Somewhere floating in the North Pacific Ocean is something called The Pacific Trash Vortex. Sometimes called The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, it’s a floating island of plastic, trash, sludge and refuse roughly the size of Texas that has been trapped and knitted together by the North Pacific Gyre, formed by four different ocean currents. It’s really a wonder of the natural world and something all of us should be ashamed of as human beings.
Now imagine that it caught on fire.
That has been the San Francisco 49ers’ offseason.
I’ve detailed the problems before, but here’s a quick rundown; they ran off the second best coach in the history of their franchise, they hired a guy barely qualified to run a Jiffy Lube to replace him, their best player retired, their second best player left in free agency as did their best offensive lineman, best wide receiver and both starting cornerbacks. One of the best linebackers in their team history abruptly retired as did the guy they drafted to replace him. The cornerstone of their defensive line also called it quits and they cut outside linebacker Aldon Smith after his 10,784th arrest. And Colin Kaepernick is still their quarterback. It’s been a disaster.
Thursday the 49ers lost another linebacker for a period of time no one knows, mainly because whether or not he’ll be in prison a month from now is kind of up in the air.
Tenth-year pro Ahmad Brooks, who has been with the team since 2009, was officially charged with misdemeanor sexual battery from the same incident that got former 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald indicted for raping an intoxicated woman. Because of that the 49ers “expelled” Brooks from the team. According to general manager Trent Baalke, there’s no timetable for Brooks’ return.
49ers Trent Baalke: Ahmad Brooks is still a part of the team, but flew home to California this morning and been asked to stay away.
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) August 27, 2015
“Where it goes from here, I don’t have that answer right now.” Baalke said. “I don’t have enough information regarding the situation right now. All I can speak of is today and today Ahmad is away from this football team.”
McDonald could face eight years in prison. Brooks, who is accused of groping the intoxicated woman, could go to jail for six months.
Six months for Ahmed Brooks, eight years for Ray McDonald is a joke. Give the rapists real prison time & make an example, Santa Clara!
— Top Banana Split Infinitive (@floraisadora) August 27, 2015
Brooks is also facing a civil lawsuit over the event. Last year Brooks had 30 tackles, six sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recover and three passes defended for the 49ers. He was slated to start in the place of the departed Smith before being unofficially suspended by the team.
Here is #49ers outside linebacker unit (at practice in Denver) minus Ahmad Brooks and Aldon Smith pic.twitter.com/XtdKh09Jtv
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) August 27, 2015
Brooks’ absence opens up opportunities for a couple of younger linebackers on the 49ers roster and luckily enough at least one of them was drafted while Jim Harbaugh still coached the team. Second-year linebacker Aaron Lynch out of South Florida is listed behind Brooks on the depth chart. Lynch had 23 tackles and six sacks last season. Rookie Eli Harold out of Virginia was a third round pick this year and should also see more action.
Manziel out for the rest of the preseason
While it’s probably the best move for Johnny Manziel right now, it effectively ends any quarterback competition for the Cleveland Browns. The team announced Thursday that Manziel will be held out of the final two preseason games after experiencing soreness in his right elbow.
Manziel likely out for remainder of preseason with arm injury. pic.twitter.com/M6QS9BvwKg
— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) August 27, 2015
Manziel had an MRI earlier this week and no significant damage was found.
It’s a setback for Manziel’s development as he was having a strong preseason and outplaying the presumptive starter, Josh McCown. Now the job is McCown’s to lose in the preseason. Which he probably will, but only after the Browns get off to the slow start everyone expects.
Wasn't much doubt before about Josh McCown getting Week 1 start but no Johnny Manziel for final 2 exhibitions further cements it
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) August 27, 2015
“You can’t get those reps back,” Browns head coach Mike Pettine said of Manziel missing the next two exhibition games. “He will lose out on all that real-game experience, but we are very pleased at where he is currently.
In two games, Manziel was 17-for-28 passing for 168 yards, one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown. McCown hasn’t been terrible statistically, but he’s not exactly lit the town on fire either. He’ll now get at least three regular season games before handing the job to Manziel.
