Niners Nation
49ers QB Brock Purdy doing more at practice this week as recovery continues
“Brock is getting better. I know that,” 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said on Thursday, before the team was set to practice. “He’s doing more this week. He’s taking a few more reps. We’ll let the week play out and see how it goes.”
Keion White opens up about joining 49ers, expectations
“”I compare football to corporate America,” White said. “Like, you just got a new job, and I’m going to another office where I’m learning the system…..No knock to the guys over there (in New England),” White said. “They had a system and everything like that, where I was outside. I could have been better on the outside, rushing and everything like that, and just roll with what I could have done better.”
49ers mailbag: How Keion White and Clelin Ferrell fit into the D-line mix (paywall)
“I think it’s safe to say it’s unlikely he’ll be a prolific edge rusher. He’s not particularly quick or fluid enough to dip his shoulder and zip around the edge. When he wins, he wins with power.
That can be effective. He reminds me of Washington Commanders lineman Preston Smith, who’s had at least eight sacks in six seasons and who’s in the 13th season of his career. If the 49ers get that sort of production and longevity from Williams, his selection would be a roaring success.
Of course, Smith had eight sacks his rookie season. It’s hard to see Williams (one sack so far) reaching that number this season.
Here’s Shanahan when asked about Williams on Wednesday: “I think Mykel’s just playing a lot of football. He’s doing stuff outside. He is doing stuff inside. I would love for us to be able to take some plays off of him. We tried hard (to do that on Sunday). With all those guys going down, I think he still ended up getting (56 snaps). But, just going through this league and all the experience he is doing and fighting through some injuries and fighting through a lot of playing time, I think he’s growing a lot.”
Albert Breer’s Mailbag: How the 49ers Should Approach the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline
White is a rotational piece and reclamation project for D-line maestro Kris Kocurek, and gives San Francisco some badly needed depth.
I don’t think White is the end of it. I could certainly see the Niners adding another piece to the defensive line or the secondary. But there’s also a larger question here: Should the Niners keep pushing chips into the middle of the table?
Because of their aging core, San Francisco’s brass privately viewed last year’s draft as its most important in years. Next year’s will be similarly crucial, and they’re already down picks from trades made for Bryce Huff and Brian Robinson Jr.
Yes, San Francisco is 5–3 and in the thick of things in the NFC. But Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are out for the...
