Quality quintet is key for 49ers’ Gore and Smith

By Chris Cluff  |   Wednesday, May 23, 2007  |  Comments( 19 )

San Francisco 49ers
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The San Francisco 49ers' Frank Gore was the NFL's best breakout player in 2006, and Alex Smith took appropriate strides toward becoming a productive starting quarterback -- and for that both can thank the seven men up front: Jonas Jennings, Larry Allen, Eric Heitmann, Justin Smiley, Kwame Harris, Adam Snyder and Tony Wragge.

The front five, which because of injuries at times included Snyder and Wragge, were key to Gore finishing third in the NFL in rushing with a franchise-record 1,695 yards. And the generally consistent play of the big guys helped Smith gain confidence as the season progressed and upgrade his play from his rookie campaign; Smith's completion percentage went from 50.9 to 58.1, his interception percentage decreased from 6.7 to 3.6, and his passer rating improved from 40.8 to 74.8.

In order for Gore to repeat his numbers, which included an average of 5.4 yards per carry, and for Smith to take the next step into the top half of league quarterbacks (he ranked 22nd in passer rating last season), the 49ers need to maintain their quality quintet up front. The question is: Will they do it?

Although coach Mike Nolan denies he wants to get rid of them, the team has been fielding offers for right guard Justin Smiley and right tackle Kwame Harris, who were the only two linemen to start every game last season.

The contracts of Smiley and Harris are up after the 2007 season, and the 49ers haven't seemed eager to re-sign either one. In fact, they drafted Central Michigan tackle Joe Staley ostensibly to replace Harris, and they have offered Smiley in trade. Four teams - Baltimore, Chicago, Denver and Seattle - reportedly were interested leading up to the draft, but none would bite for the second-round pick the 49ers wanted.

"Before the draft, about four or five teams were courting me, and Nolan said he wasn't going to give me away," Smiley told reporters earlier this month. "They were strong on asking for a second-round pick for me."

Even now, teams continue to express interest in Smiley and Harris, but Nolan appears content to let them play out their contracts and replace them after the 2007 season.

"I have a lot of respect for both players," Nolan said of his right-side starters. "I'm in no hurry to get rid of those guys. There have been some guys who we've had here where their days were numbered, but not those two guys."

He said he's in no hurry to get rid of them, but he said nothing about letting them leave via free agency after 2007.

The team obviously drafted Staley, a late first-rounder, to replace Harris, if not this year then in 2008. And the 49ers seem to be balking at the idea of paying Smiley the going guard rate of $7 million per year, which is surely what he will command in 2008.

"I'm not asking to big-time anybody or over-the-top them," Smiley said. "I just want what's fair. We'd make it worth their while and discount them to be here. Right now, we're far apart."

As for the rest of the line, the 49ers seem set at left tackle with Jonas Jennings and at center with Eric Heitmann, who is coming off a broken leg suffered last December. Left guard Larry Allen probably doesn't have much left; the 35-year-old missed five games last season with a knee injury and will probably yield to Snyder or Wragge, who both filled in for him last season.

With Smiley, Harris and Allen all expected to leave in free agency after 2007, the 2008 line figures to look a lot different than the 2006 version. But the fact that the 49ers have played seven guys the past two years and probably will work Staley in this season means the transition shouldn't be that much of a problem.

Jennings and Snyder are signed through 2011, Baas through 2009 and Heitmann and Wragge for two more seasons. Heitmann, a seventh-round pick in 2002 who took over for injury-plagued center Jeremy Newberry, seems to have earned a second contract extension. And Wragge should be on the list for a re-up as well. If the 49ers can do that, they will be set up front for at least three more seasons.

Behind that group, Gore and Smith could move to the front of the line at their positions.

The 49ers used five line combinations in 2006, with their starters (Jennings, Allen, Heitmann, Smiley, Harris) playing together in nine games:
Week 1: Jennings, Allen, Heitmann, Smiley, Harris
Week 2: Snyder, Wragge, Heitmann, Smiley, Harris
Weeks 3-5: Jennings, Snyder, Heitmann, Smiley, Harris
Week 6: Snyder, Wragge, Heitmann, Smiley, Harris
Weeks 8-15: Jennings, Allen, Heitmann, Smiley, Harris
Week 16: Jennings, Allen, Wragge, Smiley Harris
Week 17: Snyder, Allen, Wragge, Smiley, Harris

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About Chris Cluff

Chris Cluff spent 10 years as an editor and sportswriter for The Seattle Times. He was a key figure in the newspaper's coverage of the Seahawks, particularly during their Super Bowl run in 2005. He also has written two books on the Seahawks: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding,...
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