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00:00We're about to talk to Cam Inman on the River Islands guest line.
00:03Are we in the legal campering portion of the show?
00:06Two.
00:07Okay.
00:08Yeah.
00:08I think that probably went over some people's heads.
00:12Much like my grinding reference went over yours.
00:14No, it didn't.
00:15I got that one.
00:17I just didn't happen to be in a laughing mood at that moment.
00:19It doesn't happen often.
00:21Anyway, Bay Area News Group, Cam Inman, all over the 49ers,
00:24and just done with his class at San Jose State,
00:28where no doubt he has groomed his replacement.
00:31Does that sound about right, Cam?
00:34Yeah, yours and mine.
00:36We're all good to go.
00:36How are you?
00:37Yeah, we're good.
00:37We're good, man.
00:38What's your initial reaction to Mike Evans?
00:42That is the, you know, I always thought the 49ers,
00:45they like to, you know, hang their hat on at least one big signing every offseason.
00:49And, you know, last year's free agency, Luke Farrell was not the guy,
00:53even though Mac Jones turned out to be a pretty good signing.
00:55But they spent their money on Brock and extending Fred and Kittle.
01:01So they could say that.
01:02And then in years past, they might have like one or two free agents.
01:04So you go, okay, I may have heard of him.
01:06Mike Evans, he is, he brings name recognition.
01:10He is a, I don't like to say a future Hall of Famer,
01:13because a lot goes into it.
01:14But with his credentials of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start his career
01:19and Bucs all-time leaders here, this guy, this fits perfectly for the 49ers offense.
01:26And you have a productive veteran wide receiver for an offense that really,
01:32a lot of it's entering the final stages of their career
01:35and want one last gasp at a Super Bowl run.
01:38And Mike Evans fits that just as well as Trent Williams, as Christian McCaffrey,
01:43as George Kittle, as Kyle Juszczyk.
01:45Obviously, Brock's going to be around for a while longer.
01:47But now he has a legitimate playmaking, touchdown-scoring wide receiver in his grasp.
01:55And if you look at where they are now in the wide receiver room,
01:58what would you anticipate they still are looking to go out there and do?
02:02They have a couple of young guys.
02:03You've got Demarcus Robinson still.
02:05I don't think Jawan Jennings will be around.
02:07But is this going to be it, you think, Cam, until the draft for that room?
02:12It depends if there's a really unheralded speedster out there,
02:16because I think they could still use that.
02:18Because, I mean, Jordan Watkins is pretty darn fast,
02:20but he couldn't get on the field last season
02:23in a season where they really needed receivers desperately.
02:26So I think there's going to be guys in the draft that can fulfill that requirement,
02:30because that's what the offense needs.
02:31But Mike Evans can come in, play split end.
02:34Ricky Pearsall can go over to flank her.
02:36You get a smaller guy in the slot, you know,
02:39they may say it's going to be Cowling or however else they can find.
02:47And obviously they need work because it's just not a lot there.
02:50But I think Mike Evans addresses a major, major need for him.
02:54Cam, oh, man, there's so many positional questions I've got.
02:58What are they doing at running back, you think, to, you know, my goodness,
03:04give Christian McCaffrey a break and a running mate?
03:08Well, I mean, he doesn't want to take a break.
03:12He's going to have to take a break.
03:14Too bad.
03:15You have to, Christian.
03:17If he didn't figure that out last year,
03:19he doesn't want to come off the field ever,
03:21and they don't seem very willing to pull him off the field.
03:24So if he's healthy, he's staying on that field.
03:27No matter how much everybody's clamoring to see Brian Robinson
03:30or Jordan James or Isaac Garendo,
03:33I would imagine that you've got McCaffrey obviously coming back,
03:37and he's healthy, he's feeling spry,
03:40feeling like he's going to have to prove everybody wrong
03:42that he can excel as a 30-year-old running back
03:45because he's still at the top of his game.
03:47I mean, it's not a desperate position.
03:50Behind him, it's like, okay, Jordan James,
03:52he got in at the end of the year,
03:54but we really didn't see anything he did all season long
03:56other than the Niner saw him in practice.
03:59We know that they can plug in guys at running back.
04:02They identify the players that can fit well in their scheme,
04:06and off they go.
04:07I don't think it's a major positional concern.
04:09What's your next one?
04:10Tight end would be mine.
04:11George Kittle coming off a severe injury.
04:13We don't know how quickly he can come back,
04:16and having a good receiving and blocking tight end is so critical.
04:20Anybody still out there, Cam, that might be appetizing?
04:24You bring up a great point, Mr. Dibley,
04:26because I think tight end is a major concern also.
04:29I know George is obviously striving to get back as quick as he can,
04:35but he's coming off of an Achilles tear,
04:37and that is just something that you just don't all of a sudden rush back from.
04:40Aaron Rodgers tried to do it right.
04:42I mean, Jason Tatum just came off it for the Celtics,
04:45and he was out 10 months, and everybody's like,
04:48wow, what a remarkably fast comeback for him.
04:50Well, if Kittle comes back in 10 months, you're looking at a November return.
04:55Okay, so they have to go in expecting him not to be available
04:58at least the first four games that he would start on the pup list.
05:02So, you know, Jake Tondas is a restricted free agent.
05:07I would imagine they're going to have to give him a respectable tender
05:10because I think he showed enough last season that he's a legitimate pass catcher
05:16at tight end, and he knows the system.
05:18He's been here for a couple years.
05:21Is there anybody else out there?
05:23You know, Purdy's old tight end at Iowa State was an interesting one.
05:26Charlie Kohler, is that his name right?
05:28He signed with the Chargers, so he's off the market.
05:31You're not going to see Taylor Swift come into Levi's Stadium
05:34because Travis Kelsey returned with the Chiefs.
05:36So, and honestly, there was probably about five tight ends
05:40that, like, hooked up deals in the first few hours.
05:44So, obviously, the Niners weren't thinking that it's a major priority for them.
05:48But getting Mike Evans obviously alleviates some of the stress
05:52of finding somebody to throw the ball to other than Christian McCaffrey
05:55because, I mean, as great as McCaffrey is,
05:58they were asking way too much of him last season
06:00to become their number one receiver and their number one running back.
06:05Obviously, he did it, but they needed help.
06:08And with Kittle going to be down recovering from his Achilles,
06:12maybe they just don't think it's as big of a need
06:13because there's other positions that need to be addressed.
06:17Cam Inman, Bay Area News Group, with us on Willard & Dibbs,
06:19talking about Niners' Day 1 free agency.
06:22Next question is about pass rush.
06:24We know they want to address it.
06:25How do they do it, and is Trey Hendrickson on their radar?
06:30Well, Trey Hendrickson's still on the market,
06:32so I don't know why he wouldn't be on the radar.
06:35But, you know, it does give you concern.
06:38I mean, Trey Hendrickson was a pretty good pass rusher with the Saints,
06:42and then he went to Cincinnati for, what, the last five years,
06:45purgatory almost.
06:46But he was obviously a dominant, dominant pass rusher, defensive end.
06:50Niners faced him a couple times, so they know.
06:53And then he underwent core muscle surgery,
06:55which I don't think would scare them off
06:57because, I mean, Nick Bosa underwent that,
06:59and he came back fine going into his rookie year.
07:02So maybe the medical concern is they're scaring away some teams.
07:07I'm sure his price tag is scaring away some teams.
07:09And maybe that includes the Niners,
07:11because they've already spent, like,
07:12kind of splurged on an item here with Mike Evans.
07:15And I just don't think that they're in the business
07:18of giving out $30 million contracts
07:21to guys that are over 30 years old,
07:23unless it's Trent Williams,
07:25who's kind of hovering around that line right now,
07:26and he wants to have more guaranteed money,
07:28understandably so.
07:31But they're not all so poor.
07:32I mean, they have a lot of salary cap space.
07:34Mike Evans took up some of it,
07:35but you also are off the hook
07:37of having to pay Brandon Ayuk that $30 million a year
07:40with him getting off the roster soon.
07:42You're off the hook,
07:43but isn't there some cap hit
07:45that's going to have to take effect
07:47once they officially do designate him
07:49as a post-June 1st release?
07:52The cap is all a mirage.
07:55Don't worry about the cap.
07:56They have cap space.
07:58They have money to burn.
07:59But they're spending it wisely.
08:02I mean, the Tennessee Titans unloaded a ton of money today
08:06because they have a new coach,
08:08they have a young quarterback,
08:10and they need to surround him
08:11with a better, talented cast.
08:13And so they were huge shoppers in free agency today,
08:17just spending a lot of money.
08:18The days of the Niners kind of spending recklessly,
08:21those expired about 15 years ago,
08:23maybe 10,
08:24because I just don't see Shanahan and Lynch
08:26just going,
08:27hey, we need to get people in here.
08:29Let's spend some ludicrous amount of money.
08:31They put a lot of thought
08:32into where they're going to spend it.
08:34That's why they don't just let it go to whatever.
08:37They use their dollars right now
08:39to bring in a big name in Mike Evans.
08:41If Trey Hendrickson is wanting to come
08:44and be part of a defensive line rotation, great.
08:48I mean, I think the Niners,
08:49you know, they obviously have a lot of money invested
08:52in their four defensive ends,
08:53and Nick Bosa, Mikel Williams,
08:55Bryce Huff, and Keon White.
08:57But, you know, most of those guys
08:59are coming off serious injuries
09:01outside of Huff,
09:01who's coming off a 10-game sackless drought.
09:04So they're going to have to bank
09:06that those guys get up to speed
09:08and actually produce this season.
09:09Kim, we've probably buried one of the leads.
09:12You mentioned his name already.
09:13What is going to happen with Trent Williams?
09:18I don't think I've met
09:19or seen a savvier businessman in the NFL.
09:22I've been covered for 25 years.
09:24Savvier than Trent Williams,
09:25who understands his leverage,
09:27understands how the business works.
09:30And when he signed his contract two years ago,
09:33the three-year deal, right?
09:34So he knew going into this year
09:36he'd have to rework his deal
09:37because players of his stature
09:39just don't play out a deal
09:41with no guaranteed money.
09:42So, and the Niners surely understand that too.
09:45And right now they're jostling
09:47in terms of contract talks.
09:49And the report today
09:51that the Niners are willing to trade him,
09:55they're willing to trade anybody.
09:56They've always said that.
09:57It's just what is he going to fetch?
10:00Can Trent Williams get you
10:01two first-round draft picks?
10:02Would that make you part with him
10:04rather than pay him
10:06another year of 30-something million dollars?
10:09You know, that's something
10:09that they'd have to decide.
10:10I don't expect him to leave.
10:14Obviously, they're not going to
10:15outright release him.
10:16That would be foolish
10:17because they can get something for him.
10:19Is somebody going to be willing
10:21to trade away
10:22two first-round picks for him?
10:24Well, look at the Raiders
10:25just gave a center
10:26an $81 million contract
10:29that's essentially fully guaranteed
10:30for three years.
10:31That's a stupendous amount of money.
10:34And I don't think the Niners
10:36would give Trent Williams
10:38a three-year, $80 million guaranteed contract.
10:41But heck, if I'm him,
10:42I'm asking for three years,
10:43$100 million guaranteed
10:45because he plays
10:46a much more premier position
10:48where the Niners
10:49don't have a ready-made backup
10:51to go in and replace him.
10:53They signed Vidarian Lowe today
10:55who was, you know,
10:56a late-round pick
10:57and he was on the Patriots.
10:58Is that just an insurance policy move
11:01by the 49ers
11:02or do you think that
11:03they're trying to put
11:04a little bit of a shot
11:05across Trent's bowel?
11:07No, Trent would laugh at that
11:08if that was the case.
11:11I laugh at that.
11:13Good joke, Dan.
11:15What he does is
11:17he gives them another
11:18experienced offensive tackle
11:20in their room
11:21that maybe they can develop
11:22into something.
11:23I mean, Colton McKivitt's
11:25developed into a legitimate
11:27starting caliber offensive tackle.
11:29If for some reason
11:31Trent Williams does not return,
11:33I could envision them
11:35swinging McKivitt's
11:36over to left
11:37because he's had
11:37some experience there
11:38and taking your chances
11:39on the right side
11:41with somebody
11:41whether it's Vidarian Lowe
11:43or maybe somebody they draft
11:45because it's not such a
11:47you know, I try not to downplay
11:49because right tackle
11:50is a very important position.
11:51They have,
11:52each defense has great
11:53pass rushes on
11:54either end now.
11:55So, and McKivitt's
11:57earned his extension
11:58by playing right tackle.
11:59The Niners don't like
11:59to switch guys a lot.
12:02So, hey, full disclosure,
12:04I never heard of Vidarian Lowe
12:06until his name came
12:07and hit the wire today.
12:08And so, I said,
12:10wait a minute.
12:11I covered him in the Super Bowl.
12:12He played one snap
12:13in the Super Bowl.
12:14It turned out
12:14it was on special teams
12:15and they had missed it.
12:17But he, you know,
12:18he was drafted by the Vikings.
12:19He got traded to the Patriots
12:20where he's been
12:21the last three years.
12:22So, he's got some experience.
12:24Seems like I've watched
12:25an interview with him.
12:26He seems like a heady guy.
12:28Somebody that might be able
12:29to develop into something.
12:31But to challenge
12:32Trent Williams to the spot,
12:33no.
12:34Would the 49ers
12:36have any interest
12:37in a man called
12:38Dre Greenlaw, Cam?
12:40Ooh.
12:42They had,
12:43here's why I think they do.
12:45Ah.
12:45Because,
12:45because they made such
12:48a second effort
12:50at him last offseason.
12:51And they were on the record
12:52saying that they tried
12:54to go after him again
12:55before he,
12:56you know,
12:58had committed to Denver.
13:00Like,
13:01I didn't have a problem
13:02with them not resigning him
13:03because he was a red flag
13:04injury risk.
13:06But the fact that they tried
13:07and were open about it
13:08last season,
13:09last offseason,
13:10that tells me
13:11that they are interested.
13:14Again, though,
13:15he sustained a quadriceps injury
13:17in the offseason
13:19and that impacted him
13:21going into the regular season.
13:22Or they can say
13:23it was a related one
13:24or a non-related one.
13:25But he was hurt
13:26and he missed,
13:26I think he missed,
13:27nine regular season games
13:29for the Broncos.
13:30And so they really,
13:31they're going to release him
13:32if they haven't done so already.
13:34A year after signing him
13:35to a three-year,
13:36$31 million deal.
13:38I think the Niners
13:39like Dre Greenlaw.
13:40They like the,
13:42they like the edge
13:43he plays with.
13:44I think the whole team
13:45kind of misses
13:46that bully effect
13:47and you're not going to have
13:48Juwan Jennings
13:49irritating opponents anymore.
13:51I think Fred Warner
13:52really enjoyed playing
13:53next to Dre Greenlaw
13:54and they could trust each other.
13:56They knew where each other
13:56was going to be.
13:57I didn't see that chemistry
13:59with Dee Winters
14:00the last year,
14:01year and a half,
14:01I guess.
14:03Not that Dee's
14:04not a great player.
14:05I just,
14:05I think that there is
14:06a better,
14:06a better tandem there
14:08with Fred Warner
14:08and Dre Greenlaw
14:10than there is
14:10with Fred Warner
14:11and Dee Winters.
14:13Yeah,
14:13I mean,
14:13at least would be
14:14kind of fun for the fans
14:15to bring him back.
14:16I also wonder,
14:17Cam,
14:17about the Mac Jones
14:19getting traded idea.
14:20It feels to me like
14:21if that hasn't happened yet,
14:23it probably won't happen.
14:25But what's your read
14:26on Mac Jones
14:27and whether or not
14:27he'll still be here?
14:30I think there's still teams
14:31that could be interested in him.
14:33The market got saturated
14:35with Tua joining it,
14:36Kirk Cousins,
14:37Kyler Murray,
14:38Geno Smith.
14:39I think,
14:40I think Mac's way better
14:41than a couple of those options
14:42and I think he would fit in
14:43well with certain coaches
14:45that he knows how to run
14:47the Shanahan-style system.
14:49So I would still
14:50like think he might be
14:51on team's writers
14:52but it's just
14:52the Niners don't need
14:53to give him up
14:54and it just depends
14:55if these other teams
14:57aren't interested
14:58in trading
14:58a high amount
15:00of draft pick for him
15:02and I don't know
15:03why you'd have to do it
15:03right now.
15:04And I mean,
15:05they could even,
15:05they could hold on to him
15:07obviously into the draft.
15:09Maybe somebody
15:09doesn't like the quarterbacks
15:10that are in the draft
15:11and trade for him then.
15:13You can ride him
15:14through training camp.
15:15You could ride it
15:15all the way
15:15into the trade deadline
15:17into early November
15:19because he's such
15:21a well-liked guy.
15:22He,
15:22he doesn't feel
15:23like he's,
15:26he's entitled
15:27to the starting job
15:28at the Niners
15:28because I think he,
15:29obviously everybody
15:30understands Brock Purdy
15:31is their main guy.
15:33He went five and three.
15:34He wasn't perfect here
15:36but he was,
15:37he's a wonderful addition
15:38to the team.
15:38He has,
15:39his enthusiasm
15:40and his joy
15:42and his bubbly attitude
15:43and his corny,
15:44corny laugh.
15:46It just,
15:46it was such an uplifting thing
15:48with the Niners
15:48where they'd love
15:49to have him back
15:50and obviously
15:51it's great insurance
15:52to have behind Brock Purdy
15:54and this,
15:55no franchise knows
15:56how to carry
15:57two quarterbacks
15:57better in the history
15:58of the NFL
15:59than the 49ers.
16:01Indeed.
16:02Cam,
16:03great stuff
16:04and I'm not going
16:05to promise
16:06that we won't
16:06call you again soon
16:08because there's more coming.
16:10That's true.
16:11I would assume so
16:12so happy to talk
16:13anytime guys.
16:14Okay,
16:14thanks so much.
16:16All right,
16:16there he is.
16:17Cam Inman,
16:17Bray Area News Group
16:19on the 49ers situation.
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