Cohn & Krueger: Instant Reaction to the 49ers Trading for Keion White

Cohn & Krueger: Instant Reaction to the 49ers Trading for Keion White

The 49ers just made a blockbuster trade for a defensive lineman I’ve totally heard of. [Music] What’s up? Welcome to Conan Krueger. That’s Larry Krueger. I’m Grant Con. We’ve been talking trade deadline for weeks. It’s a week from today and the niners wasted no time. They said Kavon Tibido. Who needs Kayavon Tibido? Max Crosby. Trey Hendrickson. How about Keon White? Former second round pick of the Patriots. He had five sacks last year. Wasn’t having a great year this year according to PFF. So the Patriots kind of gave him away. Niners get him for a sixth round pick and they get a seventh round pick back. Something like that. I I should probably get that right. I’ll look into it. It’s a pick swap. Patriots didn’t want him. Ners do because they’re desperate. What do you think of this, Larry? Keon White, I love it. I mean, I I love it for um for a lot of reasons. One, he’s a big defensive end who can play andor tackle. Um two, um he’s not playing a lot this year, but he played last year. He had two and a half sacks in a game. He had one and a half sacks in another game. Um he had five on the year. He’s only 26. And really all you’re pay all you’re doing is moving from the sixth round to the seventh round. So moving back one round on day three of the draft for a 26-y old defensive end who’s under contract I believe for this year and next year. I think that’s a incredibly low price tag. He obviously had fallen out of favor there. He’s not a perfect player by any stretch. He’s a little raw, but he’s a freaky athlete. Um and to me they needed help. I just they just lost Travis Gibson. I mean, you’re staring at Robert Beal, Mikuel Williams, and what I mean, you don’t you don’t really have much there. So, I mean, it’s amazing to me, Grant, how the Niners have gone from one of the deepest defensive lines in all of football to they are the thinnest defensive line in just what, a couple short seasons. I mean, they wasn’t that long ago they had like two whole starting lines of guys and like 10 deep at the Dline. Now they’re they’re they’re as thin as almost any team in the league there. And I think this is somewhat destructive. Like all off seasonason Niners were saying, you know, we just need to add run defenders. All we need is run defenders because we have pass rushers. Well, you never really know what you have in the NFL. Players get hurt all the time and your needs change constantly. So now you have this Dline full of run defenders and you’re looking for anyone who can rush a quarterback. And maybe Mike Williams will be able to in a few in a few months or a few years, but right now he’s not. So, what’s interesting to me is Keon White, you’d think they’d be in the market for like a pure edge rusher, someone to replace Bryce Huff or Nick Bosa, but Keon White, I’m watching his I mean, I’ve I’ve been watching Keon White films since he was in middle school. So, I mean, he’s not new to me. But when I watch Keon, I’m looking at a guy who does his best work from the interior. He’s a lot like your Turos Matoss or Cleveland Ferrell who the Ners worked out yesterday. So you have another one of these guys who’s a tweener who can set the edge and then kick inside. And Chris Casser does a great job with those guys, but I thought they’d be in the market for an edge rusher. Well, I mean I I don’t think this ends their pursuit. I I think they’re, you know, the price tag was so low that I think there’s they probably have another move to make. But what I like the most about this guy, he’s a super incredible athlete. I mean, this guy had 32 inch vertical, uh, almost 40 reps of 225, hit 21 miles per hour on the GPS at almost 300 lb. So, you’re talking about a big athletic guy. Um, the Niner, the one thing about the Niner system, Grant, I mean, I know you know this, but I mean, just for the audience, it’s a super simple get up the field, attack the quarterback system. It’s not. That’s why you can go. That’s why Robert Solid preaches all gas, no breaks, cuz he wants guys playing a si a simple system as fast as they possibly can. And I think this guy maybe in New England system might have been hindered by the fact they wanted them him to read and react a little bit more. I think he could thrive in this system. He’s a high motor player with a ton of athleticism. Yeah. Yeah. And this is the kind of guy that Chris Caceric usually does his best work with. A former first or second round pick who’s right in his athletic prime who’s been labeled a bust by his former team because they drafted him too high. And then he can work with a guy whose expectations are way lowered and get the most out of him. I mean, on this team, he’s going to play a lot. I tour Gross. Matos wasn’t practicing even when he was quote unquote healthy. I don’t know if he’ll ever actually be healthy again. So, yeah. I mean, do they need an edge rusher? Yes. Do they need an interior rusher? Yes, because as as good of a run defender as Muel Williams is, he’s not really generating much pass rush. Neither is Alfred Collins. This guy could be their best interior rusher on the team right now. And more than anything, I mean, you know, they need guys who are versatile because they got guys falling like flies. I mean, and you don’t know who’s going down next. So, man, I mean, if I was John Lynch, I I’d be looking for guys who could play inside and outside because who knows? I mean, you might get you might get something out of Beal. You might get something out of one of your tackles. I mean, it’s like right now they just need guys. They are so down and so thin up front and people, you know, I got Mitchell and Nes, here comes Krueger’s hype train. There’s nothing not to like about this trade. You’re moving from the sixth round to the seventh round. Um, and you’re getting a 26-year-old uber athletic defensive end who in a simple pass rush scheme like the Niners have could be a revelation. So, yeah, I when you factor in the price, uh, this is a no-brainer. So, do you think this is the best the Niners could do? I mean, some people might say, hey, uh, great value, lot of potential there, low risk, high reward. Um, but I’ve never heard of Keon White. Of course I have. But I, you know, Johnny Football over here may may not have heard of him. And there’s other guys available. The Niners could have taken a bigger swing, but this isn’t a Super Bowl team. Well, and and you know, you’re not First of all, there’s a big disparity, I think, between who we who’s rumored to be available and who’s actually available. Like Trey Hendrickson, rumored to be available, not really available. Yeah, Tibido rumored to be available, but there was a report by Mike Gerafolo today out of the NFL network that he’s not available. So, you know, there’s there’s that, too. It’s like, how many guys are really actually available or are teams just saying, hey, you know, if you bowl us over, I don’t think the 49ers want to trade their first or second round draft choice. My guess is they may not even want to trade their first, second or third round draft choice because they know that um they’re going to have they’re going to need those picks to replenish their offensive line and defensive line. So, this is a very, you know, this is a lowcost trade. I mean, on one hand, it it may be kind of a bad sign because it may be an indication that the 49ers really don’t want to trade anything of significance to get help. Or it could be um just the first move that they make and not really an indication of that. just they felt like the price was right. I’ll say this, I think the price is right. I would do that deal in a heartbeat because, you know, this guy looked good and when New England played the Niners last last year, Keon White looked good in that game. Go back and look at that game. He had three tackles. He had a couple assists. Uh he had a tackle for a loss. Um you know, he he’s he’s pretty solid. I mean, he’s not we’re not talking about a guy who’s just a bum. This guy can play. I like the fact that the NerS aren’t selling. I mean, if they trade Jawan Jennings, great. But even though they’re not as good as they want to be and they have all these injuries and they’re probably not going to win the Super Bowl, probably most like I mean, almost certainly they’re five and three. They’re going to be six and three probably after this this week. You got to do something. And they did that. But the fact that they got uh a defensive end who’s kind of a tweener makes me wonder is Mike was Mike Williams a reach? I mean, if Mikel Williams was really balling the way you would expect the number 11 pick in the draft to play, the Niners may not have to trade for Keon White. Fact of the matter is, Mel Williams has made a great impact on the run defense and almost no impact as a pass rusher. Given where they took him, do you think he was a reach? Well, you know, it’s been it’s funny. I my first inclination is hell yes it was a reach because you know the ners were like well they could have had they could have had the the tight end from Penn State who’s looking like one of the best tight ends in pro football right now. I mean, there were other guys. They could have had Jadai Baron, but the Niners wanted to take a defensive lineman. And Robert Solid did make the point about a month ago that, you know, that Muel is is, you know, has a lot of potential to be a very good interior rusher. And those guys get paid a [ __ ] ton in free agency. So, I I mean, I I agree with you. I don’t think he’s a defensive end really. I think he’s a he’s a run he’s an edge setting run defender on first down second down. Um but I think there’s some value there as an undersized interior rusher. Um but yeah, I mean I don’t think if you’re sitting there looking for for stats to if you’re one of these guys that likes to use charts and stats to prove your point, you’re going to have a hard time doing that with this guy because he’s not going to make a lot of tackles. He’s not going to produce a ton of sacks. But he is third, I believe, among all uh rookies in pressures. Um I was looking at here’s the list. Yeah. As far as rookie pressure leaders, Abdul Carter’s got 32. Ezaraku for Dallas is 17 and Muel’s third with 16. So he’s getting pressure and he’s a force as an interior rusher, but he’s not much as an out as an outside rusher. And if you’re looking for high volume of sacks, it it’s not there. I mean, it’s and I don’t know if it’s going to be there, but I like him long term, Grant. You know, I I’ll say this. I think he’s if you ask him to be the man like opposite Bosa, eh, not going to work. But if you can get a deep defensive line and and let him just play in a deep rotation, I think he could be a really key cog on a Super Bowl uh caliber team in that role, you know, where he’s like one of seven or eight guys. He’s inside, he’s outside, he’s all over the all over the all over the line. Um but I don’t he’s not he’s not a superstar edge rusher. I’ll tell you that. I think he was a reach and I say that as someone who advocated uh to draft him. I like the pick at the time. I liked the pick before they made it. But now that I’ve seen him on their team, I mean, he just I don’t see what the upside is. They compare him to DeForest Buckner. He is not DeForest Buckner. DeForest Buckner had a bunch of sack production in in college. He came into the NFL as a polished pass rusher. And although he didn’t have a ton of sacks his first couple years, he had 18 quarterback hits as a rookie in uh in 2016 and then 20 uh 22 quarterback hits in his second year. Michael Williams has two so far in eight games. So I I think if the n if like you were to reddraft the first round now, I don’t know that he would go because you’re looking for pass rushers and his run defense has been good, but not necessarily like first round pick good. Maybe he’ll develop a lot, but he’s got a long way to go. He He does. I mean, he’s he’s he’s got a good body for the game, but I mean, like, you’re talking about Buckner. Buckner was 295. This guy’s 260. I mean, it’s they’re not the same body type. It’s not they’re not that it’s not a that’s not a good comparison. And Buckner had he had a club move. He had a swim move. He had a dip and rip move. This guy’s this guy’s gets wired. The the play I didn’t like in this game was when he got caught inside and he was the outside contained guy and Stra went out and he just Stra just went right around the corner like it was nothing like it was nothing. It was like where the Niners really lost discipline in their rush plan this week. But as far as Keon White, I here’s a stat. Kyle Posey from Niners Nation wrote an article today uh about Keon White and he’s like last year Keon White was one of four defensive linemen in the NFL to play at least 15% of the snaps on both the edge and in the interior but under this new regime Whites only played eight interior snaps all year for the Patriots and they made him a healthy scratch last week. So, the Niners, you know, do covet, you know, size off the edge. And, um, you know, this guy is under contract for this year and next year. He was a former second round pick and you’re getting him for moving for the, you know, the because you move from the sixth to the seventh. I think the price tag when you factor in the price tag, it’s a slam dunk. I think Michael Williams going to end up being a good player. I just wonder if he was worth the 11th pick because there were there were players there that were worth like Tyler Warren was worth the 11th pick. Did he feel a need? I mean, not immediately, but you always need great players and he’s one. Jai Baron, you you think the 49ers wouldn’t like Baron, the Denver corner right now? I mean, he’s he’s pretty good. Okay, so Williams may be a reach. Nick Martin possibly a bust. The ners won’t play him. They and we asked and they’re like, well, you know, it’s special teams and this and that, but it’s not special teams. He’s playing special teams. A bunch of linebackers have gotten injured and they will not put Nick Martin on the field with the defense. They see him in practice every day. I mean, do you think I mean, they must they must think he’s a bust. Do you think he’s a bust? No, I don’t. I mean, it’s like if you know is was, you know, if if this guy’s a bust, well, what was D. Winters? You know, D. Winters didn’t look like Nick Martin looked in the preseason in his rookie year preseason. He didn’t He didn’t do anything. Nick and D. Winters barely did anything as a rookie. And now people are like, I love D. Winters. D. Winters is great. So, I do think Nick Martin needs a little bit of time most likely, but I mean the question has to be asked, why is this guy It’s like the Ners are in a mode now where they clearly are only going to put him on the field if if it’s the last resort. I mean, if you’re playing Luke Gford and Curtis Robinson from scrimmage over your third round draft choice, I got to ask was is that third round draft choice a bust? Now, I personally don’t think he is. He has four or five speed. He has enormous strength. He had 140 tackles. Um I I I do think he’s a little overzealous. I think he might overrun some plays. I don’t think he knows the defense as well as he’s going to need to know the defense. But I sat down when we had that sit down with the coaches. Grant and Johnny Holland. I was the only person sitting there and we had a conversation for about four or five minutes about Nick Martin. And he said to me, and Johnny’s not one to blow V8 or BS. And he’s like, “Well, all I can say is I’ve already seen enough. This kid’s going to be an a very very good uh football player. You know, when when he’s when he’s ready, he’s going to be a very very good football player.” I said, “Why do you say that, Johnny?” He’s like, well, he’s got unbelievable hustle and motor. He’ll he’ll pursue uh plays on one side of the field. When he’s on the other side of the field, he’s got great hustle. He’s got great instincts, great speed. Uh and he said once he gets used to our defense and learns, you know, exactly the way we want him to play it, he’s going to be great. And I I that’s what I see as well. But there are people out there that are claiming that Nick Martin’s a bust. And I’m I think they have a little credibility right now because the Niners are treating him like he’s a bust. Um yeah, I mean like here’s my question. He can’t get on the field whatsoever on defense, but Maris Seagull played 100% of the snaps for the first five weeks of the season even though defense I mean offenses were picking on him and the Niners were like it’s okay. We want to let him you know go experience lumps or whatever it is. Then you got Upton Stout who makes some plays but also gets picked on in coverage. The Ners don’t seem to care. I mean, Mel Williams isn’t making a ton of plays. Alfred Collins here and there. Uh, but you won’t even put So, how bad does Nick Martin have to be right now to not even get on the field whatso I mean, are they afraid that offenses are just going to put him in a blender? I mean, I would imagine if he is on the field, offenses would test him right away, run at him, throw at him, see what he can do. Uh, and maybe he would maybe that I mean, in his first preseason game, to be fair, over four or five plays. Yeah. I mean, it looked like he was a chicken with his head cut off. Yeah. Yeah. He was all over the place. He was running all over the place. He was getting places fast, but he was getting in the wrong places. Mhm. That being said, like you watch Tayden Bethun, who’s a good player, he’s just so obviously limited. And it’s it’d be interesting to see what Nick Martin could do if you let him play two, three games in a row because it seemed like during preseason he improved more than or as much as any rookie over those three games and maybe be rough on the first game, but he does have like real traits. Like he seems strong, fast, violent, explosive in ways that most of their linebackers aren’t. Yeah. I mean, I would just say to any Niner fan is don’t overthink this. You know, you saw him in the preseason. What do you think? You know, yeah. Is he raw? Is he new? Is it going to take some time? Is he going to make some mistakes as he’s learning the defense? Sure. But you saw what he was. I mean, the guy’s the guy’s fast. He’s explosive. He hits hard. He sideline to sideline. He’s pursuing like a madman. I mean, I would put him out there and send him at the quarterback, especially if you don’t have anybody better um to rush the quarterback. I mean, could you imagine Nick Martin on delayed blitzes running at the quarterback? I mean, he’s You want to force the quarterback to get rid of the ball? Um, you know, try that a couple times a game, but, you know, they’re bringing him along slow. The Niners notoriously bring along their rookies slow to some degree. Not always, obviously. Conor KBY and Seagull played right away. Um, but I think this guy can play. I I’ I’d be very very surprised if Nick Martin became a bust. I mean, when you’re that big, when you’re when you’re that fast, that strong, that productive at the college level and then what? You’re going to step into the NFL and make some impactful plays immediately in your first or second preseason game, but then you’re you’re going to be a bust after that. I don’t I don’t buy it. Not buying it at all. How eager the Niners have been to put Upton Stout on the field. Third round pick, you know, up and down player, has good traits. They don’t care what he does. He’s staying out there. But Nick Martin gets the slow treatment. I guess we’ll find out why eventually. Bill Kennedy says, “Good trade, but first of several, I hope.” Here, here. Kenny Davis, two bucks. Thank you, Bill Kennedy against. Should a first round pick make an impact in one in year one? Now, you could say that Mike Kelly is making an impact, but this wasn’t like the 30th pick in the draft. This was 11. We’re going to talk about Mr. 31 in a second. SRT415 says, “So, we traded for Robert Beal 2.0.” That’s just mean. In fairness, in fairness, Keon White has way better production than Robert Beal has ever had. I mean, Robert Beal, Robert Beal, I don’t even I don’t even know what to say about Robert Beal. Robert Beal’s big, fast, and doesn’t produce. Boxing Fan Times forces Dre J trade JJ put CMC in the slot, play Jordan James. I like those ideas. Let’s go one thing at a time, though. Ricky Pieraw, he’s missed four games. And when we asked Kyle Shanahan on the conference call yesterday if he’ll be back this week, he said, “I don’t know. We’ll see.” Which is exactly what he said the last few weeks. Doesn’t sound great. I don’t know what’s going on. We see him in the locker room. He’s shooting jumpers. He looks fine. But he cannot even practice in a limited fashion, which makes me wonder, begs the question, is Ricky Pieraw made of glass? I don’t know what to say, man. In some ways, he’s like one of my favorite players because he’s super tough on himself. He’s not a He’s a nononsense guy. He doesn’t make excuses. He doesn’t, but he can’t get on the field and stay on the field. And his job is to play in the middle of the field. Like, in a game like this, you would think Ricky Persaw would be dying to get out there. Why? because the New York Giants might be the worst football team we’ve seen in years at defending the middle of the field. And he should be in line for a massive monster performance against that defense. And yet, I don’t think he’s going to play. I don’t think he’s going to play. I think he’s going to be out again. And I don’t know exactly the injury. Um, is it I don’t Was it ever given to us? I mean, it was a knee and they said it was a minor PCL, but I don’t know. Oh, it feels like it’s beyond minor at this point. Yeah. I mean, he banged it on the sideline, right? So, it looks like it has to be some kind of a bruise and it it’s obviously it’s a lot there’s a lot of pain involved. It’s got to be worse than that. I don’t know. I don’t know what to say. I like the guy. I like the route runner. I like the hands. I like a lot of attributes about him, but I also predicted on draft day that his his the whole thing is going to be about how healthy can he stay and that’s his been that’s been his issue. He can’t stay healthy. It seems like he gets hurt a lot and when he’s hurt it takes him a while to get back. It it seems like he spends a long time rehabbing and maybe that’s because, you know, he’s a lot different than Jawan Jennings. Jennings is the kind of player who can play hurt. He’s not playing well, but his game is built on toughness, not speed. So, if you take a little bit of speed away from Jennings, he can still theoretically make contested catches and block. Hersaw’s game is 100% built on speed. So, if he’s 85% healthy, maybe he’s not giving you much of anything because it’s not like he’s the kind of guy who’s going to break tackles. So maybe he’s sort of in like the Brock Party boat where, you know, most players in their position would play at 70% health, but those two guys have tried it and maybe they feel that they need to be or the Niners feel that they need to be closer to 100% healthy to be themselves. Is that possible? I mean, everybody’s got to bring her into this. I just I mean, everybody’s got a different pain threshold. I don’t know what his pain threshold is. Um, but he’s having a hard time getting out there. And you know, you got people in the chat and it’s like somebody’s like, “Ricky is is not fragile.” Well, okay. But yeah, Ricky isn’t fragile. You sound stupid. It’s like, what? What if it’s if he’s not fragile, then how do you account for the fact he’s had like five different injuries that have kept him out over the course of a couple seasons? I don’t know. I mean, I’m I’m rooting for him. I’m hoping for him, but I’m not banking on him. And I just feel like he you got to be able to play. I mean, I the one thing about the Niners that nobody ever talks about is that Debo and JJ and I were not your ordinary trio of receivers. They are enormously tough. And I don’t think people realize that toughness is like maybe the secret trait of being great at receiver. So, you got to be really, really tough. And I don’t know if Pierall is is that kind of a player. People say, “Oh, he’s he’s Julian Edelman.” Really? No. I mean, let’s let’s let’s go think about how tough Julian Edelman really was before we sit there and say that this guy’s Julian Edelman. I mean, it’s just it’s not it’s pro he’s a good player who’s got some issues staying on the field. I compared him this off seasonason when I was about to draft him, my fantasy team to Odell Beckham Jr. and that was a lofty comparison. I think he showed flashes of it. But also Odell Beckham Jr. was hurt all the time and I think we’re seeing that with Ricky Pierce all as well and I think the Niners misunder uh underestimated how long this injury would be because if he misses this game in New York that’s five weeks and he shouldn’t play in New York on that Metife stadium with a knee injury. Like you’re just asking for him to have something way worse. So that’s five weeks. They could have put him on IR. They could have kept Travis Gibson on the 53man roster. There things they could have done. And I wonder if the same again to bring it back to Pertie, Pertie’s in danger of missing five weeks, too. So, these are two injuries that the Niners may have misjudged. And we’re going to come later on in this uh show talk about their strength and conditioning coach Dustin Perry and their training staff, which really doesn’t seem to get much right these days. Yeah. I mean, it’s I don’t know what to say about their injury situation, but um it’s it’s the same every year. It’s the same every single year. And yeah, maybe the NerS, you know, I think the Niners listen to their players too much. You know, yeah, Brock doesn’t want to be like, “Yeah, I’m going to be out a month.” But you know what? The the doctors I talked to said turfto is a two to six week thing. They should have said to him, “Brock, it’s a two to six week thing. I know you don’t want to be out a month, but we need you to sit out a month to get right. So, we’re putting you on IR. And I know he doesn’t want to do it, and I’m sure Ricky Piero doesn’t want to do it. They all want to be like, I’m back next week. I’m back in a week, but you know, you’re how many you’re asking your team to go go compete a man short. And I don’t think that’s the right move. True. Generic name says if the Niners lose Salah at the end of the year, they need to hire a 34 coach and make the switch. It’s objectively superior and improves every player on the defense except Bosa who is a deficit with his contract anyway. Three, four. I mean, you can do elements of Yeah, you can do elements of whatever you want. I mean, most of these defenses are hybrids at this point, but yeah, I hear what he’s saying. Uh, but they love Chris. They love their wide nine. They love um the simplicity of it. And um you know, so long as they have Chris, they’re going to be going with a fourman front. So long as they have Kyle Shanahan, they’re being going with a four-man front as far as I’m concerned. I mean, I think they run it because Kyle wants it. Uh Dazz0187 says, “If we’re going to criticize the Mel pick eight games into the season, then what about the Pierce all pick? We could have a good center uh instead.” I think we just did that. Yeah, their picks haven’t been great. Let me Let’s talk about something else other than picks. Jawan Jennings having an awful year. His heart doesn’t seem in it. I mean, he requested a trade, didn’t get it. He’s playing hurt. Have the ners mishandled the Jawan Jennings situation? He requested a trade. They could have extended him. I think they probably did the right thing not extending him, but keeping him here and trying to get him keep him happy while he’s clearly not. What do you think? It’s dangerous, man. anytime you go into any kind of incentives on backup non-star receivers, it’s dangerous because, you know, I mean, right now, he he sat he seems like a guy who’s really frustrated and mad. He had a face mask on that on the M. Jones scramble. Um, he’s he seems like he’s hurting his team as much as he’s helping his team. I mean, nobody’s got more respect for JJ and his toughness, but you know, I get the sense that it used to be all about he used to show up and he was all about the W. Now I get the feeling that he’s all about himself getting paid and he seems to not be in great lock step with M. Jones. He doesn’t seem like doesn’t seem like the party to JJ rhythm transferred to M. Jones. Mac Jones rhythm with Bourne. No question. I feel like the Niners created this situation. I’m not to take all the blame off of Jawan Jennings because he needs to be more professional and and give better effort, but I think this happened with Debo last year as well. And the Niners do this thing where they convince themselves they can keep a player one year longer than he wants to be there and that the guy signed a contract and that they have the leverage and what’s he going to do about it? And there’s truth to that, but like we’ve seen what wide receivers can do or what players can do when they don’t have their heart and they don’t want to be here. Debo was a net negative on the team last year despite the fact that he’s a objectively net positive player. He is for Washington. He always was for the Niners. Jawan Jennings was a net positive player even when he wasn’t getting the ball because of his blocking. Now, I mean, he might be the worst player on the team. He he you could argue that he’s cost them multiple games. So, I think in the future what the Niners do is if a guy requests a trade, trade him to Siberia. That’s what he wants. Give it to him. Don’t let him stay around here and ruin your locker room. Yeah. I mean, you know, I don’t think JJ is ruining the locker room necessarily, but um there’s no question that he’s not playing at his best ball right now. I mean, he doesn’t look he doesn’t look right to me. I mean, there’s only one player on the team has screamed at Kyle Shanahan during a game this season. It was him. Yeah. I mean, he and it’s it’s like, you know, he’s not Jerry Rice. I mean, this is he he can’t say, “Uh, jump on my shoulders. I’m going to carry you.” And I don’t think they’re going to sign him after this year. So, um, you know, I don’t know. He thinks he’s Brandon. I think he feels that, hey, look, you know, I stepped up in the Super Bowl. I didn’t. I had a better year than I last year. You gave IU $30 million. I should des I should get 25 million. Sorry, but I think that’s what he thinks. Well, you know, he’s been a he’s a warrior. He’s a he’s a he’s a he’s a tough player, but since they’re not going to sign him, if anybody wanted him, I would listen to it. I’d listen to it. I don’t think long term. Michael Allen says, “Would trading for players like Bree Hall and Xavier Hutchinson make Brock better guys he’s had previous rapport with?” How about an offensive I think an offensive line would make Brock better. Yeah. I mean, um, any good player, any good weapon will make a quarterback better, but I think that’s overplayed. I really do. I don’t think I don’t think you have to have guys from from, uh, Iowa State there for for Brock. I think he he’s proven that he can establish a rapport with any number of guys. But, yeah, I agree with Grant on this one. Um, get them, you know, build you you’ve got a quarterback. You now have two quarterbacks that can that can process at the line of scrimmage. Build the fortress. Build the line around these guys. Generic name says the simplicity got them ran over by a bad offense. Yeah. Yeah. Cory Coleman says awful. So bad. Cory Coleman says it’s solid the top head coach candidate going into next year. Not after last week. No. That was rough. Bill Kennedy says would would have pretty pulled uh JJ if no extension. I don’t think so. maybe would have done it his way. No, I don’t think he was going to, but you know, the Niners acted like they had no choice there, like they had to extend Perty, but I don’t think they had to, but I think they wanted to. I agree. Dazz says, “Is Kosri o overrated? What Dline draft pick has he truly developed?” It’s a good question. Yeah, it’s a good question. Um, I don’t think he’s overrated. I think he’s a pretty good coach, to be honest. I I um that’s a good question though. I think he’s a good coach, but I feel like the Niners treat him like he’s like a magician. Like they just take these guys with traits and no pass rush production or skills and say Casser will figure it out. He didn’t with Solomon Thomas or Javon Kinlaw or Drake Jackson or Robert Beal, but maybe he will this time. Yeah, you got to have talent, man. I mean, it’s this is pro football, you know. Chris, if he could really turn anyone into a pass rusher, he’d be getting paid $50 million a year. Chris Casser, it’s you can’t do it. Joseph Nberg says New York is about to commit football murder Sunday. How? Okay, I got the beat by the Giants. They There’s some real issues. Christian McAffrey is having an admirable season. He’s on pace for like 2,000 yards from scrimmage. He um I mean he keeps getting up. He’s running really hard, but as a running back, the efficiency has just fallen off a cliff. It’s not all his fault, but some of it is. And what’s interesting is despite his struggles running the ball, he’s not struggling receiving at all, he is still the best or one of the best receivers out of the backfield in the league. Should the Niners just move him to slot receiver full-time? Should Christian move himself to slot receiver full-time to extend his career, maybe make a little bit more money as a wide receiver? Well, I wouldn’t do anything fulltime as you say, but like yes, I would definitely use him more as a receiver. He takes less abuse as a receiver. I mean, he if if he is what they claim he is, this essential got to have it piece that, you know, the sun rises and sets because of his presence, if he’s that vitally important, then yeah, then stop running him into a wall behind one of the league’s worst run blocking lines and flex him out three to five extra times and hand the ball to Robinson. I mean, if you’d said to me that Brian Robinson was going to get like 2% of the of the carries, I would have said, “No way. No. Why Why trade? Why make it why bother trading for Brian Robinson if you’re going to use him as little as the 49ers use uh Robinson thus far, especially as a runner? It’s like use this guy. He was a starting running back, but they don’t want to. You got to use Robinson. You got to use Garando. You got to use Jordan James. I mean, the Ner’s almost every year either draft a running back with a mid-round pick or trade a mid pick for a running back and it never works out. I mean, Trey Surman, Titus Price, Joe Williams, the only running back Kyle Shanahan’s ever drafted who’s been any good is Elijah Mitchell and he was good for about a year. So, um, they got to see what they got from Isaac Garo and Jordan James. You traded Debo Samuel for Jordan James. You got to see what you got in Brian Robinson. He was the only guy who had an explosive play for the offense and it was on special teams in Houston. He’s earned it. He must be so upset that he’s on this team. So, I would say move Christian to receiver. That’s the best way to use him anyway. Don’t help the offense. Well, I mean, what’s the plan with Gendo? I mean, he cannot run. I’ve I stated it over a year ago. This guy’s not a running back. And I got all this push back. I asked Kai, “What is he?” He’s like, he’s a running back, but he doesn’t show any running back tendencies, but last year they threw him 16 passes and he caught 15. Now that is a really good number. He’s a big fast receiver. That’s what he is. And yet they never use him in any way at all except in ways that he’s not good. They ask him to be a running back. They ask him to be a return man. He’s that’s not what he is. He is a receiver. He’s a receiver and a receiver only. And if you don’t want to use him that way, then move him. But I mean, to have to have this guy active wasting a roster spot every week and you don’t use him except for you might throw him in once on kick return and then he runs up the back of his blockers and fumbles. It’s like I they first of all, it was a bad pick. Never draft guys who don’t do anything in college who are just athletes. That’s what they did. they drafted an athlete and they’re shocked that he’s not a football player. Um when it’s clear he’s not a football player at this point. So it’s like I’m wait they ought to trade him because there’s no role for him here. They don’t believe in him. Um they ought to trade him for a football player that they can use. Good luck. Maybe they can trade for Cam Lu uh or Jake Noody. Debate 25 says Grant. You’re hundred about Shanny and the wide nine BS. If sol leaves, he’ll want to hire another yes man to run that vanilla defense. I I think it’s his preference and I think he likes the wide n because it gives him problems. As we know, he’s one and nine against Jim Schwarz, who’s the wide n godfather. Okay, so I think this is interesting. Every year the ners have these injuries every year. They’re the most injured team in the league. And someone eventually will say, “Well, what about that strength and conditioning coach? What about that training staff?” And it’s hard to say that the Niners should fire a trainer. Like it’s his fault. Like we even know. We’re not there. And it’s So I I don’t want to like casually call for someone’s job. I just want people to know who this guy is. You’d think that a team like the Niners that’s consistently the most injured team in the league would be going through their trainers. Not because it’s a trainer’s fault, but you got to you got to fire someone. You got to try something new. So the trainer is like the obvious guy. But Dustin Perry has actually been on the 49er staff since 2017. He wasn’t initially the head strength and conditioning uh coach, but now he is. And if you don’t know this, it’s probably worth pointing out. Dustin Perry’s Let me get this right. Dustin Perry’s uh first cousin is Matt Laflur’s wife. So, there’s a little bit of nepotism there. As Mr. nepotism here. Maybe it’s harder to fire someone who is related to the wife of one of your best friends. I’m just saying maybe the 49ers should go out and get a new trainer who has no familial ties to anyone in the organization. It’s a thought. It it it may not fix it, but it couldn’t hurt. You know, we’ve been talking about this a lot through the years. Okay. I think there’s really only one personnel. There’s really three things I think you can do, but there’s only one personnel thing you can do, which is just make sure that you draft players that played all the time in college. Like guys who are out hurt, I think, are more likely to be out hurt. So draft, don’t draft guys who didn’t play. Don’t draft guys who played a game. Draft guys who played all the time and and and seemingly love to play. Uh, that was one of my complaints about Mikuel Williams is they drafted a guy who only played like a third of the snaps. Um, so draft somebody who likes to play and does play and draft somebody who didn’t have injuries in his college career. That’s one. Two, you could change out your strength and conditioning coach. Three, you could look at your practicing practices. Mhm. Um the 49ers believe in an old school line of thinking which is that you have to build up calluses to play football and they believe in that. Shawn McVey in their same division doesn’t believe in that. He believes the opposite of that which is you should never put any of your players on the field in anything but meaning in in games that mean something. And so uh McVey is willing to trade like Rust in week one for getting all the players out there. Shanahan wants to build those calluses. I I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know what the answer is. I mean, on one hand, I do think that you have to build some calluses to play football, but then I also think you’re a damn fool if you risk putting your players in harm’s way. I mean, Shanahan was asked, “Is this week by Matt Barrows, is the Metife treacherous turf going to impact, you know, your decision of whether or not to bring back Brock Py?” Absolutely not. Absolutely not. So, it’s like, well, why? That’s the worst turf in the league. And isn’t he your franchise quarterback? But it’s like this kind I don’t want to say it’s macho. It’s kind of like a you know, we’re doing what we’re doing. Injuries be damned. It’s just part of it. And we’re not going to be the part of some wussification of the NFL where we don’t do this or that. We’re old school. And Shanahan’s a second generation guy. I’m sure he does exactly what what his pops did. But um I I I I think as time goes on, Grant, I would rather them not play um you know, and start off the se. It’s a long year. Start the year rusty if you got to got to, but make sure your money is on the field for for when it matters. I mean, go back to Walsh. I can’t remember ever the Niners getting into a deep playoff run in the 80s where they ever didn’t have Joe or Roger or Jerry or Taylor or they had them all. How did they have them all every year? Um it feels like a different life ago. It’s they always say it’s a copycat league and any team if they have an issue that persists for years, the solution is obvious. If you can’t stop the run, you get a new defensive coordinator who has a track record of defending the run or a new Dline coach. Uh same thing here. If if you have a track record of having a ton of injuries every year, you get a new trainer from a team that hasn’t had that issue and hope that they know something that you don’t that there’s something in their culture that they can bring to you. So simple as that. I mean, if this is an issue every year, sorry, Dustin, it may or may not be your fault, but you got to go. And we’re going to bring in a trainer from the Rams or some team that really hasn’t had a lot of issues with injuries the last few years, and we’re going to hope that that is the variable that needs to change. And if not, we’ll figure it we’ll figure it out. But that’s what you do in football. It’s a copycat league. Just go get someone from an organization that doesn’t have this problem. That’s what I would do. Or maybe look internally at changing some of your your practices as far as practice. I mean, the Niners are kind of puff out their chest when they talk about how physical their practices are. Well, maybe it’s too physical. Maybe maybe maybe you’re pounding on your guys a little bit too much. I mean, I’m not saying that I have the answers. I’m just asking the questions because how many freaking years in a row can you lose 25% of your roster to injury or a higher percentage than the rest of the league and not do something about it? Eventually, you got to adjust, right? Joseph Nberg says, “If slash when we lose to the Giants, is it fire sale time?” CMC Trent Williams. Yeah, sure. I’m not saying they won’t lose to the Giants. I don’t see the Niners trading Trent Williams, who who’s basically has given up 24 pressures in eight games, and I think 23 pressures was the most he’s ever given up in a season. So, to say that Trent has regressed, I think also is is a fact. But yeah, the Niners aren’t tra they’re not going to abandon ship and start trading guys away. They’re just not. And I don’t I don’t necessarily think they should, but I definitely don’t think they will. And today proves that. Marks the boss three says another jacket. Yellow jacket. I don’t know what you mean. Come on. Friday says pistol. Two running back, two tight end, one wide receiver set. Best weapons on the field. Tis he’s got talent. when they took away Kis and Borne’s targets and gave to Jawan Jennings that was catastrophic. Yeah. By the way, when has it ever worked out when the NerS have dict like when I asked Shanahan, why didn’t Debo get the ball ball more in the first Super Bowl against Kansas City? He’s like, it’s not how it works. So, that’s not how it works when you can’t get the ball to a guy who was MVP at halftime, but then you can get the ball to JJ. It’s like there’s no doubt they were force-feeding JJ to try to get to try to make him happy. Um, and yet Bourne is was was producing for them. So, I I I kind of feel like there’s some some weird vibes going on around their wide receivers right now. The big 25 says, “Whoever is evaluating the draft talent needs to be on the hot seat. Wanted Peters to get full GM position and move Lynch to another position.” That’s an interesting point. Let’s go right there. Is John Lynch on the hot seat? I mean, this draft may end up being great from 2025, but so far, no one’s really stepped forward as being a really, really good player. Last year’s draft, I mean, every game that Ricky Pierce all sits out makes you wonder. Dominic Puny stock is down. Other than Brock Pury, last five years, it’s hard to point to a truly great draft pick. What do you think? Is John Lynch on this? I didn’t even mention his extensions and the guys he signed and for agency it didn’t work out. Well, there’s no way he’s on the hot seat as far as being fired. Like, oh, get get lost, John Lynch. I I don’t think so. I think he Kyle, you know, he’s he’s Kyle likes him too much. Um I think there’s too many people that feel that Jon’s a great face of the franchise, so he’s not going anywhere as far as he’s not going to be fired. But there’s no doubt that after last year that Jed did something, you know, he he he dictated some terms. I mean, I don’t don’t think for a second that they just decided to do all this stuff on their own. I think Jed probably said, “Hey, we’re we’re tightening the budget strings.” So, you know, they John and Kyle get painted as they are the masters of their own universe, but they’re not. They’re employees who work for Jed. Um, and they’ll they’ll they’ll be here as long as Jed wants them here. If the 49ers make the playoffs, I think everything stays status quo. Um, but if the 49ers miss the playoffs, Shanahan returns, Lynch returns as president, and there’s a new general manager with control. That would be my thought. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, if the Niners miss the playoffs, they’ll have their excuses and they’ll point to injuries, but I think the Yorks could point to what about these draft picks? If we’re going to spend all this money on seven players, the implication is that the rest of the roster needs to be bunch of guys on rookie contracts, which means we have to be really good at drafting. And the Niners never really had to be great at drafting under Lynch and Shanahan because they weren’t spending big on their quarterback. Now they are, and so now they have to. And so far last couple of years it hasn’t looked great. I if again if they miss the playoffs it’d be easy to say we like Kyle. Kyle does a lot of things well. We want him to focus on those things. We don’t want him to be the de facto GM. And I think he has to be the deacto GM with Lynch as the real GM because I think what Lynch essentially brings to the table as he empowers his coaches. Salah, who do you want? Kyle, who do you want? And I I’m sure they like having input, but at a certain point, if these picks keep, you know, being busts, Kyle could say, “Hey, don’t hold me responsible. I’m not the GM. He’s the one asking me. I don’t watch tape. Why don’t we get someone in here actually has some expertise?” I mean, look at the job Good Gakunt just done in in Green Bay. I mean, he was not a well-known name. He wasn’t like a big celebrity guy, but he was a scout. He was the head of college scouting. That’s generally the proving ground for the general manager’s job is that you were a really good director of college scouting. So, I don’t know. We’ll see. I mean, it’s um I think John is is definitely a good face of the franchise, but um it might be time to have a a a you know, a general manager, and it might be time to, as you said, let Kyle do what Kyle does best. He’s great as play as a play caller. He’s great as a play sequencer. I mean, all you got to look at is look at the players in this tenure that Kyle Shanahan has traded up for or that John Lynch has traded up for. CJ Beth didn’t work out. Jaylen Herd didn’t work out. Dante Pettis didn’t work out. Trey Lance didn’t work out. They’re all offensive base players that impulsive Shanahan probably decided he wanted. Lynch found a way as as Shanahan’s handpicked GM to acquies and and and across the board they’ve been bad decisions and you know he often gets compared to Shawn McVey and in a lot of ways Kyle San’s probably a better coach than Shawn McVey Kyle San’s beaten Shawn McVey so many times and when you watch their offenses maybe Kyle’s a little bit more dazzling but a big difference between them is that the Rams don’t give Shawn McVey all the power in the world they have less need less need hired Shawn McVey when he was like 29 years old. Less is a very powerful general manager who’s been doing it a long time and has expertise. That’s not John Lynch. So maybe if the Niners want to be more like the Rams, maybe they need to get their less need. You know, I mean, there’s a time to listen to your players and a time to listen to your coaches and um and there’s a time to filter them. And you know, Patrick Mahomes supposedly really badly wanted Xavier Worthy. Okay, great. Um, you know, I mean, I What are the odds that your franchise quarterback is also awesome at personnel? What are your odds that your that you’re really good offensive play caller is also really a genius at personnel? These are different skill sets. So, it’s rare that somebody has He turned their whole franchise over to Tom Brady and the first thing he did was make Chip Kelly the highest paid offensive coordinator in the league. Way to go, Tom. Right. Just because you’re Tom Brady doesn’t mean that you know [ __ ] about how to build a football team. you you can just because you can find the slot receiver in in some you know sea of hands doesn’t mean that you can look at three outside linebackers that are all 66 270 and say that guy is a star that guy’s a benchwarmer and that guy’s a mailman. I mean, you you have to be able to do that and the best scouts can do that and it’s a it’s a very difficult thing to do and some people feel like you have to be almost somewhat blessed to have that kind of a skill set. It’s rally rare that you would have this awesome Hall of Fame career and then hey, you’re awesome, but look at you. You’re just awesome at everything. But, you know, I mean, it’s how many people are awesome at everything? There aren’t too many people like that. I mean, not me. Not Kyle Shanahan. Kyle Shanahan is awesome at a few things and the Niners ask him to be awesome at everything and no one can be. And then with John Lynch, he’s good at speaking. He’s good at representing the Niners and being a face and a voice of the franchise. But again, this is this guy, he played and he was a announcer. He did not come up through the ranks and um maybe it’s time. I’m not saying bring back Balky, okay? But there’s other guys out there with some real pedigree. Eric Mock two bucks. Thank you. Vinw says Bob Myers dot dot dot proven winner. He’s been dabbling in football. Please no. No. How about How about I got one. How about Parog? Yeah, why not? Eric Mox says, “I’ve converted my wife Dawn from Cowboys to Niners. I’m the real MVP.” There you go. That’s my mom’s name. You’re a hero. All right, it’s prize picks time. Let’s get right into it. Of course, it’s Tuesday, so prize picks has no freaking clue who’s going to be playing quarterback for the 49ers, but we’ll do the best we can. Jackson Dart definitely starting for the Giants. 28 and a half passing yards. Assuming the Niners are going to play that rinky dink soft zone coverage again and just dare him to dink and dunk his way down the field. What do you think? I mean, this last week I’ve I mean, I have been I was so disappointed with Salah and that game plan this week. I mean, you’re going to you’re going to blitz the quarterback a third of the time, more than you’ve blitzed all year, and then you’re going to play some freaking soft zone behind it. And so what? You’re going to speed the quarterback up to make him throw it to wide open receivers underneath. I mean, what is the game plan? Try to get the quarterback into rhythm because it worked fa fabulously. The guy completed 47% of his passes last week and 88% against you in the first half this week. So, um, you know, I mean, come on. I mean, yes, the game plan was CJ Stout isn’t that good? Yes, he is. Apparently, he’s good enough to beat that. Is Jackson Dart good enough to beat that? 208 and a half. Yeah. Oh, more more. I tend to agree. Rush yards. Christian McCaffrey 68 and a half. More. He’s, you know, they they was another one last week. It’s like they he he had nothing. They absolutely took him away. I think I think he’ll come back this week with a with a vengeance. Okay. uh receiving yards. George KD 51 and a half. I still don’t think he’s healthy, but he got 43 last week. He’s getting closer. They’re not throwing it to him enough. I mean, does anybody rem somebody needs to remind Kubak that this guy’s an allp pro tight end. I mean, it’s unbelievable. Now, is it possible that the torn hamstring, he’s back, but he doesn’t have the same movement ability? That’s possible, too. I say less. I think they run the ball in this game. That being said, McAffrey 49 and a half receiving yards. What do you think? [Music] Um, I like I like more I I I think, you know, you have to throw him the ball in this game. I mean, how do you not get a couple bonus picks? Let’s go Warriors tonight. Warriors Clippers. Is that tonight? No, it can’t be tonight, is it? It is tonight. They’re going back to back. Back to back. Back to back. Kaminga 16 and a half. I like Kuminga right now. Kuminga is playing loose. Kuminga’s Grant is playing in that dunker spot on the baseline. And what they’re doing is now it’s like there was a bad vibe last year between Kuminga and Steph and Draymond. This year they’re putting Draymond at the top at the free throw line and then they’re hitting Draymond and he’s looking for um Kuminga on the lob and Draymond’s willing to throw that to him three four times a game. I mean he his point totals are going up if he can get 10 points a game from lob dunks from Draymond along the baseline. So I love Kuminga right now. I like that too. That’s a good call. Um, what about what about what about Steph? 24 and a half for Steph. Whoa. Whoa. Sorry. That seems a little high actually. 24 and a half for Steph. They seem like they’re having they’re getting, you know, Moody’s there. They got a bunch. They’re spreading it around a little bit. Um, I’ll say Steph under. Okay. I like that. I like that. They seem to be using his gravity to get other people open. Right. They’re going to flex it, submit it. Uh, download the app yourself. Use promo code CON. That’s my last name, Con. Play five bucks, get 50 instantly in lineups when you use promo code CON. All right, we got a couple more super chats. Uh, Kid Trickster says, “Not a fan of Keon. Check out JC Horn’s brother, UDFA, Gabe Horn.” That’s probably Gabe Horn right there. All right, Gabe, we’ll check you out. Kid Trickster. Dude, you’re killing me with the Gabe porn. Killing me. No, I fell for it. Yes, he fell for the gabe horn. He gets me gets me three give tricks to gets me three times a week. That’s on me. That’s on me. I should have known better. I’m 37 years old. I’ve never heard that one before. It’s a good one. You’re more of a nuts guy, but that’s a good one. You got me. All right. Well, on that note, thanks for watching. Keon White, get to know him. Gabe porn. Don’t Don’t worry about that guy. Don’t worry about All right, everyone. Take care.

Grant Cohn and Larry Krueger give their instant reactions to the San Francisco 49ers trading for Keion White, plus much more.

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