Hmm, This Sounds Familiar

Give this a read. Seems to me, I saw this issue coming and suggested that Simeon Rice could have helped matters in this problem.

Article today:

Niners in desperate need of pass-rushers
by Matt Maiocco, The Press Democrat

The 49ers not only dumped Charles Haley's erratic behavior with that trade to the Cowboys in 1991, they also got rid of one of the game's most-feared outside pass rushers. They're still trying to find someone to replace him after all these years. Chris Doleman had one good season for the 49ers, recording 15 sacks in 1998. Andre Carter had 12.5 sacks in 2002, but didn't do much after that. The 49ers have not had a double-digit sack performer the past four seasons. And they're not going to have one this season, either. The 49ers rank 26th in the NFL with just 12 sacks in the first seven games. Half of those sacks came in the Week 2 victory over the Rams. Bryant Young recorded three sacks in that game. The 49ers have one sack for minus-7 yards in the past three games combined. The 49ers' lack of a pass rush appears to be taking its toll on the 49ers' secondary, which last week was toasted for 336 yards by Saints' quarterback Drew Brees, who had all the time he needed to throw.

"I don't think it's killing us," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said of the pass rush. "There are some other things that are putting the fork in it, too. (But) it's not helping us. We have to create some things and do a better job."

In the 49ers' 3-4 defense, most of the pass rush is supposed to come from the outside linebackers. However, Manny Lawson is out for the season after sustaining an torn AC in his left knee during a practice before a Week 3 game against the Steelers. "Any time you lose a good player, obviously there's a drop off," Nolan said. Lawson did not have any sacks in the first two games, but at least he provided that threat from the strong-side position. Free-agent acquisition Tully Banta-Cain, the starting weakside linebacker, was expected to be the team's top pass-rush threat. Thus far, he has yet to apply any consistent pressure on the quarterback. Banta-Cain, who has 1.5 sacks this season, has been limited the past two games with an ankle injury. "He's been banged up the last few weeks, so I'm not going to put the last two weeks on him," Nolan said. "The last two weeks, he hasn't practiced much. It looks like he's getting back to full-go now. When he gets to full-go, he's going to need to do something."

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From my article of August 14th

A little note to the 49ers brass: Go get Rice! Simeon Rice, the recently released Tampa Bay Buccanneer Defensive End would be a great veteran addition to a young defense that will need all the pressure it can get on QBs to take the heat off of the previously much-malined secondary. The 49ers do not have a bonefide pass-rusher, and they haven't had one in a while.

Rice, at age 33 still has some gas in the tank, but was cut by the Bucs for failing a physical. More accurately, Tampa Bay was trying to create cap space to sign 2007 4th overall pick Gaines Adams, who is the future for the Buccanneers vaunted defense which is now starting to show some wear on the tires.

The 49ers, however, are an extremely young group, especially up front on defense, with the exception of Bryant Young entering his 14th NFL season. Young has been shifted to end from defensive tackle in the 3-4 defense with Marques Douglas playing the other end. Neither is a prototypical rush end like Rice, who could provide valuable leadership to young players like Ray MacDonald , the 3rd round pick from Florida. The 49ers also possess enough salary cap room to offer a competitive salary to Rice, which can't be said of a lot of clubs.

----- Just another afterthought missed by the team, just like the circus with Bryan Gilmore out playing Brandon Williams in preseason yet Williams made the cut and Gilmore was released, which I referenced and critized at the time, only to see them switch places 6 weeks later. I'm not saying that I have all the answers - I'm just saying that if as a fan I, like all of you, can see these problems coming ahead of time, why can't those in the organization being paid to run this team be proactive with their decisions.-----
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