The San Francisco 49ers have a lot of confidence in their roster. Even though the team sits at 3-3, coaches and the front office believe they have a squad that can win it all. So why not show that by going all-in on a dynamic player like Christian McCaffrey?
The Niners sent a haul of draft capital to the Carolina Panthers for the All-Pro running back, sending a message to the locker room that this team, even at .500, is gearing up for a championship run.
"That's how [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] framed it to us in our team meeting [on Friday]," fullback Kyle Juszczyk told reporters. "The way him and [general manager] John [Lynch] looked at it is that they have so much confidence in what this team can do and that this team is ready to win now that they want to go all-in.
"He related it to kind of when we got [wide receiver] Emmanuel Sanders the Super Bowl year (2019). It wasn't that we necessarily had to have someone at that position. It was just we feel like we can do some really special things. So why not add that weapon to what we feel like we already have?"
That's not to say there was any lack of confidence in the roster before McCaffrey's addition.
"Man, I already felt like we were up there at the top," Juszczyk shared. "Not that it really changes much. I think we're still one of the top teams in the NFL and the NFC. I just think this is going to help accelerate that process."
McCaffrey's status for Sunday is up in the air. He landed in the Bay Area about an hour before Friday's practice, the last of the week. The running back passed his physical, participated in the practice, and is campaigning to play. However, he ultimately knows the decision lies with his new coaches.
For now, all he can do is study the playbook and get ready for when Shanahan calls his number.
"You've just got to learn the language," Juszczyk said. "At the end of the day, that's the only thing that's going to slow a new guy from getting on the field, is understanding what the language means. Like, when a play is called, what does that tell you? So if he can pick that up, at least for a few plays, I'm sure they'll find a way to get him mixed in there."
Juszczyk was already a fan of McCaffrey's, and the fullback is happy to have the running back as a teammate now. He's excited to see what McCaffrey brings to the offense and the added pressure he puts on opposing defenses.
"I love his style of play," Juszczyk said. "Extremely fast, extremely aggressive, can really do everything—catch the ball, run the ball, block, so I'm a big fan of him."
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