2012 San Francisco 49ers Offseason Needs

Under first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh, the San Francisco 49ers went as far as the NFC Championship game. An injury to return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. prevented them from reaching the Super Bowl, as his replacement suffered a costly fumble in the game. But this team has already proven its worth and will be a force for years to come. The 49ers boast a defense that is top notch and with the additions of Randy Moss, Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs to an already improving offense, there is no doubt in my mind that this team is going places sooner rather than later. Here are some of the 49ers' biggest additions and subtractions so far in this young offseason, plus a breakdown of their biggest needs heading into the draft.

Additions:

Super Bowl 2012

WR Randy Moss

WR Mario Manningham

RB Brandon Jacobs

QB Josh Johnson

CB Perrish Cox

Subtractions:

G/OT Adam Snyder

S Madieu Williams

S Reggie Smith

CB Shawntae Spencer

ILB Blake Costanzo

WR Josh Morgan

Top 5 Needs:

1. Right Tackle

Taken with the 11th pick in 2011 NFL Draft, Anthony Davis was supposed to be the answer at right tackle, but he has been a huge disappointment for the 49ers. San Francisco may still give Davis another chance to grow as a player, but I think the team should start thinking about a backup plan.

2. Right Guard

Starting right guard Adam Snyder moved on and signed with the Arizona Cardinals, but he needed to be replaced anyway. The 49ers could use their first-round pick on a right tackle, which would allow Davis to shift to guard, where it seems he will be more comfortable moving forward.

3. Wide Receiver/Tight End

The additions of Moss and Manningham are clearly difference-makers for an already pretty solid offense, but I think that more weapons on the offensive side of the ball are still needed for this team to really take off offensively. At this point in his career, Moss could be fools' gold because no one knows what to expect from him. The 49ers have one of the best tight ends in the league in Vernon Davis, but with the addition of Stanford's Coby Fleener (if he is available at their pick) they would really be tough to beat on both sides of the field. More and more teams are looking at the success of the New England Patriots and copying the two-TE sets, and if they are able to get Fleener, then teams would really have a tough time matching up with those two.

4. Nose Tackle

This isn't really a huge need, as they have returning nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga on the team, but they should really think about getting a reliable backup who would fit the size of a prototypical 3-4 nose tackle. All the team should really think about is adding someone who can serve as insurance should Sopoaga go down.

5. Defensive End

Another area that could use some added depth is at defensive end. Justin Smith and Ray McDonald are two quality starters that the team depends on night in and night out. But if one of them goes down with an injury, then the 49ers would be in trouble. The team can definitely find a veteran defensive end if it needs to and can't find a suitable backup in the draft.

2012 San Francisco 49ers Offseason Needs

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San Francisco 49ers: Odds For Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick and the Rest of the QB Race

With no current NFL season and talks still underway as to if a 2011-12 season will ever happen, speculation is all we have these days. If there was a team that has been hurt the most from the NFL Lockout, it would be the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers have a new coach in Jim Harbaugh that has no experience running an NFL team. He cannot organize a practice with his team, nor can he even name his own starting quarterback. Currently, the 49ers have two quarterbacks on their roster. One may not ever start in the NFL again, and the other is a second round draft pick with zero experience running an NFL offense.

Nfl 2012

David Carr and Colin Kaepernick may be the only two quarterbacks on the 49ers' roster, but neither will be starting in Week 1.

For their starting quarterback, San Francisco will be looking elsewhere, but they will have to wait to even do that.

Here are the top possibilities at quarterback, and the odds they will be starting in Week 1.

4. David Carr

Although Carr has been quoted as saying that as far as he knows the 49ers' starting quarterback position is up for grabs, the reality is that the fans of San Francisco may not let that happen. They may burn down Candlestick Park before that day comes.

The 49ers coaches told Carr that everyone has the same shot at becoming the starting quarterback once the lockout is lifted, which is kind of like telling the rest of the field in the 2011 U.S. Open that they had a shot at winning over Rory McIlroy heading into the final round.

It is just not going to happen.

Sure, if worst comes to worst and all the 49ers' plans of acquiring a free agent quarterback crumble, then there will actually be a quarterback competition between Carr and Kaepernick, and I do not even like those odds for Carr.

Rest assured, Carr will not be the starter in Week 1.

3. Carson Palmer

As the days of the lockout continue to increase, there is a feeling that the chances of the 49ers landing Carson Palmer decrease.

Instead of having limited time to pursue Palmer, the odds are the 49ers will just keep it simple and sign Alex Smith.

Palmer has said that he would rather retire than play for the Cincinnati Bengals, and he was practically granted that in the NFL Draft when Cincinnati took QB Andy Dalton in the second round.

It is safe to say the Bengals have moved on from Palmer just as much as Palmer has moved on from the Bengals.

So where will Palmer play?

As far as reports go, the NFC West has available quarterback positions with team that have shown interest in the Pro Bowler.

The Cardinals, Seahawks and 49ers have all been rumored to be pursuing teams, but it is Seattle who may have the best shot at landing the quarterback in search of a new start.

For the 49ers, they need Palmer and want Palmer, but the longer this lockout drags on, the quicker the 49ers are going to need a starting quarterback.

Alex Smith just seems like the quick and easy way out.

2. Colin Kaepernick

When the 49ers selected Kaepernick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, it was safe to say that they had dubbed him the quarterback of the future, but one that may have a small asterisk next to it, just in case.

Kaepernick is not signed because of the NFL Lockout, but he has the second best shot at starting in Week 1 of the 2011-12 NFL season.

The Nevada star is not ready for the NFL, though. He has been involved in the pistol offense in Reno and has little, if any, experience in an NFL offense. That might scare a few 49er fans, especially the way the team moved up to acquire the long and athletic signal caller.

Although there have been rumors of Kaepernick being tutored by the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft (Andrew Luck), there is no substitute for an NFL training camp.

With his inexperience in an NFL system, it is unlikely that Harbaugh would turn the team over Kaepernick in Week 1 of his very rookie season.

Unless free agency goes terribly wrong for the team, Kaepernick will have to wait just another year to be seriously considered for the starting job in San Francisco.

1. Alex Smith

Smith is not signed to an NFL team yet, but you might as well pencil him in as the starting quarterback for the 49ers in Week 1.

Harbaugh may be jumping the gun a tad when he keeps referring to Smith as his guy, especially since no papers have been signed and Carr and Kaepernick are on the roster. But you cannot blame a coach for being so eager as to put a seal on a deal that may not even be close to happening.

Or maybe it is close to happening. I cannot tell which way the NFL Lockout is leaning these days.

Still, the way Harbaugh talks about him like it is a done deal, we have to figure that Smith starting in Week 1 is all but that.

It is not the way many would have liked it to be, though.

Smith seems almost like a cop-out, or the easy way out for the 49ers.

This is an exact reason why the lockout hurts the 49ers. Instead of pursuing a notable free agent quarterback to lead their team, they are forced to take the quick and easy answer in order to put an able team out there.

As much as it angers San Francisco, there is no other quarterback reasonably available that gives the 49ers a better chance of winning.

Until Kaepernick can get an offseason under his belt, or the 49ers have the time to pursue a franchise quarterback, get used to Smith under center in 2011-12.

San Francisco 49ers: Odds For Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick and the Rest of the QB Race

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