Offseason questions and answers for 49ers

By Jeff Dickinson  |   Sunday, February 08, 2009  |  Comments( 3 )

San Francisco 49ers
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Addressing some key questions as the San Francisco 49ers get ready for the meat of the NFL offseason...

What can fans expect from new coordinator Jimmy Raye's offense next season?

The good news for San Francisco fans is that Raye has been in coaching for a long time. You don’t last as a coach in the NFL for as long as Raye has unless you’re doing something right. Unfortunately, Raye has also bounced around a lot during his tenure in the league, having been a coordinator with six different teams over a 12-year period. As the running backs coach for the past three years with the New York Jets, Raye helped lead the team to ninth overall in rushing yards per game last season, 19th in 2007 and 20th in '06. As O-coordinator for the Oakland Raiders in 2004 and 2005, Raye guided them to 21st and 17th, respectively, in total yards per game. With the Washington Redskins in 2001, Raye’s offense was 28th in the league. Those are hardly the kind of numbers that will make San Francisco fans leap for joy.

Which free agent wide receivers should the Niners consider?

No 49er wideout gained 1,000 yards last season, and leader Isaac Bruce only caught seven touchdown passes. Bruce is also not getting any younger, and it is difficult to believe that he will continue to be able to put up leading receiver numbers. The NFL draft is a good avenue for addressing future needs, but it is foolish to think that San Francisco can grab a receiver who will immediately make a big impact next season. With that said, here are some of the top free agent WRs who might be viable options for the 49ers:

1. Antonio Bryant, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 83 receptions, 1,248 yards, seven touchdowns.
2. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Cincinnati Bengals – 92 receptions, 904 yards, four TDs.
3. Michael Jenkins, Atlanta Falcons – 50 receptions, 777 yards, three TDs.

Is Shaun Hill the Man for Mike Singletary at quarterback next season?

Hill put up good numbers last season, throwing for 2,046 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. But Hill is yet to play an entire NFL season and is still an unproven commodity. San Francisco may indeed draft a quarterback in April, but that won’t help next season. How about free agency again? Here are a few of the options at the position:

1. Matt Cassel, New England Patriots – 3,693 yards, 21 TDs and 11 interceptions earned Cassel the franchise tag in New England. The Pats are likely to trade him if Tom Brady is healthy.
2. Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2,712 yards, 12 TDs and six INTs.
3. Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans – 2,676 yards, 12 TDs and seven INTs.
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About Jeff Dickinson

I have been writing and editing professionally for 18 years. I spent the first three years of my career as a sportswriter for a daily newspaper in Alabama and got to cover sports and get paid for it! It was great until I got married and then it wasn't too much fun being away from my wife every ...
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