San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula met with the media today to answer questions following the team's 24-14 home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Below are some topics that he touched on.
On the injury front,
C Marcus Martin, who was filling in at guard, is in the concussion protocol this week.
RB Shaun Draughn, who went down with a knee injury on Sunday, is getting an MRI today.
When asked about the cornerback position, and specifically about
CB Dontae Johnson filling in, Tomsula stated, "I think he did a heck of a job."
Tomsula also commented on a question about all the losses at the running back position this season for the 49ers. "That's not an excuse," he stated. As for
RB Mike Davis, who was placed on short-term IR earlier in the season, Tomsula stated that the team was going to see where his health was and would only bring him back if it was safe to do so. "We're not going to put him in any danger," he added.
Tomsula touched on the team's decision to keep
QB Colin Kaepernick away from the sideline during Sunday's home game. This has been a big topic with the media, with some taking it as a sign that the 49ers may not want him there because other injured players are allowed on the sideline. "That's completely up to the medical staff," Tomsula said. While guys on IR doe not travel with the team, if it is a home game, they could be allowed on the sideline. However, it is on a case by case basis. They don't want to put anyone in a position of danger according to Tomsula. He game examples of
DL Glenn Dorsey not being on the sideline. Someone like
LG Alex Boone is out on the field during pregame, because there is not a high chance of injury, but once the game starts, he is not out there.
"I really like where he's heading," Tomsula said of
LB Eli Harold. "When he strikes you, he strikes you with everything he's got." The team would just like to add a little weight to him.
Another big topic of discussion was a sideline report by CBS sideline reporter Jay Feely and his reported discussion with team
COO Al Guido. One of the topics of that reported discussion as that the team understands that they lost a number of leaders in the locker room, which contributed to this season's problems. "We're developing another core," Tomsula said. "I think there are a lot of pieces of that core here ... Do they have the intangibles? I believe they do."
When asked if Guido was in a position to make a statement about team leaders, Tomsula stated that he is not in any meetings with him. "I meet with Trent [Baalke] and I meet with the owners," said Tomsula. Not Guido.
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
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, it's common for the rumor mill to start churning, especially with players who are actively seeking a new contract. It was just two short years ago that WR Deebo Samuel requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers prior to draft day, only for cooler heads to prevail and eventually agree to a new deal.
Now, it's WR Brandon Aiyuk's turn to try and get paid and rumors surfaced over the weekend that he too would request to be dealt. While that report was quickly shot down by his agent, there's still a lot of discussion about Aiyuk's future and if other teams will come calling on draft night.
Legendary columnist Mike Silver joined
