By Jon Wilner, Mercury News
July 16, 2005
The 49ers acquired reserve cornerback Willie Middlebrooks from Denver on Friday for defensive end John Engelberger, who did not fit into their new 3-4 defense.
The deal might have been completed earlier in the week if the 49ers hadn't had to perform an extended background check on Middlebrooks. The former first-round draft pick is facing misdemeanor domestic violence charges for allegedly trying to hit and choke his girlfriend on New Year's Day in Aurora, Colo., according to published reports. The trial is scheduled for Oct. 11. Middlebrooks has pleaded not guilty.
Coach Mike Nolan said the 49ers checked into the incident and don't anticipate problems. ``Our counsel looked at the reports, and everything is good,'' he said.
Nolan added that Middlebrooks ``certainly made a bad choice, but he had no record prior and nothing since.''
Both players must pass physicals for the trade to become official. Engelberger missed mini-camps because of a bad wrist. Middlebrooks hurt his lower leg in December and finished the season on injured reserve. But his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Middlebrooks is healthy and eager for a fresh start.
``The 49ers did their research and found out that Willie is a high-character guy who was in a bad situation,'' Rosenhaus said. ``Sometimes guys just need a change of scenery.''
The Broncos were well-stocked at cornerback but shopping for defensive ends. They called the 49ers, who had an expendable end but needed help in the secondary.
``We didn't want to match their request for a draft pick, so we started talking about players,'' Nolan said. ``Engelberger was the first one they brought up and the only one we talked about.''
Engelberger, 28, had six sacks last season as an outside pass rusher in the 49ers' 4-3 alignment. But at 268 pounds, he is considered too small for the 3-4, where defensive ends often play in the interior. The 49ers signed free agent Marques Douglas, who played with Baltimore, in April with the expectation that he would start in place of Engelberger.
Middlebrooks was an All-Big Ten cornerback at Minnesota who left college after his junior year. He was the 24th pick of the 2001 draft, then spent four years in Denver as an injury-plagued reserve.
The 49ers expect him to compete for a starting spot with Shawntae Spencer and Ahmed Plummer, who has not played since October because of a bulging disk in his neck. (Former starter Mike Rumph is moving to safety.)
``It's my hope that he would at least be a third . . . corner for us,'' Nolan said of Middlebrooks. ``We're hoping he competes for the second, even the first spot. We haven't had a lot of durability at the position.''
Middlebrooks, 26, has two years left on his contract, Rosenhaus said, but the second year is voidable if he meets certain playing-time requirements this season. Rosenhaus declined to disclose Middlebrooks' salary.
• Nolan on the Alex Smith contract negotiations: ``I expect it will go down to the last couple days before training camp. It might go into training camp. That wouldn't surprise me. But one way or another, I feel Alex will be prepared when he comes in.''
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=knight-_WWW_2002382648_soni15&prov=knight&type=lgns
Is anyone else dissappointed by this? Now, I don't know anything about Middlebrooks, but for all the talk about improving and cleaning up this organization, they go out and grab a guy like this. I would imagine choking your girlfriend is certainly a "bad choice". Way to go Niners, clear out this organization of whatever class is left in it.
July 16, 2005
The 49ers acquired reserve cornerback Willie Middlebrooks from Denver on Friday for defensive end John Engelberger, who did not fit into their new 3-4 defense.
The deal might have been completed earlier in the week if the 49ers hadn't had to perform an extended background check on Middlebrooks. The former first-round draft pick is facing misdemeanor domestic violence charges for allegedly trying to hit and choke his girlfriend on New Year's Day in Aurora, Colo., according to published reports. The trial is scheduled for Oct. 11. Middlebrooks has pleaded not guilty.
Nolan added that Middlebrooks ``certainly made a bad choice, but he had no record prior and nothing since.''
Both players must pass physicals for the trade to become official. Engelberger missed mini-camps because of a bad wrist. Middlebrooks hurt his lower leg in December and finished the season on injured reserve. But his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Middlebrooks is healthy and eager for a fresh start.
``The 49ers did their research and found out that Willie is a high-character guy who was in a bad situation,'' Rosenhaus said. ``Sometimes guys just need a change of scenery.''
The Broncos were well-stocked at cornerback but shopping for defensive ends. They called the 49ers, who had an expendable end but needed help in the secondary.
``We didn't want to match their request for a draft pick, so we started talking about players,'' Nolan said. ``Engelberger was the first one they brought up and the only one we talked about.''
Engelberger, 28, had six sacks last season as an outside pass rusher in the 49ers' 4-3 alignment. But at 268 pounds, he is considered too small for the 3-4, where defensive ends often play in the interior. The 49ers signed free agent Marques Douglas, who played with Baltimore, in April with the expectation that he would start in place of Engelberger.
Middlebrooks was an All-Big Ten cornerback at Minnesota who left college after his junior year. He was the 24th pick of the 2001 draft, then spent four years in Denver as an injury-plagued reserve.
The 49ers expect him to compete for a starting spot with Shawntae Spencer and Ahmed Plummer, who has not played since October because of a bulging disk in his neck. (Former starter Mike Rumph is moving to safety.)
``It's my hope that he would at least be a third . . . corner for us,'' Nolan said of Middlebrooks. ``We're hoping he competes for the second, even the first spot. We haven't had a lot of durability at the position.''
Middlebrooks, 26, has two years left on his contract, Rosenhaus said, but the second year is voidable if he meets certain playing-time requirements this season. Rosenhaus declined to disclose Middlebrooks' salary.
• Nolan on the Alex Smith contract negotiations: ``I expect it will go down to the last couple days before training camp. It might go into training camp. That wouldn't surprise me. But one way or another, I feel Alex will be prepared when he comes in.''
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=knight-_WWW_2002382648_soni15&prov=knight&type=lgns
Is anyone else dissappointed by this? Now, I don't know anything about Middlebrooks, but for all the talk about improving and cleaning up this organization, they go out and grab a guy like this. I would imagine choking your girlfriend is certainly a "bad choice". Way to go Niners, clear out this organization of whatever class is left in it.
