- 5 minutes ago
Willard and Dibs react to Jordan Watkins' performance in yesterday's 49ers win over the Raiders and discuss what it means for the team's wide receiver room going forward.
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00:00Jordan Watkins, I don't want to make it sound like, okay, now Jordan Watkins is, you know, like, reliable, big
00:09deal, all of that.
00:10But I do think this is important for the, and I have found this to be a stubborn brigade.
00:16There is a brigade out there that, come hell or high water, would like the 49ers to never draft again
00:24so that they can get a fancy wide receiver tomorrow.
00:28Literally.
00:30This is the year, Mark.
00:32Do everything.
00:33Push all the chips in the middle of the table and get, and then they stick a receiver's name in
00:39there who is not even available and hurt, by the way, now he is concussed and did not play yesterday.
00:45Jackson Smith in Jigba.
00:47Okay.
00:47Let's go get him.
00:50That's a good one.
00:51Actually, I would listen on JSN.
00:54I'll give you a second and a future fourth.
00:56Okay.
00:57Who says no?
00:59Maybe Seattle.
01:00The Bengals have too many receivers, and we should take one of them off of their hands.
01:06Anyway, the emergence, what Jordan Watkins has done, not just yesterday, but in the last few games, is significant.
01:13And it should make 49er fans feel comfortable about the quote-unquote depth piece.
01:19Do I want him out there as my one?
01:21Of course not.
01:23But if the Niners are still a few weeks away from getting Mike Evans back, it was great to see
01:28Demarcus Robinson out there.
01:30Debo is due back this week.
01:33Obviously, the stribbling subject is something that is completely different.
01:37But if Jordan Watkins can solidify, and I believe to a degree already has, that he can be a useful
01:44piece at that position.
01:46And if he can produce like he did yesterday when there isn't another one on the field taking up all
01:53of the attention, I think that's a really big deal.
01:56And it suggests that we could head down the road of the 49ers when they do get healthy.
02:04Jordan Watkins could find himself, and I think it's even potentially likely in a few weeks, like Jordan Watkins could
02:10find himself inactive at Christmas.
02:14I mean, I don't know if we're going to have any games where Mike Evans, Debo Samuel, Demarcus Robinson, and
02:20Dajon Stribbling are all healthy.
02:21But if they are, Jacob Cowling probably gets a fifth spot because he's the punt returner, at least for now.
02:27But if he can be the depth piece who also comes in and gives you a dynamic play or two
02:33when he is needed, man, that's a pretty big deal.
02:37And this is not a flash in the pan.
02:40He's had a few games like that, not as good as yesterday, but he's had a few flashes over the
02:45last three or four weeks that would suggest that this is not just random or one game.
02:51He looked pretty good out there yesterday.
02:53He did, and if you go to the Giants game where he had the deep ball down the middle that
02:58I thought was complete, and then he hit the ground, and it turned out it was incomplete, and then the
03:02one in the end zone where you've got to survive the ground, that was an unbelievably athletic near catch.
03:08So he had two near catches in that game, and then yesterday, the touchdown, which was a great throw by
03:15Brock Purdy.
03:16He decides he doesn't want to check it down to McCaffrey, who would have had the first down.
03:19He decides to cut it loose all the way down the middle, and Watkins goes up and makes a good,
03:25tough, contested catch, and he gets his first touchdown.
03:28That, to me, was the kind of upside you've been waiting for, and I wonder about the whole thing about
03:33cowing, and can Watkins actually be a punt returner?
03:37We haven't seen it.
03:37We've seen cowing do it, and it's been a little scary.
03:40So if you ever do get everyone healthy, they're going to have a tough choice to make.
03:44Jordan Watkins has done a lot of punt return work in camp and in practice, and I guess my answer
03:49to that would be if the two of them are doing it together and cowing won the job, yet he
03:54terrifies you, well, then what would Watkins look like?
03:58So that might be even scarier.
04:00I don't know.
04:00The 49ers have looked at Watkins at punt return, and they have not liked what they have seen so far.
04:06They probably haven't liked what they've seen from Jacob Cowing either.
04:09I wouldn't think so.
04:10But anyway, here's Brock Purdy on Watkins yesterday.
04:13Yeah, I'm really excited for him.
04:15You know, obviously more opportunities, more targets and stuff with some guys that have sort of been hurt.
04:20But regardless, I think he's always sort of been getting ready and stuff since he's been here.
04:25And I think something that's cool, too, is like the way he run blocks.
04:27Like he goes in there and he just shows that he's down for the team.
04:30He's down for the offense, whatever he needs to do when his number's called.
04:33And then that sort of bleeds into him being reliable in the pass game and giving him opportunities with that.
04:38And like I said, I think he does a great job with creating separation, getting in and out of cuts,
04:42coming down with contested catches.
04:43So, yeah, my trust has definitely grown in him more and more.
04:46And I'm excited, you know, to see what the rest of the season looks like playing with him.
04:49Does he do in stuff more than Kyle does now?
04:53Probably.
04:53I think it's close.
04:54Yeah.
04:54He might have surpassed him.
04:56Well, I wonder how much time they actually spend together and stuff, because it seems like year over year, he
05:02is more and more like Kyle Shanahan.
05:04The way he talks and stuff and, you know, the ums and the whole thing.
05:07Completely.
05:08Here's Shanahan on Jordan Watkins.
05:10A huge step forward.
05:12You know, he hasn't gotten his opportunities and some guys have been down and he's been working and he's been
05:18ready for it.
05:18I think he's gotten better each week.
05:20I think the first week he came out there and played good right away.
05:22Um, the ball went his way more this, um, this game and he was ready for those opportunities, uh, that
05:28he's blocked well and stuff.
05:29A couple, one penalty he'd like to take back, but we can forgive him.
05:32Um, that third down was huge.
05:34You know, just the man coverage and going up and making that play on the post.
05:37Uh, it was a hell of a play.
05:38One more from Kyle Shanahan.
05:40Does the emergence of Watkins mean that you don't need to trade for a wide receiver?
05:45Um, yeah, I mean, we're always looking to upgrade a team in any way.
05:48So, I mean, we'll definitely continue to do that all the way until Tuesday at one or whenever it is.
05:53Um, but it's, and then it's not just a receiver.
05:56I mean, um, you want to have depth.
05:58It's not just to replace one guy or anything like that.
06:00But, um, you know, we, we wanted to give Watkins this opportunity when people got hurt and, uh, he's really
06:06stepped it up and given us a lot of confidence too.
06:08Kyle sound pretty excited about what he saw yesterday, at least from that specific player.
06:14Well, especially considering the situation, which is Demarcus Robinson was coming back off a high ankle.
06:19You did, you had no Debo.
06:21You had no Mike Evans.
06:22So you needed somebody to step up.
06:24And I do think that, you know, Demarcus Robinson had a few good catches.
06:28I, Cowing had one catch and Kaderil Hodge had one catch.
06:31And ultimately one of the biggest plays was that throw for a touchdown to, to Jordan Watkins.
06:36I think, uh, was it nine catches to, uh, wide receivers yesterday?
06:41That sounds about right.
06:41It was nine.
06:42The answer, one for Hodge, one for Cowing, four for Watkins.
06:46It was, uh, 11, actually.
06:48How many cooks have?
06:50He had two.
06:51Two.
06:52Two.
06:52Hodge and Cowing with one apiece.
06:54That's four.
06:54Robinson three.
06:55Robinson three.
06:56And Watkins four.
06:57Okay.
06:5811 catches.
06:59Right.
07:00Would you set the over under on that?
07:02Or was it a bet up against something else?
07:03Yeah, it was running backs versus wide receivers.
07:05Just running backs?
07:06Not running backs and tight ends?
07:07I don't think it was both.
07:09If, but even if it was like Kittle had four and McCaffrey had two and that's it.
07:13End of non receiver catches.
07:15Well, I mean, I will say this, um, you know, Brock Purdy is a nice quarterback, but he needs
07:23all of his weapons.
07:25Yeah.
07:25I mean, he always has.
07:26I don't, I don't know what this would look like if he ever had to go out there with,
07:32I don't know, Jordan Watkins, Brandon Cooks, and Jacob Cowling.
07:36I don't know if the offense can function.
07:38He had McCaffrey and Kittle.
07:40So let's not, I mean, let's just not, let's not pretend that.
07:43Okay.
07:44He had, he had two Hall of Famers.
07:46So like, oh, could Darryl Hodge.
07:49Christian McCaffrey had two catches.
07:51Right.
07:52It's the threat of McCaffrey.
07:54Got it.
07:54And George Kittle, the Hall of Famer.
07:56So don't pretend like he didn't have weapons.
07:58Like he had two Hall of Famers.
07:59He has the entire wide receiver core is out.
08:03Jordan Watkins was a drafted player.
08:05Fourth round pick.
08:06Don't do this, Gibbs.
08:07I'm doing it.
08:08Don't do this.
08:08No, you don't do this because you're, you're making it seem, Mr. President.
08:13No, I am not.
08:14The president of Pakistan.
08:15I am not making anything seem like anything.
08:17I am responding to what has been a three to four year long, big bleep fest of crap takes
08:25about Brock Purdy because people say, oh, he's product of the environment and he's got Avengers out there.
08:33Thundercats.
08:35Thundercats.
08:37Brandon Cooks.
08:38George Kittle.
08:39George Kittle.
08:41Jordan Watkins.
08:42Christian McCaffrey.
08:43DeMarcus Robinson at 50% said the broadcast.
08:47Brandon Cooks has played in two Super Bowls.
08:49Daryl Hodge.
08:51Legit.
08:54Jacob Cowling.
08:56Drafted player.
08:57I know I don't need.
08:57Well, what the hell does that have to do with anything?
08:59Everybody in the league almost is drafted.
09:02Like most of the guys in the league are drafted by somebody.
09:05That means Shanahan and Lynch love that guy.
09:08They love the player.
09:09They like the pick.
09:10I know I don't need to say this anymore, but do you remember those takes?
09:12Of course.
09:13That's because he has Debo and Brandon.
09:15Okay.
09:16He still has Brandon, just not on the field.
09:20He's on the roster as of 130.
09:24Jonathan in the city.
09:25Hi, Jonathan.
09:25Thanks for calling.
09:27Hey, thanks for taking my phone call.
09:30Happy victory Monday, Monday.
09:33Let's go.
09:35First, I would like to say just give him a break, guys.
09:39Guys, I feel sorry for those people of Oakland.
09:42They all left.
09:44Don't bust their balls even more because you're asking for it.
09:47Shout out to my buddy, one of my good friends, Gabe Becerra.
09:52Long time Oakland Raiders fan, fan of all the sports in Oakland.
09:57Guys, they all left, bro.
09:59Just don't bust their balls even more.
10:01How would you feel if all the teams left you, right?
10:04So now on with the game.
10:06I just like to say I'm seeing a lot of things that are becoming consistent this year that they have
10:12in the past.
10:13Number one, that secondary is being put in position to make plays, and they're making them plays.
10:19Number two, that Fred Warner punch out, that's the thing.
10:23That thing's going to show up in the playoffs big time.
10:27Number three, I used to harp on Brock Purdy, not throwing consistently outside the numbers.
10:33He's been doing that.
10:35And also, just a bomb in the end zone.
10:40I've seen it twice already.
10:42Let's go.
10:44Jonathan, thank you very much.
10:46Let me say one thing real quick, and then it's to bed for the rest of the day.
10:51And I think Jonathan was mostly kidding, but no, if you do bust someone's balls, you are not, quote, asking
10:58for it.
10:59Is it the smartest thing to do?
11:01Maybe not.
11:02At no point are you asking to get physically attacked at a football game.
11:09So words do not equal that, in my opinion, no matter what.
11:14Just wanted to say that.
11:15Okay.
11:17Disagree?
11:18It's not that I disagree, but sometimes your mouth writes a check that your body can't cash.
11:25I guess.
11:25And there's talk, and then there's talk that goes over the line.
11:28I don't know what was said between party A and party B, so it's hard to just, you know, categorize
11:33it all in the same way.