With training camp less than a week away, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jeremy Kerley joined the NFL Network show "NFL Total Access" on Friday and shared his thoughts on a number of topics. Kerley was one of a few pending free agents who returned to the team following this year's drastic regime change. Kyle Shanahan replaced Chip Kelly as the team's head coach, becoming the 49ers' fourth head coach in as many years, while John Lynch replaced Trent Baalke as general manager.
Kerley has spent just one season with the 49ers. In 2016, he was acquired by San Francisco via a trade with the Detroit Lions just prior to the team's final preseason game. The 49ers sent guard Brandon Thomas to Detroit and received Kerley in return. The trade worked out well for the 49ers as Kerley ended up leading the 49ers in receiving with 64 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns.
In March, the 49ers avoided having Kerley hit free agency by signing him to a three-year contract. While on "NFL Total Access," the receiver discussed his new head coach and why he is different from any coach he has had in the past.
"He's definitely a teacher," Kerley said. "He goes out there and he explains everything in detail and that's what a lot of head coaches don't do."
What is an example of how good a teacher Shanahan has been for Kerley and his teammates?
"We were out in OTAs and a lot of guys in OTAs, they go through a script," Kerley said. "They just leave it at that. We were going through a script but he takes the time to stop (and) break it down to where guys understand exactly what they're doing, where you're supposed to be, how you're supposed to handle certain stuff and I've never had that in my career. I respect that and I like that."
Kerley named wide receiver Marquise Goodwin as a possible breakout player who fans should keep an eye on this season.
"He's a guy that's kind of been overshadowed a little bit," Kerley said. "A lot of guys just think he's a deep threat. Just working with him for the last two or three months, he's an all-around receiver. He knows what he's doing. He's got a lot of passion about the game and he puts in a lot of work at it. He's definitely a guy that I think everyone can look forward to and he'll have a takeoff season."
Kerley was asked to finish the following statement: In 2017, the 49ers will...
"Redeem themselves," Kerley answered. "Redemption."
The receiver was also asked to make a prediction on what the 49ers' record might be in 2017. "I'll say 10-6," he responded after taking a moment to think about his answer. Cole Wright, who conducted the interview, called the prediction "bold."
In June, Kerley was asked about his former quarterback while on SiriusXM NFL Radio. He said that he wished he was asked more about Colin Kaepernick because he holds a great deal of respect for him because he stood up for what he believed in last season during his national anthem protest.
"He made the sacrifice that maybe not a lot of guys would have made knowing that the consequences would be what they were," Kerley said in June.
The receiver got his wish because he was asked about Kaepernick once again during his interview on "NFL Total Access."
"Colin is a friend of mine so I have the utmost respect for him," Kerley said. "I love talking about him because he's a guy who loves what he's doing. He loves the game of football. If a team gets him, they will definitely have a guy who's been there before, who's been to the Super Bowl before."
Kerley reiterated that Kaepernick was not a distraction in the locker room last season – an opinion also held by other teammates and even former head coach Chip Kelly.
"I think he was a distraction to people that had different expectations of him," Kerley said. "We only expected him to come in and do his job and that was it and that's what he did. He didn't bring a lot of controversy to the locker room. He didn't bring a lot of noise in there. He just did his job."
Prior to his time in San Francisco, Kerley spent five seasons with the New York Jets, who drafted him out of TCU in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. The Jets released Kerley in March of 2016 and he signed on with Detroit before being traded to the 49ers.
