Seven 49ers sessions between last week and this Wednesday, three of which were held in pads, have demonstrated a number of things, beginning with:
Trent Williams (holding out) and Brandon Aiyuk (holding in) are not necessary for the 49ers to line up, but the team just does not function the same without them. not in separate exercises. Not during one-on-one meetings. And certainly not with the quickness and assurance that have characterized this squad of players worthy of the Super Bowl.
In the event that 49ers management believed Williams and Aiyuk’s absences would go unnoticed and might provide the club an advantage in the discussions, then Well, no—quite the reverse is happening. For the time being, Williams and Aiyuk are winning the negotiation tug-of-war and the public’s attention. They are essential to the 49ers.
This raises doubts about the 49ers’ strategy of bringing these discussions to the newest possible extreme, but it is a topic for an other article. The takeaway is that although the 49ers are practicing with a ton of quality players, those who are not practicing are getting more attention. It is also a very unusual position to be for a franchise that is desperately trying to win its first Super Bowl in this era.
Are Jed York and Paraag Marathe holding down hard lines today in an attempt to save salary room for the future? That makes sense, given the enormous contract Purdy has already signed and the enormous agreement that is set to expire the following year. However, I do not think Williams is destined to lose a game of multimillion-dollar chicken, much as Nick Bosa did last season. Williams is subject to a $50,000 fine for each practice missed, and I assume he is willing to allow the 49ers to increase that total as high as they see fit. Every new action Aiyuk takes on social media seems to suggest that he is not changing much either.
The 49ers will have to give in if they hope to see these players in camp very soon. They dislike being bent. However, more tries at a Super Bowl are not inexpensive. Furthermore, the 49ers can definitely afford to give the money this season. Large new contracts for Williams (by returning to the top of the left tackle market) and Aiyuk (by making him nearly a $30 million player annually) would likely create difficult financial decisions starting in the upcoming offseason and reduce York’s earnings. But now the 49ers are poised for victory. Later on, they can handle the complex economics.
It is not Jaylon Moore’s fault; he is a reliable backup lineman who has filled in admirably for Williams during preseason camp. However, he is not Williams, as the 49ers’ defensive line has repeatedly demonstrated throughout the first seven practices.
Furthermore, neither Jauan Jennings nor any of the backup receivers are to blame. The 49ers have a wealth of receivers at this position, but over the last two seasons, Aiyuk has developed a stronger bond with Brock Purdy than any other receiver. Therefore, when Purdy has dropped back to pass, there has been a noticeable deficiency of open targets.
As the club enters the middle of summer camp, Thursday’s off day was perfectly timed for 49ers management to clear the air and maybe make significant headway on trades for Williams and Aiyuk. On August 10, the 49ers will play their first preseason game, requiring a lengthy trip to and from Tennessee. Then, on August 15 and 16, Kyle Shanahan and company will get ready for the most important two days of their summer: joint practices with the Saints in Irvine, California.
For those Saints sessions, I am sure Shanahan and John Lynch would kill to have Williams and Aiyuk on the field and moving at full pace. If they are not, the 49ers offense might be destroyed. And it would give Williams and Aiyuk even more clout, or it may be a warning to the 49ers about what might happen if they are without those two during the regular season.
Additional findings and ideas from the first seven practices are as follows:
• Nick Sorensen, the new defensive coordinator, has had a smooth camp debut. He participates heavily in sessions and appears to have a keen understanding of every aspect of the 49ers defense, which is exploding. (Yes, having Bosa back helps after his holdout from last year caused him to miss all of camp and the preseason.)
There is absolutely no chance that Brandon Staley will use the coaches’ box to exert control over the game. It is Sorensen making the decisions. If there is any power sharing, it comes from a very sensible source: linebacker Fred Warner, who occasionally during the previous season did not really try to hide his doubts about the tactics and coaching style of former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. What is the defensive identity of the 49ers? It is Warner’s passion and intelligence.
“He’s really, really smart,” Sorensen said of Warner. “He knows every part of this defense. He understands. So I do like to talk through what I’m thinking on certain things and why we’re doing something today and tomorrow. To keep developing the relationship and talking through that with him has been good.”
• Deebo Since becoming a 49er, Samuel has appeared to be in better health and happier than ever. That is noteworthy since Shanahan and Lynch have been receptive to accepting trade calls for Samuel for months. Samuel has further stated that the 49ers set up his current contract so that they could very simply get out of it after this season, so he is not concerned about that. Deebo might be skulking around this camp now that Aiyuk is not here. There is no way that he is moping.
For Deebo, this is essentially another contract year. Although I am not sure whether he can match his 1,770 total yards from scrimmage and 14 total touchdowns from 2021—his final true contract season—it appears like Samuel is eager to give it a go.
• Ricky Pearsall is able to relax. Due to a hamstring ailment, he has not received many team reps with Purdy. He is not at all prepared to take on a leading role. This season, he will not be Aiyuk’s replacement. Not in a manner.
However, the first-round selection plays his routes as though he knows he will always get the ball. Additionally, Purdy will begin to anticipate that if Pearsall continues to cut into the open space as skillfully as he did on Wednesday when he got a nice touchdown ball from Purdy during a Red Zone drill.
• With these peculiar new regulations, who will be the 49ers’ primary kickoff returner? As of right now, my prediction is Elijah Mitchell, who may be a serious threat on kickoffs and is still Christian McCaffrey’s backup. These plays might center on making quick, decisive cuts and being able to break through one or two tackles and get into space; these attributes seem to fit Mitchell’s skill set nearly exactly.
(Photo of Brandon Aiyuk: Perry Knotts / Getty Images)
