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The "Good Morning Football" hosts
discussed the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday and tried to figure out where the team fits in a competitive NFC. There is uncertainty within several position groups but also a significant amount of potential heading into the new season.
The 49ers just need to put it all together.
Kyle Brandt had a tough time determining what the expectations should be for head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad. They have several key starters returning from injury, including quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
The team signed Jerick McKinnon last offseason to take over as the starting running back and then lost him to injury before the start of the regular season. Brandt doesn't know what to expect there because he didn't have an opportunity to see McKinnon as the featured back in Shanahan's offense. Where does McKinnon even fit now with Matt Breida having a breakout season in 2018 and the addition of Tevin Coleman?
"I don't even know what they were supposed to be (in 2018) because the injuries wiped them out so bad," Brandt said. "I know this: This 49ers season has incredible stakes."
Brandt believes we could know what this 49ers team is by its Week 5 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, after the bye.
"They are at home. They are on Monday Night Football, and they play the Baker Mayfield Browns," he continued. "If they lose that game, and let's say they stumble to 1-and-3 or something, there's going to be so much chatter. Garoppolo costs too much. Shanahan, let's get this thing going. Lynch, York, the whole brain trust.
"It's like, 'Now we're healthy. Now we've got our guys. We have our coach.' Everything is there, and if you cannot win this year, I don't know when I can expect it from you. So the stakes are so high because they're healthy and it's time."
Nate Burleson noted that the NFC, and even the NFC West, is loaded with talented teams and the 49ers still have a lot to prove.
"When you look at the complexion of the division, the Seattle Seahawks will forever be in contention to be in the playoffs, to have a chance at the Super Bowl with
Russell Wilson there at quarterback. The Rams have been phenomenal the last couple of years. They've been trending in the right direction. I'm not sure what
Kyler Murray and the Cardinals are going to do, but I guarantee there's going to be some fireworks.
"When it comes to the Niners, yes, they were hit with injury after injury after injury, they still have to piece it all together."
Kay Adams believes the 49ers could be a contender in 2019. The team is being overlooked following its injury-plagued season resulting in a four-win campaign. Adams' reasoning, however, has more to do with San Francisco's defense, which she calls "really legit."
"(With additions like)
Nick Bosa, Kwon Alexander, this defense, and Shanahan on the offensive side of the ball, that gives me faith that they can put it all together if healthy this year," Adams said.
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
Analyst Dane Brugler recently revealed his seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, forecasting all 257 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, set to kick off next week.
"Piecing together a mock like this is time consuming, but I enjoy the exercise, because it allows me to focus on each team's needs, organizational trends and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on '30' visits, league buzz and overall interest," Brugler wrote.
Most expect the 49ers to address the trenches early in the draft, and Brugler has the team doing that. It's just not on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Brugler doesn't have San Francisco
