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00:00But we're excited right now to go out to the River Islands guest line and welcome in our buddy,
00:04former Raider, former NFLer, broadcaster now, Kirk Morrison on Willard & Dibs, 95.7 The Game.
00:10Hey Kirk, what's going on, man?
00:12I'm doing great. How are we doing today, fellas?
00:14We're doing fantastic. We're wondering how Vegas is and sort of what you think.
00:20I don't know, like everyone's always talking about the same thing here in August.
00:23Like, what do you think is the difference between the way these two teams will approach this week and this game,
00:31knowing that the Niners are probably a little bit more of an established veteran team?
00:36Like, what do you think we'll see Saturday, philosophically?
00:40You know, honestly, I don't think we see much.
00:42I think because of what we saw basically today here at the joint practices in Las Vegas,
00:49you've got guys who got some good work throughout the day on both sides.
00:54I mean, on both sides of the team.
00:57But more importantly, though, I think it was a situation where the 49ers came in banged up.
01:03I mean, that was the story.
01:04It was like as soon as they got off the bus, Kyle Shanahan was like,
01:06hey, look, look, look, we've got 25 guys banged up.
01:08So we want to just kind of get through this practice.
01:10But more importantly, see where they're at as a team, guys,
01:13that they may need to lean on a little more in terms of getting ready for week number one.
01:19And so just my assessment just off of the joint practice and what kind of came out of it
01:24was that the Raiders are still trying to solidify some position groups
01:28and the 49ers just trying to make it to week one healthy.
01:32Is that a dangerous place to be in if you're the Niners?
01:35Because you're more likely to be a little bit tentative, aren't you,
01:38if you're trying to just avoid injury?
01:41Well, not necessarily tentative,
01:43but you're trying to see guys that you are going to be able to lean on.
01:45So we already knew that this draft class of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch is one of the biggest classes
01:52they've had in their time together.
01:54So they were going to bring in a lot of guys.
01:56And now those guys are going to be called upon to play.
01:59So you have to see what you have.
02:01And you already mentioned it a little bit earlier, right?
02:03This is an experienced group of 49ers in terms of your front line guys.
02:08So how much do you truly want to see when you kind of know what they already can do?
02:12It's really about the guys who are new to the team that you need to see what they can do.
02:17I thought you got a chance to see that with the control practices today.
02:21But Saturday, I think, you know, guys who are trying to prove and show that I can take
02:26what I've learned in the classroom, on the practice field,
02:29I can bring it into game situations.
02:31And that's really your young players.
02:34Kirk Morrison is with us here on 95.7 The Game.
02:37Kirk, I think one of the questions we're trying to get to is,
02:39are expectations around the Niners correct?
02:43They are tied for the, like, I think the sixth or seventh highest Super Bowl odds team
02:49in the NFL right now.
02:51And they do have a bunch of great players.
02:53But as Kyle Shanahan's been talking about, tons of injuries
02:57and tons of brand new rookies who will need to contribute.
03:00So what's your take on that?
03:01I mean, this is what you pay your quarterback for.
03:05Regardless of what you have going on in terms of injuries
03:08or just the way that the team is being built and the rookies and all that,
03:13this is what you pay your quarterback for.
03:15This is where Brock Purdy has to earn his money, earn his keep.
03:18I mean, I know you guys have seen these.
03:21Everybody's done a tier, right?
03:22I'm surprised you both haven't done a tier of quarterbacks, right?
03:26Everybody's like, oh, here's your top tier, and here's tier two,
03:29and here's tier three, you know, I'm not saying that Brock Purdy is Lamar Jackson
03:34or Joe Burrow or Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes.
03:37What I'm saying is that you're going to have to ask Brock Purdy to be a little more
03:43of those guys at the top that I just mentioned all because of what you meant.
03:47So that's what I think the Super Bowl odds look at is that who's that quarterback?
03:51Has he led you there before?
03:53Yes.
03:53Almost came into a victory, right?
03:55You go into overtime.
03:56That's what I'm just thinking right now as I look at it.
03:59The odds come from more about the quarterback and a team that still has some
04:04superstar all-pro talent that can bring along.
04:07How quickly do they bring along the rookies and first-year guys?
04:11Forget the tiers part of it for a second, Kirk, but when you watch Brock Purdy,
04:15does he have the stuff to be the quarterback you're describing?
04:18Can he be good enough to carry this team if they have lesser talent?
04:22You can win a Super Bowl with Brock Purdy.
04:25You can't.
04:25We've seen him take a team to the Super Bowl, so we know that.
04:29My only question is that, obviously, the talent that he was throwing to and had around him
04:35is probably not where it was a couple years back.
04:39So, yeah, gone is Debo, and I don't know if 49er fans are going to miss him or not.
04:42We'll see.
04:43But, obviously, Brandon Ayoub is going to be banged up for the early part of the season.
04:47We'll see what's about Jawan Jennings.
04:49But, George Kittle and, obviously, Christian McCaffrey are going to have to be huge.
04:54Ricky Pearsall, hey, sorry, buddy, you're year two.
04:57You've got to handle it.
04:58So, Brock Purdy has to elevate the roster.
05:01That's what I think I'm kind of getting to is that when you pay a quarterback that kind of money,
05:05you have to elevate the rest of the roster now.
05:08It doesn't matter, right?
05:09We've seen Patrick Mahomes do it.
05:11We've seen, obviously, Josh Allen has done it last year when, you know,
05:14tradeaways to find Diggs and all that.
05:16So, with all this roster reconstruction, Brock Purdy has to show that you can win a Super Bowl on my back and on my arm.
05:24I can do that.
05:25I believe that he can.
05:26Now, it just depends on just how healthy this team is going to be.
05:29And can they get through a full season, unlike what we saw last year, where it went sideways pretty quickly at the end?
05:36Kirk, you're a linebacker.
05:37I want to ask you about that spot with the 49ers and what you would have done in a perfect world,
05:43whether it is, you know, Dre Greenlaw, who was coming off of an injury and they were chasing him in free agency,
05:50or what you feel about D. Winters, who is supposedly ready to step up and take that role alongside Fred Warner.
05:59You know, I was surprised it took D. Winters this long, though, right?
06:02When I saw him at the TCU, when he was still in college, I'm like, man, this dude is a playmaker.
06:08And then when he gets drafted by the 49ers, you knew he was going to be the guy in waiting.
06:13And then at some point, he would take over that linebacking corps.
06:16You know, Devondre Campbell last year comes in, and it was more because they didn't know about the status, obviously, of Dre Greenlaw.
06:22And we all know what happened with that.
06:24And then Greenlaw goes, you know, to Denver.
06:28And at the same time, I'm saying it's D. Winters' opportunity.
06:31I know he can play.
06:32And he's got one of the great mentors who is going to be on the opposite side of him in Fred Warner.
06:38You're not going to pay that amount of money to two linebackers.
06:43You don't see that in the league, in the NFL, my position.
06:46You tell me a team that's going to pay two linebackers that kind of money.
06:51And, look, this isn't Navarro Bowman and Patrick Willis, right?
06:55He'll get a twist.
06:57Like, this is a young, up-and-coming player who we'll see.
07:00He'll have an opportunity right now, but Fred Warner is still the guy, and he can bring D. along.
07:05And if he plays, you know, to the level that a lot of people would envision for him,
07:10it will give a little bit of relief to losing a guy like Dre Greenlaw, who was kind of a, let's call it the heart and soul of a defense, right,
07:19who brought the intensity.
07:20And so who's going to replace that outside of Fred Warner and Nick Bosa?
07:24Yeah, they're going to need that motivational leader.
07:26Maybe it comes from the coordinator who returns home, Robert Sala.
07:30How important is it to have an experienced coordinator, especially with a young defense?
07:36Well, it's just all about teaching.
07:38You've got to teach and get guys up to speed.
07:40It's very important, especially a guy who knows the fabric, who knows the culture for the 49ers.
07:47And it's all about the buy-in.
07:49If you buy in, this is what's going to happen.
07:51When you buy in, you're going to be put in some great situations, and you're going to make a ton of money.
07:57That's always, you know, from my ears, I get excited about that if I'm a young player.
08:01And Robert Sala has shown that.
08:03And I think that's the part that the young players are going to have to go in and just realize that, look, I am going to play.
08:11I'm not here just to wait around a year, two years.
08:14No, Robert Sala comes in with his expertise on that side of the ball, and I'm great to see him back where he kind of got started at with the Niners, you know, getting guys and putting them in situations to go out there and be successful.
08:29I mean, I don't know if Fred Warner's the same player without, you know, a coach like, you know, Robert Sala who comes in and finds a way for a guy who didn't play off-the-ball linebacker to go out and do it.
08:40So, a lot of things that go along with it, and I think you have to be excited about what Sala's going to bring to that defense.
08:48And more importantly, like you mentioned, the intensity for this team, right?
08:52D'Amico Ryan's brought it, and I think it's back with Robert Sala.
08:55Kirk Morrison is with us, former NFL linebacker, broadcaster now, with us on Willard & Dibbs 95.7 The Game.
09:03Kirk, I tell you what, you know, you mentioned earlier in this conversation these quarterback tears.
09:08You may have been referring to that article that came out in The Athletic earlier this week.
09:12So, the 49ers schedule this year, I believe that if I've got this right, 13 of the 17 games will go against quarterbacks in Tier 3 or lower.
09:27Are we right or wrong for saying that this is a crazy easy schedule?
09:32No, I would say consider what the 49ers schedule has looked like in the past, being a division winner or, you know, the division winner, but more important, like, you know, conference championships, Super Bowl.
09:46They've always played that first, second place type schedule.
09:49Now, it's a little bit different.
09:50They're playing a last place schedule.
09:51I don't want to repeat that, man.
09:53They're playing a last place schedule.
09:55So, you're going to play against some of the easier teams or teams from last year who weren't as good.
10:00And so, the 49ers kind of have a little bit of an edge.
10:03At the end of the year, nobody's going to say, oh, they didn't play anybody.
10:06Just tell me what your record is.
10:08And so, I think it's a little bit of relief for the 49ers this year than maybe in past years where they had to go through the gauntlet of some of these quarterbacks.
10:17This year, a little bit different.
10:18And if there's a year I want to break in a lot of young players and kind of retool my roster, definitely this would be the year for the Niners to do that with that schedule.
10:27What's the toughest part of the learning curve of a rookie having to play defense in the NFL?
10:35Angles, knowing your ability and the guy across from usability.
10:39That's what it is.
10:40I mean, a lot of times in college, you know, you're able to, you know, take a false step if you're a linebacker or, you know, miss with your hands on the D line.
10:49Right?
10:49Or in the secondary, you know, misread a route and your speed can always catch up.
10:55In the NFL, everybody's good.
10:57And so, that's the hardest thing is learning how to get caught up to the speed.
11:02But more importantly, shifts and formations.
11:05And, oh, man, trust me, the game didn't slow down for me until year three.
11:10So, like, I know I was out there just out there playing.
11:13But the quicker you get out there and play, you realize how teams want to attack you.
11:18You also get the understanding of your defense a little bit better or offense, whatever it may be.
11:24And then you just really just lean in on the guys who've been there before.
11:28Lean in on your Fred Warners and Nick Bosa's.
11:32Lean in on Trent Williams.
11:33Lean in on Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle.
11:35So, guys who have done it at a high level, I know when I was in my rookie year, I was lucky enough to have a Charles Woodson and a Warren Sapp and a Nambias.
11:45So, I had guys who were unbelievable football players.
11:49And I just soaked everything up like a sponge around those guys because I wanted to play right away early on.
11:55And I did that, but to maintain that level of play is really how you do it.
11:59It's about being around the right guys.
12:02Kirk, is Kyle Shanahan a good coach, a great coach, or an overrated coach?
12:09I mean, Kyle's a good coach.
12:11He is a really good coach.
12:14Now, do you put him in the greats?
12:16It's hard to do that without that Super Bowl win.
12:19Like, he's really, really good.
12:20And I was looking at this the other day because I was preparing for this week's game.
12:26And since Kyle Shanahan has taken over as a head coach of the 49ers, the Raiders are on their fifth head coach and fifth general manager, by the way.
12:35Just want to put that in perspective for people, right?
12:37So, everyone has their problems.
12:39Every organization has their problems.
12:40And, look, I hear for Niner fans.
12:42I still, you know, I'm always in contact with my buddies up in the Bay Area.
12:45And we're not going to win because Kyle Shanahan.
12:48And, yeah, it's great, we win, but we're never going to win the big one.
12:52And I always say, well, look over here at some of these other teams.
12:55Look around your own division.
12:57Outside of Sean McVay, it's, you know, coaches have come and gone.
13:01And your guy is still standing there.
13:02And why is that?
13:03Because they've been able to ride the wave of the NFL in terms of retooling a roster, going through different quarterbacks, getting younger when you need it,
13:12also maintaining the relationships with your older players.
13:16But it's all going to come down to play calling.
13:18It's going to come down to how your roster is tooled at the end of the year.
13:23And then you've got to win the big ones.
13:25That's what it comes down to, man.
13:26So, hopefully, it's Brock Purdy.
13:28That's the guy.
13:29Because I don't know if Jimmy G was the guy.
13:31I don't know.
13:31You know, Trey Lance, that experiment didn't go quite right.
13:38But I think you've got an opportunity to get this thing fixed.
13:41And I think he wins the Super Bowl at some point as a head coach of the 49ers.
13:45I don't know if it's this year, but I just love the way that they've built it, and it's built in the right way.
13:50And almost like this, and I don't want to be too long-winded, but it seems like they're kind of taking that Philadelphia Eagles model of the last couple years.
13:59It's like, look, we've got a quarterback.
14:01He wasn't a first-rounder.
14:03But he's our guy.
14:05He's taking us to a Super Bowl.
14:06So, we've just got to get younger in some spots.
14:09And they've gotten younger.
14:10And now, if that talent starts to play like we think they can, they've got a chance.
14:15So, who wins the NFC West this year, Kirk?
14:18I'm putting you on the spot.
14:20Oh, man.
14:20Watch out for those Arizona Cardinals.
14:22I'm just telling you.
14:23Don't laugh.
14:24Wait, wait.
14:24Whoa!
14:25Wait, wait.
14:26Are you joking?
14:27Hold on.
14:27This thing just...
14:28I mean, you took a left-hand turn now, Kirk.
14:30What did you just say to us?
14:33Yeah.
14:33Don't watch out for those Arizona Cardinals, man.
14:35I'm all in on Arizona this year.
14:37Why?
14:37No one's talking about them.
14:38Why?
14:39But, yeah, why?
14:41I love their offensive line.
14:42I love James Conner, who no one talks about as one of the better backs in all of the NFL.
14:46Marvin Harrison Jr. in year two.
14:48I think, look, I'm here and I love Brock Bowers.
14:51But, man, right next to Brock Bowers is Trey McBride at the tight end spot.
14:54I love the additions that they have on defense.
14:57Will Johnson from Michigan, who they drafted in the second round, which is first-round talent.
15:02Josh Sweat comes over from the Eagles.
15:04Now, he's on that D-line with the Cardinals.
15:07He's bringing the leadership of Calais Campbell.
15:09Look, if you ask me who wins the division, I think a lot of people will lean on Sean McVay and the Rams.
15:16But if my sleeper in that division right now is the Arizona Cardinals, who we know last year could have been in the playoffs had they not messed up a couple games at the end of the year.
15:26But don't be surprised if they're ahead of the Niners at the end of the year.
15:31Okay.
15:32Do you have the Niners at least in a playoff spot or no?
15:37No, I don't have them in the playoffs this year.
15:39I don't.
15:39I think that they miss just because of how good the whole NFL.
15:44This is how I look at it, fellas.
15:46There are seven teams that go to the playoffs in the NFC.
15:48And last year, the wild card teams were Washington, they were Minnesota, and then the last one was – who am I drawing the blank on?
16:00Minnesota Vikings, Washington, and the Packers.
16:05Of those three, who are we taking out?
16:08Minnesota.
16:10I am.
16:10You're taking out Minnesota.
16:11I'm taking out Minnesota.
16:12I don't think J.J. McCarthy is going to the playoffs in his first year.
16:16And you're inserting who?
16:19Well, first of all, I mean, I don't know that we can just automatically buy that all of those – I mean, maybe we're going to take out the Packers, too.
16:30I don't know.
16:31I mean, the Packers only lost to the Giants.
16:33They lost to the Eagles, and they lost to the Minnesota Vikings twice, and they lost to the Detroit Lions twice.
16:38Right.
16:38If you take those three teams out of that, like, the Eagles – I mean, the Packers had a really good season.
16:44I got a chance to look at that team over in Seattle last week.
16:47And, oh, man, they're not going to be making it easy on you.
16:52Now, can Sam Groner rekindle that magic?
16:53I don't know.
16:54And I'm not trying to hedge my bets, fellas.
16:56It is so much unknown.
16:58I don't want to give out the, like, the, you know, the hot take where, like, oh, I think this team is just like –
17:04there are so many unknowns, and yet I can see it going so many different ways.
17:10Mike McDonald's defense?
17:13No doubt.
17:15Oh, my goodness.
17:16They started playing football last year.
17:17Kirk, I'll agree with you on that.
17:19I guess my point is, is what I think a lot of Niner fans keep falling back on, as you already talked about, is that schedule.
17:26Like, what the Packers and the Vikings need to do is they need to play in that NFC North.
17:32And that alone is, like, more tough teams, at least on paper, than the Niners are going to face all year.
17:38Right, man.
17:40It's going to be tough, man.
17:41I love it.
17:42It's just – you know, it's – to me, the 49ers are going to stay healthy.
17:45They always got a shot.
17:47They always do.
17:48But I think in a division right now, which I think is probably going to be one of the tougher divisions in the NFL, it really is.
17:55I just – I look at it and say, I think Seattle's unknown because of their quarterback, but yet their defense played great.
18:03Kyler Murray is really motivated.
18:05And the 49ers are right there on the verge of, you know, coming off of a year in which they didn't qualify for the playoffs.
18:12And yet, you pay Brock Purdy, that's going to be the big question.
18:16Can Purdy live up to that contract now?
18:19He's got it.
18:20He's got it now.
18:21So, we want to see it.
18:23Now you've got to go do it.
18:24Kirk, hey, man, thank you for the time.
18:26We love having you, brother.
18:27Yeah, anytime, guys.
18:28Appreciate it.
18:29There it goes.
18:30Kirk Morrison with us here on Willard and Dibs.
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