doesn’t make our 53-man roster, he’ll be scooped up by another and we won’t get a chance to put him on the practice squad.

Clayton, unfortunately, seems like the odd man out. We’ve had a similar running back like him before, Jamal Robertson, and Robertson didn’t account for much when he left. Robertson was a bit different, leading NFL Europa in rushing, but was still a preseason beast for us (and never much opportunity in the regular season).

Thomas Clayton doesn’t really fit in anymore. Michael Robinson is extended, and a special teams ace, and can run the Wildcat. Frank Gore, well, he’s Frank Gore. Glenn Coffee wasn’t drafted in round 3 to develop, he was drafted to be Gore’s backup immediately.

Our running back duo/trio/quartert should have the theme music for Demolition. Axe, Smash and Crush baby.

I’m doing a rain dance as I type.

another thing, to folks talking about the wildcat offense, [site decorum] the wildcat, gimmicks are for suckers, excluding Bill Parcells of course.

Rossum would be a likely cut if he only was a KR, but who would be the PR? Battle, if he makes the team? Clements? Do you want your top CB returning punts? Returning punts is a great deal more difficult than kickoffs and Rossum does a good job. So I would say anyone (like Battle) who can do a good job returning punts increases his chances of making the final 53 man squad at the expense of Rossum.

If the team goes 4 backs on the 53 man, Coffee could be the inactive player.

I know all running backs had problems with Martz’s offense, but Robinson was getting something like 1.5 or 2.5 yards a carry. As far as blocking, remember that Moran Norris is back and will undoubtedly be used as a blocking back on third downs.

Robinson isn’t fast enough to be a speedster, he isn’t really strong enough to be a true fullback and he can’t seem to find holes to run through. He is good catching passes in space, but there are plenty of people on the roster to catch passes this year. I know he’s a great special teams player, but if the Niners want to keep him I wouldn’t count him against their running back contingent.

I’d like to see it, in descending order, Gore, Coffee, Sheets, Clayton. Sheets could be that change of pace back that busts a long one after Gore and Coffee beat up the opposition for a couple of quarters. I’ve been a Clayton fan, but I suspect that this may be the end of the trail unless he shows some really remarkable stuff. I could see that if the Niners keep four backs and want Robinson for all of his non-running skills that would seal Clayton’s fate, but I would not want Sheets cut.

And I do not see the Wildcat coming to the Niners. Just my opinion.

testin, testin

Interesting that they actually never really have tested Clayton in real life, and then still signs 2 new RB’s. This must mainly be because of Singletary’s with of always beeing sure of our capability of running the football.

I expect all 4 RB’s to make the team, Gore, Coffee, Clayton and Sheets. I also expect Robinson to make the team as a ST’er. The roster spots will come from Zak Keasey on FB and 1-2 from the DB’s, as they try to make them more versatile.

Don’t fall in love with a running back.

Either Robinson or Battle is getting cut. People keep saying they help on special teams but we can’t keep both. Has Robinson done PR and KR returns before? He has than he will be more valuable than Battle overall. Robinson can help on special teams and backup FB/RB. I like the preseason because we get to see some of the players you don’t usually get to see play, the rookies play, and when you have some depth at some positions competition. If Clayton is still eligible for the practice squad than he will probably go there. Sheets has more value to other teams than Clayton does. I think we can all agree that Coffee gets a roster spot being a 3rd round pick.

Robinson is a lock because he plays Singletary-type football. He is as hard-nosed as they come and people fail to recognize how Singletary utilized him as a receiver out of the backfield during the second half of last season. He caught 17 passes for 202 yards and an outstanding average of 11.9 yards per catch.

Robinson has a contract for another 3 seasons and won’t be going anywhere. Another thing about MRob is his outstanding hands. He has lost only one fumble in three years. Both Coffee and Sheets lost starting jobs at one time or another in their college careers due to fumbling problems.

As for Clayton, he is the most overrated back I have seen. His “tremendous numbers” in preseason actually show an average of 4.7 yards per run against 3rd string defenses. His longest was 27 yards. This guy has failed at every juncture. While Sheets was scoring 48 TDs in college and running for over 3300 yards, Clayton totaled 7 TDs and just over 1000 yards. In his senior year, he was the #3 RB at Kansas State and gained just over 330 yards. Forget his muscles, he can’t block, runs a 4.63 40, and is a one-dimensional player that is way over his head in the pros.

stands at 5’ 11" and he’s 220lbs. Tom Rathman should be able to improve onn his pass blocking. It’s time our position coaches do their job and get Clayton READY. He should be the 3rd down back he is th emost dangerous in the open field.

When I read posts like this it makes me want to roll on the floor with laughter. Clayton is a terrible blocker. Most dangerous in the open field is so wrong. Clayton is the slowest of the RBs with a best of 4.63 in the 40. He doesn’t play special teams and has only mediocre hands. This guy will never make an NFL roster. If he was any good at all, other NFL teams, all of whom have seen game films, would have picked him up.