Photo Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Stating the obvious if I may.  The 49ers need some help at the wide receiver position next season.  Michael Crabtree had a career year, but still wasn’t a 1,000 yard receiver.  Joshua Morgan is a nice player but spent most of the year on IR and is a free agent.  Ted Ginn Jr is a good return man and a decent #3 WR at best and is also a FA.  Kyle Williams ruins seasons and I’m pretending he’s going to be cut and out of the NFL this time next season.

The Niners need to add at least one, probably two upgrades at the position before next season.  It will not only help Alex Smith by giving him more weapons.  It will also help Crabtree and tight end Vernon Davis by drawing some attention elsewhere.  San Francisco had this problem coming into this season as well.  Then they were able to sign Braylon Edwards, it was reasonable to think they had a pretty darn good group of wideouts in training camp.

The rest of this maddening proposition after the break

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Photo Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

Every 49er fan has an off season wish list.  Each year I have a bad habit of secretly wishing for the big splash.  I had to fight the Nnamdi Asomugha urges last off season on a daily basis.  This year Niner Nation, I’m warding off the temptation.  I feel strongly that this team only needs to make adjustments before next season.  I also don’t want us to go down the road of signing veterans to large contracts. Who are at the end of their road, to win us a championship now, costing us dearly in the future.  Somewhere, I hope your reading this Carmen Policy.

My wish list is simple this year Niner Nation.  And it’s after the jump

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Defensive line:

LDT: Isaac Sopoaga

NT: Aubrayo Franklin

RDT: Justin Smith

Reserves: Ray McDonald, Ricky Jean Francois, Demetric Evan.

The 49ers defense ranked 15th overall in the NFL last season.  The D ranked 21st in passing and sixth against the rush.  The defensive line was at fault for being ranked in the bottom of the NFL against the pass because they could generate a rush without a blitzing linebacker or a corner/safety.  This left the secondary exposed who also shared the blame for giving up big passing plays.  The defense made up for their weak pass defense by being studs against the rush.  And this was in part because of the defensive line.  Nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin had a career year last season which lead to him wanting a new contract and sitting out almost all of the preseason.  Franklin was a big reason for the D’s success against the run recording career highs in tackles (88), tackles for a loss (8.5), sacks (2) and INTs (1).  Franklin is good enough to miss almost all of the preseason and still be effective in the regular season.

Age-less wonder and right D-lineman Justin Smith has proved at 30 years old he is not slowing down.  Smith is gifted with the ability to explode off the line and beat the offensive tackle to pressure the quarterback.  Smith was the best D-lineman in pass rushing on the roster last season as he tied for second on the team with six sacks.  He will need to increase his sack total this season if the 49ers are going to get better against the pass.  He earned his first Pro Bowl selection last season with a team-high 78 quarterback pressures and 52 quarterback hits.  Smith will put up similar numbers this season and should earn his second straight Pro Bowl appearance.  Smith has a streak of 139 consecutive starts.

Left defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga size and strength (he works out with 200-pound dumbbells) is perfect for the 49ers 3-4 defense base.  Sopoaga started all 16 games last year, a first in his career, and had 69 tackles.  He will rotate with backup Ray McDonald this season but will get the majority of the snaps.  Sopoaga needs to be quicker off the line this season to give Smith some help with the pass rush.

With McDonald rotating with Sopoaga don’t expect RDT Demetric Evan to do the same with Smith.  He will get his playing time but not as much as McDonald.  Keep an eye on Ricky Jean Francois this season.  With Franklin missing the preseason Francois took advantage of working with the first-team defense and expanded his knowledge and experience.  The 49ers will showcase Francois throughout the season as he may become the starter at nose tackle next year if Franklin signs elsewhere.  Francois is developing into a great nose tackle.

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