http://fflivewire.com/article.asp?id=hjw6390pmv7672f 49ers HC Nolan Wednesday Q and A Written by: ? 8/16/2006 Source: www.sf49ers.com RE: Opening statement: "Taylor Jacobs practiced today. You might have seen him. I don't have much to say, other than I saw him and he looked good. He went deep one time. I wish he had caught the ball. He didn't, but he looked good. Maybe he's got fresh legs. Some injury updates to let you know: Eric Johnson started practice, then we pulled him out. His hip flexor was tight. It's just soreness. There's no pull yet. Shawntae Spencer, we'll recheck, but he had a little put of a hamstring pull out there. We don't know the extent of it, but we'll check it inside. Parys (Haralson) continues to be out with a foot strain. He'll be out for a little while. Adam Snyder went through individual. He continues to have his biceps deal. (B.J.) Tucker went through individual, and Arnaz Battle practiced, but he didn't do any contact." RE: Do you know how long Parys will be out? "No, not right now, I don't. It will be more than a week. I'll have a better update as the next few days go on. He was sore this morning." RE: Who will fill in? "(Bobby) Iwuchukwu. It's actually kind of easy to say. It looks like it would be a tough one." RE: The atmosphere of playing at Oakland: "They dress up for the affair, so it will be nice to see all of the new costumes. I'm looking forward to it because one thing they keep saying is how they're going to bring back the old-school toughness. That'll be a challenge for us. So we'll see if they have gotten tougher. It is a pre-season game, so they'll play a lot of players, I'm sure. We'll see what Art (Shell) has got going over there. It'll be a competitive battle. You never know where your first one is at, because you just don't know where people are sometimes in the pre-season. Going against the Raiders will give us another test, and hopefully it'll be another step in the right direction." RE: Do you think the strength at running back contributed to the Jets inquiring about Kevan Barlow? "We were talking about a few different things with them, it wasn't just that. That's why I said I had spoken with them. But, we weren't in any depth or detail about anything. That was one of the positions that they wanted to know what we felt, as far as our position goes and if we'd be willing to talk to them about a guy. That was kind of it. I'm sure that's why they initiated the call, but we had other things to talk about too." RE: Could all of the running backs here make this team? "They could. I feel very good about our running back situation. Just like offensive line, I think we have some depth and strength. I really don't want to send anybody out of here. It's nice to feel comfortable at a position for a little while. We didn't have any depth last year at any position, and this year, we seem to have depth at running back and offensive line, and that's a good start. Maybe at quarterback, I feel pretty good right now." RE: Did you feel it was necessary to preemptively talk to Kevan? "Yes, I did. I don't like them wandering around wondering what is going on. You know what my style is, I do want to talk with them. It does make me a little vulnerable at times, because you get a little closer to them. But at the same time, they'll be better players if they understand what is going on. Kevan's one of those guys. I didn't want him out here wondering what was going on. So, I sat him down and told him exactly that. I think in his mind, at least he can say, ?I got it right from the horse's mouth, and I can deal with it.' Now, he can go forward, instead of wondering, ?Did they talk to them? Did they not? Was I involved in the conversation? Was I not? Are trying to get rid of me, or not?' I just tried to let him know, ?Look, this is the situation.' There are times I sit down with guys and tell them, ?We're trying to move you.' But most of the time, we can say, ?We talked about this the other day, so you already knew.' That wasn't the case though." RE: Did you reassure Kevan that he would be with this team this year? "No, I just reassured him that we haven't had any communication. I wouldn't reassure anybody that they'd be with this team right now. I'd like to keep strong at a number of positions, but I'm not going to assure anybody that. Heck, I'm day-to-day." RE: Was he aware of the rumor? "He was aware of it. He didn't make a big deal of it. He did the right thing. He just sat there and listened. He was aware of it, because I think his agent made him aware. And it hit the TV. That's why I said something, because it hit the airwaves. I just wanted to let him know." RE: Is tight end another position with some depth? "Yep." RE: Might teams inquire about some of them? "Teams have inquired about all of the offensive positions, with the exception of wide receiver thus far." RE: Is running back a particular position where you want depth, because of the physical nature of it? "I don't want to make it sound like any more than anyplace else. I just would like to have some depth. Right now, we have a good situation, I think, at running back. I feel good about our backs, the line, and our tight ends, like you said." FITZ
Barlow's reaction: http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_4194460?source=rss Rumors linking Barlow to Jets Nolan tells running back teams haven't had serious talks By Roger Phillips, STAFF WRITER SANTA CLARA ? Running back Kevan Barlow insisted he is not concerned about a rumor that he might soon be traded to the New York Jets. "It's just speculation," Barlow said. The 49ers have made three player-for-player trades in the past year after not making any such deals since 1988. Given all the trades, Barlow was asked whether he and other players wonder if they might be next. He bristled at the question. "I ain't going to comment on that question," he said. "No comment on that. I just told you I ain't worried about it. I'm not worried about it, know what I mean? Coach (Mike) Nolan told me, he told you. I'm not worried about being traded. I'm here. ... I hope." Nolan said Tuesday he has spoken with Barlow about the rumor, telling the sixth-year veteran there have not been "serious talks." But Nolan said Wednesday he has not promised Barlow that he'll be on the team. "No, I just reassured him I'm not having any communication," Nolan said. "But I wouldn't reassure anybody they'll be with this team right now."
10 most overpaid players in the NFL. article from 2004. i dont believe everything said but i think its funny given the trade talk. 10. RB Kevan Barlow, San Francisco 49ers 2004 salary: $455K base, $1.6M signing bonus, $2.1M total, $900K cap value 2005 base salary: $1.6M In a part-time role two seasons ago, Barlow rushed for 1,024 yards and averaged 5.1 yards per carry. That off-season the 49ers signed him to a five-year deal, including an $8 million signing bonus, and he promptly turned into Ki-Jana Carter. Maybe that’s overstating it a bit. In 2004, San Francisco lost starters Terrell Owens (WR), Jeff Garcia (QB), Derrick Deese (LT), and Ron Stone (RG), and Barlow ended the season with 822 yards while his yards per carry dipped to 3.4. According to DPAR, Barlow went from being the 15th best back in the NFL in 2003 to 48th last season. The fact that San Francisco’s offensive line finished near the bottom of the league in every major statistical category didn’t help his cause either. The only thing that could’ve made things worse for Barlow would’ve been playing for the Texans (see below). 9. QB Chad Pennington, New York Jets 2004 salary: $1.0M base, $18.0M signing bonus, $19.0M total, $5.0M cap value 2005 base salary: $1.0M It’s not Chad Pennington’s fault that he’s out for the season with a rotator cuff injury. The problem, however, is that he signed a seven-year, $67 million contract extension in September 2004, will count $15 million against the salary cap in 2006, and there are no guarantees he’ll return to the form he displayed during the 2002 season when he finished first in DPAR among quarterbacks and led the Jets to the AFC East title. Pennington’s uncertain future, coupled with the fact that his 2006 cap charge is more than Matt Damon makes per movie, is enough to qualify him for this list. 8. QB Aaron Brooks, New Orleans Saints 2004 salary: $3.3M base, $0 signing bonus, $3.5M total, $5.4 M cap value 2005 base salary: $5.5M Here’s why Brooks, despite the occasional spectacular play, is overrated: In 2004, he led the league in “failed completes.” These are passes that, despite being caught, do not achieve the number of yards needed to be considered a “successful play” according to our metrics (45 percent of needed yards on first down, 60 percent on second down, 100 percent on third down). This is why Brooks’ raw yardage totals are always better than his actual value when it comes to winning. PROTRADE.com writer Mark Kamal also reminds us that last season Brooks led QBs in 1-yard TD runs while only half of his TD passes came from outside the 10-yard line. Consider as well that he had more sacks and turnovers than all but two NFL quarterbacks. Brooks will make $5.5 million this season in base salary — good for fourth-best in the league — but last season he ranked as 19th best, just ahead of Kyle Boller.
Barlow is definitely a cut above Houston and Blaylock, and he has had a 1,000 yard season (averaging an impressive 5.1 per carry) He's also a pretty good receiver out of the backfield, something Houston and Blaylock are not. Make the trade, he's probably the best back out there, better than even a healthy Suggs.
He's bigger than all the backs we have now, and he can pound the ball. I never really liked Barlow, but he would help this team immediately.
We have not seen enough of Houston to make that judgment. Barlow has much more experience than Houston, which is vital for a running back.
Boy Mangini must really be disappointed with the trio at RB right now for him to even consider trading for this loser..
I really don't understand how some of you can proclaim Houston this all-world back after seeing him a grand total of what? 5 games? I like the guy and he's shown spurts, but no reason in the world to think he can carry the load for a full season. At least Barlow has good speed, a 1,000 yard rushing season under his belt and good hands out of the backfield, and has proven he can start all 16 games, just my $0.02.
Barlow has NEVER started 16 games in a season, he has ONE 1000 yd season which he just barely made with 1024 yards. His last two years he averaged 3.4 & 3.3 YPC. I agree with your point about Houston but at least we don't know yet that he sucks, can't say the same about Barlow..
Take it from somebody from the Bay Area, who has watched many, if not all of Barlow's games (as long as they didn't conflict with my Jets, of course.) WE DO NOT WANT THIS GUY. He was supposed to be "it" after Garrison Hearst finally said goodbye to S.F, but he caved under the pressure, and hasn't shown anything since. Do we really want to pick up a guy who is behind Frank Gore, and possibly may fall behind Maurice Hicks AND Michhael Robinson (Yes, the QB from Penn State) on the depth chart? Let me put it this way, I told my dad (a diehard niners fan) that this trade was in the works, and he didn't even care who the niners would get in return..he just wanted that waste of salary cap space off his team. Please Tangini, I beg you, do not bring Kevan Barlow in.
You lose Jeremy Newberry, Ron Stone and Scott Gragg, Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens and your production will falter real bad as well. I mean look, he's had a below-average OLine, assembled by kids last year(Harris,Smiley,Baas)...A rookie QB along with Tim Rattay, Cody Pickett and Ken Dorsey...Compile that with no WR threat at all, teams will take their chances on a rookie QB and those scrub QB's to beat them rather than let Barlow run on them. Now, the Jets do not have the OLine or playmakers that Barlow did when he did rush over 1000 yards averaging an astounding 5.1 YPC since teams did not stack the box because they had to respect Owens... Our OLine isn't that good, but it beats San Fran, for whatever thats worth...
The only backs, other than Curtis, that are on the roster at the moment who *might* be capable of carrying a load are B.J. Askew and Leon Washington. Given that neither of them are being contemplated in that type of role I think any moves that the Jets make to get a potential workhorse are probably positive for us. Barlow is better than Suggs for my money because he's not a fragile back who could go out on any hit.
