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If you are a young pass rusher, one of the highest compliments you can receive is having one of the best offensive tackles in the game praise you. That's what new San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman
Trent Williams did last week while speaking with Ian Rapoport of NFL Media about defensive end
Nick Bosa during the
RapSheet + Friends podcast.
Bosa is preparing to enter his second NFL season after an impressive rookie campaign that ended with the young pass rusher being named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. His older brother, Joey Bosa of the Los Angeles Chargers, accomplished the same feat three years earlier.
Fans got to finally listen to the entire conversation between Williams and Rapoport this week, as the new podcast episode dropped on Monday. Rapoport asked the tackle how he feels about facing one of the best defensive fronts in the game during practices, explicitly asking about Bosa.
"I'm looking forward to it," Williams responded. "When I looked for a team to go to, I looked at the opposite side of the ball to see who can I sharpen my iron on every day in practice. When I get out there on the field, I can't come up with a rust excuse. All of that, to me, doesn't exist. I'd rather be rusty in practice and be able to sharpen my iron then than to try and do it Monday night with all the cameras on me.
"For me, coming to this organization where the defense is probably the best in the league -- when you think about defensive lines that get after the quarterback, I think anybody with a pulse is going to throw the 49ers front out there within the first, second, or third groups to mention."
Of course, we don't know when those one-on-one matches between Williams and Bosa will take place. NFL teams are still conducting their offseason programs virtually amid continued concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whenever practices are allowed, Williams knows going against the 49ers defense will prepare him to get back on the football field after missing all of last season.
"That in itself excites me as a competitor," Williams continued, "because I know I can get some of the best work done during the week so that on Sundays, you're not going to see too many guys better than that group, especially not any individuals that much better than Bosa, I think. They just don't have many guys in the league that's just better than him.
"For me, [going against Bosa and the 49ers defensive front is] going to do everything for me to get me back to where I know I can be at."
You can listen to Rapoport's entire conversation with Williams below. It begins at about the 20:30 mark.
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
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel will be wearing No. 1 the next time he steps onto the football field, leaving behind his No. 19 jersey. It's an unfortunate change for any fan who previously invested in a Deebo jersey—unless they consider it a throwback.
Newly signed wide receiver Trent Taylor quickly claimed No. 19 after rejoining the team on a one-year deal following three seasons elsewhere. Taylor last wore No. 15 with the 49ers, a number currently worn by wide receiver Jauan Jennings. Taylor also wore No. 81 with the team.
The 49ers' official team site has listed the jersey numbers for several of the team's free-agent newcomers below. Of course, these could change as
Justin Melo of The Draft Network reports that the San Francisco 49ers have conducted a virtual meeting with former Oregon safety Evan Williams.
#Oregon DB Evan Williams: Workhorse w/ 82 tackles, 4.5 sacks this yr. Great @SeniorBowl, jumped 40.5" vertical + 10-ft-6 broad at NFL Combine.Recent virtual meetings include #Bills,
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
