49ers Resign Isaac Sopoaga

by enut21 on Feb 26, 2008 6:10 PM PST

EDITOR'S UPDATE 8:15PM - I made a mistake in the initial post. MM's article only mentioned they had speculated previously that Sopoaga might get a deal similar to that of Jay Ratliff. Ratliff was the one with the 5 year deal, NOT Sopoaga. It's still possible Sopoaga gets the same type of deal, but in the meantime, no numbers have been released. My apologies.

Thanks to enut21 for making the first call on this story. ~~Matt Maiocco confirms this with financial details. Isaac Sopoaga will return to the 49ers after reaching a deal at 5 years, $20.5 million and an $8 million signing bonus.~~

It should be interesting to see how this affects Aubrayo Franklin's playing time going forward. Although it sounds like the early cap number isn't too much, this is definitely not a contract you give to somebody who will be spending a significant amount of time on the bench. Thoughts on the deal?

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

49ERS KEEP SOPOAGA by Michael David Smith

Adam Schefter of NFL Network is reporting that the San Francisco 49ers have reached a contract agreement with nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga.

The 49ers' fourth-round draft pick in 2004 out of the University of Hawaii, Sopoaga had been scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on Friday. Per Schefter, the new contract is a five-year deal. No financial details are available.

Sopoaga played in all 16 games for the 49ers in 2007, starting five and recording 20 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Although he has only been a part-time player for the 49ers, the 325-pound Sopoaga is a good fit at nose tackle in coach Mike Nolan's 3-4 defense, and getting a new deal done for him before free agency began was reportedly one of the 49ers' top priorities.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.

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wow

Franklin was a steal last year @ 3years/6 mill+ 3 mill signing bonus.

by enut21 on Feb 26, 2008 6:36 PM PST reply actions

5 years?!

Holy moly! Man, I know people like this guy and that he's a Nolan favorite, but 5 years for a guy who doesn't appear to have developed very much since he was drafted and hasn't shown me a heck of a lot to begin with...

Hell, I think we overpaid.

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over....

by howtheyscored on Feb 26, 2008 6:54 PM PST reply actions

Agreed

Not to mention that the first time this guy actually was talked about positively was in his contract year.

We are not who I thought we were.

by marcello on Feb 26, 2008 6:58 PM PST up reply actions

i like him

if u just watch him you can see he does the job well ..... he has a nose for the ball and can penetrate when needed..... i hope to see him replace franklin for good.

by Qbgetter13 on Feb 27, 2008 6:18 PM PST up reply actions

I don't know

I have watched him play and all I've ever really seen is a guy who is overmatched as a NT and unpolished as a DE. I believe in his work ethic and his character, and I believe in his potential, but I just don't like that I've never really seen his game improve in any significant way and that he's struggled so much to find a role on our line that actually suits him.

I guess we're just seeing different things out of him, though. I honestly hope yours is closer to the truth. I'll respectfully believe it when I see it, though.

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over....

by howtheyscored on Feb 28, 2008 2:04 PM PST up reply actions

Rush to judgement

This is one of those signings you can't really comment on if you ask me... only time will tell.

by jaytierney on Feb 27, 2008 8:38 AM PST reply actions

Correction

I made a correction in the main post. I was incorrect on the years and dollar figures. Financials haven't been released and the numbers I used MM had mentioned were what Jay Ratliff received from the Cowboys and could be analogous.

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by David Fucillo on Feb 27, 2008 9:26 AM PST reply actions

i think

the years are correct.

Here's to hoping Albert Hanyesworth stomps on Alex Smith's head.

by methodrampage on Feb 27, 2008 11:29 AM PST up reply actions

5y/20m

Thats what John Clayton is reporting

by enut21 on Feb 27, 2008 11:45 AM PST reply actions

Well

I guess this means he is our guy. This possibly takes NT off the table of problems. I hope he lives up to it. All he really has to do is take up space and clog holes. A good fit, yes, but the pay check.. we will have to wait and see. Now we need a WR,OLB, and OL depth. I say Calvin Pace in FA and Byrant Johnson as well. Then one of the 7 top tier OL that falls to us. Then we are fine.

by montasmob69 on Feb 27, 2008 6:14 PM PST reply actions

Looking NT

I still we should look at NT or DE in the draft. I think Sopoago would make a better DE than a NT so if they are able to find a NT in the draft I say go for it. I wouldn't say that we are all set along the D-line just yet.

Tom will never be as cool as Joe

by wader251 on Feb 27, 2008 8:28 PM PST up reply actions

I completely agree

I keep reliving the moment when Steve Young almost fell down... over and over....

by howtheyscored on Feb 27, 2008 8:40 PM PST up reply actions

Smith

So say for arguments sake we sign Justin Smith and let Douglas walk. In the 3-4, would you go Smith on one side and then a combination of Franklin, Sopoaga and McDonald on the other side/in the middle (obviously McDonald wouldn't be playing nose tackle)? This certainly doesn't factor in any draft choices.

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by David Fucillo on Feb 27, 2008 9:18 PM PST up reply actions

I Think

It's pretty safe to assume that D-line will be addressed with 1 of our top 3 picks.

by enut21 on Feb 27, 2008 9:32 PM PST up reply actions

Definitely

Supposedly this draft class has a lot of solid Nose Tackles and DE's, so the 49ers could possibly get a guy with the 29th pick who may have gone much earlier in other years. Plus, the great thing about late first round picks is, you don't have to pay them nearly as much money and yet they frequently produce just as well as the early first round draftees.

by jaytierney on Feb 28, 2008 11:19 AM PST up reply actions

Free Agency and the Draft

They aren't mutually exclusive as their signings are going to have a direct impact on their draft. If they sign Smith they're not taking a DE in the first round and they didn't give Sopoaga 5 years and $20M not to be a starter so they're not taking a NT is the first round either. I'm not totally comfortable with Sopoaga at NT, some on here are, but I think his signing gives the Niners a chance to gamble on someone like Frank Okam, whos stock has been sliding big time, in the 3rd or 4th rounds or possibly later.

Their first pick will probably be either a WR, which I don't like, or a OT which I'd support.

Here's to hoping Albert Hanyesworth stomps on Alex Smith's head.

by methodrampage on Feb 28, 2008 11:58 AM PST up reply actions

Good call...

I think it's been well established that the key to a good offense is a consistent offensive line... let's hope we draft an OT and not a WR... because what's the point of drafting a receiver if the QB doesn't have enough time to throw the ball anyway? I still find it amazing how many WR are drafted in the first round despite the mountains of evidence demonstrating what a huge risk it is.

by jaytierney on Feb 28, 2008 4:22 PM PST up reply actions

Sopoaga, Staley & the Draft

I've got to think that the Niners brass thinks Sopoaga is a viable option at NT, I'm skeptical but I'll default to their "expertise". With that said, I doubt they gave Sop 5 years and $20M not to be the starter so I doubt the Niners address NT inside the first 3 rounds. That'll open up the first round selection for something other than NT, which a decent amount of people on here thought we should take. I'll come back to this.

I was thinking about how deep this years draft class is in OT, and with hindsight being 20/20, how it was a shame to trade into the first round last year for Staley (because I've got a feeling that Vernon Gholston is going to be an absolute beast in a 3-4). But then I starter to think that just because we took Staley last year that doesn't mean we can't take another OT this year.

Basically what I'm trying to get to (I'm too lazy to fully iterate my ideas) is the signing of Sopoaga frees the Niners' first round selection up allowing them to take say OT Sam Baker. I think being able to lock up to stud young tackles for the long term is definitely the way to go and it helps to capitalize on the trade we made for Staley last year.

Here's to hoping Albert Hanyesworth stomps on Alex Smith's head.

by methodrampage on Feb 28, 2008 10:51 AM PST reply actions

I agree

I'm actually hoping they take an offensive tackle in the first round. It's a lot better than using that pick on a WR (very risky position to draft that high) or a nose tackle. The tackle crop this year is very deep, and they should be able to get another "starter-quality" tackle at the bottom of the 1st round. With Staley and <insert top OT drafted this year> manning the outside and Baas and Snyder manning the inside, the 49ers would have a VERY young offensive line that has a lot of great potential.

As you pointed out elsewhere, the 49ers could always use their third or fourth rounder on an NT now that Sopoaga has signed. There are a few more big DTs in this draft than there were last year, so that works to the 49ers advantage as well.

by sfgfan on Feb 29, 2008 10:05 AM PST up reply actions

I agree

Sam Baker is at the top of my wish list @ 29. Hopefully he drops that far down. I'm not real sold on any of the WR's that would get drafted at either 29 or 39.

by enut21 on Feb 29, 2008 1:15 PM PST up reply actions

Another Option

I agree with a lot of what is being said about the effect Sopoaga's signing is going to have on our draft, but I am not sure OT is where it will lead the first round pick. As I have said before I think Sopoaga could be a devestating DE in a 3-4 as opposed to NT. That said I wouldn't mind seing them go after a NT in the first round. However, I think most likely we are going to target a pass rush OLB or DE (that can play OLB). To me, our interest in Arizona's Pace signals that Nolan & Co. don't think Banta-Cain is the answer at OLB. Given the depth at OL in this years class and Nolan's proclivity for finding OL later in the draft, it wouldn't surprize me to see them target a pass rusher of some sort.
On the other hand, I am not as anti-WR in the first round as others so I wouldn't mind seeing them take a WR they are familiar with i.e. someone from the Senior Bowl such as Caldwell.
I also think the first round pick could insdicate how much, if any, influence martz may have on offensive personel.

Tom will never be as cool as Joe

by wader251 on Feb 28, 2008 12:36 PM PST reply actions

OLB

"As I have said before I think Sopoaga could be a devestating DE in a 3-4 as opposed to NT.
How many games has Sopoaga played at DE? Do you think you're a better talent evaluator than Nolan? The reason Sopoaga got the money he did was because there's a limited number of viable options at NT, he'd be less valuable as a DE.

"However, I think most likely we are going to target a pass rush OLB or DE (that can play OLB)."
Have you looked at any mock drafts and do you have any idea who these OLB might be? There's none of particular interest that won't be there in the 2nd round like Quentin Groves. We'd be reaching for one in the first round. With Shawn Crable and/or Bruce Davis being available in the 3rd or 4th round it would make more sense to wait as these "tweener" OLB/DE types tend to slide a little bit.

"Given the depth at OL in this years class and Nolan's proclivity for finding OL later in the draft"
Who exactly are these OL that are so great? Our OL was one of the worst in the league last year. It's easier to find good guards later in the draft than it is to find good tackles.

"I also think the first round pick could insdicate how much, if any, influence martz may have on offensive personel."
How so? If we draft a WR does that mean Martz has a huge influence? WR was considered a need by many before Martz showed up. What about if we take an OT? If we take a defensive player does that mean Martz has no influence? It seems a little silly to try and define Martz' influence based on 1 pick.

Here's to hoping Albert Hanyesworth stomps on Alex Smith's head.

by methodrampage on Feb 28, 2008 1:07 PM PST up reply actions

You Do Care!

I was beginning to think you didn't care since it had been about a week and a half since you tried to pick apart a comment of mine and exaggerated its meaning to the brink of absurdity.

How many games has Sopoaga played at DE? Do you think you're a better talent evaluator than Nolan?
I am not sure but I would be surprized if he played any games at DE. Condsidering there was only two legitimate NT on the roster last year and Franklin was hurt for part of it of course he played most if not all of his time at NT. That wasn't my point. You yourself have been critical of Sopoaga as a NT and I was simply pointing out that since he has been marginal at NT perhaps making him a DE and pairing him with another NT would be a good idea. I don't think making such a crazy suggestion means I think I am a better judge of talent than Nolan. Its not like I was being critical of Nolan for not trying it.

do you have any idea who these OLB might be? There's none of particular interest that won't be there in the 2nd round like Quentin Groves. We'd be reaching for one in the first round. With Shawn Crable and/or Bruce Davis being available in the 3rd or 4th round it would make more sense to wait as these "tweener" OLB/DE types tend to slide a little bit.
I will admit that I shouldn't have said "I think most likely we are going to target..." I really don't think it is more likely that we target a OT or a pass rusher. What I really should have said is depending on how the first 28 picks go down we could target a pass rusher. I think the OL class and the DE/OLB class are similarly deep and both will have enough depth to have good prospects in the 2nd round. On the other hand I don't agree that tweeners tend to slide. Lawson was an early first round pick and with the 3-4 gaining prevalance tweeners are in higher demand than previously.

Nolan's proclivity for finding OL later in the draft
Again this is was a mistatement without sounding like Clemens I misremember some of Nolan's draft history although I don't think the line is as bad as you think.

It seems a little silly to try and define Martz' influence based on 1 pick.
When Martz first signed people questioned whether Martz's and Nolan's ego can exist on the same sideline. I didn't say one pick was determinitive of Martz's influence but the way that this draft unfolds may indicate something about whether Nolan is willing to take constructive input from martz. This blog has talked alot about getting players to fit Martz's system. If we don't draft people that fit that system or we ignore the offense I think that does say something about the internal workings of the Niners.

Tom will never be as cool as Joe

by wader251 on Feb 28, 2008 4:33 PM PST up reply actions