Jon Stinchcomb re-signs with New Orleans: OT's flying off the market

by David Fucillo on Feb 28, 2009 2:10 PM PST in San Francisco 49ers News

It looks like the New Orleans Saints agreed to a 5-year contract with offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb. I'm rolling this out as a separate post due to Florida Danny's prior statistical look at offensive linemen. He came up with what he thought were the four best offensive tackle options in free agency, which included Stinchcomb, Vernon Carey, Stacy Andrews and Mark Tauscher.

Stinchcomb, Carey and Andrews are all officially off the market. That leaves Mark Tauscher as the only option left in that group of four. Tauscher turns 32 in June and is coming off ACL surgery late this past season. ACL surgery is tough to come back from for anybody, let alone a 32 year old offensive linemen. Can any of the medical folks in the audience inform us about the odds of such success for a player over 30? In a position where you're hunched over for much of the time, that can't be a good thing.

So, will the 49ers instead opt for a potential diamond in the rough as they might be trying to do with Brandon Jones? Or do they just go big in the draft at the 10 spot? What is the best way to approach a position that still seems to be an area of need? Or maybe you think they're fine at this point and a guy like Adam Snyder and Barry Sims will be fine for now.

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Just say no to Barry Sims as the starter

If Barry Sims starts the season for us we’ll know conclusively that we did not do what we had to this offseason. He is a backup. He is not very good at pass coverage. He is definitely not a starter on a run-first, hard-nosed, bruising running team, which is apparently what we’re trying to become.

The less we do to fill this position in the offseason the more obvious it becomes who we have to take at #10 – the best available OT left on the board.

Can everbody say “Andre Smith?”

What does this do for our pass-rushing need? I had thought this was the most likely position to fill with our first round pick but unless we get a solid RT we’ll be in big trouble.

by Neon on Feb 28, 2009 2:27 PM PST reply actions

If Andre Smith is there I’d take him.
Joe at RT
Smith at LT
There’s no convincing me that Andre Smith is the better football player

http://www.runboard.com/bsanfran49ers

by supraman on Feb 28, 2009 5:08 PM PST up reply actions

??

If you can’t be convinced Andre is better than Joe, wouldn’t you want Smith at RT? Or did you meant there’s no convincing you that Smith is NOT better than Joe?

by David Fucillo on Feb 28, 2009 5:11 PM PST up reply actions

Add Jonas Jennings to that tackle list

Maybe their man is in the draft. Looking at free agency results the 49ers are going to draft OT, OLD/DE and RB with their first 3 picks.

by bignerd on Feb 28, 2009 2:28 PM PST reply actions

McShay has the 49ers picking Andre Smith at # 10

He was rated as the best OT earlier but the combine problem looks like it could push him down to us. I think he will get plenty of motivation to stay in shape and play like is has shown in college. That should solidify our Oline.

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"

by Eastbayjim on Feb 28, 2009 2:31 PM PST reply actions

I'd be down with that

A. Smith may have character issues, but his problem seems to be more the fact that he’s not savvy than that he’s got a bad attitude. He clearly didn’t get the advice that he needed to get, but he’s an underclassman with tons of talent and upside—and the nastiness that you need in a mauling right tackle. I don’t like the fact that having him at RT will mean that we’ll have to up Staley’s $$‘s per year, but I’m willing to pay that price for a young and talented O-Line, especially considering the fact that there are DE/OLB prospects down the line in this draft.

Throwback unis? Yes. Throwback afros? YES!

by grantmp on Feb 28, 2009 2:56 PM PST up reply actions