It appears that receiver Arnaz Battle will be limited to only one practice per day due to lingering problems with his knee. Concerns regarding Battle’s knee have raised speculation that the Niners might be looking outside for another receiver.
Nolan has said that the team has had internal discussions about another receiver but declined to discuss specifics.
One receiver that was mentioned was Jerry Porter but the Niners don’t feel Porter will become available due to the cap ramifications for Oakland if he is traded.
Matt K said:
I bet Rice is calling Nolan right now.
10 mins after the fact.Erickson said:
I think Lelie deal will get done if Battle doesn’t show he can stay healthy. I really like Battle, but he is like Eric Johnson. They just can’t stay healthy.
13 mins after the fact.Matt K said:
I see no difference between Lelie and Lloyd. If the Raiders put a decent price on Porter I hope we would grab him instead.
17 mins after the fact.HB said:
Erickson are you serious “just can’t stay healthy”??
Did you see the hit he took when EJ broke his colar bone?? It had absolutely nothing to do with “individual” health. Helmet directly on unprotected collar bone is broken for each and every player. The platar facia injury is a freak thing and were it to repeat would be a signal of being “prone” but your comments are just off base. Under your judgement players like Garrison Hearst and Frank Gore would never play for your team. It is a violent game cupcake get used to it. It is people like Ahmed Plummer who linger when they are hurt that are of more concern not players who give 100% and get hurt because of the nature of the game. Go back ot the webzone with the other 5th graders
34 mins after the fact.Erickson said:
HB…if I go to Webzone, then you wouldn’t have this site. I’m simply stating that it seems regardless of the cause of the injury. Neither one can stay healthy. Nowhere did I say they need to get rid of Battle or Johnson, but if they can’t stay on the field they need to look at other options, and if Lelie or Porter are one of those options then so be it.
42 mins after the fact.corey said:
I agree with u erickson, if Battle, and Johnson are injured they might as well not be on the team anyway. we definetly need a back up plan. we are a better team with Battle, Johnson but we need options just in case.
2 hours after the fact.JP said:
Rice calling Nolan? Lol….if only…
2 hours after the fact.Eric said:
Some of you guys might hang me for this, but I liked the guy. So here it goes. Why, if we are having so many problems getting a WR group together, is Johnnie Morton still unsigned? He’s 34, so he’s up there but not over the hill, and he had some quality games for us. Think of Rice when TO was just becoming a starter. Bring him in for Bryant. I’m looking for something, anything. We need to sign SOMEONE because if we go into the season with THIS group, i’m not confident. Our current WR set up gets us 4-5 wins this season, tops. VD is going to be double teamed, that is a guarantee!
4 hours after the fact.BurlyD_83 said:
I haven’t been a fan of the “trade for Lelie” talk, because I really believe that Battle should get his shot at being a legit #2 receiver, but the more I think about it and especially after reading this article, if the 49ers don’t go after another top receiver, and Bryant or Battle goes down (Battle is already showing wear and training camp hasn’t even started), that is going to leave the Niners EXTREMELY thin on WR threats, yes we will still have Davis and Johnson, but they will be the guys who get covered by the top defenders and double teams.
I think if there is anyway for the 49ers to pull this trade off without giving up a 1st round pick then they should go for it… Even if it means giving up Barlow (Who im still a fan of) – I think that without Barlow our Running game is still better than our receiving core and should something happen to Frank Gore, their are some pretty legit running backs still on the market, that would go along well with Hicks / Robinson.
Regardless of what happens though, I KNOW that Nolan will resolve this problem the best way possible for the team, just like hes done all along… If that means Lelie, im all for it. To bad Porter is locked up in such a huge contract or i’d be equally interested in him as a 49er.
All and All – I’m absolutely Ecstatic about this season… The team has a completely new and refreshing look to it, something the 49ers have lacked for sometime now
5 hours after the fact.MJ said:
I know most of you will not agree with me, but I think if Arnaz Battle is not healthy then the man to replace him is Delanie Walker. I was pissed off when we conveted him to a TE. (VD + EJ + that basketball player + some guy who’s name I can’t pronounce…......+ Walker?) Walker is a huge guy with great speed. Having him in during a two TE set at wide reciever who prove to produce a punishing offense. I say convert DW back to a reciever.
We do not need Ashley Lelie. Someone up there said he is another Brandon Lloyd. Are you crazy? I have noticed everyone in here knocking Lloyd ever since he was traded for not being a “Nolan Guy,” whatever the hell that means these days. Lloyd was an awesome reciever who put up the stats last year that he had under a rookie quarterback who could not get the football moving forward! Leave the man alone, him and JP. I tip my cap to both of them, I wish we could have kept Lloyd. But back to the matter at hand, Lelie is NOT another Lloyd. Lelie sucks, his career is over.
As far as Porter goes, it would be a nice pickup. However, the real issue of focus is Alex Smith! Ha! I hope he has a breakout season like the rest of you but I very much doubt it. Hell I saw him throw his first touchdown in person, I sat right behind the niner’s bench in the second row at that Texans game. I think that he will suck. BUT WAIT, SMITH GETS TO WEAR GLOVES NOW AND USE HIS OWN BALL
That was it, the ball just kept slipping
Yes, the #1 OVERALL draft pick of 2005 had the ball repeatedly “slip,” that was all! Hahaha.
I just hope VD does not have a wasted season because of Smith.
5 hours after the fact.Justin said:
Damn, Jerry Porter is going to be hard as shit to get in a trade. But Lelie seems to be easier to get. The Broncos were close to trading him to the Bears for Thomas Jones. Kevan Barlow would work for a trade, plus Shanahan liked the guy when we first drafted him. I used to think that this would be a great trade, Barlow for Lelie, but what if Frank Gore can’t stay healthy? We need a back up, and who knows if Maurice Hicks can be an every down back throughout the whole season. What do you guys think about Barlow for Lelie?
6 hours after the fact.