49er Fringe Players: A Last-Second 53-Man Roster Prediction

For years, the “F” word has been labeled as vulgar and offensive. To NFL hopefuls, the word is no different.

To any NFL journeyman, practice squad holdover, and rookie selected beyond the fifth round of the NFL draft, being labeled a “Fringe” NFL player is like telling a grade school boy they’re pretty strong…for a girl.

To those unfamiliar with the term “fringe player,” fringe players are players on a team’s expanded 73-man roster who are about as likely to be cut as they are to be employed on the day of the 53-man roster cutdown.

Unless these players live in Michael Crabtree’s mock reality (see previous article), most realize that they are fringe players. Some will take the added pressure as a motivator and rise to the occassion; others will fold like a miserly French poker player. 

Broken down by position, Scott McCloughan’s “fringe players” are likely to include the following 49er hopefuls.

 

Offense

WR

Jason Hill

Dominique Ziegler

Michael Spurlock

 

RB/FB

Kory Sheets

Moran Norris (is on the wrong side of 30, at a short-lifespan position)

Britt Miller

 

QB

Nate Davis

Damon Huard

 

TE

Bear Pascoe

Joe John Finley

 

OT

Alex Boone

Jacob Bender

Barry Sims

 

Defense/Special Teams

OLB

Ahmad Brooks

Diyral Briggs

Marquees Harris

 

CB

Eric Green

Marcus Hudson

 

FS/SS

Reggie Smith

Curtis Taylor

 

DL

Demetric Evans

Ricky Jean Francois

Ray MacDonald

 

Return Specialist

Allen Rossum

Michael Spurlock

Kory Sheets

 

Prediction

With these “fringe” players battling it out for the last few roster spots, here is how I envision the 49er roster unfolding. Bolded and italicized are the fringe players who will be lucky enough to call themselves NFL athletes by the end of the day.

 

Quarterbacks (3 players)

Shaun Hill, Alex Smith, Nate Davis 

 

Running Backs (5 players)

Frank Gore, Moran Norris, Glen Coffee, Michael Robinson, Kory Sheets

 

Wide Receivers (6 players)

Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan, Arnaz Battle, Brandon Jones, Jason Hill, Michael Spurlock,  (Michael Crabtree will replace one upon signing)

 

Tight Ends (3 players)

Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Bear Pascoe

 

Offensive Line (9 players)

Joe Staley, David Baas, Eric Heitman, Chilo Rachal, Adam Snyder, Tony Wragge, Cody Wallace, Jacob Bender, OT Waiver Wire Pick Up

 

Defensive Line (6 players)

Justin Smith, Aubrayo Franklin, Isaac Sopoaga, Kentwan Balmer, Ray MacDonald, Demetric Evans

 

Linebackers (8 players)

Manny Lawson, Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Parys Haralson, Jeff Ulbrich, Scott McKillop, Marques Harris, Ahmad Brooks

 

Defensive Backs (10 players)

Nate Clements, Dre Bly, Tarell Brown, Shawntae Spencer, Marcus Hudson, Dashon Goldson, Michael Lewis, Reggie Smith, Mark Roman

 

Special Teams (3 players)

Joe Nedney, Andy Lee, Brian Jennings, Michael Spurlock/Kory Sheets (double duty)

 

TOTAL: 53 Players

 

Practice Squad (8 players)

Dominique Zeigler, Ricky-Jean Francois, Brit Miller, Matt Spanos, Diyral Briggs, Curtis Taylor, Khaliff Mitchell, Joe Jon Finley

 

Conclusion

The only major surprise move here is the cutting of Allen Rossum. 

While certainly an average to above-average return man, he really hasn’t done much lately to warrant an entire roster spot. Both Michael Spurlock and Kory Sheets had significantly higher average return yards than Rossum.

In addition, cutting Rossum allows the team to keep both Jason Hill and Michael Spurlock, which is a necessity given that Brandon Jones won’t be available until October, Michael Crabtree has yet to sign, and Arnaz Battle is perhaps the most injury-prone wide receiver in the NFL. Sheets and Spurlock get the nod as they can do more in a “what have/can you do for me lately” type of business.

Other noteworthy moves include keeping Jacob Bender, the 49ers’ backup left tackle who has looked impressive all preseason. Bender was poached from the Patriots’ practice squad at the end of last season. Alex Boone gets stashed on the practice squad. After Boone’s inability to pass block throughout preseason, he will almost certainly clear waivers. He still has much promise, thus landing him on the practice squad.

Moran Norris gets the nod over the young and promising Britt Miller, who just recently made the position change from linebacker to fullback straight out of college. While many would argue that Norris shouldn’t be a fringe player, he is an average at best fullback who is 31 years old and has done nothing in training camp.

Don’t forget, he was released by the Lions. He just isn’t the same fullback as three years ago. Norris gets Frank Gore’s vote and Miller should be in the clear when it comes to clearing waivers. 

Another possible, though improbable, outcome is Norris being cut and Michael Robinson handling fullback duties to save a roster spot (unlikely due to Raye’s boring and dogmatic reliance on the run).

In addition, Marquees Harris and Ahmad Brooks get the nod over promising UDFA Diyral Briggs, who will likely clear waivers and be stashed on the 49er practice squad. Both Harris and Brooks have more experience at the position, and you know how Camp Singletary favors experience.

At cornerback, Marcus Hudson gets the nod over Eric Green. Though Green hasn’t been terrible, he faced an uphill battle upon being brought in. Marcus Hudson is familiar with the 49ers scheme and the 49ers are familiar with Marcus Hudson.

Lastly, Demetric Evans gets the nod over the young and raw Ricky Jean-Francois. While Jean-Francois has looked like a decent and promising player, he hasn’t done enough to make McGloughan send an apology note to the York family for wasting the $3 million in guaranteed money the 49er front office promised Evans in free agency. Jean-Francois will likely clear waivers and make the practice squad.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

The Jerry Rice Rule: A Proposition To The NFL

Jerry Rice was the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game of football.  Most NFL fans wouldn’t argue against him being the greatest football player of all time.

As a lifelong, faithful 49er fan, it pained me seeing Jerry Rice suit up in the Silver and Black. 

To later watch him reach milestones and break records (200 touchdowns) as a Raider, was like watching my father cry for the first time. 

Jerry Rice, the man who was selected to 12 Pro Bowls, 12 All Pros, won three Super Bowls, a Super Bowl MVP, a Pro Bowl MVP, Rookie of the Year, and two NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors as a 49er, was now playing for San Francisco’s cross-town Bay Area rival.

I guess once you go silver and black, you actually can  go back, as Rice proceeded to play for the Seahawks during the 2004 season and finally the Denver Broncos in the 2005 preseason. 

I don’t even think Broncos fans enjoyed seeing the legendary Jerry Rice suit up in their attire.  Like “mistaking” the charity jar for a take-a-penny tray, or kissing a twice-removed cousin, it just felt… wrong.

Why did this atrocity occur you might ask?

The answer is simple: limited roster and salary cap space in a “what have you done for me lately?” type of world.

The solution: a “Legacy” tag, or as I like to think of it, the “Jerry Rice Rule.”

The rule could go something along the lines of:

Every year, one team is allotted an additional roster spot (54^th spot), to designate a “legacy player.”  The salary of such “legacy player,” up to $5 million, is not counted against the salary cap up.

To qualify for a “legacy tag” the designated player must:

a)      Currently be on the roster of the designating team (obvious, but had to be stated as you never know what kind of loophole or rule manipulations Belichick has up his sleeve).

b)      Have been drafted by the team which is placing the “legacy tag”

c)       Have played 10+ seasons with the team placing the “legacy tag”

This rule would benefit the NFL along with its loyal players and fan-bases.

Players

First of all, it would directly improve the legacy that each player left on their franchise.  This would benefit the legacy player (and player’s family) who was able to remain with and retire as a member of their beloved original team. 

It wouldn’t mean having to change homes, jerseys, or teammates.  It would provide the legacy player with the security of consistency. 

In addition to legacy players, the legacy tag, would benefit young “fringe” players as well. 

Telling an NFL executive to trim their roster to 53 players is like telling Kate Moss to lose 10 pounds.   Every season there are about five to 10 professional caliber players on an NFL roster that compete for the final few spots and every year promising and capable players are released without ever having the chance to prove themselves in a real game. 

In cases of a team wanting to keep developed players and veteran leadership over promising and unproven commodities, the roster casualties include the young and inexperienced.  Without ever having a legitimate shot at an NFL roster, many cut athletes must retire from the sport entirely to try and pay their bills and support their families. 

How many Tony Romo’s, Shaun Hill’s, Derek Anderson’s, Jake Delhomme’s, and Kurt Warner’s (all of whom were either undrafted or cut in their youth) were overlooked and turned away from the sport entirely due to that one-less roster spot? We truthfully will never know.  If NFL executives were able to save an extra roster spot, while maintaining veteran leadership, they could provide one more “fringe player” their chance at NFL stardom, and provide NFL fans with one more potential star.  It truly is a win-win scenario.

Some may say that keeping the rosters small is a necessity for owners who already suffer from excessive player expenditures.  Somehow, I doubt that one extra NFL rookie minimum salary of $310,000 is going to put the NFL owner over the edge.  It’s the money hungry stars of today who demand 10 million a year just for going in the top 10 of a draft that are the real problem.  With such wealth disparity depriving young “fringe” athletes a living and chance at a dream, it becomes much more than an “NFL problem,” it’s a social problem. 

Fans

Coming from a fan, the “Legacy Tag” or “Jerry Rice Rule” would be a saving grace to the NFL fan-base.

Sigmund Freud himself couldn’t oust the repressed, emotionally-scarred memories I possess from watching Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, or any other legacy player for that matter, play for the enemy. 

The image of Jerry Rice in a non-49er jersey was so haunting to my childhood that I can’t even look at our very own Isaac Bruce the same.  Despite the fact that Bruce was the 49ers leading receiver in 2008, it still makes me uncomfortable watching him catch a 49er pass. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am about as sympathetic towards the Rams as Bruno is towards social boundaries. 

It’s a matter of principle.   It’s the principle of playing for the love of the game, for a team that you love, and fans that love and have always loved you. 

It’s a matter of maintaining a player’s legacy and relationship with the team and fan-base.

Needless to say, the “Jerry Rice Rule” would benefit the fans who didn’t have to watch their beloved franchise star move on to greener (pun intended) pastures.

NFL

Lastly, the “Jerry Rice Rule” or “Legacy Tag” would benefit the sanctity of the NFL and the sport of football. 

By not forcing players to sacrifice team loyalty in search of fair market value, the league and its players could become more positive role models to the NFL fan-base, providing the NFL a much-needed image face-lift. 

After all, telling your child that his beloved franchise star and childhood hero is violating his team allegiances to “get paid” and “make it rain” is about as horrifyingly uncomfortable as dispelling the stork and baby myth. 

In a league so concerned with self-image, with a commissioner so fixated on providing positive, example-setting role-models, exemplifying the values of loyalty and teamwork could go a long way.

Money Doesn’t Grow On Crabtrees

With the 49ers’ training camp rookie report date a day overdue, one 49ers’ rookie appears to be missing in action. I’ll give you a hint; it’s not Brett Favre… nor Michael Vick. 

The, dare I say “crabby” tenth overall draft pick, Michael Crabtree, has yet to reach a satisfactory contractual agreement with the 49ers’ front office. 

Now some may call it greed on behalf of Michael Crabtree who willingly hired Eugene Parker, and is therefore ultimately responsible for such a difference in contractual opinion. 

I call it Eugene Parker being Eugene Parker.

To those NFL fans unfamiliar with Eugene Parker, consider yourself (and corresponding NFL team) fortunate. He is the godfather of the holdout. The man feels towards training camp how Allen Iverson does towards practice and Jim Mora Sr. towards playoffs. 

Let’s do a quick NFL history lesson. 

Last offseason, a Chicago Bears’  punt returner, vowed to hold out an entire season if his contractual demands were not met. Though the holdout was short, at just 2 days, the punt returner and situational wide receiver was paid a Pro Bowl wide receiver’s salary at close to $10 million per year. 

His name: Devin Hester. His agent: Eugene Parker.

That same offseason, a St. Louis Rams’ running back and offensive centerpiece held out of an entire offseason of OTA’s and 27 days worth of training camp and preseason football. 

His name: Steven Jackson. His agent: Eugene Parker.

Not to be outdone that offseason, a certain Buffalo Bills’ left tackle held out an entire offseason of OTA’s, training camp, AND preseason games.  In fact, this blindside protector didn’t sign until September 5^th, the very same week of the Bill’s first regular season game. 

His name: Jason Peters. His agent: Eugene Parker.

As Karl Marx once said, “History repeats itself.”  

What historians didn’t realize, was that Marx was referring to a certain greedy NFL agent (not the tragic history of mankind as what was once rumored). 

It’s safe to say that Parker switched over to Netflix after nearly being bankrupted by Blockbuster late fees. Unfortunately for the 49ers, Crabtree is a non-contracted rookie, and therefore cannot be docked a similar contractual fine. 

According to Parker, Michael Crabtree should be getting paid like a top three overall draft selection. His justification: Michael Crabtree should have been a top three overall pick. 

The reality, Mr. Parker, is that Michael Crabtree was not a top three overall draft pick.  No team picking in the top nine selections thought so. In fact, there were nine teams eagerly looking to trade out of the top ten, and not one other team in the NFL thought there was a player worth trading up to grab at any of the top ten selections (besides Marky Mark Sanchez of course). 

Yes, Michael Crabtree’s should have been a top three selection. Just like the generic horror movie victim should have avoided the cemetery late night… but he didn’t.

The truth is every draft has twice as many deserving draftees vying for half as many spots. You can’t reward every player that is deserving of a selection because you could never objectively define a player’s value beyond their draft selection, nor would it be fair to the player’s who were actually drafted at that selection.

If the number ten selection should be paid like a number three selection, then what should the number three selection get paid?

Funny you should ask Mr. Parker, considering you also represent Tyson Jackson, who was the third overall pick (reach) that turned the top ten draft world upside down. Are you going to demand 15^th pick salary for Jackson? After all, that’s about where he deserved to go following a disappointing end to his collegiate career.

The thought of Eugene Parker disputing draft value with an NFL front office executive should be about as ridiculous as Mel Kiper advising the late Bill Walsh.

Your opinion on draft selection would matter Mr. Parker, if you were actually an NFL front office executive. Until then, stick to what you do worst, and get your athletes signed in time.

Count on Eugene Parker to be the one to swallow the jail key of an increasingly inevitable 2011 NFL lockout.  

He certainly won’t be on any Christmas card lists at 4949 Centennial Blvd. 

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