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HOT TOPIC
The 49ers have finished their off-season program, and quarterback Alex Smith is raving over the changes made from a year ago.
Smith did not name names, but he made it clear he likes the additions to the club's offensive lineup - as well as at least one of the deletions.
"Take the receiving corps, for example," Smith told the Santa Rosa (Calif.) Press Democrat. "The top four or five guys, yeah, they're more talented than the guys last year. But they're also so much more mature and so much more competitive.
"They want to be great. It's not like it was last year, for whatever reason. You don't want to call anyone out, but it was different last year. It wasn't like that."
The only starter who is not back from last year is receiver Brandon Lloyd, who was regarded as the least mature player on the team. He ruffled feathers in the locker room last season with his reluctance to take any responsibility. After short-arming a couple crucial passes last season in a loss to the Bears, Lloyd laid the blame squarely on quarterback Cody Pickett for not allowing Lloyd time to develop his routes.
The 49ers were hoping to deal Lloyd in the offseason for a fifth-round draft pick, but they ended up getting third- and fourth-round selections from the Redskins for the restricted free agent.
The 49ers signed receiver Antonio Bryant to take Lloyd's place. They also hope to have a healthy Arnaz Battle at the flanker position. Last season, Battle was healthy for only three games. The 49ers also figure to have threats at tight end this season. Rookie Vernon Davis is expected to provide a presence in the passing game, and backup Eric Johnson caught 82 passes for 825 yards in 2004 before missing all of last season with a foot injury.
Smith had a dismal rookie season, as the 49ers finished with a 4-12 record. But Smith finished on a strong note, winning his last two starts. Smith threw 11 interceptions and just one touchdown in his even starts last season, compiling a 40.8 passer rating. But he showed some signs of promise with a 12-of-16 passing performance for 131 yards, and a passer rating of 98.7, in a late-season victory over the Rams.
PLAYER NOTES
--Former Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who has entered the supplemental draft after being dismissed by Cavaliers coach Al Groh, is gaining plenty of attention from the 49ers.
Coach Mike Nolan was the only NFL head coach to attend Brooks' workout June 22 in Charlottesville, Va. On June 28, the 49ers are scheduled to fly Brooks to the 49ers' team facility in Santa Clara, Calif.
Niners vice president of player personnel Scot McCloughan said there are some "interesting guys" in this year's July 13 supplemental draft. McCloughan has already scouted Iowa State defensive end Jason Berryman.
When asked if the 49ers are expecting to take somebody in the draft, Nolan answered, "Do we expect to? No. But we're always investigating. We're interested in all of them."
If the 49ers select Brooks with their first pick, they would forfeit a first-round selection in the 2007 draft. Brooks is expected to be chosen in the first round.
--Quarterback Alex Smith took a beating last season in his seven starts, as he was sacked 29 times while attempting just 165 passes. Among the improvements he sees from a year ago is the offensive line.
The 49ers added guard Larry Allen through free agency. If Jeremy Newberry is healthy, the 49ers will have pretty good depth. Last year, Kwame Harris, Adam Snyder, Eric Heitmann, David Baas and Justin Smiley each saw considerable action. This season, three of those players could begin the season as reserves.
"Last year we were five deep and we had a couple injuries, and we were signing guys to play," Smith said. "That's not going to happen. We have seven or eight guys with experience."
--Linebacker Brandon Moore will take part as a judge June 27 at a San Francisco firehouse recipe cook-off, featuring three fire fighters at Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco.
--Former 49ers center Frank Morze died May 28 after a long battle with heart disease. Morze was 73. Morze was a second-round draft pick (No. 21 overall) of the 49ers in 1955 from Boston College. He was the team's primarily starting center for five seasons.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
The 49ers front office appears to have its act together this offseason, as they have already signed five of their nine draft picks to contracts: linebacker Parys Haralson, defensive backs Marcus Hudson and Vickiel Vaughn, defensive lineman Melvin Oliver and tight end Delanie Walker. The big ones will come later, as the club hopes to have first-round picks, tight end Vernon Davis and outside linebacker Manny Lawson, signed and ready to participate for the first day of training camp.
The 49ers continue to search the waiver wire to see if help becomes available for their secondary. They would like to get more competition at cornerback and free safety, but it appears unlikely they can add a player of starter quality this late in the process.
The team is also spending a lot of time looking at the supplemental draft class, but it is highly unlikely they are willing to spend a high draft pick to obtain talented linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who is seen as a character risk.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--S Marques Anderson (not tendered June 1).
--TE Steve Bush (not tendered June 1).
--DE Travis Hall (not tendered June 1).
--LB Saleem Rasheed (not tendered June 1).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED
--LB Parys Haralson (5th): $1.786M/4 yrs, $176,000 SB; 2006 cap: $319,000.
--S Marcus Hudson (6th): 4 yrs, terms unknown.
--TE Delanie Walker (6th): Terms unknown.
--DE Melvin Oliver (6th): Terms unknown.
--S Vickiel Vaughn (7th): Terms unknown.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--S Mike Adams: ERFA; $385,000/1 yr.
--FB Chris Hetherington: Potential UFA; $770,000/1 yr; 2006 cap: $460,000.
--RB Maurice Hicks: ERFA; $425,000/1 yr.
--TE Terry Jones: UFA; terms unknown.
--WR Jason McAddley: UFA; $610,000/1 yr, $25,000 SB; 2006 cap: $450,000.
--LB Brandon Moore: UFA; $8M/5 yrs, $2.6M SB; 2006 cap: $1.155M.
--PK Joe Nedney: UFA; $6.055M/4 yrs, $1.56M SB; 2006 cap: $1.165M.
--S Kris Richard: Not tendered as RFA; $500,000/1 yr.
--LB Derek Smith: Potential UFA; $14M/3 yrs, $6M SB.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--OG Larry Allen: FA Cowboys; $8.4M/2 yrs, $4M SB; 2006 cap: $3.5M.
--WR Antonio Bryant: UFA Browns; $13.9M/4 yrs, $4M SB; 2006 cap: $3.6M.
--CB Sammy Davis: Trade Chargers.
--QB Trent Dilfer: Trade Browns.
--WR Bryan Gilmore: UFA Dolphins; $610,000/1 yr, $25,000 SB; 2006 cap: $450.000.
--CB Walt Harris: FA Redskins; terms unknown.
--QB Shaun Hill: Not tendered as UFA by Vikings; terms unknown.
--FB Moran Norris: FA Texans; terms unknown.
--QB Jesse Palmer: FA; $545,000/1 yr; 2006 cap: $460,000.
--LB T.J. Slaughter: UFA Saints; $545,000/1 yr.
--S Chad Williams: UFA Ravens; terms unknown.
PLAYERS LOST
--FB Fred Beasley: UFA Dolphins; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--LB Andre Carter: UFA Redskins; $30M/6 yrs, $5M SB.
--OT Anthony Clement: UFA Jets; terms unknown.
--DE Chris Cooper (released).
--QB Ken Dorsey: Traded Browns.
--WR Brandon Lloyd: Traded Redskins after given first-round tender as RFA.
--WR Johnnie Morton (released).
--LB Julian Peterson: UFA Seahawks; $54M/6 yrs, $11.5M SB.
--CB Ahmed Plummer (released/failed physical).
--WR Rashaun Woods: Traded Chargers.
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