The NBC Sports writer has been high on the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, ranked them at No. 7 in his May power rankings, and stated in July that he expects the Kyle Shanahan-led squad to make the playoffs should quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo stay healthy.
Nothing King saw during his visit to practice earlier this week changed those opinions, he said. There was, however, one concern.
"The only thing that is slightly worrisome to me is that Nick Bosa had his leg caved in (a bit of an exaggeration) during one practice," King explained. "He's got a high-ankle sprain. He may miss the first, I don't know, two games of the season. It will be close. If he plays early on, it probably won't be as impactful as he would have been totally healthy."
The 49ers hope to have Bosa available for Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but will do what is best for his recovery. The rookie defensive end finally has the protective boot off his foot and was seen on Wednesday doing some light conditioning work with team trainers. That is a good sign.
King notes that the depth along the defensive front will allow the 49ers to finally put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Shanahan stated on Tuesday that one focus when he and general manager John Lynch arrived in San Francisco was to build a top-ranked defense. He believes San Francisco is close.
King also discussed the 49ers' success being dependent on Garoppolo's health.
"Obviously, if he slips on a banana peel in September, the 49ers are going to be a six-win team, if that," King said. "So clearly, I think the 49ers are looking at their team, their season, their offense, certainly, and saying, 'As Jimmy Garoppolo goes, so goes the rest of the team.'"
Who stood out to King during the practice he observed? That would be rookie wide receiver Jalen Hurd.
"He looks like — not a third-round rookie — he looks like a third-year veteran," King said. "Very, very impressive, competitive, fights for the ball, fights for every yard. I think he's going to have an impact on this San Francisco offense this year."
You can listen to what King had to say about the 49ers below.
You can listen to King's conversation with Shanahan below.
You can listen to King's conversation with Garoppolo below.
49ers mailbag: Is Christian McCaffrey being overused? Should Spencer Burford be benched? Is Steve Wilkes who the defense needs? When is Nick Bosa going to show up?
By Marc Adams
Sep 19
The San Francisco 49ers are 2-0 to start off the 2023 season. In 2021, the 49ers won their first two games but then lost their next four. A win Thursday night, in the home opener against the New York Giants, would be the 49ers' first 3-0 start since 2019. That season, the team started out 8-0 before going on to win the NFC West and cruise through the NFC playoffs on their way to a birth in Super Bowl LIV.
I can't seem to remember how that game turned out, though. It's like it's been blocked from my memory.
It doesn't matter, because we've moved on to the current season. And to celebrate the 2-0 start, we've opened up the mailbag to answer those questions burning a hole in your mind. So let's get to it.
Marc, what did ya think of CMC channelling
Analyst: 49ers QB Brock Purdy still not top-20 after Week 1
By Rohan Chakravarthi
Sep 15
It's safe to say that the San Francisco 49ers cruised to victory in Week 1, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-7 in a dominant victory where the team started the game with four consecutive scoring drives and five straight three-and-outs, creating an early 20-0 lead for the road team.
Offensively, the 49ers saw strong performances from running back Christian McCaffrey, who rushed for 152 yards and a touchdown, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who caught all eight of his targets for 129 yards and two touchdowns, and Deebo Samuel, who caught five passes for 55 yards.
But, the offense was executed at a very high level, at least in the first half, courtesy of quarterback Brock Purdy, who had one of the stronger halves of his career over the first 30 minutes in
"They are basically fielding the NFL All-Pro team": Where the 49ers stand in Week 3 power rankings
By David Bonilla
Sep 19
The San Francisco 49ers have now won 12 consecutive regular-season games, just three games shy of tying the 15-game record set between the 1989 and 1990 seasons. Sunday's 30-23 win against the Los Angeles Rams may not have been the prettiest of victories, but Kyle Shanahan's squad improved to 2-0 on the season and sit alone atop the NFC West.
The 49ers managed to beat their division rival despite quarterback Brock Purdy having arguably his most unimpressive game as a starter. He finished the game 17-of-25 for 206 yards and a passer rating of 93.1, a new regular-season career-low as a starter.
Meanwhile, running back Christian McCaffrey leads the NFL with 268 rushing yards and ranks second only to wide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings in
49ers practice and media schedule leading to Week 3 matchup vs. Giants
By Site Staff
Sep 18
The San Francisco 49ers will hold one full practice, a late Tuesday session, this week as the team prepares for its Week 3 matchup against the New York Giants. While it isn't specifically noted below, there will likely be a walk-though on Wednesday.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan, defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, and quarterback Brock Purdy are scheduled to speak with the media. The 49ers will make the press conferences available at 49ers.com, on the team's official mobile app, and YouTube page.
The schedule, which is subject to
