Friday, March 23, 2012

49ers Add QB Josh Johnson, Re-sign Ginn

Well, I've been joking over the last few weeks how we've turned into almost a pure 49ers site recently, just with all the action that's been going on with them and the lack of action elsewhere in the Bay Area, with Spring Training still going on and the Warriors irrelevant in the NBA playoff chase and the Raiders stay extremely quiet.

The 49ers on the other hand, continued there all out blitz on the free agent market Thursday, by adding former Buccaneer's QB Josh Johnson to back up Alex Smith and provide some depth at the QB position. I love this move as it was something the 49ers were supposedly looking into before last seasons trade deadline as well. Now, Alex Smith is the clear-cut starter, but after him, things were a little uncertain, with Colin Kaepernick still a work in progress and nobody else with any experience around. This gives the 49ers a legit NFL QB behind Alex just in case Alex reverts to his old ways this season, or goes down with injury. It just makes the 49ers a better, deeper team and again, anytime you make your team better, I'm all for it. Johnson is familiar with Harbough's system as Harbough coached him at San Diego State, where Johnson put up all kinds of school records and started the "Whichever QB Harbough touches turns to gold" assumptions. Johnson has had limited success at the NFL level, but in limited playing time. He's only played in 26 NFL games with just a handful of starts, but the 49ers brass believes, like they did with Alex, that under Harbough his potential will come out. He has the ability to be a great backup QB in a league that's starting to lack talent at the position. The 49ers now have a starter in Alex, a true backup in Johnson and a #3 they get to continue to baby along in Kaep and give them a few more seasons to figure his status out!

Josh Johnson wasn't the only 49er signing of the day though, as the Niners also re-signed star returner Ted Ginn Jr. This could signify the end of the 49ers pursuance of wideouts, at least until the NFL draft, but they still have one big hole remaining on offense, and that's the right guard position. There's some question as to whether or not they'd move up in the first round to get a top ranked guard, but I'd feel better if they just signed a trusty vet, like they did with Goodwin at the center last season. This team already has a ton of "green" offensive lineman and don't need another rookie in the starting lineup unless he's a guy who can make an impact starting on week one. A free agent RG who I think would fit perfectly into the 49ers scheme is Texans 29 year-old free agent, Mike Brisiel. He's been a rock to run behind for Arien Foster and could bring some more toughness to this O-Line. Other than that, there are a few other guards in free agency that could be intriguing, and there may be more yet to come, but right now, it looks like the 49ers may indeed end up addressing that position with pick number 1, depending on just who falls to them.

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