Niners settle on Raye as offensive coordinator…

After 29 days, 8 candidates, 1 rejection and tons of speculation, the 49ers’ offensive coordinator search is apparently over.

Jimmy Raye II, a longtime NFL assistant who served most recently as the New York Jets running backs coach, will replace Mike Martz as the 49ers’ play-caller.

This is really puzzling to me. The only thing I can figure is that there is nobody out there who is worth a shit that is willing to come to the Niners and lead their offense. Outside of helping Eric Dickerson amass 4,000 yards in 2 seasons with the Rams in the 80’s, Raye hasn’t had any success as an offensive coordinator. Shit, if we are trying to relive the 80’s, why don’t we dig up Bill Walsh’s corpse, prop him up on the sideline and have him lead the offense. He’d probably do a better job.

Raye, 62, has 11 previous seasons as an offensive coordinator for seven NFL teams. His last stint as an offensive coordinator was under Norv Turner for the Raiders from 2004-05. Even as the Raiders offensive coordinator he did not call the plays, Norv Turner did. Raye was responsible for the running game, which ranked 32nd and 29th in those 2 seasons he was there. Nice!

Raye’s first job as an offensive coordinator was for the Los Angeles Rams, where he helped Eric Dickerson set an NFL rushing record with 2,105 yards in 1984. He also helped a quarterback named Steve Young break into the NFL, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1985-86, before Young went on to stardom with the 49ers.

Raye’s offenses have cracked the top 10 in NFL offense only once in his 11 seasons. That was in 2000, when his Kansas City Chiefs ranked eighth in the NFL thanks to 4,169 passing yards from Elvis Grbac.

This certainly doesn’t get me excited to renew my season tickets, but we’ll see.