Blogs

Morning Tailgate: Sizing Up the Defense

As the NFL Draft approaches, many are pegging the 49ers to pursue defensive line depth with their league-high 14 picks. Mike Sando of ESPN.com took stock of the d-line and 2013 prospects for Justin Smith, Ray McDonald and free-agent signee Glenn Dorsey.

“McDonald and Justin Smith had both played at least 85 percent of the defensive snaps through Week 15, which was when an arm injury forced Smith to the sideline until the playoffs,” Sando wrote. “Tampa Bay (three) and New Orleans (two) were the only other teams with more than one defensive lineman logging 85-plus percent of his team’s snaps to that point in the season. The Bucs and Saints had a combined seven other defensive linemen logging at least 30 percent of the snaps to that point. The 49ers had none.”

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate looks at the 49ers secondary, NFL Draft news and more.

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Morning Tailgate: Crabtree & Kap

Once Colin Kaepernick took over as the 49ers starting quarterback in Week 11, Michael Crabtree soon emerged as young signal-caller’s favorite target. By the end of the 2012 season, the duo combined for 62 connections for 891 yards and eight touchdowns in 10-plus games. Crabtree was live on the set of NFL Network on Tuesday and said he developed a quick chemistry with Kaepernick that improved throughout the year.

Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group shared comments from Crabtree on his relationship with Kaepernick. “49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree’s chemistry with Colin Kaepernick was evident well before their thrice-failed attempts at combining on a Super Bowl-winning score,” Inman wrote. “Appearing Tuesday on the NFL Network, Crabtree credited his and Kaepernick’s earlier success to practice time, their common age (25), a shared desire to make plays, and, perhaps most of all, a trust factor.”

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate looks at the NFL Draft and the latest offseason news for the 49ers.

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Morning Tailgate: Kaepernick Hosts Camp

Ever since Colin Kaepernick took over as the 49ers starting quarterback, the NFL has had a hard time keeping up with him. But on Saturday, Kaepernick had a hard time keeping up with the 300 kids who attended his free youth football camp in Pacifica. Deke Farrow of the Modesto Bee was on hand to watch Kaepernick’s camp, which proved to be an entertaining event for all.

“Participants got autographed photographs of Kaepernick, took part in skill contests and games, and posed for pictures with the quarterback,” Farrow wrote. “But the highlight, of course, was the chance to play ball with the former Pitman High School standout who took over the starting quarterback job in the fall and led his team to the Super Bowl.”

Kaepernick has been very involved with youth in Northern California since he has joined the NFL, most notably with Camp Taylor, a central valley organization which benefits children with heart defects.

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate looks ahead to the NFL Draft and more.

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49 in 49: Big 10 Week

For 117 years, the Big 10 has featured some of the nation’s most storied programs and rivalries. This week, we’ll take a look at the football-frenzied conference and some their best NFL prospects slated to be picked in the upcoming NFL Draft. From college football’s all-time touchdown leader to imposing linemen to intriguing athletes, the Big 10 has plenty to offer the 32 teams at the next level.

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Morning Tailgate: 49ers Bracketology

Bracektology doesn’t just apply to the NCAA this time of year. NFL.com is also featuring football’s version of March Madness, as you can vote for the top play of all time. We’re down to the round of 32 and the 49ers are represented with three plays, Steve Young’s iconic 49-yard touchdown scramble against the Vikings, “The Catch,” and Garrison Hearst’s 94-yard touchdown run.

Voting for the Sweet 16 of NFL.com Bracketology ends on Tuesday, so be sure to support some of the greatest moments in 49ers history. You can also vote for Colin Kaepernick, Joe Montana and Jerry Rice to be featured on the upcoming cover of the 25th anniversary Madden NFL video game.

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate spotlights Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll as they compete to win the NFC West.

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2013 Winter Fest Photo Blog: Friday

The 13th Annual 49ers Winter Fest is in full swing at Lake Tahoe.

The fun-filled weekend got off to a great start on Thursday when families of players, coaches and guests of the 49ers Foundation arrived and took part in a lively welcome reception. Winter Fest marks one of the biggest annual events for the 49ers Foundation, as last year’s gathering raised more than $1 million for local causes in the Bay Area.

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Morning Tailgate: Boldin Meets Media

Fresh off his charitable trip to Senegal, Africa, new 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin met the Bay Area media on Wednesday in Santa Clara. The veteran wideout is already looking forward to building chemistry with Colin Kaepernick, telling reporters he’s eager to work with the young star in the coming months.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle shared Boldin’s thoughts as he stood in the 49ers locker room for the first time.

“Boldin, 32, knows from recent experience how that chemistry can take time to establish,” Branch wrote. “He was traded to the Ravens in 2010 and slowly began to develop a rapport with Joe Flacco. In 2012, he had 65 catches for 921 yards, the highest totals of his three seasons in Baltimore. In four playoff games, he added 22 receptions and 380 yards. After he joined the Ravens, he spent time working with Flacco after organized team activities concluded. He hopes to have a similar arrangement with Kaepernick, whom he termed a ‘special kid.’”

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate features more reaction from Boldin news from the final day of league owners meetings in Arizona.

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Morning Tailgate: New Stadium Technology

Among the many unique characteristics of the new Santa Clara Stadium will be the facility’s commitment to be on the cutting edge of technology. To that end, the organization has hired some of Silicon Valley’s brightest minds to turn the future home of the 49ers into one of the world’s most technologically capable buildings.

Jon Brodkin of Ars Technica spoke to 49ers Chief Technology Office Kunal Malik and Senior Director of Technology Dan Williams about their ambition to bring a world-class, large-scale Wi-Fi network to the new Santa Clara Stadium.

“The people building the 49ers’ wireless network do not have conventional sports technology backgrounds,” Brodkin wrote. “Senior IT Director Dan Williams and team CTO Kunal Malik hail from Facebook, where they spent five years building one of the world’s largest and most efficient networks for the website. The same sensibilities that power large Internet businesses and content providers permeate Williams’ and Malik’s plan for Santa Clara Stadium, the 49ers’ nearly half-finished new home.”

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate looks at the the possible impact of three compensatory draft picks for 2013 and more.

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Morning Tailgate: Improved NFC West

By the end of last season, Jim Harbaugh argued that the NFC West could be named the toughest division in football. After watching the first week of free agency unfold, it looks like the road to a third consecutive NFC West title for the 49ers will be formidable. Peter King of Sports Illustrated took stock of the division heading into 2013.

“They’ll have more draft choices in 2013 than any other team — 14 — and GM Trent Baalke, despite what the Niners say publicly, has to be thinking about what it would take to acquire Darrelle Revis, with extra picks in the second, third and fourth rounds as chips,” King wrote. “Whatever, San Francisco has to be markedly better in the back of the defense to have a chance to win the Super Bowl in 2014. Clutch physical receiver Anquan Boldin will help Colin Kaepernick make plays downfield.”

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate gets you primed for the NFL team owners meetings and more.

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49 in 49: Pac-12 Week

For the next seven days, 49ers.com will continue profiling the most compelling prospects available in the 2013 NFL Draft as part of our “49 in 49″ series.

Next up, the Pac-12’s talent comes into focus. Seven prospects from the conference will be featured, including a son of a former San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowler.

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