Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Kyle Shanahan offers update on 49ers RB Joe Williams: ‘He could play right now’
Dec 29, 2017 at 1:25 PM
•
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Many assumed Joe Williams was the running back of the future for the San Francisco 49ers when the team made him its fourth-round draft pick in April. How could you assume otherwise when you consider
how hard head coach Kyle Shanahan and running backs coach Bobby Turner pushed for the selection?
Williams ended up being placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury on September 2 and never spent any time on the 53-man roster. He never pushed Carlos Hyde for the starting running back job and was surpassed by undrafted free agent Matt Breida.
Shanahan briefly spoke to reporters on Friday. And when we say "briefly," we mean it. The entire press conference literally lasted about two-and-a-half minutes. The 49ers head coach was asked about Williams.
"His ankle is good now," Shanahan said. "He could play right now if he was able to go, but we had to make that decision on early. He's been working hard. I know he's been in the weight room. He's in as good of shape as he's been in, running and lifting with [strength and conditioning coach] Ray [Wright], been in a number of our meetings.
"It's always a challenge for those guys who go on IR, especially early in the year because they miss the whole thing, but he's been around. I know him and a number of other guys who have been out there, is eager to go as anybody to start this offseason."
Hyde is scheduled to become a free agent and rumors surrounding him have run wild this season with
some saying the 49ers were looking to trade him while
others said the team would like to work on a contract extension.
Hyde wants to return to the 49ers next season and sees the team as a potential Super Bowl contender.
"Minus our record, we're a really good football team,"
Hyde said following the 44-33 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. "Next year, we're going to win the Super Bowl."
The 49ers also have Breida, who has impressed during his rookie campaign while averaging 4.2 yards per carry in relief of Hyde. This past Sunday, the young running back once again proved his worth with
a 30-yard touchdown run in the closing minutes against the Jaguars to seal the 49ers' fourth-straight victory and fifth of the season.
With Williams entering the offseason picture and the draft only four months away, you have to wonder how high a priority re-signing Hyde is for the 49ers.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Breaking down the 49ers drafts under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan
We are less than one week away from the NFL Draft, and the San Francisco 49ers have their first day-one draft pick since 2021. That was the year they selected QB Trey Lance number three overall. The trade-up to get Lance cost the 49ers their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. And now that they are back in the first round, at pick 31, fans are anxious to see what the team does with the pick. And with former assistant GM, Adam Peters, now in Washington, it will be interesting to see how well the 49ers draft without Peters in the room.
We looked back at the seven drafts GM John Lynch and Head Coach Kyle Shanahan have led to see what information we could pull from those drafts. There were plenty of hits, plenty of misses, and a few surprises along the way. The draft picks are
Brock Purdy hopes Kyle Shanahan makes addition to 49ers playbook
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw for a franchise-record 4,280 yards last season, leading the team to the Super Bowl and earning his first Pro Bowl selection. He held onto the football 39 times on the ground, rushing for 144 yards and scoring twice. This marked a significant improvement over his rookie 2022 campaign when he had 22 carries for 13 yards and a score.
Purdy further displayed his athleticism during the 49ers' playoff game against the Detroit Lions last season, helping engineer a comeback victory while rushing for 48 yards on five carries.
On Tuesday morning, Purdy joined the "Pat McAfee Show," acknowledging that he believes he can contribute more rushing yards if called upon. However, that decision rests with head coach Kyle Shanahan,
Insiders identify late risers who 49ers could target in NFL Draft
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, ESPN contributors have highlighted some prospects who have seen their draft stock rise throughout the evaluation process. Jordan Reid and Matt Miller pinpointed players who could hear their names called at the end of the first round.
Interestingly, both of the prospects identified by Reid and Miller play in the trenches but on different sides of the ball. The San Francisco 49ers are widely expected to draft an offensive lineman with their first selection—No. 31 overall. The team mostly ignored the group in free agency. However, it wouldn't surprise many people if the
49ers sign WR Trent Taylor, reuniting with former draft pick
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
