By Dan Arkush
Sept. 5, 2008

Updated at 11:20 a.m. EDT Monday, Sept. 8

We hear the 49ers’ decision to acquire third-year LB Ahmad Brooks, who was released by the Bengals, could have been based, as much as anything, on the inability of another recently acquired linebacker, Takeo Spikes, to seize the team’s starting “Ted” LB role next to 2007 rookie sensation rookie Patrick Willis. The Niners always have liked Brooks’ talent — they nearly grabbed him in the 2006 supplemental draft — but his character and work ethic remain major concerns. “He’s got good size, quickness in coverage and some pass-rush ability, but he’s also got a ton of issues,” a team insider told PFW. It could be, though, that the Niners think assistant head coach/defense and Hall of Fame LB Mike Singletary is perfectly suited to make those issues disappear. “If he (Singletary) can handle Brooks as well as he handled Willis, it could really uplift his head-coaching aspirations,” the insider said. Brooks was inactive in Week One.