Raheem Mostert spoke fondly of his former teammate—offensive tackle Joe Staley—during a video conference call with reporters on Wednesday. He remembers arriving at the San Francisco 49ers after being released by the Chicago Bears. Staley was one of the players with whom he immediately bonded.
"I always sat down with him, and just had a conversation with him because I wanted to pick his brain," Mostert said. "I know he's one of those guys that is a leader on the team. He's going to be a Forever Forty-Niner, and I just wanted to pick his brain."
Mostert won't be running behind Staley anymore. The Pro Bowl tackle announced his retirement on April 25 after playing 13 NFL season. The 49ers replaced him by trading for another Pro Bowl tackle—Trent Williams.
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"Trent is an unbelievable tackle," Mostert said, "and he's probably one of the most athletic guys I've seen thus far on tape. I'm so excited, and can't wait to work with him; and the entire O-line, just because everyone else on the O-line is athletic as well with (Mike) McGlinchey, and [Laken Tomlinson], which is nice too. And [Weston Richburg]. All those guys are just athletic in their own form.
"But I'm definitely excited to work with Trent, and can't be any more happy and excited to get that ball rolling."
Another teammate who won't be with Mostert in 2020 is a fellow running back—Matt Breida. He was traded to the Miami Dolphins on the same day Staley retired. It was also the day the 49ers traded for Williams and traded away wide receiver Marquise Goodwin.
It's easy to forget that Mostert was with the 49ers before Breida because the latter just barely emerged last season as a potential star in the making. Mostert's breakout season seemingly made Breida expendable.
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"It is a little bit sad, but it's also business," Mostert explained. "I told Matt I was angry. But at the same time, I was happy, just because he's getting the opportunity to one, go down to Miami and try to be one of the best backs in Miami that he could possibly be. And I know that he's going to take that step because that's all Matt does.
"I was fortunate to watch him grow from being a young rookie to being a full-grown man in this league. And for me, I'm more so excited for him.
"I talked to him that day when we had traded him, and I was the first person he had talked to. Being undrafted, and fighting his way up the roster, he had the same qualities that I had when I was doing the same thing when I was undrafted. That's where we share our bond.
"He talked to me and said, 'Raheem, we're still going to be contacting each other week in and week out.' I said, 'You're damn right we are,' because he's my brother, and I'm always going to look after my little brother, no matter what. For me, I believe our bond is unbreakable. It's something that's going to last for a lifetime."
