed.
By dave g. on May 21, 2012 | Reply
I used to think, I was going to ignore their comments BUT its actually kinda fun to be slapping them two b!tches. They make it too easy with their incredible lack of logic and their emotional bias. BTW: I heard that Elevens petname for Jeromy is LIPTON cuz his teabaging reception skills has made Elevens heart go “a-flutter”!
By Ladybug on May 21, 2012 | Reply
HEY Jeromy and 11……I CHALLENGE you to go to all the teams we will be playing this year, and cozy up to them, and slam their players. PLEASE?
By jeromy on May 21, 2012 | Reply
grammar, teabagging, if i could understand your iliterate comments i might be offended, then my feelings would be hurt, then i would start thinking Alex is the perfect QB(Quintescential Bust) alpha punk
—-Nate “Alex brought us to a 13-3 season last year”, please Alex only brought us DOWN & OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS!!
By jeromy on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Alex’s fan club “Dave g. & Busters” aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
By dave g. on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Thank you LadyBug. I love to hear a real womans perspective. You make women proud with your intelligence and strength. Eleven is clueless to leadership, intelligence and being in a position of power. If he had any hint of understanding he would know that sometimes in position of leadership there is something called positive reinforcement & with certain personalities it brings out their best. Come to think of it at some extent he does that for his special friend Jeromy Lipton when he expresses his appreciation of fulllfilling his emotional & physical needs.
By jeromy on May 21, 2012 | Reply
& ladyug not samming players, only one player & not slamming him just saying enough is enough, someone said we would have been out 100 million if Peyton got hurt(which there were safety clauses against), but we know for sure Alex will get $100 million before its over with & bring this team down for a total of 11 years, so which is the worse way to spend the $100 million? on a proven player or on a “maybe this year he will…..”
By jeromy on May 21, 2012 | Reply
haha JH says about Alex “now he is a man” maybe he wont have to pump him up this year, & if he wasnt a man last year? why was he calling him an elite QB?
By rjdniner on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Jeremy…Our favorite moron
By 49fSINCE '67 on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Cradle, I was away with work and did not catch your video till today..as I posted the 17th great video…if you see how crabtree ran unhurt back then and as early as last year hurt, big difference..look for THE breakout year everyonr expects, unhurt, healthy and in camp PLAYING for the first time, priceless
By ELEVEN YEARS WITH ALEX on May 21, 2012 | Reply
funny how all the alex fans were like hey the coach said alex was good said alex was this and that …and now he says the same thing about crabs and all of a sudden the caoch is being questioned lol you alex guys are the biggest hipocrits ….now wonder why you think alex is the best …you are a few short of a full deck …its ok …..we true niner fans who want the best players on the team will show you the way …we dont wish for things to happen we want the best for the niners and not a wasted decade on a player who will not accomplish the goal more undefeated superbowls ………go niners make the best of alex and carry him another year
By SHIP on May 21, 2012 | Reply
1st OFF…”Dave G. & Busters”??? Was that suppose to be a slam or funny? Its confusing, like all of your rants in blogs. “Jeromy Lipton” was funny as hell and made sense. WOW…Jeromy is just lame. 2nd OFF…Jeromy Lipton you do realize they are talking about positive reinforcement about Crabtree NOT Alex…you may want to pay attention during the pillow-talk time between you and Eleven. It would be better for the relationship. {just saying}
By ace on May 21, 2012 | Reply
about harbaugh’s comment on crabtree’s hands what did you think he would say ?
the coach is doing his job, it doesnt have anything to do with his hands,he is saying a positive thing about a young player on his team, and about coach harbaugh wow miraculous comes to mind with what he has done in such a short time, with no preseason last year to feel out his new team, he made it happen without a doubt we had talent on our team , but he made us believe in ourselves and that whole lets get better everyday philosphy….BRILLANT !!!! ……
who has got it better then us ? BRILLANT !!!! im soooo exicted about the upcoming season for a change, and the future looks bright um like extra picks next year thank you coach !!!
By 49fsince67 on May 21, 2012 | Reply
sort of a test last three imploded
By 49er hit squad on May 21, 2012 | Reply
11 years is still clinging to his phantom logic of how alex will get paid a total of 100 million worth of contract deals,,dude,,maybe you should try wikipedia for your 49er knowledge,,cuz you aint got none for yourself,,he hasn’t been paid anywhere that amount up to this point in his career,,as usual your just spouting off at the mouth with un-informed,un-intelligent,redundant rubbish
By SHIP on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Eleven…you make it a habit to stretch the truth don’t you? Where are we “ALL” questioning the coach??? Common now, you really like to tell lies don’t you. Is that what you say (LIES) to Jeromy Lipton when you come home late and he smells the smell of other men on your skin? Do we really want to go there on who is actually questioning the coach and his choice at a certain position? If you going to pose an argument at least be honest about it. Keep the lying to your little sweet tenderonie Lipton.
By 49er hit squad on May 21, 2012 | Reply
happens all the time 67
By 49fsince67 on May 21, 2012 | Reply
WOW..nice to see I’m live again..spent two blogs on Fanster Implode (unreal)where they went nobody knows…been gone for weekend missed the show, nice to see Cradle sticking up for everyone, appreciated..noone is a bigger fan than anyone else..if we weren’t true fans we would not be on the blog in the first place. Everyone has an opinion..none are wrong..glad to see the coversation back to business not BS..well except for a select few!
By SHIP on May 21, 2012 | Reply
So according to Elevens logic Harbaugh, Baalke & Alex supporters do not want the best for the team. He is a true 49er fan who will show us the way. Does he even read his BS? I don’t think he does because if he did he would truly understand the rediculousness of that statement. It don’t even make sense in a logical world. Hey DUMB@SS! Your BEEF is with Harbaugh & Baalke. We have no control on who makes the team…does that register? We simply agreeing with them. You think you smarter than them?…see the dillusional aspect of it by you and your sweetie pie (Jeromy Lipton)?
By 49fsince'67 on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Jeromy/Undereleven…Hey, I was certainly not a Smith fan by any stretch of the imagination..if you must go back to the season and see my posts..But, man did you even watch the division of championship games? The man grew up or plainly enough for you two..he started to play the position as a QB not a deer in the headlights as you presume.give it rest and wait for the season..if he implodes you were right -if he plays well-just shut up
By 49fsince'67 on May 21, 2012 | Reply
ya, it appers they imploded me another
By jeromy on May 21, 2012 | Reply
show some respect to your mental superior, kooks!
By jeromy on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Sure crabs has great hands, but does he have stretchy arms to reach backwards ten yards?
By SHIP on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Put those tea bags in your mouth where they belong Jeromy Lipton. A person does not just say they mentally superior. They must prove it and all you and Eleven have done is prove to be the two biggest emotional drama queens who have zero logic to all their arguments as they have repeatedly been exposed for the true BS that they are. You must love getting slapped…Be careful though, you might get Eleven jealous because I hear he likes to slap you during your special moments.
By SHIP on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Well Jeromy Lipton you would be an expert about stretching backwards as the catcher of Elevens pitches…
By jeromy on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Harbaugh says that Smith looks much more mechanically sound and that he “is now a man”. In a radio interview on KNBR 680AM
By jeromy on May 21, 2012 | Reply
seems like he is talking about smith
By SHIP on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Thats what happens when you have a season to focus on mechanics and not yet another new playbook. And have a consistent and better coach. Thats what we have been trying to tell you Miss. Lipton
By SHIP on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Alex is only 28 years old. Same age Kurt Warner was when he won his first & only SuperBowl….Hmmmm
By SHIP on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Steve Young and Jim Plunkett won their 1st at 33 years old and Young (only 1) was loaded wth offensive weapons for 3 whole years until he won in his 4th year at the helms WITH ALL THOSE WEAPONS!!!! Lets take some things in perspective DRAMA QUEENS!
By Ladybug on May 21, 2012 | Reply
I remember when Steve Young took over the QB position, and a whole of nay-sayers were saying bad things about it. He turned out to rack up better numbers than Montana did. History repeating itself???? hmmmmm
By ZenTwist on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Doooon’t get me started! Best hands he has seen?! I love Harbaugh but he suffers from short term memory loss… Best hands in the game dropped some easy important catches against New Orleans and Giants.. I think Jim is just blowing him up so he can trade him doesnt even need crab tree with the new weapons he has at WR
By ZenTwist on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Sorry folks I digressed for a moment and yeah Im not a fan of crabtree.. Here one question to ask how many times in the history of football has a guy tried to come on and talk the game that Crabtree is talking when they are in the final year of their contract? A gazillion!! actual word in spell check! … Im not buying the hype .
By ZenTwist on May 21, 2012 | Reply
Again in the most important game of his life he blows it big time!!!! I want a guy who plays like he practices and Crabtree impresses everyone in practice only so, so in games, Manningham is the man he proved it…
By Basil on May 21, 2012 | Reply
its true Crabb play big time, I thought he was going to have a brake out season 2011 but in didn’t happen, that just !history
By jeromy on May 22, 2012 | Reply
Ship, please tell your mom that while i really enjoy that new thing she is doing with her tongue, im not gonna tell her again to WATCH HER TEETH!!!!!!!!!
By dave g. on May 22, 2012 | Reply
Look everyone-Jeromy Lipton is atempting humor and cracking! I am still laughing at how lame the “Dave G. & Busters” comment was. Now he is attempting to bring people mama’s into the mix. Are we gonna start using “Your Mama’s is so Fat?” lines. What a CheeseBall! HA! It must really suck going through life being Jeromy. His lack of wittiness, intelligence & his bout with emotional self loathing must make life unbearable so obviously the person to blame is ALEX SMITH.
By Basil on May 22, 2012 | Reply
yet again Alex is at fault … oh well !
By Basil on May 22, 2012 | Reply
and I just wonder how long the powers that be will allow this trailer trash talk to go on? This being a San Francisco Forty Niners page! Not a Jerry Springier trash your mother talk show.
Come on … we can do better then this? The season ahead of us could well end up in the Super bowl .. eh?
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONINERS!
By jeromy on May 22, 2012 | Reply
haha, lets get back to the gay gay gay talk you brainiacs were babbling about, freaking kooks, if you want some lets go, Alex sucks, that is not my fault, im just able to see it, where you kooks just say”he will be better this year” & next thing you know ten years are gone & he never did get any better, and your right dave, it should have been “buster & busters” morons, go back to reading your archie comics(only literature you can comprehend)
By 16280 on May 22, 2012 | Reply
Prediction…Alex Smith will have a better year than last season, more yards, more TDs, better completion %, better QB rating, better 3rd down conversion %, better RZ numbers. The Niners will score more points than last year. Call me out at the end of the year if I’m wrong. If my prediction is correct then all the anti-AS crowd will be served crow.
By rjdniner on May 22, 2012 | Reply
Basil I think it’s hilarious, Jeromy step out side and listen am laughing at you.
By dave g. on May 22, 2012 | Reply
Archie Comics? Kooks? How hold is this guy? You do realize we in the 2010′s Jeromy Lipton? And NO thank you, “I don’t want some”. You all Eleven’s…& I don’t roll that way. You do realize we are ALL laughing at you idiot except for your sweetie pie Eleven. When you say us “kooks” think he will get better you are including Harbaugh & Baalke because their actions obviously say the same thing as us. Oh…yeah I guess your argument somehow see’s Harbaugh & Baalke agreeing with you that Alex sucks BUT somehow not feeling a need to do anything about it. Sure that’s logical. YOUR ARGUMENTS MAKE NO SENSE JUST LIKE YOUR PATHETIC “JOKES”. What a peabrain! HAHAHAHAHA! We all laughing at you dumb@ss! Thanks for the entertainment clown