Moran Norris Ain't Gonna Cut It: Why Nate Byham Hurts The 49ers Offense

It was simple to see all last year. Of course what Sing wanted Sing was gonna get so Byham got a good amount of PT. I actually think he is probably too good to be our 3 TE and it will be hard to keep him as such. I like the idea of packaging him with maybe Clements (If we happen to sign a No.1 CB) and sending him off somewhere for a nice FB. Is Owen Schmitt a FA ? He did a good Job for Philly last season didn’t he? IDK what’s with the Bruce Miller thing let him play at a LB spot please this dude has a nose for the QB. Anyway he will most likely end up like Brit Miller not on our roster if he is moved to FB. I thought Brit was coming a long nicely at FB and then we just say bye bye. Projects are only as good as the time you spend on them, so if we are intent on turning this guy into a FB please don’t cut him after just 1 year 49ers brass!! A single year to learn a new position which by the way is on the opposite side of the ball from where your used to playing. It’s not fair to expect miracles out of a guy like that.

It seemed part of the problem was the offense had to have Crabs, VD and Gore in for every play. Would be nice this year to see multiple plays with 3RB sets, 3 TE sets and 4 WR sets where the ball gets spred around. I think all three would do better with less time on the field.

The Niner’s Tight Ends are a weird bunch.

If you figure that TEs basically have a few primary but important jobs, blocking, splitting the safeties or isolating the middle zone coverage and/or freeing up/loosening up the coverage on WR….and reading blitzes and coverages and being a hot receiver for the QB. sure there is plenty more to the TE position but those are some of the areas I like to highlight.

So Vernon Davis is an odd duck of a TE. Physically he’s a gifted marvel. Athletically he’s fast and strong. His speed has made him a favorite of Alex Smith’s bread and butter play under the Raye/Sing Offense; the deep skinny post. Vernon is also a good blocker too. The thing is that his skills and the way he’s been used is as a jumbo Wide Receiver that can also catch. Some would consider that the definition of a good Tight End. However, that leaves out some of the other things TEs usually bring which is reading of zones to find the soft spots for the QB…being a short and intermediate receiving option. Also the ability to peel off underneath coverage from the WRs as to leave just deep coverage on the WRs…to draw the safety in or over.

But what of Walker? Well he was a WR in college. He’s known to be a weak blocker. So what does he do in the off season? He drops 15 lbs to work on being a better slot receiving option. Now my understanding of the 2nd TE position was as sort of an H-Back type role. Maybe to do some of the things that Davis doesn’t do in his role as a jumbo WR that can block; the H-back is the short and intermediate receiving option and will find the holes in the defense. He also blocks on the line as a 2nd TE and sometimes out of the backfield; because we know that Harbaugh likes Power Running Football. Ideally you’d love it if the H-Back could also work as the primary lead blocking Fullback, but that’s asking a lot. But do we think that a guy that is already a weak blocker and now probably weighs under 230 lbs is a viable 2nd TE/H-back? Is he even capable of being Davis’s backup? Walker says he wants to be a better slot receiver. If the Niners wanted a slot receiver at his position…ya know, one that doesn’t block much, wouldn’t they have just used a real slot receiver? Why bother with a 230 lb receiver that doesn’t block well? You might as well use a shiftier slot receiver that get open against tight coverage.

I actually like Bynham. I think if he does become a better lead blocker and develops reliable hands (he made a nice catch or two last year that surprised some of us but he also dropped a couple too) he could be a good H-Back. He would need to be able to find those holes in the coverage and be the short and intermediate receiving option the team has lacked (other than Frank Gore). That’s basically the role that Bear Pascoe has developed with the Giants. He was used extensively at Fullback and as a 2nd TE last year.

I’m no fan of Norris. Norris had his best year blocking for Frank out of Norv Turner’s offense. Now Norris looks stiffer and slower than me (and that’s saying a lot due to some chronic ankle and foot injuries). And while I don’t disagree that an upgrade is needed (I’d love to see someone who could play Fullback and morph into an H-Back too) I wonder if some of the same problems that have plagued Gore have also effected Norris. One thing that comes to mind is a comment by Fooch in his guestimate analysis of why Gore’s production has decreased. Defenses pretty much know the play that is coming and that they have to stop Gore…if that makes it more difficult for Gore to be productive, it can’t be good for his lead blocker either.

I’m not saying this is the only reason for Norris’ lack of production in recent years. Cause like I said earlier, I’m not sure he’s nimble enough to tie his own shoe…BUT the Niner’s retarded and predictable offense can’t have been helping him either.

If we cut Moron Norris, who else on the team are we going to yell, “you MORON!” at after Frank Gore is tackled for a two yard loss by four unblocked linebackers?

when DW and VD went down last yr 3 games Nate did not hurt the 49ers,in fact when blocking for Frank G,HIS YPR went up 4.3 per carry..1st 5 games NB had 5 receptions,no touches after jimmy R was left go..Playing weight this yr will be 258-260 down 10 lbs from last yr..