- 1 week ago
Willard and Dibs listen to 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan address the media post cut-down day to get updated on Nick Bosa and George Kittle's injuries, and more.
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00:00Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch met with the media a short time ago to go through the Kittle and the
00:06Bosa and the rest of it all as they get ready for three more practices and then a plane flight
00:12to end all plane flights all the way across the world to Australia.
00:16We want you to hear the entire conversation in full. It starts out with the general manager opening comments from
00:23John Lynch.
00:23We'll let you open it up for questions. I'll just say, you know, this is always an interesting time because
00:30there's the excitement of the upcoming season and we have a lot to be excited about with our team and
00:36liking where we're at.
00:38But then it's really tough to have conversations with guys who fought so hard, have been a part of us,
00:44sometimes for a long amount of time, sometimes for a short amount of time, and let them know that this
00:50year it's not coming into reality.
00:52We all know that it's the initial 53, which you guys see the way things work. That doesn't stay static.
01:01That's fluid and ongoing and will be this year, just like it has been in years past. But with that,
01:08just open it up for questions.
01:10Where do things stand with Nick Bosa and George Kittle practicing this week?
01:16Yeah, we hope to. Well, we're going to get him out there in these three days and hope it goes
01:20well.
01:23Will Kittle be doing team drills today? Is it going to be a sort of a ramp up situation with
01:29Bosa?
01:31Yeah, with three days before we go. We're bouncing it out with both of them. We don't want them to
01:35go three days in a row. So we're going to do a little on some of these days and more
01:38on one.
01:39Both of them are on a little different schedule with the three. It's a little different now. We usually have
01:43these three practices, then we get three days off.
01:45And then we kind of settle everything that bonus Monday of the week. We already had our three days off
01:50because of our travel deal. And now we kind of have these three bonus practices.
01:54Then we'll get on our plane and go. And our Monday where we kind of settle everything will be our
01:58Saturday in Australia.
02:00That'll be Monday to us, just in terms of creature habits, what we do every year.
02:06George stated last week that he felt like if he wasn't going to play, it would make more sense for
02:12him to stay behind, get 10 extra days of rest, avoid those long trips.
02:18Organizationally, do you believe you have to make that decision on whether he's going to play by the time you
02:23take off Wednesday?
02:25I mean, I don't think you have to do anything. I think if we didn't think he was going to
02:28play, though, and it was looking that way,
02:29I think it'd be much nicer to make that decision before we left instead of having to go through all
02:33that.
02:34It's also a long time that we're out there. So to be away from the team for a week, not
02:37just for camaraderie or anything,
02:39but just the training staff and things like that and being away from meetings is also a big deal, too.
02:43But hopefully these three days that we have, these three practices will go the right way and make it an
02:49easy decision to get him on the plane.
02:51This is for both of you, obviously.
02:52I know putting the roster together and getting the practice squad all before you leave has been challenging.
02:55What have been just kind of overall the biggest challenges of preparing for everything to get on that plane and
03:01take that flight on Wednesday?
03:02There's a lot, you know, and I think an opportune time to give a shout out to our staff.
03:07You guys see coaches, you see front office, you see players.
03:11You also know there's a lot behind the scenes.
03:14Our logistics folks, our folks that work in the cafe have just gone to tremendous lengths.
03:20Our health and performance team to make sure that we're giving our players the best opportunity to feel right when
03:28they play down there in Australia.
03:31Everything from getting visas, which is much more complicated than I ever knew.
03:35And they've been outstanding.
03:37They've worked in conjunction with the league, but most of the work's been done on our part.
03:42And, man, hats off to those guys for pulling off a monumental task, and it's not done yet.
03:49But there's a lot.
03:51And then just the timing.
03:52You know, you mentioned practice.
03:54We're bringing practice squads from the outside.
03:56I've never asked a potential practice squad, do you have a passport?
04:01You know, those are questions we have to ask now.
04:04Now, one guy who's coming in town had to, you know, his parents are next day in it because it
04:10was at the house.
04:10So there's a lot of little logistics like that that are complicated by this.
04:15But, you know, we're embracing it.
04:17We're having a plan for everything, and we're getting it done.
04:20John and Kyle, for either one of you, we've seen Boas on the side running, and he looks pretty good.
04:24But is it tendinitis, or is it really just being smart and taking extra precaution, like maybe you do with
04:32Christian,
04:33and just try to not expose him to so much camp in August?
04:36I think it was that at first, but now it's more of just being smart.
04:39I mean, you guys see him on the field working out.
04:41He's feeling great.
04:43We're deciding how much we want to do in team settings, going against people and stuff before we get out
04:48there.
04:48And that's what we've kind of put out for these three days.
04:50Now, again, they're not going to go all of them, but we're going to get them in in these three
04:54days.
04:54And hopefully that continues what we've seen when they haven't been out there, and then we'll be on Australia with
04:59them.
05:00And Nick's had, you know, he's been through this before with ACLs.
05:04Nick's pretty blessed with tremendous genes and, you know, was going along great.
05:11So, you know, the intention when he came back was that he was right.
05:15When he upped the activity, he got sore.
05:17And so he backed off, and, you know, we put together a really good plan that thinks that we believe
05:24we'll have him ready for Australia.
05:26And I always believe that the athlete knows their body better than anyone, and Nick certainly takes that to the
05:32nth degree.
05:32He knows his body extremely well and knows what it takes to have him ready.
05:37We saw him one year in a contract year come in here like on a Thursday and play pretty well
05:41on Sunday.
05:42So I've got a lot of faith in his ability to do that.
05:45John, I know that earlier this offseason you joked about the John Wooden philosophy of your opponent.
05:51It's hard to ignore the fact that Aaron Donald is back with the Rams.
05:54Kind of both of your reactions to that news and the challenges it presents you this season.
06:00Yeah, I mean, the guy's different, right?
06:02He's an exceptional player, one of the greats, and, you know, I do subscribe to that.
06:11I think we're pretty good, too.
06:13They got better, certainly, with him deciding to come out of retirement.
06:16Now, there's time away, but I know that guy trains like a bad man.
06:22I ran into him in a hotel somewhere a while back, and we had some fun chatter back and forth.
06:28And never thought he'd do it, but he's doing it, and so we better get ready for it.
06:35Kyle, I don't want to parse anything you said, especially after a game, but it was noted, I think you
06:40said something like,
06:40guys like George who've taken a step back.
06:43Was there anything specific that was referring to, or was it just kind of in general about a bunch of
06:48things?
06:49Yeah, I didn't read the transcript or watch what I said, but I definitely had family members ask me about
06:55that because of some headlines.
06:56So I don't know exactly what I said there, but it was probably just me not speaking right.
07:01I was, he's, George has been great.
07:03He's passing everything.
07:04You know, we're just getting him out first time with the team in these three days.
07:07And any time you come back out and practice with the team going against people and stuff,
07:11I hope there's not a setback in that way.
07:13That has nothing to do with his injury or anything.
07:15That just has to do with him coming and practicing for these three days.
07:18So there was no, there was nothing that I meant to say that people looked into.
07:24It was, I did say that was an accident.
07:26So.
07:26And there's so much focus, obviously the first game, it's the Rams, it's Australia.
07:32Do you have to like tell yourselves it's one game, just one game for either one of you,
07:37or does it mean something like let's get our guys ready for this game because it's a super important game,
07:43not only just to start the season, but that it's the Rams.
07:45I think, I mean, I think that's why I've always liked the NFL growing up as a fan.
07:50That's why it's the only sport that has always kept my interest year long or throughout a whole season is
07:55that,
07:56I mean, every game is just one game and the NFL just one game is huge.
08:01It's the first game of the year.
08:02It's, well, I can't tell you how many times the last game of the year has been the biggest one
08:05to tell you whether you make the play, make the seventh seed or not, or you make the one seed.
08:10So when you only have 17-game seasons, these are all huge.
08:13When you go against division opponents, sometimes you say that counts twice
08:16because the best way to get in the playoffs is to win your division.
08:19So you never look at that any differently.
08:21It's not just one game.
08:23It's so big of one game now.
08:26That's why you try anybody who's healthy, anyone who passes, anyone who the doctors say it
08:30and the player says you can go, you always go.
08:33But if they aren't, if there's risk of it, if, hey, man, they'll be so much better this week,
08:38we don't totally recommend it in the first week, then that's easy for us.
08:42We definitely want to do it.
08:43So it's got to sign off on all what the doctors say.
08:46It's got to sign on what George says and what Nick says, what everyone says.
08:50And the best thing to do that is when we get them out into team drills and stuff
08:53because everything looks good right now.
08:55And I hope that continues through these practices.
08:57Yeah, really well said by Kyle.
08:58And, you know, I think a great example that Mike Hill-Williams, we had to make a tough decision.
09:02Do we bring him off PUP or not?
09:04And ultimately, with what he had, you know, we're kind of just over nine months.
09:12Well, he had an ACL.
09:13He also, you know, had some additional things, you know, in terms of cartilage with his knee.
09:19And the timeline for that is about 10 months.
09:21And so Mike Hill was doing really well.
09:24Could we get him there?
09:25We had to evaluate, okay, he could start, you know, he might not be ready for week one or two,
09:31maybe game three or four.
09:32Or ultimately, we just said, you know what, Mike Hill means a lot to this organization.
09:37We think it's in his best interest.
09:39It's going to stink not having him for the first four weeks.
09:42But we'll have him the rest of the year in really good fashion, we believe, if we allow him the
09:47necessary time.
09:48So you're always making, yes, division games count double.
09:52Yes, it's the Rams.
09:54It's, you know, they're all so important.
09:56But we also are always very conscious of a long-term play.
10:00What's the plan for Jarrett Patterson?
10:04To get him in the group right away.
10:05I mean, we love that he has some flex at center and guard.
10:08You know, he's still fluid in all our positions in there.
10:13So I want to see where he fits in the group in these three days.
10:15And it's a hard thing with not just going to Australia, but just not opening on a Sunday.
10:19Just the time that we're usually used to making some of these decisions have all been sped up.
10:24So I want to get him in the group, see where he fits, just see him in person, see how
10:29he can help us at guard,
10:30how he can help us at center, and how he stacks up to other guys.
10:33How much more challenging was it this season with guys with injuries, Dominic Pune going back into the concussion protocol,
10:39Brayden Willis in the concussion protocol, to balance the injuries and then put your roster together?
10:44Very challenging.
10:45I mean, just because of the timing of it.
10:47I mean, it's just, it's all sped up.
10:48You know, us leaving on Wednesday, you know, normally we'd have these three practices and we usually have three days
10:55off.
10:55We have a player's party usually every Saturday night before the year, and then we'd start that Monday.
10:59So this Monday has kind of just been sped up to where when it comes to guys like what you
11:03said with Dom,
11:05guys that you think you're going to be all right with, but you're still not totally sure,
11:08it does make it a little more complicated.
11:10And even guys like Mikel, who we think maybe could be ready before week four, but not sure of.
11:16Like that's the hard back and forth discussions that you really, there is no right or wrong end.
11:21There is a right or wrong answer, but if you can't tell the future, you don't really know.
11:24So you really get to over discuss those for a while.
11:27How do you guys feel about the running back and linebacker units?
11:31It seemed like they're both pretty deep.
11:32And obviously in past years you've gotten, that depth's been tested a lot at both spots.
11:37Yeah, tough decisions there, to say the least.
11:41Starting with running back, you know, obviously Christian, we love what we've seen from Kalen.
11:47And when he's been out there, Jordan James came back from an early injury
11:50and looked really good in our final preseason game.
11:53And obviously the ability to put Debo back there, you know, plays into that.
11:58Linebacker, I thought that, you know, those guys were outstanding all through camp.
12:01It was a deep group.
12:03You know, Nick, I think by now has reverted to IR, made the initial 53.
12:08But Nick's a guy we're excited about.
12:10So it's a really strong group.
12:12Give a lot of credit to Bobby Turner with the running backs.
12:17You know, KJ and Johnny, those are really solid groups that we're extremely excited about.
12:23And Dre Greenlaw's all good to go now.
12:25Will he do teamwork all three days, Kyle?
12:28Is that the plan?
12:29No, he won't do all three.
12:30He won't do.
12:30That's the kind of maintenance as it can be.
12:32That'll probably be the case for him throughout the year.
12:34Okay.
12:34Yeah.
12:35I got one for each of you.
12:39Kyle, who's your starting left guard and who's your backup running back?
12:43Don't know yet.
12:44On either one?
12:45No.
12:46It's the truth.
12:48Yeah, it really is.
12:49And then...
12:50Usually we get all three of these practices.
12:51And then by that Monday, it's like when we come in and usually do leadership council captains and, all right,
12:58this is who we're rolling with.
12:59We haven't had those three practices yet and just added a new guy to the group, too.
13:03So it's truly fluid.
13:05Okay.
13:05And then, John, Brandon Ayuk is due a big option bonus on September 1st.
13:12Who is that?
13:14Brandon Ayuk.
13:14Yeah.
13:15Does that apply because he's on the reserve left squad list or do you have to make a move before?
13:20No, nothing changed there.
13:21He's on the reserve left squad list.
13:24And as such, it's, you know, he's just kind of not on our roster.
13:28So that's where it's at.
13:29That he might be due.
13:30Yeah.
13:31He doesn't get paid.
13:32Correct.
13:33Okay.
13:33I want to ask about the safety spot.
13:35How is Mustafa doing?
13:36And what do you see the group as a whole?
13:38I'm excited about the group.
13:39I think we got a bunch of guys who have, you know, three of our four guys have all started
13:44at the position for us over the last two years.
13:47Loved Adam Ashton, what he's done in this league, and also how he helps on special teams.
13:52And we should be getting Mustafa.
13:53We're getting Mustafa back out of practice these three days.
13:55So I'm excited to get him back so we can get him in the mix again.
13:58Okay, John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan starting the week off, and it is the final practice-only week.
14:05But this one different, as they detailed, more so than anyone that they've ever dealt with before.
14:11Because it's practice right now.
14:13It's practice late morning tomorrow.
14:15It's kind of a mini half practice, if you will, on Wednesday and then Wednesday night.
14:19It is fly to Australia.
14:22That sort of covers up Thursday.
14:24You lose Thursday.
14:26They land.
14:27It'll be pretty much Friday in Australia.
14:28They will practice again, likely on Saturday.
14:32But that's in Australia, which means it's Friday for us.
14:37Right.
14:37I hope you covered all that or got all that.
14:40And then next week, I'm told the Niners play a football game.
14:43But they'll play it on Thursday.
14:45But it'll be Friday there.
14:46But it'll be Thursday here.
14:48Yeah, and you're just trying to make it as confusing as possible.
14:50And bottom line is, we'll have all the days because we won't be flying the distance that they're flying.
14:56But yeah, they get there.
14:58They lose a day.
14:59And I think when they fly back, the total time of the flight is about 15 minutes from when they
15:05leave to when they land.
15:07I know they're in the air longer than that.
15:08But I do think that.
15:10That'd be incredible if you found a way to do it in 15 minutes.
15:12You get the day back on the way back.
15:14But yeah, the schedule that you laid out makes a lot of sense.
15:17And I know that, you know, today you've got some guys who are just not participating.
15:22And so nothing to really be concerned about, like Kyle said in that clip.
15:26When you get to Monday, that's when you really start to set things in motion.
15:29Well, I think that there might be, especially with the way this is going, because this is different, right?
15:35They're playing in Australia.
15:36This is different.
15:37And you do have some pre-existing injuries that guys are trying to come back from.
15:41Maybe we need to go a little further than, quote-unquote, he's not practicing.
15:47Because Kyle Shanahan just detailed that Nick Bosa will return to work today.
15:54And they've got a plan for him to attempt to play week one.
15:59But then if you go to the beat reporters and get the, quote-unquote, list of who's not participating in
16:06team drills,
16:07guess who's on it?
16:08Nick Bosa.
16:09Right.
16:09Now, he's out there, and he's working, so they can see him.
16:15They can see him running full speed, but he's, quote-unquote, not participating.
16:20There is good news to go with that news.
16:23You can process this however you want.
16:25There's another name that's, quote, not participating right now.
16:28You ready for it?
16:29Mike Evans.
16:30Okay.
16:31Now, he already said last week, I'm playing.
16:35So, here's what I'm wondering.
16:37If someone's not participating in the team activities, but they're there, and they have a uniform on, and they're running
16:44around, but they're just over there instead of right there.
16:47But then we get the list of, they're not participating, but they're veterans, and no one's really worried about them
16:53doing team activities.
16:55Are they actually not participating?
16:57I mean, Mike Evans and Nick Bosa, they're there, they got uniforms on, they're running full speed.
17:02They're not just, they're just doing it on a different field.
17:05Yeah.
17:05So, are they not participating?
17:06I don't know.
17:07Like, I guess that's up to each and every one of you, how you want to process that.
17:09Depends on what they are not participating in.
17:12Is it, you know, full on 11 on 11, and we're hitting, and we're not tackling because it's our team
17:18against our team.
17:19But are you not participating in any actual football type stuff?
17:23Are you just running around on the side?
17:26Ultimately, it is just kind of nomenclature based on, you know, are they participating or are they not?
17:32When you get to a week from Thursday and you have an actual game, well, then we will know if
17:37guys are ready to play in a real football game or not.
17:40Here is the list of people who are, air quotes, not participating, but virtually or damn near all of them
17:48are in uniform and just doing other activities at practice.
17:52But here's the list.
17:53Renardo Green, Jacob Cowing, Mike Evans, Brayden Willis, Ephesians Prysock, Luke Gifford, Grayson Halton, Nick Bosa, and Romello Hite.
18:05They are all or pretty much most of them.
18:08We didn't get the list.
18:09It says most of them.
18:10I don't know which are the exceptions, but most of them are in uniform and doing something at practice, just
18:17not participating in the full team drills.
18:20So, there's that.
18:21However, there's also a list of 49ers who, ladies and gentlemen, are returning to full practice from injury today.
18:30They are fullback Kyle Juszczyk, safety Malik Mustafa, quarterback Curtis Rourke.
18:37Last time we saw him, he was on the way to the hospital.
18:40Cornerback Upton Stout, offensive tackle Vidarian Lowe, and guard back off of the protocol, Dominic Poonie.
18:50Okay.
18:50They're all back.
18:51They're all back.
18:51And the ones that you had mentioned that are not back or they're not fully participating, it's the young guys
18:58that I would worry about.
18:59Agreed.
19:00Because you're not going to give Romello Hite a vet day when he's out there as a rookie.
19:05So, if he's not practicing fully, then he's probably actually hurt.
19:09I agree with you.
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