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, San Francisco 49ers tackle Joe Staley is excited to have the team's quarterback position solidified for the foreseeable future. The veteran offensive lineman was on SiriusXM NFL Radio shortly after news broke that Garoppolo had
agreed to a record five-year, $137.5 million deal to remain with the 49ers.
"I think from day one when he got there, everybody was really excited about the opportunity to play with him," Staley said. "Just kind of where he came from and getting to be around the guy. The guy is pretty special. But then, just on the practice field and seeing everything that he does, the way he prepares, the guys were really excited to see what he can do on game day when we get out there and play.
"Then he came out there, we played well, we won, came back at the end of the game against Chicago, won that game, and then just slowly gained more confidence in him. I think once you have a lot of confidence in what the quarterback is doing, it kind of raises everybody's level around him. I think you just kind of saw that at the end of the year. He was kind of raising everybody's level of play throughout the season as he went.
"We're excited to have him for the entire offseason, training camp, and then the full season after."
RELATED Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers agree to record 5-year deal worth $137.5 million
Garoppolo helped the 49ers win their final five games of the 2017 season, which started with two consecutive road games and then finished with three matchups against playoff teams (Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams). He completed 120 of his 178 pass attempts for 1,560 yards, seven touchdowns, five interceptions, a passer rating of 96.2, and a rushing touchdown during his five starts and six game appearances with the 49ers.
Staley was asked to discuss what Garoppolo means to his teammates in the huddle and the leadership qualities that he brought to San Francisco. After all, Garoppolo sat behind and learned from one of the best of all time in
Tom Brady during his three-and-a-half seasons with the New England Patriots.
"You saw that from day one," Staley said. "The way he just kind of came into the huddle in practice when he was there for two days and really just kind of took over. He was snapping at guys like, 'Hey, pay attention. This is what we're doing right here.' There was no 'feeling out' period with him.
"But he did it in a way too where it didn't come off as arrogant or anything like that. It was just like, 'I'm asserting myself. This is what needs to be done.' I think a lot of that comes from who he was job shadowing for the first three or four years of his career over there in New England.
"He's a great guy. I can't say enough positive things about him. I think the franchise is in good hands with him at the helm."
You can listen to this portion of the interview with Staley below.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is in high spirits, and it's no wonder why. He's well aware that his bank account is about to get a significant boost, one way or another.
Aiyuk posted a video to Instagram, showing himself dancing and seemingly celebrating the good fortune of one of his NFL peers. The Detroit Lions recently inked their star wideout, Amon-Ra St. Brown, to a lucrative four-year, $120 million contract extension. Aiyuk eagerly awaits his own deal from the 49ers and recognizes that the news out of Detroit will only strengthen his agent, Ryan Williams' hand at the negotiating table.
Brandon
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
