Two days earlier than the San Francisco 49ers will open their 2024 season on “Monday Evening Soccer” towards the New York Jets, head coach Kyle Shanahan offered an replace on the form of workload current holdouts left sort out Trent Williams and wideout Brandon Aiyuk can anticipate.
Shanahan instructed reporters he’d prefer to see Williams play the whole recreation, saying it might be “bizarre” to see the three-time All-Professional sitting on the sidelines. Nevertheless, following a protracted layoff, the 49ers plan to scrutinize the left sort out’s reps closely whereas holding the strains of communication open.
“That is one thing we’ll be on high of all through the sport and he’ll be trustworthy with us on how he feels,” Shanahan mentioned by way of the 49ers.
Shanahan admitted that he isn’t used to rotating tackles alongside the offensive line, hinting that he’d do it provided that crucial. Ought to Williams want a blow, the 49ers would probably need to plug in 2021 fifth-round decide Jaylon Moore in his place, however former Defensive Participant of the 12 months edge-rusher Nick Bosa would not consider that can be crucial.
“We had been texting just a little bit, and I mentioned, ‘Everytime you present up, I will provide you with some reside reps,’ however I do not assume he wants them,” Bosa mentioned earlier this week by way of KNBR.
Within the case of Aiyuk, the image seems related. However Shanahan acknowledged that whereas the gifted fifth-year wideout “often” performs many of the offense snaps, that might not be the case on Monday night time.
“I would in all probability be shocked with that very same quantity,” Shanahan mentioned. “However he is in fine condition. He is had a very good week. He seems good and he is able to go.”
No matter reps Aiyuk will get, he is more likely to be in rhythm with quarterback Brock Purdy. The Professional Bowl signal-caller revealed on Friday that the pair had been working collectively away from observe over the previous few days to get again on the identical web page, with encouraging outcomes.
“On the subject of our base route timber, our ideas and operating and me throwing him out of his breaks, I am not gonna lie, it feels fairly regular, it feels fairly good,” Purdy mentioned by way of KNBR.
Aiyuk was the primary to finish his holdout, inking a four-year, $120 million extension on Aug. 29, whereas Williams adopted lower than every week later, signing a three-year deal price $82.6 million on Sept. 3. With the season opener solely days away, that does not give both participant a lot time to get again up to the mark.
However, it looks like the 49ers are dealing with the state of affairs as finest they will, taking warning the place wanted. Nevertheless, it needs to be attention-grabbing to see if Aiyuk or Williams are impacted by their prolonged time away from the staff.