- 21 hours ago
Greg Cosell of NFL Films joins Willard and Dibs to discuss everything he saw from the 49ers in Week 1 of the 2026 preseason.
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00:00It's Greg Cosell, NFL Films, joining us on the River Islands guest line.
00:04And yes, his handsome mug is on YouTube as well.
00:08Hi, Greg, how you doing?
00:10Gentlemen, what's happening?
00:11Well, a lot of the same, but then again, also everything's different.
00:16I want to just leave it to you.
00:18What stood out to you?
00:20Because I know you watched the Niner Titans, air quotes, game.
00:24What jumped off the TV for you?
00:28Well, when I watched the tape, I didn't see the game on TV.
00:31But when I watched the tape, I'm really looking more at individual players because I'm not really thinking in terms
00:37of schematics or tactics.
00:39I'm just looking at players.
00:40You know, one of the things, because I watch so much college tape and see so many college players,
00:46because I evaluate probably 200 to 250 college players in detail before every draft,
00:52I'm always anxious to see those guys that I look at and that I know something about.
00:56So they're not foreign to me.
00:58So I'm really looking at individual players because there's not really schematics.
01:02I mean, obviously, they're going to run plays that they've run in practice and that they want to see guys
01:07execute.
01:08But we're not you know, you're not thinking in terms of attacking the specific defense.
01:12So for me, it's it's mostly looking at individual players.
01:16And who stood out like as you looked at the tape and guys who you analyzed in college and who
01:21are now debuting in a preseason game?
01:23Who'd you like?
01:25Well, obviously, I know a lot of people are talking about dribbling.
01:28He played the entire first half, caught seven balls.
01:31I think two plays stood out to me, probably three.
01:34One was a negative, but two plays stood out to me as far as receiving.
01:38He he had a catch.
01:39It was a curl route on the first play of their second possession where the ball was thrown a tad
01:45late.
01:45And the corner flat was able to sort of get up behind him.
01:48And he had to grab it over his head, just snatching it with his hands.
01:52That's what you really like to see with a receiver on a curl route, not having to use his body
01:57to catch the ball.
01:57He snatched it out of the air with his hands.
02:00That was a really good catch.
02:02And then obviously the the long play, the 32 yarder.
02:06And that was the first and I think only snap where he aligned into the boundary.
02:10Every other snap he aligned to the wide side of the field, either as the Z receiver or in the
02:16slot.
02:17And so the 32 yarder came when he aligned into the boundary.
02:21He ran the go route.
02:22He got on top of flat.
02:23You saw the excellent body control, the ball tracking with great hand eye.
02:27So that was a play that, you know, you want to see the verticality because he is a four, three,
02:32six guy.
02:32And you want to see that element in the 49ers offense.
02:35The play that I'm sure he was disappointed in.
02:39And I'm sure Kyle Shanahan will talk to him about it because it's so important for the Niners is it
02:44was the third play of the game.
02:46They ran a pinball concept, which is a foundational run in their offense.
02:50And he missed the block on the DN Johnson and it resulted in a four yard loss.
02:55And, you know, that's a block that he must make in the context of the 49ers run game.
03:00But that's how you learn.
03:01You know, that's what preseason is for.
03:03Greg, I was anxious today to talk to you about the offensive line for the San Francisco 49ers.
03:10We know that last year their metrics as just, and this is not just the line, this is a running
03:16back, this is the whole team.
03:18But their yards per carry went way down.
03:21And it's alarming, in fact, a little bit for a Kyle Shanahan offense.
03:24We can go over the reasons for it.
03:26But I wanted to ask you, with largely the same personnel coming back, McCaffrey, your lead back,
03:32it's the same, at least four of them with a competition at left guard, pretty much the same offensive line.
03:39What would be their reason for optimism, if any, that they will be better this year?
03:45You know, it's funny because I've done it, you know, over the summer I do college guys, but then I
03:50turn to the NFL.
03:51So when I turn to the NFL, because I'm not under the gun with deadlines like I am during the
03:55season,
03:56you know, I can do a little more research.
03:58So, you know, last year, obviously, and I'm sure you guys know,
04:02this was the lowest running game output since Shanahan became the head coach,
04:05which I think was 2017, if I'm right.
04:08But the crazy thing is, and this is where it's kind of a, you know, it's kind of an enigma.
04:15You know, it's crazy.
04:17They averaged almost seven plays per drive last year,
04:20which is really excellent when you think of the whole NFL.
04:23And they scored points on 47% of their drives, which was third in the NFL.
04:28So they were really, it was a very odd contrasting mix of seeming like they couldn't control the ball
04:35before the run game, but yet they did control the ball.
04:39So when you look at this whole line, as you said, there's really only one position that's up for grabs,
04:43and that'll be left guard.
04:45My sense is the competition will end up being between Robert Jones and Carver Willis.
04:52That'll be my sense.
04:54Robert Jones, you know, was in Miami two years ago, started 17 games for a Mike McDaniel offense.
05:02So he's very familiar with the terminology and the methodology.
05:05This is not all brand new to him.
05:07He missed last year with a neck injury.
05:09We don't know where he stands, but if he's healthy, I think he's in the mix,
05:14along with the rookie Carver Willis.
05:16And Willis, of course, is making a transition from tackle in college in Washington to guard,
05:21which is not an easy transition.
05:23I watched him pretty carefully in this preseason game.
05:26There were some good plays and some bad plays, which you would expect.
05:29That's not unusual or abnormal.
05:32To me, Connor Colby is going to end up being a little bit more of kind of the rotational journeyman
05:36type guy.
05:38I would be surprised if he won the job, but that's just me based on tape.
05:42And based on the tape, are you seeing either of those other top two candidates
05:45being able to run this sort of a zone scheme?
05:48Because it seems to me that last year they had four of the five offensive linemen do well
05:54on any particular run play, but they didn't have quite the syncopation.
05:57Is one of those two guys able to mesh, especially with Trent Williams on the left side?
06:03Well, you would assume Jones can do that because he's done it in that style of system.
06:08Now it comes down to whether he's 100% healthy and where he stands after missing a year.
06:13It's hard to miss an entire year and just step right back in.
06:16And obviously he's never played next to Trent Williams or next to Brendel.
06:20So we'll see.
06:21But the same would be true for Carver Willis, who doesn't have any experience playing guard
06:27going back to his college days, I don't believe.
06:30So, you know, for him, it's all brand new.
06:32Not only does he have to learn how to play guard, but he has to learn the terminology, the methodology.
06:38He's got to learn so much more than Robert Jones would have to learn.
06:41Greg Cosell, NFL Films with us, Willard and Dibbs.
06:44Greg, can I dig a little bit more into those metrics that you just shared about last year,
06:49about how it was their worst run year, but they were still able to control the ball.
06:54When you watched last year, did you ever get to a point where you felt good about why they were
07:01having a hard time running the ball?
07:04Well, I mean, I think that, look, you know, there's a stat for backs that is, you know, broken tackles,
07:13you know, missed, you know, backs.
07:14And McCaffrey actually was among the highest in the league at breaking tackles.
07:19So the problem was, obviously, the O-line, in my opinion, I thought the O-line struggled a bit in
07:25the run game.
07:26Because, you know, the more I think about it, I don't think, and I guess we'll find out.
07:31Look, McCaffrey's going to be 30 years old.
07:33I mean, he played 90, over 90% of the snaps a year ago.
07:36The guy never comes out.
07:38He ran over 300 routes.
07:40You know, there's going to be some point where, as much as he stays in shape, the body is just
07:46going to give out to some degree.
07:47So we don't know the answer to that.
07:49But I didn't believe, watching last year, that McCaffrey lost it.
07:53You know, I know that's easy to say because the numbers weren't there.
07:56But just watching every single game and every single play, I don't think McCaffrey looked appreciably different.
08:03Now, I know he didn't have the long runs.
08:05I mean, they only had 46 runs of 10-plus yards, which was the lowest number in the Shanahan era
08:12for 10-plus-yard runs.
08:13And I'm sure a lot of people listening are thinking, oh, I'm wrong because, you know, he couldn't run.
08:18You know, he didn't have, you know, 40, 50-yard touchdown runs.
08:21But he also didn't have a lot of clean holes where he could generate velocity and speed.
08:26So, Greg, how might Kalon Black factor into this?
08:30I know he didn't play in the preseason game, but he was back at joint practice against the Chargers yesterday
08:36and reportedly had a really good day.
08:39What do you know about his skill set, how it fits into what Kyle likes to do?
08:44Oh, well, I mean, as you guys know, we've talked about him.
08:47I really liked his tape coming out a lot.
08:50I mean, Kalon Black, to me, when I watched his tape, and again, when I watch tape of guys, I
08:54don't know where they're going to be drafted.
08:55So, you know, I'm not sitting here saying, well, you know, I thought he'd be a niner.
09:00I have no idea about that whatsoever.
09:02But I really liked, you know, watching him.
09:06I thought he was tough, physical, a grinder, powerful, kind of a no-holds-barred runner.
09:13I mean, he was the kind of back that he would run over people.
09:16I forget, he ran over someone who was a big-time player.
09:19And he's just a very, very physical guy.
09:22And I really liked him a lot watching his tape.
09:25And I think he fits the 49er run game.
09:28You know, he's a grinder.
09:29He sustains an offense.
09:31Now, the pass-catching stuff, just because he wasn't thrown to in college doesn't mean he can't be a receiver.
09:37We just didn't have exposure to that on his tape.
09:40I'm sure when they studied him and they worked him out, they probably threw him the ball quite a bit.
09:45And first of all, he's not going to be their third down back anyway.
09:49The more important thing for him, I think, is blitz pickup.
09:53He's not going to be their receiving back.
09:55So blitz pickup, to me, would be the more important thing.
09:58Is he so different than Brian Robinson last year?
10:01I'm just struck by, you know, Brian Robinson comes in and he is a veteran.
10:05And yet, he never seemed to stick in the system.
10:08Does Kalon Black have skills that are much more of a good fit with Shanahan's offense than Robinson last year?
10:15Well, Robinson's also, in a sense, a grinding type back.
10:18Now, Robinson, he was a free agent, right?
10:21Yeah.
10:21Yeah.
10:22I mean, he just signed the one-year deal.
10:24He was a free agent after this past season.
10:27So, yeah, they're not going to re-sign him to any big number.
10:30And they probably feel they can get a backup running back in the draft, as they did.
10:34And they did the year before, too, with Jordan James.
10:36So, they're not going to re-sign a back.
10:38And they've had great success, obviously, over the years, as you guys know, with backs who are not high draft
10:44choices.
10:44So, I mean, look at what Jeff Wilson did for them for years.
10:47I mean, they've had great success with those kinds of backs.
10:51So, they were not going to re-sign Brian Robinson.
10:53Greg, another camp standout who I think the 49ers are very excited about is Osa Odigizua.
11:00And, yes, we've talked about him before.
11:02But, specifically, as Nick Bosa comes back, it's sounding like Mikel Williams will not be ready for week one.
11:09How do you think the presence of Osa changes this pass rush that needs to be so much better?
11:15Well, they've clearly made a commitment through that trade and the drafting of Grayson Halton to get some juice in
11:21the interior with a pass rush.
11:23Because that's what Odigizua is, and that's what Halton is.
11:27Halton, watching him in Oklahoma and watching him in this first preseason game.
11:30And, again, I'm just looking at traits.
11:32I know, although he did beat Skaronsky, who's an all-pro-type guard, on the play where there was a
11:37penalty.
11:37But he did sack Ward where he beat Skaronsky.
11:40So, they clearly made a commitment because they had no inside pass rush a year ago.
11:46And, quite frankly, when Bosa went out, they had no outside pass rush either because they had one of the
11:51lowest pressure rates and sack rates in the NFL a year ago.
11:54As you guys know, that's not news to anybody listening.
11:57So, they made a commitment to the interior pass rush because Collins and West are not truly pass rushers inside.
12:05Even if they like them and they feel they're going to be really good players, they're not truly pass rushers.
12:10They're more run defenders.
12:11So, they made a commitment there.
12:13The big question is this.
12:15When Mikkel Williams is ready to go, and it may not be until week three, let's just throw out week
12:19three for the sake of discussion.
12:21So, what are they going to do with him when they go to their nickel?
12:24Because last year, under a different coaching staff, in the nickel, they moved him inside.
12:29He only played outside in the base.
12:31He moved inside in the nickel.
12:34Now, much of that, I think, will depend on other players on the outside and what Halton can do as
12:41a rookie.
12:42If they feel Halton can come in and play 20, 25 snaps a game as an inside pass rusher in
12:47nickel, he won't play in base.
12:49In nickel, then they'd want to keep Williams outside, in which case they really have to work with him as
12:54an edge pass rusher.
12:55You mentioned Grayson Halton as an interior pass rusher.
12:58How is he in the interior against the run from what you've seen on tape?
13:02He was, again, this is just, you know, the Oklahoma tape, you have to put it in its own category
13:09because Oklahoma did a ton of slanting and stunting, which I doubt the Niners will do anywhere near as much
13:15as Oklahoma did.
13:16So that's not a true comparison.
13:19But to be honest with you, I was surprised a bit watching him in this game because I thought that
13:25he showed, you know, a little more physicality than I would have thought.
13:29There were run game snaps where he displaced interior offensive linemen in this preseason game.
13:34But essentially what he is is he's a one-gap penetrator.
13:37He's a pure three technique.
13:39He fits the profile of an NFL three technique D tackle where you line up in a gap and shoot
13:45a gap where you're not hand fighting with the offensive linemen, although you have to do that at times.
13:50But that's not the strength of his game.
13:52But he did do that a couple of times against the Titans and handled himself well.
13:57Greg, this might be a weird one because I know Mac Jones would have to be thinking back to last
14:03year.
14:03But the team is very intrigued by Curtis Rourke, and obviously he did some interesting things in this game.
14:10How would you compare those two, and do you think that Rourke could play well enough to where it would
14:18encourage the Niners to sort of put Mac Jones back on the trade market as they did in the offseason?
14:26Well, all I have with Rourke is what I've seen.
14:28They're with him every day, so they can answer that better than I.
14:32But stylistically, Rourke fits the Niners.
14:35He's a timing rhythm player.
14:37I remember watching his last year at Indiana.
14:39That's what he is.
14:40He's a timing rhythm quarterback that theoretically fits a Kyle Shanahan system.
14:46Now, again, they're with him every day.
14:48I can't speak to what they feel about him.
14:50You'd have to feel really, really good about him because Purdy did miss games last year.
14:56You know that if Purdy were to go down and you put Mac Jones in, you can line up and
15:01you can beat anybody.
15:02I mean, Mac Jones did very well when he played last year, and he's been an NFL starter and played
15:08well.
15:09So this is a team that is not looking to rebuild or to retool.
15:14They're looking to compete.
15:15So, you know, it would all depend on how they feel about Rourke, but Rourke stylistically is that style of
15:24quarterback.
15:25And you probably won't be able to expose him to, you know, waivers or put him on the practice squad.
15:30Somebody might snatch him up.
15:32Yeah, so that'll be a roster decision.
15:35I do want to ask you about Jaden Duggar and what you saw from him on film because, Greg, I'm
15:40fascinated by the player that he might be, kind of a hybrid linebacker, secondary, pass rush guy.
15:48Well, there were two guys on defense that really fascinated me.
15:51Well, three.
15:52Duggar and Martin at linebacker both fascinated me a lot.
15:55I really liked Martin a lot.
15:57He's the twitchiest of the linebackers that played in this game because, obviously, Warner and Greenlaw did not play.
16:02He's got some twitch to him, Martin.
16:05He's got short area burst.
16:06He's got explosiveness downhill and laterally.
16:09He's a missile.
16:10I mean, there were snaps where he attacked downhill in the run game with power and force.
16:14I liked what I saw of Nick Martin, and I watched him at Oklahoma State as well, so I was
16:18familiar with him.
16:19Duggar's a fascinating guy.
16:21He was a former safety.
16:22He's got great length.
16:24He's got plus speed to play sideline to sideline.
16:28He lined up over the slot at times, depending on the offensive formation.
16:31He's almost got the combination of linebacker safety traits.
16:35You know, he's almost like a big nickel guy in some ways.
16:39So he'll be interesting to see as he develops.
16:42You know, he'll make the team, but just the length and the speed is something that gets you excited.
16:49But the third guy, we talked about Halton.
16:51The other guy that I was really intrigued by, and, again, he was a fourth-round pick, so I don't
16:57know.
16:57He was the defensive player who played more snaps than anyone, and that's the corner price sock.
17:02I mean, he played predominantly left corner.
17:05He had snaps in press man and off coverage.
17:07I really liked the way he played.
17:09I did him coming out of Washington.
17:11He is long.
17:12He's a good athlete for his size.
17:14I'm really curious to see.
17:17They obviously wanted to get a good look at him because, as I said, he played the highest number of
17:22snaps of any defensive player.
17:23Greg, while we're in the defensive backfield, how are you sort of seeing the race for snaps at the safety
17:31position?
17:31We haven't talked about it a lot.
17:33It's the same group that it was last year, and it wasn't a terribly great year for them last year.
17:40So between Mustafa and Brown and Segal, how are you seeing that shake out right now based on performance?
17:48Well, I would think that the leaders in the clubhouse are Brown and Mustafa.
17:52I mean, I think that if they had to play a real game tomorrow, Brown and Mustafa would be the
17:57starters.
17:58You know, Segal obviously got a lot of snaps last year early in the season due to injury, and then
18:03when Mustafa and Brown came back, Segal did not get many snaps.
18:08So obviously they feel that those two guys were better a year ago.
18:12You know, I can't speak to Segal's improvement or lack thereof, you know, because I'm not there every day.
18:18I think those would be the guys in the mix.
18:21You know, Davis has been in the league.
18:23He's never truly been a starter.
18:26I remember when he came out of Cal, he was drafted high because he ran really well.
18:32He's been a special teams player.
18:33You know, you can play him, but I don't think he'd be in the mix to be a starter.
18:39All right, Greg Cosell, NFL Films.
18:41A big moment that we've been waiting for.
18:43Who do you like in the NFC West this year?
18:48To win the division, are you asking me?
18:50Exactly, yeah.
18:51Looking for a lock here, Greg.
18:52This is the big prediction at the finish, Greg.
18:54Come on.
18:57I mean, I'd have to say right now, too, that's a tough call.
19:04You know, because now you're getting into, you know, injuries and all that, which we'll leave out for now.
19:09I would say I like the Rams, if you really said right now.
19:14Well, it was a good run, Greg.
19:15It was nice having you.
19:16But the Niners are second, right?
19:20Oh, are they in that division, too?
19:22Oh, I meant the Niners.
19:23Sorry about that.
19:24Yeah.
19:24Oh, boy.
19:25Yeah.
19:26I forgot they were in that division.
19:27Forgot where the old bread was buttered for a second there, Greg.
19:33All right, Greg.
19:36We'll keep working on that prediction as we get closer to the season.
19:40How about that?
19:41Deal?
19:42Sure, why not?
19:44All right.
19:44Perfect.
19:44Perfect.
19:45Hey, Greg, thank you.
19:46We'll talk to you next week.
19:48All right, guys.
19:49Appreciate it.
19:49Thanks.
19:50Yep.
19:50Greg Cosell, NFL Films.
19:52We'll talk to you next week.
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