Deebo Samuel is ‘on track’ to return; 49ers open to bringing back veteran defensive tackle
“Starting cornerbacks Renardo Green (back) and Deommodore Lenoir (foot) are day-to-day. That’s good news, as both avoided serious injuries.
Mike Evans is not expected to return this week. The hope is that Deebo Samuel practices this week. As the team gets healthier at receiver, it’ll be interesting to see who loses a job. KhaDarel Hodge, a practice squad member, contributes on special teams.
Based on Week 9’s
snap counts, Jacob Cowing would be the odd man out.”
The key behind 49ers’ 7-1 start? Big contributions from the team’s youth
“Kittle said he loved the Niners drafting the older prospects because they “understand the sense of urgency that comes with football.” Indeed, the idea that the rookie class entered a locker room full of players who have been just short of the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy was immediately evident.
“Ever since we got here, everybody was trying to talk about how we’re like an old team or whatever, but we knew we have to contribute,” Dugger said. “When I got drafted, they told me you’re not just coming here to sit. Just coming in with that mentality, I feel like we knew we had to contribute early. I feel like we are just trying to do our job with the opportunities we have.”
…. “In other locker rooms, the rookies can be the burdens,” Halton said. “For us, man, we got great vets in here, great guys that’s been through any type of adversity. We really just try to glue to them and that happens within the rookies … Getting the ring, that’s the goal every year. But we really want it bad just to do it for those guys, the vets.”
Jordan Watkins is earning Brock Purdy’s trust. The 49ers’ WR has every reason to deliver (paywall)
“My little sister,” Watkins said of his motivation. “She’s very similar to me. She’s very outgoing. She’s tall. She’s one of a kind for sure, I’ll tell you that much. And she looks up to me. She looks up to me a lot.”
Her name is Abrielle. She’s 12 now, a promising softball player who wears the No. 11 because it was her big brother’s number in college. She’s playing up in age on her travel ball team, so now they’re both fighting to prove themselves….He was 8 years old when he watched police take away his mother, Paula Baker. She battled addiction and spent 18 months incarcerated. He didn’t see her for nearly two years. His father had never been a steady presence.
The reunion with mom wasn’t easy after she regained custody. He struggled with resentment. Abrielle kept him tethered to the joy life tried to bury.
Watson eventually embraced therapy. His mother eventually built a life in recovery. They repaired their relationship, and he developed into a college prospect. He’d already learned how a difficult beginning didn’t have to dictate the ending.
A lesson he needed when a high ankle sprain impacted his first NFL preseason. Then a calf strain derailed his rookie campaign….Watkins keeps up with Abrielle’s softball exploits. She’s playing 13-and-under now. He bragged about her recently striking out three batters while pitching against older girls.
He smiled in the 49ers locker room as he remembered competing with her. They’d pitch from the mound she’s got in the yard, see who could throw the most strikes. He’d laugh at her precocious moments, listen to her stories and play games.
He sees himself in Abrielle. Her ambition. Her competitiveness. The hunger behind the wide smile. Even her occasional preteen stubbornness.
“I try to call her and inspire her as much as possible,” he said. ‘Give her as much advice as I can. But, you know, being a kid, sometimes they don’t want to listen.”….His newest motivation is 2 years old.
“Once I had my daughter, it kind of transformed into her,” Watkins said. “Just making sure I’m doing what I can do to be able to provide for her. (Make sure she doesn’t live) the lifestyle that I had growing up.”
49ers minutia minute: Deebo Samuel, CJ West expected back; Mike Evans still on hold (paywall)
“Williams didn’t give up a sack in his first six games but has now allowed one in two straight. Sunday’s came courtesy of defensive end Maxx Crosby. Williams blocked him well at first, but Purdy’s initial read wasn’t open and he had to hold the ball longer than designed, allowing Crosby to slip inside for the sack.”
Kyle Shanahan provides 49ers injury updates, discusses Brandon Aiyuk
“It has same as how I talked last time on him. I was just told that by [executive vice president of communications] Corry [Rush] when I walked in, so it means absolutely nothing to our team. I think we’ve got a two-week roster exemption. That’s all administrative stuff to me.”
49ers vs. Raiders PFF grades: Best and worst from the game, plus snap counts
“Left guard Connor Colby earned an 82.7 overall offensive grade, the highest among all offensive linemen in the game. He also posted a game-best 82.4 run-blocking grade across 39 run-blocking snaps.
Meanwhile, right guard Dominick Puni led all players with an 87.5 pass-blocking grade. He didn’t allow a single pressure against the Raiders across 34 pass-blocking snaps.”
Brandon Aiyuk reinstated by NFL; 49ers have 2-game roster exemption for receiver
“San Francisco has three options. It could release Aiyuk, the scenario that has remained the most plausible throughout the offseason. It could trade Aiyuk, which has long been its preferred option, but it hasn’t found a trade partner and the deadline for a deal is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.”
