Good Morning Faithful,
Here are your top 49ers storylines for Wednesday, October 28.
New and Noteworthy
Roster Moves
The 49ers announced yesterday they have acquired defensive lineman Jordan Willis and a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft from the New York Jets in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Willis (6-4, 270) was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round (73rd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. During his four-year career with the Bengals (2017-19) and Jets (2019-20), he has appeared in 43 games (two starts) and registered 52 tackles, 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed.
The team also announced on Tuesday that they have signed offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom and defensive lineman Willie Henry Jr. to the team's practice squad and released cornreback Brian Allen, offensive lineman Cody Conway and defensive lineman Adam Shuler from the practice squad. In addition, the team has reached an injury settlement with wide receiver Tavon Austin and he is no longer on the team's Injured Reserve list.
Pro Football Focus Grades All 32 First-round Picks after Week 7
Almost halfway into the 2020 NFL season, analytics site Pro Football Focus released grades for all 32 first-round picks from the 2020 NFL Draft following the rookies' Week 7 performances. Here's where the 49ers two first rounders stand.
Pick No. 14: Javon Kinlaw
2020 Overall Grade: 57.7
"Javon Kinlaw certainly flashed his big-time ability against the New England Patriots, but he wasn't consistently dominant. He had just one hurry and another marginal win as a rusher, but his best moments were hustle plays to make an impact where another player might not have found the work.
"Kinlaw had a defensive stop and drew a holding penalty. Overall, this was a grade that represented something of a rebound week for the rookie after his previous two games had been relatively quiet. Kinlaw now has 11 total pressures and nine defensive stops through seven weeks of play."
Pick No. 25: Brandon Aiyuk
2020 Overall Grade: 73.6
"Brandon Aiyuk just looks explosive and exceptionally athletic in his movements in a way few players do, even at the NFL level. He caught six of seven targets this week for 115 yards, 50 of which came after the catch, for his best receiving day as a pro. His 89.0 overall PFF grade was also the best single-game grade of his young career.
"Aiyuk represents a perfect player for this Kyle Shanahan offense that asks less of its quarterback than many systems and instead relies on the game-breaking ability of its playmakers once they have the ball in their hands. He has that talent in abundance, and the only thing left is to see how much he can add as a vertical presence as the season goes on."
Quick Hits
Per Pro Football Focus, Fred Warner has a coverage grade of 90.4 this season, highest for all linebackers with 15 or more targets. In addition, Warner's also allowed a passer rating of only 55.9, second among linebackers.
--
NFL Network's Scott Pioli discussed how 49ers running back coach Bobby Turner has been so successful in the run game and told the story of Turner's first impression of Tevin Coleman. Watch the full video below. 👇
--
Election Day is less than one week away on November 3. Text 49ers to 26797 to make sure you're registered and to find your nearest polling place.
