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An immediate roster purge kicked off as soon as general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan joined the San Francisco 49ers last year. Little remains of the 2016 squad that went 2-14 under Chip Kelly.
The same thing may be happening in Oakland with new head coach Jon Gruden. He's already traded away one of his biggest stars and most impactful players in pass rusher Khalil Mack. Gruden may be aiming to depart with other players who preceded his arrival.
A report by Jay Glazer of FOX Sports surfaced over the weekend that the Raiders are shopping the No. 4 overall pick from 2015, wide receiver Amari Cooper along with former first-round safety Karl Joseph. Glazer said that Oakland has been calling around the league to gauge interest in the two players.
"So, fire sale in Oakland," Glazer said.
While there has been no reported interest on the part of the San Francisco 49ers, Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice
joined 95.7 The Game on Monday morning, as he does during the season on a weekly basis, and extensively discussed the possibility of his former team acquiring Cooper.
"I know what he brings to the table," Rice said on the "Joe, Lo, and Dibs" show. "Right now, in the receiving core (for the 49ers), we haven't had that receiver that went out and just completely dominated every football game. They've been struggling a little bit in that area, and if you can bring a guy like Amari Cooper in and add him into the mix, then knowing that he's a very productive receiver, he's a guy that can get downfield, can get behind you, can strike some fear into the opponent, why not go for it?"
Cooper has had an up and down season. He has 22 receptions for 280 yards with a touchdown but only two games with eight-or-more catches and over 100 receiving yards. Cooper recorded over 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first two NFL seasons.
Rice attributes Cooper's struggles to the Raiders' difficulties as a team.
"If this guy can come in and if he can work a little bit harder, he can work on his skills, I think he really can contribute to the San Francisco 49ers," he said.
Rice has always been impressed with Cooper, who he felt was coming into his own. The legendary receiver believes Cooper is explosive and a solid route runner.
"I know this guy is very good and running routes and right now it's just a lack of confidence and catching the football, but he can add a dimension to the Niners that we don't have right now," Rice adds.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Rice below.
It is important to note that Gruden denied knowing about Oakland potentially shopping Cooper. He briefly addressed the rumor after the Seattle Seahawks beat the Raiders 27-3 in London on Sunday — a game Cooper left after suffering a concussion.
"I haven't heard that," Gruden said via the
Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I'm just sorry to have to deal with a lot of these reports. I just hope Amari is OK. Like I said, he's going to be a big part of our pass offense, and we'll see what happens here. Hopefully, he's all right."
The 49ers might have to significantly outbid other teams — if they are even interested in Cooper and if he is on the market. San Francisco aggressively pursued Mack when he became available. Lynch said on Friday that the 49ers' offer for the game-changing defensive player was similar to the one from the Chicago Bears.
"Our offer was very similar to the one that ultimately won out," Lynch said
during a KNBR interview. "I don't know what went into the Raiders' mindset in terms of where they sent him, but that was one we knew we had a game changer."
It's possible, with two similar offers on the table, the Raiders weren't interested in doing the 49ers any favors and wanted to ship Mack out of the Bay Area to avoid hearing daily reminders of their controversial decision.
Poll
- Should the 49ers try to trade for Amari Cooper?
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No
- 453 votes
George Kittle recently spoke with ESPN during the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, where he joined other NFL stars for the golfing event. Of course, the conversation shifted toward football, with Laura Rutledge asking Kittle to reflect on the team's 2023 season, its Super Bowl defeat, and the motivation it provides for the upcoming season.
The tight end believes San Francisco maintained a competitive roster this offseason and is gearing up for another run at a championship. He emphasized the importance of maintaining good health and continual improvement for a successful upcoming season.
"Brock Purdy is a fantastic quarterback, and he's only going to get better because he's young," Kittle said. "And we were fortunate enough to be able to keep our entire
According to Sports Illustrated contributor Noah Strackbein, who writes for "All Steelers" on the network, there's a level of confidence within the Pittsburgh Steelers organization that they can strike a deal for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk—and at a bargain rate.
"According to a team source, the Steelers and 49ers trade talks are real," Strackbein wrote. "While nothing is imminent, they 'would be surprised if it didn't happen.' But it all comes down to compensation, and Pittsburgh isn't willing to budge much on price."
While it seems unlikely that the 49ers would part ways with Aiyuk for anything less than a first-round draft
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
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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
