NFL Trade Rumors
49ers WR Ricky Pearsall was asked if he was concerned about the fact that his knee issue is still lingering.
“Umm … I wouldn’t say, like, I’m super concerned,” he said, via The Athletic. “I don’t really know what’s going on with it, to be honest. I’ve gotta get some imaging done to it to see what exactly it is. But it’s probably the same (stuff) I was dealing with before. And that sucks, but at least I know how to manage it now and go about it. So that’s all I can focus on right now — getting it ready for next week.”
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said they’ve had no problem with putting WR Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/left team list, as they haven’t seen him in over a month.
“We haven’t seen him in forever,” he said. “I haven’t seen him in a month, and the same with our team. So (putting him on the reserve/left team list) hasn’t been an issue with our team at all. We’ve kind of been plugging away, and it’s no big deal. It’s just something we’ve been used to for a while.”
Shanahan stopped short of saying that Aiyuk would no longer be on the roster next season.
“I wouldn’t say that’s for sure been decided,” he said. “I literally haven’t had to think about B.A. or had a reason to think about him in a long time.”
49ers TE George Kittle gave a non-answer when asked about Aiyuk’s status and how the team feels about his absence.
“I’m gonna punt on that question,” Kittle said when asked about Aiyuk’s situation. “It is what it is. Nothing I can do about it, so I’m just going to play ball with the guys that are here.”
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey called Pearsall a “special player,” who figures to be Aiyuk’s natural successor at receiver.
“I think it’s his ability to beat man coverage and his hands, especially,” he said. “He’s a hell of a ball catcher and an elite route runner. And I think when you have someone as dynamic as that, the ball is gonna find him.”
Rams RB Kyren Williams said having QB Matthew Stafford, who’s performing amongst the best of the league, gives confidence to the team that they can compete in every game.
“That’s what it feels like, honestly,” Williams said, via Albert Breer. “Matthew can make any throw out there on the field. And I got so much confidence in it, it’s so crazy. I know that if I can protect my own, if I can do my 1/11 of the job, Matthew’s gonna get that ball out on time, to Puka, to Davante [Adams], to Colby [Parkinson], to T-Ferg [Terrance Ferguson]. No matter who it is, the ball is gonna be completed. Being able to have a guy like that back there, man, it gives you so much confidence.”
Williams added that the team has the same tenacity and mental makeup as...
